By Lina Younes

As the temperature warms up, we enjoy watching the revival of nature. Flowering trees, shrubs and wildlife come to life. While we welcome the return of butterflies and bees to our gardens, we definitely don’t rejoice with the arrival of other bugs, such as ants and mosquitos.

What can you do to prevent pests from taking over your living space? Well, make your home and yard as unwelcoming to pests as possible. How?  Start by removing sources of food, water and shelter. Don’t let those food crumbs and spills become pest magnets! Reduce clutter around your home and fix leaky faucets. Set up barriers so pests can’t invade your home through cracks and holes.

If in spite of your best efforts you still find these unwanted critters, you may need to take additional actions. EPA has tips for many of the most common pests.

• Do you have a problem with bed bugs? Check out our do-it-yourself guide to controlling bed bugs. We’ve got tips to help you address this problem safely to protect your family and the environment.
•  Does it seem that you have a problem with mice at home even if you haven’t actually seen them? Learn more on how to prevent rodent infestations.
• If you need to use a pesticide, use a product for your specific pest and read the label to ensure that you follow the directions and safety precautions.

With warmer temperatures, we’re starting to see mosquitoes earlier every year.  An important way to control mosquitos around your home is by eliminating their habitat. Mosquitoes only need a small amount of water to lay their eggs. So get rid of things in your yard like old tires, buckets and other containers where standing water will accumulate. Prevent mosquitos from entering your home with screens on your windows and doors. Also, use EPA-registered insect repellents safely to protect yourself against diseases transmitted by mosquitoes.

Being aware of potential pest problems and taking action to control these pests safely will help you and your family enjoy your environment at home and the great outdoors during the warmer months and year round.

About the author: Lina Younes has been working for EPA since 2002 and currently serves the Multilingual Communications Liaison in EPA’s Office of Web Communications. Prior to joining EPA, she was the Washington bureau chief for two Puerto Rican newspapers and she has worked for several federal and state government agencies over the years.