Summer Bugs Get Late Start But Could Stay Longer

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FRISCO (CBS11) - If you thought heavy spring rains and punishing summer heat were already a bad enough one-two punch, the combination has also made for a recent surge in bugs.

Some exterminators tell us homeowners in new suburban neighborhoods can have the most problems with bugs. The good news is this year's delayed hatching season may have bought some time to get the problem under control.

Bugs are inevitable in summer, and this season, Amy Showah is determined to be ready for them.

"You definitely want to have your line of defense up," Showah said.

Before she started having quarterly preventive spraying, Showah had big problems with ants and spiders.

"You could come out at night and shine a flashlight and see them in the grass," Showah said.

Mike Smith owns The Pest Shop in Plano. He says neighborhoods like Showah's that have constant construction should expect bug problems.

"People don't realize that there's been rats and ants and bugs and all these things existing for thousands of years before we started building houses here, so when you start churning up that soil and building houses, you're going to be exposed to more issues," Smith said.

But this year, the spike in calls for exterminations got a late start.

"With that much moisture, it really more or less held off the bug season. Usually we start seeing a lot of heavy activity in March and April when spring starts to turn, and we're getting to warmer weather, but with all those late rains, it just basically kept the bugs from hatching," Smith said.

If you don't have problems yet or are just starting to see bugs, some recommend preventive treatments like the ones Showah has. It's one way to stop the problem before it gets out of hand, especially if you have nearby construction you can't control.

"I think if you are preventative, I mean it may dig up the spiders, but if you have a barrier around the house, it will probably keep them from coming in," Showah said.

Experts say if your problems are just starting, with ants for example, try to capture some of the ants, alive if possible, so you can show them to your exterminator. That way they can tell what your best approach will be.

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