YAKIMA, Wash. – The National Pest Management Association (NPMA), a nonprofit organization, has released its bi-annual Bug Barometer, forecasting pest activity across the country, including Central Washington.
The Bug Barometer predicts that ticks, earwigs, and cockroaches will be the primary pests impacting Central Washington this spring and summer.
“Pests are going to be everywhere. It’s just kind of a fact of life, so it’s just something to keep in mind whenever you’re doing an inspection on your house,” Laura Rosenwald, an entomologist with NPMA, said.
The NPMA’s report highlights that the recent weather conditions in Central Washington will likely lead to increased pest activity. Rosenwald explained the reasons behind this increase, noting that pests require food, shelter, and water.
“With these moist conditions, these pests have the water that they were able to get throughout the fall and winter that they might not have gotten originally,” Rosenwald stated. “And also, since it was pretty warm during this winter, we’re kind of anticipating that we’re going to see a lot more pest activity.”
Rosenwald further explained that the mild winter and increased rainfall could serve as a springboard for pests in the coming months.
“[Central Washington] did have a mild winter that had a little bit more rainfall than we normally see, which we expect to give you guys…a little bit of a springboard in terms of the pests that you’re going to see throughout the year,” she said.
To help prevent pests from invading homes, Rosenwald offered some tips. She suggested reducing shelter availability by sealing any holes in the house and limiting food and water sources.
“Making sure that all of your stuff is wrapped up very well, you know, making sure that it’s sealed and pest-proof containers and also making sure that you’re implementing a regular cleaning schedule as well can really reduce the pest activity,” she said.
For those still experiencing issues, Rosenwald recommended contacting local professional pest management services for assistance.
