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Residences, Structures and Communities |
The arrival of the remnants of Hurricane Charlie over the weekend could trigger a number of pest problems in the ensuing days-weeks. The most obvious flood-related pests will be mosquitoes. Depending upon the extent of flooding and stagnating water in lowlying areas, clogged drainage ditches and the assorted objects that collect water, mosquito populations are likely to start increasing within about 2 to 3 weeks. Repellents are still the first line of personal defense. As time permits, efforts should focus on clearing drainage ditches where water may be impounded by debris and in removing standing water from objects in the back yard.
Loss of electricity can result in food spoilage and careless disposal of these items can increase a variety of problems. Damage to trees, yards and homes can lead to displacement and invasion of a variety of critters including wasps, rodents, snakes, etc. Larger animals, such as raccoons and skunks may show up in search of food and/or shelter and may come wandering into yards attracted to trashpiles (or open trash cans) or pet food bowls. And so, there is the issue of rabies to consider. Erratic behavior by animals displaced by the storm may be misconstrued as meaning symptoms of rabies. The best approach is to simply avoid direct contact with these animals.
Structural damage and improper repairs can result in problems later on with wood-damaging pests such as termites and carpenter ants. Flooding can disrupt the termite treatment around a home by depositing silt on top of the treated soil or by eroding the treated soil. Obviously, this is not something that calls for immediate action compared to the other consequences of such storms. However, since some homeowner insurance policies cover the cost of the retreatment, its worth keeping in mind if you experience such a problem and are filing a claim for other storm-related damage.
We have a summary of common storm-related pest problems at: http://insects.ncsu.edu/Urban/storm
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Last modified on August 30, 2004 by Stephen J. Toth, Jr.