You may have noticed a higher activity of bees and wasps in the last month or so. It is pretty late in the season to have to worry about these things, but they are still out there.

Most bees and wasps hibernate during the winter. They survive by eating the food they have stored up over the summer months. These insects know that the end of the season for them is coming up soon, so they are out there foraging for -- and storing -- as much food as they can.

With the warmer September and October temperatures we have had, these bugs seem to be out more than usual for this time of year.

The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) released their bi-annual Bug Barometer® forecast recently. This forecast is a seasonal projection of the pest pressure and activity Americans can expect to see based on weather patterns, long-term forecasts and pest biological behaviors.

For the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley & Midwest, they are forecasting that "stinging insect activity will be at its highest during late summer and early fall until temperatures start to drop. Bitter cold temperatures and below-average precipitation predicted this winter may drive rodents indoors early and in search of protection from cold temperatures."

So the good news is with cooler temperatures moving in later this week, the stinging insect activity should slow down, but the bad news is that now rodents will be trying to find their way into our homes. Temperatures this weekend may struggle to hit 60 degrees for highs.

Rodents can be particularly troublesome. These pests can spread 35 diseases to humans. They are also known to chew through wood and electrical wiring, which could increase the risk of electrical fires.

To read more about the Bug Barometer forecast at the PestWorld.org website.

 

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