Date: July 25
In Iowa, extreme weather isn’t the exception—it’s the norm. From torrential downpours to scorching summers, our ever-changing climate has a direct impact on the pests that invade our homes and businesses. But why? The answer lies in what I like to call The Survival Triangle:
Food. Water. Shelter.
You need these. I need these. And yes—so do pests.
That half-full dog bowl on your back porch? To pests, it’s a deluxe suite with room service.
But of the three, water plays the most vital role. It’s why scientists look for signs of water when exploring other planets—because where there’s water, there’s life.
Rain, Rain… Here Come the Ants
Take this year’s relentless rain, for example.
Ants, like us, don’t want to drown. So when their underground nests flood, they look for higher, drier ground—which might mean your mulch bed, your garage, your shed, or even the eaves of your roof.
At Janssen Pest Solutions, we’ve helped eliminate serious ant invasions from residential homes, medical facilities, and even a second-floor office where ants scaled a 20-foot support pillar just to reach an employee’s stash of sweets. The pillar was dry, shielded by a cantilever, and acted like a superhighway for sugar-loving ants.
Mosquitos: Tiny Pests, Big Problems
All that rain doesn’t just disrupt ants—it also creates a breeding paradise for mosquitoes.
Anywhere water pools—gutters, buckets, splash blocks, tires, water barrels, potted plants—mosquitoes can lay their eggs. And it only takes one female mosquito to lay 400+ eggs at a time.
We recommend regular water shedding and property checks to prevent standing water. Better yet, Janssen Pest Solutions can deploy mosquito interdiction buckets on your property. These advanced tools kill adult mosquitoes while also destroying eggs and larvae with an Insect Growth Regulator (IGR)—stopping the next generation before it starts.
And it’s not just about itchy bites—mosquitoes are known vectors for serious illnesses including West Nile Virus, Malaria, Dengue, Zika, Yellow Fever, and Chikungunya.
The Bottom Line:
Extreme weather is a fact of life in Iowa—but pests don’t have to be.
Call Janssen Pest Solutions to inspect your property, identify pest-friendly conditions, and deploy the right tools to protect your home or business. Let us help enhance your property enjoyment—and safeguard your health.