Summer in West Texas brings plenty of sunshine, backyard barbecues, and beautiful evening breezes. But as the temperatures climb in Lubbock, we aren’t the only ones looking for a little relief from the heat.
Summer is the peak season for two of the most common household nuisances: ants and spiders.
When the outdoor dirt dries up and the heat intensifies, these multi-legged critters start marching indoors looking for water, food, and air-conditioned comfort. Let’s dive into why these specific pests become such a headache during the summer months and what you can do to protect your Lubbock home.
1. The Summer Ant Invasion: Marching for Moisture
If you’ve ever walked into your kitchen only to find a perfect, microscopic highway of ants leading straight to your sink or sugar bowl, you are not alone.
During West Texas summers, the ground becomes incredibly dry. Ants leave their outdoor nests in search of two things: moisture and easy meals. Your kitchen is the ultimate oasis. A single drop of spilled soda, a few crumbs left behind on the counter, or even standing water in the bottom of your sink can attract an entire colony.
How to Discourage Ants:
Wipe Down Counters Daily: Use a mild soapy water solution or a vinegar spray to clean up sticky residues. This also breaks down the invisible scent trails (pheromones) that ants use to guide their nestmates to food.
Seal Food in Airtight Containers: Cardboard cereal boxes and plastic bags aren’t enough to stop a determined ant. Switch to hard plastic or glass containers for pantry staples.
Fix Plumbing Leaks: Check under your kitchen and bathroom sinks. Even a minor drip provides more than enough water to sustain an invading colony.
2. Summer Spiders: Following the Food Source
While ants are looking for your groceries, spiders are looking for the ants (and roaches, flies, and beetles). An increase in general insect activity during the summer naturally means an increase in predatory spiders.
While most common household spiders are harmless, they are a major nuisance. Plus, West Texas is home to venomous species like the Black Widow and the Brown Recluse, which pose legitimate health risks to your family and pets. Spiders love quiet, undisturbed areas like dark corners, closets, garages, and baseboards.
How to Discourage Spiders:
Clear the Webbing: Regularly vacuum or sweep away webs in high corners, ceiling fans, and doorways. If they have to keep rebuilding, they’ll often move elsewhere.
De-Clutter Storage Areas: Spiders thrive in clutter. Cardboard boxes stored in garages or attics provide excellent hiding spots. Switch to plastic storage bins with tight-fitting lids.
Control Other Bugs: The absolute best way to eliminate spiders is to eliminate their food source. If there are no insects in your home for them to eat, they won’t stick around.
Creating a Defensive Perimeter Around Your Home
Preventing pests from getting inside in the first place is always easier than trying to hunt them down once they’ve established a foothold. Take a quick walk around the exterior of your house this weekend and look for these common entry points:
Check Windows and Doors: Look for gaps or torn screens. Replacing worn-out weather stripping or door sweeps can make a massive difference.
Trim Back Landscaping: Tree branches, bushes, and thick mulch act as bridge highways straight to your home. Keep branches trimmed at least a foot away from your roof and exterior walls.
Seal Exterior Gaps: Use silicone caulk to seal small cracks around outdoor pipes, utility lines, and your home’s foundation.
When to Call the Professionals
DIY methods like keeping a clean kitchen and sealing cracks are fantastic first steps, but they often only address the pests you can see. Total eradication requires reaching the root of the problem: the nests hidden deep within your walls or underground.
At Pinkston’s Pest Control, we have over 30 years of experience keeping Lubbock homes pest-free. We don’t believe in a “one size fits all” approach. Our team uses specialized, target-specific treatments tailored to the exact pests invading your property.
Whether you need a quick one-time extermination or want the year-round peace of mind that comes with our Quarterly Pest Control plan, we treat your home exactly the way we treat our own.
New to Pinkston’s? Mention this blog post when you call to receive 10% off your first treatment (available for new customers, excluding termite treatments). Give us a call today at 806-796-1084 or reach out through our contact page to get your home protected for the summer!