For many regions of the country, the worries of drought are what preoccupy our minds during the summer. However, powerful storms are also common occurrences in many areas. To state the obvious, with most storms comes a heavy rain. Unfortunately, rain can intensify many pest problems in and around your home.

Fleas and mosquitoes both thrive in moist environments, because both pests need water, or at least a moist atmosphere, for successful reproduction. A good rain can drastically increase the breeding rate of fleas and mosquitoes.

Rainfall may also increase the presence of ants around your home. Like most pests, ants reproduce more rapidly under these conditions, but they will also search for drier ground. Often times, inside your home is the nearest dry ground these pests find. Ants are also quite adept at moving their colonies if need be, so this means you might not just be seeing one or two of these critters.

Roaches also head indoors during wet weather, simply to avoid the conditions. Pests also have a need to avoid too much water as they can easily drown.

Though there are pest problems associated with rainfall, there are steps you can take to reduce and prevent these problems. Be sure that you aren’t leaving the doors open for bugs. Not literally, of course, but the tiny cracks in your home’s foundation or under windowsills. They may seem almost microscopic to you, but they provide a wide open door for a bug.

Wherever possible you should also eliminate sources of water, such as pools of water on patios or in dips in your yard. By doing so, you will essentially be eliminating the breeding ground for many of these pests. Though household maintenance can reduce the opportunity of pests to enter your home, they have a remarkable knack for making their way indoors. If problems persist, you will need to seek professional help in order to eliminate the problem.