Ahh, the fresh, crisp air of fall! Finally you can walk outside without being a mosquito target, and the majority of other pesky insects are fading into dormancy. Your Ankeny holiday pest control friends want you to stay on guard, though. Insects may be entering your house and yard using methods you may not have thought about: decorations. 

Holiday décor sets the mood for autumn, and, right around the corner, winter. Beginning with gorgeous round planters of mums and gourds – including pumpkins – insects may be feasting on your holidays! What should you do? Decorate with plastic? No! Pro-Staff has other ideas on keeping your holiday decorations festive rather than creepy. 

Autumn solutions

You may think of Jack-o-lanterns as the epitome of Halloween. Insects see Jack-o-lanterns as a free meal just when your garden has stopped producing ample fruits and vegetables. Keeping your prized scary pumpkin from succumbing to rot and insect breakfast is not difficult. 

The thick outer flesh of the pumpkin is impervious to almost all damage. If you are not planning on adding a light inside your pumpkin, draw on the outside with permanent markers instead of performing pumpkin surgery. 

If you do wish to carve the pumpkin, dig in deep. 

• Remove as much of the pulp as possible since both insects and bacteria love the rich, juicy, sweet flavor. 
• Bonus: dry the seeds and roast them for a spectacular treat!
• Cover the outside of the pumpkin (the rind) with vegetable oil, petroleum jelly, or lemon juice. These all form a barrier to keep the inside of the pumpkin firmer for a longer time.
• Use a spray bottle to spritz 10% bleach water inside the pumpkin after you have removed the pulp.

You are now set for your candle. Choose a citronella candle since they dispel insects. Remember, candles will shorten a Jack-o-lantern’s lifespan. 

Fresh plants look so nice lining your porch and gracefully adorning your table. Those plants are more than your beautiful decorations, though. They are also homes for many insects. To stop insects from migrating inside on plants, place the entire plant – container and all – in a large bucket of soapy water for 20 minutes. If parts of the plant protrude from the water, squirt those parts with soapy water. Make sure you use soap and not detergent. Detergent kills plants while soap gently cleans them. Rinse the plants with water afterward. Larger plants can benefit with a soapy water spray, then a neem oil treatment to seal the leaves from damage.

Winter solutions

Evergreen trees smell great, look perfect in pictures, and house a whole series of critters. If you purchase your tree from a conventional Christmas tree farm, it is probably pre-shaken. This releases most of the insect population. However, some will still remain. To ensure your tree is insect-free, dust it with diatomaceous earth. Let the dust settle before the tree is escorted inside. Once inside, set up the tree where you like it and place a white sheet or blanket beneath it overnight. If insects are visible on the sheet the next morning, spray the entire tree with neem oil before you decorate.

Decking the halls and trimming the trees is a family favorite. Keep insects out of your ornaments by storing everything in plastic containers rather than cardboard boxes. Many insects, such as silverfish and cockroaches, feast on the glue holding boxes together, and rats and mice tear up boxes to use as bedding. 

Happy holidays from your holiday pest control friends in Ankeny, Pro-Staff! We look forward to serving you during the holidays and next year. Call 515 279-PEST (7378) for more information on the latest information on keeping pests from invading your home any time of the year.