Floodwaters cause unwelcome visitors to seek shelter in your home

OKTIBBEHA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – Clean-up after a flood can be a handful for homeowners.

While they are busy pulling out furniture and debris, there’s one thing they tend to forget — bugs.

Just like us, insects and pests want to stay dry too.

They search for higher ground in places like your home, creating more problems for you and your family.

Ants, termites, and mosquitoes.

Usually, after a flood, these unwelcome visitors can seek shelter right in your home. All they need is a way in.

Entomologist Research Technician Joe MacGown said insects will navigate through the rising waters until they reach drier land.

“For instance fire ants, exotic fire ants when they’re displaced they’re able to move and form masses of ant bodies in water and they can float around in these huge masses of ants and if you were to contact those in any given time you’d have a big risk of getting stung,” said MacGown.

Just like ants, termites re-locate to the insides of the walls and floorboards of your home.

“Termites can get into that wood, they can severely damage the foundation of a house and part of the house,” said MacGown.

And the list keeps growing…

Entomologist Richard Brown wants to warn folks to be on guard for the potential other troubles that lurk after floodwaters go down.

“When there’s a flood from excessive rain then these mosquitoes lay their eggs next to a body of water like a lake or a river then those eggs will hatch. They come out in large numbers and they all come out at one time, ” said Brown.

Rats and snakes can often times be found lurking through the waters too.

And if they get settled in your home, damage repairs can be costly.

“If they can have a pest control person inspect the perimeter of their home and seal up any entryways. Remove debris and entryways to their homes for pests to come in their home. Anything that is moving and has lost its habit because of the water will be trying to find a way that’s dry,” said MacGown.

There is a possibility of having more severe weather in our area towards the end of the week. This is the time to check your home for entryways so they can be sealed up.

Categories: Local News

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