How to Prevent Pests From Living Under Your Patio Awning

Patio awnings are a great addition to any home, especially in Arizona. Even when the spring or summer sun is at its height, you can still enjoy the outdoors from the shade. But there is one downside to warm weather that an awning can’t immediately fight off: pests.

Pests can nest anywhere in your home, but an awning is a popular spot to do so, especially since it’s harder to spot nests in its nooks and crannies. The primary pests to look out for are wasps, bees and birds. The three vary in their unpleasantness, but all of them will be a problem if they build a nest in your awning.

Thankfully, you can prevent nesting before it happens. Here are some pest control tips to help protect your awning.

Wasp Patrol

Wasps are, without a doubt, the most frightening pest to hear about. They range from yellow jackets to hornets, and neither is ideal. Finding a wasp nest in your awning can be a nightmare scenario. Thankfully, there are ways to protect your home against them.

It’s important to inspect your awning regularly for active nests. This will be more of a challenge for yellow jackets, as they are better at hiding, so be vigilant. You can also plant wasp-repelling plants, like lemongrass and peppermint, or spray essential oils around your awning, like lavender, to deter wasps from nesting.

If you do spot a nest and want to exterminate it yourself, wear gloves and long sleeves and plan to spray late in the day, around dusk, as insects are least likely to be active then.

Spray with the wind and far away from the nest. Especially do not spray underneath it. After thoroughly dousing the nest, you can safely remove it after 24 hours. That being said, this process is best left to professional exterminators who have the equipment and knowledge to do it safely.

If you get stung, get medical attention immediately!

Bee Patrol

Bees are much more docile than wasps. The general rule is if you leave them alone, they’ll leave you alone. Unfortunately, if they’re in your awning, that doesn’t leave you with much of a choice.

Like the wasps, make sure to inspect your awning frequently for any signs of a colony building. And make sure to keep your patio clean. Leaving food and sugary drinks out on the patio will attract bees to your awning, as will having your trash out and in the open. Not planting any flowers close to your awning would also help. Any opportunity for the bees to feed will make the nesting more likely.

Unfortunately, once nested, bees require an expert hand to remove them. If you find a fully established bee colony in your awning, you should call an exterminator.

Bird Patrol

Between wasps and bees, birds are the least intimidating kind of pest we’ve listed, but they are annoying nonetheless. Bird droppings, loud chirping and resistance to being forcibly removed make them harder to relocate than insects. Nevertheless, there are a lot of tactics to prevent them from nesting in your awning.

Bird Spikes

Despite what the name may suggest, bird spikes are a humane way to avoid birds nesting in your awning. They are not sharp enough to harm the birds, but they are an effective deterrent. And they’re easy to install. Just place them along the mount bar of your awning, and you’re set.

Shiny Objects

If you don’t like the sight of the bird spikes on your awning, there are other options.

Birds’ eyes are bothered by shiny objects, so placing things such as CDs, aluminum foil, small mirrors, metallic wrapping paper, etc. underneath your awning will discourage birds from nesting.

Clean Out Twigs and Leaves From Your Awning

Stripping away any material the birds can use to build a nest from your awning will make it harder for them to nest there.

Make Noise Often

This may sound silly, but it works. Birds don’t like loud noises, so you can use that to prevent them from nesting. Installing wind chimes is a great way to do that, with the added benefit of also being a shiny object, but you can also regularly create noise and movement around the awning yourself to scare them off.

Awning Design and Installation Pros in Phoenix, Tempe and Scottsdale

Despite having to watch out for nesting, the benefits of awnings greatly outweigh the inconveniences or risks of pests. Arizona Awnings is here to help you achieve the patio of your dreams.

To learn more about the services we offer or to request a free estimate, give us a call at 602-252-3430 or click here today.