You’ve put up screen doors, window screens and screened in your porch. Finally, you can open up your house a little without insects bugging you. But then you notice a breach in the screen perimeter. A few small holes seemed to have appeared overnight.

It is possible for some bugs to chew through screens the same way they chew through fibrous plants. After spending hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars on screens, the last thing you want is the very thing you’re trying to keep out destroying your investment. Keep reading to find out which bugs can create holes in screens and how to keep them from doing so.

Insects That Can Destroy Your Screens

Not all insects are capable of chewing through screens. However, if you see these three bugs lurking around your porch or windows you may need to look for holes.

Grasshoppers – These hoppers are particularly problematic in the late summer and fall when they start moving closer to homes to stay warm at night. They are the biggest culprits when it comes to screen destruction.

Crickets – Many people that keep crickets to feed reptiles have noted that the little jokers can chew through screened enclosures. They can do the same to your screens out in the wild.

Wasps – Wasps have the capability of chewing through wood, so it’s not surprising that getting through some types of screens is no problem.

Tips for Stopping Insects Before They Get Through Your Screens

Once the bugs above do damage just about any insect can now get in, like pesky mosquitoes and flies. If you already have holes in your screens they’ll need to be patched, but the problem has just begun. Ultimately there are three things you can do to stop screen-eating bugs for good.

Use Heavy Duty Metal Screens

Crickets can chew through fiberglass, and grasshoppers love these screens as well. You’ll want to also avoid thin nylon screens. If you’re replacing your holy screens go for a heavier aluminum screen this time. Screens that are labeled “pet-friendly” are usually heavier wire mesh that bugs won’t be able to chew through.

Use Repellent on Your Screens

One simple solution is to spray your screens with bug repellent. This will deter pests from latching on the screens so there’s less of a chance they’ll get through.

Eliminate the Bugs

Of course, regular pest control treatments will keep bugs out of your yard and away from your home so they never have the chance to get at your screens. If you’ve noticed grasshoppers, crickets or wasps hanging out around your property it’s probably time to call the exterminator. In the long run professional pest control is much less expensive than buying new screens.

Original Source: https://www.vulcantermite.com/home-pest-control/how-to-stop-insects-from-chewing-holes-in-your-screens/