Back in 1895, New Zealand postal worker George Vernon Hudson, was curious how he could acquire more hours in the evening to focus on his budding interest as an amateur entomologist (a type of scientist who studies insects After work, there just didn’t seem to be enough time to accomplish what he wanted to do. He proposed a time shift during the summer months that would increase daylight by about two hours. The Royal Society of New Zealand laughed at his request. British Builder, William Willett, also proposed the idea a number of years later. He was turned down as well. Many people believe that Benjamin Franklin was the creator of Daylight Saving Time (DST), but this actually wasn’t one of his inventions. Franklin merely wrote a satirical essay proposing people begin waking at dawn to take advantage of the sunshine instead of candles as a way of saving money.
When the U.S. made the move to adopt Daylight Saving Time during the period of World War II, the rationale was that people would be more likely to shop, spend money, and invest in the economy if there was still some daylight left when they clocked out of work. We know even today, leaving work when it’s dark outside simply leads to the desire to head straight home. Business leaders quickly grew to enjoy this new concept, while overall it was a pretty unpopular idea. There were a lot of farmers and laborers that would head to bed early because of their early start time. Farmers especially disliked Daylight Saving Time, because it left them less time in the morning hours to move their goods to markets.
Bugs typically follow a certain pattern of behavior based on whether it is light outside or dark. When the sun comes up, this usually brings some warmer temperatures for a number of hours. To extend daylight is to also increase bug activity. If you’ve ever had bees or wasps on your property, then you may have noticed that they tend to leave their hive during the daytime hours in search of food. When the sun starts to set, they head back to their hive or nest for protection until morning.
You don’t have to be a bug collector like George Hudson to reap the benefits of DST. That extra hour of daylight can be used for a nice walk, to spend some time gardening or to simply sit outside and read a book. You may find that longer days are resulting in higher bug activity on your property or in your home, making it difficult to truly enjoy the nice weather. Professional pest control services can help. There are a number of treatments that can be used to tackle a current bug problem, while there are preventive methods that can keep bugs at bay. Even in the winter months, it’s important that you remain proactive about your pest control. This can help keep things under control in the spring and summer months.
In the winter months, you may spot a lot more insects inside. They came in to get away from the cold, but now they’re causing you problems as unwanted houseguests. Termites are most active in late winter to early spring, and then their activity really ramps up when it warms up outside. Look out for saw dust, bug droppings, bugs scurrying away when you enter a room or even bug bites when you wake up in the morning. There are many different species you could be dealing with, and a professional can help you figure out what the culprit is.
If you’re having issues with pests in your home or on your property, contact PestNow of Central Virginia for assistance. We are a veteran-owned and operated local business, offering professional pest-control services throughout the Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Northern Neck areas. With PestNow CVA services, you get the best of both worlds. We provide you with support of the nationwide PestNow organization, while also offering personalized service, individual attention and professional expertise.
