How Weather Affects Insect Problems

If you’re observant, you will most probably have noticed that insects are affected by the weather. Or they perform better in some weather better than others. Just like humans, the activities of insects also change with the weather. The activities of insects—including their growth, development, reproduction, distribution, and population—are faster in hotter conditions. This is because they are cold-blooded creatures. 

In non-favorable or freezing conditions, like winter, most insects will hibernate or burrow into the ground until the conditions are right for them to re-emerge. Other times, they will migrate or spend the winter periods hiding in your home—a warm and cozier environment. Nevertheless, the last thing you want is to allow insects to make your home their home. This can be prevented easily by contacting your local pest control company or by reading this article further.

In this article, you’ll learn how different weather conditions, mostly temperature, and moisture, affect insect issues in your home. 

Rainy Weather

Water is an essential commodity for insects to survive. It is also a great catalyst for pests to reproduce very quickly. Therefore, during spring (March–May) and summer (June – August) where we have more rain, you need to watch out for insects. More rains mean you’ll likely see or have more insects around. Having more pests around also means they’ll likely need to find more food. Which might lead to more pests trying to invade your home and privacy. You should nevertheless be cautious and ready to deal with an influx of pests in this weather.

Dry weather

As earlier mentioned, water is necessary for the survival of insects. So, a long duration of dry weather can also mean more ants entering your home because they need water. As much as insects need water to survive, they also need food. However, the impacts of dry weather tend to affect their food supply. Therefore, as they are searching for water, they are also searching for food. And the best place to get this essential commodity is inside your home. Although you might not see insects around during dry weather unlike wet weather, you might find them coming into your home in search of food. When they find easy access to the food supply, they might build nests closer to your home. You may click here if you also want to get rid of them fast.

What you should do to prevent them 

You should make sure your home is kept clean always. Keep your food in airtight containers and make sure your home is free of crumbs. You should also make sure your drainages are in good condition, with no water leakage, or standing water especially during winter (or dry weather).

Never take your chances with those creeping insects. Irrespective of the climatic changes or weather conditions, they will effectively treat your basements, garages, crawl spaces, and trash areas to discourage insect breeding and eliminate possible infestations. They will also spray your doors, windows, and inspect your house exterior for bees, termites, spiders, wasp nets, etc. to mention but a few.

This article was written with the Life According to Steph audience in mind.

How to Process Heartbreak

Written for the Life According to Steph audience by Maggie Hammond. Proud mama to two little people, and has one too many furry friends. Passionate about alternative medicine, education, the great outdoors and animal welfare.

On average most adults experience full heartbreak around one or two times in their lives. It can be excruciating and very difficult to deal with. It can be challenging to navigate and can have a very serious effect on both your physical and mental health. From anxiety to guilt, the after effects of heartbreak can feel endless and painful. However common rejection is, it does not make it easy to deal with. However, there are several steps you can take when navigating this process. 

Ask for help

Heartbreak can be very emotionally fraught and time-consuming. It can take up a lot of your mental and physical energy. In essence, heartbreak is grief, loss, and rejection, which in combination can feel very isolating. It is, therefore, important to remember to ask for help when you need it because tackling these emotions alone can feel unbearable. 

There is an abundance of people willing to help you with your healing journey. From psychotherapists to EFT practitioners, there is a multitude of ways to help deal with trauma and loss. Lisa C. McJunkin specializes in therapy and holistic coaching to help individuals heal past traumas. Asking for help from a trained professional can be very beneficial when dealing with the consuming emotions and trauma of heartbreak. 

Move Your Body
A common symptom of heartbreak is anxiety, which can often be caused by suppressing bigger emotions such as anger or sadness. It is important to shift anxiety to access the underlying emotions. If these are left undealt with, they can have bigger consequences in the long run and you may find yourself dealing with trauma for much longer than you would like to. 

One way to shift feelings of anxiety is to use your body. Shift the physical manifestations that grief has on your body. There are many ways to do this, for example, crying is cathartic and releasing. Do not hold the tears back, if you feel them let them out. Furthermore, moving your body can release pent-up emotion and shock from the trauma of heartbreak. Start slowly with some gentle stretching and work up to the more physical movement, such as dancing or running. Let your body help you grieve and provide the pain an exit route through movement and release. 

Take Your Time

There is no straight line out of heartbreak and no one way you should do things. You may find people around you telling you that you should be doing this or you should be over it by now. This journey is individual and each person deals with loss in their way. Resist the pressure from external forces that tell you how and why you should be grieving. Remember to do what feels right by you—that is most important. It takes time and perseverance, you will find that some days are much easier to cope with than others. Do not feel disheartened by setbacks. At the end of the day, you are doing right by yourself and your body, so take your time.

How to Boost Your Self Confidence

Written for the Life According to Steph audience by Maggie Hammond. Proud mama to two little people, and has one too many furry friends. Passionate about alternative medicine, education, the great outdoors and animal welfare.

The way you feel about yourself can significantly affect how you live day-to-day, as well as how you react with friends, family members and professionals in the workplace. The more confidence you have, the more you are able to enjoy life to the full and not live in fear about whether others are judging you. Fear of judgement can have a dramatic impact on both your personal and professional life and may even hold you back from seeking opportunities. In this guide, we are going to look at just some of the ways you can improve your self-confidence in order to live a more well-rounded life.

Have a boudoir photoshoot

If you are constantly worried about your appearance, one way to overcome your anxieties would be to book a boudoir photo shoot. Taking this step is a major confidence-boosting decision that can prove just how stunning you are. A professional boudoir photographer will listen to you and allow you to choose the most comfortable poses and outfits you are happy with, to make you feel great. What is more, this activity will also allow you to experience a long-lasting effect on your confidence, as you can look back at the photos when you are having a down day – see yourself looking amazing and feel empowered again. 

Stop comparing yourself to others

It is easy to compare yourself to others – especially if you spend a large amount of time scrolling through social media. Comparisons are never healthy, as they can lead to feelings of jealousy and low mood. Notice when you start comparing yourself – whether it be in regard to affluence, possessions, looks or achievements and recognise your own attributes. Count your blessings and reach out to positive people in your circle, rather than negative ‘draining’ people who cause you to feel more miserable.

Recognize that the world is not focused on you 

If you feel an element of pressure to look or perform a certain way, remember that the world is not focused on you. You are one of billions of people on this earth, so there is no need to strive for perfectionism. Keeping this in mind should lessen any anxiety about what you are not doing right and instead allow you to focus on what you are accomplishing. People are far too preoccupied with their own lives to worry about every move you make, so concentrate on trying to please yourself rather than others.

Groom yourself

While it may seem a routine approach, simply having a shower and spraying your favorite perfume can work wonders for your self-confidence – and there is scientific evidence behind the matter. A study showed that 90% of individuals who wore perfume or aftershave felt more confident in themselves.

Dressing nicely can also have the same effect. If you work from home regularly, dressing in hoodies and sweatpants may be the more comfortable option but will not make you feel confident in your appearance. Dressing in your usual presentable office attire should allow you to feel much more self-assured and even boost productivity.

TWTW - last one in March

Friday I was up, showered, had the best friend dogs walked and fed, and was sitting at my computer working by 7 with the goal of being done by 3. It was so warm at lunch I could have cried with happiness. but windy AF so not a beach walking day. The dogs closed their eyes immediately which is a sign. I was still happy to open the windows and finish my workday on the porch, transitioning right into reading. I threw together dinner of chicken breasts in the air fryer/steamed red potatoes/steamed cauliflower (that's MFD's plate I put aside for  him, my food would not be touching like that), and MFD and the old dogs arrived around 8. 

Saturday Up by 7 despite praying for a sleep in. The dogs all got nails clipped and ears cleaned so there was howling, biting, scratching, misdirected rage, and general assholery. I got rid of some stuff via Buy Nothing pickups, went to the hardware store, sanded and spray painted the stools and bench, had a family beach sit, hoagies from Sack o’Subs for lunch (never again, unacceptable roll), then I went off in search of two replacement porch chairs. I got stuff at HomeGoods but it took three more stores until I found chairs. When I got home we ordered dinner from Luigi’s for pickup, I grabbed a few groceries before getting that, and left a fucking grocery bag at the store which I only realized after coming home so I had to go back and get it. We lounged and started watching Ginny & Georgia. 

Sunday I painted my nails in an Eastery fashion, showered, packed up, and was on the road by 10:30 with all four dogs, stopping to get gas (they pump your gas for you in NJ, you are not allowed to pump your own - I do not drive alone with a mask on lol) and driving through horrible downpours. In Philly I did five loads of laundry, got a bunch of shit out to the curb for trash day including two tables from the back yard that were broken from Tornadogate 2020 yet were still out there, got four boxes/bags of donations together, ran to the grocery store for sweet potatoes which of course they were out of (but had steamable in a bag, which I hate due to the extra plastic, but this is where we are), made dinner, and fell out on the couch. MFD was at the shore doing more of the small bathroom wall tiles and got home just as dinner was done. 

It felt good to get stuff done this weekend at both houses, which is not the usual. 

I'm sad to see birthday month go, as always, but looking forward to warmer weather and being outside more and being vaccinated and seeing my fucking friends. I'll still celebrate next week with family over Easter weekend too. 

How was yours?

I'm over it

The five day work week

Wearing any sort of jacket, sock, or boot

Waiting on doors to be installed

Vaccine deferment virtue signaling - we know, we are operating in a system that is not working for everyone. In the meantime, when you are eligible, get the vaccine. Don't worry about anyone else or how or when they got it or if you in your non-expert wisdom think they deserved to. Do you know how ableist it is to think you only know about someone's health issue if you can see it? Aside from the fact that what might qualify people as higher risk, whether you agree with it or not, was figured out by people who know more than you about this. Other people's health particulars are not your business - they are not required to tell you why they qualify for the shot and you are absolutely not entitled to ask, especially publicly on social media. Have people lost their damn minds? Doing your part to maintain public health *is* your business. We are in a race against variants. Let's go. Related to this...

Vaccine passers - I, too, believe in vitamins, avoid antibiotics when possible, don't trust the government 100%, and love crystals. None of those things are keeping me from getting a case of Covid that would hospitalize or kill me and none of them are protecting the people around me from the same. A vaccine will. Black people come from a place of medical experimentation - Henrietta Lacks and Tuskegee and so much more - which is why groups like The Black Doctors Covid-19 Consortium is working hard in their community to get people the vaccine who have a real reason to distrust. White people, just stop. If Covid manifested to impact our physical appearance like smallpox, there would not be one peep about getting it or knowing better than science how to get on top of a public health issue and worldwide pandemic. Stop. Especially those of you with the smallpox scar on your arms. You know why we don't have to worry about smallpox anymore? There was no internet where people could share insane conspiracy theories and act like they were wellness gurus who knew more than scientists and people care more about appearance than health. 

Women's clothes without pockets

Thoughts and prayers for victims of gun violence instead of action and true systems breaking change

Getting zits. I'm 44. Leave me alone. 

Choosing what's for dinner

Asian hate

People who agree to take things in internet Buy Nothing groups not showing up and actually taking them once they've been put out for pickup

Republican state legislators voting to suppress voting rights of others

Getting less flexible every year

Books where the author starts throwing the kitchen sink in about 3/4 of the way through

Days with the pandemic sweater on my shoulders

People acting like discussing or pointing out racism is the problem instead of actual systemic and personal racism

The watery mustard that comes out first if you forget to shake enough

The Instagram reel shit where people stand still or dance around silently and point at words that pop up to make their point. So fucking annoying

Email inboxes that never empty

Getting the impetus to write something or the perfect line/turn of phrase to work from while I'm driving or showering then never remembering it

Violence against women and calls for us to never go anywhere alone instead of calling for the eradication of the misogynistic, patriarchal bullshit that allows toxic masculinity to perpetuate

Happy Friday! What are you over?