Nothing ruins a good cookout or run through the sprinklers like a mound of fire ants. With warmer weather around the corner, early spring is the time to tackle fire ant problems before they spoil summer fun.

School is back in session in most parts of Georgia, and many families are returning to their normal routines. But less time chasing summertime adventures may mean more time consuming news and, unfortunately, new stories about the Zika virus.

With its shocking impact on babies and mothers, the Zika virus has gotten a lot of attention. However, some entomologists are looking at the current, abnormally dry weather and becoming concerned that another mosquito-borne illness could become a threat later this summer.

Abnormally dry conditions this summer have kept Georgia’s mosquito populations mercifully low, but that’s no reason for Georgians to let down their guard this season.

Over the last few weeks, many Georgians have focused their attention on the media-hyped coverage of the kissing bug. Much of the sensationalism and worry surrounding this insect boogieman is unwarranted, according to University of Georgia entomologists.

Fall is the best time to control fire ants, so start next year’s battle plan now. Fire ant colonies have been growing all summer and will have reached their peak size by the end of September. It is best to attack these colonies before cooler weather sends them deep into the ground.

A University of Georgia entomologist is asking Georgians to help track an insect that loves to stowaway in homes and has the potential to hurt the state’s cotton and blueberry crops. The brown marmorated stink bug, a native of Asia, was first spotted in Allentown, Pennsylvania, in 1998 and has since been found in 42 states and two Canadian provinces, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. To date, it is classified as a nuisance pest in Georgia, but could quickly become an agricultural pest, too.

As the seasons shift and people spend more time indoors, so do rodents. A University of Georgia wildlife specialist says, with a little forethought, you can rid your home of those uninvited winter guests.

Homeowners who tackle termites may think the tiny insects spend their days eating wood. But a University of Georgia entomologist says 80 percent of the time they do absolutely nothing.