Earlier this week, one of my cats brought me a lovely surprise: a half-dead lizard. She was playing with it in the living room, batting it around and occasionally taking a nip. Living in Arizona, a backyard full of lizards is the norm. Add a doggy/kitty door for easy access and sure enough a few critters will undoubtedly be brought into my home. But I prefer them to stay on the other side of the glass and doors.

While self-storage operators are vigilant about pest control year-round, when the warm weather hits, they often find the battle heating up. Mosquitoes, cockroaches, ants, mice and crickets come out in force during the summer months. Plus, self-storage units often see a lot of action during the hot days of summer as tenants access their units more often. All this means operators need to step up their game.

To ensure youre taking the right steps to head off any pest problems, check out this article from the National Pest Management Association. It highlights the most common critters found in self-storage units, plus simple steps you can take to ward off any bug problems. In addition, theres some handy info managers can share with tenants, such as washing items before storage and regularly checking their units for signs of infestation.

If you have tips for keeping bugs away, or want to share your own pest horror story, post a comment below or share on Self-Storage Talk, the industrys biggest and best forum.