Common Household Pests in Season This Spring

As soon as the word “spring” pops, most people usually imagine vibrant images such as flowers in bloom, the sunshine, temperatures warming up, occasional rain falls, and people getting set for their much-awaited spring break, travels, and other outdoor activities. Everything is definitely back to life and that “everything” includes pests.

Yes. Besides humans, our unwelcome household guests will also come back in force now that spring has come. After their hibernation or their hiding during the cold winter months, pests tend to become more active in spring. With warmer weather and increased activity, we homeowners must also pay more attention to pests as it is during this time that those hungry critters will go on the move in search for food and new places to breed.

Spring Pests that Love the Indoors

While many pests enjoy more in the sun during spring, this does not mean they will avoid invading indoor spaces like our homes. Some pests have their peak mating season in spring while others will find higher ground (typically indoors) to escape the occasional rainfall. It is therefore no wonder why we encounter pests invading our household in spring and these species are the most popular ones to cause trouble for homeowners:

• Preventive Pest Control lists carpenter ants and pavement ants as the most common ant species that are especially active in spring. Carpenter ants build nests inside your home’s wooden structures thus causing threats to the stability of your house like how termites do. Pavement ants are usually seen outdoors but they may also get inside our household when foraging for food. Another species that may also bring nuisances during this season is the house ants. These pests normally dwell in moist areas like near the sink and bathroom. The main reason ants seek shelter indoors is to forage for food and water sources and seek for warmth.
• Warm areas are a favorite place for mosquitos. These flying insects are considered one of the most harmful pests proven to transmit deadly viruses like Zika virus, Dengue, malaria, etc. Spring provides ideal weather for mosquitos and these pesky pests breed in moist areas especially those with stagnant water (i.e. buckets, gutters, downspouts, and puddles). The way to prevent mosquitoes from thriving is keeping the environment dry and free from standing water.
• Roaches can thrive all year round but the warmth of the sun outdoors will be not very favorable for these disgusting critters, which prefer moist environments indoors. When it’s springtime, expect roaches to come scurrying over your home.
• These arachnids, like other insects, increase their activity during the spring especially in cold dark places of the house. While household spiders are deemed harmless, dangerous species like the Black Widow or the Brown Recluse should still be watched out for. Homeowners are advised to seal or cover cracks and openings in the house and keep the home environment clean and moisture-free.
• Spring is mating season for termites, which are infamous for causing major structural damages to a home or building. Hence, a termite removal by a professional is a necessity among most pest control problems. Termites feed on the cellulose of wood or dead trees. That is why we can fund them infesting the walls, floors, ceilings and furniture of the house. As per a tenured termite extermination professional in York, PA, “Having a termite infestation is a serious issue that requires immediate action.”
• These spring pests tend to seek shelter in your home, particularly in areas that are moist and shady. Although fleas usually stay outdoors, they can be found dwelling under your porch during spring. Dog fleas and cat fleas are the common ones. They would cling onto their hosts so they would discreetly enter your home and lay eggs under the carpet.
• Stink Bugs. As its name suggests, stink bugs have a defense mechanism whenever they feel threatened. They produce a stink that is quite strong and unpleasant to the senses. Good news is that they are generally harmless considering the fact that they do not transmit diseases. Nevertheless, they infiltrate your household in search of warmth and light.
• Bed Bugs. Bed bugs are a nuisance all year round, yet with increased human activity and travels during spring, these pests become all the more active and prevalent. Bed bugs stay close to people because they are drawn to carbon dioxide and sweat. With warm human blood as food for survival, they normally attack their host during bed time. Bed bugs have not been proven to transmit and spread diseases but these pests are difficult to detect and not so easy to get rid of.

Tips to Keep Spring Pests Away

Spring break is supposed to be fun, relaxing, and enjoyable. That is why Assured Environments emphasizes the need to be always on the lookout for spring pests. Some of the most effective ways to protect your home from pests this spring time are the following:

1. Eliminate breeding sites for pests. Take it or leave it, most pests are attracted to clutter, filth, standing water, and debris that provide them potential breeding grounds and hiding spots. Roaches and ants, for example, like to live in moist environments, while mosquitoes lay eggs in stagnant water. Removing breeding sites is one step to prevent infestations. Spiders, bed bugs, and dust mites, on the other hand, thrive in an environment with lots of clutter.
2. Keep things clean and dry. Cleanliness and hygiene are also credible ways to keep pests at bay. Pests find your home unattractive if it is dry and free from dirt and moisture. Areas such as food counters, kitchen floors, bathrooms, and other parts of the house must be cleaned and disinfected regularly so pests will have no way of thriving in them.
3. Dispose of your garbage daily. Smelly and overflowing garbage cans are very inviting to pests like roaches, rodents, ants, and flies. The best discipline when it comes to proper waste disposal is to throw out your trash every day. This also entails cleaning your trash bins to get rid of the odor and remaining bacteria.
4. Seal entry points. One obvious pest control method to block any pest entry is to seal or cover cracks, tears on screen, and holes within your home. Pests like roaches, rodents, flies, and mosquitos could easily squeeze their way through your home through any small openings they could find. If you want to keep pests out, then you should fix broken windows and torn screens. Sealants are effective in closing gaps and cracks in doors, chimneys, roof shingles, and windows among others.

Spring cleaning is REAL!

Turns out, spring cleaning is not only present and common in influencers in social media, we also have to do this at home. Knowing the pests that commonly bring mayhem to your home this spring and the ways to eliminate them is necessary. It is also ideal to contact a trusted pest control professional so you can seek better advice and guidance in terms of combating household pests during the spring season.