Pests often invade homes and businesses in seasonal surges. Taking proactive measures like regular inspections and preventative treatments helps reduce their numbers.
In spring, termite swarmers begin to show up in homes and buildings. Also, pantry pests like flour beetles and clothes moths can wreak havoc on stored foods. Contact Pest Control Port St Lucie for more details.
Spring
As the temperatures start to warm, bugs come out of hiding in search of food, water and a mate. Pests like ants, carpenter bees, termites and mosquitoes can quickly become a problem if your home isn’t well prepared. But a proactive approach to preventative pest control in the spring can help reduce infestations before they get out of hand.
As winter fades, ants and cockroaches move indoors for warmth and food. These and other pests can cause damage to your home, as well as pose a health risk by spreading bacteria and viruses that can make you sick. Preventative pest treatments and regular cleaning can keep these critters out all summer.
Spring is also when wood-eating pests like ants, termites and carpenter bees swarm in homes. If your home isn’t properly protected, these pests can cause costly structural damage over time. But a professional termite inspection in the early spring can catch problems before they become a major issue.
Warmer weather also brings flies and mosquitoes out of their winter hibernation. These pests spread disease and can cause annoying itching and a variety of health issues. Mosquitoes can be prevented by using repellents, and flies can be controlled by draining standing water, sealing crevices around your home and keeping food and trash tightly sealed.
The warm, moist conditions of spring also bring pillbugs, sill bugs, stink bugs and centipedes out to feed on decomposing vegetation and rotting materials. If they find their way to your home, these insects can damage foundations and other areas of your home, as well as cause respiratory irritation in people.
In the fall, as temperatures drop and the days grow shorter, pests like rodents, spiders, cockroaches, earwigs, stink bugs, box elder bugs and Indian meal moths seek warmth and shelter indoors. If you don’t take precautions, these critters may invade your home and set up nests in nooks and crannys.
Regular maintenance treatments in the fall can prevent these and other pests from entering your home before the cold arrives. And by taking these steps, you can protect your home all year round against the pests that can make life miserable for you and your family.
Summer
In the summer, stinging pests like bees and wasps reach their peak population sizes. These insects can cause painful, itchy stings that can lead to allergic reactions in people and pets.
Mosquitoes are also a problem this time of year. They can transmit mosquito-borne diseases such as West Nile virus, Zika virus, Dengue fever, eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), St Louis encephalitis and chikungunya.
Fabric and pantry pests are also active this time of year. Carpet beetles, clothes moths (which damage woolen and wool blend clothing) and Indian meal moths infest dried foods such as cereals, pet food, spices and canned goods. They can be prevented by keeping these items tightly sealed in their original packaging or using food storage containers made of glass, metal or ceramic.
Garden pests also reach their highest population sizes in the summer. June beetles lay damaging grubs in lawns that can destroy the grass if not treated. Slug and snail pressure is at its peak in gardens, greenhouses and high tunnels. These pests feed by piercing plant leaves and slowly siphoning the juices from them. They can be prevented with the use of row cover or floating mulches.
In the fall, as temperatures drop, some pests move indoors in search of warmth and shelter. Cockroaches can be a problem throughout the year, but they are especially common in the fall when they are seeking a warm place to overwinter. They can be kept at bay by avoiding leaving dirty dishes in sinks and regularly cleaning floors, walls and appliances.
Spiders, pillbugs, millipedes and silverfish can also be a nuisance in the fall. These pests are drawn to humid areas and often thrive in basements and garages. They can cause damage by chewing through paper, fabrics and other materials and by contaminating stored food. These pests can be prevented by keeping these areas clean and dry and by sealing cracks around the home.
Fall
When fall comes around, pests start migrating to warmer climates or burrowing under debris in preparation for winter. As such, they’re more likely to find shelter in your home than usual. Some common overwintering pests include cluster flies, stink bugs, rodents and cockroaches. It’s also the time of year when stinging insects like bees, wasps and hornets are more active. They’ll be looking for food sources that can help them survive the cold, but if those food sources are found inside your house, they could end up becoming a serious health concern.
It’s important to prevent these overwintering pests by regularly receiving pest maintenance treatments throughout the summer. A professional can identify problem areas and seal them, preventing pests from entering homes.
Rodents, cockroaches and bed bugs continue to thrive during the winter, breeding rapidly inside warm, moist environments. This can lead to severe infestations if left unchecked. Termites can be particularly problematic during the winter because they’re subterranean and don’t swarm until spring.
Stinging pests may also be more active in the winter, depending on their species. The brown marmorated stink bug, for example, is an autumn invader that has been known to enter homes in search of warmth and food. They can be quite a nuisance, crawling into gaps and crevices around windows, under siding, or through utility chases. They can also stain light-colored siding with their poop, which is why regular yard maintenance is so important to keep them from invading your home.
The most common winter pests include mice, cockroaches and bed bugs. Mice can be a particular problem, since they’re able to squeeze into tight spaces and can cause significant damage to the structure of your home. They can also contaminate food and spread diseases. Cockroaches are often a year-round problem, but infestations can be worse during the winter when they’re seeking warmth and food sources.
Winter
As the weather turns colder, pests seek shelter and warmth inside homes and businesses. Rodents, cockroaches, and ants are most active at this time and can cause serious infestations that threaten your health and property. Pests like cockroaches and rodents can chew through wires, contaminate food, and spread dangerous bacteria. Bed bug infestations also rise during winter, triggered by holiday travel and in-home entertaining.
Pests like cockroaches, rodents, and pharaoh ants cannot survive in cool temperatures and will enter your home for warmth and food. These cold-weather pests are able to slip into small gaps in attics, basements, and foundations, as well as cracks around plumbing and pipes. They can chew through walls, furniture, and books. Cockroaches, in particular, can spread over 30 kinds of diseases and exacerbate asthma and other respiratory problems.
In addition to roaches, pharaoh ants and rodents, other common winter pests include spiders, box elder bugs, earwigs, and flies. These pests can cause extensive damage to your home, resulting in expensive repair bills and wood damage. Some spiders, including brown recluse and black widow spiders, are poisonous and can threaten the safety of children, pets, and adults.
Many homeowners are less attentive to their properties in the fall and winter, which can create an open invitation for these unwelcome critters. Sealing gaps, reducing moisture, storing foods properly, and inspecting regularly can discourage these pests from invading your home or business. It’s also important to take preventative measures, like setting up traps or repellents outside your home and fixing any cracks around foundations and attics. Taking these steps will help to keep pests out, even during the harsh winter months.