Pests and Insects You Might Encounter This Spring

March 7, 2023

As the weather warms up, pests and insects come out of hiding. These critters look for food, lodging and breeding ground. To protect your home and property from infestations, start prevention planning early. Identify and prevent access points to your home such as door sweeps, window screens and caulk around doors, windows and walls.

Houseflies

Flies are scavengers and feed on a variety of waste products. They liquefy solid foods with their spongy mouthparts and regurgitate them wherever they rest. These filth flies may be found in trash cans, compost piles, animal feces and moist soil. They are capable of transmitting more than 100 disease organisms to humans. They will be less active in the fall and winter and spend time hibernating indoors in protected areas, such as in attics or wall voids.

Cluster Flies

During late August and September, cluster flies (Pollenia rudis) stop laying eggs on the soil surface and move into buildings to hibernate. They seek warm secluded places like wall voids and attics to overwinter. This type of fly can be distinguished from other over-wintering insects by the short, golden hairs on their thorax, the part of their body that holds the wings and legs. During the spring, females lay eggs in soil crevices near earthworms. These hatch into cream-colored maggots that feed on earthworms for several weeks before pupating and re-emerging as adults.

Ants

Ants are a common pest that can invade homes and businesses. Ants are divided into different castes, or classes, within their colonies. The queens and winged males lay eggs, the workers take care of the queen and her young, and the soldiers go out to find food. The springtime is a good time to inspect your home for cracks and crevices that might be allowing ants access to your structure as they look for food, water, and shelter.

Wasps

Spring is a time when many wasps begin to re-enter the outdoor space. These stinging insects can make your day much more unpleasant, especially if you are outside enjoying the weather with friends or family. During spring, wasps are most active and will seek out new nesting sites where they can build their hives. These locations could be in bushes, the voids of walls, attics or other hidden spots.

Spiders

Spiders are an important part of the natural ecosystem, and they serve as natural predators of insect pests. They do not bite humans unless they feel cornered or endangered and they rarely cause problems. If you do see a large number of spiders in your home, it is probably because they are looking for a place to nest. During spring, you may notice more spider activity. They are typically active all year, but during the warmer months they emerge to lay eggs for the coming season.

Fleas

Fleas are small, wingless insects that feed on the blood of animals, including humans and pets. Adult fleas are reddish brown or black in color and are compressed from the top to the bottom of their bodies, which enables them to move easily through fur, hair and feathers. Their bites can cause itching, discomfort and even serious health problems such as flea-borne typhus, plague, or cat scratch disease. In the spring, you may notice fleas hopping around your lawn or pet’s bed. These are not only a sign that spring is near but also a reminder to take care of your flea problem before it gets worse.

Cockroaches

Cockroaches are scavengers that enter homes and other buildings to look for warm, damp spaces where they can find food, water, and shelter. They can live in basements, bathrooms, and rooms with sewer pipes or plumbing. They can also enter through cracks and holes in walls, doors, and torn screens. They can also be attracted to outdoor lights, and they can come into homes through floor drains or sewer pipes. Roaches are a common pest in households and can spread bacteria that can lead to infections, including salmonella and cholera. They are also known to fuel allergies in people with asthma and other respiratory conditions.

Categorised in: , , , ,

Crist Termite and Pest Solutions, Inc.