Spring is the time of year when flowers bloom, babies are born, and new pests start to invade. The sad part about spring for homeowners is that pests become a big problem. Like new vegetation and new babies, there are new pests. Some may have been hibernating for the winter, while others can’t survive the cold of the winter, and still others are just more of the same pests from last season.
Spring brings beautiful flowers, but it often brings out many insects who like to feed on these flowers.
So while some pests have gone away for the winter and did not seem to be much of a problem they will be back in action now that it’s spring.
Homeowners need to be extra cautious inside their homes during spring cleaning as many pests are awakening from their winter hibernation. Moving boxes and other items stored away for the winter you may discover pests or evidence of pests. Be extremely cautious as some of these pests can bite or sting if they are disturbed.
One reason for the increase in pest activity is that spring is reproduction season. Pests will want to get back outdoors, because many of them will not reproduce within a home and they need to start that process outside in a more natural environment.
Within a few weeks people will start to see populations double or triple as pests will be reproducing at high rates, and remember some pests reproduce many multiples of eggs at once. This becomes a problem because there will be more pests to get rid of. Make sure to call your local pest control agency to come out and help with the problem.
Even cacti will bloom flowers. Many rodents and insects will use cacti as a place to live so be very cautious around cacti.
Another reason pest problems rise in the spring is the new vegetation that is growing and blooming. This is a huge attraction for pests. Hornets, wasps and bees particularly like the fresh pollen on flowers. People will see an increase of these pests wherever flowers can be found. If you have flowers on your property, especially near your home, be extra cautious. Like many other pests, bees don’t like to be disturbed and if they are, they will go into attack mode. Also the new vegetation is a food source for many other pests and insects.
Not only is the new vegetation tempting, but any old vegetation left over from winter such as rotting citrus or compost, can attract pests. Make sure to monitor anything that you are growing, as some pests can be good for plants etc. while others can be bad. If you have bushes, trees, or plants growing make sure to maintain their growth. Homeowners do not want to let them grow wild, as many trees and plants are used by pests for homes and traveling paths. Keep them trimmed, and most importantly make sure no leaves, branches, etc. are touching the house, roof, or surrounding walls.
These steps are basic prevention tips to help keep most pests from getting inside your home. Some homeowners will go as far as having a low maintenance yard. For instance, you may decide to not have trees or bushes. But there are other ways to keep a low maintenance yard and still have some vegetation. Check out our prevention tips to help maintain your home from being an open door to pests. These steps can also be used year-round, which is extremely helpful so that come spring your home is already set to prevent any pests from getting in. Following is a list of the most common spring pests by state:
- Alabama: wolf spider, American cockroach, house cricket, carpenter ant, fire ant, oriental cockroach, brown recluse spider, domestic house spider, pharaoh ant, smoky brown cockroach, cat flea, lady bug, white footed mouse.
- Alaska: wolf spider, carpenter ant, yellow jacket, carpet beetle, vole, silverfish, earwig, black flies, blow flies, German cockroach.
- Arizona: house cricket, fire ant, oriental cockroach, house mouse, springtails, black widow spider, pavement ant, flesh fly, crazy ant, silverfish, killer bee, scorpion, pack rat, earwig.
- Arkansas: wolf spider, American cockroach, house cricket, carpenter ant, fire ant, centipede, oriental cockroach, springtails, odorous house ant, domestic house spider, smoky brown cockroach, Argentine ant, deer mouse.
- California: American cockroach, house cricket, oriental cockroach, springtails, black widow spider, odorous house ant, domestic house spider, flesh fly, Argentine ant, cat flea, silverfish, earwig.
- Colorado: wolf spider, carpenter ant, cluster fly, carpet beetle, box elder bug, house mouse, black widow spider, pavement ant, hobo spider, paper wasp, thief ant, vole, earwig, clove mite, millipede.
- Connecticut: wolf spider, carpenter ant, oriental cockroach, cluster fly, yellow sac spider, carpet beetle, house mouse, black widow spider, pavement ant.
- District of Columbia: wolf spider, oriental cockroach, black widow spider.
- Delaware: wolf spider, carpenter ant, oriental cockroach, cluster fly, yellow sac spider, yellow jacket, carpet beetle, house mouse, black widow spider, pavement ant, domestic house spider.
- Florida: white footed ant, wolf spider, Australian cockroach, roof rat, carpenter ant, fire ant, centipede, oriental cockroach, black widow spider, crazy ant, ghost ant, pharaoh ant, smoky brown cockroach, Florida woods cockroach.
- Georgia: wolf spider, American cockroach, carpenter ant, fire ant, centipede, oriental cockroach, domestic house spider, smoky brown cockroach, cat flea.
- Hawaii: white footed ant, wolf spider, American cockroach, roof rat, centipede, oriental cockroach, ghost ant, silverfish, German cockroach.
- Iowa: wolf spider, carpenter ant, oriental cockroach, cluster fly, yellow sac spider, carpet beetle, house mouse, springtails, black widow spider, brown recluse spider, pavement ant, domestic house spider, flesh fly.
- Idaho: wolf spider, house mouse, black widow spider, odorous house ant, domestic house spider, hobo spider, Argentine ant, earwig.
- Illinois: wolf spider, carpenter ant, oriental cockroach, cluster fly, yellow sac spider, carpet beetle, springtail, black widow spider, brown recluse spider, pavement ant, domestic house spider, flesh fly.
- Indiana: wolf spider, carpenter ant, oriental cockroach, cluster fly, yellow sac spider, carpet beetle, springtail, black widow spider, brown recluse spider, pavement ant, domestic house spider, flesh fly.
- Kansas: wolf spider, carpenter ant, fire ant, oriental cockroach, cluster fly, yellow sac spider, carpet beetle, house mouse, springtail, black widow spider, brown recluse spider, pavement ant, domestic house spider, flesh fly.
- Kentucky: wolf spider, carpenter ant, fire ant, centipede, oriental cockroach, cluster fly, yellow sac spider, carpet beetle, brown recluse spider, odorous house ant, pavement ant, domestic house spider.
- Louisiana: wolf spider, American cockroach, carpenter ant, fire ant, centipede, oriental cockroach, domestic house spider, smoky brown cockroach, cat flea.
- Maryland: wolf spider, carpenter ant, oriental cockroach, cluster fly, yellow sac spider, carpet beetle, house mouse, black widow spider, pavement ant, domestic house spider.
- Maine: wolf spider, carpenter ant, oriental cockroach, cluster fly, yellow sac spider, carpet beetle, house mouse, black widow spider, pavement ant, domestic house spider.
- Massachusetts: wolf spider, carpenter ant, oriental cockroach, earwig, cluster fly, yellow sac spider, carpet beetle, house mouse, black widow spider, pavement ant, domestic house spider.
If you do not see the state you reside in on this list please check back as more states are still being added to our database. Also the database is still adding more and more pests, so if you have a problem with a pest and don’t see it listed in the database please continue to visit www.localpestcontrolservices.com as pests are continually being added.
Pictures courtesy of www.creativecommons.org