Spring is here. Sunshine, hiking, family BBQs.. and of course we welcome bugs back into our lives!
The warmer weather and blooming flowers means it’s time for many pests to awaken from their slumber. Pests like wasps, ants, birds, and the dreaded mosquito are in prime reproductive stages and ready to take over.
Ants appear in force, like possessed armies to take control of your backyard. Wasps are here to ruin your perfect picnic plans. And wildlife too, they come to make a cosy den underneath your deck!
In this post we’ll take a look at some of the pests you may encounter this spring and we’ll offer some tips to help you manage them.
Why is spring the perfect season for pests?
Many insect species are dormant during the winter and become active when the weather gets warmer.
Insects have the ability to survive the winter months typically as eggs, larvae, or sometimes as adults, and will stay in their protective spots until the spring sunshine appears. Possible hiding places include.. tree bark, rotten logs, under rocks, or even in your house! :(
What pests come out in the Springtime?
There are a number of insects and wildlife that are more prominent in the springtime. Let’s take a look at some of them.
Ants
After the cold winter months, ants colonies begin to rebuild.
In BC most ant problems we encounter are from two specific types; Pavement ants and Carpenter Ants. Fire Ants and Pharaoh Ants are two other species that we deal with, but not as often…
Related article: What type of ants do I have?
If you spot a few pavement ants in, or around your patio that’s ok. But when you see something like this.. that’s normally a case for concern.
This is a pavement ant swarm.
Colonies typically live underneath your sidewalk, driveway, or foundation and can number in the tens of thousands or even more than a hundred thousand.. Notice the winged ants, they are the reproductive females and males. Each of the females is a potential queen who’s sole purpose is to successfully mate and venture off to start yet another colony in your yard! Everyone else is a worker ant, foraging and doing their bit to support the colony.
Learn more about out pavement ant treatment options.
What about those ants that eat your home?
That’s the carpenter ant. A suitable name for an ant who loves to go to town on wooden structures!
Carpenter ants are typically very bad news. These ants will make nests inside of your wooden structures. They chew through wood to form tunnels in order to create their nests. Typically they will target slightly damp or moldy wood, which is common in spaces that experience moisture problems. Keep an eye out for signs of excess moisture such as staining, cracking or rotting wood inside or outside the home.
notice the tunnels in the wood made by these ants
It’s usually not possible to control them yourself, so best to speak with a pro to learn more about carpenter ant treatment methods.
Two Other Ants To Be Aware Of
Fire ants are typically found in grassy areas and not so common here in BC. These guys pack a nasty bite, so keep your distance if you spot any! To find out more, read our Guide to Fire Ant Removal
Pharaoh ants are also not very common here in BC, but they can still cause a lot of trouble. Bad infestations are typically seen in large, multi-residence structures such as high rise downtown condos.
Pharaoh Ants are easy to miss unless you are looking for them. Their slender, delicate and almost transparent bodies are hard to spot on most surfaces without getting up close! Their nests are usually well hidden and they like to hide out in wall voids, under some appliances, and under carpets too. Be cautious never to spray pharaoh ants with any type of insecticide – they will sense danger and react by going into reproductive overdrive and “budding”, creating a greater issue for both you and your neighbours!
3 tips for tackling pavement ants:
- Boiling water – One of the best and oldest tricks in the book. It won’t solve your problem entirely, but it will slow them down for sure.
- Baiting – Use a 50-50 sugar and borax solution for the ants to digest
- Liquid bait – The best for killing ants. Buy any liquid insecticide with a borate solution at your local hardware store.
Fruit Flies
Ever open up your compost bin and get hit a wave of hungry, swarming fruit flies! Yup, we’ve all know the feeling! Definitely up there as one of the most annoying flies.
Preventing Fruit Flies
Here are some tips to prevent fruit flies:
- Empty those garbage bins more regularly, don’t let anytime build up.
- Compost bins – from May through September we suggest you put it in your freezer not under the sink. Without that decaying organic matter, they’ll have nowhere to hang out and will move onto somewhere else.
- Be sure you don’t have drain flies – Keep sinks and drains clean by using baking soda and vinegar to eliminate any organic material buildup.
Stink bugs
Sting bugs are a hot topic right now. BC Government has warned citizens to be on the lookout for Stink Bugs, specifically the invasive one called the Brown Marmorated Stink bug. Here are some tips to help get keep them away;
- Don’t squish ’em – because they do actually smell pretty bad (like a gone off cilantro-like smell)
- Hot water, vinegar, dish soap combo – Combining hot water, white vinegar and dish soap in a spray bottle will get the job done with very little fuss. First, pour 2 cups of hot water in the spray bottle. Then add 1 cup of vinegar, followed by 1/2 cup of dish soap. Use the solution in a spray bottle and spray around window and door frames as well as corners of the house and where side it meets foundation
- Manage Foliage – Foliage in close contact to a home or any structure will act as a transition from the outdoors to indoors. Keeping foliage trimmed back from the house and inspecting deck and patio plants is important. Soap formula can be applied to plants as well
Here’s some some info about stink bugs with some more tips too.
Wildlife
Spring is mating season. Raccoons, Squirrels, Skunks and other wildlife are actively breeding. It is during this time when animal mothers are desperately seeking out a safe space to nest, and one of these places could be your home!
Raccoons will damage almost anything to gain access to a potential den or food source. They will tear apart roofs, soffits, chimney covers, facia boards, or sheds, and they will often damage lawns and gardens in search of grubs and earthworms.
To keep wildlife from nesting in or around your home, we can create exclusions like this one.
BE CAREFUL: Some wildlife like Raccoons can be very aggressive during the mating season as they seek to protect their young. Stay clear of them as best you can. If there is a family of raccoons nesting under your deck, you should contact a wildlife control expert to help get rid of them for you.
3 tips for preventing wildlife from nesting near your home
- Don’t let garbage or compost overflow and make sure lids are secure
- Cut back tree branches, bushes or any foliage in contact with the structure
- Seal off areas underneath your decking where possible
Wasps
Wasps love to ruin BBQ plans, we know that for sure!
We’ve all had the unpleasant experience of manically swatting them away from the picnic table.
Wasps begin to cause trouble once temperatures get warmer and will generally be in full flow come summer time. During unusually warm days in February you might see a wasp flying around. This could have been a female wasp overwintering in your attic or wall, who thought it was springtime and emerged a little too early.
Wasps can build their nests almost anywhere… and can be creative at times. Check out these two pictures snapped from our technicians last year.
Where to look for nests?
Look out for wasp nests in your attic, garage, under soffits, porch, and under your siding.
Tips to prevent wasps
- Repair holes in walls and roofs, seal up gaps in your structure.
- Inspect your less frequented spaces more often; Attics, basements, sheds.
- Remove food sources – food scraps, pet food, fallen fruit, open garbage containers
- Use a natural wasp deterrent – Pheromone traps are great! Also, some herbs like thyme or eucalyptus can be good alternative deterrents.
Birds
Birds can cause problems all year round. From pigeons pooping on your balcony, to crows roosting in your gutters, and even woodpeckers drilling holes in your siding.
Pigeons and seagulls will occupy density populated areas feeding on scraps and scouring through open garbage bins. Once fed, they’ll make a nuisance of themselves roosting on ledges, gutters, literally any structure they can land on.
Woodpeckers (and northern flicker) are habitual birds and usually come back to the same spot every year. There are a number of safe solutions to deter them from coming back including fixing wooden panels with metal siding.
At Westside Pest Control we have a number of bird control solutions to help get rid of your pest bird issues. Spikes and netting are two solutions we use to deter birds away from your property. Learn more about our bird spike and bird netting solutions.
And you’ll love this. It’s called the Ovo Feeder. It’s birth control for pigeons. The device feeds birds a pill which works as an effective contraception to reduce population size.
Check out this OVO control unit Westside Pest Control installed at VGH last year.
3 tips for keeping birds away from your property
- Keep areas clean and decks free of clutter – birds love to nest where they are protected from the elements.
- Sound repellents can be used which mimic bird distress calls but may upset your neighbours as much the the pigeons!
- Bird spike can be applied to railings and ledges to prevent landing
Also read: Tricks to keep pest birds off your property
Mice
Mice are still on the loose during the springtime. Wherever there is food, they’ll come running. Basements, crawlspaces and your kitchen still provide safe refuge for rodents during the summer months. If you want to keep them out, check out some of our best mice removal methods.
What’s The Verdict?
Spring is one of the best times of year to tackle pests around your home.
It’s one of the few times of year when household pests populations are at their weakest and before their population sizes grow. So that’s why we recommend getting started with a spring ‘pest’ clean, sooner rather than later!
For every spring treatment from carpenter ant preventative sprays to rodent defence programs, Westside Pest Control has you covered!
Get in touch with us today to get started with preventive pest control measures. Contact us via our webchat, or call 604-559-9060.
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