When spring arrives and the weather starts warming up, insects begin to reemerge and make their way back into your home, yard, and public spaces. While people typically do not like the reemergence of any insects, there are three insect species that no one wants to encounter. These include fire ants, mosquitoes, and wasps. In addition to being pests, all three are especially dangerous to humans and animals.
Fire Ants
Before spring rolls around, fire ants go dormant in winter in a variety of ways:
- Burrow deep into the ground
- Hide under large rocks or tree roots
- Take shelter in the crevices of tree bark
- Hide in homes or buildings
They also enter what is called diapause, where their metabolism slows, allowing them to survive without the need for food or water. If the climate is cold enough, some ant species can convert body fluid into glycerol, a chemical that prevents the ant from freezing.
As the weather starts to warm up in the spring, fire ants and other ant species begin to become more active again. The increase in temperature will trigger worker ants to start foraging for food and queen ants to begin laying eggs. In fact, spring is prime mating season for ants, as the seasonal rain and warmer weather create the perfect conditions for ants to establish new colonies and collect the resources needed to support colony growth. As a result, we often see an increase in ant activity inside the house and outside.
When fire ants establish colonies in your yard, it can mean bad news for your children, pets, and even yourself. These ants are called fire ants for a reason—their stings burn, and each ant can sting their prey multiple times. One fire ant sting is bad enough, but step on a colony and you could suffer numerous stings and pain that lasts a while.
How to Protect Against Fire Ants in the Spring
There are a few ways to protect against fire ants in the spring, including:
- Seal any cracks, holes, or small entry holes into the house.
- Add door sweeps to exterior doors.
- Keep your kitchen clean.
- Keep all food in your pantry sealed.
- Toss any fruits or veggies on the counter if they have started to decay.
- Don’t leave dirty dishes in the sink or food in the drain.
- Remove crumbs from the table and vacuum around the floor of the table.
- Take out the trash regularly.
- Repair dripping faucets in the bathroom or kitchen.
- Have your yard and home treated for ant control.
Mosquitoes
While mosquitoes are most often associated with summer, mosquito season begins in the spring as the temperatures start to rise.
Like ants, mosquitoes go through diapause or hibernation during the winter, stopping all forms of activity. Once the weather begins to warm up again, mosquitoes will reactivate and will begin repopulating, nesting, and foraging.
Surprisingly to some, mosquitoes will become fully active again once temperatures reach a consistent 50°F or higher. They also thrive in the wet conditions created by springtime showers. They will gravitate to locations with standing or stagnant water, like puddles, ponds, neglected pools, and old bird baths.
The worst quality about mosquitoes is their bites, which really begin to ramp up in the springtime. Female mosquitoes require blood to help them produce eggs, so they are constantly on the hunt for blood, whether it’s from an animal or a human. In most cases, these bites are temporarily itchy. But for some, a mosquito bite can lead to:
- Malaria
- West Nile virus
- Zika virus
- Chikungunya virus
- Dengue
- Heartworm disease in pets
How to Protect Against Mosquitoes in the Spring
The best way to protect against mosquitoes in the spring and keep them away from your yard is to:
- Remove standing water from your yard
- Replace old water with fresh water frequently—for example, in bird baths, kiddie pools, plant saucers, etc.
- If you collect rainwater for your garden or other uses, keep the container covered when it’s not raining.
- Clean out your gutters.
- Fill low spots in your yard to keep puddles from forming after it rains.
- Add screens to your front or back porch.
- Install fans on the porch.
- Apply bug spray.
- Have your yard treated for mosquito control.
Wasps
Just like the others, wasps spend the winter in hibernation and reemerge once the weather warms back up. Upon reactivation, wasps begin repopulating and forming new colonies, often near homes. Wasps tend to choose nest areas that are off the ground but safeguarded from wind and rain. Such nesting areas can include:
- Porch ceilings
- Awnings
- Outdoor staircases
- Mailboxes
- Sheds
- Garages
- Trees
- Bushes
Really, wasps can and will seek out any location that offers shelter and easy access outside. They are also drawn to locations that allow for easy foraging, such as places near open trash cans, fruit trees, picnic areas, etc.
The most notorious thing about wasps is their stings. While not all wasps have stingers, only the female wasps, all are capable of “stabbing” and inflicting pain on their target should they feel threatened or on the attack. (Males do not have stingers but are able to use their genitals to jab into their targets.) If a wasp colony has built its nest near an area where you and your family like to hang out, your chance of suffering the stings or jabs of an angry wasp or two will increase.
How to Protect Against Wasps in the Spring
The best way to protect against wasps in the spring and keep them away from your yard is to:
- Inspect likely nesting areas like porches, awnings, sheds, playsets, etc.
- Seal cracks or gaps that could allow wasps into your home.
- Trim bushes and trees.
- Keep garbage cans covered.
- Remove fallen fruit if you have a fruit tree.
To really protect against fire ants, mosquitoes, wasps, and other springtime bugs, contact Bizzy Bee Exterminators for effective pest control services.
We offer the pest control you need to keep both annoying and dangerous bugs away from your home or yard for good.
Call us for pest control today: 1-800-273-4958
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