As the weather gets warmer, it’s time to take care of any pests that might have migrated into your home or garden. The best defense is a good offense, so we’ve put together this guide on spring pest control to help you find the right tools for the job. Whether you’re looking to repel ants, mice, or deer from your property, we’ve got you covered!
Why Are Pests a Problem in Your Home or Garden?
Pests can be a big problem in your home and garden. They can destroy your plants, ruin the look of your home, and make your life miserable.
You want to keep those pests away! But how do you do it?
First, you need to understand what pests are. Pests are any animals that harm your garden or home. If you’ve never dealt with pests in your home, it’s important to learn what signs to watch for and how to get rid of the unwanted critters.
Even if you’re not sure you have a pest problem, it may be worth getting a pest trap and repellent sprays for your home and garden. Pests can be tricky to detect yet damaging to your home, and they can cause a large variety of issues.
What Pests are a Problem in the Spring?
The three biggest pests to watch out for in spring are ants, mice, and stinging insects.
If you haven’t dealt with any of these pests before, you may not know how to properly identify or get rid of them.
Maybe you’ve tried spray-treating your property or setting out poison bait traps, but you’re still finding evidence of the pests in some areas.
If your attempts at pest elimination aren’t working, let’s talk about some of the easiest, smartest ways you can fix these problem pests to keep them from ruining your summer fun.
Ants
In the spring season, you might run into a variety of species of ants including carpenter ants. Although carpenter ants don’t eat wood, they will still chew through it which can damage your home.
You may have a carpenter ant problem if you find the following:
- Piles of sawdust from their chewing
- Small holes in siding or trim where they’ve chewed through
- Sawdust and “frass” (excrement) in wall voids
- “Trails” of sawdust leading from the wood to their colony
How to Repel Ants From Your Home
If you find ants in your home, vinegar is a great natural repellant that you can try. Ants don’t like vinegar because it’s acidic, but it’s safe to use around children and pets.
Mix vinegar and water in a spray bottle and spray it around your home’s foundation and any gaps where ants come in. Just be careful not to spray vinegar directly on electrical outlets or switches in your home.
If you are struggling to get rid of ants in your home, contact Drive-Bye Exterminators for a professional approach to ant removal.
Spring Mice Infestation
Do you have a mice infestation this spring? If you have seen mice popping up in your house, it’s the perfect time to spring clean your property. This time of year is when mice are looking for a place to nest.
How do you get rid of mice in the spring? The first thing you should do is to check for openings in your home that a mouse can enter. Seal any cracks or crevices to make it more difficult for mice to get inside.
The second step is to get rid of any food sources that are attracting the mice. Place all food items in airtight containers and be careful to sweep up crumbs in your kitchen. You’ll also want to fix any plumbing leaks, which serve as a source of water for mice.
Third, choose a way to get rid of them. You can trap and remove them, or you can use a repellent. But whatever you do, you must be consistent to keep them away.
The most common way is to use poison. This can get rid of the mice quickly, but you have to deal with the dead mice and their odor.
Another method is to use traps, but this can be a very time-consuming way to get rid of mice if you have a large infestation. You can also use live traps to capture them and then release them at a distance from your home.
Rat Infestations in the Spring
If you find signs of rodents in your home, you might be facing a rat problem. Rat infestations are more common in the winter, but warmer weather may lure them out of hiding.
The chance of there being only one rat in your home is unlikely. They are most likely to be found in groups because they are more successful in finding food.
If you find a single rat in your home, that rat is most likely a scout. To find out the number of rats in your home, you need to check their droppings. If you find an abundance of droppings, then you might be facing a big problem.
Here is a little bit of insight on rat droppings:
- Rat droppings are similar to the size of mouse droppings.
- They range from ¼” to 1” in length (1-2cm).
- They are cylindrical and contain seeds, small grains, and hairs.
What are the Signs of a Spring Rat Infestation?
When it comes to rats and mice, some signs are obvious such as the presence of droppings, but the damage they can cause to your home is not always apparent.
Rodents will gnaw on supporting beams and electrical wires and chew up insulation in walls and behind the drywall. You may also hear scurrying or scratching sounds behind your walls.
How to Get Rid of Rats
If you suspect that you have a rat infestation, you’ll need to act quickly. Not only will rats damage your home, but they also carry a myriad of diseases such as rat-bite fever and salmonella. They can even spread disease directly to humans, especially if you have contact with their feces or if they bite you.
To eliminate the rats, you’ll first need to figure out how they’re getting in. Similar to how mice get inside your home, rats will enter through holes, cracks, or a door or window that’s left open.
Make sure all food and water are put away. Rats are pretty easy to trap, but you’ll want to make sure that you place your traps in the right locations to catch them. If you opt to use poison, make sure you follow the instructions carefully.
Stinging Pests Problems
Are you dealing with stinging insects like yellow jackets or wasps? These insects are a problem in the spring as well as the summer. No one wants to deal with an infestation of stinging insects, but how do you get rid of them?
Yellow Jackets
Yellowjackets may build their nests underground or in trees. If you see yellow jackets, be careful because they are very aggressive. To get rid of them, you can try using a spray and aiming at the area where you think they live.
Paper Wasp Control
Another stinging insect that you might find in the spring is the paper wasp. Paper wasps typically won’t attack unless they feel under threat.
Although paper wasps might not be as aggressive as other stinging insects, they can still pack a mean sting. Paper wasps have a wide range of colors and patterns, but they all have a similarly sized body and a large, black, rectangular head.
The paper wasp resembles a yellow jacket, but it is usually larger. It also possesses a stinger that is not as long as the yellow jacket’s stinger. The paper wasp is also a bit slower and easier to catch when it is buzzing around.
Mud Dauber Control
Another stinging insect that becomes active in the spring is the mud dauber.
Mud daubers are more likely to sting than yellow jackets or hornets and they can sting repeatedly. Their sting can be quite painful, but it is not considered dangerous.
Mud daubers are usually not a problem in the garden, however, they sometimes build their nests in your home. Mud dauber nests will often be located under the eaves of houses and in attics, where they are not discovered until after they are built.
Fortunately, mud daubers are relatively easy to control—especially when you work with a pest control professional.
In our blog on how to get rid of wasp nests, we provide clear instructions on what to do and what NOT to do for wasp extermination.
Get Help with Spring Pest Control
Whether you’re dealing with ants, mice, or other critters, Drive-Bye Exterminators can help. Please contact us to discuss your spring pest control problems now.
