Spring is a favorite season for many, including pests. These are the pests you will most likely encounter and how you can avoid them.

After the long, cold months of winter, we’re blessed to have Spring. We’ll finally experience a more comfortable temperature and weather. We’ll be able to go out more regularly and enjoy the outdoors. However, aside from triggering allergies that people dislike about spring, it also brings out the pests that have been hibernating throughout winter.

No one likes pests. That’s why they are considered pests in the first place. So how can we enjoy the beautiful spring with these insects bugging us? What are the most common pests we can encounter? How can we avoid them? Let’s find out!

Ants

There are two particular types of ants you should watch out for: carpenter ants and fire ants. And they both are terrible, in different ways.

After the cold winter, carpenter ants will go outside and seek food and shelter. The notable thing about carpenter ants is their ability to cause structural damage and create colonies inside the walls of your home. They can travel far away from their nests to search for food. If you have a carpenter ant infestation, you may notice rustling sounds inside your walls or wooden parts of your home. You may also find piles of wood shavings all around. Carpenter ants can enter your home through pipings, the foundation, cracks, vents, and telephone and electric wires. Sealing these places may help, but our services at Rocklin Pest Control can prevent these from happening completely.

Fire ants, on the other hand, are known for their notorious bites. As children play on the lawn or parks, they may encounter these fiery insects. They are commonly found in the soil under sunny areas. Their bites are painful and can cause severe allergic reactions to some individuals. You have to keep an eye for them and don’t get near their mounds if you plan to settle down on a grassy area or campsite. If you get bitten, however, be sure to wash the affected area and apply antiseptic and anti-itch cream. Avoid scratching the bite to prevent infection. It should go away in a few days.

Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes are particularly annoying since they fly and buzz around you, invading your personal space. Their bites are irritating and very itchy. But that’s not what you should worry about. Mosquitoes bring deadly diseases such as dengue and malaria. Mosquito bites can make your family and your pets very sick.

In spring, mosquito numbers will rapidly grow, and they can pester you inside your home if you don’t do something about it. Aside from using insect repellents to keep them at bay, you should tackle the cause. Remove all sources of stagnant water around your house. Trim your shrubs and keep your lawn mowed. Clear away debris that can become hiding and nesting spots of mosquitoes. If you get bitten, wash the area and apply antiseptic and anti-itch cream too. Watch out for other symptoms of sickness and go to the doctor if you find anything unusual, like a fever.

Termites

Like carpenter ants, termites are known for their destructive capabilities. However, termites are far worse. Their gluttonous appetite allows them to cause a lot of damage in a short period of time. They usually appear during spring when it starts to rain, but not all termites swarm at the same time. Your house may be infested with termites if you see the following: termite mounds, hollow-sounding wooden materials, bits of debris, sagging of floors or ceilings, mud tubes on outside walls, and cracked paint on wooden surfaces.

Termite infestation can be a costly problem. However, it’s difficult to prevent them from entering your home using conventional methods. But Rocklin Pest Control can help. We have termite prevention and extermination services to help keep your home termite-free.

Rats

Rats are active all-year-round. But their breeding time is in spring and fall. They can cause serious problems regarding health and even damage property. Rats bring a lot of diseases due to their nature of living under dirty conditions like in sewers.

Here are some tips to prevent rats from hanging around your house:

• Inspect the inside and outside of your house for holes the size of a quarter or larger and cover them.
• Seal gaps under doors and windows.
• Avoid having garbage exposed.

Spiders

Spring is when spiders proliferate. And spiders, as we know them, are pretty scary. Unless you keep spiders as pets, it’s best to keep them out since their bites can be extremely painful and even deadly. Spiders like cold and dark areas such as basements and air vents. They will enter your home and spin webs waiting for prey. They can get inside your house through poorly sealed doors and windows or through the luggage and materials you bring inside.

Avoid spiders from thriving inside your house by sealing cracks and crevices, removing all moisture sites, and storing food in airtight containers. If you get bitten by a spider, clean the area thoroughly, apply a cool, damp cloth to reduce the swelling, elevate the area if possible, and take pain relievers if needed. Observe the bite for signs of infection.

Recommendation

There are so many pests you have to worry about. Luckily, Rocklin Pest Control is here to help! We can deal with all kinds of pests and exterminate them for you. We will also apply preventive measures so you can rest assured that pests won’t bug you anytime soon. Call us, and we can plan out your pest-clearing service!