If you live in southwest Pennsylvania, there’s something to enjoy about every season. However, each part of the year also comes with rodents and insects that could infiltrate your property. Use this guide to learn about the seasonal pests in Pennsylvania so you can keep your home safe all year long.
Fall Pests
When the weather cools down and the leaves turn various colors, pests look for warm, cozy shelter. In the fall, most pests prepare for hibernation and need a place to keep warm for the next few months, so they’ll look inside your house. After the foliage dies and bonfires become more popular, pests hide around piles of firewood.
As you clean up your outdoor furniture and bring it inside to prepare for the cold weather, make sure you don’t accidentally bring in any of these fall bugs or animals:
- Cockroaches: Since they cannot survive in cold weather, roaches will come indoors searching for warmth, shelter, and food. You may typically find them near moist areas, such as pipes and drains, but you should deal with them immediately because they tend to enhance asthma and spread disease.
- Spiders: Like cockroaches, spiders cannot survive in the cold weather, so they’ll come inside to find a warm place to make a home in search of food sources to replace the insects that hibernate during the winter.
- Rodents: Rats and mice come inside when the weather cools down, searching for food, water, and shelter. These critters spread disease and chew through the wires and wooden components of your property, besides the food supply in your pantry.
- Fleas: If rodents find their way into your living space, they might bring fleas inside with them. These insects also tend to come inside, looking for a warm place to thrive.
- Stink bugs: In the fall, stink bugs can be a nuisance because they release a foul odor when they feel threatened. They can also seriously damage crops if you have a garden or farm.
Winter Pests
Even though winter bugs aren’t that common, you may find pests in your home during the cold months. When there’s snow on the ground and the temperature drops, insects and rodents seek shelter indoors. Since winter weather involves increased moisture after snow thaws, it can attract pests that enjoy damp areas.
Celebrating the holidays may contribute to pest infestations during the winter months. If you store your warm clothes and holiday decorations improperly, unwelcome guests can chew through your boxes or squeeze through an existing hole. Christmas trees and other holiday plans can also invite pests that enjoy wood.
Inspect your house for the following pests in the winter:
- Rodents: You may find rodents hiding in your attic or storage space because they want to keep warm. As the weather gets colder, they look for food and water in cozy indoor places, and if you’re not careful, they’ll establish a nest in your house.
- Cockroaches: Even though most cockroach species die in the winter, you might discover German or Oriental roaches in your living space during this cold season. They tend to hide in damp, dark areas, like basements and bathrooms.
Spring Pests
When flowers are in bloom and the weather becomes more pleasant, spring bugs come out of hiding to look for nourishment and a spot to mate and breed. As you complete your indoor and outdoor spring cleaning, keep an eye out for the following pests:
- Ants: In the warmer weather, ants travel far from their colonies to find food, including in your living space. The heavy rain in April also encourages ants to find high ground so they don’t drown.
- Termites: Even though these bugs live all year long, termites start to swarm in the warm weather when it’s time to mate and start new colonies. If you notice termites anywhere near your home, try to deal with them as soon as possible to prevent severe damage to your property.
- Mosquitoes: These pests that breed in damp areas enjoy frequent showers in the springtime. During this time of year, mosquitoes will increase their activity and mate to get ready for the summer, their peak season.
- Flies: These pests fully mature at the beginning of spring. Adult flies will travel to areas with a lot of human activity for food, especially liquids and sweets.
- Spiders: These eight-legged critters are active in the spring because most of their prey comes out of hibernation, so they have more food options.
- Stinging insects: Bees and wasps enjoy pollinating the flowers that bloom in the spring. After being dormant in the winter, they increase their activity in the spring to mate and establish nests.
Summer Pests
Bugs thrive the most in warm weather. Summer bugs and rodents enjoy their unlimited access to lush greenery and food, and insects will latch onto humans to travel far and wide, including inside your house. Here are some of the most prominent pests you’ll find in the summer:
- Mosquitoes: The heat, humidity, and heavy rains in the summer allow mosquitoes to multiply faster and lay more eggs. Even though they usually stay outside, they may fly into your house by accident. You’ll notice them swarming around at dawn and dusk.
- Stinging insects: Yellow jackets and hornets threaten anyone with bee allergies, but these insects can build nests on or near your property. It’s best to let a professional deal with a nest instead of trying to take it down by yourself. Most stinging insects only attack when they feel threatened, but some can sting multiple times and seriously harm you or your loved ones.
- Ants: As the heavy rains continue from spring to summer, ants will seek shelter above ground and look inside. Keep an eye out for ants around your food pantry and refrigerator.
- Flies: Summer is the peak breeding season for flies, and they spawn in rotting foods, animal waste, and garbage. They’ll also search for sweet food at outdoor picnics and indoor kitchen pantries.
- Termites: These insects are most active in the summertime when they eat wood and build their colonies as the queen lays eggs.
- Bed bugs: Even though they are active all year long, bed bugs are most common in the spring when students are on summer break and people travel.
Contact Spectrum Pest Control for a Free Quote
At Spectrum Pest Control, we offer year-round residential pest control services for your living space in southwestern Pennsylvania. We provide quality customer service and treat all our clients like family. For more information about our services, contact us online or call 412-532-1380.