Spring is here! This means warmer weather, but it also means wet season in North Carolina, and wet weather and warm temperatures bring out more than just the umbrellas; it also means a wave of pest activity. Spring is when insects and critters start coming out of the woodwork, which makes being extra vigilant for particular invasive pests especially important. Here are 5 of the pests to be on the lookout for in North Carolina this spring.
- Stinging Insects- Bees and wasps can be a serious infestation because they not only have the potential to cause structural damage but can also be very defensive and aggressive once they have established a hive location. Bees and wasps will look for isolated, cool environments to build their hives and even a hole as tiny as ⅛ of an inch can be an opening for an infestation.
If and when their hive is threatened, bees and wasps are likely to attack you in swarms with painful stings. This can be especially dangerous if you or someone else in your home has an allergy, which makes getting rid of a bee or wasp infestation as quickly as possible extremely important. - Termites- Termites are one of the most damaging insects in North Carolina; they eat what is called, “cellulose-based materials”, which are found in a large majority of home-building materials. Termites can infest your home very discreetly and will chew away at the wood and other materials inside of your walls and ceiling. This can make it hard to know you even have a termite infestation until major damage has already been done. If you discover even one termite in your home you more than likely have a colony in your walls and will want to seek professional treatment immediately.
- Flies- Flies are annoying, but can also pose more serious threats, from disease spread to food contamination. Typically flies are attracted to warm air currents, and bursts of condensed warm air coming from homes- particularly in spring- will usually be the initial attractant. Accessible food is what will keep them around, so do your best to make sure all food is safely stored and not left exposed–otherwise you might find yourself with a fly infestation. Take measures to make your home a no-fly zone!
- Snakes- Snakes are commonplace in North Carolina and start to become particularly active in Spring. Typically snakes will hide in dark spaces like sheds, barns, garages, and even tree stumps in yards. Because there are poisonous snakes in our region (copperhead snakes, cottonmouth snakes, and a few breeds of rattlesnake) you’ll want to be especially cautious of any snake activity on or around your property, and should seek professional treatments if you suspect you have a poisonous snake problem.
- Bed Bugs- Bed bugs are actually active year-round, but warmer months usually see an increase in activity because of increased amounts of travel. As you probably know, bed bugs can be a major irritation, with their bites causing itchiness, splotches, and all sorts of other skin irritation that varies from person to person. Bed bugs are also prolific at reproduction, which means that what starts as a small infestation can very quickly become something more major and more cyclical. The truth is that once you have bed bugs, getting rid of them requires professional treatment, because bed bugs won’t go away on their own.
- Stinging Insects- Bees and wasps can be a serious infestation because they not only have the potential to cause structural damage but can also be very defensive and aggressive once they have established a hive location. Bees and wasps will look for isolated, cool environments to build their hives and even a hole as tiny as ⅛ of an inch can be an opening for an infestation.
Stopping Spring Pests in Their Tracks
Just because pest activity increases in the spring doesn’t mean that you’re in a helpless situation. At City Wide Exterminating, we offer spring treatments and exterminations for:
For other pest solutions, we offer additional residential services that cover all sorts of pests from bees and wasps to spiders and roaches. At City Wide Exterminating we offer a pest protection guarantee, no if ants or bugs about it!