Spring Swarms: Pests to Look Out For

a green lawn in springtime, with the sun shining through the trees

If you’re looking forward to spring in Winston-Salem, you’re not the only one. All across the region the weather is starting to warm, and plants and trees are preparing to blossom and face the sun. We’re gradually emerging from our cozy winter hideouts, but as the weather warms up, pests prepare to do the same thing. So you run the risk of your newly-habitable yard being swarmed by insects like termite, bees, wasps and ants. 

How can you protect yourself and your property? Let’s talk about it more below.

What Makes Insects More Active

Insects adjust their behaviors to follow the ebb and flow of the weather. In the cold season they tend to burrow underground, or enter nearby structures, to protect themselves from the chill. Then, when the winter passes and the days get warmer, these insects emerge from hiding with plans to breed and feed. They’ll get more aggressive the nicer the weather gets, and certain pests will tend to build their nests on or near homes or businesses.

Protection for Your Yard and Home

  • There are a variety of pests that we deal with in Winston-Salem throughout the year, but the most common springtime pests are:
  • Wasps
  • Bees
  • Ants
  • Termites

What can you do to keep your property safer from these insects? The answer depends on the pest itself. Wasps are drawn to protein-based foods, so if you make sure to clean any leftovers after barbecues you effectively remove an easy source of food. Bees, on the other hand, mainly look for shelter, making it crucial to seal openings into your home and keep your yard clear of debris. This, along with limiting sources of standing water, will also deter ants and termites. Be sure to also Check your eaves to make sure there are no bee or wasp nests being constructed there.

There is more you can do to exclude pests in Winston-Salem, but at the same time there’s only so much you can do on your own. If you want to be fully protected from insects and more, you’ll need the help of a professional like the team at McNeely Pest Control, Inc.

Comprehensive Protection with McNeely Pest Control, Inc

If you have an infestation, you shouldn’t be expected to wipe it out by yourself. Instead of wasting time on DIY pest control that rarely works as well as intended, call the experts at McNeely Pest Control, Inc. Our exterminators have 23 years of experience in all manner of residential pest control. When warm weather insects appear, so do we – and we have the solutions you need to be pest-free this spring and year-round. Contact us today to get started!

Late Summer Pests in North Carolina

A wasp perched on a leaf

You might think that you’re in the clear for pest problems when the summer heat starts to ease in North Carolina, but certain types of pests actually thrive around this time. With an ample amount of warmth and plenty of people participating in outdoor activities to savor the last of the summer, these pests have an easy time finding what they need, whether it be a blood meal, a food supply, or a place to build their nest. In order to ensure that pests don’t ruin the last part of your summer, you have to take preventative measures. Keep reading to learn what pests to watch out for and what you can do to prevent them, from the experts at McNeely Pest Control.

Common Late Summer Pests

Every season has its own characteristic pest problems in North Carolina and late summer is no exception. The pests that are the biggest nuisance in late summer are typically the ones that have the most to gain from warm conditions. Here are some pests that are especially active in late summer:

Bees and wasps: Stinging insects stay active into the late summer, pollinating plants in your garden and taking advantage of the warm weather. Wasps become both more numerous and more aggressive as the population of the colony peaks and natural food sources start to decline. Be wary of wasps and their nests at this time of year and definitely don’t try to remove a wasp nest yourself.

Ticks: They breed during the early summer, producing a yield of offspring that will climb to the tops of tall grass in search of hosts including you and your pets. They thrive in warm weather so your chance of running into them is increased even during the late summer months. Take precautions when hiking through tall grass and check yourself for ticks after you’re done.

Wildlife: Wild animals like raccoons, possums, and squirrels that wander into your yard could tear through your trash or garden and cause serious property damage. As the summer gets later, these animals like to stash food for the colder months and can end up living in your attic. 

Mosquitoes: If mosquitoes establish a viable breeding population, their numbers will be so high by the late summer that they will be very hard to ignore. Mosquitos remain active as long as temperatures don’t drop below 50°F consistently, so be vigilant and try not to go out at dawn and dusk when they most like to feed.

Pest-proof Your Property for Late Summer

Major infestations of any of these late summer pests call for the intervention of a professional exterminator, but there are some general housekeeping strategies you can try to prevent pest problems on your property before they start. We recommend the following:

  • Keep your yard tidy: Make sure that all of your trees and shrubs are trimmed back, promptly dispose of piles of grass clippings or other vegetation, and make sure you aren’t leaving out any items that could become shelter or habitat for pests.
  • Seal your home: Regularly monitor the outside of your property to make sure that your home doesn’t have any cracks or gaps in roofing, foundation, or siding allowing pests access to your home. Unsealed attic vents are a particularly common pest entry point.
  • Be careful with trash: Using bins that seal and not leaving trash outside the bins will help you avoid attracting hungry wildlife.
  • Get rid of standing water: Mosquitoes breed in pools of standing water, no matter how small. Covering up pools, spas, and birdbaths and regularly checking for rainwater pools will help keep mosquitoes from breeding on your property. 

Help with Pests in Late Summer

If you’ve tried everything you can to prevent pest infestations to no avail, it’s time to contact a local pest control company. The team at Mcneely Pest Control are licensed and trained to take on all of the types of pests we regularly see here in North Carolina. We can determine the cause of your infestation, put it to a stop, and teach you how to identify and to make your property less appealing and accessible to pests going forward. Contact us for a free quote! 

Fall Pests That Become Unexpected Guests

Two termites eating wood

Every year as the weather changes in the fall, pests start to make their effort to escape the cold. Insects that do not die off in the fall take part in a phenomenon called overwintering: they find a habitable environment to wait out the cold months of winter. Some insects will migrate to warmer clients, some find hiding spots outside under debris, while others try to get inside homes and buildings to stay warm. 

Unfortunately for homeowners, the insects that try to overwinter inside warm buildings often end up in our homes, invading our bedrooms and kitchens. Often these fall pests will find low-traffic areas of homes like behind the walls or in the attic. The most frequent home invaders over the winter include rodents, termites, stink bugs, Asian lady beetles, and wasps. Continue reading to learn more about these common fall pests.

Rodents

Many pests can get into your attic by climbing up onto the roof. Squirrels are the most well-known culprits, but roof rats and mice are just as notorious for invading homes and making nests in the attic. How can you tell if you have rodents living in your home? The most common sign of a rodent infestation is scratching or gnawing sounds from above or from inside the walls; if you hear these sounds, it’s time to call an expert rodent exterminator.

Termites

The cost of termite damage in the United States is estimated to be up to $30 billion annually – it will come as no surprise that they are considered the most destructive pest in the country. While termites are present all year, fall and winter can worsen an already-existing infestation. Like many pests, subterranean termites burrow deeper into the ground during the cool months to survive cold weather, allowing the infestation to cultivate undetected until the following spring. Going undetected during the cool months allows these colonies to do significant damage to the wood structures of a home. How can you tell if you have termites? You may notice blisters on painted wood surfaces, pinhole-sized holes, and hollow-sounding wood.

Stink Bugs

Another common pest that hides undetected during the winter, typically in attics, crawlspaces, or behind the walls, is the stink bug – known for their shield-shaped bodies and their mottled coloring of brown and gray. The most common species, the brown marmorated stink bug, ranges in size between about ¼” to ⅜”. Unsurprisingly, stink bugs release an unpleasant odor when they feel threatened or are squished, as their name suggests.

Asian lady beetles

Asian lady beetles look very similar to ladybugs, but have a few distinct differences: they tend to be a bit larger, and though their coloration is similarly reddish orange, they do not all have spots. These insects can be found in groups and communicate with each other using pheromones – so if one lady beetle finds its way into a nice warm crack in your home, you’re likely to have a large infestation on your hands. Asian lady beetles do not pose any direct threat to your home’s structure and don’t bite or sting, but they can trigger allergic reactions in individuals with sensitivities and breathing problems. Additionally, their waste can stain, leaving behind an unsightly mess.

Wasps

Generally speaking, wasps die off before each winter and the colonies do not overwinter like the rest of the insects on this list. But to keep the colony thriving the following year, the fertilized queens will find a warm hiding spot to overwinter, often in stumps or hollow logs outdoors, or in protected structures like crawlspaces and attics. This can often lead to wasp infestations the following year when the queens restart their colonies.

Trusted Local Exterminators

If you have any of the pests on this list in or around your home in the Winston-Salem or Greensboro NC area, contact McNeely Pest Control right away. As the local leader in fast, effective, and long-lasting pest control services, McNeely Pest Control is equipped to keep your home pest-free all year long.

Contact us today!