Even though Chicago is in the midst of a winter weather freeze, spring is right around the corner when weather gets warmer, days get longer, and the flowers start to blossom. And while it is exciting to observe honey bees make their rounds and pollinate your beautiful white wild indigos, there are other bugs you may also need to observe, and some of them don’t exactly pollinate your flowers. 

During this time of year, many pests cause various issues in people’s homes and property. The issues can range from structural damage to bodily harm to health. In this article, we will discuss some of the common pests households may see during springtime and tips for homeowners on what steps they should take in response to the potential danger. 

Common Springtime Pests in Illinois: 

Ants: Ants are a common pest that start to become most active around spring, specifically around March. Ants are cold blooded and therefore they rely on external sources of heat, hence they become more active as the weather starts to warm. 

There are also dangers of spring floods, which can damage their nests, causing them to seek shelter indoors. Here they can cause various problems such as infesting common food sources, weakening wood in critical structures, and transmitting diseases in some cases (UMN). 

Wasps: Wasps start to become more active during the spring, mainly because their period of hibernation ends around February to March. 

During this time, fertile female wasps will leave their current spot and branch out to create new colonies. 

One of the obvious dangers of a wasp is their ability to sting, however, unlike bees who sting and then die right after, wasps can sting humans multiple times. This can be especially dangerous to people with certain allergies, in which case wasp stings can sometimes be life-threatening. 

Wasps can also cause structural damage by creating nests within property structures. If nests expand, this could cause even more damage since wasps are also able to chew through wood and therefore weaken the structural integrity of the house.

Termites: Termites are common during the spring time due to the warm weather and the fact that their mating season is also during this time. 

Subterranean termites consume wood, specifically the cellulose in the wood. If termites make it inside your home, they can cause damage to any type of damp wood in your house, potentially causing large amounts of structural damage. 

5 Spring Pest Control Tips for Homeowners:

1. Look out for Signs of Pest Control :

Ants: There may be multiple signs of an ant infestation. Look out for damaged property, such as soft spots and crumbling edges. 

Large piles of soil is another sign since ants usually build large nests composed of soil, therefore take notice if you see random piles of soil in your lawn. 

Another sign you can notice is if you tap on certain wood surfaces and the noise indicates its hollow, this could be another sign since carpenter ants excavate wood.

Wasps: A simple sign of a wasp infestation is you happen to see more of them around your house, indicating a strong base on or near your home. 

Looking at areas such as attics or crawl spaces might even lead you to identify a nest in those areas, also indicating an infestation. 

Another sign is seeing tiny holes in wood spaces, which can be attributed to wasp construction activities. 

Termites: Termites are also a common springtime pest. One of the signs of a termite infestation is discarded termite wings. Certain termites such as swarmers or alates usually shed their wings when they have found a place to settle, which might just be your house. 

Spotting mud tubes in areas right outside your house is also a strong sign. Termites construct mud tubes to transport underground, indicating a strong presence in your home. 

2. Keep your home clean:

Basic tasks such as taking out the garbage daily, cleaning up any sort of spills immediately, and sweeping floors are effective ways to prevent pest infestation. 

Pests such as ants are attracted to leftover foods that are outside, water spills, and water sources such as drains. 

3. Keep Your Outdoors Clean: 

It is also important to keep the outside of your home clean. Lawn mowing regularly and cleaning up any leftover food or crumbs after a picnic or a dinner on the patio can also help prevent pest infestations. Ensure you keep your foundational shrubs trimmed and firewood away from the house. 

Make sure there is no standing water around your property as these can be breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Standing water may be found in pots, water fountains, children’s pools, buckets, bird baths, trash cans and more.

4. Seal Your Home:

Sealing your home is also important. Specifically, it is important to seal any holes or gaps in the base of your home, loose window screens, or holes in the walls or on the roofs as well. 

5. Call a Professional Pest Control Service:

Spring can be a beautiful time of year, but it can also be unpleasant if you do not take the proper measures to insure a pest infestation does not occur. If one does, however, it is best to call a professional pest control service to handle the issue. If you are looking for services that offer Pest Control in Naperville, Pest Control in Glen Ellyn, Pest Control in Aurora, and many other cities in the Chicagoland area, feel free to contact Yosemite Pest and Rodent Solutions, Inc at (630) 779-7674.