Spring Into Spring! Pests to watch out for:

As the flowers come to life and the weather becomes more pleasant, spring is indeed a delightful season in Australia. However, it also ushers in some unwelcome pests typical of the Australian spring.

It’s a fact that one should always be vigilant for pests in their surroundings; but it’s also true that the likelihood of encountering specific pests varies with the seasons.

Common household pests are quite predictable to trained pest control professionals. With their expertise, you can spot early signs of a spring pest invasion and prevent a multitude of pest-related problems before they cause significant damage to your property.

Being aware of what to look for enables you to anticipate challenges, detect a problem early, and eradicate it either independently or with the assistance of a pest control expert.

Spring: The Season of Awakening and Mating

In the spring season, pest activity peaks, especially in the cooler regions of Australia. Numerous common household pests start to venture out of their winter hideouts as they wake from their winter slumber, many of which will eventually find their way into your home.

Honeybees will capitalise on the fresh pollen floating in the air, and termites will start searching for wood to consume. As the season’s first rains begin to pour, ants will seek indoor refuge to escape the downpour.

Spring is also the mating season for many common pests, which gather in large numbers in search of a mate during this time of the year. It’s crucial to keep an eye out for large colonies in and around the house; the earlier you spot them, the easier it will be to get rid of them.

Spring Pests to Watch Out For:

Spiders

As the temperature increases, it’s hard to overlook the fact that these eight-legged creatures start to appear in your surroundings—and some of them are quite intimidating, like the infamous redback spider.

Bees

While bees are beneficial for honey production, you wouldn’t want a swarm of bees buzzing around your children as they enjoy their first pool dip since last summer. Bees become a nuisance in the spring as they search for pollen in your spring flowers, but unfortunately, removing a beehive is a challenging task.

Termites

As the beautiful, warm spring evenings start to set in, you might notice some flying termites around. While the small, flying insects themselves may not cause havoc, their offspring will cause significant damage once they find something substantial to eat at your residence. In fact, they’re considered Australia’s most destructive pest, so watch out for any signs of termite activity around your house, especially flying termites, which indicates they are scouting for their next structure to infest.

Birds

What other pests are particularly fond of springtime? It’s these winged creatures. While birds are a wonderful species, you wouldn’t want them to decide that your roof space or another spot in your neighbourhood is the perfect place to build a nest. One of the reasons is that they can transmit diseases or damage your garden or property.

Bird Mites

The tiny bird mites that birds carry with them can number in the hundreds in a single nest. And when they are out in search of a new bird host, they can end up feeding on you. Once you become their target, they’ll bite any exposed skin.

Ants

Ants are eusocial insects, which means they never exist alone. If you encounter one of them, you’re likely to have visitors for a long period. Ants live in large colonies composed of thousands of worker ants and a queen ant.

Like bees, they work daily to feed their colony and antlings. They require a constant food source, which you might be providing. Despite their significant benefits to the ecosystem, ants can be a nuisance to humans.

Cockroaches

Cockroaches can be found all over the world and they are among the most resilient creatures on the planet. They are also among the dirtiest insects on the planet, carrying germs with them and causing itching and severe allergies with their droppings. To keep them out of your home in spring, you should clean your house and keep food and waste containers covered. But as the saying goes: prevention is always better than cure.

Flies

The most annoying pests that infest your house during the spring and summer are flies and mosquitoes. Sugary foods are their favourite and they like to lay their eggs in dirty environments such as garbage, decaying materials, and animal feces.

Their reproductive activity is constant throughout the year; however, they are most active during the warmest months. Regular home and garden maintenance should be done to keep these nuisances out.

Clean up any spills that have occurred around your home and secure any food containers. Do not leave half-empty wine glasses or dirty plates on the table. If, on the other hand, they have already infiltrated your premises, getting rid of them is not as difficult as it is with other pests, thankfully. Flyscreens can be installed on your windows and doors to keep these insects out.

Mosquitoes

Mosquito eggs are one of the things that you should be concerned about since they hatch in the early spring. Their bites are annoying, itchy, and painful; and they are known to transmit diseases like malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever to humans.

They can mature from the egg stage to the adult stage in as little as ten days. Adult mosquitoes are attracted to sources of standing water in your yard, such as buckets, containers, pots, and bowls, where they can lay their eggs.

Look around your home for any sources of standing water that may have accumulated and drain these sources. Keep your lawn grasses short as long grasses provide shelter for these pests.

What Steps Can Be Taken to Keep These Pests at Bay?

Depending on the type of pest you’re dealing with, you might need to use different strategies. Generally, you should follow the steps outlined below to repel and control these pests.

Preventive measures include the following:

• Before you start, make sure your house and yard are clean and tidy.

• Ensure all entrances to the house are properly sealed.

• Thoroughly clean your home.

• Fix the fly screens if they are broken.

• Repair cracks and crevices on the walls.

• Regularly empty trash cans.

• Keep the grass properly trimmed.

• Remove accumulated water in container gardens.

• Never leave pet food outdoors.

If all these measures fail, the best course of action is to choose pest control treatments suitable for the infestation. In the end, your best bet is to consult professional pest exterminators. They know the best strategy to use in dealing with pests that are going frenzy right after they’ve just woken from their winter slumbers. Plus, they know the pesticides to use that have zero impact on the environment—a crucial choice when you wish to keep the pests out without harming the helpful and friendly critters that visit your yard come springtime.

Conclusion

As a piece of advice, it’s best to use the least amount of chemical possible in handling spring pests as harsh chemicals are not only harmful to your children and pets, but wreak havoc on the environment. For the most part, homes that are free of pests are indeed happy homes.

In the end, being in a space that is pest-free allows you to enjoy the sunshine, long days, barbecues, and quality time with your family during spring. There will be no more strange smell emanating from a hidden carcass, no more buzzing bugs on top of your wine glass, and no more itchy mozzie bites to worry about.