Although it often still snows in Ohio in March and it’s hard to think about the warmer weather on the horizon, March marks the official start of spring and that means new pests may reawaken and wreak havoc on your Ohio home or business. As temperatures warm up and moisture peaks in Ohio, insects come crawling. You need to protect your home and business from pests this spring.
There is a seasonality to bugs. We’ve provided some of the most common insects that you might find frequent your Northwest Ohio or Southeast Michigan home or business this spring and have provided a few tips for preventing them.
Brown Marmorated Stink Bug
Brown marmorated stink bugs start to find their way into homes and businesses as the temperatures increase. The brown marmorated stink bug is a major pest of tree fruits and vegetables, causing millions of dollars’ worth of crop damage and control costs each year. The stink bugs are a nuisance to home and business owners due to their use of structures as overwintering sites. Stink bugs feed on fruits, vegetables, tree leaves, and weeds. They have earned their name because, when they are squashed or frightened, they emit a unpleasant odor.
Once you have stink bugs in your home or business, it can be extremely difficult to get rid of them. The primary means of reducing home or business invasion by the brown marmorated stink bug is to seal entrances to the home and business, including repairing insect screening and sealing cracks and other openings. Various traps have been designed for home and business use, with fluctuating levels of success.
Cockroaches
Cockroaches are common winter guests in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan homes and businesses. These pests can live quite contentedly in your home or business in the colder months and start to migrate about as the weather improves. There are four types of cockroaches commonly found in Ohio: German, American, Oriental, and Brown-banded.
Figuring out what kind of cockroach is in your home or business can help you know how eliminate them. To prevent a cockroach infestation, keep your home and business as clean and tidy as possible. Store all food in your refrigerator or an airtight container, wipe up crumbs, don’t leave pet food out, and keep your home and business free of dirty dishes. It can also help if you clean under appliances regularly and take out the trash every day. In moisture ridden areas of your Ohio home or business, use caulk to fill any gaps and fix any leaky pipes.
Termites
When the cooler temperatures are present in Ohio and Michigan, termites tend to migrate to homes and businesses to stay warm. In the spring months, termites will start to stir and you may notice them in your home or business. The spring is often considered swarming season for termites. Swarming occurs when a group of termites is looking to begin their own, new colony and are mating and breeding in large numbers.
Termites feed on wood, and may be very destructive to wooden structures and trees. To prevent termites in your home or business, keep trees and other wooden items away from the structure of your home or business, ensure the structure is secure, treat areas around you home and business with excessive moisture and wood to ground contact.
Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants are very common in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan and sometimes are mistaken as a termites. Winged carpenter ants can be distinguished from termites by their larger size and shape of their antennae, waist and wings. Carpenter ants feast on plant and animal matter and forage for food up to 100 feet from their nests. Carpenter ants damage wood by hollowing it out for nesting throughout a home or business.
You can find these pests most commonly in areas with wood dampened by water leaks, such as around sinks, bathtubs, poorly sealed windows/ door frames, roof leaks and poorly flashed chimneys. Nests are especially common in moist, hollow spaces such as the wall void behind a dishwasher, or in a hollow porch column. To prevent carpenter ants repair any leaks and keep floors and surfaces dry.
To protect your home and business from these spring pests and others, contact Delving Pest Control today.
Delving Pest Control is the leading discreet bed bug and general pest control company in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan. We offer a private/discreet experience with pest control and bed bug extermination. “We are here for you and your pest control needs, not for a contract.” Allow us to protect your home and business from pests this spring.