Every second week of March, everyone in the United States (and 69 other countries) join in on a tradition that dates back to before 1966: Daylight Savings. Everyone sets their clocks forward an hour, and many see this as the beginning of Spring! And with Spring comes warmer weather, green leaves, and beautiful flowers.
What many people DON’T want to think about with Spring and all the wonderful nature coming back to life, are the insects that come along too! Some of the top home invaders of Spring include ants, spiders, wasps, and earwigs.
Ants:
Regular ants are not harmful or dangerous, but they can get into the pantry and destroy food sources. They are also a nuisance, especially in the kitchen and bathrooms. Ants enter homes looking for food and water, so be sure to check water pipe entrances under sinks, and cabinets where food is stored. A past customer experienced a large ant infestation in the bathroom because the ants went after something stored in the cabinets under the bathroom sink. The customer forgot about some sugar scrubs that were stored there, and didn’t realize they would
attract the ants and cause such a big mess! So be sure to keep such things sealed and stored securely where ants won’t find them.
Spiders:
Spiders enter the home through doors, windows, air vents, unfilled holes, cracks, and areas around cable, pipes and plumbing line connections. Any place that has the smallest gap is a potential “open door” for spiders. Spiders can also be brought into the home with items, especially those used outside being stored for the winter, or even new plants. So as spring approaches, be sure to carefully clean each item of any spiderwebs or egg sacs to avoid any unwanted hitchhikers.
Not all spiders are harmful. In fact, the majority of household spiders found in the United States are not dangerous. However, they do tend to make a mess, and some are harmful so it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Wasps:
Wasps have long, slender bodies with long legs, and are brown and yellow in color. Now that the
weather is beginning to warm up, we will start to see wasps out and about. They are drawn to sugary drinks and food, and nectar. They build papery nests, usually under eaves of houses, tree limbs, overhangs, support beams, attics, garages, barns, and sheds.
Wasps can be very dangerous and aggressive, especially if they feel threatened. If you see a wasp nest do not attempt to remove it, and do not mess with it. Some people can be very allergic to wasp stings, and they can be fatal. Call a professional for advice or removal of the nest.
Earwigs:
Earwigs are about 5/8 inch long, with a flat, reddish brown body and very short wings. They have medium length antennae and chewing mouth parts. They have a pair of strong pinchers (cerci) on the tip of their abdomen. Earwigs use their pincers to protect themselves and to grab and hold prey. Earwigs do not cause damage to people or food sources because they feed on vegetables and flowers. However, they are a nuisance. Attracted to excess moisture, earwigs can find their way into your home and damage houseplants.
As we prepare to “spring forward” into warmer weather, don’t forget to prepare for the
unexpected house guests that will start moving around and exploring your home. Call today at (937) 772-7758 for a free quote, or to start your 365 Protection Package to cover your home all year!
