“Every spring it’s the same old thing,” especially for pests. As we look forward to warmer weather, growing grass, flowers, and having a good time — so do our unwanted pests. We are not the only ones to wake up from a long hard winter. Ants, spiders, wasps, bees, and other creepy crawlers are ready to do what they do best, be a pest!

Besides the heavy snowstorm this year, winter was mild to our overwintering pests. Many insects that hide in outside structures like sheds, grills, and siding have survived because no real long term below zero weather has knocked them out. Now in larger numbers than usual, these pests are ready to invade.

Our forecast predicts more flying insects this year like wasps, bees, bald faced hornets (the makers of those huge football-like aerial nest in your trees), carpenter bees, and even cicada killer wasps. If you remember last year, cicada or locust populations were very high, who could forget the loud buzzing last summer. Well, one of the largest predators of cicadas, besides birds, are cicada killer wasps. Those black and white monster wasps sting cicadas and drag them into a burrow in your yard and feed their young. You guessed it, with no real substantial frost line this winter, the whole cicada killer wasp family will be burrowing out and cruising through your yard. You can see pictures on our pest identification page of this wasp, not uncommon to be 2 inches long with a huge stinger compared to a yellow jacket wasp.

Also, this year, we will see more insects that love overwintering behind siding like box elder bugs, assassin bugs, and lady bugs. These insects (also wasps and bees) prefer the west and south side of your home because the sun warms up them up faster in that area. They are not dangerous like wasps and bees, but you still don’t want them emerging in your home flying around or ruining any precious time spent enjoying your back yard!

So, what can you do? Get your preventative pest service in early to combat these upcoming issues! Call the professionals at Guardian Pest Control at 877-924-7378 (PEST) to schedule a service call and rid your home of these unwanted Spring pests.