Mild Winter and SLC Spring Pest Control Needs

It’s been a particularly strange winter season for Salt Lake City and other Utah residents this year, even those of us who are used to some weirdness here. To this point we’re seeing one of the mildest winters in recent memory, and this actually has an impact on more than just your skiing frequency or how often you’re shoveling the driveway – in fact, one area that can be significantly impacted by a mild winter is pest control in the subsequent spring.

At Bug Busters, we’re happy to offer numerous pest control and extermination services in Salt Lake City and nearby areas, including themes like tree spraying and others that help prepare for potential pest infestation ahead of time. What are the effects of a mild winter on spring pest control, and what are the preparation themes you can put in place to ensure your property is not at risk this spring? Here’s a primer.

Mild Winter and Pests

As most homeowners are well aware, a typical winter is something of a down period for many pests, including insects. While certain resilient species can survive during the winter, many die out completely – and even those that do stick around are often confined to underground areas or those where they don’t create as much of an issue for homeowners.

However, during a milder winter like the one we’re in the back part of currently, these themes are altered. Many smaller insect populations will not have died off entirely, or will have begun breeding earlier in the spring than normal due to recent warmth. Spiders, ants and bees are some of the most common issues here – all of these have a low cold tolerance and up to half their population will die off during winter normally. But during milder winters, this number is often much lower, and these pests have a head start in spring.

Issues Pests Create in Spring

And if the population of these insects is higher to begin with, your risk of issues if they invade your home is also greater. On top of the risk of stings or bites, which are painful and may risk allergic reactions in some people, these insects can cause significant property damage and even structural damage in some cases. In addition, they may often do so undetected for certain periods of time.

Spraying and Other Themes

If your home has dealt with pest infestation issues in the past, or if you simply want to be diligent and cover all your bases, spring is an ideal time for many pest control preparation areas. Think about pest spraying, for instance, which can be done on both exterior and certain interior areas to prevent certain pest types from ever showing up. There are also numerous other themes you can hit here, both of the DIY and professional variety, from cleaning up your home’s exterior and limiting pest breeding spots to sealing up cracks and gaps in your home’s exterior with the goal of preventing pest entry.

For more on spring pest preparation in Salt Lake City, or to learn about any of our pest control or exterminator services, speak to the staff at Bug Busters today.