Skip to Main Content

Springtime Surprises

Austin, located in Central Texas, and San Antonio, in South Texas, enjoy beautiful weather all year long. Still, residents look forward to spring when the weather warms up and they can enjoy spring and summertime activities once again. Unfortunately, along with the warmer weather activities and sunshine also come many different pests. Some of these pests are to be expected, while others catch homeowners by surprise. As we head into the spring months, our Texas pest control experts outline below the types of pests you can most expect to see.

Termites

Termites usually begin to emerge in Texas in late March and early April. However, swarming has been known to occur in January and February in the southern parts of the state. An initial termite swarm may seem innocent enough, as you may only see a small mound of mud mysteriously appearing along an indoor wall. As the weather continues to warm, the termites will enter the home by the dozens, or even thousands.

Termites cause $5 billion of damage every year in the United States alone. If you see mud tubes or shed wings outside of your home during the spring, you need to contact an Austin pest control or San Antonio pest control company immediately before significant damage is done.

Carpenter Ants

Carpenter ants will also begin to swarm in the spring months in Texas. Due to the fact that carpenter ants are some of the largest found in Texas, these swarms are noticeable and dramatic. Unlike termites, carpenter ants do not actually eat wood, although they do chew through it looking for nesting areas. Carpenter ants seem to prefer moist and decaying wood, which can damage the integrity of certain areas in a structure that are already weakened.

Odorous House Ants

The odorous house ant is appropriately named, as this type of ant gives off an unpleasant odor when crushed. Usually, that smell is of rotten coconut, but it can take on other foul smells, as well.

Like other ants, odorous house ants enter homes during the spring when it becomes rainy outside. They enter homes looking for food, water, and nesting sites. Odorous house ants cannot sting and they will only bite on very rare occasions when they feel threatened. Still, odorous house ants are a pest just like any other and so, it is important to speak to a professional ant control company when you have an infestation.

Red Imported Fire Ant

The red imported fire ant is a problem in all southern states, including Texas. Fire ants become more active as the weather starts to warm up and their initial mounds can usually be found near slabs of concrete and sidewalks. Mounds in these areas are especially common in the spring because the soil temperature is not yet quite warm enough for them, but areas of concrete are warmer.

Bait applications for fire ants usually start in the Spring, when the soil temperature warms up and these ants begin foraging in earnest. It is at this time that fire ants will move from their warmer concrete shelters and into the yards of homes. There, they can multiply quickly and cause a real problem for homeowners. The red imported fire ant is extremely aggressive. When their nest is disturbed, they will attack the perceived threat in a swarm, and sting repeatedly.

Cockroaches

Moisture attracts cockroaches, which is why they are often seen in greater populations around homes in the spring. Homes with moisture or drainage issues are the biggest draw for cockroaches. As the rain continues to fall during the spring months, cockroaches will become attracted to excessive soggy parts of a yard and large puddles of standing or pooling water, especially under downspouts.

The two most common types of cockroaches in Texas are the American and German cockroach. Regardless of the type you are dealing with, this pest is extremely hardy. They can also live without their head for several weeks. As such, cockroaches are extremely difficult for homeowners to get rid of on their own and a professional Texas pest control company is almost always necessary.

Scorpions

Scorpions hibernate during the winter months in Texas but they emerge from their hiding spots in the spring. The spring months provide the ideal environment for scorpions to not only survive, but thrive. The types of scorpions found in Texas will not kill a person, but the sting they deliver is powerful and very painful.

During the winter months, Texans may have become complacent about the presence of scorpions and may not have checked for them as much as they would during other times of the year. Then in the spring, they are surprised when they are stung after putting on their shoe because a scorpion has nested there. Spring is the time to become vigilant about scorpions once again so there are no unpleasant surprises.

Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes will start to breed in Texas in the middle of March until the first week of April. While most Texans do not have a problem with mosquitoes in their home, they can make a backyard uninhabitable, and make the prospect of a barbecue unfathomable. There are steps homeowners can take to reduce mosquitoes in their yard. Keeping the lawn cut short and removing any standing water are two preventative measures that often work. When populations grow out of control though, it is time to call a professional pest control company.

Roof Rats

One of the most common, and most unwanted, pests in Texas is the roof rat. These rats prefer shelter and this is especially true in the springtime months. As Austin, San Antonio, and other areas of Texas see significant rainfall in the spring months, roof rats will use damaged roofs and chimneys to enter a home and find the shelter they seek. Roof rats carry disease and can cause a great deal of property damage to a home. A professional rodent control company in Texas can identify how these pests are entering the home, and get rid of them once and for all.

Our Pest Control Company in Texas Can Get You Ready for Spring

If you have not yet prepared for the spring months, and the pests it can bring into the home, contact our Texas pest control specialists today. At Stride Pest Control, we can get your home ready for spring so you can enjoy it fully in the months to come. Call us at our Austin location today at (512) 777-1339 or call our San Antonio location at (210) 547-8410. You can also contact us online to schedule a free consultation.