Springtime in Maine. It is nice to finally be getting some of the nicer weather that spring has in store for us. There are so many things to look forward to as each week the weather continues to improve. BBQ’s in the backyard, walks with our families, and being able to shed those layers without freezing as soon as we step outdoors. Spring brings a lot of good things, but it’s not all great news. With spring comes the epic battle of the springtime pests.
The most common pests in South Portland include mosquitoes, pavement ants, flies, and stinkbugs. They each differ greatly from one another but are all equally as annoying and come with their own set of problems.
Mosquitoes are easily one of the more annoying pests, with their non-stop biting and buzzing around our ears. They are easy to distinguish: they have a long narrow body, very long and thin legs, and one pair of transparent wings. They are gray and are no bigger than 3/8th of an inch long. Mosquito larvae have a large head and worm-like bodies. Mosquito bites are known to cause red welts that are itchy—but these bites can be quite dangerous. Mosquitoes can carry and transmit a variety of diseases including West Nile and Zika viruses, malaria, and more.
Another pest arriving along with the spring weather are pavement ants. These ants are fairly small, reaching about 1/8 of an inch long. They are brown-black with lighter colored legs and antennae. These pests are a nuisance as you will probably begin to see many of them in your home particularly in your kitchen where they are foraging for food. Though frustrating, they aren’t a serious danger.
We all know that flies are a big issue in Maine in the spring. We have blowflies (aka bottle flies) that are 1/8-5/8th of an inch long, and are a metallic blue, green, or brass color. Then there are the fruit flies, which are tiny and are usually tan/brown or brownish-black with bright red eyes. Last, there is the house fly which is usually between 1/8th-1/4th of an inch long and a dull gray. None of these flies are known to bite, but they all have the potential to be dangerous. Flies can spread diseases by collecting pathogens on their legs and the hair of their bodies, and then depositing those pathogens on the foods we eat.
Last we have the stink bug, which is brown/tan and have patches of copper or blue-metallic on their heads. Their distinctive feature is their triangular shaped plate on their backs. Stink bugs aren’t dangerous and they don’t bite or sting. They can cause damage to plants or farm crops and when they infest a home, and they have a strong odor that is not pleasant.
How can you avoid having an up-close encounter with these springtime pests? Since you’ll probably be doing some spring cleaning after this long winter anyway, why not do some pest prevention while you’re at it? Some of the most important cleaning tips include sanitizing counters, floors, and around entry points, eliminating areas of standing water, cleaning up trash and debris on your property, repairing cracks and crevices found in your home's foundation and exterior, and caulking gaps around exterior windows and doors.
The best prevention can only come from a year-round pest control plan provided by Big Blue Bug Solutions. In fact, these plans can be beneficial no matter what the season. Our residential program consists of three preventative maintenance visits each year! We will be there all year long to help you with any pest problems that arise…including the dreaded springtime pests. It’s time to take back your spring and only look forward to the good things! Call Big Blue Bug Solutions today.