Spring Pests in the Pacific NW

Are your home and yard ready for spring? Have you checked your home for pests, including ants, wasps, termites, and other bugs? Do you know how to identify these bugs, and what you should do if you suspect you have a problem? Keep reading to find out what pests are often found in the Pacific Northwest, how to identify the bugs, and who to call when you need help.

Odorous House Ants are Very Common in Spring

You’ll likely see ants at some point during the warm spring months. Sugar ants, also known as odorous house ants, are the most commonly seen household ants in the Pacific NW. If you start to see trails of ants, or even an entire colony in your yard or near your home, it’s likely it will eventually invade your home.

Sugar ants can be annoying, but they aren’t as dangerous or detrimental to your home as carpenter ants, termites, and wasps.

How to Identify Common Spring Pests

• Boxelder bugs: these bugs hibernate in cold months, becoming active in warmer months. They resemble stink bugs in size and shape, but they have bright reddish-orange marks on their back. These bugs often congregate in large groups, they can invade houses. Boxelder bugs are known to cause a nasty odor. Fecal material from these insects leaves reddish stains that can discolor fabric and even wood.
• Odorous ants: also known as sugar ants, they’re commonly found in the Pacific NW. True to their name, these insects deliver an unpleasant smell when crushed, similar to rotten coconut. When these ants are present in a home, they can contaminate food storage areas and multiply quickly.
• Carpenter ants: these ants are attracted to sweet food and other insects. Carpenter ants will create a home base in damp wood and insulation boards. The pests will create damage to a home’s exterior, and can attract other insects as well. The easiest way to determine whether an ant is a carpenter ant is to judge it based on its size. Carpenter ants are dark black, larger than odorous house ants, and can be found within wood or between walls.
• Wasps: these stinging insects are infamous for their summer activity. In spring, they can be found building nests in and around a home. Wasps can be a variety of colors and sizes, but are typically thinner than bees, with small waists.
• Termites: these insects are roughly the same size as ants, but are typically much lighter in color. Tunnels in wood, small piles of wood shavings, and white-colored “ants” are all signs of termites. Left untreated, termites can get out of hand quickly, which can create expensive damage that will have to be dealt with.

Professional Extermination for Springtime Pests

If you notice bugs you can’t identify, or mysterious wood shavings around your home, you likely have a pest problem. Without the right equipment to handle these problems, a spring pest problem can get out of hand quickly. To make sure this doesn’t happen to you, consult with a professional exterminator. Antworks Pest Control is always available, and we provide seasonal inspections!