Sandpiper May 2023 Blog: April Showers Bring May Menaces

Indian River & Brevard counties have had lots of rain the past month. Although “April showers bring May flowers”, they, unfortunately, can also bring along something else as well … pests. As we humans start warming up and becoming more active in the springtime after winter, bugs do the same. With spring comes warmer temperatures, increased humidity levels, and more moisture from rainfall - all characteristics of an environment pests thrive in. We are going to talk about the main pests that come along with April showers: mosquitoes, termites, ants, and cockroaches.

Mosquitoes

• With lots of showers, comes lots of accumulated rainfall. Water is necessary for the life cycle of the mosquito.
• Female mosquitoes lay their eggs in areas of shallow and stagnant water. They only need an inch of standing water to start laying their eggs. Mosquito eggs
• Areas and containers of standing water around your home filled with water after heavy rain makes for the perfect breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
• Going out after a storm and dumping any containers of standing water you may find around your property is a great way to cut back on the mosquitoes on your property.
• Here are a few places to check for standing water:
  • Roof gutters
  • Bird baths
  • Children’s toys
  • Potted plants
  • Trash cans
  • Tires

• Another reason we see so many more mosquitoes after periods of increased rainfall is that mosquito eggs can remain viable for up to 8 months after being laid. Mosquito eggs hatch once they are submerged in water, so lots of rain fills up containers and areas of stagnant water, allowing eggs to finally hatch.

Termites

• Another pest that benefits from the increased moisture that spring rainstorms provide is termites. Termites LOVE moisture. It is critical to keeping termites alive.
• Long periods of rain can make wood more moist and soft, making it an easy & quick meal for termites to chew right through.
• Termite colonies will seek out areas of your home with water damage to infest as it is easier and less labor for them to work with moisture-logged wood.
• Check out your home for any signs of water damage, or rotted or decaying areas, especially near your house’s foundation.

• Have you ever noticed termites swarming after storms? Springtime moisture is important to termites for reproductive reasons. When termites feel that the soil is damp, this is a signal to them for their reproductive process to begin. Termite swarmers will leave the colony and swarm aboveground to find a mate.
• Termites also love damp soil because it is easier for them to dig through than dry soil, in addition to keeping their bodies moist for survival.

Ants & Cockroaches

• While mosquitoes and termites benefit from increased rain in the spring, plenty of pests hate the rain, including ants and cockroaches.
• Living in Florida, you more than likely have experienced noticing ants cropping up in your house after heavy Florida thunderstorms some time or another.
• We encounter these bugs because they invite themselves inside our dry homes to take shelter from the rain.
• Rain can flood ant nests, displacing entire ant colonies that are going to need to seek dry shelter and a new home.
• Cockroaches, similar to ants, don’t want to be drowned out during a storm.
• Roaches living outdoors around your property may seek solace inside when things get too wet and flooded with rain to keep dry.
• Also, when sewer systems get flooded from all the excess rain, roaches can get flushed out of these systems, sending them searching for a new place for food, water, and shelter. Roaches can travel via pipes and can climb up these and find exits in your home.
• To prevent ants and cockroaches from having easy access into your home, cut back any trees that touch your house, as that provides them with a direct gateway and ease of access.

• Do not leave food, scraps, or crumbs out in the kitchen. Be diligent about making sure there are no possible food sources to lure ants or roaches into your house. This includes cleaning up after meals, and food spills, and keeping food stored in the appropriate place and container.
• Ants and cockroaches love your pet’s food as well, so be sure to keep it in an airtight container.

We hope that these tips will help you get pest free through Florida’s rainy seasons, but if you find that you have encountered a pest issue in your home, Sandpiper Pest Control is here to help with comprehensive pest solutions and services.