The Four Main Spring Pests

Spring may bring beautiful flowers and warmer weather, but unfortunately, it also brings some unwanted pests. However, with Evolution Pest Management, you don't have to deal with pests on your own. Our team of professionals is here to help you get rid of your pest problems and get back to enjoying your spring season!

Country, cottage, rural areas or urban living, spring often brings with it unwanted pests. There are four main pests that start to emerge come springs warmer weather - cluster flies, Asian lady beetles, western pine seed bugs and boxelder bugs.  These four main pests are what is called overwintering pests. This means that they will commonly find homes or businesses in the late fall to bunker down in your walls and attic spaces for the winter season. Then come the warmer weather of spring, they start to awaken inside. Many homeowner and business will start seeing them emerge from walls, windows, cracks, crevices and door ways.

Overwintering pests will emerge and invade in large numbers. It is very important to prevent them from getting inside your home or business in the first place, and to manage them at first sign.

Asian lady beetle

The Asian lady beetles outer shell is round in shape, coloured red-brown or tan with varying black spots on it. Their head and thorax are black in colour with white markings. Under their outer shell are hidden wings, although fairly slow they are good flyers. They measure as long as 8.5mm and have a life span of 30-90 days. 

The lady beetle was introduced to the United States from Asia to eat aphids, scales and other crop pests. It is the larval form that does most of the eating. Adults lay their orange eggs in groups near their food source on infested trees and may have multiple generations in a year if food and conditions are adequate. The long-flattened larvae have little spines or bumps along its back side and moult 4 times before pupating. They emerge as adults capable of flying a great distance, they begin to congregate in sheltered areas as the cooling fall tempters take hold and at this point often become a nuisance to occupants in structures.

Cluster fly

Although closely related to blow flies, cluster flies are not believed to be a health hazard. They are slightly larger than a house fly, 3-6mm and they tend to fly clumsily in comparison. They are a grey/black in colour and the wings overlap at rest. Little golden hairs are visible near the head and base of wings, they are more prominent when they are young. The females lay eggs 4 times per year, 130 eggs each time. From being an egg to their death they live 1-3 months. They gather inside walls, voids, attics, window frames and other secluded areas. From these areas, with the arrival of spring/fall the cluster fly will emerge by the thousands on warm days to bask in the sun on the outside walls, or on the inside of windows. 

Box elder bug

The box elder bug can reach 11mm in length. It is dark brown/black with 3 red strips on its thorax, including red veins on the wings. Nymphs are smaller and predominantly bright red in colour. 

The adults overwinter in dry, protected locations. As the warmer weather of Spring approaches, they become more active and bask in sunny locations. They will then continue this behaviour, slowly congregating at trees where they begin to feed. Primarily boxelder trees, maples and some other fruit bearing trees such as apple trees. They use their piercing mouthparts to feed on leaves, twigs, seeds and other fruit from trees even including the dead carcasses of honey bees. After about two weeks of feeding, the young nymphs begin to hatch, usually coinciding with the first leaves of Spring. They moult 5 times before becoming adults, exhibiting incomplete metamorphosis. 

Western pine seed bug

The western pine seed bug or the western conifer seed bug is often referred to as a "stink bug", this insect is a true bug (order Hemiptera) and from a small group of insects called the "leaf footed bugs." The average adult pine seed bug is 19 - 25mm and a dull reddish-brown colour. Some can have light white zigzag line across its back. Antennae are almost the full length of the body. The pine seed bug goes through incomplete metamorphosis life cycle. In the early spring eggs are laid on the needles of conifer trees and hatch in approximately 10 days. The nymphs feed on the tender tissue of cone scales and needles, later feeding on developing seeds. By mid- August nymphs have become adults and with the change of season into fall will begin to seek overwintering sites where they can become pests to structures.  The pine seed bug has a 1-year life span. 

Mice

Another pest we get a lot of calls about in the spring are mice! These small but mighty rodents can be a serious problem at any time of the year but like the above insects, come fall, mice will be looking to find a warm place to overwinter. In the fall they are chased away from the fields during harvesting time and seek out somewhere else habitable. Often come the spring, home owners and business owners become aware of a problem, mice have had and spent the winter nesting, feeding and breeding and emerge come the warmer temperatures.

Evolution Pest Management is dedicated to providing safe and effective pest control solutions for your home and life. We use integrated pest management techniques which minimize the use of harmful pesticides and focus on prevention. Our team of experts is highly trained and experienced in identifying and treating a wide range of pests, we have the knowledge and specialized equipment to tackle any problem.  

Contact us today to learn more about our customized programs and cost-effective results!