Why Are Pests More Active in Summer?

What Makes Summer Their Peak Season

Summer is finally here! The warmer month means more time outdoors enjoying sunshine and activities. But summer also brings unwanted guests looking to share our living spaces. Why does pest activity increase when summertime rolls around? Understanding what draws pest species out in summer can help you prevent and control infestations.

1. Warm Temperatures Wake Up Pests

Pests become more lively in summer primarily because of warmer temperatures outdoors. Just as humans enjoy getting outside when it gets warmer, temperature triggers dormant pests to become active again too.

Many common house pests like ants, cockroaches, spiders, and stinging insects even generate their heat through muscle activity. Higher temperatures allow them to easily maintain ideal conditions for foraging. Mosquitoes, flies, bees, and fleas also rely on external warmth to stay active.

2. Availability Of Food Sources Become Plentiful

Another one major factor drawing pesky pests out on summer day is an abundance of food sources. From fruits and vegetables ripening in gardens to pet food left out on patios, they sniff out nutrition everywhere they can find it when it’s hot out.

Common summer pests like ants, cockroaches, rats, mice, and flies need to eat frequently. When food waste, pet dishes, or ripe vegetables offer easy meals, they will congregate quickly. Removing sources of food is crucial.

3. Reproduction Reaches Its Peak

The hot summer months also kick pest reproductive cycles into high gear. Warm climates combined with plentiful sustenance equate to perfect breeding conditions and survival.

Ant colonies rapidly expand their numbers in summer. Female mice can birth new litters every 20 days when situations are ideal. Cold-blooded creatures like cockroaches multiply quickly, with females producing ootheca egg cases in just two weeks. Stopping reproduction is a good way to control infestation at the source.

4. Pests Stay Out Longer With Extended Daylight

Summer also provides them with more hours per day of sunlight and warmth. Compared to spring and fall, they simply have significantly more hours during daylight to search further for meals, mates, and shelter.

Ants, spiders, insect species, mice, and snakes all intensify their activity periods during summer’s longer days. The key is to exclude them from buildings before they sneak inside under cover of darkness. Installing weather sealing, door sweeps, and screens keeps unwanted visitors out.

5. Humid Conditions Draw Pests Out Too

Increased humidity and rainstorms also make yards and structures attractive pest habitats. Moisture allows insect population, spiders, snails, and rodents to easily maintain hydration while seeking food and shelter.

Wet climate and irrigation lead to puddles, leaks, and excessive moistness entering buildings too. This draws unwanted pests inside seeking water sources. Ensure downspouts direct water away from homes. Fix leaks right away before they discover them.

Summertime Pest Prevention Tips

• Remove trash frequently
• Store pet food in sealed containers
• Clear away leaf litter and debris near homes
• Fix moisture issues like leaks and standing puddles
• Install seals on doors and window screens
• Keep tree branches, flowers, bushes, plants, vines, and other vegetation well-trimmed back against structures in your backyard

Following proactive prevention measures denies these bugs easy access to food, stagnant water, and breeding sites around your property. Contacting pest control experts for preventative treatments and yard evaluations further helps avoid pest infestations.

Learn more from AIFS guide to prevention and control.

6. Pests Follow Natural Life cycles Affected By Summer

Beyond direct factors like heat and grub driving summer activity, many common pests simply emerge or breed based on natural biological cycles peaking in summer:

• Spiders search for creepy crawly mates more often when warm weather arrives after surviving the winter.
• Ants and termites both launch mating flights and establish new colonies in summer.
• Stinging wasps build expansive new nests to house growing populations from late spring through summer.
• Mosquitoes hatch within days of rain or flooding, leading to waves of adults seeking blood meals.
• The beneficial lightning bug beetles proliferate as larvae hatch and adults take to flight in summer evenings.

Understanding these natural history patterns helps pinpoint when peak activity by certain critters will occur. Targeting pest control accordingly helps manage them responsibly at vulnerable points in their lifecycles.

7. Warmer Weather Means More Outdoor Living

Don’t forget human activity increases right alongside pests when summer heat arrives. We love spending more time outdoors and leaving doors and windows open for fresh air. But those open invitations make it easy for them to simply follow us inside seeking cool spots.

Along with waste we generate at summer picnics and cookouts, critters sniff out opportunities wherever humans congregate. Practicing good sanitation around outdoor areas denies easy access into homes. Installing tightly-sealed doors and screens, keeping lights off at night, and removing moisture sources also make indoors less inviting in the summer season for pests. Our body temperature also attracts them.

Consult The Pros To Keep Pests At Bay

Pest prevention is a worthwhile effort for every home. A licensed pest control company can design a full management plan tailored to target common seasonal pests in your yard and home.

Having a reputable pest professional evaluate the state on your property pinpoints current risks specific to summer and other times of year when activity changes. They determine conditions attracting pests through expert inspections. Then they develop a treatment plan addressing gaps that allow bugs inside.

Ongoing preventative services ensure qualified experts support you year-round too. They monitor for an increase in pest activity, alter plans as needed, and supply products or tools for self-treatment between scheduled visits. Investing in a professional pest control service grants reliable peace of mind against invasions.