Pests that Swarm in Spring

Bees swarming on a hive

With warmer weather and spring rains, insects are starting to reappear. Spring is here in Wisconsin, which means swarming insects are returning: Termites, ants, bees and wasps are some of the most common pests in the Midwest this time of year. These insects can spoil your backyard events very quickly and even lead to indoor infestations. Knowing about the pests that swarm in spring can help you protect your space all year long.

What is a  Swarm?

A swarm is a large group of winged insects that gathers to feed and breed. Swarms are most common in the spring while the weather starts to heat up. Most swarms last for one to a few days, and this process plays an important role in establishing colonies. If insects swarm near your home, they could become a full-blown infestation and lead to a year-long problem.

Common Swarming Insects in Wisconsin

Though swarming is a natural behavior for insects, it can lead to serious problems for property owners. To keep your home and garden pest-free, it’s helpful to look out for these common swarming insects in our Wisconsin: 

Termites

All species of termites swarm. Though termites look very similar to winged ants, you can tell them apart by their straight antennae and equal-sized wings. Since termites typically remain inside of wooden structures, you should also watch for these signs of an infestation:

  • Mud tubes along the walls or floor
  • Droppings, old wings, and dead insects
  • Piles of “frass” (similar to sawdust)
  • Damaged wooden structures

Termites can infest a wide variety of wooden structures, from fences and sheds to attics and firewood. Though termites are not toxic, they can cause extensive damage that may cost hundreds or thousands of dollars to repair. If you suspect that there are termites in your property, it’s crucial to contact a pest professional as quickly as possible to identify and eliminate the infestation.

Ants

If you’ve ever noticed a sudden influx of ants in early spring, then you’re not alone. This time of year brings mild weather, plenty of water, and ample food sources – all of which allow ants to thrive. These pests can be bothersome and persistent, especially if they make it into your home. Though ants can be challenging to get rid of, there are a few steps you can take early in the year to prevent an infestation from forming in the first place:

  • Store your food in airtight containers
  • Clean up after eating outdoors
  • Store trash in lidded bins
  • Regularly sweep floors and wash counters

Bees

Bees are beneficial insects that play an important role in the health of our local environments. That said, they’re still stinging pests that can cause major problems if they settle in too close to your home or garden. Since spring is the time of year that bees swarm to grow or establish their colonies, this is also the time of year to prevent them from infesting your space:

  • Seal any openings that lead into your home: The last thing you want is a bee’s nest indoors. Go around your property and check for any cracks, gaps, or torn screens that could lead them into your house. 
  • Remove sources of standing water: Bees need water to survive, but they don’t need much – even a tiny puddle is enough. Remove sources of water, such as dripping faucets or empty flower pots in your garden.
  • Clean up after eating outdoors: Contrary to popular belief, bees don’t only eat nectar. They also consume protein-based foods and sweets. If you have a barbeque or picnic outside, be sure to clean up all of your leftovers, including crumbs.

Wasps

Though wasps look a lot like bees, they are very aggressive and can pose a safety risk to anybody who enters your property – especially small children, pets, and individuals with allergies. Most wasps are black and have white, orange, or yellow markings with small pinched waists and hairless bodies. To keep wasps off of your property, follow these tips:

  • Keep pet food bowls clean and indoors
  • Clean up leftovers immediately, especially outdoors
  • Remove sources of standing water on your property
  • Check eves, wall panels, and playground equipment for nests
  • Pick up fallen fruit that lands in your garden

If you notice wasps on your property, contact a professional right away. Approaching a nest without the right equipment and expertise could lead to severe stings and injury. An expert will be able to safely eliminate the pests and prevent them from returning to your home in the future.

Pest Control this Spring

As your local exterminators, we know how important it is to keep you and your family safe from pests in the Wisconsin area. The Batzner Pest Control team is dedicated to protecting your home from pests year-round with regular inspections and custom treatment plans. Whether you want a one-time service or ongoing pest protection, we have you covered! Our guarantee is to provide you with pest-free living. Contact us today to get your free quote!

Why Are Ants Still Coming Back Inside?

Ant trail forming in a bathroom

All kinds of pests are emerging with the warm summer weather here in Wisconsin, but ants are some of the most persistent of these. We’ve all dealt with ant trails in our homes before. Many of us have also had the frustrating experience of trying countless times to put a stop to our ant infestation, only to have them return again. Why is it that ants are so hard to finally get rid of?

Ants are as ceaseless as they are for a few different reasons. It’s important to make yourself aware of these reasons so that you can properly defend your home against them. To learn all about at-home ant control, read on for advice from our experts at Batzner Pest Control!

Why is My DIY Ant Control Falling Short?

The problem with most DIY ant control approaches is that they ignore the source of the problem in favor of attacking its symptoms. Although your natural reaction to finding an ant trail in your home will likely be to get rid of the visible ants as soon as possible, squashing or spraying your ants with a store-bought spray will be negligible or even harmful in the long run. This is because ants release a pheromone signal as they die that warns their colony members of a dangerous site to avoid. The other ants in their colony will divert their intrusion to take different pathways into your home. Given that ants are so small and sneaky, your home is probably littered with access points they can use!

Reliable Ways to Keep the Ants Out

You’re probably curious as to what measures you should take to get rid of ants if you can’t squash or spray them. These are the steps we recommend you take to keep ants out in the first place:

  • Follow their trail: Your first step in ant control should be to look for the source of your ant trail. If you can trace it back to the point at which they are entering your home, you can block it off with caulk, screens, or a citrus-based cleaning solution.
  • Stop access to food and water: Ants are often looking for crumbs, spills, and moisture in our homes, so being haphazard with your food and spills will keep ants coming back for more. Make sure to keep your food stowed away properly and keep your bathroom well-ventilated.
  • Hire a professional: The best way to prevent ant infestations in the long run is to work with an expert to identify anthills on your property. A pro ant control technician can trace your trail back to its source and exterminate the colony on sight.

Expert Home Ant Control in Wisconsin

If you can’t figure out how to shut down your ant infestation, it’s best to leave the work to professional ant exterminators. Our ant exterminators at Batzner Pest Control are closely familiar with all of the ant species in Wisconsin. We can set up an ant control plan that eliminates all active colonies on your property and teach you how to stop ants on your own in the future. Reach out today for a free quote!

What Are Those Bugs in My Bathroom?

What silverfish look like in Wisconsin - Batzner Pest Control

In a place that is supposed to be sparkling clean, the last thing you want to find is an outbreak of nasty pests. Water accumulates in our sinks, showers, and tubs, causing many different kinds of insects to take refuge in our bathrooms. The warm and humid environment created by our showers offers a welcoming environment for lots of pests in Wisconsin, not to mention a free source of water to drink. For more information on common bathroom pests, keep reading. We’ve asked our Batzner Pest Control technicians for some input!

Common Bathroom Pests

Lots of pests are known to infest bathrooms, but these are our top three to watch out for:

  1. Cockroaches: Any warm, wet, and humid environment is the ideal home for a cockroach. Bonus points if they can find a dark cabinet to hide in during the day.
  2. Silverfish: These insects are attracted to the same traits that cockroaches are. Since they have a lot of trouble climbing up smooth, vertical surfaces, silverfish will often be found by drains or along the shower or bathroom floor.
  3. Ants: Having too much excess moisture building up in your bathroom is a sure way to attract a trail of ants. Looking for drinking water, they will travel through our plumbing systems, underneath our doors, or through cracks in siding and baseboards.

Finding spiders, centipedes, or drain flies in your bathroom should come as no surprise, either. Many pests find uses for our bathrooms, whether that be food, water, shelter, or all three.

Preventative Measures Against Bathroom Pests

Having a clean and dry bathroom is the best deterrent for pest problems. When you clean your bathroom, look out for these issues that could be attracting pests:

  • Wipe down countertops to eliminate any filth and remove standing water
  • Check for leaks in your plumbing fixtures often
  • Ensure that your bathroom is well-ventilated and not accumulating too much humidity
  • Clean up spills of soap, body wash, shampoo, toothpaste, or other hygiene products

Whatever you can do to reduce excess moisture and grime in your bathroom will help you avoid pest problems going forward!

Need Pest Control for Your Bathroom in Wisconsin?

If you can’t use your bathroom without unwanted insects grossing you out, it’s time to talk to your local pest control experts. The pest specialists at Batzner Pest Control are able to locate difficult-to-spot vulnerabilities in your Wisconsin home to help you keep your bathroom clean, fresh, and free of pests. Contact us today for a free quote—we would love to help you breathe easy in your own bathroom again!

Ants in Wisconsin – How to Get Rid of Ants in the House

What your ants might look like in Wisconsin - Batzner Pest Control

Ants consistently cause problems for Wisconsin residents every year. They invade homes across the country during the winter, but with our extended cold spells, it seems that ants are always on the hunt for refuge from the harsh weather. The best form of ant control is preventing an outbreak before it starts, but we have serviced countless homes that haven’t had this luxury. Keep reading to learn how to get rid of ants in the house with top advice from the ant control experts at Batzner Pest Control!

Why Do Ants Suddenly Appear Inside?

Ants come into our homes for a few different reasons, but the most common one is in their search for food. Lots of people in Wisconsin wonder why ants are flooding into their kitchens, even in the summertime. The answer is most likely that there is a mess or an open water source that they’ve found! Ants are drawn to these things in your kitchen:

  • Cereals and grains
  • Meat and greasy surfaces
  • Sugary foods like fruit and candy
  • Excess moisture or water spills

The best at-home ant prevention strategies are keeping your food sealed properly and stowed away and cleaning up any spills as soon as they happen.

How to Get Rid of Ants in the House

Smaller ant outbreaks can usually be dealt with at home on your own. When you find an ant trail in your house, spray undiluted vinegar or a citrus-based cleaner on the trail, then wipe them up.

However, these solutions don’t often work for large infestations. The promise of store-bought ant control products rarely follows through, and these products can be dangerous if used outside of the manufacturer’s instructions. Bait traps work better—they can divert the ant trail to a new location to help you find their source. At that point, you can follow the ants back to their nest and call your local pest control company to have their colony removed.

Ant Control for Homeowners in Wisconsin

If you have tried all of these steps and still can’t find the source of your ant outbreak or get them out of your house, it’s time to contact your local pest control company. At Batzner Pest Control, our ant control specialists are educated on all of the different ant species that we deal with here in Wisconsin. We pride ourselves on efficient and effective ant removal and our emphasis on helping our customers avoid ants on their own going forward. Don’t wait to get those ants out of your home—contact us today for a free quote!

How Do Ants Get In My House?

How do ants get in my Wisconsin house - Batzner Pest Control

It sometimes can seem like ants appear in your home overnight. Not only are ant problems often unpredictable in your home, but they’re also difficult to get rid of without the help of a professional. To avoid the discovery of an ant problem altogether, it’s important to learn how to eliminate common ant hotspots in your home. This can help stop ants from getting inside in the first place. At Batzner Pest Control, our ant experts are dedicated to helping our customers learn how to stop ant problems once and for all. Read on to learn our expert tips!

Ant Hotspots in Wisconsin

There are a few areas in your home that are especially vulnerable to ant infestations: kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and other rooms that get a lot of moisture. These are common ant hotspots due to the fact that they provide ants with either food or water. If even a few ants find what they are looking for, ants will leave a pheromone trail for their colony to follow suit. Before you know it, a small ant problem can turn into a big infestation. An ant colony can nest in the walls of your home, and crawl into your various rooms through cracks and crevices. Once they’ve established themselves, it can be difficult to control an ant problem.

Ant hotspots in Wisconsin homes - Batzner Pest Control

3 Tips to Stop Ants

The key to ant control is prevention. Ants can get in your house easily if you don’t take the steps to make your house less attractive to them in the first place. The easiest ways to keep ants out are to:

  1. Clean up food and water spills. Ants go for fatty, sweet, or greasy foods. Crumbs and pet food on the floor can be a huge draw for ants. To prevent ants, it’s important to regularly clean up spills and vacuum on a regular basis to deny them access to any of your food.
  2. Eliminate excess moisture. Excess moisture from leaky pipes or plumbing issues can attract ants to your bathroom, kitchen, crawl space, and more. Always fix leaks and other moisture problems as quickly as possible.
  3. Look for and seal cracks or crevices. Ants will make use of the tiniest cracks or holes to get inside, especially at the base of your foundation. On a regular basis, inspect your home for these tiny openings and consider sealing them with caulk.

Dealing With Nonstop Ants?

If you’ve taken all the steps to prevent ants and still are finding them inside, there may be a larger problem that needs to be addressed by your local ant control team. At Batzner Pest Control, we work to get rid of ants and help keep them away with prevention services. Contact us today to get started and say goodbye to ants for good!

How to Identify Carpenter Ants: Signs and Damage in Wisconsin

A carpenter ant seen in Wisconsin - Batzner Pest Control

It’s easy to mix up carpenter ants with other kinds of ants, or even termites! With their wood-tunneling habits and their many physical similarities to common ant species, it’s no wonder that people don’t often catch carpenter ants until they’ve done significant damage. Here in Wisconsin, we have seen carpenter ants cause some seriously expensive damage before ever being discovered. So, how can you tell apart carpenter ants and other pests?

What Does a Carpenter Ant Look Like?

Carpenter ants look a lot like other types of ants in Wisconsin, but they do have a few characteristics that you can distinguish them from others by. These are:

  1. Their size: Carpenter ants are larger than most ant species in the United States. They reach up to 1.5cm in length in some cases.
  2. Their color: Some kinds of carpenter ants are plain black all the way through like other ants in the area, but some subspecies have a unique yellow-red tint that becomes more prominent toward the back of their bodies.
  3. Other features: Some distinguishing features of carpenter ants are their swarmers’ long wings and their workers’ large mandibles. If you see winged carpenter ants in your home, it is a bad sign that there is already an active outbreak of them causing damage to your home.

How to Tell if You Have Carpenter Ants

If you aren’t sure that the ants in your home are carpenter ants based on how they look, there are a few more indicators to look for. Carpenter ants tunnel through the wooden structures in homes just like termites do, but the difference between them is that termites eat the wood that they chew and carpenter ants don’t. This means you’ll often find trails of wood shavings where they’ve been present.

Other signs of carpenter ants are:

  • Swarmer wings that have broken off
  • Wood damage
  • Ant activity in crawl spaces and attics

It’s a good idea to check your vulnerable spaces for ant activity routinely. When you do find ants in the house, try to find out whether or not they are carpenter ants. When it comes to carpenter ants, it is crucial to act quickly to get rid of them.

Get Rid of Carpenter Ants in Wisconsin

If you’ve found carpenter ants in your house in Wisconsin, don’t worry about them biting you or causing disease. What you should be worried about is the amount of damage they could cause or may have already caused. The safest way to stop carpenter ants is to tell your local pest control company about them. The ant control experts at Batzner Pest Control can eliminate active infestations and set up preventative measures to stop future infestations. For a free ant control quote, contact us today!

Sealing Your Home From Pests With Caulking

Caulk can seal windows and prevent pests in your Wisconsin home - Batzner Pest Control

Pests can get into your home easier than you think. Ants and other small bugs in particular are able to squeeze their way inside through the tiniest openings. One of the best things you can do to prevent pest problems, then, is to seal your home off to them! Caulking is an easy, cost-effective way to pest-proof your property every year. By sealing the tiny gaps, holes, and cracks that can happen over time in your property, you can deny access to pests and save yourself the frustration of an infestation. With pest season nearly underway here in Wisconsin, the experts at Batzner are here to share their top tips for sealing your home from pests with caulking.

Inspecting Your Home for Pest Entryways

The first step to caulking is to conduct a thorough inspection of your property. This helps you locate any spots that can be sealed off. Look at your window and door frames from both inside and outside, as well as your baseboards, crown molding, and more. If you discover major problems with your door or window frames, you may consider replacing them entirely or investing in weather stripping. Otherwise, caulking is a great solution for small fixes.

How to Pest-Proof With Caulking

Using caulk to seal your home from pests is an easy and quick way to pest-proof your property.

Here’s how:

  1. Pick the best caulking. When you get to your store, you’ll notice several types of caulk. In general, silicone caulk is the most commonly used caulk for this purpose as it is resistant to moisture. It’s also a low-cost option. If necessary, purchase a caulking gun as well.
  2. Thoroughly clean the area. Before you apply any caulk, make sure to clean any areas you will be applying caulk to. This includes removing any old caulking, old paint, dirt, and anything else that could jeopardize the adhesion of the new caulk.
  3. Apply the caulk. When applying caulk, begin in one corner of the crack or gap and tilt the applicator at a 45-degree angle. Steadily apply the caulk in a smooth, slow line while applying steady pressure.
  4. Let the caulking dry. If needed, smooth any bumps or fill any gaps with a small spoon. Remove any excess caulking. For best results, let the caulk dry for at least 24 hours.

Pest Prevention With Caulking

Caulking is just one of many ways you can seal your home off from pests. With spring and summer quickly approaching, it’s the best time to make sure you are protected against the onslaught of pest problems. For more information on caulking or other ways to pest-proof your Wisconsin property, contact the experts at Batzner today!

5 Reasons Why You Need Winter Pest Control [2021 Update]

Spiders are common winter pests in Wisconsin - Batzner Pest Control

It’s a common misconception that with the cold weather rolling in, pests will pack up and leave until next year. The truth is in the colder months, crawling insects and other pests that don’t go dormant in the winter can make their way into our homes and draw in mice and other rodents, looking for warmth. Additionally, winter in Wisconsin brings its own set of insects and other pests to stay on the lookout for. The team at Batzner Pest Control is here to share all you need to know about winter pest control.

What Pests Are Common in the Winter?

Pests are common in Wisconsin year-round. In the winter, home and business owners must frequently deal with the following pests:

  1. Mice and rats. Mice and rats require only a tiny opening or crack to gain entry into your home. They can enter through your attic and gnaw on the wires, wood beams, electrical wires and insulation.
  2. Wood destroying insects. Carpenter ants and termites destroy the home from the inside out, so you really never see the damage until it is too late. If you find carpenter ants indoors during the winter, it is an indication that they are nesting inside walls, floors, or decaying wood.
  3. Sealing your home. The early winter is the best time for Batzner’s pest control team to seal up all openings before mice seek shelter in your home or business. They will check the areas where utilities and pipes enter the home. A mouse can fit through a hole the size of a dime.
  4. Dormant insects. Many insects will hide in the attic or basement in late fall and early winter to escape the frigid winter temperatures. Spiders, cluster flies, Asian lady bugs, and boxelder bugs will remain dormant until spring. Then as the weather warms, they can easily find their way into your living spaces.
  5. Spider webs and nests. Removing webs, nests and egg cases may help prevent pests from reemerging in your home when the weather becomes warmer. Some creatures are hardwired to return to certain places, but if you get rid of all the reasons for them to return, you increase the probability that you’ll finally be saying a permanent “goodbye” to them.

How to Prevent Winter Pests in Wisconsin

Before the wintertime, it’s important to learn how to guard your home against pest problems. Some of the best winter-proofing tips for homeowners include the following.

  • Replace loose mortar and weather stripping around the basement foundation and windows.
  • Store firewood at least 20 feet from the home. Mice and ants can make their nests in woodpiles and easily gain access to your home if the pile is nearby.
  • Rodents can hide in clutter, so keep storage areas well organized, and store boxes off of the floor.
  • Eliminate all moisture sites, including leaking pipes and clogged drains. Extra attention should be paid to kitchens and bathrooms as these areas are particularly vulnerable to cockroach infestations.
  • Install door sweeps and repair damaged screens in windows.
  • Screen vents to chimneys. Keep attics, basements, and crawl spaces well ventilated and dry.

How Does Batzner Prevent Winter Pest Problems?

Winter pest control service in Wisconsin by Batzner Pest Control

Our fall and winter pest control services are targeted at your home’s interior. One of the first things that our team looks for is anything that has changed since their last visit. It’s extremely common for Batzner specialists to find new openings that didn’t exist at their most recent visit. They’ll also check out any rodent protection equipment that they’ve put in place.

Batzner’s residential services are tailored to the homeowner’s individual needs, and in winter, our trained service experts focus primarily on the interior of the house, searching for any openings where pests could enter. Our winter pest control specialists. will notify the homeowner if any such openings are located, and seal those openings to ensure pests remain outside. In the meantime, spider webs will also be knocked down and cleaned out in the home’s interior. Your pest control expert will also target your home’s basement for a preventative pesticide treatment for crawling insects.

Annual Winter Pest Control Services

Don’t mistake winter as a time to lay off on the pest control services—it allows you preparation time for the warm seasons ahead! Batzner is your trusted pest control expert. Contact the residential pest control pros at Batzner today to learn how we can prevent pests this winter and all year long.

Afraid of Rodents and Bugs? 2021 May Not Be Your Year

Batzner pest control in Wisconsin - Serving New Berlin, Green Bay, Milwaukee, Madison, Racine and surrounding areas

Entomologists from Batzner’s parent company, Rentokil Provide their Pest Predictions for 2021

READING, Penn. (Jan. 4, 2021) — As if 2020 didn’t present enough challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, 2021 could be a banner year for pests around the country.

To help residents prepare for 2021, entomologists from Rentokil used field knowledge and data to provide their predictions for pests in the upcoming year.

1. Rodents, Rodents Everywhere:

With shutdowns across the country, it’s no surprise that rodents are on the rise nationwide. Empty buildings, the scarcity of food and warmer winters have combined to create a rodent apocalypse.

“We’re seeing more rats in urban, suburban and rural settings because of the shutdowns,” said Marc Potzler, Board Certified Entomologist. “Food sources are cut off, and rats are having to travel to scavenge for food. We’ve seen rats out in public during the day, which is highly unusual.”

Warmer winters have also allowed for mice populations to boom in residential areas as it allows for a longer breeding season and there is a lower population loss due to hard freezes.

“Right now is the perfect time to rodent-proof your home,” said Potzler. “Make sure to repair any gaps on the exterior of your home, such as around garage doors, windows or pipes.”

2. Mosquitoes on the Move:

Mosquitoes populations have been increasing over the last few years. Aedes species, which are disease-carrying mosquitoes, are also moving to new areas. These mosquitoes can carry West Nile Virus, Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and Zika virus, among other diseases.

“There is an increase of mosquitoes across the country, but notably on the West Coast, and they are adapting each year,” said Eric Sebring, Associate Certified Entomologist. “We have seen evidence of behavior adaptation, where mosquitoes lay their eggs strategically to hatch throughout the season.”

Protect yourself and your family from mosquitoes by removing any standing water on your property. Mosquitoes can breed in as little as one teaspoon of water. Also, wear EPA-approved insect repellent while spending time outside.

3. Bed Bugs:

The chatter about bed bugs was quiet in 2020, but that’s not because they have gone away.

“As people begin to travel again, we will start to hear about bed bug infestations,” said Sebring. “Bed bugs can be dormant for several months at a time, so they can emerge when a food source, humans, become available.”

Bed bugs are considered hitchhikers, traveling from place to place on people, luggage, clothing and other personal belongings. Homeowners and businesses such as hotels, colleges, hospitals, senior living facilities, retail stores, and libraries have experienced problems with bed bugs.

If traveling, inspect the bed by pulling back the sheets to examine the mattress. Check your luggage before packing and unpacking, and look for signs of living or dead bugs the size of an apple seed or black fecal smears.

4. More Time Outdoors = More Pests.

From hiking to gardening to dining al fresco, there is no doubt that the pandemic has forced people to spend more time outdoors.

In 2021, we will see the outdoor pest pressures continue:

Ticks: Ticks are responsible for transmitting several diseases, including Lyme disease, to humans and animals. These small insects are found in grassy areas and in the woods, so it is important to inspect yourself and your pets after spending time outdoors. Cover as much skin as possible while outdoors, wear long pants, long sleeves, closed-toed shoes, and tuck pant legs into socks. Light-colored clothing will also help any ticks you pick up stand out.

Ants: “As soon as the weather starts to warm up, we will see an increase in ant populations,” said Tom Dobrinska, Board Certified Entomologist. “Most of the ants we are dealing with are odorous house ants. When spending time outside, make sure to clean up any food, water or sugary substances and ensure that your home is free of any holes or cracks for them to enter.”

Stinging Insects: Stinging insects, such as wasps and yellow jackets, emerge at the first sign of warm weather, and as warm weather seasons are getting longer, stinging insects have more time to create issues. Make sure you check for nests early in the spring as they are smaller and get early nest treatment. Make sure to keep windows and doors shut, and secure outside bins so stinging insects are not attracted to the contents.

5. Termites Aren’t Going Anywhere

Termites are a pesky problem, and unfortunately, are not going anywhere. Termites can cause extensive damage to structures, especially homes. As people are moving out of cities during the pandemic to more suburban areas, education about termite protection is key.

“We received more calls for termites this past year than we have in many years,” said Potzler. “It’s important to raise awareness for homeowners now to have proactive protection to keep from costly repairs in the future.”

6. Pests in the News:

There are a few pests that will continue to steal the limelight in 2021.

The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug is an invasive pest that has been making its way across the country since it was first introduced from Asia in 2001. Besides its pungent odor, this stink bug has become a nuisance for homeowners as it gathers in large numbers on the sides of houses and buildings and enters through small cracks in the home. “The brown marmorated stink bug is here to stay,” said Dobrinska. “We will continue to see this species emerge in late spring in large numbers.”

The Spotted Lanternfly will continue to wreak havoc across the Northeast and beyond. The invasive pest, first found in Pennsylvania in 2014, is spreading across the Northeast, with New York reporting its first sighting this year. The pest can significantly damage trees and plants.

“The Spotted Lanternfly is becoming a big problem in the Northeast, and it will continue to spread,” said Potzler. “It can be devastating for agriculture and is a nuisance for homeowners.”

The egg masses look like a smear of mud on trees and outside of homes. It’s important to scrape the egg mass off, put it in a bag with rubbing alcohol and throw it away, and then call the state department of agriculture.

The infamous “Murder Hornet,” also known as the Asian giant hornet, grabbed many headlines, causing homeowners to panic trying to decipher the difference between stinging insects in their yards and this aggressive species. The Asian giant hornet is the largest hornet species in the world, growing up to 3 inches in length. Currently, the Asian giant hornet has only been found in the Pacific Northwest.

“We know that there was one colony found and eliminated in Washington State,” said Sebring. “Unfortunately, if there is one, there will be more.”

While your chances of being stung by an Asian giant hornet are fairly low, the sting can be dangerous as the venom volume is higher, causing more pain. The hives are primarily built underground or in hollows in trees. If you suspect it is an Asian giant hornet or any stinging pests, call your pest management provider to assess the situation as soon as you spot activity.

Pest Seasonality in Wisconsin

Stink bugs are a seasonal pest problem in Wisconsin - Batzner Pest Control

Here in Wisconsin, pests are a problem all year-long. Different weather conditions and seasonality plays a large role in what pests are most active during certain parts of the year. Some pests that prefer warmer weather nearly disappear in the winter, while other pests in the fall will overwinter in your home until spring rolls around. To better prepare yourself for a possible infestation, it’s important to know which pests are common during certain parts of the year. With information from the NPMA, we are here to share all you need to know about pest seasonality in Wisconsin.

Fall & Winter Pests

Colder weather and snow will always drive more pests indoors in the fall and winter months. In 2020, it has been predicted that a milder winter than usual will result in prolonged Asian lady beetle and stink bug activity. Tick problems may also be active for longer this season. Other pests to be wary of during the colder months of the year in Wisconsin include rodents, boxelder bugs, carpenter ants, and more.

Winter pests in the Great Lakes United States map
 
Beetles
 
Stink Bugs
 
Ticks

Spring Pest Problems

Pest activity springs back into action once winter comes to an end. Blooming flowers, warming temperatures, and heavy rainfall encourages pests of all kinds to resume activity and reproduce. The common spring pests in Wisconsin include:

  • Ants. Certain ant species will forage for food in the warmer months. Rainy weather also drives ants out of their colonies and into homes for shelter.
  • Termites Every spring, termites leave their nests to mate and start new colonies. This is called “swarming”.
  • Mosquitoes. When we experience heavy rainfall, mosquito season will burst into life. With their peak season in the months following, they start to be more active in the spring.
  • Bed Bugs. While these are a year-round problem, increased traveling in the springtime always leads to an increase in bed bug activity.

Summer Pest Threats

Summertime in Wisconsin is the busiest pest season. Summer temperatures cause many types of pest colonies to mature and grow in size. Here are the ones to look out for in Wisconsin:

  • Mosquitoes. These parasitic insects lay more eggs in the summer and tend to be our biggest pest problem this time of year.
  • Stinging insects. Wasps, bees, and hornets are at full force in the summertime. They can build nests near residential areas.
  • Flies. Summer is the peak breeding season for flies. They are infamous for being a nuisance at outdoor summer events.
  • Termites. Warm weather is when termites are able to thrive and cause the most damage.

Year-Round Pests in Wisconsin

To better prepare yourself for an infestation, it’s important to understand the pest seasonality here in Wisconsin. Our colder winters may deter some pests, but they also can drive certain pests right into our homes. To protect your property from pests year-round, contact the pest control experts at Batzner.