Bugs, rats and mice cause more problems for homes and businesses at certain times of the day and the year. Learn when they’re most active so you can act early to prevent major pest problems.
When are carpenter ants most active?
Carpenter ants are most active in spring and summer in Canada, but it’s not uncommon for them to start moving around indoors in February. Central heating systems and radiant flooring can awaken the ants from dormancy in winter. Winged carpenter ants have nuptial flights, or swarm, in the spring. Carpenter ants are busiest at night, starting just after sundown, which is when they forage for food. Learn more about carpenter ants and how to get rid of them.
When are ants most active?
Ants in general are most active in late spring and summer when warmer weather stirs them from dormancy. Nuptial flights of winged ants occur during this time. Ants also may be more active, or at least more noticeable, during weather events. They may come indoors seeking water during dry spells or to find higher, dryer ground during heavy rains. Learn about the 7 most common problem ants in Canada and how to get rid of ants.
When are rodents most active?
Rats and mice cause problems in homes and businesses year-round, but they are most noticeable in late fall when they come indoors to escape the cold. Rats and mice are nocturnal. They are busiest at night and typically come out when all is quiet, or about an hour after a household goes to bed or a business closes for the evening. Get tips to control rats and mice in our guide.
When are bed bugs most active?
Bed bugs are a year-round pest, but their populations grow bigger in hotter, more humid weather. These cryptic pests are nocturnal. They emerge from cracks and crevices at night to feed on the blood of sleeping hosts. Bed bugs come out at night because they’re less likely to be detected. But if they’re hungry enough, bed bugs will emerge in daytime or when the lights are on. Read our guide: How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs.
When are cockroaches most active?
Cockroaches are a problem all year long and are the worst in summer when warm temperatures and high humidity cause their populations to explode in size. In fact, homeowners and landlords with chronic German cockroach problems should take aggressive control measures in winter because it is easier to eliminate smaller populations of the pests. Cockroaches are most active at night. You can narrow down the location of their hidey-holes by flipping on a light in a dark room and tracking where they scurry back to. Learn how to get rid of cockroaches.
When are wasps and hornets most active?
Wasps and hornets are most active in July and August in Canada. By late summer, colonies of wasps and hornets have grown large and are most aggressive scavenging for food. By early winter, the entire colony will die except for the queen, who hibernates elsewhere and emerges in spring to start a new colony. Hornets and wasps are busiest during the day. To remove or eradicate a nest, wait until dark when all members of the colony are quietly resting inside the nest. Get tips for controlling hornets and wasps.
When are spiders most active?
Spiders can live indoors year-round, but they are most active inside and outside April through September. Spiders are most noticeable in early fall because they’ve grown to adult size. This also is when web-making spiders lay eggs in egg sacs, which can be seen in the corners of ceilings, porches and overhangs. Also in fall, spiders that actively hunt or stalk their prey outdoors may move indoors for warmth. Spiders generally stay hidden until homes and businesses are quiet; then they become active. Some spiders are nocturnal. Read: How to get rid of spiders.
When are pantry moths and clothes moths most active?
Moths that destroy food, clothing and home furnishings cause problems in homes and businesses all year long, but they are most problematic in late spring and summer. The moths and moth larvae are busiest at night. This is when you may see moths flying near the infestation site and when the larvae are gorging on your graham crackers or wool sweater. Learn how to get rid of clothes moths and pantry moths.
When are fruit flies most active?
Fruit flies, which are drawn to rotting fruit, are most active in late summer and are busiest during the daytime. Three other small black flies also are active indoors when temperatures are warm: Fungus gnats, which breed in overwatered house plants; phorid flies, which lay eggs in the putrid decay of drains and broken sewer lines; and drain flies, which breed in the gunk of sink, tub and floor drains. Read our guide: How to get rid of small flies in the house.
When are box elder bugs, stink bugs and lady bugs most active?
Occasional invaders like box elder bugs, stink bugs, and lady bugs are most active in fall. That is when they’re looking for a place to escape the cold winter weather. Unfortunately, many choose to huddle into the exterior cracks and crevices of homes and businesses, eventually finding their way to interior living and working spaces. When temperatures warm up in spring, the bugs will wake from dormancy, and some will get trapped indoors instead of finding their way back outside.
Read more:
How to Get Rid of Carpenter Ants
Best method to control rodents
How to Get Rid of Hornets and Wasps
