A Seasonal Pest Calendar for Your Home

Pest pressure is seasonal. Treating on a schedule that matches the calendar is far more effective — and cheaper — than waiting for an infestation.

Spring

Warming soil wakes up ant colonies and triggers termite swarms. This is the best window for a perimeter treatment and a termite inspection.

• Seal foundation cracks and utility penetrations
• Clear leaf litter and mulch away from siding
• Check for standing water in gutters and planters

Summer

Mosquitoes, wasps, and flies dominate. Yard treatments and breeding-site removal do most of the work here.

• Empty anything holding water every few days
• Inspect eaves and soffits for early wasp nests
• Keep bins sealed and rinsed

Autumn

As nights cool, rodents, stink bugs, and spiders look for a way indoors. Exclusion work matters more than spraying.

• Fit door sweeps and repair screens
• Store firewood away from the house
• Inspect the attic and crawl space for entry points

Winter

Activity moves inside. Focus on monitoring and on the pests that overwinter in wall voids and attics.

• Check monitors in kitchens and utility rooms
• Watch for droppings along wall edges
• Address moisture issues that attract silverfish and cockroaches

Building your plan

A recurring service that shifts focus each quarter will handle most of this automatically. If you would rather do it yourself, put the four checklists above in your calendar and work through them at the start of each season.