With spring returning, all of the creepy crawlies are starting to wake up here in North Carolina. Getting control of the pests as early in the season as possible is essential for a pest-free spring. In order to get control and even prevent these waking pests, it helps to know which pests to watch for. Here are a few of the most common spring pests affecting North Carolina homeowners this spring. 
Ants
Some of the first pests to wake up and start their destruction are ants. Here in North Carolina, we have multiple species of ants to contend with in the spring. The most common and problem-causing are carpenter ants and red imported fire ants.
Carpenter ants swarm in the early spring. Watch for large, winged black ants near baseboards, windows, doors, and any other entrance around your home. This is evidence of a spring infestation of carpenter ants in or around your home. While carpenter ants don’t actually eat wood, like termites, they do extensive damage by burrowing through the wood as they expand their nest.
Red imported fire ants are more likely to infest your lawn than your home and their swarms can be incredibly dangerous. During the spring, these invasive ants wake up and start mating; watch for the winged red ants in and around your lawn. Fire ant mounds are easy to spot throughout the lawn, but should be left to the professionals to control. When the mound is disturbed, fire ants swarm. They bite and sting the threat, causing intense pain, allergic reactions, and even death.
Wasps and Bees
A couple common spring pests to watch for in and around your North Carolina property are wasps and bees. Keeping these stinging pests from infesting your home and lawn takes careful monitoring and quick action in the spring. The most troublesome stinging pests to watch for in the spring are paper wasps, carpenter bees, and yellowjackets.
Paper wasps are incredibly common, especially in the spring. Watch for the gray, papery, honeycomb-shaped nests that they build on North Carolina homes and buildings. While these angry looking wasps may appear scary and threatening to us, they are in fact beneficial insects to have around. Paper wasps feed on caterpillars and many other garden pests throughout the year and can actually help with your pest control. However, if they are a hazard to you and your family, then control and prevention is necessary.
Carpenter bees are large, frightening-looking bees that are seen buzzing around wooden structures in the spring. They dig out large holes in wooden structures in order to lay their eggs. Carpenter bees are similar to their cousins, the carpenter ants, in that they don’t actually eat wood. While the females do have stingers, they rarely use them. The damage they cause is to the wood on your deck, shed, and home.
The infamous yellowjackets are some of the worst pests to find in your North Carolina property. These aggressive pests begin building their nests in the early spring. By the time summer rolls around, the nests may have over 500 yellowjackets. These agile wasps are quick to defend their nests when disturbed and are famous for their relentless, painful stings. Yellowjackets often build their nests underground, in rotted tree stumps, and in cracks or holes in concrete.
Termites
Termites are the most destructive pests in America, causing billions of dollars of damage to homes and buildings across the country every year. With the wet, warm weather of spring, termite swarmers are out in droves, looking for their next nesting location. Watch for small, winged insects that resemble flying ants. If you notice small translucent wings in your home, on windowsills or near entrances, then you may have a termite infestation. 
Mosquitoes
Finally, the most annoying pests of all: mosquitoes. Overwintering mosquitoes, mosquito larvae, and eggs become active again as the temperatures rise. Within seven days, the eggs will have hatched and developed into full-grown adult mosquitoes. Here in North Carolina, mosquito control is a persistent process of monitoring, preventing, and treating. The main thing to do to prevent an infestation of these annoying spring pests is to find and eliminate all standing water. This eliminates the areas where they can breed, reducing the mosquito population in and around your property. Investing in consistent mosquito control throughout the year is the best way to keep mosquitoes away.
Prevent Spring Pests With the Help of Cramer Pest Control
With the spring pests waking up and wreaking havoc on your home, lawn, and garden, it’s time to invest in pest control services near you. Here in the Charlotte, NC area, the experts at Cramer Pest Control are the best in the business. With essential pest control services like residential pest control, termite control, indoor pest control, outdoor pest control, and more, Cramer Pest Control has everything you need for a pest-free spring.
Give us a call at (704) 763-0204 to find out how to get started with your spring pest control. For more monthly tips on pest control, check out our blog and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook for the latest news and deals from Cramer Pest Control.