Your Year-Round Pest Control Checklist: Keep Pests at Bay Every Season

Pests don’t take a vacation, and neither should your pest control efforts. Whether it’s ants marching through your kitchen in the summer or rodents seeking shelter in the winter, staying proactive year-round is the key to a pest-free home. This comprehensive checklist will guide you through each season, helping you prevent infestations and eradicate any unwelcome visitors before they become a problem.

Spring: Start Fresh and Fortify Your Defenses

Spring is the season of renewal—and for pests, it’s prime time to wake up and explore. As the weather warms, insects and critters become active and foraging. Here’s what to do:

• Inspect Your Home’s Exterior: Check for cracks in walls, gaps around windows, and holes in screens. Seal them with caulk or weatherstripping to block entry points.  Copper mesh works well too and will not leave rust stains.  Garage doors are prime spots for bugs and other critters to enter.
• Clear Yard Debris: Remove piles of leaves, branches, and mulch near your home where pests like termites and ants thrive. After all the oak trees drop their leaves here in Canyon Lake, all the gutters are full! 
• Trim Vegetation: Keep shrubs and tree branches away from your house to eliminate pest highways.  Tree limbs touching the roof is the main way carpenter ants invade walls and attics.  Leave enough space between your foundation and bushes to treat when doing pest control, and for visual inspections as well.
• Check for Standing Water: Empty birdbaths, clogged gutters, or any containers that collect water to prevent mosquito breeding.  Besides old tires, rainwater barrels, buckets and even oil drain pans on the side of the garage can be breeding grounds for mosquitoes.  Anything that can hold water needs to be regularly emptied!
• Start a Maintenance Routine: Schedule a professional pest inspection to catch early signs of activity.  A pest professional can recognize conducive conditions or areas that can be potential entry points for pests.  It’s always better to be proactive rather than waiting for infestations to become a problem.

Summer: Stay Vigilant in the Heat

Summer brings peak pest activity—think buzzing flies, stinging wasps, and relentless ants. Stay one step ahead with these tasks:

• Keep Food Sealed: Store pantry goods in airtight containers and clean up crumbs or spills immediately. Remember that many stored food product pests like grain beetles or weevils are already in the food packaging and hatch eventually and chew their way out of the packaging.  Many people think the Indian Meal Moths come from outside when they call us.
• Manage Trash: Use tight-fitting lids on garbage cans and take out the trash regularly to deter flies and rodents. Clean you trash cans every few months with a good degreaser or similar cleaner to keep flies away.
• Monitor Outdoor Areas: Check patios and decks for signs of carpenter ants or termites. Watch for wasp nests under eaves or in trees.  Anywhere there is wood to ground contact can be a problem area for termites.  Any where there are trees can be a potential carpenter ant are, since many of them live in the oak trees here.
• Use Screens: Ensure all windows and doors have intact screens to keep insects out while letting fresh air in. Older houses may have original screens that are in disrepair and should be fixed or replaced.
• Apply Repellents: Use pet- and family-safe insect repellents during outdoor activities to avoid bites.  Thermacell makes excellent mosquito repellants products that are cheap and effective.

Fall: Prepare for the Invasion

As temperatures drop, pests like mice, spiders, and stink bugs start looking for warm places to hunker down—often inside your home. Get ready with these steps:

• Seal Entry Points: Revisit cracks, gaps, and openings, especially around pipes and utility lines. Use steel wool for rodent-proofing.  Check air conditioning lines for gnawing or chewing from rodents (rats will chew off the insulation and use the condensation on the lines for the moisture). Where those lines enter the house is also a common access point for rodents.
• Store Firewood Properly: Keep firewood at least 20 feet from your home and off the ground to avoid attracting pests like termites and spiders. Chances are the firewood has some sort of wood-destroying pest in it already, so don’t bring them closer to the house.  I’ve treated many carpenter ants that enter houses from firewood piles right outside the door.
• Clean Gutters: Remove leaves and debris to prevent water buildup that attracts pests. Also they are a common source of roach harborage.
• Declutter Indoors: Reduce hiding spots by organizing basements, attics, and garages. Check for spider egg sacs, live spiders, rodent droppings, nesting materials, or anything that looks suspicious.
• Set Traps: Place humane traps or bait stations in high-risk areas like crawlspaces or near exterior doors. Rodent bait stations are effective and easy to use, and also keep the bait out of reach for children or non-target animals.

Winter: Maintain Control in the Cold

Winter might slow some pests down, but others, like rodents and pantry pests, remain active. Keep your home secure with these tips:

• Check Stored Food: Inspect pantries for signs of weevils or mice. Discard infested items and store food in sealed containers. Bisquick, noodles, brownie and cake mixes, dog food, and many other products made with grains can be sources of weevil, beetle, or pantry moth infestations.  Moth pheromone traps will attract and catch the adult moths, but finding the source is the only treatment really needed.
• Monitor Warm Spots: Look for pests near heaters, fireplaces, or appliances where they seek warmth.
• Vacuum Regularly: Remove crumbs, dust, and spider webs that attract or shelter pests. Mice and roaches will eat almost any food a human will eat, so make it harder for them by keeping food crumbs removed and cabinets tidy and secure.
• Insulate Pipes: Prevent freezing and leaks that could draw pests looking for water. If you have a crawl space I always recommend an inspection at least once a year for any bug or rodent activity, and I have found quite a few water leaks while I’m there.
• Schedule a Winter Inspection: A professional can spot hidden infestations you might miss during the quieter months.

Year-Round Tips for Success

Some habits work no matter the season:

• Stay Consistent: Perform monthly checks of your home’s interior and exterior.
• Partner with Pros: Consider a year-round pest control plan with a licensed exterminator (me) for peace of mind.
• Educate Yourself: Learn about common pests in your area so you know what to watch for.  Regular pest control maintenance programs that are consistent will keep the pest numbers lower and improve your success.

By following this year-round pest control checklist, you’ll protect your home from seasonal invaders and enjoy a cleaner, safer living space. Pests may be persistent, but with a little effort, you can outsmart them every month of the year!