Metro Detroit Pests: Dealing with Michigan’s Pesky Summer Bugs
With summer comes vacation time, long days, beautiful sunshine, and an array of plants that are a sight to behold. But you’ll also find pesky bugs, especially ants, have a penchant for summertime.
That’s because rising temperatures cause bugs’ metabolism to speed up, thereby taking up more energy and food, ultimately a higher rate of reproduction. This is what leads to summertime infestation in homes.
If you’re looking to enjoy the summer break, the thought of these pests infesting your home brings all kinds of concerns to mind. Will I get sick? Are my pets safe? What can I do? Worry no more.
This guide will walk you through how to deal with different kinds of summertime bugs. We’ll cover the different types of ants, signs of carpenter ants, and how to get rid of carpenter ants. We’ll also cover other pest management topics, including mosquitoes, ticks, and wasps.
Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants are one of the most common pests you’ll find in Michigan in the summer months.
Carpenter ants are large ants that are found all over the world. You’ll often find carpenter ants inside nests. They common create nests in damaged wood, especially if it’s damp. While a few carpenter ants may not be a big deal, signs of carpenter ant can indicate that you have a carpenter ant infestation.
There are a few easy ways to tell if you have carpenter ants, including:
- Wood shavings near windowsills or doors
- Ant trails in your yard
- Faint rustling sound in your walls
- Tunnels in the wood of your home
Carpenter ant colonies can quickly get out of control. A carpenter ant nest can increase significantly over a few days. The longer that you want to call for pest control, the more time the ants have to cause carpenter ant damage. Additionally, carpenter ants can eat wood in your home to build their nests, which can lead to structural damage.
If you’re dealing with ants of any type in your house, we recommend that you contact a professional to get rid of them. With so many different species of ants in Michigan, it can sometimes be difficult to tell if you’re dealing with a carpenter ant, black ants, or another type of pest.
Carpenter ants are sometimes referred to as worker ants or black ants. While a carpenter ant infestation can come from a variety of causes, it does often indicate that there’s a moisture problem. Carpenter ants can also be winged ants.
Termites
Don’t confuse a carpenter ant infestation with termites. While a carpenter ant can cause some structural damage, carpenter ants do not eat the wood. They tend to return the wood shavings to their carpenter ant colony to create nests. Termites, however, eat the wood. Termites commonly cause structure damage, especially to the walls.
The other problem with termites is that by the time you notice new colonies, it’s likely that you already have a lot of structure damage in your house.
Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes can also be a problem in Michigan during the summer months. Mosquitoes often vary in size, so you may not always notice them. Some cities in Michigan have begun implementing mosquito control programs. Sometimes, though, this isn’t enough to get rid of all mosquitoes.
If you have dormant pools or stagnant water bodies in your home, you might just be breeding mosquitoes. The first step to getting rid of these pests is eliminating stagnant water bodies. This will kill the eggs and larva present and prevent future infestations. Mosquitoes are often found near areas of moisture.
Tick Control
Ticks are parasites that often live off animals like rodents, pet dogs, and cats. If you live in Michigan with these pets around, you’ll probably want to know how to keep them out. They are more active during summer, but rodent control and routine examination of pet animals usually do the trick.
Wasps and Yellow Jackets
Wasps’ and yellow jackets’ sting can be gruesome and can potentially lead to a barrage of allergic reactions in humans and pets.
In Michigan, most people usually don’t encounter stinging insects until late summer because that’s when their colonies are at their largest. During spring and early summer, their colonies are still young and small.
To help prevent colonies from infesting your home, it is important to carry out a thorough inspection for small hives before they become too large to handle. If you notice a colony, contact a professional as soon as possible. Wasps build nests that can get pretty large because many homeowners are fearful of removing them while they’re still a small colony.
Stink Bugs
Stink bugs can also be a problem in Michigan, depending on where you live and on the current season. You may not even notice stink bugs at first in the summer months because they tend to stay outdoors. However, as the temperatures get colder, they move indoors. While stink bugs are mostly harmless, they can leave behind a gross smell if you smush them.
Other Types of Ants
Michigan is home to a large group of ants. In addition to learning the signs of carpenter ant infestations and how to get rid of carpenter ants, it can also be helpful to know what other types of ants are in the area.
Need help with carpenter ants? Do you have a carpenter ant infestation? Are you not sure where the ongoing black ants are coming from on your property? Contact Solidified Pest Control today to provide you with a treatment that is sure to get rid of any sign of an ant problem.
General tips for managing summer bugs
- Limit light placement
The truth is, some things you place on your property are what attract these bugs in the first place. The weather only encourages it. Insects are attracted to light, so, especially during summertime, it’ll be wise to limit the amount of light you place on areas like your porch.
- Take out the flowers
This is probably something you’ll hate to hear if you love flowers. Bug food, as some bug experts call flowers, blooms and attract pollinators. After that, they, in turn, can enter your home and wreak different kinds of havoc.
Flowers are the perfect nest for some bugs. Flower pots are hidden and perfect for nesting bugs or a colony of ants.
- Clean up your yard
Leaving pieces of wood in your home creates the perfect hidden nest. Be sure to clean up piles of wood or tricks.
- Promptly get rid of garbage
Leaving garbage in or around your house can also attract different species of ants and other bugs. Leaving out food is one of the most common causes of pest infestations.
Get Professional Help With Pests
Summertime is excellent, but it can come with some of the worst cases of different types of pest infestation. Insects such as mosquitoes, wasps, and ticks are more active during the warm weather due to increased reproduction, that is why they are more active during this season.
Ants can be a problem in Michigan year-round, especially carpenter ants. Professional help can help you locate the carpenter ants parent colony, identify their food source, and provide you with treatment that will work. We also have the knowledge necessary to identify any structural damage to your wall or doors.
Since it comes with the season, you can only do so much to keep them from infesting your home. Start by removing standing water sources, fluorescent bulbs, and flowers because they tend to attract those insects and are responsible for initiating bug infestations.
Also, consider hiring a professional pest control company to take care of any infestation in and around your home.
Frequently Asked Questions About Metro Detroit Pests
Here are some frequently asked questions that we often get about Metro Detroit pests:
How can you tell if you have carpenter ants?
You can tell if you have carpenter ants with the following signs:
- Fine sawdust around the walls
- Tunnels in your home’s wood
- Hallow-sounding wood
- Small sounds of wings or crinkling in your walls
Outdoors, you may notice tunnels or sawdust around the garage or shed. You may notice small smooth holes in the wood or ground.
What do carpenter ants indicate?
Carpenter ants are a sign that may indicate moisture. This can mean that you have water damage or standing water somewhere in your home.
What is the best way to get rid of carpenter ants or termites?
The best way to get rid of ants is using baits or insecticides. It’s best to contact a professional when dealing with either carpenters ants or termites. It can be difficult to get rid of a colony.
Termite damage can leave small holes in your home’s wood. Termite damage can also lead to tree damage or even damage to your home.
Why do I have ants on my outdoor wood?
Ants are attracted to damp conditions, whether that’s piles of wood or property. Nesting outdoors is common for carpenter ants. Taking care of carpenter ants outdoors is important to prevent them from coming inside and damaging your wood. Another sign that can indicate outdoor ants are wood shavings or tunnels.
Why am I getting big black ants in my home?
Getting big black ants in your home may indicate that you have a carpenter ant nest. It may also mean that your home has wood damage, like rotting wood.
Can I treat for carpenter ants myself?
While it may be possible to treat for a few carpenter ants yourself, getting rid of a parent colony or infestation is often much harder. If you notice piles of sawdust or damp wood in your home, it may be worth it to reach out to a pest control company.
What is the difference between black ants and carpenter ants?
Black ants have two body parts, whereas carpenter ants only have one. Many carpenter ants also are winged, even though they don’t always use their wings to fly. Black ants are also more likely to have a smooth body.
Our Workers Can Protect Your Home From Michigan’s Bugs
If the appearance of your home indicates ants or any of Michigan’s other summertime bugs, contact Solidified Pest Control today. Our workers are ready to help you protect your home from Michigan’s pests. Our workers will come out to your Metro Detroit property to look for common nests.
Contact Solidified Pest Control Today
Contact Solidified Pest Control today at (866) 614-6762 for all your pest removal needs. We service all over Metro Detroit, including Redford, Livonia, Westland, and Farmington, Michigan. You can also reach out to us using our convenient online form. Just fill out your information, and one of our friendly representatives will reach out to you to learn more about your pest problem.
We have pest control technicians in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb County. Not sure if you have an ant infestation? Worried that you may have a termite problem? No problem. We don’t expect our customers to know what type of pest they’re dealing with. We work closely with our customers to identify the infestation and get rid of it for good.
We not only have the tools you need to get rid of pests, but we also closely follow Michigan’s bug seasons. We’re familiar with Michigan’s most common pests and when you can expect them. We’re always willing to answer your questions and develop a pest control plan to keep the bugs out. Contact us today to discuss your plan.
