What Are the Most Common Nashville Pests That Appear in Spring?

Spring in Nashville usually means blooming flowers and chirping birds. But it is also the time when pests start waking up. This means they will be looking for food, shelter, and places to breed. Shaking off the chill of winter is nice, but spring can also bring some unwelcome visitors that can be annoying and harmful to people’s health. Here are common pests you will see in spring in Nashville and what to keep an eye out for.

Ants

You might spot ants marching in a line across your kitchen counter or near the pantry. You might see sugar ants, pavement ants, and carpenter ants in Nashville.

Ants are small, but they can be a big nuisance. They come indoors looking for crumbs and sweets. Carpenter ants are especially sneaky, nesting in wood and causing damage if left unchecked. You can keep ants at bay by wiping down surfaces often, storing food in sealed containers, and fixing any leaks or damp areas that might attract them. But you may need to work with a saelapest.com pest control team if your ant issue has gotten out of hand.

Termites

Termite season usually begins in the spring when the weather turns warm and humid. This is when termites start swarming, flying around in search of a new place to build a colony.

Subterranean termites are the most common in Nashville. These bugs live underground and love damp wood. They can do serious damage without being seen if they find a way into your home’s foundation or crawlspace.

You will know you have termites if you can find discarded wings near windows or doors, mud tubes along walls or foundations, or wood that sounds hollow when tapped. A yearly inspection by a pest pro is a good idea, especially in older homes.

Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes show up in full force as soon as the rain comes and temperatures rise. Nashville’s mild winters and wet springs create the perfect environment for mosquitoes to breed. These pests lay their eggs in standing water, so birdbaths, clogged gutters, and old tires can become mosquito nurseries. These creatures are annoying with their bites and can spread diseases.

It is important to empty any water that is sitting around your yard and use repellents when spending time outdoors to control mosquito populations. Adding mosquito dunks to water features can also help keep larvae from growing.

Wasps and Hornets

You might spot a queen buzzing around your porch or eaves looking for the right spot to settle in. This tiny nest can turn into a full-blown colony when left alone by summer.

Paper wasps are the most common in Nashville. They usually build nests in sheltered spots such as under decks, in sheds, or behind shutters. Yellowjackets and hornets are more aggressive and will defend their nests if disturbed.

Check for nests early in the season while they are still small. Do not try to knock a nest down yourself. Instead, call a professional to remove it safely.

Spiders

Spiders might not be everyone’s favorite houseguest, but most of them are harmless. They become more active as they hunt for food in spring, mostly flies and mosquitoes.

Common house spiders, wolf spiders, and orb weavers are often spotted around homes in Nashville. They are more helpful than harmful, but nobody wants to walk into a web first thing in the morning. Keep your home tidy, reduce clutter, and seal cracks to prevent spiders from sneaking inside.

Flies

Flies tend to become more noticeable in spring, especially house flies and fruit flies. They love to hang around trash cans, food scraps, and anything that smells even a little bit sweet or sour.

They can multiply fast once they get inside. Fruit flies appear out of nowhere and are often drawn to overripe fruit, dirty dishes, or drains.

You can keep flies away by taking out the trash regularly and cleaning your drains. Also, it is important not to leave food sitting out.