📋 Steps
1
March: Inspect foundation for termite tubes and mouse gaps
After winter frost heave, inspect the entire foundation perimeter for: mud tubes (termites), fresh rodent burrows, new cracks in concrete or mortar, and gaps where pipes and cables enter. Morning light at a low angle reveals foundation surface detail. Photograph and address any new entry points before pest season begins.
2
April: Apply perimeter spray before ants start trailing
Bifenthrin applied to the exterior foundation perimeter and up 2 feet on the wall in April — before ant scouts establish trails — creates a residual barrier that prevents ant entry for the first 60-90 days of the season. This early timing is significantly more effective than reactive treatment after trails are established.
3
April: Install Bti in all standing water
Before mosquitoes establish breeding populations, place Mosquito Dunks in: rain barrels, ornamental ponds, bird baths, and any persistent standing water. One dunk per 100 sq ft treats for 30 days. Doing this before the first warm week prevents the first generation from establishing.
4
May: Set tick tubes along wooded borders
Tick tubes (cotton treated with permethrin) placed along wooded borders in May target white-footed mice — the primary Lyme disease reservoir. Mice collect the cotton for nesting and the permethrin kills ticks on the mice before they can develop and quest for humans. Place 6-8 tubes per quarter acre along wooded edges.
5
May: Check attic and crawl space for pest activity
Spring is the first opportunity to inspect attics and crawl spaces after winter. Look for: rodent nesting material or droppings from winter activity, carpenter ant frass (sawdust-like material at wood beams), wasp or bee nest initiation at eaves, and any moisture damage that may attract carpenter ants.
💡 Tips
- The April perimeter spray is the single highest-ROI pest management action of the year — it creates the barrier that prevents the entire season's ant pressure for the cost of one treatment
- Check under exterior door mats in spring — these harbor slugs, earwigs, and sometimes scorpions or black widows that overwintered under them
- A spring pressure-wash of the exterior removes the pheromone trails that ants follow from the previous year — disrupting these existing chemical pathways reduces the speed with which new trails are established
- Clean gutters in early spring — clogged gutters create the standing water and moisture conditions that support mosquito breeding, carpenter ant attraction, and foundation moisture issues
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