15 Most Annoying Pests To Watch Out For This Spring

Springtime has arrived and while most people are excited to welcome the nice weather, the outdoors has its way of bringing annoying pests and problems into our homes, lawns and gardens.

If bugs are buzzing in your ears, biting you, crawling up you and surrounding you, it's most likely annoying.

John Deluca, former supervisor with JP McHale Pest Management, says that in the spring the most frequent pest calls are for ants. Pavement ants and carpenter ants are very common; they cause a nuisance for individuals because they like to invade homes and buildings, while traveling in large colonies.

From mosquito bites to smelly stink bugs and creepy spiders, fortunately, the majority of the pests mentioned on this list are not dangerous, they are just extremely annoying.

Don't let these pests wreak havoc in your home. Keep your lawn tidy, clean out your gutters, fix any leaky pipes, repair cracks and gaps and add screens for protection.

If you encounter an infestation make sure to call your local pest management control company immediately. It's important to deal with the problem right away, rather than waiting and risking further intrusion.

-Nicole Dossantos

Also known as the "silent destroyer," termites are an absolute nightmare. They stay out of site while secretly munching away at your homes substructure. Spring time is when they swarm, Deluca says. "Over the course of a year termites can do $3.5 billion in damage to residential homes," he adds.

Stink bugs have to be one of the most annoying spring time pests. Wondering why? They produce a horrific odor. ORKIN explains that scientists suspect this odor might be a defense against predators. Look out in your home because they like to creep inside for warmth. They will sneak in through cracks, screens and holes.

Also known as sugar aunts, they like to invade buildings and hide outdoors in cracks of pavement, under stones and along curbs. According to ORKIN, "pavement ant workers enter houses to forage and can become a nuisance when large groups infest a kitchen or garden patio. They can sting and bite."

Carpenter ants drill through wood. They tend to creep up in moist areas. Deluca explains: "The way that you can tell the difference between carpenter aunts and termites is that termites consume the wood and carpenter aunts drill through it and excavate the wood out." In other words, termites actually eat the wood, while carpenter ants damage the wood and create nests.

Bees in general are annoying, but carpenter bees take the cake. According to Deluca, "carpenter  bees will drill a half inch hole into the side of a house, drill out and take the saw dust out, then build their nest inside a piece of wood." They lay their eggs on the inside. "You will find them in high areas of cedar homes, Deluca says.

Deluca explains, cicada killers are brown, red and yellow in color. They are in the wasp family and look like an enormous hornets. "They fly up and kill the cicada and bring it back to the ground," he adds. "They bury the cicada in the ground then lay its larvae inside the cicada so when the larva emerges they have a food source." Pay close attention to your lawn and garden; cicada killer wasps are known to cause damage to dirt mounds and small holes throughout your lawn (15 Ways Your Home is Making You Sick).

Whether it be in our homes or outdoors we have all most likely encountered the annoying mosquito. Did you know that "with their antenna, mosquitoes can sense carbon dioxide and lactic acid up to 100 feet away (Discovery Kids)?" They can also detect chemicals in sweat. Although female mosquitos are the only ones that bite, males are just as annoying. However, mosquitos also call for great danger. According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, "mosquitoes and the diseases they spread have been responsible for killing more people than all the wars in history. Even today, mosquitoes transmitting malaria kill 2 million to 3 million people and infect another 200 million or more every year."

Ticks come in all different sizes. They crawl up, latch on and in some cases call for great concern. According to Deluca, ticks are not only annoying but they are one of the most dangerous pests because they carry diseases. Some of them include Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Ehrlichiosis and Tularemia.

Yellow jackets are one of the most annoying outdoor pests during the spring and summer months. They are mostly located underground but you can also find them in nests on trees.  Although they are not quick to sting, when they do, it is extremely painful. Yellow jackets won't just sting you once; they will sting you multiple times. If you begin to see an infestation of yellow jackets, call your local pest control company immediately.

"They are the most aggressive wasp hornet in the north east," Deluca says. "When they attack you they release a pheromone after their sting to alert all of the other hornets in the nest to come and attack you," he adds. What makes them so annoying? They don't have barbs; they will land on you, sting you multiple times and bite you.

They are also known as spider crickets because of their spider-like legs. According to Live Science, "scientists roughly estimated that there could be 700 million camel crickets, of all species, in and around homes across the eastern United States." You can find them in warm, damp and dark environments, under rocks, in your basement and cellar. If you have any leaky pipes make sure to fix them. Also, prevent moisture buildup by ventilating crawlspaces.

"They are a solo insect, once they build their nest they stay to their nest," Deluca says. "They build their nest in areas where there is air movement."  Make sure to look out by windows, doors, door jams and basements.

Deluca explains, centipedes are basement pests that like cool dark damp areas.  They can live as long as six years, and the scary thing is, you may never even know they exist because they usually don't roam around during the daytime. ORKIN explains: "Their venom allows them to attack prey and defend themselves against predators and other natural enemies. Centipede venom is not normally life endangering to humans, although the bite can be painful."

"Silverfish are about an inch long, shiny and silver," Deluca says.  "They feed on mildew which is why you will sometimes find them in attics or high moisture areas." Some places to look out for Silverfish include bathrooms, basements, kitchens, laundry rooms and attics.

Deluca says that springtails are "very small insects." When they are disturbed they jump into the air. They like to eat fungus and mold. You will find them in window sills where there is mildew growing, ivy growing up the side of a house, woodpiles or in flowerbeds.