How to Prep Your Home for Pest Season in Central NJ

Central New Jersey seems to attract just about every kind of pest you can imagine. Mosquitoes, ticks, ants, rodents, and even the invasive spotted lanternfly all thrive here. And they all become active right as the weather starts to warm up in spring.

The prep that you do right now determines how big of a deal this is when summer finally arrives. Here's what Central NJ homeowners should focus on before pest season ramps up.

Dump Standing Water and Clean Gutters

Mosquitoes breed in standing water, and spring rain plus snowmelt creates plenty of it. It’s a good idea to walk your property and dump, drain, or flip anything that holds water. That includes plant saucers, kids’ toys, wheelbarrows, buckets, tarps, and birdbaths. (If you really want to keep a birdbath, at least refresh it weekly since that will get rid of mosquito eggs.)

It’s also a good idea to clean your gutters if you haven’t already. Clogged gutters hold water for longer and produce a lot of mosquitoes. It’s a seriously underrated mosquito magnet on residential properties.

Central New Jersey deals with a lot of Asian tiger mosquitoes, which are aggressive daytime biters. That means they’re not just an evening problem. They’ll breed in very small water containers and are well adapted to the suburbs. Eliminating even small water sources can help prevent them from getting a foothold.

Clear Leaf Litter and Wooded Edges

Lyme disease is a growing problem in New Jersey, and the disease is transmitted by ticks. So it’s always a good idea to try to reduce your odds of being bitten on your own property. For that, some basic yard maintenance helps a lot. That includes clearing leaf litter from wooded edges and under shrubs. Otherwise, it’ll trap moisture and create a humid microenvironment that makes ticks feel right at home.

It’s also a good idea to mow grass short, especially along property borders. Create a dry barrier of gravel or wood chips between your lawn and any wooded or natural areas. Ticks avoid crossing dry, exposed surfaces, so even a three-foot buffer makes a bigger difference than you might expect.

Seal Foundation Cracks and Entry Points

Ants, spiders, and rodents all need entry points to get inside. So if you want to deny them entry, check your windows and doors first and replace worn weather stripping and door sweeps. It’s also wise to check the foundation for cracks and gaps, as well as the places utility lines enter the building. It’s a good idea to seal any gaps you find with caulk.

Pay special attention to garages and attic access points. Mice and rats squeeze through openings much smaller than you'd think. A mouse can fit through a gap the width of a dime.

Check for Spotted Lanternfly Egg Masses

The spotted lanternfly continues spreading across Central New Jersey. The egg masses look like patches of dried mud on tree trunks, fence posts, outdoor furniture, and even vehicles. If you’ve never seen them before, they’re easy to miss.

Check smooth surfaces on your property for egg masses and scrape them into a bag of rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer to destroy them. Each egg mass contains 30-50 eggs, so catching them before they hatch in spring eliminates a significant number of these invasive pests.

Schedule Central New Jersey Pest Control Before May

The best way to manage pests is to manage their populations. And it’s easiest to do that in the spring when they’re active, but haven’t had a chance to breed in great numbers yet.

If you’d like help with that, Mosquito Squad of Central New Jersey offers no-contract seasonal plans with treatment every 21 days. Starting early and keeping up a steady schedule is a great way to keep mosquitoes, ticks, and other pests suppressed throughout the season.

Getting your Central NJ home ready for pest season? Call Mosquito Squad of Central New Jersey at (732) 313-3932 or contact us online for a free quote.