How to Prepare for Spring Pest Season in Fort Collins

Coloradans are lucky when it comes to pests. We don’t have to deal with them quite as bad, or quite as long, as most of the country.

But that doesn’t mean pests can’t spiral out of control even still, particularly between June and September. That sounds manageable until you’re in the thick of it, and oftentimes, the ramp-up can go from quiet to intense in weeks.

This is why it helps to prepare for pests in the spring. The work you do in April and May determines how much you deal with in July and August.

Deal with Standing Water

Snowmelt is the first thing to deal with. As winter snow melts off across the Front Range, temporary pooling forms in low-lying areas, drainage ditches, and anywhere water doesn't flow away quickly. These pools are perfect places for mosquitoes to breed, and they often are the culprit when it comes to the first generation of summer mosquitoes.

Walk your property and look for anywhere water sits. Check clogged gutters, birdbaths, plant saucers, kids' toys, wheelbarrows, tarps, and anything else that collects water. Then dump, drain, or flip them over. If you have drainage issues with standing water after rain or irrigation, consider regrading or adding drainage.

You can’t stop mosquitoes from flying in from rivers or neighboring properties. But you can at least eliminate breeding sources on your own property, and that alone can go a long way.

Trim Vegetation and Clear Debris

Mosquitoes rest in dense, shaded vegetation during the day. Places like overgrown shrubs and thick hedges are pretty much paradise to them. But if you trim that vegetation, you can fight back by improving airflow and reducing shade.

To do this, clear out winter debris like leaf piles, fallen branches, or anything that has accumulated against structures or fence lines. This also reduces habitats for ticks, which become active earlier in Colorado than mosquitoes do. Ticks start moving once ground temperatures warm above freezing, so by the time you're thinking of doing spring cleanup, tick season is likely already underway.

Seal Your Home's Entry Points

Spring is when wasps start building new nests, ants begin foraging, and spiders become more visible. All of them are looking for ways into your home.

Check around windows, doors, and utility lines for gaps. You can replace worn weather stripping and door sweeps, and if possible, seal foundation cracks too. These are all entry points that can be used by ants to establish indoor trails, and by spiders to find sheltered corners in your home. A few minutes of caulking today can save you weeks of pest trouble in August.

Watch for Wasps Early

Wasp queens emerge from overwintering in spring and immediately start building new colonies. If you spot small, early-stage nests under eaves, in sheds, or along rooflines, knock them down now. It’s a lot easier to deal with them when they are small. Once nests are filled with aggressive workers in summer, it’s very hard to remove them on your own safely.

Schedule Treatment Before June

The best way to deal with pest season in Colorado is to get ahead of it. Around here, that means scheduling your first professional treatment before June. This lets you cut down on pest populations before they peak, rather than scrambling to address an established problem.

Mosquito Squad of Greater Fort Collins & Boulder offers no-contract seasonal plans that provide consistent protection throughout Colorado's summer. The 21-day treatment cycle keeps mosquitoes, ticks, and other pests suppressed from the start of the season through the first hard frost.

Getting your Fort Collins yard ready for pest season? Call Mosquito Squad of Greater Fort Collins & Boulder at (970) 658-2820 or contact us online for a free quote.