The most effective time to start is in the spring, before pest populations build to noticeable levels. This is typically late April through mid-May in most of New Hampshire.
Nobody wants to pay for treatments too early. But waiting until you’re swatting mosquitoes at every cookout or pulling ticks off the dog after every walk is clearly worse, because it means the pest populations have established themselves on your property. So you will naturally want to time it right to enjoy all the benefits of pest control without unnecessary cost.
Mosquitoes and ticks don’t appear out of nowhere in June. Overwintering mosquito eggs hatch as standing water warms in the spring. A little earlier in the season, blacklegged tick nymphs (known to carry Lyme disease) start to become active when temperatures reach the mid-40s. This can happen as early as April in a mild year. By the time you’re noticing bites and finding ticks, you’re likely weeks into the active season.
Starting treatments early disrupts the cycle before it accelerates. This is why it helps to have a barrier treatment applied to vegetation and shaded areas in late April or May. It helps control the first wave of adult mosquitoes and reduces the population that would otherwise spend the next several weeks breeding and multiplying.
Each female mosquito can lay 100 to 200 eggs at a time and may do so every few days. Delaying even a few weeks can mean dealing with exponentially more mosquitoes by midsummer. The same basic principle applies to tick control—early treatment means a smaller starting population and fewer generations to follow.
If you are a homeowner in the New Hampshire Lakes region and you’d like to get a jump start on pest control this season, Mosquito Squad of New Hampshire Lakes Region can help. Mosquito Squad can help you time your pest control service to match the local pest cycle. A trained technician will walk your property and recommend starting treatments when they'll have the greatest impact on reducing populations for the months ahead.
