- A mild winter has led to an early surge in pest activity.
- Beeline Pest Control reports increased calls for ants, termites and cockroaches.
- German cockroaches reproduce rapidly indoors; oriental cockroaches are more common outdoors.
CLEARFIELD — Pest control companies said a mild winter is bringing bugs out earlier than usual, leading to an increase in service calls across the area.
Beeline Pest Control technician Clark Teeples said it is getting a lot of calls right now, earlier than usual.
Pests are already appearing on city streets and inside homes and businesses.
"We've had a lot more calls, especially earlier in the year, but the way the bugs build up their population, and of course it depends on the specific bug, every bug has their different characteristics and behaviors, but they start building up their populations as soon as it gets warm enough," Teeples said.
Teeples said the warmer winter, with limited snowfall, gave pests a head start this year.
"We didn't get a lot of snow. It was a pretty warm winter, and the bugs love that," he said. "They got a head start on us."
Common pests such as ants, termites and spiders are already beginning to build their populations, Teeples said.
"We already have seen a lot of calls for earwigs and wasps," he said.
He added that technicians are also seeing an increase in cockroach activity.
"The most common roaches we have here are German cockroaches," he said. "They're not good news if you have them. They get into the cracks and crevices in the kitchen and bathroom."
German cockroaches reproduce rapidly, making infestations difficult to control. Teeples said even a small presence can quickly grow into a larger problem.
"Even if there's just one or two roaches, they lay eggs like crazy and can get out of control really quickly," he said.
Meanwhile, oriental cockroaches, which prefer damp, cool environments, are also more plentiful outdoors this season, he added.
"The good news is they don't live very well inside," Teeples said. "Usually once they get in, they die fairly quickly. But, they just keep coming in from outside, so through drains especially, things like that.
Experts warn the early start could mean higher-than-normal pest populations in the months ahead.
"We're definitely seeing more roaches than normal," Teeples said. "They don't change as much with the weather as some other bugs, but we do still notice that when it is warmer in the summer months, we are seeing more roaches."
Pest control professionals say homeowners can try over-the-counter sprays and at-home remedies, but some infestations may require professional treatment.
"They can be resistant to some of those products," Teeples said.
