Québec pests: the four-season calendar

Spring: the ants wake up

As soon as the snow melts, carpenter ants leave their nests looking for damp wood; pavement ants push up between patio stones. It is also the season when wasp queens found their new nests. Seal cracks, repair water-damaged wood and watch for fine sawdust along baseboards.

Summer: wasps, flies and picnics

Wasp nests reach their maximum size in August. Check eaves, sheds and play structures early in the season, while nests are small and easy to remove. Keep garbage closed and patios clean: sugar attracts yellowjackets.

Fall: the rodents come in

As soon as nights turn cold, mice and rats look for warmth. A mouse fits through a hole the size of a dime. It is also boxelder bug season, when they mass on sunny walls. Seal openings around pipes and foundations before October; preventive facade treatment in late August greatly reduces the boxelder invasion.

Winter: what already lives inside

Winter does not kill the pests already settled in the warmth: cockroaches, mice and bed bugs stay active year-round in heated homes. Noises in the walls and droppings in the cupboards will not disappear on their own in spring.

The annual checklist

• Spring: seal cracks, inspect damp wood
• Summer: check eaves and sheds for wasp nests
• Late August: preventive facade treatment (boxelder bugs)
• Fall: seal rodent entry points
• All year: at the first sign, free estimate at 514-531-6074