As we (hopefully) leave the cold weather behind, many of us will naturally begin to spend more time outdoors but we’re not the only ones becoming more active as the temperatures rise.
The presence and activity of various pests are often influenced by seasonal weather conditions. Some species are more commonly found near homes during the colder months as they seek warmth and shelter, while others become more active in the warmer months, emerging from hibernation in search of food.
While seasonal patterns can help us anticipate pest activity, it’s worth noting that weather itself is becoming increasingly unpredictable. Unusual or extreme conditions can significantly impact which pests thrive, making it all the more important to remain vigilant and prepared for any unwanted visitors.
Rodents
Rodents are a year-round problem, but they’re often more noticeable in winter. This is mainly because their natural food sources become scarce, so they’re more likely to search for leftovers in and around human homes. They’re also drawn to the warmth found near houses, barns, and other buildings, especially as vegetation in open areas dies back and shelter becomes harder to find.
That said, rodents don’t disappear once the weather warms up; they’re very much active during spring and summer too, and for several reasons.
As plants and greenery return in the warmer months, they create ideal cover for rodents to move about unnoticed. This vegetation acts like a network of hidden pathways, allowing them to travel between nests and food sources.
On top of that, the season brings more natural food like fruits growing on trees which can attract rodents to gardens, parks, orchards, and other places people enjoy spending time. With more food available, rodents also tend to breed more rapidly, meaning their numbers – and the chances of them becoming a nuisance can quickly increase.
Warmer weather also means more people spending time outdoors. And while our presence can sometimes put rodents off, it also means more food waste being left behind. Even if it’s thrown in a bin, rats and mice will often hang around in the hope of an easy meal.
Moles
Moles can be active all year round, but they tend to cause the most disruption between February and June. While they may look like harmless, furry little creatures, their burrowing habits can lead to unsightly molehills, uneven ground, and damage to lawns, gardens, and plant growth.
Mole activity typically increases in spring as they begin to search for mates. This means more tunnelling across wider areas, which can result in even greater surface damage. Once mated, female moles usually give birth to 3-4 young, who will then go off to establish their own territories around five weeks later.
Another reason mole activity becomes more noticeable at this time of year is that the soil near the surface is no longer frozen. As a result, they tunnel closer to the topsoil, which makes the damage more visible and the ground more unstable.
Wasps
As the weather begins to warm up, queen wasps emerge from hibernation and set about building nests. Once established, they begin producing worker wasps and more queens to grow the colony.
By early to mid-summer, wasp populations are at their peak, and encounters with humans become more frequent as they search for food. Sugary items like fruit and soft drinks are particularly attractive to them.
In late summer, wasps can become especially aggressive. Their colonies start to die off, food becomes harder to find, and with fewer daylight hours, they have less time to forage. It’s during this period that they’re most volatile and likely to sting if they feel provoked.
Although wasps generally only sting when threatened, their presence can still be distressing especially for those with allergies. That’s why tackling them in late spring with wasp killer and when nests are still small, is often the most effective way to prevent bigger problems later in the season.
Flies
Flies are not just a nuisance – they’re known to carry disease, which makes them an unwanted guest in any setting. Unfortunately, their activity tends to ramp up during the warmer spring and summer months.
Flies are cold-blooded, so they rely on external temperatures to stay active. As the weather warms, it creates ideal conditions for breeding. The smell of decaying food or waste becomes even more attractive to them as higher temperatures speed up the decomposition process.
One particularly troublesome species is the cluster fly. These pests hibernate through the winter and typically reappear in large numbers towards the end of spring. If they’ve chosen your home or building as a hibernation site, they can cause considerable disruption as they emerge. While they tend to spend the summer breeding in fields and are less of a direct problem during those months, their springtime activity can be overwhelming.
Fleas
Fleas can be a year-round problem, but they’re especially common during the warmer months – and even more so in households with pets.
Fleas become more active in late spring and peak in summer, when the heat creates ideal conditions for breeding. They locate hosts, usually cats or dogs, by detecting heat, movement, and carbon dioxide, before jumping on to feed and reproduce. A single female can lay up to 40 eggs a day during the summer!
As pets spend more time outdoors in the warmer weather, they’re more likely to come into contact with other animals, be it other pets, wildlife, or livestock. These interactions increase the risk of fleas spreading and infestations developing both in homes and in wider outdoor areas.
Ants
As the warmer months arrive and we move out of winter, we begin to see a noticeable increase in insect activity, particularly ants. These small but persistent pests thrive in warmer weather and will start emerging from their nests in search of food.
During winter, ants typically go into hibernation, tunnelling deeper underground to escape the cold. Being cold-blooded, they rely on warmer temperatures to become active again. As the conditions improve, queen ants begin to reproduce, and worker ants increase their digging efforts while foraging for food to sustain the growing colony.
This foraging behaviour often brings them into closer contact with human activity, especially in outdoor spaces. Ants are highly attracted to sugary substances and food, making them a common nuisance in areas where people eat outdoors, or in places with natural food sources such as orchards and gardens.
If ants become a persistent problem, there are a wide range of ant killers available to help manage and reduce infestations effectively.
Conclusion
The weather has a dramatic effect on pest populations and behaviour in the UK. Spring and summer months bring warmer weather which can lead to various varieties of pests emerging from winter slumbers and increasing activity in search of food and to reproduce.
This time of the year provides more vegetation, which provides shelter as well as additional food sources to animals and insects. Increased human activity in outdoor areas can provide further food sources in the form of waste as well as additional opportunities for pests to disperse, such as fleas jumping from pet to pet.
It’s important to stay vigilant and prepare for unwanted guests as they can cause structural damage, distress and carry diseases. However, as weather becomes more unpredictable in the UK, so do pest populations. It’s therefore a good idea to be prepared for any of these visitors throughout the year, with supplies from The Pest Collective, so you can keep on top of them at an early stage.
