Summer’s supposed to be the time of porch swings, drippy popsicles, and evenings that last a little longer than they should. But if you’ve ever watched a line of ants parade through your kitchen or woken up with mosquito bites in places you didn’t even know you had, you know bugs have their own summer plans—and they’re not great ones.
From the buzzing ones that drive you nuts to the sneaky ones hiding in the walls, warm weather gives pests the green light to move right in. A few here and there? Maybe no big deal. But when the house starts to feel like a bug hostel, it might be time to do more than just swat and spray.
Let’s talk about the usual suspects, why they love summer as much as we do, and when it’s time to stop playing pest detective and start calling in the pros.
Mosquitoes: Summer’s Most Annoying Party Crashers
They don’t knock. They don’t wait for an invite. And they definitely don’t leave when asked. Mosquitoes show up the minute temps rise and the air thickens with humidity. If there’s even a tiny bit of standing water in your yard—a forgotten bucket, an old birdbath, the drip tray under your flower pots—you’ve got yourself a breeding ground.
Now, one mosquito? Annoying. Ten mosquitoes? Irritating. But swarms? That’s when things get dicey. And the citronella candle you lit on the patio? Cute, but not exactly pest control.
If you’re getting eaten alive every time you step outside or you can’t even enjoy your own backyard, you may need more than just DIY tricks. Especially if you’ve done all the draining, all the spraying, and still feel like you’re living inside a bug zapper.
Ants: The Tiny Army That Doesn’t Take a Break
Ants are like that one distant cousin who shows up unannounced, opens your fridge, and acts like they live there. You might notice just a few, marching in a single file line along the windowsill or countertop. Next thing you know, they’re in your pantry, your bathroom, your laundry room—anywhere they can find a crumb, drop, or speck.
They’re smart, they work together, and they don’t give up. You wipe them up, they come back. You spray, they dodge it. You seal your food like you’re preparing for the apocalypse, and somehow they still find something.
Sometimes, it’s a matter of finding the nest. Other times, natural pest control doesn’t quite cut it, especially if they’re nesting in the walls or under your foundation. If you’re seeing different kinds of ants—some big and black, some small and red—that’s a clue it’s not just a one-nest issue. That’s when your patience, and your peppermint oil, might start to run out.
Roaches: When You See One, You’ve Got Ten
Roaches are the pest equivalent of a horror movie jump scare. You’re reaching into a cabinet and boom—there it is. Or worse, you flip on the bathroom light and it darts across the floor like it pays rent.
These guys love heat, humidity, and any place that’s dark and a little bit grimy. And while some people think they’re only found in dirty places, that’s not true. Roaches can squeeze in through drains, vents, and tiny cracks. They don’t need much to survive—just a little food, a little water, and some dark corners.
The worst part? If you see one, you’re probably not seeing the full picture. Roaches are shy, fast, and usually out of sight. So if they’re brazen enough to show their faces in daylight, it means the population is too large to hide anymore. At that point, traps and sprays are like putting a bandage on a broken pipe.
Termites: The Silent Destroyers You Don’t Notice Until It’s Expensive
Unlike the other pests that make themselves known right away, termites like to work quietly. They don’t bite you, they don’t buzz around your head, and they’re not crawling on your counters. Instead, they’re chewing through the wood in your home from the inside out.
Most people don’t realize they have termites until something weird happens. A window frame warps. The floor feels soft. You knock on the wall and it sounds hollow. By the time you notice signs, they’ve usually been munching for months—or years.
This isn’t something you want to play around with. And it’s definitely not the time to try a vinegar spray or a homemade trap. This is when you want a pro. Someone with thermal imaging tools and enough experience to know what kind of termite you’re dealing with. Teams like Interstate, American Pest or Axiom pest control have the serious equipment and knowledge needed to get rid of them fast—and keep them from coming back. Especially that last one. They’re not your average bug guys.
Wasps and Hornets: Not Just a Nuisance—Sometimes Dangerous
You might think you’re just trimming a bush or cleaning up the yard, and then you hear that sound. That low, angry buzzing that means you’ve gotten too close to a nest. Wasps and hornets aren’t like bees—they don’t die after stinging, and they’re not exactly shy about defending their turf.
They build nests in the worst spots—under eaves, inside grills, in your kid’s playhouse—and they grow fast. One nest can hold hundreds by the end of summer. And if you disturb it? They’ll let you know. Loudly. And repeatedly.
Some folks try to spray nests at night or knock them down with a broom. Not smart. One wrong move and suddenly you’re doing laps around your yard with a bunch of angry insects on your tail. If the nest is bigger than a tennis ball or it’s in a spot that’s hard to reach safely, don’t mess around. Wasps don’t play fair, and hornets are even worse.
Final Buzz
Summer pests are like that bad summer fling—you think you can handle it, but it gets out of control fast. If you’ve tried all the sprays, baits, traps, oils, candles, and swats, and you’re still living in what feels like an insect zoo, it’s okay to hand it off.
There’s no shame in calling in people who deal with this kind of thing every day. Especially if it means getting your house—and your sanity—back.