Why spring is the make-or-break season
In Bucks County, the first warm rain of March or April is the starting gun for almost every pest you'll deal with the rest of the year. Carpenter ants start to swarm. Mice that've been in your walls all winter look for new food sources. Stink bugs come out of hibernation in your soffits and head for windows. Spiders move out of corners and start building webs in your doorways.
The good news: a few hours of work in early spring will save you months of pest problems later.
The 11-step Bucks County spring checklist
1. Walk your foundation
Look for any gap larger than a pencil eraser. Mice can squeeze through a 1/4-inch hole. Pay extra attention to where utility lines (cable, gas, AC line set) enter the house — those collars almost always have gaps.
2. Replace torn door sweeps
This is a 20-minute fix that blocks one of the biggest mouse and roach entry routes. Standard sweeps cost about $10 at any hardware store in Doylestown or Warrington.
3. Clear leaf litter against the foundation
Spiders, earwigs, and ants love damp leaf piles touching the house. Pull them back at least 12 inches from the wall.
4. Trim shrubs 12 inches off the siding
Branches touching the house are an ant superhighway. They also trap moisture against the wall, which carpenter ants love.
5. Check window screens
Even a small tear is an invitation. A single damaged screen in a Yardley living room is enough to bring in 50+ mosquitoes a summer.
6. Empty standing water
Birdbaths, kid toys, plant saucers, clogged gutters. Mosquitoes need only a bottle cap of water to breed.
7. Move firewood away from the house
At least 20 feet. Firewood stacks against the house are a top carpenter ant and termite cause in Doylestown and New Hope.
8. Inspect attic and crawlspace vents
Squirrels, raccoons, and birds nest in spring. A torn vent screen is all they need.
9. Check for stink bug shelter spots
Soffits, window frames, and attic vents. Seal small gaps now while stink bugs are still slow.
10. Treat the perimeter
Whether you do it yourself or call a pro, a spring perimeter spray creates a barrier that knocks out crawling pests before they reach the house.
11. Schedule a free inspection
This is the cheapest thing on the list — it's literally free. A trained eye walking your property catches a dozen things you'll miss.
When to call a pro
Anytime you see one of these:
- Sawdust-like piles near baseboards (carpenter ants)
- Droppings under sinks or in drawers (mice)
- Live cockroaches in daylight (heavy infestation)
- Bites in lines of three on your skin (bed bugs)
- Multiple wasps entering one spot (active nest)
We're available in Doylestown, Warrington, Newtown, and every other town in Bucks County. Same-week service, family-owned.