Spring Pest Control

Why spring is the best time to start pest control

Most insects spend the New Jersey winter slowed down — in the soil, under bark, inside wall voids or as eggs. Once the ground warms and the rain starts, they all get going at roughly the same time. Colonies are small, queens are just starting nests, and wildlife is looking for a quiet place to raise young.

That makes spring the cheapest and easiest time to deal with pests. A wasp nest the size of a golf ball in April is a five-minute job; the same nest in August can hold thousands of wasps. An ant colony that's treated as soon as the first trail appears doesn't get a chance to split into satellite nests. And a raccoon or squirrel entry hole that's found before babies are born can be handled without a family of animals in the attic.

North Jersey's housing makes spring especially busy. Many homes in Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Hudson counties are older, with wood framing near the soil, stone or block foundations, and attics with old vents and soffits. Those are exactly the spots spring pests use first.

Babies in the attic: spring wildlife season

Spring is also baby season. Gray squirrels often have a litter in late winter or early spring, raccoons usually give birth in spring, and bats return to attics and form maternity colonies. A sound in the attic in April is often a mother with young.

• Squirrels: scratching and running in the early morning and late afternoon, chewed holes at roof edges and soffits.
• Raccoons: heavy thumping at night, chirping or crying sounds, torn vents or roof returns.
• Bats: squeaking at dusk, droppings under a gable or by the chimney, bats leaving at sunset.

The order of work matters with babies. Sealing the hole while young are inside traps them and the mother will tear her way back in. We plan removal and exclusion so the whole family leaves first. For bats, New Jersey rules limit timing: exclusion is allowed in April, but not from May 1 through July 31 while pups can't fly yet. If you see bats in spring, call early — April is the window.

Read more: baby squirrel and raccoon season, bat exclusion season in NJ and our wildlife removal page. We're licensed by the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife for this work.

What a spring pest control visit includes

A spring visit from Silver Bullet Pest Control is built around what's actually around your house, not a one-size spray. Here's what we usually do:

• Inspection inside and out: foundation, basement, kitchen and bathrooms, decks, porches, garage, roofline and attic access.
• Identification: we tell you exactly what pests are present or likely, and what's just a harmless visitor.
• Perimeter treatment: an exterior treatment around the foundation and entry points where it makes sense, to stop ants and crawling insects before they get in.
• Nest treatment: early wasp nests, ant colonies and other active nests are treated or removed on the spot when possible.
• Entry points: we point out gaps, vents and openings that invite mice, squirrels and insects, and can seal them.
• Plain-English report: what we found, what we did, and what you can do to help.

Need mosquito control too? Our mosquito treatment starts from $95 plus tax — see mosquito control. For ticks in the yard, see tick spray for yards.

We're based in Garfield and serve Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Hudson counties, plus parts of Morris and Union with visits scheduled ahead. In our core counties, same-day appointments are often available.