Pest control experts in Colorado see calls double; experts say warm winter means a buggier spring
After record warm temperatures this winter, pest control experts in Colorado are seeing more bugs out earlier. Berrett Pest Control's Denver branch reports their calls have doubled compared to this time last year.
Some of these calls are from customers like Matthew Kearney who called to address an issue with wasps in his backyard.
Kearney said he tried sprays and traps, but wanted an expert in early in the season.
"You want to make sure you get them earlier, rather than waiting -- and then, you know, further down some it becomes a huge mess," he said.
Berrett Pest Control is hoping to avoid any mess as warmer-than-normal temperatures push insects into early-season activity.
"If there's not a huge freeze, or a long, deep freeze, like we normally get, there's not enough die off. And so you do have bugs, insects that you know, last throughout the winter," Berrett Pest Control Denver Branch Manager Kobo Carminati explained.
Carminati says he's especially seeing more early calls for issues with ants, spiders and wasps that he attributed largely to the weather.
"If it's starting this early, you're going to see bigger nests this summer. So as (wasps) start working, they're starting to grow their nest. And whereas sometimes we see them, you know, maybe softball, cantaloupe, basketball, sometimes it may even be bigger this year," he said.
The company is now working to keep up with the early demand by hiring more staff earlier.
Meanwhile, Amy Yarger, the Director of Horticulture at the Butterfly Pavillion in Westminster, said the early warmth can also have a negative impact on important bug populations.
"Spring is always an unpredictable time in Colorado, and many insects are able to adapt, but as we see these climate trends become more entrenched over time, we expect to see declines in important insects such as pollinators," Yarger wrote in an email.
In order to protect insect populations outside the home, Yarger recommends postponing yard work as long as possible and allowing leaves to remain on the ground so if the temperatures do drop and cause a re-freeze, insects can more easily find shelter.
Yarger went on to explain: "From emerald dragonflies to tiger beetles to bumble bees. They contribute to our way of life in so many ways. They ensure that we have delicious food to eat by pollinating our crops. They eat pests such as mosquitoes. They are important parts of freshwater and riparian ecosystems - making sure that we have clean water."
