Augusta to see an increase in ants, roaches, mosquitos this year

After a wet winter with unseasonably high temperatures, experts say the Augusta area is likely to see an influx of bugs this spring.

Ian Williams, a board certified entomologist in Atlanta, said bugs are starting to appear now, as temperatures mostly are above 60 degrees at night.

While the sorts of critters causing the most issues will be similar to other years, Williams said there will be an uptick in the amount of bugs due to local weather conditions.

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Recently released Orkin predictions state warmer weather in southeast Georgia will increase flying pests such as carpenter bees and other nuisance flies like house and blow flies. Because of the increased moisture, people can also expect to see more mosquitoes this spring in addition to earwigs, spiders, ants and millipedes.

Mild temperatures and increased moisture in the region will also result in an increase in termite swarms as well, according to predictions.

Here's a look at some of the most problematic pests in the region this year:

Fire ants, indoor ants

Williams said ant colonies are generally the most concerning pest in the area, year after year.

"What we're generally seeing now is ant colonies are really starting to move around and build numbers," he said. "For folks that have turf areas, fire ants are certainly a big concern. We're seeing mounds in a lot of areas show up already, so from a turf pest standpoint, fire ants will be a big one."

Williams added indoor ants are also a concern once it starts getting warmer and drying out.

"They start to grow in size and they start looking for food a lot more, too," he said.

Fire ants can be tricky to treat, so Williams advises people get a head start before a full infestation takes place.

"There's lots of different products that are out there, whether the customer purchases them on their own or they have a professional come out and do it," he said. "The key with fire ants is really looking at getting something done early in the season. If you're seeing mounds already, get those treated sooner rather than later because they only grow through the summer and become more and more difficult to manage as time goes on."

Mosquitos

While ants are usually the biggest concern, Williams said with how wet it was last winter and throughout the spring, mosquitoes are going to be a big pressure insect this year.

"We're still seeing some cases of West Nile show up," he said. "There's also a variety of encephalitis that mosquitoes can carry. They're not as common, but that can be a concern for folks with horses."

Williams said there haven't been as many Zika cases within the last few seasons, so that shouldn't be a concern.

"When it comes to mosquitoes, it's really stagnant water management," he said. "Anytime folks have standing water – whether that's a birdbath, clogged drain, gutters, or children's toys that get left out and collect rainwater, those are all things that people should be aware of. Eliminating standing water is great way to help control the breeding situations for mosquitoes and that really helps keep the numbers down."

If people are not doing any pest control for mosquitos, Williams advises wearing clothing with long sleeves and applying repellent products as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Palmetto bugs, cockroaches

Williams, who analyzes pest data year after year, said there will also likely be an increase in palmetto bugs this season.

"We're probably going to start seeing the young palmetto bugs start to show up here in the next couple of weeks," he said. "Palmetto bugs are a large outdoor cockroach, so when we have wet weather and good vegetative growth, they like to eat a lot of decaying plant matter and things like that. Anytime you've got those kind of conditions combining, we should have a good season for palmetto bugs."

Williams said it is important to keep in mind entry points in the house for palmetto bugs.

"As it starts to get warm, people may open windows more, and then especially into the evenings, lights may attract them to homes and then they have easy access to the open windows," he said. "That's when we can start getting them in and around homes and businesses."

Cleaning out gutters and making sure landscaping around homes is up to date are two ways to avoid an infestation, in addition to yearly pest control, according to Williams.

Cicadas

When looking at yearly trends, Williams said cicadas have started making a comeback in the area.

The bugs, which are usually only thought to come out every few years, actually come out yearly in June.

"Over the last couple of years, we had several cicada broods that came out," Williams said. "Something that some people don't know is we do have annual cicadas that show up every year as a typical summer bug."

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Increase in ants, roaches and mosquitos expected in Augusta