Teaneck’s Dutch Dynamics & Historic Achievements

Springtime Nuisances and Summer Stalkers

Pests thrive in Teaneck; they like it in this neck of the woods! While various rodents, arachnids, and insects are problematic year-round, spring and summer are when some species truly shine.

Ants, especially odorous house ants and carpenter ants, become more active as temperatures climb, colonies expand, and hunger increases. While songs may claim ants go marching one by one (hurrah!), it’s extraordinarily rare to have a lone ant in your bathroom, garage, or kitchen. Ants are “pack insects” and work together collectively, even leaving a trail of pheromones to guide one another toward food and safety. As a unit, they’re one of the most intelligent on earth. They’re also among the strongest, although the dung beetle (able to lift over 1,000 times its body weight) takes the top spot.

Termites are active in spring because it’s swarm season, a time when winged reproducers emerge to start new colonies and ruin your subfloor! Teaneck typically experiences moderate-to-high termite activity, with many of these voracious eaters preferring older homes and buildings due to their aging wood, moisture issues, and accessible gaps and cracks.  

Ticks start ticking people off as soon as temperatures rise above 40 or so degrees. They live in tall grass, trees, and leaf litter, patiently waiting for their dinner to walk by. They don’t jump or fly, so they require close proximity to their host. If you stroll by a bush too closely or brush up against grass, a tick can reach out and latch on.

Mosquitoes breed in spring, once standing water from April or May showers accumulates. They need this water to reproduce, but can make “dew” with drops rather than buckets. Even a water-filled bottle cap is enough to turn a Pepsi lid into a mosquito maternity ward. As temperatures spike and mosquitoes increase, these parasitic populations thrive.

Wasps get a bee in their bonnet come spring and summer. Colonies start to form in April and May, but wasps are most aggressive during August and September. They’re not only bad; because they feed on insects, they’re natural pest controllers . . . until they become the pest. They build nests under Teaneck roof eaves, near pools, and on porches, and they love cookouts, giving them plenty of contact with people.