Spring Pest Alert
Spring in Metro Vancouver means carpenter ant swarms, pavement ant emergence, raccoon kits in attics, and the first wasp queens establishing colonies. Early-season intervention prevents summer escalation.
Spring is the single most important pest-management window in Metro Vancouver. Most of the year's preventable problems start between March and May — carpenter ant colonies produce swarmers, raccoon females give birth in attics, wasp queens scout for nesting sites, and rodent pressure that survived the winter comes out of hiding. Homeowners who schedule a spring inspection in early April eliminate roughly 80% of the seasonal escalation they'd otherwise face by August.
Species active now
Swarmer flights start late April and peak in May. Winged carpenter ants appearing at windowsills indicate a colony established in or immediately adjacent to your structure.
Kit season runs mid-April through early July. Attic raccoons cannot be evicted without considering the young — BC Wildlife Act compliance requires family-unit handling.
Queens emerge and begin nesting in April. Early-season nests are small (fewer than 20 cells) and safe to remove — far easier than waiting until August peak.
Emerge from overwintering colonies in April. Peak foraging pressure in May. Species-specific baiting resolves cleanly in 2-3 weeks.
Rats and mice that overwintered inside emerge into yards and garages as temperatures rise. Spring exclusion catches the winter entry points before they become summer highways.
What to do this season
- Walk your perimeter: look for carpenter ant frass (coarse sawdust) near wood trim, gutters, or decks.
- Check the roofline for active squirrel or raccoon entry points now — before kits make exclusion complicated.
- Book any wildlife exclusion you've been delaying before the BC bat maternity window opens May 1.
- Clear leaf debris and dead wood from the perimeter — standard carpenter-ant nesting substrate.
- Schedule a Spring Reset visit if you're on our Quarterly Plan — this is the year's highest-leverage inspection.
Climate context
Metro Vancouver springs are wet and mild. Soil temperatures rise gradually from late March, triggering insect emergence in waves rather than a single burst. The PNW moisture cycle favors wood-dwelling species (carpenter ants, Formica spp., some beetles) — housing stock built before 1985, with older cedar siding and untreated soffits, is disproportionately affected.
Ready for a spring inspection?
On-site within 90 minutes across most of Metro Vancouver. Same transparent pricing, same 60-day guarantee, every season.