Rainy weather in Nova Scotia forces pests into people’s homes

The non-stop rain for much of the past month has caused many problems, including wash-offs, rotting strawberry crops and canceled events.

Now add pest problems to the list.

Jesse Roach’s Scotia Pest SolutionS in Hants County said his phone and inbox have been blown up with calls about ants, earwigs and other pests in the wake of the rainy weather.

“When it started switching between heat and rain, the phone was non-stop,” Roach said.

He said the water table in the soil is so high that ants — who normally live out of sight, out of mind in the garden — try to get away from whatever is in our homes.

The heat then encourages more breeding, to the point that flying ants, which are seen when colonies have reached critical mass and begin to breed and send out more queens and kings to establish new colonies, are seen earlier than usual.

Earwigs, on the other hand, prefer some moisture and living between objects, so they show up under siding and in window frames. They make their way into homes or find tight spaces around garden containers and beds. They normally live somewhat underground, but have been driven away by the continuous rain.

“They can damage certain plants and vegetables, but as far as the house is concerned, they’re more of a really ugly insect that no one likes.”

Ants, meanwhile, can cause a few problems. Carpenter ants can make tunnels in the wooden parts of a house. Other species, such as Allegheny hill ants, do not damage the plants themselves, but protect aphids, which damage plants. (They do this to collect the honeydew secretions the aphids make). They’re also just plain obnoxious to have dozens of them running around your house. Allegheny hill ants, which come in red and black, are also particularly aggressive and will bite if their nests are disturbed.

“They’re all being driven out because of the rain and they’re all looking for a place to build their nests, which are becoming people’s homes,” Roach said.

He said he had a client who rarely used a particular entry door to their home, and when they happened to open it, he found an entire colony under and around the door, complete with eggs and pupae.

While snails are treated with house stuff and aren’t typically one of his targets, Roach said they also look plentiful because everything is wet and makes it easier for them to get around.

“That’s why you see them in a lot of places you wouldn’t normally go,” Roach said.

But be warned if you desire heat to deal with some of those pests. Extreme heat will push rodents in to escape the heat.