Common pests in the Midwest
The wet, humid, and warm conditions in the Midwest make it an ideal place for many pests to be active around the yard and home, before they go dormant (or move indoors!) to avoid the harsh winter weather.
The most active and problematic pests will depend on the season:
- Spring (April-May): ants, ticks, and mosquitoes
- Summer (June-September): mosquitoes, ants, and ticks
- Fall (October): overwintering pests, ticks, and crickets
- Winter (November-March): indoor nesting ants, overwintering pests, and pantry pests
Sunday Tip:
What are overwintering and pantry pests? Overwintering pests are the bugs that might find themselves indoors to escape the winter cold – things like boxelder bugs, stink bugs, ladybird beetles, elm leaf beetles, and kudzu bugs. Pantry pests infest food, and include things like beetles, moths, and silverfish.
Pest prevention in the Midwest
When it comes to pests, the best offense is a good defense. Sticking to Integrated Pest Management principles will help prevent and reduce general pest issues:
- Remove or reduce habitat and food and water sources.
- Scout for pests regularly around the home and yard.
- Identify pests if one does emerge.
- Practice pest prevention and change the environment to be less pest-friendly.
- Use chemical control as a last resort.
For more specific guidance, follow these tips for preventing and managing the top pests in the Midwest during their active seasons:
How to control ticks
- Reduce tick habitat by mowing the lawn, pruning shrubs, and maintaining woody property edges.
- Check yourself and your pets for ticks after spending time outdoors.
- Use Sunday’s Nix Ticks to treat your protected zone (patio, outdoor dining area, swing sets, etc.).
How to control mosquitoes
- Dump and prevent standing water around the yard, which can serve as a breeding habitat for mosquitoes.
- Mow the lawn, trim trees, and prune shrubs to reduce shade- and moisture-rich mosquito habitat.
- Use Sunday’s Mosquito Deleto to treat your protected zone.
How to control ants
Outdoor ants
- Store trash, compost, and recycling bins away from the areas of the yard that you use the most and clean up any trash or spilled food.
- Only treat with Sunday’s Ant Adios if ants are causing damage to the lawn or landscape or as a barrier to prevent ants from entering the home—many ants are actually beneficial soil aerators, pest predators, and even lesser-known pollinators.
Indoor ants
- Clean spilled food, crumbs, or liquids to reduce ant food sources.
- Seal entryways to the home where you see ants coming inside.
- Treat with Sunday’s Bug Doom only if indoor ants continue to be an issue.
Midwest pest control
Deciding what practices and products to use to help you manage pests in and around your home can be tricky. Start by narrowing in on the specific pest issues you’re facing. Then, modify the environment to be less welcoming to that pest, and then determine if pest products are necessary to help prevent or manage your pest problem.
Here are some of our go to products for the Midwest that you can get shipped to your door from Sunday!
Total Home Pest Medium Protection Plan
- Protects your home against unwanted bugs, inside and out
- Kills ants, centipedes, cockroaches, crickets, spiders, and more
- Active ingredients include pyrethrin and canola oil
Mosquito Control Pest Plan - Medium
- Contains yard spray, personal insect repellent, mosquito dunks, citronella candle
- Mosquito Deleto kills and repels mosquitoes, ticks, and ants
- Plan includes 4-6 months of protection
Ant Adios Insect & Ant Killer (2-pack)
- Controls ants, earwigs, cutworms, sowbugs, pillbugs, and crickets
- Each bag covers 4,000 sq. ft.
- Effective for up to 4 weeks
- OMRI-listed for organic gardening
Tick Protection Plan (Medium)
- Prevents and controls ticks with plant-based ingredients
- Effective for up to 4 weeks
- No synthetic pesticides
- Custom checklist includes directions, application timing, and more
Mosquitoes
Use this handy guide to help you identify, prevent, and control mosquitoes in your backyard.
Ticks
We’ve got all the tick identification, prevention, and control tips you need.
Ants
Ants are common indoor and outdoor pests—learn more about identifying, preventing, and treating ant problems.
Natural ways to prevent pests
Follow these pest prevention tips, to help keep pests from becoming a problem in the first place.
Indoor insect ID guide
Have a critter that worked its way inside the home, but not entirely sure what it is? Use this indoor insect ID guide to help identify your pest and get some quick tips on how to prevent and control them.
Outdoor insect ID guide
Got a backyard bug that’s really bugging you? Our outdoor insect ID guide can help!
