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Little queenHave you ever seen a small, black insect flying in your house and wondered: Is it is an ant? Could it be a termite? Can ants even fly?

We’re here to tell you that ants can fly…and so can termites. In fact, the flying members of ant and termite colonies are the only ones that can reproduce. Both ants and termites fly – or “swarm” – when they’re breeding. After mating has occurred, males will die, and queens will drop their wings and move to a nesting site.

After a warm start to our winter here in the Miami Valley, we’ve certainly made up time with recent snow events and another visit from our friend, “Polar Vortex,” a few weeks ago.

While enduring cold winter weather can be annoying, some would argue it’s better than dealing with mosquitoes and other winged-nuisances that plague southwest Ohio in the summer months.

The largest ant in Ohio—as well as the nation—can be found right here in our part of the state. Ohio is home to 13 different ant species, with carpenter ants being the largest. The biggest carpenter ants (winged queens) measure up to three-quarters of an inch.

Carpenter ants eat plant and animal matter, but they can cause serious damage by chewing through wooden structures and other materials to form pathways between their nests and food sources.

During winter months, food sources become scarce, and weather becomes frigid, which can drive raccoons to seek food and shelter in human environments. Consequently, raccoon populations are higher in suburban and urban areas than rural areas.

With their masked faces and ringed tails, they may look cute, but raccoons can be real pests. The average raccoon is 2-to-3 feet long and weighs 10-to-30 pounds. Though relatively tiny, these critters can cause some big damage. Raccoons wreaking havoc Raccoons can cause considerable destruction by dumping and tearing through garbage cans, scratching vehicles by climbing on or over them, and digging up gardens and bulbs planted in the ground.

Santa has come and gone, so if you’re still hearing the prancing and pawing of reindeer hooves on your rooftop, it is quite likely coming from some other four-legged (or flying) critter.

Attics are a common place for pests to move into, especially during winter months when they’re seeking shelter from cold conditions. Identifying what kind of wild animal you have in your attic can be difficult, since it’s not an easy space to navigate and many of these pests are evasive.

An average middle class house in the midwest. Typical of a suburb where automotive workers around Detroit live.Explore More of Detroit!

Winter typically provides much-needed relief from all the insects that plague us during warmer weather. So, you’d think pest control wouldn’t be necessary during winter, right?

Wrong! As a matter of fact, winter can be one of the best times to provide pest control service. Winter is the perfect time to prevent infestations before pests can populate and become an issue in the spring and summer.