Pest Calendar for Middleburg and North Florida

Month by month

What to expect each month

Each month lists what UF/IFAS and FWC say to expect in Florida, with the sources linked below. The dates are typical ranges, not fixed schedules, so watch for the signs a little early or late.

1. January

   • The eastern subterranean termite starts swarming in early January and keeps flying through April.
   • Another native subterranean termite, which flies in the evening, keeps swarming until early February.
   • Rats and mice keep moving indoors for food and shelter through the winter months.
   • Spiny orb weaver females stay common through January.

2. February

   • A third native subterranean termite begins swarming in early February and flies until late May.
   • Two of these native species usually swarm on warm, sunny, windless early afternoons after rain.
   • Bat exclusions are still allowed until April 15, before maternity season begins.

3. March

   • Termite activity becomes most visible, and drywood termites swarm from March through June.
   • Winged ants swarm in early spring, often about a day after a rainstorm.
   • One winged termite indoors doesn’t prove an infestation, but wings in several places call for an inspection.

4. April

   • Formosan subterranean termites start swarming in early April, shortly after sunset.
   • Bat maternity season starts April 16; evicting or blocking bats is illegal from April 16 through August 14.
   • Fire ant mating flights run from spring into fall, usually around midday on a warm, sunny day after rain.
   • Homeowners often have Asian cockroach problems after mulching spring flower beds; these roaches fly to lit porches and windows.

5. May

   • Formosan subterranean termite swarms peak in May.
   • The last native subterranean termite swarms wind down by late May.
   • Drywood termites are still swarming, and termite activity stays visible into June.

6. June

   • Formosan swarms continue until late June, and the drywood swarm season comes to an end.
   • In summer, flush bird baths and bromeliads every three to four days so mosquitoes can’t breed in them.
   • Bat maternity season continues; bats can’t legally be evicted or blocked out until August 15.

7. July

   • Hot, wet summer weather favors flea egg laying; adult flea numbers peak next, in August and September.
   • After heavy rain, fire ant colonies may move to higher ground or into homes.
   • Empty standing water at least weekly; in Florida a mosquito can go from egg to adult in about a week.

8. August

   • Adult flea numbers peak in August and September; treat the pet, the home and pet resting spots together.
   • Golden silk spider webs become most noticeable from late summer into fall.
   • Bat maternity season ends August 14, and exclusions can start again on August 15.

9. September

   • Flea numbers stay high; treat the shaded, dry spots pets use rather than spraying the whole yard.
   • Hurricane season brings storms that push cockroaches, spiders and rodents indoors and leave standing water for mosquitoes.
   • Spiny orb weavers and their webs grow noticeably larger in late summer and early fall.

10. October

    • Adult female spiny orb weavers are most common from October through January.
    • Golden silk spider webs are still easy to spot; UF/IFAS says the bite is milder than a bee sting.
    • Fire ant mating flights can continue into fall, often after rain.
    • Fall and winter suit bat exclusion work, well outside maternity season.

11. November

    • Adult female spiny orb weavers stay at their most common, a stretch that runs from October through January.
    • Bat exclusion is allowed from August 15 to April 15, and fall and winter suit the work.
    • Winter is close: a UF/IFAS Extension post says that’s when rats and mice move indoors for food and shelter.

12. December

    • Termite swarm season starts again: one native subterranean termite begins evening flights in early December.
    • A UF/IFAS Extension post says rats and mice cause the most trouble in winter, moving indoors for food and shelter.
    • Winter suits bat exclusion, outside the April 16 to August 14 maternity season.

Sources: UF/IFAS: Native subterranean termites (IN369) · UF/IFAS: Formosan subterranean termite (IN278) · UF/IFAS: Termite season · UF/IFAS: Termite Awareness Week · UF/IFAS: Ants (IG080) · UF/IFAS: Red imported fire ant (IN352) · UF/IFAS: Fleas (IG087) · UF/IFAS: Cat flea (IN137) · UF/IFAS: Cockroaches and their management (IG082) · UF/IFAS: Asian cockroach (Cockroach Photographs) · UF/IFAS: Mosquitoes and their control (IN1045) · UF/IFAS Extension Duval County: Mosquitoes, what works · UF/IFAS: Pest control tips for hurricane season · UF/IFAS: Golden silk spider (IN467) · UF/IFAS: Spiny orb weaver (IN324) · UF/IFAS Extension Santa Rosa County: Controlling rats and mice · UF/IFAS: Facts about bats (UW548) · FWC: Bats in buildings

FAQ

Seasonal pest questions