Orkin Launches Inaugural Bug Week with Prediction of 2023 Pest Season
Pest control leader established Pest Season Prediction Day to kick off week celebrating the weird and wonderful world of insects, April 10-14
ATLANTA (April 10, 2023) – Today, Orkin® Pest Control announced the inaugural Pest Season Prediction Day and released its prediction for the 2023 pest season from its headquarters in Atlanta. PhD entomologist and Director of Technical Services Dr. Ron Harrison delivered the 2023 Pest Season Prediction by region with the help of some termite friends.
Each spring, pests begin to emerge from their winter hideouts, descending upon vacation destinations and backyards across the country. As the leader in pest control for more than 120 years, Orkin is committed to providing people with the critical information they need to understand what pests they can expect to encounter during peak pest season and how a professional can help tackle tough pest infestations.
“With unseasonably high winter temperatures in some areas and unprecedented rain and snowfall in others, the upcoming pest season promises to pack a punch across the country,” said Harrison. “Understanding how certain weather conditions cause pest populations to thrive can give us a realistic outlook on the specific pests people should look out for in their homes as the weather warms up.”
This important prediction also serves as the launch for Orkin’s inaugural Bug Week, five days of exciting and educational social media content celebrating the weird and wonderful world of insects. During the week of April 10-14, insect fans can engage up close with critter content including bug ASMR, freaky pest facts, and a sports-inspired “Bug Bracket” where people can make their best guesses on which bug will reign supreme as champion. From those who submit perfect brackets, one winner will be awarded a trip to Iceland, a country known for its lack of pests. See orkin.com for Official Rules and details.
As the industry leader in pest control, Orkin is consistently looking for new and innovative ways to help people across the country proactively protect their homes from all pest varieties. Below you’ll find Orkin’s Pest Prediction for each region of the country during the spring and summer 2023.
Southeast: Above average precipitation and temperatures in the fall led to a mild winter. This warmer weather will increase flying pests such as carpenter bees and other nuisance flies like house and blow flies. Because of the increased moisture, we’ll see more mosquitoes this spring in addition to earwigs, spiders, ants and millipedes. Mild temperatures and increased moisture in the region will also result in an increase in termite swarms as well. Recent cold weather will delay pests’ activity only briefly.
Northeast: After an unusually warm January and above average moisture from winter storms and snow, Harrison predicts residents will see pests such as carpenter bees, ladybug beetles and stink bugs earlier than normal. Warmer weather also means that ticks are becoming more of a problem year around. Once evening temperatures hit 60-70 degrees, most pest activity will increase, including termites which are likely to swarm earlier due to the higher temperatures. Mosquitoes can overwinter in standing water with mild temperatures. Residents can also expect to see increased activity from carpenter ants.
Midwest: A warm, wet fall brought an unseasonably warm winter with below average snowfall. These increased temperatures may have allowed for higher populations of pests to survive the winter. If the increased moisture persists into spring, it will provide perfect mosquito breeding sites and trigger increased activity in ants. The recent cold snap will only delay pests on a limited basis in areas with limited snow cover. Residents may see fire ants move further north and they should expect to see termites start to swarm after the rainstorms of April and May.
Southwest: A warmer winter and increased moisture levels are the perfect combination to trigger activity in scorpions and other desert animal populations. There may be increased termite swarms following the drought. Mosquitoes will also be an issue with increased moisture and higher temperatures, and the same conditions will trigger activity from large cockroaches as well. Residents will need to be on the lookout for fire ants, which build mounds above the ground when the water table rises. Other ant species will also be very active this pest season. We expect many fly species such as house and blow flies to have increased populations.
Northwest: Residents will be dealing with more mosquitoes and flies earlier and for longer thanks to increased moisture. The recent mountain snows will provide long term moisture for pests in the spring and summer. meaning pests will become active following the snow melt. Some pests are occasional, and the increased moisture will help them have higher concentrations, such as millipedes, ticks and ground beetles. Carpenter ants will be especially active in the Northwest this spring. The increase in insects will provide food for predators such as spiders and centipedes.
About Orkin, LLC
Founded in 1901, Atlanta-based Orkin® Pest Control is an industry leader in essential pest control services and protection against termite damage, rodents and insects. Orkin has over 300 owned and operated branch offices and over 45 franchises in the U.S. The company also has international franchises and subsidiaries in Canada, Mexico, Central America, South America, the Caribbean, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, the Mediterranean, and Africa. For more than 120 years, Orkin has been committed to protecting public health by helping prevent and control pests as well as educating consumers on the potential health risks posed by these pests. As such, Orkin Pros™ always put the customer first and approach every opportunity with the utmost professionalism and the knowledge and skillset to solve any pest problem. Since 2020 in accordance with mosquito season, Orkin has provided monetary donations to the American Red Cross in addition to encouraging the public to donate blood to the organization and hosting blood drives. Orkin is committed to hiring the world’s best to help protect the places where we live, work and play. Learn more about careers at Orkin here. Visit Orkin.com for additional information. Orkin is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Rollins Inc. (NYSE: ROL). Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.