Ants are unwanted house guests. If you’ve ever opened a bag of chips to find a cluster of ants waiting for you, then you understand the frustration of finding these pests in your house. Fortunately, you don’t have to live with ants. Here are five tips you can use to make your home ant-free once again.

1. Realize This Is a Seasonal Problem

Ants are often driven inside by inclement weather. When it gets hot and there is a shortage of water outside, ants may seek shelter in your cooler home. That’s why you often find ants indoors during the summer.

As winter transitions to spring in Virginia, you might begin to look forward to barbecues, picnics, and other outdoor activities. But your outdoor activities could be disrupted if you don’t take certain precautions. One springtime nuisance that can throw a wrench in your outdoor plans is mosquitoes coming out of hibernation.

The spring months are when female mosquitoes wake up after being dormant all winter. These hungry insects then search for a blood meal so they can feed themselves and their eggs. Mosquitoes can lay as many as 300 eggs at once, which means a small infestation can quickly spiral out of control.

If you want to enjoy the spring sunshine without worrying about mosquito bites, use this guide to keep your yard — and home — mosquito-free.

When you look for a hotel, you probably look for amenities like a comfortable bed, a pool, and good room service. Pests are not nearly as picky. In fact, the more damp and musty the space, the more attractive they’ll find it. Your crawl space, for example, may appear to be the perfect hotel for insects, rodents, and other pests — especially as they seek shelter from the cold this winter.

What Pests May Take up Residence in Your Crawl Space?

This time of year, almost any animal or insect that seeks shelter may find its way into your crawl space. Some of the most common crawl space invaders include termites, cockroaches, spiders, silverfish, rats, and mice. Less often, homeowners also find larger pests, like raccoons and possums, in their crawl spaces.