Got roaches?
This week’s warm weather plus the stretch of rain last week has been the formula for bugs and other insects to come out.
Yes, it’s almost that time of year with spring nearly in bloom.
That also means those creepy crawlers, slimy slugs and maddening mosquitos all starting to appear perhaps sooner than most years.
Among the insects Fresno-area residents might start to encounter: termites, fleas and cockroaches.
As well as mosquitos, ants and aphids.
Even the western box elder beetles, which aren’t considered dangerous to humans or animals.
But who wants a bunch of black and orange beetles near them?
“Normally, this stuff slows down in the winter, but that hasn’t really been the case with our winter not quite as cold this time,” said Jason Oneto, General Manager at San Joaquin Pest Control. “Like mosquitos, they never really went away this winter.
“You add the rain. And now, things are starting to warm up. The surge will come in about a month. Maybe sooner.”
According to data by Weather Underground, this past December-January stretch in Fresno had an average daily temperature of 48.29 degrees — the fifth warmest winter in the past 10 years.
February, meanwhile, tracks as the second wettest based on precipitation in the past 10 years.
“With the rain and the warmer weather, it really is an ideal time to look around for any standing water and remove it to prevent mosquito breeding,” said Ryan McKinley, District Manager of Fresno Mosquito and Vector Control. “One bad neighbor can ruin an entire neighborhood.
“The problem can spread. Mosquitos can fly a mile each day. So if you see a green pool that needs to be checked, please call us or take care of it right away.”
In most years, the mosquito season in Fresno runs from April until October, according to McKinley.
But will mosquito season start early?
“The mosquito issues we’ve seen, it’s like they never went away for the winter,” said Oneto, whose San Joaquin Pest Control company was voted in as the 2025 People’s Choice for Best in Central California for pest control service.
The spring blooms also can create a chain reaction of insects coming out in the central San Joaquin Valley.
For example, white bugs called aphids often gravitate toward rose bushes or trees, then they’ll make honeydew, which is a sugary, sticky liquid excreta.
Ants will be attracted to the honeydew.
And spiders will come out in search of insects to eat.
Black widows, in particular, have been known to surface in the Fresno area.
Black widows, which are considered dangerous and venomous, are commonly found in garages and sheds, around outdoor furniture and near the ground in woodpiles where the area is cluttered but undisturbed.
“You’ve got to clear out places anywhere they can live,” Oneto said.
Oneto also suggested a few other tips to help folks prep their homes for the potential insect invasion:
Make sure entrances are sealed like the weather stripping on the bottom of doorsCheck for window screensKeep stacks of wood piles away from the houseRemove standing water sitting in the yard, including at the bottom of flower pots
And if your home has cockroaches or termites, you’ll want to address that professionally.
Both can cause significant damage and dangers if not taken care of.
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Bryant-Jon Anteola is a multimedia reporter for The Fresno Bee, writing stories and producing videos about sports, news and random topics relatable to those in the Fresno area. He’s won a McClatchy President’s Award and received honorable mention by the Associated Press Sports Editors. He enjoys sports because of the competition, camaraderie and energy, and views sports as a microcosm of society.