NYC Seasonal Pest Prevention Calendar: What to Do Each Month

WHAT TO DO:

• Inspect and clean your pantry. Check flour, rice, cereal, dried pasta, spices, and pet food for signs of pantry pests — small beetles, webbing, or larvae in packaging. Throw away anything that's been open for months.
• Check mouse trap activity. If you set traps in the fall, are you still catching? Continued catches mean the entry points aren't fully sealed.
• Inspect under sinks for moisture. Winter heating systems dry out the air, which can cause pipes to condense and create moisture that attracts cockroaches.
• Keep kitchen drains clear. Pour a pot of boiling water down kitchen and bathroom drains weekly to prevent drain fly breeding.
• Deep-clean behind kitchen appliances. Pull out the stove and fridge and clean accumulated grease and crumbs.

WHAT TO DO:

• TERMITE AWARENESS: If you own a home (especially on Long Island, Westchester, NJ, or the outer boroughs), March is when termite swarmers emerge. Swarming termites look like small flying ants with straight antennae and equal-length wings. If you see a swarm inside your home, call a professional immediately.
• Seal gaps along window frames and door frames. As weather warms, ants begin sending scouts indoors looking for food sources.
• Clean window tracks and sills. Overwintering insects (stink bugs, lady beetles) that hid in window frames during fall will emerge now.
• Check screens on windows and sliding doors. Repair any tears or gaps before you start opening windows.
• Begin outdoor perimeter inspection. Walk the exterior of your building (if applicable) and note any cracks in the foundation, gaps around utility entries, or damaged vents.

WHAT TO DO:

• Eliminate standing water on balconies, in plant saucers, and around AC units. This prevents mosquito breeding. A bottle cap of standing water is enough for mosquitoes to breed.
• Install or check window screens before AC season starts. Make sure AC units are sealed properly — gaps around window AC units are major pest entry points.
• Start taking trash out daily, not every-other-day. Warmer temperatures make garbage smell stronger and attract pests faster.
• Inspect for wasp nests around your building entrance, balcony, window overhangs, and eaves. Small golf-ball-sized nests in spring become football-sized by August. Remove early-stage nests now (or call a pro for established ones).
• Check under bathroom and kitchen sinks for moisture. Summer humidity plus NYC apartment plumbing equals cockroach paradise.

WHAT TO DO:

• Run kitchen exhaust fans while cooking. Cooking odors attract pests from neighboring units.
• Wipe down kitchen surfaces every night before bed. Cockroach activity peaks between midnight and 4 AM.
• Don't leave fruit on the counter — fruit flies establish colonies in ripening fruit within 24-48 hours in summer heat.
• Clean garbage cans with hot water and soap weekly. The residue in trash cans attracts flies and cockroaches.
• If you travel, inspect hotel rooms for bed bugs before unpacking. Check mattress seams and headboard. When you return home, unpack directly into the washing machine, not onto your bed or floor.
• Keep exterior doors closed. NYC restaurant and retail operators: make sure your door closers work and self-closing mechanisms are functional.

WHAT TO DO:

• THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TIME OF YEAR for rodent prevention. Seal every entry point NOW, before temperatures drop and mice commit to indoor living. Check all pipe penetrations, door sweeps, and gaps along baseboards.
• Set monitoring traps (snap traps or glue boards) in high-risk areas: under sinks, behind the stove, in closets along walls. Check weekly.
• Remove outdoor food sources. Bird feeders near buildings attract mice. Fallen fruit from trees should be cleaned up.
• Inspect the exterior of your building for new cracks, gaps, or damage from summer weather.
• Check attic spaces and crawl spaces for signs of squirrel or raccoon entry (gnaw marks on soffits, droppings, nesting material).
• Store summer items (outdoor cushions, grills) in sealed containers or clean them thoroughly before storing indoors.

WHAT TO DO:

• Inspect holiday decorations stored in basements or storage units before bringing them into your apartment. Boxes stored in infested areas can carry cockroaches, spiders, and even mice.
• Check new food purchases carefully. Holiday baking season means buying flour, sugar, nuts, and dried fruit in bulk — all targets for pantry pests. Freeze flour for 48 hours after purchase to kill any eggs.
• Seal gaps around heating pipes and radiators. These often develop gaps as buildings settle and heating pipes expand and contract seasonally.
• Don't stack firewood inside or against the building exterior. Firewood harbors insects (including termites and carpenter ants) and provides harborage for mice.
• Keep holiday food sealed. Cookies, candy, and food gifts left on counters attract mice and cockroaches.
• If you're ordering Christmas trees or wreaths, inspect them for insects before bringing them inside. Aphids, spiders, and other hitchhikers love evergreen foliage.