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Bad bug season expected

The chilly, wet spring is meaning a delayed start to the upcoming bug season, but it is expected to be a bad one, once it gets going.

Buffalo, NY — Now that it's finally warming up it's time once again for bug season. And even though it's getting off to a slow start, it may not stay that way.

"They start to wake up, they're hungry, they're looking to collect resources, they go where they can and often that's inside people's homes," said Chris Phillips, Ehrlich Pest Control District Manager and Entomologist.

Phillips explained how the below average Spring monthly temperatures for March and April have delayed the start of the bug season.

"Getting a little bit of a respite from it considering it's been a little cooler... it's just a little bit later out of the gate, a little slower start....we could be two, three weeks behind schedule as far as pest activity goes, but it won't take long for them to catch up once it does turn," Phillips said.

That's because it has been a wet Spring and a very wet year, with above average rain and snow. And nearly 80 percent of the days since January 1st have had rain or snow (or both!) so only about 20 percent of the days were dry. "When you have a wet Spring, that usually is what's going to be what dictates what kind of insect year you are going to have," Phillips said. "I would expect there to be a pretty healthy pest season this year."

That usually includes a healthy year for mosquitoes and ticks.

The bug season usually kicks off with insects such as carpenter ants and stink bugs roaming around.

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