April showers bring May flowers, but they can also bring an onslaught of pesky, harmful bugs.
Because of the mild winter coupled with an early spring, the bug population is up, and ticks that have traditionally been killed off due to very cold winters spanning several months are thriving. You may have seen fleas and ticks all winter, but they are really multiplying with the warm weather. Fleas can hatch indoors all year long, and ticks can survive outdoors under the snow and leaf litter especially if the winter is mild.
An early spring can also benefit insects because they are physically larger, and multigenerational insects have extra time to produce more offspring, and may produce higher pest densities later in the season.
They are hardy and active, so watch your pets and be sure to treat them for heartworms, fleas, and ticks.
Make sure your pet is on year-round heartworm preventative medicine as well as a flea and tick control program. Ask your veterinarian to recommend a plan designed specifically for your pet.