Protect your home and yard from pesky invaders.
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Extreme cold warnings and cold weather advisories have been commonplace in the U.S. this winter. However, according to The Weather Channel, 171 daily high temperature records have already been broken across the country in 2026 (compared to only 41 daily low temperature records broken this year).
While the cold weather is causing a proliferation of certain critters trying to find shelter inside of your home – a warmer-than-average winter across most of the U.S. means that some pests are also trying to gain access as they prepare for their birthing seasons.
Part 1 of this series identified 3 critters trying to access your home this winter to prepare for birthing seasons, and explained how to keep them out.
Part 2 identifies 5 pests that can wreak havoc in your home and yard, along with practical pest management tips.
Pest #1: Grubs
Thankfully, grubs won’t invade your home, but they can certainly wreak havoc on your lawn. “Grubs are a common term for beetle larvae and could describe Japanese Beetles, June Beetles, and other beetle pests,” explains Emma Grace Crumbley, entomologist at Mosquito Squad Plus.
If you’re trying to identify them, she tells me that grubs are chunky, soft-bodied, and usually pale or white with a brown or dark colored head. You can usually find them near the soil, around 4 to 8 inches deep in the ground, where they’re feeding on the roots of various plants, like grasses. “When a grub eats a plant root, the plant will receive less water and nutrients from the soil and will therefore wilt and die — which can leave large bald patches in grass lawns,” she says.
Those beetle eggs that were laid during the fall usually remain in the grub stage throughout the winter. “Cold temperatures slow their development into adult beetles and drive them deeper into the soil, where they overwinter and remain dormant until soil temperatures rise again in the spring.” However, since much of the U.S. is experiencing an unseasonably warm winter and fewer periods of deep ground freezing, Crumbley says you can expect grubs to emerge earlier than they would following a colder winter. “Other garden pests, such as aphids, that are also influenced by soil temperature are likely to follow a similar pattern with warmer temperatures triggering increased activity as soon as March,” she warns.
Prevention is always the best method for controlling grubs — and since they thrive in well-irrigated, moist soil environments, check your lawn’s soil irrigation. “Highly irrigated lawns are more susceptible to grub infestations than drier, less irrigated lawns,” Crumbley explains. She admits that your grass and garden need water to look green and stay healthy, but says that overly watered areas or areas where water pools and floods can create overly moist environments that are ideal for beetle grubs.
“For product recommendations and chemical yard treatments, I always recommend contacting a pest control professional,” Crumbley says.
Pest #2: Rats (Particularly The Norway Rat)
It doesn’t seem that rodents, like rats, ever take a season off. However, Crumbley explains that like other pests, they’re sensitive to temperatures and want to head inside during the colder months in search of shelter, warmth, and food. And she points to Norway rats, in particular as a species to be aware of in 2026.
“The Norway rat, also known as the sewer rat, is the largest of the commensal rodents, measuring anywhere from 8 to 12 inches long from snout to tail.” Crumbley says. “These rodents tend to infest the lowest parts of homes, digging burrows underground or taking advantage of uneven foundations and large holes under trees and pavement.” She explains that Norway rats are more temperature-sensitive than other rodents, so as soon as temps start warming up, they’ll be the first to show up in yards looking for new food sources.
Norway rats tend to create large burrows, so you can look around your yard for burrow signs and activity. “Burrows will look like large holes dug directly next to the home or under concrete slabs, such as sidewalks, driveways, and patios,” Crumbley explains.
If you find a hole, but don’t see a rat, there’s a way to test if the hole is active. “Ball up a piece of paper and put it directly on top of the hole; the next day, if the paper was moved, you know for sure that you’ve found an active burrow,” she says. And there are other types of activity that can indicate the presence of rats as well, such as gnaw marks on cables and trash cans, grease marks along the sides of the house or fences, and droppings.
“Some steps you can take to mitigate a rodent problem include checking that trash cans seal completely when closed and don’t have any holes for rodents to get into, cleaning up pet waste and litter that may attract rodents to your yard, and storing food that’s outside (like pet food or bird food) in rigid plastic containers to prevent rats from getting inside.”
She admits that rodent control is not an easy DIY project. “If you suspect Norway rat activity, the best course of action is to call a professional pest control company to help you control the rodents in and around your yard,” Crumbley says.
Pest # 3: Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes are unwelcome any time of the year, and Crumbley says 2026 is shaping up to be another heavy year for these pesky insects. “Extreme weather events in late 2025, namely snowstorms and high precipitation, have added more moisture to the environment and cleared new spaces for watersheds to establish,” she explains. “Combined with a generally warmer winter and above-average soil temperatures, particularly in Eastern and Central regions where the ground has not remained consistently frozen, conditions are ideal for mosquito populations to rebound.”
In fact, Crumbley warns that homeowners can expect to see a noticeable surge in mosquitoes as soon as ground temperatures consistently reach 50 degrees F – and they’ll begin their spring activity.
“To prevent mosquitoes from infesting your yard, check for areas of standing water or ambient moisture left over from winter.” Not all standing water or ambient moisture may be readily apparent. For example, flooded parts of the yard, unmelted snow piles in shady areas, and water trapped in clogged gutters and downspouts are some of the areas that she recommends checking.
“Removing standing water removes mosquito breeding grounds and reduces the likelihood of mosquitoes swarming your yard come spring.”
Crumbley recommends calling in the pros when your mosquito problem is too big to handle on your own – or when taking the DIY route can pose health risks. “Mosquitoes can carry a number of infectious diseases, and those in areas susceptible to West Nile Virus, Dengue, and Eastern Equine Encephalitis should not hesitate to call a pest control professional if they have a mosquito problem,” she says.
Pest #4: Subterranean Termites
There are many termite species, but in 2026, Crumbley warns that it’s the subterranean termite that should concern you the most. “These pests infest from underground, where they find and eat exposed wood within the soil,” she says. “These pests are typically not as active during the winter months, slowing down their metabolism and waiting for warmer weather before they start exploring and infesting homes.” And here’s a sobering thought: in the absence of a colder winter, Crumbley explains that subterranean termites are much harder to suppress, and will be far more active in the spring.
Diligent surveillance can help you detect a termite infestation and control it early, before it gets out of hand. “When looking for signs of a subterranean termite infestation, check the lowest parts of the home, including basements, crawl spaces, garages, and subterranean levels,” Crumbley says. She explains that termites get in through tiny cracks in foundations or by infesting wood touching the soil directly. “Check for cracks in the floor, areas with wood-to-ground contact, and along walls for mud tubes containing termites.”
If you’re planning a home renovation this year – check out the Houzz Home Design Trend Predictions for 2026 – Crumbley recommends using pressure-treated wood or a non-wood alternative building material, which will reduce the chances of termites in the future.
Pest #5: Invasive Species – Spotted Lanternflies (Lycorma Delicatula)
Over a decade ago (2014), Crumbley says spotted lanternflies were introduced to Pennsylvania from East Asia. “Five years later, seven states reported spotted lanternfly sightings; in 2024, a total of 20 states across the US reported spotted lanternflies as an invasive pest, which jumped to 21 states in 2025.” In fact, the swarm was so dense in September, 2025 that the lanternflies showed up on the weather radar in Washington, DC.
In 2026, Crumbley warns that if spotted lanternflies aren’t in your state yet, it’s quite possible that they will arrive sooner than you think.
“Spotted lanternflies are true bugs in the family Hemiptera, the same classification as stink bugs and cicadas,” she explains. “These pests are 1-1.5 inches long and are identified by their chunky black bodies with bright red wings.” And here’s why they’re so problematic: Crumbley says they are polyphagous herbivores that can feed on over 103 plant and tree species, including fruit trees and fruiting vines. “These pests also like to cluster on the vegetation they infest, leading to spotted lanternfly swarms and dense populations in localized areas.”
Preventing these spotted lanternflies from spreading requires a multipronged approach. “Capture them or take a picture to report them to your state’s Department of Agriculture or Natural Resources,” Crumbley says. “Many states recommend capturing SLFs in plastic water bottles or baggies, sealing the containers, and throwing them away.”
While these insects wouldn’t usually come into your home on purpose, in a high pest density area, they may meander in through an open door or window, as well as through gaps – like you’d find around a window air conditioning unit.
“To prevent accidental invasions, seal unwanted entry points and consider adding a mesh or screen to open doors and windows,” Crumbley says. And to protect susceptible plants, she recommends adding nets, mesh, or tarps to cover plants during peak seasons. Several pest control companies also offer spotted lanternfly treatments.
Pest #6: Invasive Species – Exotic Fruit Flies (Family Tephritidae)
In 2025, Crumbley says a new invasive insect began making waves in California. “For the first time in years, over a hundred separate fruit fly invasions were detected by the USDA,” she explains. “This sudden increase in exotic fruit flies comes as the United States Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection changed their enforcement policies when declaring imported fruits and vegetables from outside of the US.”
Even though imported products still have to be declared, she explains that participation and enforcement efforts have declined – and this has allowed these pests to hitchhike into the country on exotic produce and other goods. “Surveys in Florida showed that most cases of exotic fruit flies originated from fruit that travelers brought from overseas, rather than from high-volume imports of exotic goods,” Crumbley says.
You may be accustomed to those tiny fruit flies that may hover in your kitchen, but she explains that exotic fruit flies are quite different: they’re large, colorful, and pose a massive agricultural threat. “The USDA APHIS claims that exotic fruit flies can feed on over 400 different types of major crops, from plants in your backyard garden to crops important for many agricultural industries.” Crumbley recommends that you be on the lookout for these insects, since wet conditions, combined with an unseasonably warm winter, will allow both fruit flies and exotic fruit flies to become established, and then thrive when the temperature warms up.
“By declaring any fruits, vegetables, or other organic products you may have with you after coming back from a vacation or travel outside the U.S., you can help prevent the accidental introduction and spread of exotic fruit flies,” Crumbley says. And if you think they’re flying around in your home or yard, she recommends taking pictures, capturing them when possible, and contacting your local extension agency or your state’s Department of Agriculture or Natural Resources.
“For other fly problems, fruit fly or otherwise, remove any moist, organic material that may be attracting the flies,” Crumbley advises. This includes spoiled food in the trash, rotting fruit on the counter, and even pet waste in the backyard. And if the problem becomes too big to handle, call in the pros.
If you skipped Part 1 of this series, here’s the link.
