These bugs are trying to get into NJ homes this spring

With spring finally starting to arrive, there's good and bad news — better weather, but also a proliferation of pests that may be trying to get into your living space.

Phil Cooper, CEO of Cooper Pest Solutions in Lawrenceville, said the spring can see a high volume of ants and mice getting into homes.

"While mice come in in the winter, they are continuing to grow in population, and we are seeing just an increased rodent pressure in the northeast," he said. "When a person doing it themselves has reached a point where they cannot get the threshold that they want to reach, it is time to call a professional. A professional company is geared to understand the biology and behavior of an insect and to go to a different level than a home owner may be able to do on their own."

Cooper said he is also hearing reports about a possible surge in the tick population this spring and summer in the northeast.

"Everything is pointing to that, which is not and indoor pest, but it is going to be a huge public health problem. If homes back up to fields or woods, they may want to consider a tick program done by a pest control professional," he said. "People want to stay out of high grass, out of fields, knowing that tick populations are on the increase."

Joe Cutter is the afternoon news anchor at New Jersey 101.5.