8 Tips for Pest Proofing Your Home For Winter

As the weather gets colder here in the Las Vegas and Henderson areas, people will want to spend more time indoors, and unfortunately, so will common pests and rodents. Insects such as cockroaches, spiders, and scorpions; and rodents like mice, and roof rats will seek shelter to survive the winter, and there’s nothing more inviting than a warm cozy home.

Keeping Pests Out Of Your Homecockroach exterminators las vegas nevada and henderson NV

Insects and rodents alike can introduce diseases and bacteria into your home, and can also cause a lot of damage. Understanding how to keep these pests out is the first step to ensuring a comfortable, pest free winter.

Below are 8 pest proofing tips to make sure that bugs and rodents stay out of your home this winter.

  1. Make sure needed ventilation points are screened off on the exterior of your home. Attic vents, foundation vents, roof soffits and other exterior entry points should be inspected to make sure they’re in good condition.
  2. Keep your garage and crawl space dry. Insects and rodents are attracted to places they know they can get water. Keeping these areas dry, and free from excessive humidity, will help to detract these unwanted pests.
  3. Seal up any cracks in siding, stucco, and piping. Using exterior grade silicon is a quick solution to stopping entry.
  4. Keep food preparation and storage areas clean and tidy. Leaving food and crumbs out is an invitation to pests like cockroaches, ants, and rodents. Keeping dry foods stored in airtight containers is also recommended.
  5. Inspect your windows and doors. Weather stripping, damaged window frames, and doors that don’t close correctly are all easy entry points to your home. Replace or repair window screens for an added level of protection.
  6. Keep landscaping materials and plants away from your house. Keeping trees, bushes and plants trimmed so they don’t touch your home is an easy and effective way to keep pests away. Trim tree branches back away from your roof. Don’t make it easy for rodents to access your roof.
  7. Don’t let pests hitch a ride into your home. Bringing in the holiday decorations from the garage or storage shed? Make sure pests don’t hitch a ride in storage containers, just one spider can spawn hundreds of babies.
  8. Don’t leave pet food outside, and keep bird feeders away from your house. Rodents love any food, so leaving these items outside is an open invitation to a never ending buffet.

Do It Yourself & Keep The Pests Out of Your Home

The above are a few ways you can protect your home from pests moving in this winter. A little work will help to keep the bugs and rodents out, and your family comfortable. However, if you do encounter a pest or rodent problem this winter, seeking the advice of an experienced pest control company can help you rid of these unwanted visitors.

Are Daddy Longlegs Dangerous Spiders?

The most persistent myth surrounding “daddy longlegs” is that they are the world’s most venomous spider and we’re only safe from their bite, we are told, because their fangs are too small and weak to break through human skin.

It turns out that the notion is false on both counts. But a little clarification is needed.

In order to understand this notion, it first must be determined what a Daddy Longlegs is.  According to Wikipedia, Daddy Longlegs can be referred to as any one of the following:

  • Opillones – these are an order of arachnids, more commonly known as Harvestmen
  • Pholcidae – an order of spiders more commonly known as Cellar Spiders
  • Crane Fly – a member of the family of insects in the order of Diptera

Daddy Longlegs is just a nickname, so let’s get scientific

As we can see from above, Daddy Longlegs is just a nickname, and can include any one of the above insects, so to understand if Daddy Longlegs are indeed dangerous, we should look at each insect separately to determine the answer to this question.

Opillones – Harvestmendaddy longlegs Opiliones spider control exterminators in Las Vegas Henderson Nevada

Harvestmen can be found on every contentment in the world, excluding Antarctica. There have been over 6,500 different documented species of Harvestmen worldwide, and the true number of different species is thought to exceed 10,000.  Harvestmen have been documented as far back as 400 million years through various fossils, which shows their basic body structure has changed very little since then.

Are Harvestmen venomous?

In short the answer to this question is no. This is a fable that has spread, which states a Harvestmen’s fangs are too short, or too frail to pierce a humans skin, and if these fangs were able to pierce the skin, their venom would be among the most dangerous in the world. Of all the different species of Harvestmen researched, not one of them has venom glands. Harvestmen also do not have hollow fangs to transmit venom, instead Harvestmen use their fangs as grasping claws.

Pholcidae – Cellar Spiders

Pholcidae, often referred to as Cellar Spiders as also commonly known as Daddy Longlegs.  Spiders from this family are fragile, and a range in body size from 2 to 10 mm. Their body can differ in shape depending on the group they belong to.  Legs on these spiders have been documented up to 50mm in length.

Are Cellar Spiders venomous?

Cellar Spiders are spiders, so yes they are venomous.  The real question should be: is the venom toxic enough to affect a human, and what kind of reaction would it produce when compared to other venomous spiders?

In 2004, the Discovery Channel’s television series, Myth Busters aired an episode that tested the urban legend of the Cellar Spiders venom. In this episode, Adam Savage stuck his hand in a container of Cellar Spiders, and noted that he felt a bite that produced a short lived burning sensation, but nothing else. It was also noted during the episode that these spiders’ fangs measured approximately 0.25mm in length, while the average human skin thickness ranges between 0.5 to 4mm in thickness.

Crane Flies

Crane flies resemble an oversized mosquito and are found worldwide.  Crane flies are often referred to a Mosquito Hawks, Mosquito Eaters, Gallnipper, and Gollywhoppers.  They sometimes are also referred to as Daddy Longlegs, because of their long legged appearance.

Are Crane Flies Venomous?

No they’re not, Crane Flies are an invasive flying insect, not a spider.  Crane fly larvae live in the top layers of soil where they feed on roots, root hairs, and crops. The larvae can harm the growth of everything from normal lawns, to agricultural crops.  Other than agricultural losses and damage to ornamental landscape plants, crane flies pose no threat to humans.

Roof Rats Moving Into Your Home?

How to tell if you have a Roof Rat problem

Once the weather starts to cool off here in Las Vegas and Henderson, Roof Rats will be on the move, looking for warmer areas to build nests. Roof rats often construct their nests in attics of homes as they offer protection from the cooler temperatures outside, as well as ample room to nest.  These unwelcome house guests can wreak havoc on a home, and any other place they nest due to their destructive nature.  These pesky rodents chew on anything from home electrical wiring, to structural beams, drywall, and more.  They constantly chew and gnaw just about anything to keep their front teeth from growing too long.

How Roof Rats Get Into Your Home

Roof Rats, as their name implies, prefer living higher off the ground.  These vermin rodents can travel via power lines, tree tops, roofs, and even by ground nesting and breeding to create ever growing populations, which can spread out like a plague.  If you’re a home owner, or business that’s been infested by Roof Rats, it’s a pretty good bet that homes or businesses around you have the same problem.

Signs of a Roof Rat Problem

If you’re not paying attention, a Roof Rat infestation can go unnoticed for a while, but will eventually manifest itself in one way or another, often with costly repairs to your home or vehicle(s).  Understanding the telltale signs of a Roof Rat problem early can help you decide quickly the best solution for your specific issue.

Inspecting Your Home or Business Property.  This seems simple enough, but understanding the signs you’re looking for can make this task much easier to identify if you have a problem quickly.

  1. Chew or gnaw marks in or around your homes exterior.  Roof Rats will enter your home any way they can.  Chew marks and holes on roof vents, soffits, crawlspace vents, siding, garage doors, and HVAC ducting can point to entry into the home by these rodents.  Chew and gnaw marks on trees can also point to Roof Rat activity on your property as they like to hang out in the tops of trees.  Roof Rats can enter your home through a hole as small as ¾ of an inch, so often a thorough inspection is required.
  2. Signs of nesting.  Roof Rats are looking for shelter, especially when nights get cooler.  Las Vegas and Henderson residents often will find signs of nesting activity in: BBQ’s, vehicles parked for longer periods, boats, and storage areas.  If these rodents take up nesting in one of these areas, they almost always will cause destruction as they can chew through expensive electrical cords, circuits, hoses and more.
  3. Noises in the night.  Roof Rats are nocturnal  and active during the evening and night hours, as they prefer to move around when there is less human activity.  Many customers of Western Exterminator have reported that they hear scratching and moving around in the ceiling/attic areas, as well as walls, and storage areas.
  4. Foul smell.  Where Roof Rats lives, they will also die.  If you’re smelling a foul smell, often described as a rotten asparagus smell, you may have a Roof Rat infestation.  This smell will often get worse when a homes HVAC system is turned on as the smell will circulate throughout a room, or section of the home. It’s notable to say this isn’t always the case depending on what type of heating and cooling system you use.

What to do if you have a Roof Rat Infestation

Rats in general are very hearty and resourceful rodents. Removing basic essentials such as food, water, and shelter are key to making sure your property is not a suitable place for them to live.  Keeping pet food secure, garbage cans secure, and cleaning up any fruits and vegetable material will keep them looking for food elsewhere.  Roof Rats can survive on very little water, so making sure that your home does not possess a water source is important to keeping them away.  Water dishes, bird baths, fountains, leaky sprinklers / irrigation, and even leaky faucets all provide a readily available water source for rats.

Removing the Current Roof Rat populationroof rat exterminators in Las Vegas and Henderson NV

This can be a tricky endeavor. Many home owners are tempted to use over- the-counter poisons and treatments to get rid rodents from their homes. Using over-the-counter poisons present three real dangers. First, if you have pets and/or children, you must be extremely careful not to inadvertently pose a risk to those family members. Second, if you’re successful in getting the rat(s) to consume the poison, they will most likely return to your home, their nesting place, to die. This often leaves home owners with a putrid smell and the discovery of dead rodents that need to be removed.  Third, as a home owner, how can you know for sure that all of the Roof Rats have been eradicated?

Enlisting the Help of a Roof Rat Extermination Professional

Many home owners in the Las Vegas and Henderson area will often opt to hire a professional extermination company that is trained to deal with Roof Rats.  These professionals will understand the nesting and feeding habits of this rodent, and know the telltales signs to look for when determining the entry points to your home.  It’s this knowledge, along with different removal techniques, that allow a home owner to choose the best option to fit their needs. This makes professional extermination an attractive option for people dealing with Roof Rat infestations.

Along with the removal of the current Roof Rat population, a trained rodent control professional will be able to offer sound advice on how to make sure your home isn’t overrun by these unwelcome house guests again.

Identifying a Brown Recluse Spider versus a Desert Brown Spider

The media hype surrounding the Brown Recluse Spider, along with the often mis-identification of spider bites has led to a large amount of unwarranted hysteria surrounding this particular spider. Here at Western Exterminator we often get asked questions regarding this infamous spider and how to identify it, and in particular how to tell it apart from its close relative, the Desert Brown Spider.

It is also notable that Brown Recluse Spiders are not nearly as prevalent in Southern Nevada, Las Vegas and Henderson as the Desert Brown Spider.

Identifying Characteristics of the Brown Recluse Spider

The Brown Recluse – Violin Markingdesert brown spider pest Western Exterminator of Las Vegas las vegas henderson nv brown recluse spider

Many people misidentify the Brown Recluse Spider just based upon the Violin, often referred to as Fiddle markings on the spider’s body, technically referred to as a cephalothorax. The spiders legs, eyes, and mouth fangs are attached to the cephalothorax.  The color of this Violin shape will be dark brown in color. Other identifying characterizes of the Brown Recluse Spider are listed below:

  • Color of spider will be uniform, light tan to dark brown
  • Long thin legs
  • Oval abdomen, with no markings
  • 3 sets of eyes
  • Spiders abdomen will be uniform in color, with fine hairs
  • The spiders legs are smooth, with no spines
  • Spiders legs will be uniformly colored
  • Spiders body will measure no more than 1/2 of an inch in length
  • And, of course there will be a dark brown Violin shape on the spiders cephalothorax

Identifying Characteristics of the Desert Brown Spider

The desert brown spider may or may not have a violin marking.
The desert brown spider may or may not have a violin marking.

Closely related to the Brown Recluse Spider is the Desert Brown Spider, they’re from the same Genus: Loxosceles. Just like Brown Recluse Spiders, the Desert Brown Spider can (not always) have a Violin shaped marking on its cephalothorax, but often it is much lighter in color when compared to the dark brown markings on a Brown Recluse. As both are from the same family and genus of spiders, many of the characteristics are the same.
Desert Brown Spiders are typically yellowish-brown to tan in color, and measure the same size as a Brown Recluse at up to ½ an inch in length.

Bites from these spiders

Desert Brown Spiders are much more prevalent in the Las Vegas area, when compared to the Brown Recluse. In either event, both spiders are dangerous as their bites are necrotic. Bites from this family of spiders can cause severe tissue damage, which can result in a large open sore called a necrotic lesion.

Desert Brown Spider & Brown Recluse Extermination

The dangers associated with having these types of spiders in your home warrants asking for professional help for many home owners. Enlisting the help of a professional pest control company can help home owners identify areas of concern, and treatment options to keep these unwanted visitors out of your home.