Why Fall Pest Control is Important

When the long days of summer draw to a close and the cooler weather of fall approaches, so do fall invading pests. At Western Exterminator we realize that we all have some kind of bug that plagues us, and to understand why fall pest control is so important, you first have to look at the problem. And it’s not pretty.

Mice and rats can get into your walls, chew on wires, and nibble on sheet rock. So, besides being disease carriers that can run through your garage, pantry and food drawers, they can also create problems with your electric, phone, internet, and television wiring. Rodent control discourages and eliminates mice and rats from your home.

Fall invaders also bring viruses and disease.  Cockroaches can passively transport microbes on their body surfaces including pathogens that are potentially dangerous to humans. Cockroaches have many negative consequences for human health because certain proteins (called allergens) found in cockroach feces, saliva and body parts can cause allergic reactions or trigger asthma symptoms, especially in children.

Cockroaches will eat almost any organic matter no matter how rancid. Once inside the home, they will seek out food scraps, unsealed food containers, sugar and grease deposits, pet food, rancid meat, glue and even bookbindings. If you see a clump of pepper-like specs in your kitchen cupboards, it is likely cockroach feces marking their courtship and nearby nesting territory.  Cockroach control can rid your home of these disease producing pests.

In fall, bugs and rodents are looking for a place to hibernate or overwinter and that’s why fall pest control is so important. A pest professional can treat your property and set up devices that watch for harmful insects, like cockroaches, scorpions and spiders. Monitoring insect activity can help to prevent many bugs from entering your home.

Fall Pest Prevention Tips:

  • Screen attic vents and openings to chimneys, and any other areas where homes may be open to the outdoors, like mail slots and animal doors.
  • Keep basements, attics and crawl spaces well ventilated and dry. Pests are attracted to areas of moisture, something they need to survive. Using dehumidifiers in basements and garages will help keep these areas dry.
  • Seal cracks and crevices on the outside of the home using caulk and steel wool. Pay close attention to where utility pipes enter the structure. Some rodents can fit through a hole the size of a dime.
  • Keep kitchen counters clean, store food in airtight containers and dispose of garbage regularly in sealed receptacles. Crumbs and a buildup of garbage are attractive to pests scrounging for food. It is recommended to clean up after each meal and to properly close garbage cans when they are stored in the home or garage.
  • Replace weather-stripping and repair loose mortar around the foundation and windows. These are easy ways to keep not only pests, but also cold air out of the house.
  • Store firewood at least 20 feet away from the house and keep shrubbery well trimmed. Removing areas where pests can hide near your home can reduce the chance of them finding a way inside.
  • Install door sweeps and repair damaged screens. Torn window screens and cracks under doors are an ideal entry point for household pests. When you open the window, you could be letting in more than just fresh air.
  • Inspect items such as boxes of decorations, package deliveries, and grocery bags before bringing them indoors. Pests can find creative ways to get inside a home. Shake out or inspect anything that has been left or stored outside.
  • Avoid leaving pets’ food dishes out for long periods of time. Pests don’t discriminate between people food and cat food. Pet dishes that have been left sitting out are enticing for all kinds of insects and rodents.
  • Have a proper outdoor drainage system. Installing gutters or repairing an existing system will help draw water and moisture away from your home, preventing any leaks or build up that might attract pests.

 

If you live in Las Vegas or Henderson, you don’t have to live in fear of bugs and rodents. Proper fall maintenance can keep your home and your family safe, and bug free. Don’t make the common mistake of stopping pest services during this time of year, a mistake that could easily lead to more serious pest problems. To learn more about protecting your home and family from pests year round, contact us today at 702-385-1269.

 

Cockroaches – A Crawling Asthma and Allergy Trigger

May marks National Allergy and Asthma Awareness Month, and the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) warns families that cockroaches are a leading trigger of allergies and asthma attacks. The pests saliva, droppings and decomposing bodies contain allergen proteins known to trigger allergies and increase the severity of asthma symptoms, especially in children.

According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, a cockroach allergy is a common trigger of year-round allergy and asthma. Additionally, children who are allergic to cockroaches, and are exposed to them, need to go to the hospital for asthma more often than other children with asthma.

“Most people are aware of typical indoor allergens including mold, pet dander, dust and second-hand smoke, but they should also be mindful of any cockroach infestations in their home or other places such as schools,” said Missy Henriksen, vice president of public affairs for the NPMA. “Cockroach allergens are typically found in areas that are hard to see, such as under appliances and sinks, so it’s important to periodically check those areas, keeping them clean and dry.”

Cockroaches also spread disease such as Salmonella by picking up germs on the spines of their legs, easily contaminating food and surfaces that they touch. They spread at least 33 kinds of bacteria, six types of parasitic worms and at least seven other kinds of human pathogens.

Locally, in Las Vegas and Henderson, we have three species of cockroaches that are predominant pests: The American cockroach, which is the largest cockroach species in the southwest, the Oriental cockroach, which is darker and smaller in comparison, and the German cockroach, which is the smallest and most difficult to eradicate.

Predominant cockroach species in Las Vegas and Henderson

American Cockroach

Oriental Cockroach

German Cockroach

Follow these tips to prevent cockroaches from infesting your home:

  • Seal cracks around the outside of the home to prevent pest entryways.
  • Vacuum frequently and dispose of garbage regularly.
  • Keep counters and floors clean and free of crumbs that attract pests.
  • Pay extra attention to kitchens and bathrooms, especially under appliances and sinks as these areas are particularly vulnerable to cockroach infestations.
  • If you suspect an infestation, contact a licensed pest professional to identify the species and recommend a course of treatment.

The above are a few ways you can protect your home from a cockroach infestation. A little work will help to keep roaches out, and your family comfortable. If you want to learn more about cockroaches and the health threats they pose, visit our Pest Identification Library.

Where Do Black Widows Go In Winter?

Black widow spider with her egg sac.
Black widow spider with egg sac.

The black widow spider is perhaps the most feared spider in southern Nevada due to the potency of its venom, which is reported to be 15 times stronger than that of a rattlesnake. If its aggressiveness matched the potency of its venom, humans would be at far greater risk living in the Las Vegas and Henderson area. Fortunately, black widows are shy and will usually only bite humans when their web is disturbed. The black widow loves warmer climates and she’s right at home in our desert, but where does she go in winter?

Habitat

Black widow spiders stay outdoors, for the most part. Widows build irregular erratic looking webs and live in crevices or recesses within rock piles, block walls, sprinkler valve boxes, and undersides of patio furniture. Garages, outdoor sheds and playground equipment are also popular spots to find black widows.

Winter Survival

Black widow spiders go into a state known as overwintering in cold locations. As the weather gets cooler, widow spiders look for warmer locations to hunker down for the season. Once the black widow spider enters a storage shed, garage or home, she may find a suitable place where she can overwinter just like a hibernating bear. The spider’s metabolic rate slows to conserve energy.  Winters don’t harm black widows because they are adapted to live through cold months in a low-energy state. They tuck in their legs and become dormant.

Prevention Tips

Black widow spiders emerge in spring when mating occurs through early summer. Young spiderlings continue to grow into adults during the spring and summer and mature by mid to late summer. Adult widows are most prevalent during late summer and fall. Here are a few tips to prevent an infestation:

  1. Keep your home free of clutter and seal possible entry points.
  2. Install screens and weather stripping to keep spiders and other pests from entering your home.
  3. Always using gloves, remove old boxes and other unwanted items from dark corners of outdoor sheds and garages, reducing the number of places for the spiders to hide.

If you suspect a spider infestation, contact a black widow control specialist immediately. This is the safest way to get rid of black widow spiders in the home.

How To Get Rid Of Fruit Flies

Fruit flies only live for about 30 days, but they multiply quickly.
Fruit flies only live for about 30 days, but they multiply quickly.

Do fruit flies tend to beat you to the fruit bowl? Once they settle in, these uninvited guests know how to overstay their welcome. Learn what you can do to prevent a fruit fly infestation.

Fruit Fly Habits and Behavior

Fruit flies get their common name from their small size and fondness of some fruits. Fruit flies are found on moist, decaying matter that has been stationary for several days, and are especially attracted to rotting fruits and vegetables.

Fruit flies don’t sneak into your home through gaps and cracks in your exterior walls and foundation the way other insects do. They can be found on fruit in the form of eggs then hatch when the conditions are right. These tiny flies only live for about 30 days, however, they multiply quickly. Consider the fact that a single female fruit fly can lay hundreds of eggs in her brief lifetime, and each time she lays another batch, they only take about 24 hours to hatch. This means one fruit fly egg that hatches can produce a swarm, seemingly out of nowhere, in just a few days.

Fruit Fly Threats

Fruit flies are found in unsanitary conditions, so they are a potential heath concern, especially when present in health facilities.

Fruit Fly Prevention and Removal

Looking to get rid of fruit flies in the home? Fruit flies are best prevented through vigilant sanitation practices. The key to effective removal of fruit flies is to find their breeding ground. This might mean doing things like cleaning the kitchen counters and cleaning and sterilizing garbage cans and dumpsters.

Remove any over-ripe fruit that is in the house, too. Fruit flies prefer to breed beneath the skin of fruit that has started to go rotten. This also means picking up any rotten fruit lying on the ground around your home.

Fruit flies love to use drains for breeding purposes, too. If your drains have not been cleaned in a while, this could be why fruit flies are finding your home or building particularly attractive. Although they are called fruit flies, they will find almost anything food-related attractive. This includes soda and sugary substances.

Keep Fruit Refrigerated Until Ready for Use

To avoid a fruit fly infestation keep kitchen counters, sinks and floors clean and wipe up any sugary substances. Wash dishes after use and avoid leaving in your sink overnight. Keep fruits and vegetables refrigerated until ready for use and throw out any rotting produce in trash bin with a tight fitting lid. Follow these steps and you should be able to enjoy the fruits of summer free of these annoying pests!

How Do Bees Make Honey?

Bees are the only insect in the world that make food that people can eat – honey. We all have honey in our cupboards. Maybe we add it to our tea or drizzle it on our toast, but how do bees make honey?

Honey gets its start as flower nectar, which is collected by bees.

Bees gather nectar from flowers using their straw-like proboscis. Worker bees drink the liquid nectar and store it in a special stomach called the honey stomach. With a full belly, the worker bee heads back to the hive and regurgitates the nectar into a cell of the honeycomb, where it’s naturally broken down into simple sugars and stored. The unique design of the honeycomb, coupled with constant fanning by the bees’ wings, causes evaporation to take place, creating the thick, sweet liquid we know as honey.

Bees work hard to make honey.

A honeybee visits between 50 and 100 flowers during one collection flight from the hive. In order to produce one pound of honey, two million flowers must be visited and it takes about 12 bees their entire lifetime to produce one teaspoon of honey. 

Sources:

“How Honey Is Made” National Honey Board 

“How Do Bees Make Honey” About.com