Is Your Backyard BBQ Ready?

Summer is the best time of the year for outdoor entertaining. If you’re looking forward to your next backyard BBQ, you will want to make sure that your property is ready. We’re not just talking gas for the grill and ice for the cooler- we want you to make sure that your property is pest free! Checking your property for current pest infestations and preventing future infestations is important as you start the summer season. Is your backyard BBQ ready? Here is a checklist of some things that our Las Vegas and Henderson pest professionals recommend for you to do to prevent pests in your yard this summer.

  1. Remove sources of stagnant water from the area to help prevent mosquito swarms. Mosquitoes breed in stagnant water, so you want to check gutters, ditches, puddles and old flower planters for collected rainwater. If you have a birdbath, make sure the water is changed out regularly.
  2. Check around the property for any stinging insect nests. These can be built in the ground or in trees, the side of the home, in gutters or even in your grill- yikes! After you have taken a peek inside, keep the grill closed until you are ready to use it to help prevent any stinging insect surprises on BBQ day.
  3. Replace any window screens in the home that are broken or torn and make sure there is a screen door on all entrances. Open windows and doors are an easy way to let pests right into the home.

Before your BBQ, Graduation Party, summer party or any other outdoor events, we recommend checking around your property for any signs of pest problems. If you find something suspicious, give the pros at Western Exterminator a call. We can help you to prepare your property for outdoor entertainment season and keep uninvited guests such as ants, bees, wasps and mosquitoes from crashing your party!

If you live in Las Vegas or Henderson and would like to learn more about summer pest control services or you would like more info on ant prevention tips, ask a Western Exterminator professional today!

Now don’t forget the gas for the grill and the ice for the coolers and enjoy your summer backyard parties without the annoyance of pests in your yard!

 

Will You Be My Valentine? Weird and Wacky Mating Rituals of Bugs

Forget flowers and chocolates this Valentine’s Day. When it comes to wooing a mate many insect species have their own, unique ways of attracting the opposite sex. In honor of Valentine’s Day, the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) explores some of these strange mating habits.

Bed Bugs

If you’ve ever had a bed bug infestation, you know how quickly a few bugs can turn into hundreds, but what you may not know is just how all those bed bugs came to be. Bed bugs practice a mating behavior known as “traumatic insemination” where the male pierces the abdomen of the female.

Kissing bugs

The name “kissing bug” might lead you to believe we’re talking about a disease you can pick up from smooching your Valentine, but kissing bugs are actually insects. Named for their tendency to bite the faces and lips of humans while they sleep, kissing bugs can cause welts and allergic reactions. This blood meal is necessary for male kissing bugs to mate and for the female kissing bug to lay eggs.

Termites

Female termites release ‘mating pheromones,’ much like perfume, to entice male termites. Once males locate the alluring females, they both break off their wings, symbolizing they are officially a couple.

Fire Ants

In fire ant colonies, the queen ant is in charge of egg laying, and can even control how many male and female eggs she lays. Her goal is to produce another queen, and males are needed to mate and produce a colony. Worker ants, however, have no use for males, which die after mating. When the queen needs males, she can overwhelm the colony with male eggs. The female workers kill many of the males, but they can’t kill them all.

If you live or work in Las Vegas or Henderson and suspect a pest infestation in your home or office, contact Western Exterminator to cut the courtship short. Visit lvpest.com or call us at 702-385-1269 today!

Bug of the Week ~ Giant Katydid

Giant katydids may look a bit frightening, but they are very gentle!  This is the largest species of katydid in the world. These incredible insects come from the forested mountain slopes of tropical Malaysia. During the day, they remain motionless and use their camouflage to avoid predators. At night, they use their long antennae to find food and look for a mate. The males produce an extremely loud, high pitched noise to call for a female.

Katydids are related to grasshoppers, so they look similar, but notice the long antennae and leaf-like appearance of the wings. These characteristics distinguish them from their grasshopper relatives, which have short antennae and wings folded flat over the back.

Most katydids eat leaves, but some are active predators that eat other small insects. Here is Las Vegas, our Katydids are much smaller and can provide natural pest control in the garden. A final interesting note about the katydid is that they can predict the weather. They begin singing about three months before the first hard frost and after it hits, they become silent.