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.

Bug of the Week ~ The Walking Stick

Walking Stick Pest Control Las Vegas Pest Control Western Exterminator Las Vegas Henderson NV
The Australian walking stick mimics leaves.

Although you don’t come across walking sticks often in Las Vegas and Henderson, our pest professionals have spotted the insect on valley trees and shrubs. Stick insects are so named for their effective camouflage among the woody plants where they feed. They’re typically brown, black, or green, with stick-shaped bodies that help them blend in as they perch on twigs and branches. Some even wear lichen-like markings to make their disguise more authentic. Stick insects imitate twigs swaying in the wind by rocking back and forth as they move.

Almost all stick insects have a body that is not exclusively designed for movement or efficiency, but also designed for camouflage. Their body and legs are elongated and some, like the australian walking stick have projections on their legs and body to mimic leaves or other natural occurring material.

Stick insects can shed and regenerate their limbs to escape attacks by predators.

Stick insects can shed and regenerate their limbs. Should a bird or other predator grab hold of a stick insect’s leg, it can still make an easy escape. The stick insect simply gives up the leg, using a special muscle to break it off at a weak joint. Juvenile stick insects will regenerate the missing limb the next time they molt.

Stick insects don’t bite, but they aren’t defenseless.

Stick insects can shed and regenerate their limbs.

If threatened, a stick insect will use whatever means necessary to thwart its attacker. Some will regurgitate a nasty substance that will put a bad taste in a hungry predator’s mouth. Others reflex bleed, oozing a foul-smelling hemolymph from joints in their body. Some of the large, tropical stick insects may use their leg spines, which help them climb, to inflict some pain on an enemy. Stick insects may even direct a chemical spray, much like tear gas, at the offender.

 

Resource: Debbie Hadley / About.com

 

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!

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.