Ah, fall is in the air—it’s crisp outside, the leaves are falling and those summertime bugs have disappeared. But that could just mean that this season’s bugs have moved indoors to keep warm. In fact, fall is prime time for an increase in insect and pest problems for both homeowners and commercial property owners. Once inside your home, a few pests can quickly turn into an out of control infestation leading to costly property damage and a big headache.
Don’t let a pest infestation ruin your week—seek a pest inspection immediately. With this in mind, here are four of the most common fall pests that may require professional pest control services in Bartlesville, OK.
Bed bugs
Of all the possible fall insect infestations, bed bugs are considered one of the worse. These tiny crawlers are hard to control once they’ve multiplied, and what’s even more irritating is that they are known to hitchhike their way into your home on a number of things from many different places. They come back home with you from workplaces, schools, hotels and movie theaters on bags, luggage, clothing and even your shoes.
Because bed bugs secrete an anesthetic when they bite, you may not even know you’ve been bitten until you notice a cluster of itchy welts on your body after you wake up. Bed bugs can spread disease, so call a pest exterminator immediately and consider visiting a doctor about the bites.
Cockroaches
Cockroaches are another common and dangerous pest you may run into during the fall months. They will bite, they smell and they’re said to carry more than 30 kinds of bacteria that are responsible for causing respiratory problems. And although cockroaches favor dark, damp places, they prefer living in such conditions inside your home instead of outside in direct contact with the elements. Seal up house cracks and repair pipe leaks in your plumbing to prevent a cockroach infestation.
Ants
Ants are annoying, to say the least, and there’s rarely just one or two—instead, your countertop is likely to be covered in moving black dots and a thick dark trail leading from a crack in the window frame. After all, they too want out of the chilly fall weather! Collecting food for the nest is another reason for an ant invasion. To avoid ants taking over your home, make sure to seal leftovers in airtight containers, keep the inside and outside of your home clean, seal up cracks in the foundation and replace worn window weather stripping.
Rodents and small mammals
Rats, mice and even squirrels may seek shelter from the cold and rain up in your home’s attic and in crawlspaces. They tear through attic insulation and will rip up your fabric and paper items to make a cozy nest, not to mention raiding your pantry for food. Since diseases from rodent mites, ticks, fleas and lice are a health concern—and because these animals reproduce quickly—contact a local pest control company as soon as you suspect an infestation.
Do you think you may need to bring in the pros for pest control services in Bartlesville, OK? Don’t hesitate to contact us at D & Q Pest Control, Inc. today!
While exterminators can certainly help you to eliminate pests within your home, there are a variety of steps you can take charge of yourself to better manage the threat that pests pose to your home. For example, all pests (insect and animal alike) are similar in that they are drawn to food, water and shelter. By removing one or more of these things they’re looking for, you can reduce the chances of pests getting into your home.
Here are some tips for more effective pest control in Bartlesville, OK:
- Clean up food: Always make sure you clean up crumbs and any food debris from your food preparation and dining areas as soon as possible. Rinse and clean all dishes, pots and pans every day, and make sure food is stored properly in containers in cabinets and the refrigerator. This will help keep away pests that are drawn by the scent of your food.
- Take out the trash: Make sure you take out your garbage regularly, so it does not build up and create a smell in your home that attracts pests. Outside, make sure all your garbage containers are secured and latched, and that they are kept at least a few feet away from your home if possible.
- Address standing water: Do not allow standing water to collect near your home’s foundation or crawlspaces. Standing water attracts bugs and other pests, and can also seep through the ground next to your home and cause structural damage, so it’s best to remove this water as soon as it begins gathering.
- Take care with firewood storage: Never stack or store firewood against your foundation. Insects often make their home in firewood stacks, particularly potentially damaging insects like termites.
- Store pet food appropriately: It’s not just human food that attracts pests! Mice and insects will be drawn to the presence of cat or dog food as well. Extra food should always be stored in a hard plastic or metal tamper-proof container. This is especially important if you have “outdoor” pets, or if you have feeders for wild animals. If you notice pests starting to move in to these feeders, remove them for a few weeks so the pests stop coming by.
- Patch up or address holes: If you have any holes in your foundation or you notice there are spots where pests could potentially get into ventilation in your home, make sure you patch up those holes or address the vulnerabilities as soon as you can. You do not want to provide these pests with easy access to places where they can live and, ultimately, breed and cause even more headaches for you down the road.
These are just a few tips that can help you engage in more effective pest control in Bartlesville, OK. For more tips and information, reach out to our team today at D & Q Pest Control, Inc. We are happy to answer any questions you have for us about our services.
It’s every homeowner’s worst nightmare—there are furry or multi-legged, winged critters living inside your walls. Sounds like you may have a pest problem on your hands! To avoid extreme damage and costly home repairs, it’s crucial that a pest infestation be detected early—here are the top five signs you need to call a pest control service in Bartlesville, OK:
- Property damage: Critters like rodents and termites are the most common culprits of wood damage to your home, inside and outside. Fresh chew marks and piles of sawdust are indications that something—rats, mice, raccoons or squirrels—has been gnawing on your house, likely in order to get deep within to make a home for their family. Even tiny pests are trouble. Thin tunnels along your walls scream “termites,” and this type of destruction can weaken building structures or lead to wood rot. And inside you may find chewed wiring, clothing or furniture, or ravaged pantry food items.
- Insect parts: Pay close attention to certain areas when cleaning your house. For example, insects tend to drop dead not far from where they built their nest in your home. You should also inspect windowsills and glass door tracks, since bugs are attracted to natural light. Whether you’re finding whole bug bodies or a variety of body parts, finding excessive insect remains inside or around the outside of your home means it’s time to call a pest control service in Bartlesville, OK for an evaluation.
- Droppings and urine: You may never actually see the rodents or insects that are living inside your home, but there’s a good chance you will come upon their waste. Identifying the existence of pests is made easy by urine spots found near large kitchen appliances or droppings that create a trail leading to holes in cabinets and cracks in the wall. This is not only unsightly—it’s also a cause for health concerns.
- Nests: Although a creature or insect colony made its way inside your home, pests will still need to build themselves a nest. You might hear faint scratching and biting sounds or notice torn pieces of paper, boxes or cloth around the house—this could be pests collecting nesting materials. From termites tunneling a living space into wood beams to rats ripping up your attic insulation to use in their nests, you should take swift action to evict any unwanted guests.
- Pest sightings: Breaking and entering, sneaking around and hiding are talents that most household pests share. If you do see a small animal or unusual insect scurrying through the house, it’s almost guaranteed that there are more nearby. But if you see insects like termites, ants and cockroaches, the likelihood of an infestation is pretty high, especially since these kinds of insects prefer to stay out of sight—that is, unless the nest has grown so large that it has become overcrowded and bugs are spilling out.
Whether you own a newer home or an older property, the signs of a pest problem are the same, even if an old house may be more susceptible. Don’t ignore these signs. For the most reliable pest control service in Bartlesville, OK, give us a call at D & Q Pest Control, Inc. today.