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Pest Control Problems During the Spring

Monday, March 22nd, 2010

Spring is the time of year when flowers bloom, babies are born, and new pests start to invade. The sad part about spring for homeowners is that pests become a big problem. Like new vegetation and new babies, there are new pests. Some may have been hibernating for the winter, while others can’t survive the cold of the winter, and still others are just more of the same pests from last season.

Spring Pest Control Problems.

Spring brings beautiful flowers, but it often brings out many insects who like to feed on these flowers.

So while some pests have gone away for the winter and did not seem to be much of a problem they will be back in action now that it’s spring.

Homeowners need to be extra cautious inside their homes during spring cleaning as many pests are awakening from their winter hibernation. Moving boxes and other items stored away for the winter you may discover pests or evidence of pests. Be extremely cautious as some of these pests can bite or sting if they are disturbed.

One reason for the increase in pest activity is that spring is reproduction season. Pests will want to get back outdoors, because many of them will not reproduce within a home and they need to start that process outside in a more natural environment.

Within a few weeks people will start to see populations double or triple as pests will be reproducing at high rates, and remember some pests reproduce many multiples of eggs at once. This becomes a problem because there will be more pests to get rid of. Make sure to call your local pest control agency to come out and help with the problem.

Spring Pest Control Problems

Even cacti will bloom flowers. Many rodents and insects will use cacti as a place to live so be very cautious around cacti.

Another reason pest problems rise in the spring is the new vegetation that is growing and blooming. This is a huge attraction for pests. Hornets, wasps and bees particularly like the fresh pollen on flowers. People will see an increase of these pests wherever flowers can be found. If you have flowers on your property, especially near your home, be extra cautious. Like many other pests, bees don’t like to be disturbed and if they are, they will go into attack mode. Also the new vegetation is a food source for many other pests and insects.

Not only is the new vegetation tempting, but any old vegetation left over from winter such as rotting citrus or compost, can attract pests. Make sure to monitor anything that you are growing, as some pests can be good for plants etc. while others can be bad. If you have bushes, trees, or plants growing make sure to maintain their growth. Homeowners do not want to let them grow wild, as many trees and plants are used by pests for homes and traveling paths. Keep them trimmed, and most importantly make sure no leaves, branches, etc. are touching the house, roof, or surrounding walls.

These steps are basic prevention tips to help keep most pests from getting inside your home. Some homeowners will go as far as having a low maintenance yard. For instance, you may decide to not have trees or bushes. But there are other ways to keep a low maintenance yard and still have some vegetation. Check out our prevention tips to help maintain your home from being an open door to pests. These steps can also be used year-round, which is extremely helpful so that come spring your home is already set to prevent any pests from getting in. Following is a list of the most common spring pests by state:

If you do not see the state you reside in on this list please check back as more states are still being added to our database. Also the database is still adding more and more pests, so if you have a problem with a pest and don’t see it listed in the database please continue to visit www.localpestcontrolservices.com as pests are continually being added.

Pictures courtesy of www.creativecommons.org

Posted in Alabama Pest Control, Alaska Pest Control, Arizona Pest Control, Arkansas Pest Control, California Pest Control, Colorado Pest Control, Connecticut Pest Control, Delaware Pest Control, Distric of Columbia, Florida Pest Control, Georgia Pest Control, Hawaii Pest Control, Idaho Pest Control, Illinois Pest Control, Indiana Pest Control, Iowa Pest Control, Kansas Pest Control, Kentucky Pest Control, Louisiana Pest Control, Maine Pest Control, Maryland Pest Control, Massachusetts Pest Control, Michigan Pest Control, Minnesota Pest Control, Mississippi Pest Control, Missouri Pest Control, Montana Pest Control, Nebraska Pest Control, Nevada Pest Control, New Hampshire Pest Control, New Jersey Pest Control, New Mexico Pest Control, New York Pest Control, North Carolina Pest Control, North Dakota Pest Control, Ohio Pest Control, Oklahoma Pest Control, Oregon Pest Control, Pennsylvania Pest Control, Rhode Island Pest Control, Seasonal Pest Problems, South Carolina Pest Control, South Dakota Pest Control, Spring Pest Control Problems, Tennessee Pest Control, Texas Pest Control, Utah Pest Control, Vermont Pest Control, Virginia Pest Control, Washington Pest Control, West Virginia Pest Control, Wisconsin Pest Control, Wyoming Pest Control | 1 Comment »

Pest Control Problems During the Winter

Monday, December 21st, 2009

Winter wonderlands are great places for people to enjoy the season and all of the holidays that are celebrated during the winter. Ironically people’s homes are winter wonderlands for pests. Yes, pests are a year round problem that homeowners have to deal with, but during the winter is when pest invasions are on the rise. There might not be as many pests during the winter as there are in the spring, but the risk of pests wanting to get into homes is much higher. If you already have pest control services set up make sure you have them year round and not seasonally.

pest control problems in winter

With snow and bare trees there aren't many places for pests to live outside during the winter.

The main reason pest invasions are on the rise in the winter is that pests are looking for a warm and dry place to stay. Some pests will actually hibernate within your home because of the warmth. While other pests will remain active once they’re gotten into a warm home. Having active pests inside your home during winter can be very dangerous as they can spread their diseases. Also while in your home pests can cause serious damage to wires, beams, and so forth.

The active pests that are inside a home will be looking for food, so keep all food stored properly and do not leave fruit out in fruit bowls. If pests walk on your countertops or on any food that’s left out they can transfer their bacteria etc. that they carry onto those surfaces and food. This is the most common way for people to physically suffer from pests, other than being bitten. Also pests will be leaving droppings which are contaminated with diseases and can cause harm to people. Keep an eye out for any droppings, especially in attics, basements, corners, etc. If you do find droppings call your local pest control service right away, as this is a sign of pest activity. If there are large amounts of droppings it can be hazardous to your health so do not try to remove the mess yourself, again call a professional out to your home.

During the winter it is best to maintain any preventative methods that you do throughout the year; by maintaining these methods in the winter your home will also be ready for the spring problems. The best way to think of your house, in order to protect it from pests, is that inside your home it is like spring year round. Even though pest problems are year round, spring is the highest peak of pest population indoors and outdoors. So if during the coldest time of year the home feels like spring you are sure to have some pests trying to get inside. Here are some of the most common winter pests by state:

If you do not see the state you reside in on this list please check back as more states are still being added to our database. Also the database is still adding more and more pests, so if you have a problem with a pest and don’t see it listed in the database please continue to visit www.localpestcontrolservices.com as pests are continually being added.

Picture courtesy of www.creativecommons.org

Posted in Alabama Pest Control, Alaska Pest Control, Arizona Pest Control, Arkansas Pest Control, California Pest Control, Colorado Pest Control, Connecticut Pest Control, Delaware Pest Control, Distric of Columbia, Florida Pest Control, Georgia Pest Control, Hawaii Pest Control, Idaho Pest Control, Illinois Pest Control, Indiana Pest Control, Iowa Pest Control, Kansas Pest Control, Kentucky Pest Control, Louisiana Pest Control, Maine Pest Control, Maryland Pest Control, Massachusetts Pest Control, Michigan Pest Control, Minnesota Pest Control, Mississippi Pest Control, Missouri Pest Control, Montana Pest Control, Nebraska Pest Control, Nevada Pest Control, New Hampshire Pest Control, New Jersey Pest Control, New Mexico Pest Control, New York Pest Control, North Carolina Pest Control, North Dakota Pest Control, Ohio Pest Control, Oklahoma Pest Control, Oregon Pest Control, Pennsylvania Pest Control, Rhode Island Pest Control, Seasonal Pest Problems, South Carolina Pest Control, South Dakota Pest Control, Spring Pest Control Problems, Tennessee Pest Control, Texas Pest Control, Utah Pest Control, Vermont Pest Control, Virginia Pest Control, Washington Pest Control, West Virginia Pest Control, Winter Pest Control Problems, Wisconsin Pest Control, Wyoming Pest Control | No Comments »

Pest Control Problems During the Fall

Monday, October 12th, 2009

As the summer heat dwindles away and the air starts to feel cooler and more crisp, pests and insects are running around not knowing what to do with themselves. For pests and insects the weather change threatens their food supply and homes. Grass, vegetation, and foliage will all change with the weather, and these are all things that pests and insects use to help them survive. Therefore, pests and insects are going to have to find a new place for food and shelter. Unfortunately, that means pests and insects will be trying to get into your home.

pest control problems during the fall

As the leaves start to turn in the fall pests start to look for new places to live. Most often pests will migrate into people's home during the fall season.

People love the fall for many reasons, some being the cool nights, the turning of the leaves, and wearing sweatshirts. Luckily people are able to add on clothing to keep themselves warm as the weather gets colder outside. Pests and insects are not so lucky. With the weather becoming colder pests and insects search for places of warmth. Usually pests and insects will migrate into attics, garages, storage areas, or the main house.

There are a couple different problems that can happen if pests and insects migrate into your home. One being that the smaller insects getting into your home will attract larger insects or pests to follow; because, the smaller insects are food for larger insects and pests. Another is that if there are no small insects for food, pests will get into your kitchens and pantries to find food. The risk with this is that many pests are carriers of diseases, and can spread them just by walking over a bowl of fruit. Another problem is that if pests are living in your attic or garage or any other area of the home they could also cause structural damage.

In any case there is a high risk of having pests invade your home, and it is best to call your local pest control company to come out. Although, there are also many things a homeowner can do on their own to help prevent pests from getting inside their homes in the first place. Overall the change of the season can affect the number of pests people may start to see around their homes. Many regions of the country have similar pests, but every state is a little different. Check out our list of states, and what the most active pests are in the fall.

If you do not see the state you reside in on this list please check back as more states are still being added to our database. Also the database is still adding more and more pests, so if you have a problem with a pests and don’t see it listed in the database please continue to visit www.localpestcontrolservices.com as pests are continually being added.

Picture from www.creativecommons.org

Posted in Alabama Pest Control, Alaska Pest Control, Arizona Pest Control, Arkansas Pest Control, California Pest Control, Colorado Pest Control, Connecticut Pest Control, Delaware Pest Control, Distric of Columbia, Fall Pest Control Problems, Florida Pest Control, Georgia Pest Control, Hawaii Pest Control, Idaho Pest Control, Illinois Pest Control, Indiana Pest Control, Iowa Pest Control, Kansas Pest Control, Kentucky Pest Control, Louisiana Pest Control, Maine Pest Control, Maryland Pest Control, Massachusetts Pest Control, Michigan Pest Control, Minnesota Pest Control, Mississippi Pest Control, Missouri Pest Control, Montana Pest Control, Nebraska Pest Control, Nevada Pest Control, New Hampshire Pest Control, New Jersey Pest Control, New Mexico Pest Control, New York Pest Control, North Carolina Pest Control, North Dakota Pest Control, Ohio Pest Control, Oklahoma Pest Control, Oregon Pest Control, Pennsylvania Pest Control, Rhode Island Pest Control, Seasonal Pest Problems, South Carolina Pest Control, South Dakota Pest Control, Tennessee Pest Control, Texas Pest Control, Utah Pest Control, Vermont Pest Control, Virginia Pest Control, Washington Pest Control, West Virginia Pest Control, Wisconsin Pest Control, Wyoming Pest Control | No Comments »

Spiders: The Wolf Spider… What You Need to Know

Monday, September 28th, 2009

Many and most spiders have eight legs and eight eyes, but the wolf spider’s eyes are different than other species’ because the wolf spider has reflectors in its eyes. Even though there are many different varieties of wolf spiders, they all have reflectors in their eyes. The wolf spider is nocturnal so when it is out at night people can use flashlights to help see the wolf spider. The eyes will shine when the light hits them due to the reflectors in the wolf spiders eyes. The wolf spiders eyes line up in three rows. The bottom row has four small eyes, the middle row has two large eyes, and then on the top are two middle-sized eyes.

wolf spiders eyes

Here is a wolf spider, notice the two large eyes, they are the middle row of eyes.

Often times the wolf spider is confused with the fishing spider, nursery spider, or the brown recluse spider. All of these spiders have similar coloring which makes it hard to distinguish which species they are; the one thing that will always differentiate the wolf spider from these species is its reflecting eyes. The body of a wolf spider is proportionally small and the legs can span up to five inches. The male wolf spider is always smaller in size than the female wolf spider. Camouflage is a friend of the wolf spider, as its fur is usually camouflaged to match the environment where the particular wolf spider lives. The colors of fur can range from brown, gray, and or black. These camouflage colors help protect the wolf spider from larger predators.

Wolf spiders can be found all over the country, which also makes it harder to physically differentiate them from other spiders because they are not just found in certain areas. The wolf spider prefers to live in dark and moist areas. Wolf spiders can be found living in meadows, wetlands, woods, and even suburban gardens. Another aspect that each variety of wolf spider thinks of when picking a home is if there is enough of a food supply nearby.

Once a wolf spider picks a place to live it will begin making its home. The wolf spider is different from other spiders when it comes to its home, because rather than making a web and dwelling on it the wolf spider burrows. The burrow provides protection from enemies, bad weather, and provides a place to keep and protect the wolf spider’s eggs. Sometimes wolf spiders will even make their burrows underneath things like rocks. There are also the occasions where the wolf spider doesn’t even need to dig a burrow because they will just move into a burrow another animal has abandoned. Wolf spiders spend most of their time in their burrows. They of course come out at night in order to hunt for food. Inside the burrow the wolf spider might spin a silk web on the floor or even as a semi door to protect from things outside or bad weather. Even though wolf spiders can live in any environment they do not always like to be in the cold weather. Once it starts to cool down there is a high chance of wolf spiders migrating towards homes where they can go for warmth.

There is always a chance of finding wolf spiders with in your home, especially during the fall and winter seasons, but there are things one can do to help protect their home from being invaded by wolf spiders. Some places you might find a wolf spider in your home are in window frames, doorways, garages, basements or on houseplants. Remember that wolf spiders like dark and damp places to live. The thought of wolf spiders in your home is frightening, but they are also good because they eat other small insects. In any case it is best to call your local pest control service to come over and inspect your house.

Many spiders are poisonous and scary. While the wolf spider does have poison and looks very scary, it is most often harmless to people. The poison the wolf spider has is used for its own prey when hunting and killing for food. Although, in rare cases people can be allergic to the venom, but the person will not know they are allergic to the venom until they have experienced a wolf spider bite. Wolf spiders will not bite someone unless the person is bothering or provoking the wolf spider; so finding out if you are allergic or not might not ever happen. In any situation do not try to harm the wolf spider as that is only putting yourself in more danger. If the rare occurrence does happen and you are bitten by a wolf spider try to catch the spider and take it with you to the doctor. This will help identify if it was an actual wolf spider that bit you. Just as with many other types of pest bites – keep calm and elevate the area where the bite occurred and apply a cold compress. The only thing that will become very noticeable and will alert you if you are allergic to wolf spider venom is that the skin around the bite mark can turn black if you are allergic.

Wolf spiders will never just hurt someone or something unless it happens to be its next meal. Small insects are the main food group for wolf spiders. When the wolf spider hunts, it moves very fast in order to catch its prey. Ants, grasshoppers, earwigs, beetles, roaches, crickets, and other spiders are usually part of a wolf spider’s meal. Once the wolf spider catches its prey they use their legs and palps to help hold down the prey and use their jaw to crush and kill the prey. Then the wolf spider can eat.

wolf spider with egg sac

Here is a mother wolf spider on the move with her sac of eggs.

Not only do palps help wolf spiders kill their prey, but palps are also used by wolf spiders in their mating ritual. The wolf spiders mating habits are odd. The males will use their palps as a mating call, often banging them together or hitting them like drums. The female can then choose to respond or not to the males mating calls. Many times female wolf spiders have seen some of the male wolf spiders before and may choose to answer the males mating call if she recognizes him, but there are times where a female may answer the mating call without ever seeing this particular male wolf spider before. In this particular instance there is a high risk for the unknown males, as after mating sometimes females will kill the male wolf spider and it is more likely to take place if the female does not know the male wolf spider. If the female wolf spider does choose to mate with the familiar male wolf spider, or even the unfamiliar wolf spider, she will carry up to 100 eggs. Mating will occur anytime between the late spring and early fall, and the females can mate up to twice during this time frame. Once the female wolf spider has her eggs the eggs are put into a silk sac that she spins. This silk sac will then be protected viciously by the mother at all times, the mother wolf spider will even attach it to her abdomen if she is traveling.

wolf spider with babies on body

Here is a mother wolf spider with all of her babies on her body. Once they detach they will be young adults that have survive on their own.

During this time the mother wolf spider will stay in her burrow to protect the egg sack. Once the eggs are hatched, and the spiderlings are born, they immediately crawl onto the mothers body covering her body and legs. At this point the wolf spider spiderlings will stay attached to their mother for up to a month, and then they will fall off and be on their own. From this point the wolf spider cycle will repeat.

Photos from www.creativecommons.org

Posted in Alabama Pest Control, Alaska Pest Control, Arizona Pest Control, Arkansas Pest Control, California Pest Control, Colorado Pest Control, Connecticut Pest Control, Delaware Pest Control, Distric of Columbia, Florida Pest Control, General Information, Georgia Pest Control, Information, how-to, and things about pests, Pests, Winter Pest Control Problems, Wolf Spider | 4 Comments »

Spiders: Wolf Spider Prevention Tips

Monday, September 28th, 2009

Wolf spiders are very scary looking and make most people want to cringe at the sight of one. Many times people do not see the wolf spider in their home; rather people find wolf spiders outside their homes. There are many things homeowners can do in order to prevent wolf spiders from coming near their home. Even though people don’t often see wolf spiders inside their homes that does not mean they never will. Wolf spiders will only go into a home for warmth or food, and this usually only occurs in the fall and winter seasons. There are also things a homeowner can do inside their home to help prevent wolf spiders from entering and wanting to stay. Here is a list of outdoor and indoor prevention tips:

  • Outside your house check for any openings or cracks, if you find any, fill the openings or cracks with outdoor sealant.
  • Walk the perimeter of your home and check the windows, vents, screens, doors, and thresholds for any openings or damages to them. Have any openings filled with weather stripping and any damage repaired.
  • Inside your house check every room, especially your basement and attic where it might be dark on a regular basis. Look for cracks, openings near windows or pipes, tears in screens, etc. Very similar to what you look for outside now you’re just looking on the inside. Fill or repair any openings or damage found.
  • A simple thing to do outside your home is remove any vegetation that is growing on the outer walls of your home. Things like ivy and bougainvillea are pretty to look at, but attract many insects and pests. By having other insects and pests your yard is a food hunting groud for wolf spiders.
  • Keep any wood, trash, or debris piles away from the house. Also make sure to use proper storage and trash containers.
  • Outdoor lighting can attract wolf spiders and other pests, it is best to use yellow or sodium vapor lights outside.
  • Keep your house tidy. And keep items in proper storage containers, and do not let trash, dishes, laundry etc. pile up in your home. This will also keep other insects away.
  • Keep porches, crawl spaces, basements and attics dry.
  • Use sticky traps in your home as a way to catch wolf spiders, or any pest for that matter.
  • Use do-it-yourself pest control products either outside or inside a home to help prevent wolf spiders, and their food supply.
  • If so desired call, your local pest control company to come spray your home on a regular basis. This will also take care of other pests on your property and if there is no food for a wolf spider then they should not be coming around anymore.

Posted in Alabama Pest Control, Alaska Pest Control, Arizona Pest Control, Arkansas Pest Control, California Pest Control, Colorado Pest Control, Connecticut Pest Control, Delaware Pest Control, Distric of Columbia, Florida Pest Control, Georgia Pest Control, Information, how-to, and things about pests, Pests, Prevention, Winter Pest Control Problems, Wolf Spider | 1 Comment »

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