Fall is on our doorstep and with it comes a new crop of pests. While pest activity in the DFW tends to peak in summer, many species bring so-called fall pests to the area that are drawn to the cool weather.
Here’s how to prepare for the next wave of pest problems, from rodents to roaches to ants. Find out what pests to be on the lookout for and how you can get rid of them. Hint: hire a pest control company in DFW to help you get rid of them fast.
Ants
With the arrival of wetter weather and cooler temperatures, you may notice more ants in your home. That’s because they are seeking warmth, shelter, and food. In fall in DFW, the most common species of ants you’ll encounter include carpenter ants, fire ants, pharaoh ants, acrobat ants, and argentine ants.
Prevention
Prevention is your best bet here. Seal all food tightly in bins, clean your counters and put dirty dishes away immediately. Clean up spills right away and seal any cracks or openings you may notice. Don’t leave food outdoors, including pet food. Once they eat, bring in their bowl. Dump sources of standing water and store your firewood 15 feet or more away from your home; also, it should be elevated off the ground. Trim back branches and bushes close to your home.
Treatment
If ants have already made their way inside, try placing ant traps and bait around the active areas. If this doesn’t work, call your local professional pest control company.
Cockroaches
No one wants to spot a cockroach in their kitchen or bathroom. However, getting rid of them immediately is a top priority because they can pose a danger to your family. They can spread bacteria, viruses, and diseases if left to cohabitate with you. The most active cockroach species in fall in this area include the American cockroach, the brown-banded cockroach and the German cockroach.
While cockroaches like warm weather, they do seek shelter in fall because they’re unable to withstand cold temperatures. They’ll hide out in sewer drains, leaf piles, walls, basements — anywhere they can get warm and find food.
Prevention
Keep a clean home if you want to prevent these critters. Empty your trash regularly, keep food sealed, sanitize your bathrooms, clean spills and messes quickly, and vacuum often. Seal up any gaps around your foundation, windows and walls where they could scurry in.
Treatment
Relentless in nature, cockroaches can swarm your home quickly. Home treatment for cockroaches is rarely successful. Always call a pest control service in DFW for fast and effective treatment.
Rodents
Rodents are always common fall pests in the DFW area. They seek shelter indoors in fall with the advent of colder and wetter weather looking for a place to breed and feed. Rodents such as mice and rats are carriers of disease, but they also cause a lot of damage. Not only will they chew through wiring in your home, they will build nests in your insulation and invite other insects in with them.
Prevention
Rodents can squeeze through the smallest of openings, so be sure to close any gaps in your home. Seal all food, empty the trash regularly, and clean up all food/drink messes promptly.
Treatment
Rats and mice are rapid reproducers, so don’t waste time in calling a professional exterminator in Dallas at the first sight of these pests. You can try traps but they don’t always work and you don’t want to give them time to multiply.
Spiders
Spiders move into your home to seek shelter from cool weather. Fall also happens to be mating season for most spiders, so this is when you will see a lot of them. Common spiders in this area include American house spiders, cellar spiders, cupboard spiders and domestic house spiders, which are all non-threatening.
However, brown recluse and black widow spiders also live here, and are more active in fall. Bites from these spiders are painful and potentially life threatening.
Prevention
Vacuum up spider webs, seal food/drinks, seal up gaps, and clean up messes promptly to keep spiders out. Avoid excessive use of exterior lights, which attract insects that spiders want to eat.
Treatment
You can kill each spider as you see them or you can call a DFW pest control company for the most effective treatment.
Contact Pure Green Pest Control
If you have been spotting these and more insects this fall, don’t hesitate to contact Pure Green Pest Control in DFW at 972-750-6525 for a free quote.
