A good Pest Control in Dallas TX should be able to provide you with information on their treatment methods and chemicals, as well as their safety measures. They should also be members of professional organizations to help them keep up to date with the latest trends and best practices in their industry.
Rodents
Rodents are a serious threat to homes and businesses. They cause property damage, contaminate food, spread diseases and chew through wires. They also gnaw surfaces, leave smear marks and destroy items in their path of travel, such as wood, metal and plastic.
Rats and mice are the most common Pest Control in Dallas TX, but a variety of other species can be found on properties in Dallas. They all have similar preferences for shelter, food and water. They typically nest indoors, although some will move into attics, walls, crawl spaces and sheds.
To prevent a rodent problem, regularly remove garbage, and clean outdoor trash cans. Keep pet foods, bird feeders and compost bins secure. Trim or remove brush, weeds and dense vegetation. Store stacks of woodpiles and other materials at least 12 inches from your home or other buildings. Check for and block entry holes in attics, chimneys, walls and around doors and windows.
Cockroaches
Cockroaches are filthy, dangerous Pest Control in Dallas TX that contaminate food, cause disease, and leave behind foul odors. They can even trigger asthma and allergies. They thrive in a wide range of habitats, including outdoor areas, sewage systems, and damp basements. When cockroaches find their way indoors, they can quickly establish populations in search of food and water. Infestations often occur due to crowded living spaces, poor moisture control, and stowaways from infested warehouses in shipping boxes.
The most common home-infesting cockroaches are the American cockroach and the German cockroach. Both species are brown in color with lighter bands running across their abdomens. They can reach up to two inches in length and have wings, but they seldom fly. American cockroaches prefer outdoor locations and often hide in planter boxes, woodpiles, sheds, gutters, and under shingles and siding. They can also enter homes through door thresholds, utility pipes, and plumbing lines.
Ants
Ants are one of the most common pests found in homes and businesses. Some ants, like odorous house ants and red imported fire ants, can invade indoors but most are found outside where they feed on insects, seeds, leaves and other plants. Ants play an important role in terrestrial ecosystems by moving soil, aerating it, helping to decompose dead organisms and dispersing seeds.
Odorous ants are brown and usually seen in cracks around windows, doors, walls and foundations. Red imported fire ants can be a serious problem as they are known to sting people who come near their nests. Carpenter ants are black or reddish and can cause damage to wood structures such as decks, siding, and carports. These ants tunnel into wood, chewing and spitting out bits of it. You can often identify carpenter ants by piles of wood shavings, called frass.
Tawny crazy ants (also called Rasberry crazy ants) are small and reddish-brown. These ants are drawn to electrical equipment and will crawl into light switches, wall voids, and electrical outlets, potentially short circuiting or causing other problems.
Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes are well-known for biting humans and leaving itchy, painful welts. These annoying insects are also a major public health risk. They can transmit deadly diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, dengue fever and west nile virus.
Mosquito breeding sites are found in standing water. They can be found in marshes, ponds, lakes, children’s pools, bird baths and even the water inside tires and tree holes. Female mosquitoes need blood to develop their eggs. They find their prey by detecting body heat and exhaled carbon dioxide.
The best way to control mosquitoes is to use insect repellent. The CDC recommends repellents containing DEET, picaridin, eucalyptus oil and pyrethrum. Also, avoid wearing dark-colored clothing outside. Wearing long sleeves and pants and covering exposed skin will help protect against bites. Planting flowers that have been proven to repel mosquitoes (lavender, marigolds, peppermint) can also help prevent the pests from laying their eggs on your property.
Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are a nuisance pest that can be difficult to get rid of once they invade. They are known to leave itchy bites and are active at night, when they feed. These bloodsuckers have a negative stigma associated with dirty homes, but even the cleanest of households can be affected by an infestation.
These hitchhikers can latch onto clothing or luggage during a visit to a friend’s house, a hotel, the mall, or a restaurant. They can also be brought home on second-hand furniture, especially those that aren’t properly inspected.
They can be hidden in the smallest crevices, and are extremely tenacious. Their mouth parts are long and tucked under their bodies, but when they are ready to eat they untuck them, find a target, and pierce the skin. Their skin changes color as they become engorged with blood. Once they’re in your house, they are hard to control and require professional help.
Termites
Termites can cause a lot of damage in the time it takes them to chew through wooden beams, flooring and other structural support wood. They are the most common wood-eating pests and it is often difficult for homeowners to realize that they have a serious infestation of these wood-boring insects until it is too late.
Homeowners can prevent an infestation by reducing humidity, keeping mulch away from the base of wooden structures, removing dead trees and stumps, regularly inspecting crawl spaces, and sealing any cracks or crevices around the foundation of the home. Professionals can help with a more extensive termite treatment plan.
Termite workers are blind and wingless and travel through soil or wood to reach food sources. They communicate with one another using pheromones and are able to digest cellulose, the main component of plants, including wood. Unlike other wood-eating insects, they do not eat the outside of the wood. Instead, they tunnel inside the structure and consume the softer interior wood.