Bug Blog

Pest Problems To Be on the Lookout for This Winter

As the winter months approach, it’s important for San Antonio homeowners and business owners to be aware of the potential pest problems that can arise. While many pests may retreat indoors to escape the cold, others may seek out warmth and food sources, leading to infestations. Here are some of the most common pest problems to be on the lookout for this winter:

1. Rodents: Rats and mice are common pests that can cause damage to buildings and contaminate food. They are attracted to warm, sheltered areas and may try to enter homes and businesses in search of food and shelter.
2. Cockroaches: These pests can survive in a variety of conditions and are commonly found in kitchens and bathrooms. They can also spread diseases and trigger allergies, making them a serious health concern.
3. Bed Bugs: These tiny pests can hide in bedding, furniture, and clothing, and are difficult to spot. They can cause itchy bite marks and are known for being hard to get rid of once they infest a home or business.
4. Termites: These pests can cause significant structural damage to homes and buildings. They are often active during the winter months and can be difficult to detect until it’s too late.
5. Spiders: Spiders often seek shelter indoors during the colder months, which can lead to an increase in spider bites and webs in your home or business.

Preventing these pests from entering your home or business is key to avoiding infestations. Seal cracks and crevices in the building’s exterior, store food in sealed containers, and keep indoor areas clean and clutter-free. Regular pest control services can also help to detect and prevent infestations.

If you suspect a pest infestation, it’s important to take action quickly. Contact us to conduct an inspection and develop a plan to eliminate the pests and prevent future infestations. Don’t let pests ruin your winter, be proactive and take steps to protect your home or business!

Why Good Pest Control Is Important for Your Business

As a business owner in South Texas, regular pest control is vital to protect your property and reputation from the damages and health risks caused by pests. Common pests found in San Antonio include cockroaches, ants, spiders, and rodents. These pests can not only cause structural damage to your building and inventory, but they can also spread diseases, trigger allergies and negatively impact your reputation.

Customers and clients may be less likely to visit or do business with a company if they know it has a pest problem. Regular pest control can help prevent infestations and keep your business free of pests, maintaining a positive reputation and protecting your bottom line.

Also, the warm and humid climate in South Texas provides an ideal environment for pests to thrive, which is why it’s essential to have regular pest control services. With regular pest control, business owners can take proactive measures to prevent infestations, rather than waiting for a problem to occur and then trying to solve it.

Regular pest control services include inspections, treatments, and ongoing monitoring to ensure that pests are kept under control. A good pest control company will provide you with a customized plan to fit your specific needs and budget.

In conclusion, as a business owner in South Texas, regular pest control is essential to protect your property, inventory, and reputation from the damages and health risks caused by pests. It can also help maintain a positive reputation and protect your bottom line. Don’t wait for a pest infestation to occur, invest in regular pest control services to keep your business pest-free!

Cockroach Problems Can Worsen In the Summer Heat

The summer heat can drive pests into your home in search of food and water, especially cockroaches. With the weather reaching triple-digit temperatures recently, more and more roaches will be trying to enter your home in San Antonio this summer.

Avoiding Flea Infestations

Flea infestations are very unpleasant to say the least, both for you and your pets. Preventing fleas starts with understanding how fleas are introduced into your home in the first place.

Most of the time, fleas enter the home when a pet brings them in from the yard. Fleas use animals as hosts, and they can jump large distances, which allows them to jump on passing animals. This allows them to travel great distances, right into your yard and then into your home.

Fleas can also travel on old furniture, infested clothing, linens or even the clothing of a human guest whose home is infected. Because of their small size, they can directly enter your home through cracks in the floor, window seals or screens.

Only a few fleas are needed to start an infestation because they can can lay hundreds of eggs before they die. After a few days the eggs hatch and the larvae spin cocoons and emerge after several weeks.

To get rid of fleas, you should begin by washing or trashing and bedding or blankets where the fleas’ ‘hosts’ spend their time. The cocoons are resistant to insecticide, but after using a flea treatment, frequent vacuuming will encourage the fleas to exit the cocoons, where they will be vulnerable to the insecticide.

If your flea infestation doesn’t get better after about a month, it may be time to re-treat or call a professional.

How Do Pests Get Into My Home?

Does it seems that no matter how hard you try to seal up holes and cracks around your home, insects still find their way in? Here are some common entry points for insects like ants and spiders:

Windows

Damaged screens or seemingly tiny gaps around screens insects entry into your home. Even when windows are closed, ants or rodents can create holes that lead into the walls of your home.

Doors

Doors aren’t always as well-sealed as you think. Door frames often have gaps that can allow entry for bugs. Weather stripping on doorways, especially sliding glass doors, can develop cracks and holes.

Garages

While your garage is open, many pests can make their way inside. Once in the garage it’s easier for them to invade the rest of your home.

Foundation

Home foundations have pipes and conduits that pass through. Gaps around them or chipped mortar can allow a way in.

Hitchhikers

Items like used furniture, antiques, plants, even Christmas trees can contain pests or insect eggs.

How to Keep Spiders Out of Your Home

Does it seem impossible to keep spiders out of your home? Spiders and their webs seem to regularly appear no matter how well your home is sealed and cleaned.

How Plants Affect Mosquitos

There are a wide variety of plants that both repel and attract mosquitoes. What are these plants, and how can they help you to keep mosquitoes away from your home and yard?

The Importance of Moisture Control

Most homeowners realize the best way to deter unwanted pests is to clean thoroughly and remove trash. But one often overlooked prevention measure is controlling moisture in and around your home.

Even in a dry climate, moisture can cause big problems in a short amount of time when it comes to inviting pests to take up residence in and around your property.

A relatively small amount of water or a leaking pipe provides sufficient water to attract bugs and rodents. It’s worthwhile to perform regular checks for moisture issues in and around the home, as well as other buildings on the property such as sheds and barns.

Spring is an optimal time of year to check. The weather is changing and spring showers provide more than enough moisture.

Here is a short checklist of items to check on your property:

• Check plumbing lines under home for even small leaks
• Insure exterior faucets seal tightly and do not drip
• Tall grassy areas can hide pools of water that might otherwise be visible. Walk the perimeter of your property.
• Downspouts and gutters can hold unwanted water if they are not regularly cleaned out.
• Look for places standing water can collect – lawn ornaments, bird baths, old tires, decaying woods and even pool covers.
• Check the ventilation for your attics and crawl spaces. These ventiations will help keep the area dry and have fresh air circulating.

Despite having a well maintained home, unwanted pests can still be a problem. If you notice any evidence of pests in or around your home, we recommend the issue to be looked at quickly before a larger issue arises. 

Should Texas Fear the Asian Giant Hornet?

The Asian giant hornet has generated a lot of fear in the U.S. in recent weeks since it was spotted in North America. It is the largest wasp in the world, up to 2 inches long, with a sting that has been described as hurting like a hot nail punched through the skin. There are also concerns about its effect on honey bees, since they attack honey bee nests and rapidly kill entire colonies.

The good news is that the Asian giant hornet has only been spotted in Washington state, and there have been less than 10 confirmed sightings. These hornets are only aggressive when their nests are disturbed, and their nests are usually found in wooded areas.

There are several species of Texas native hornets that are often mistook for the Asian giant hornet, such as the cicada killer wasp, which can grow as large as 1.5 inches. Cicada killers are solitary and rarely sting.

So there’s no need to fear Asian giant hornet in South Texas, now or likely ever. If you have problems with other hornets or pests, schedule a home inspection with one of our licensed professionals at Hitman Pest Control today!

Avoiding Flea Problems

If you’ve got pets, then you’ve probably encountered fleas in your home. The parasitic pests may start off by hopping a ride on your dog or cat, but they’re perfectly content to settle for human blood, too. And they’ll go after any warm body within reach.

First, keep your house cleaned and vacuumed regularly. If you find an adult flea, chances are it has already laid hundreds of eggs. This can remove existing flea populations and prevent egg laying.

Keep your yard groomed. Fleas feed on rodents and other small animals that find refuge and even food sources in overgrown bush. If the rodents are there, the fleas will be too. This may be hard for some pet owners to hear, but keeping them on a leash even in your own backyard can help avoid fleas.

Speaking of rodents, if you have a rodent problem, you may very well have a flea problem as well.

Bathe and groom your pets often, especially in summer. Flea treatments, as prescribed by your veterinarian, can help.