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Spring is Near: 3 Pests to Watch Out For

Ticks, Bees and Wasps, Oh my! Spring is right around the corner and that means now is the perfect time to prepare for all that is to come. Spring showers will most definitely scare all of the creepy crawlies out of their hiding spots. But fear not! Buckaroo Pest Protection is here to help you through the worst of it.

Ticks

There are four types of ticks that are commonly found in North Texas: the lone star tick, black- legged tick (aka deer tick), American dog tick and brown dog tick.

While there’s a lot of speculation that ticks of all kind can potentially spread Lyme disease. We want to put your hearts at ease and know what to look for in this up and coming season. The two types of ticks that carry and spread Lyme disease are the black-legged tick and western black-legged tick (the second, not being found in Texas).  Very rarely are there many cases of Lyme disease here in the DFW metroplex. Furthermore, while Lyme disease is well known as an infectious disease, it is commonly treated with antibiotics.

Whew! Breath of fresh air, right?

Well, Lyme disease is far from the only health risk ticks pose for people and their furry counterparts. In fact, different species of ticks can transmit over 15 different viruses or infections to humans or pets. With this in mind, here are a few tips to protect yourself from these nasty leech-like creatures.

  1. Wear light clothing! Which makes the ticks easier to spot.
  2. Tuck your pant legs into socks to prevent ticks from becoming secret stowaways!
  3. Check your family and pets if you’ve ventured into a potentially tick-infested area, such as wooded areas or tall grass.
  4. Preventative measures to treat your yard, will help keep your four legged friends from bringing them inside.

Here at BPP we make sure your family is our family and make sure all the education you may ever need is at your fingertips. The most important aspect of tick prevention is making sure that you’re educated about what causes a large tick infestation, how to prevent them and what to do to keep them at bay.

Wasps

Picture this. It’s a fair Spring morning and you’re enjoying the weather with a nice family picnic. There’s food, music, dancing and you go to reach for your soda can only for this angry looking wasp to fly from the heavens above and sting you square in the face.

Wasps come in all shapes and sizes, but few are harmless, so it’s important to protect your home and know what to look for to avoid getting stung. Be diligent and check the surroundings of your home.

Wasps nests start out small and can easily be taken care of if you catch them early enough. Making sure to control the amount of nesting around your home can drastically cut back the wasps lingering around lying in wait to strike. Garbage cans are one of the main attractions for wasps and can provide a cozy home if they’re not sealed properly and stowed an appropriate distance from your home.

Preventative pest maintenance can take care the wasps you have and keep them from rebuilding their nests.

If nests grow too large because this can also lead to wasps finding their way into your home via any cracks or small spaces and may start rebuilding their nests within your walls, roofs, attics or even lighting fixtures. In some cases, some nests grow so large they need to be removed by a professional service, but we aim to prevent that horror from happening with proper education and preventative service packages.

Bees

These furry little flying helpers are nowhere near as aggressive as wasps are, but they can still be a nuisance around the home. Like wasps, bees like to hang around trash cans and awnings and tend to set up shop wherever they want. Unfortunately, they come with the added bonus of producing copious amounts of delicious honey. Which can easily become a nightmare for any homeowner or tenant that finds a nest inside or outside of their home. These nests grow quickly and can lead to structural damage in your home as well as attracting other insects.

Even though bees are an integral part of our environment, it’s still important to make sure you’re taking the proper steps to prevent them from nesting to close to your home. Make sure your trash cans are sealed and stowed a good distance from your door. Bees will be attracted to the smell of food and tend to linger nearby even if they can finagle their way inside. Remember, by keeping these cans close to your door increases the risks of them sneaking inside, looking for food.  

If you start to hear buzzing within your walls, stop what you’re doing and immediately give us a call. This may be the first sign that a nest is being or has been built within your home. The quicker these are dealt with and removed the better for you, your family and your insurance deductible.

Prevention means Protection

Above all, spring is a time of fun, joy, spring break and yummy foods! The best way to enjoy spring is with proper pest maintenance, which keeps the bugs away. Remember, this ain’t our first rodeo, folks. Kick your feet back and get comfortable. Buckaroo Pest Protection can take care of your pests before they become problems and ensure the integrity of your home.

For more information or to get on our schedule click here for a free inspection! Don’t forget to check out some of our sweet deals and call us at (469)-598-0560 if you have any questions.

The Homeowner’s Guide to Pest Prevention

Winter weather is here! And I think we can all agree that this season has been quite the unusual one. All the ups and downs. One day in the 70s and days later getting snow. It’s got our heads spinnin’ in all sorts of ways.

Though refreshing, this weather is the perfect breeding ground for all types of insects and pests lurking right outside the safety of your homes. Below we’ve outlined the most common winter pests you’re likely to experience here in the Dallas area.

Rats and Mice

From our experience, we’ve seen 7 to 8 out of 10 homes here in the Dallas area have signs of rodents, so there’s a mighty fine chance you may as well.

The first sign of a rat or mouse infestation usually starts with homeowners hearing scratching in their walls, attics or roofs. Rats are nocturnal rodents but tend to stay considerably activity throughout the day as they search for food and materials for nesting.

These aren’t the cute, fluffy companions from PetSmart. Rats and mice can cause a lot of damage to your home such as chewing up furniture, wires and insulation. These little home intruders can become a very expensive menace and may be difficult to get rid of once their numbers start to grow.

If you think you might have an infestation of these critters, but aren’t sure, be sure to read our whole post about how to spot if you have rodents in in your home.

Squirrels

Rats and mice aren’t the only unwelcome house guest that likes to sneak in to visit, our next big contender for the season are squirrels. Like rats, these little fluffy terrors come with the bonus of wreaking havoc to your home. But unlike rats and mice, squirrels are diurnal, meaning that they’re active during the day.

Squirrels are fond of burrowing and gnawing which can cause major structural damage to your home. These little homewreckers might look cute but pose a significant health risk to your family.

Squirrels are known to be carriers of parasites, diseases as well as ticks and fleas which pose an even greater risk to your pets and children. Squirrels typically tend to build their homes in the roof or attic of a home.

Like rats, the earlier squirrels can be contained, the safer we can make your family and your home. Are they cute? Sure. Are they fluffy? Absolutely. Are they rabid and dangerous? Do you really want to find out? All the more reasons to give us a holler.

The Occasional Invaders

Finally, the last and most common home invaders are local insects looking for a warm place to hide. These party crashers can range from ants to spiders and most terrifyingly, roaches.

Even when the great ol’ state of Texas sees all four seasons in the same week and disturbs the balance of many hibernation cycles, we can make sure your home and family are at ease. Proper preventative maintenance can go a long way and is the best way to protect your home, family and community.

Remember, preventative maintenance is key to a long-term and effective pest prevention. If you think your home has been invaded with these daredevils reach out to a professional to help shoo your furry friends back from whence they came and back into the wild.

For more information or to get on our schedule click here for a free inspection! Don’t forget to check out some of our deals and call us at (469) 742-2345 if you have any questions.