Whether it’s rodents, roaches, or termites, pests can wreak havoc on your health and your home. Pest control is very important, they can cause structural damage to your house. If pests stay undetected or if they start to increase in number, the cost can be irreversible. Understanding how to identify and eradicate pests is the key to ensuring that your most significant investment and your family’s health stays safe.

What are the types of pests that are common in North Texas?

Invasive pests are quite common, but the type of pest you’re forced to deal with may depend on where you live, such as more rural areas versus in the metroplex. We often help our customers with rats and mice, termites, wasps, ants, mosquitoes, bedbugs, roaches and other other crafty critters. Even pests like pigeons and barn swallows can become a nuisance if they decide to make your house their home.

When am I more likely to see pests?

It depends on the pest, which is why we recommend service year around. Certain pests, like termites, thrive in warm weather and enjoy humid conditions, and are more likely to cause problems in spring months. Insects like termites and carpenter ants can destroy your home’s foundation or subfloor and are extremely threatening to your home. If you have signs of termites they should be eliminated as soon as you find them.

Other pests, like mosquitos and wasps are common during the summer months. Scorpion, on the other hand, start finding their way inside during late summer and fall when it’s driest and just starting to cool off.

Rodents tend to wreak havoc on homes during winter months and like mice and rats can chew on electrical wires and eat your insulation, as well as posing a health hazard to your family. Most rodents hide in the walls, garage, or attic as they prepare their nests for winter.

How do Pests Affect my House?

Different pests cause different problems when it comes to the integrity of your house. Some small mammals, birds, and rodents may only live in your home temporarily, while swarms of insects could decide to make your home their permanent residence. It’s essential to recognize how pests can harm your home to ensure you take appropriate action.

Damages to Infrastructure

The damage caused to your home can depend on the type of pest you’re dealing with. Animals that get into your walls or attic love to chew on insulation, which can affect your home’s ability to retain warm or cold air. Sharp teeth on rodents and other animals allow them to chew on wiring, which may result in an electrical short or even something more severe like a house fire. Wood-boring insects and bugs that enjoy eating wood like termites can cause your subfloors to be compromised. These pests can also chew up the framing of your home, windowsills, baseboards, and more. The cost to fix these problems can be huge, so contact a pest control company as soon as you spot them to prevent further damage. Pests can even cause issues with your furniture. Moths and bed bugs will damage upholstery and leave tiny holes behind. Other animals, such as mice, love to chew up furniture cushions and take the material back to their nests.

Damages to Your Garden

Pests can do serious damage to your garden as well as your home. If you’re growing a garden, it’s important to be aware of the possibility of harmful pests. Certain species of beetles can destroy trees in your landscaping, while worms are notorious for eating and destroying vegetables and fruits. Rabbits and rodents love to munch on cabbage, leafy greens, and tomatoes. Aphids are another tiny pest that loves to tear up plants and destroy the leaves of your vegetables in the garden. Inspect the plants in your garden regularly to look for signs of pests so you can take proactive steps to get rid of them.

How Can Pests Harm My Health?

Aside from damage to your home and garden, certain pests can also be a threat to your health. Here are some examples of how different pests can affect your health and the health of your family:

• Disease: Rats and mice carry a variety of dangerous diseases, including typhus and hantavirus. The droppings and urine of mice, as well as bites from fleas, can spread these diseases to humans. Insects also carry diseases like West Nile (mosquitos) and E. coli (flies). Cockroaches are notorious for spreading diseases to humans, including salmonella and dysentery, to name a few.
• Allergies: If you suffer from allergies, pests can make the problem worse. Dust mites are the leading cause of indoor allergies in children and adults. Dander from mice and other small pests can also make allergy symptoms a lot more unpleasant. Roach saliva, feces, and urine have been shown to exacerbate the symptoms of asthma and allergies, particularly in children.
• Venomous Insects: Bugs like fleas, spiders, and bees can cause discomfort and even danger to your health. If you’re allergic to bee or hornet stings, the consequences can be fatal. Venomous insects can also bite and cause a myriad of other symptoms, including rash, burning, itching, and swelling of the skin.
• Pests in Pets: Fleas and ticks can make your pet’s life miserable if the problem isn’t addressed. Make sure you give your pets regular flea treatments to keep these tiny pests away. When fleas or ticks bite your pet, it can make them extremely uncomfortable and itchy. In some cases, it can even cause anemia, particularly in kittens and puppies.

How do I Identify Pests?

If you want your home to be pest-free, it’s important to know how to spot and identify pests. One of the first signs of a pest issue is noticing tiny breadcrumbs that they leave behind. Small pests can get into your kitchen cabinets and pantry and tear open plastic packaging, leaving the evidence behind. Here are some other ways you can spot the presence of pests in your home:

• Inspect your home for seasonal pests like mosquitos in the summer and small rodents or bats that want to hide in your attic in winter.
• Small mammals and rodents like to hide in walls and attics, while insects prefer the foundation or your garbage and kitchen cabinets.
• Knowing what attracts pests can help you keep them at bay. Don’t leave food out of the fridge and clean your sink and cabinets often since food crumbs and sticky residue is a prime attraction for a myriad of different pests.
• Research how different pests look, including their size, coloring, and other features. That will make identifying pests quick and easy, so you can come up with a solution as soon as you see them.
• Upholstery with small holes or chew marks can be an indication that pests are in your home. Small piles of sawdust near corners or windowsills may indicate that you have a termite problem.
• Tiny droppings, unusual sounds, or unpleasant smells like a strong urine odor are common indicators that pests are lurking or living nearby.

How do I Get Rid of Pests?

If you discover pests are in your home, there’s no need to panic. There are several alternatives to handling virtually every pest known to man. If one method doesn’t work, you can always try another until you find the method that works for you. You may think that a quarterly pest control service might cost you more in the long, but in our experience, DIY and over the counter products are not enough in many cases.

You don’t have to use harsh or toxic chemicals when getting rid of pests. In fact, there are plenty of green alternatives you can use, such as essential oils that will keep insects away from your home and garden. Seal doors, windows, and any other points of entry where pests can sneak inside. Keeping a clean house is one of the best ways you can ensure a pest-free home. Sweep up crumbs and vacuum regularly, and never leave discarded food indoors for long periods of time. Put non-perishable food in sealed containers so pests can’t chew through the packaging. Mop the floors of your bathroom and kitchen often, and wash linens and bedding frequently. A clean home is the most important thing you can do to prevent the possibility of annoying pests in your home.

Say Goodbye to Pests Forever

Constant cleaning will help you keep pests at bay, but there are a few other things you should do in order to ensure your home is safe and pest free. Look for the signs of a pest infestation so you can prevent things from getting out of hand. Consider a pest control service to help you eradicate dangerous pests and keep them out for good. As seasons change, pay attention to the different pests that may want to move into your home. With the right understanding of pests, it’s much easier to be prepared if you happen to spot them.

(Adapted. Originally posted on Porch.com)

Let’s set the stage. You’re stuck at home quarantined in lockdown during this global pandemic that’s still spreading throughout the Dallas area. Your kids are stuck at home, you’ve fought your way through numerous monopoly battles and cabin fever set in last week. That’s probably the worst it can get, right? Wrong. Now, on top of everything, you’re hearing scratching and clicking in the walls, seeing termite droppings around the baseboards and you think there’s a definitely something going on in the attic. What do you do now when the whole world is shutdown? Fear not, we’re still here! Buckaroo Pest Protection is here and ready to service all your pest control needs.

We understand how important it is right now to protect your family and your home during these times. After all, how can you be safe in an infested home? We don’t need to battle Covid-19 and termites. Here at Buckaroo Pest Protection, we know how important it is to protect the health and safety of your home and wanted to reach out and remind you what we can do for you during these confusing times.

Why Do We Matter?

The last thing we want you or your family to worry about right now is an active pest infection that can endanger your health and risk the quality of your home. With temperatures warming up and the good ol’ state of Texas flipping back and forth into April showers, it’s created the perfect environment for all the creepy crawlers to make their move into or around your homes. Seeing a few bugs here or there isn’t much to worry about, but if you start seeing them daily, you might have some new roommates.

Most bugs and rodents alike can carry diseases, bacteria or even create avenues for their friends to come in too. When you’re stuck at home trying to mill your way around the mysteries of common core, the last thing you need to be worried about is whether the winged bugs you’re seeing around the windows are ant or termites.

Outdoor Protection

Indoor pest control is important but so is outdoor. With limited resources available and your backyard being your ourdoor oasis, we want to make sure your family is safe both inside and outside your home. Most bugs prefer the rich and damp environment we’ve been experiencing lately, so we want to make sure you know what to look for.

Wasps

Our favorite neighborhood bully, wasps love the warm weather and tend to build their nests in the most inconvenient places. These mean, vicious creature tend to attack without much provocation and may lead to more than a few stings before you can fend off their assault. If you start to notice nests being built around your trashcans, canopies and around your lawn, feel free to give us a call. Buckaroo Pest Protection, fears no flying menace and will ensure the removal of nests to protect your family from harm’s way.

Flies

Another less volatile menace are flies. This warmer weather is where they thrive and tend to swarm near the front door of your home or nearby your trashcans. Have you ever gone to take out the trash and noticed that your trashcan was covered in maggots? Yeah, we don’t wish that on anyone. Most flies are harmless, but some species like the horse fly have a pretty painful bite. If you think wasps are bad, just wait until you run into a few of these. Not only do they bite you, but they’re determined to follow you if you catch their interest. If you’re worried about an overabundance of these nasty buggers, give a ring to come and inspect your home.

Remember, the best form of pest prevention lies in early intervention! If you think an infestation is upon you, fear not and pick up the phone! Some pests like mice or cockroaches only need one friend to form a colony. We’ll make sure to take of those creepy crawlies, before they damage your home, creep out your kids or become a long-term issue.

We have an infestation, what now?

Buckaroo Pest Protection is ready and waiting anxiously by the phones to help you protect your family, home and sanity. If you think you have a pest infestation, don’t wait, pick up the phone and give us a holler! Feel free to give us a call at (469) 598-0560 or click here to sign up for a free professional home inspection.

As the pandemic rages on, rest assured that the safety of your family and our technicians is just as important as protecting your home. Our technicians will practice proper social distancing effort and will have the proper equipment in stock for home inspections. For more covid related information click here to view a message from the company. Last but not least, don’t forget to check out our covid friendly deals!

Stay safe, happy and healthy!