Household Pests: Prevention and Control

Bees, wasps, and hornets are important to the environment; however, they can be a nuisance when they build their nests in or around your home. If you find a nest on your property, your first step is to be careful. Stings from these insects can cause severe pain.

Your next step is calling Hill Country Pest Control to perform an inspection of your home, treat the pest, and remove the source.

Invading your home through pipes and drains or exterior cracks and gaps, a roach infestation is havoc-wreaking, and getting rid of cockroaches can be difficult. These bugs are nocturnal, only coming out at night, which means you may not realize you have an active roach nest until overcrowding forces them out of hiding.

Cockroaches also prefer to create their homes where they have easy access to food, warmth, and moisture. Keeping food in sealed containers and ensuring your home is free from clutter will help prevent and control a roach infestation. Expertly trained in roach pest control, our technicians administer the most rapid and effective methods for your situation.

Crickets are not only extremely noisy with their loud chirping, but they’re also very difficult to control because of their breeding. A female cricket can lay hundreds of eggs. Additionally, they feed on everything from paper and wood to fabric, and more.

You can prevent these pests by reducing their food supply, sealing cracks and openings into your home, and clearing out any debris that may be ideal for breeding. Home treatments can be administered; however, the best way to quickly rid your home of an infestation is through a professionally administered pest treatment.

Fleas may be small, but they cause lots of grief. While they are usually only 1/8″ big, they can jump high, infiltrate skin with their piercing mouths, and transmit disease. Fleas feed on the blood of various animals, including humans and household pets. Their bites cause itchy, swollen red bumps, and can cause skin irritation and flea allergy dermatitis. Dogs and cats can experience hair loss, irritated skin, and get tapeworms from fleas. Ideally, preventing fleas from invading is best, but it is possible to eliminate the issue if you have an infestation.

To get rid of fleas, you’ll need to remove adult fleas from any infected animals (dogs, cats, humans) using shampoos and treatments. Then you’ll need to rid your home of their eggs and larva with a thorough deep cleaning of your home, including washing all bedding and vacuuming. An infestation can be challenging to exterminate. Our experienced technicians can effectively treat and eliminate an infestation with our expert flea control methods.

Flies may not seem like anything more than a nuisance, but in reality, they can spread bacteria and viruses picked up from animal waste and decaying organic material. As adults, flies can painfully bite humans and other animals to feed on their blood. The best prevention for these pests is sealing any entry points, like cracks and gaps, and maintaining consistent and proper waste removal. By reducing their access to food sources, you’re limiting their breeding sites.

If your home has a few lingering flies, you can use sticky flypapers/ribbons, fly food attractants, fly swatters, and some insecticides. However, if you have a large infestation, you should contact HCPC Fredericksburg for help. Our professional pest control experts can apply residual insecticides for outside fly control.

Spreading malaria and encephalitis, mosquitoes are one of the deadliest animals on the planet. They not only spread disease, but their bites can also cause various reactions, from swelling and bruising to rashes itching. In rare cases, mosquito bites can cause anaphylaxis, hives, or an asthma attack. Residents who spend time outdoors in Texas are more susceptible to mosquito bites and the ensuing symptoms.

You can help prevent these unwanted pests from attacking by wearing light-colored clothing, minimizing the use of fragrant products (scented lotions, shampoos, etc.), using citronella and insect repellent, and draining all standing water. Additionally, Hill Country Pest Control offers options to treat and control your mosquito problem.

There are 18 different species of scorpions in the state, but most common in the Texas Hill Country is the striped bark scorpion. They can be found under rocks, paving stones, landscaping materials, or inside a home seeking out water and a cooler place to live. Getting up to 2 1/2″ long, the striped bark scorpion is yellowish-tan with two dark stripes down its back. They can be identified by their long tail with stinger that is used for defense or to paralyze prey.

Scorpions are capable of stinging people, causing moderate reactions in most. Sting severity depending on a person’s reaction to the venom. Usually, an ice pack can be applied to reduce swelling and pain from a sting. Anyone stung should be monitored for allergic reactions for several hours. While rare, hives and breathing difficulty can occur from a scorpion sting. Pruning trees, keeping grass mowed, and filling in gaps and cracks can prevent scorpions from inhabiting inside and outside your home. Our skilled staff can also administer treatment options for your home.

Weather, ease of access, and other insects can lead to a spider infestation of your home. Like the American house spider and wolf spider, most spiders are harmless; however, venomous spiders can be dangerous. The brown recluse spider’s bite causes small blisters and swelling around the bite, and may result in restlessness, fever, difficulty sleeping, and infection. Another venomous spider in the Texas Hill Country is the black widow. If bitten, their venom is strong enough to compromise a person’s nervous system. Symptoms from a bite include stomach cramps, vomiting, difficulty breathing, and fever. Medical attention is strongly recommended if either of these spiders bites you.

Cutting shrubs and bushes away from your home’s exterior, sealing gaps and cracks, and removing excess debris piles from your home are ways to easily prevent a spider infestation. If your spider problem needs professional help, HCPC Fredericksburg can provide reliable and comprehensive pest control services to eliminate spiders.

Known for their destructive feeding habits, Silverfish tend to hide their presence from humans, resulting in damage going unnoticed until they have caused a lot of destruction. These pests are typically found in moist, humid areas, attracted to paper and damp clothing. Feeding on carbohydrates, like sugar and starches, Silverfish will chew large holes in books, clothing, and upholstery.

Preventing an infestation can be difficult since they are nocturnal and quick moving. However, the best course of prevention is eliminating their food source and humid environments that attract them. If your home has Silverfish, our team can assess the situation to determine the most effective extermination method and execute treatment.

House rats and mice are one of the most destructive pests in the Texas Hill Country. They damage and destroy property by gnawing through wires, pipes, water hoses, doors, floors, walls, clothing, and furniture. If they chew through your home’s wires or pipes, rats and mice can cause immense destruction, including fires and flooding. These small, furry creatures may look cute, but they consume and contaminate food in your home, and carry diseases that are hazardous to humans and pets, including Typhus Fever, Trichinosis, Salmonella, and more.

Rat or mice infestation signs are fecal droppings, tracks, gnawing evidence, running and/or squeaking sounds, and greasy smears where their bodies have touched the walls. You’ll then need to mitigate further infestations by sealing off entry points to your home. However, the experts at Hill Country Pest Control are the quickest and most effective solution for rodent control and removal.