Pest Control Rockwall

Pest Control, Extermination and Trapping

Blog

Signs of Termites

Termite Damage RockwallWhat are the signs of termites? Termite season is coming soon and we want you to be prepared and know what to look for. We offer termite control services in the Rockwall area and encounter termites on a regular basis. With termite season coming up, it is important to know the signs of termites in your home.

Experts estimate that a total of $5 billion in property damage is caused every year by termites. This damage is typically not covered by insurance policies and is left to the homeowner to pay for.

Signs of Termites

Discarded termite wings. These wings can be found near doors and windows. When termites start a new colony, they fly there, but it is only for a short distance. Once they land, they remove their wings because they will never need them again. That is right, they are there to stay! Termite wings are different than ant wings, which are different in size. Termite wings are the same size and ants have different sized wings in the front and back.

Termite Wings

Mud Tubes. Mud tubes can be seen where the ground meets your home or trees or sheds. Anything that is a possible food source, even a stack of fire wood. Since termites require certain temperatures and humidity levels, these tunnels block out cool, dry air allowing for an environment where they can thrive.

Termite Mud Tubes

Wood Damage. This is the obvious one. Damage to wood can be found behind walls, doors and flooring. You may even see some in your attic. Termites chew through wood looking for cellulose which leaves grooves in the wood. Over time this weakens the wood and causes it to be unsafe. Looking for wood damage below the surfaces of you home is difficult and requires a pest control professional with the proper tools.

Termite Damage

If you think you may have termites, please contact us today. We can perform a full termite inspection and determine if you have a termite problem. If you do, we can also provide termite treatments to remove and destroy the termites.

How to Keep Rodents Out of Your Attic

Rodent Attic RockwallIn this article well talk about how to keep rodents out of your attic. We’ve written about rodent removal previously, and there are some helpful tips in that article.  Of course we offer rodent removal as part of our pest control services.

Just this week we experienced snow in the Rockwall area and temperatures in the teens. If it is cold outside for us, it is cold outside for rodents as well.

So how do you keep rodents out of your attic?

1. Inspect your home for small holes that mice, rats and other rodents are using to enter the attic or home. Mice especially do not need much space. Check vents, eaves, roof line and the roof itself. To seal these gaps use a copper mesh or steel mesh.

2. Trim any trees that are overhanging the home or that are touching the home. This makes it easier for the rodents to get up on the roof and find holes to enter the house.

3. If there are currently mice, rats or other rodents in the attic or home, now is a good time to set traps. Once you have the holes sealed and closed, it is time to get what is in out.

How do you know if you have mice or rodents?

Noise: One of the most common signs of mice or rodents is the noise. You may notice scratching or chewing at night. This may be noticed coming from the ceiling or walls.

Physical Evidence: You may not hear them, but sometimes you see what they’ve left behind. You could see their droppings in the attic or you may notice the mess they made. On occasion they’ll chew electrical cords or wires.

Smell: Rodents urine often has a poor smell that you will definitely notice. In some cases the urine will soak the attic insulation or wood so much that it needs to be replaced.

Footprints: Many attics have dust on the items in them or on the flooring. You might be able to see footprints of the rodents in the dust.

If you think you have rodents in you attic, contact us for an inspection.

Rodent Removal

Rodent Removal RockwallRodent Removal becomes more common in the Rockwall area during the colder months. Rodent Removal is important part of pest control because rodents can do a significant amount of damage to a home or commercial property.

Rodents In Your Home

Homes are a prime target for rodents like racoon, possums, squirrels, rats, mice and armadillos. In the Rockwall area you may even have a fox or badger. Some of these rodents only need a hole less than an half inch in size to achieve entry in to your home. Once a rodent has gained access to your home, they can not only begin to nest and live there, but begin to cause serious damage. You then find yourself in need of rodent removal immediately.

Damage Rodents Cause

Once a rodent has taken up residence in your home, most likely the attic, they begin to make some design changes. This may include putting holes in your roof, vents or side of the house. They may also tear up your insulation in your attic, chew electrical cords or claw their way inside a box you have stored in the attic.

While this damage alone is enough to contact a rodent removal expert, the waste they generate is another level of damage and disgust. In some of the homes we’ve encountered that have a good mouse population living in the attic, the entire insulation needed replacing due to the urine and feces throughout the attic.

It is much less expensive to hire a rodent control professional to take care of the unwanted tenants.

Trapping and Removal

Trapping comes in many forms. There are glue traps, snap traps and live capture devices to use in the rodent removal process. However, using bait in the incorrect places can cause the rodent problem to become worse.

For all of your rodent removal and pest control needs, contact us today. We are licensed, locally owned and operated serving the Rockwall community.

The Keys to Winter Pest Control

You may think that winter pest control isn’t as important. Mosquitoes and flies aren’t very common in the winter, but that doesn’t mean pest control isn’t needed. In the Rockwall area some winters are very mild and we will still see some of the flying insects, even in the winter months. This also means that bug eggs and dormant insects aren’t killed off by hard long freezes, which makes pest control even more important.

Winter Pest Control Rockwall

During the winter months spiders and cockroaches are much more common. Winter pest control services will help prevent those from entering the home during winter as well as limit the population once spring arrives.

As we approach the winter months, we wanted to give you some winter pest control tips to help you keep pests and insects out of your home.

The National Pest Management Association has several tips listed for homeowners as you go in to winter. Some of these items we listed in our previous article about Pest Control for the Winter.

  • Seal cracks and holes on the exterior of the home to prevent rodents and pests from getting in. Did you know a mouse can fit in a hole the size of a dime? It doesn’t take much.
  • Replace loose weather stripping and mortar around windows and doors.
  • Do not store firewood close to the house. And when you do store it, make sure it is up off the ground.
  • Eliminate any moisture spots around the home. This includes leaky faucets, clogged drains and leaky pipes. If you can’t find a leak, hire a leak location plumber to come and locate the leak for you.
  • Install door sweeps and repair any damage to screens on windows.

If you suspect you have a pest problem or if you notice more insects in your home as the weather becomes cooler, contact Stronghold Pest Control today. We offer professional pest control services in the Rockwall area.

Tips for Fall Pest Control

Pest Prevention Window ScreenPest Control services are performed all year and Fall is no exception. The first official day of Fall is this week and although we are still experiencing near 100 degree temperatures in Rockwall, cooler weather isn’t far off.  And like other things in the house, a change of season is a good time to check on some things. Bug and Insect Control and prevention are good items to work on in the Fall, going in to Winter.

So how you can help protect your home in the Fall from bugs and insects?

1. Seal any openings in your home.
Small openings at small as 1/16 of an inch can allow spiders and other insects to get in the home. A 1/4 inch gap is large enough to allow mice in. Common places that have openings are around where wiring and pipes enter the house. Gas meters, dryer vents and outdoor faucets are also very common places to find openings that need to be sealed. You can use caulk, wire mesh or expandable foam to seal these areas.

2. Seal gaps and cracks around windows and doors.
To seal cracks and gaps around windows and doors, use weather stripping, or a latex caulk. Before sealing these areas, they should be cleaned. Garage doors and sliding glass doors can also be have stripping applied to the bottom to help prevent bugs and pests from entering the home.

3. Examine window and door screens for holes.
You may think a screen is protecting the window from intruders, but if it has hole, the bugs are coming right in. Larger insects like flies are kept out with a screen, but some smaller insects can still fit through a screen.

4. Install a Chimney Cap.
Chimney caps are a great way to keep birds, squirrels, bats and other wildlife out of your chimney and ultimately out of your home.

5. Check the exterior of your home.
Are you inviting rodents and insects to your home by things around it? Is there standing water due to draining problems? Is your trash can kept outside and not secured? Even woodpiles near the house can invite insects and bugs closer to the home. At that point, it is natural for them to try and enter the home.

Being aware of what you have outside and following these tips not only helps pest control efforts, but it will help your home be more energy efficient as well.

For all of your pest control needs, call Stronghold Pest Control. We have the knowledge and experience to help you with any pest or rodent situation.

Zika Virus in Texas and Rockwall

The Zika virus is here and as the summer months wear on, we are seeing more cases of it, making pest control services even more important. Just yesterday, in Florida, a non-travel case of the Zika virus was reported. Florida may seem a long way from Texas, and it is, but many Texans travel to Florida over the summer for vacation. While traveling this summer in Florida, people from Texas, New York and Taiwan have been infected with the Zika virus.

In addition, over 2,200 travelers have carried the Zika virus to America from other places. Here in North Texas, Dallas County has 28 reported cases and Harris County, which is the Houston area has 33 reported cases.

The bottom line is that with the summer, school starting back and sports picking back up, we are outside frequently. This increases the risk of mosquitoes infecting us.

We offer a variety of services that can help keep your home free of mosquitoes. We offer regular pest control services, mosquito treatments and a variety of products to help protect against mosquitoes, including the Mosquito Patch.

Contracting Zika

Mosquito bites are the primary way that Zika virus is transmitted. The virus can be spread from mother to child. Spread of the virus through blood transfusion and sexual contact have also been reported.

Even if you don’t know you’re infected, mosquitoes that bite you could transmit the virus to others. Mosquitoes may pick up certain viruses, such as Zika, from biting a human who has a Zika infection. The mosquito takes a blood meal from the human and takes in the virus in the human’s blood.Then, after about 7-10 days, the mosquito may pass the Zika virus to other humans when biting them. The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting several days to a week.

Symptoms of Zika

Many people infected with Zika virus won’t have symptoms or will only have mild symptoms. The most common symptoms of Zika are

  • Fever
  • Rash
  • Joint pain
  • Conjunctivitis (red eyes)

Other symptoms include:

  • Muscle pain
  • Headache

Symptoms last for several days up to a week. Typically people don’t get sick enough to go the hospital and very rarely die from it.

If you are in need of pest control services, contact us today for a free evaluation of your home or business.

Preventing Killer Bees

Exterminator RockwallBees are common in the Rockwall area. Most of the time they aren’t seen in swarms and hives and they are not usually located in any neighborhoods. However, they do exist and with many parts of Rockwall still undeveloped, it is very possible to encounter a swarm of bees, which can be deadly.

In Rio Hondo a man did die from a bee attack within the last week. While working on his tractor, the man was attacked by bees near a drainage ditch. In this case the encounter was fatal. Upon inspection by a pest control company, they found a bee hive in the ditch and one located in a nearby home.

Many of the plants we have in our area will attract bees, sometimes many at a time. Keep an eye on what plants you have in your yard that might attract bees. Being aware of what plants are likely to attract bees can help you prevent yourself, your children and your pets from being attacked.

If you are stung by a bee, first remove the stinger. You’ll want to control the swelling by using ice and elevating the stung area if possible. If you have pain, over-the-counter medications will help relieve that.

If you have severe allergy symptoms to bee stings, you should call 911 right away. Those with severe allergies to bee stings might experience trouble breathing, hives, dizziness or a swollen tongue.

At Stronghold Pest Control, we provide solutions for many types of insects and rodents. Contact us today for a free evaluation of your home or business.

Fire Ant Control Rockwall

Fire Ant Control RockwallFire ant treatment is a very common service we offer, especially this time of year. Along with pest control, rodent removal and other pest related services, fire ant treatment and prevention is one of the most common requests.

Fire ant control is often difficutl to accomplish. Hiring a pest control professional will save you time and money. Fire ants can cause a significant amount of pain, especially for children.

If you have fire ants and you have children, you should definitely consider a fire ant bait or insecticide treatment. At Stronghold Pest Control, we treat the entire lawn or property. Some homeowners treat individual fire ant mounds, and if that is the only treatment method, it is likely the fire ants will simply move to another location.

A more comprehensive approach and regular treatment of the home and lawn is the best option.

With the large amounts of rain we’ve had recently in the Rockwall area, it is more likely homeowners will see fire ant mounds pop up around their lawns.

Fire ants that were nesting underground, beneth sidewalks, etc. are forced up, above ground when the ground becomes heavily saturated.

If you have a fire ant problem an need fire ant treatment or fire ant control, contact us today to schedule an appointment.

Bug and Insect Control Prevention

Bug and Insect ControlBug and Insect prevention is actually important to the overall health of your family. This is why it is critical that we protect homes, businesses, schools and other locations that have humans living, working or playing nearby.

Pest Control Service is a great way to maintain a bug free home or office. Our pest control services provide safety for your family and give you peace of mind as your family goes through the day.

Our previous pest control post about rodents provided some tips for the winter. We’d like to provide a few more that you may not think about.

Bugs and Firewood

Make sure to store firewood at least 20 feet away from home and keep it 5 inches off the ground. You may have to walk a little further to get the wood, but having it closer to the home increases the chance of bugs and insects entering the home.

Storing Garbage

Store garbage in concealed containers. Bugs like the garbage too, but the real worry here are rodents. Mice and for those a little more rural racoons and possums will attempt to invade your trash. For those that already have a rodent issue, we provide bait boxes and traps if necessary to solve your rodent infestation.

Replace Rotted Wood and Shingles

Repair fascia and rotted roof shingles; some insects are drawn to deteriorating wood.

Replace Weather Stripping

Replace weather-stripping and repair loose mortar around basement foundation and windows.

For all your pest control needs, contact us today. We serve Rockwall, Heath, Royse City, Forney and surrounding areas. Call today for a FREE quote on your home pest control needs.

Summer Bug Safety Tips

Summer is definitely here in the Rockwall area and Pest Control doesn’t take a break in the summer. The summer months bring their own challenges when it comes to bugs and insects.

Summer is a time to be outdoors, wheather your by the pool, next to the grill or just enjoying the outdoors, we have a few tips to help keep insects out of your outdoor experience.

Pest Control SpidersHopefully you have your yard and home treated regularly by a pest control professional. But, if you don’t and you are experiencing bug or insect problems, give us a call.

1. Avoid scented soaps, perfumes, scented lotions and hair spray. These heavily scented items attract insects.

2. Avoid the combination of sunscreen and insect repelant. While sunscreen should be reapplied, insect repelant should not.

3. Use insect repelant with DEET. These are more effective and can be used on children. However, do not use these produts on infants or babies under two months of age. A product containing 10% DEET will keep insects off for up to thirty minutes.

4. Stay away from stagnant water. Rockwall and the surrounding area probably doesn’t have too much stagnant water since we see very little rain in the summer months. However, we do have a lake and several ponds that can be havens for insects to live and breed.

Stronghold Pest Control provides pest control services for Rockwall and the surrounding areas. Contact us with any questions or to schedule your free consultation today.