• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Pest Control Rockwall

Pest Control, Extermination and Trapping

  • Pest Control
    • Large Lot Granule
  • Mosquito Control
  • Rodent Control
  • Resources
    • Forms an Resources
    • Blog
    • Make a Payment
  • Contact
  • Payments

Pest Control

December 10, 2018

What Pests Do in the Winter

If you are using a Pest Control Service, hopefully pests are not camping out in your home over the winter. What a pest or insect actually does over the winter varies depending on the pest. For example a squirrel might seek shelter in your attic, but some insects go in to a pupal stage over the winter.

Insects may do two things to escape the winter cold. They either migrate and go away or they become dormant. It turns out the vast majority of insects become dormant. You may notice that even in what is officially winter in the Rockwall area, we still have some warm days. On those days, especially if we have two or three in a row of warmer weather, insects might come out of being dormant and you’ll find them flying around in the middle of winter.

How an insect handles winter is different from insect to insect. Some do try and seek shelter as they go dormant. This could be your garage, attic or another part of your home. Others may produce more sugar or other chemicals in their body to help them weather the winter temperatures.

Winter Pest Control

Pest Control is important during the winter months for several reasons. Insects and rodents both tend to seek shelter during the winter months. If you stop pest control service during the winter months, you’re leaving your home open during a period when insects are seeking shelter.

Although insects become dormant they still will seek shelter in your home and therefore you should continue pest control service through the future.

For all of your pest control needs, contact us today at 972-730-7378.

Filed Under: Pest Control

August 21, 2018

How To Keep Rodents Away From Your Home

In addition to excellent pest control services, we also provide trapping and exclusion services for rodents in your home. How to keep rodents away from your home can tricky, but believe it or not your landscaping can play a role. Rodents like to get in cracks in the exterior walls, doors, garage and of course the roof. Once they are inside, they can cause some major damage. Mice, Squirrels, Racoon and Opossum all can destroy an attic. From using your attic as a large litter box to chewing through electrical wire, the cost to repair and replace can add up quickly.
Keep Rodents Away

Plants that Keep Rodents Away

When you are planning out your landscaping or hiring a landscape company to come and install new plants in your flower beds, consider some plants that are anti-rodent. For example to keep mice away you may consider any type of mint, amaryllis, sweet pea, lavender, daffodils, wood hyacinth (or squill), grape hyacinth, alliums, catnip, camphor plant, elderberry, euphorbias, and wormwood. There are of course a list of plants for other pests like mosquitoes, but here we’re simply taking in to account rodents.

Of course if you do have mice or other rodents, we can help. From bait boxes to trapping, we are experts at clearing a home of one rodent or a full infestation.

Keeping Your Lawn Maintained

Keeping a tidy yard can help prevent mice and other rodents from seeking a living space in your yard. A junky yard or lawn one that is not maintained properly can have many places for mice and other rodents to seek refuge and build a nest. To prevent mice and other rodents on your property:

1. Keep you lawn mowed and trimmed
2. Clean up any compost piles
3. Clean out your gardens of any waste
4. Relocate woodpiles to further away from the home
5. Secure trash containers

Taking care of your property and planting a few plants can help keep your home rodent free. In addition to rodents with legs, in the Rockwall area many homeowners find snakes in their garage, bathroom, gardens, laundry rooms and other parts of their property. Don’t hesitate to give us a call for all your rodent and pest control needs.

Filed Under: Pest Control

June 19, 2018

Why All the Ants?

Fire Ant Control RockwallReports of ants in the Rockwall area seem to be more common right now than usual. So, why all the ants? It may have something to do with the unusual amount of rain the Rockwall area received in May. As a whole, North Texas had record rainfall in May, it was one of the wettest on record. Ants live in the ground, but rain can push them up and cause them to move. That is one possible reason.

But, ants in general can be more visible for a variety of reasons.

Why You See Ants

  1. Food –  Ants of course like food and with summer here it is common to have more food laying around the house…not intentionally of course. Kids are out of school and are eating at home more, which usually means more crumbs. In addition, summer months have more parties and activities, which usually involve food. So, it makes sense that the more food around the home will cause you to see more ants.
  2. Water – Although ants need water to survive, they don’t need large sources of it. The pharaoh ant does need to nest close to a water source, and the carpenter ant likes to nest by damp places like wood.
  3. Reproduction – Ants reproduce in the spring typically, but since we had a large amount of rain during that time….maybe that didn’t happen.

How to Prevent Ants in the Home

To prevent ants we have a few items to pay attention to as you maintain your home and try to keep it pest free.

  • Keep food in sealed containers, this includes dog or cat food
  • Wipe up spills, crumbs, etc.
  • Repair leaky pipes
  • Replace Damaged or Rotted Wood
  • Keep kitchen clean of grease
  • Keep outdoor grill free of grease (as best as possible)

If you have any pest control needs, contact us today. Ants can be annoying and can cause problems, we’re ready to help you with any of your pest control needs.

Filed Under: Pest Control

March 16, 2018

Pest Control After Rain

Pest control after rain a lot of rain becomes even more important. In the Rockwall area, we’ve had a very rainy winter and early spring. To date our area has seen about 13 inches of rain this year. So much, we’ve even had some parts of Rockwall flood. So, it has been a rainy period, and spring is here, what does that mean for pest control?

Insects Move and Thrive After Rainfall

After rain, many insects either have to move or they thrive in the damp environment. Ants for example will often rise up from deeper in the ground. You may find them making new mounds above ground, or even coming up your pipes in your home.

Ticks, fleas and other insects also enjoy a damp environment and will thrive with the grass getting thicker a bigger as a result of the rain.

And of course we can’t leave out mosquitoes, who definitely thrive with standing water. With all the rain we’ve had standing water can easily be found in backyards, large open lots and other areas like parks. Mosquitoes breed in stagnant, standing fresh water often found around the home.

For best results, take a look at how to prevent mosquitoes. Many of these tips also apply to other insects, but as we all know, mosquitoes bite and can carry disease.

How to Prepare for Insects

The best way to prepare for insects and pests is to hire a professional pest control expert. Regular pest control services will help keep insects out of your home and off your property. If you don’t have a pest control company you work with, we’d love the opportunity to earn your business. But, not everyone wants pest control, and that is ok, so we have a few tips for keeping insects away.

1. Anything that can hold water in your backyard you should remove. From kids toys to buckets or even trash, get it out. It is only a breeding ground.

2. If you keep wood outside, keep it off the ground and check to make sure it hasn’t rotted.

3. Vacuum regularly so fleas or other insects that may lay eggs in your home don’t have a chance to hatch.

Contact us today for a pest control appointment.

Filed Under: Pest Control

November 26, 2017

Winter Pest Removal Service

Rodent Removal ServicesWinter is nearing in the Rockwall area and pest removal becomes a much more needed service. Many homeowners in the Rockwall area have several factors that contribute to their need for pest removal or rodent removal. We offer several options for pest removal, including trapping. Once we determine the circumstances of your rodent problem, we make a recommendation to solve the issue.

Why Rodents Enter the Home

1. It is cold. As the weather becomes colder, racoon, mice, rats, squirrels and other rodents do seek a warmer place to stay. Your home, unfortunately, is a prime location for a rodent to seek shelter and warmer living conditions. Rodents can fit in very small cracks and holes in the home, making it important to check your roof lines, brick and garage door regularly.
2. Food. It is no secret that mice and racoons especially seek food in the home. This may not always be food you eat though. Dog food for example can attract rodents and we’ve even had cases of opossum entering a garage and rummaging through dog food. Many homeowners do keep their dog food in the garage, so if that is you, just make sure it is sealed and not left open.
3. Rockwall is close to the lake. Rodents enter homes, sometimes, out of convenience. With many homes in Rockwall and Heath very close to the lake, it is easy for a mouse, rat or other rodent to take a stroll up to a home. For example, it is very common for homeowners in Chandlers Landing to have mice and snakes on their property. This is partially due to the close proximity to the lake and the mature vegetation in that development. There are also a couple of ponds in that neighborhood, providing more space for rodents and snakes to live and seek food in.

While there are other reasons that pests enter the home, our pest removal services usually revolve around one of the above circumstances. Once we arrive and asses the situation there are a number of options we provide for the removal of the pests. We offer pest trapping services, which are common for racoons, squirrels, opossum, etc. Once we have a location established, we can set a trap or two and bait the rodent in to the trap. Once it has gone off, we return to remove the rodent.

For mice and rats, even if they are inside the attic or home, we often recommend a bait box. This does not involve trapping, but rather bait that will eliminate the existence of the rodents in and around your home.

Pest removal services increase this time of year, so don’t hesitate to call us if you hear some scratching in your attic, notice some chewed wire or see an animal on your property that shouldn’t be there.

Filed Under: Pest Control

July 27, 2017

Wasp Nests and How to Check for Them

Wasp nests are very common in spring and summer months. While many homeowners focus on mosquito control during the hotter summer months, wasps can be just as active.  For many homeowners a walk around the exterior of the home would produce a wasp next or two along the eaves of the house. Wasp nests are made of chewed wood that provide their paper walls. A mud dauber uses clay or mud, but wasps use wood. In the spring a queen wasp will build her nest and populate it with eggs. These wasps turn in to workers that take over the upkeep of the nest the remainder of the season.

If a nest is left alone, by mid-summer a wasp nest can reach the size of a basketball. Thankfully, we don’t see that everyday, but it is possible. If you are seeing a lot of wasps, you can watch them and locate where they return to. Chances are that will be where their nest is.

When you check for wasps around your home, the obvious places are usually very visible. The eaves of the house, overhanging parts of the roof or under a porch. These places are all very common for wasps to build nests. A place you may not think to look is under your existing bushes and landscaping. A bush that has overhanging growth, or has been trimmed to have that design can provide a nice Wasp Nest Rockwallhome for a wasp nest. The picture to the left is a photo taken under a bush at a home of one of our clients. The nest is not very large, but it was hidden under a bush and could not be seen by simply looking at the landscaping. This wasp nest has a few wasps working on it, maintaining it and building on to it.

It is best to have your property treated for pest control early in the year to help prevent wasps and other insects. If you are a current customer of ours, we spray routinely throughout the year. If you are not a current client, call us today and we can come out and take care of any pest control needs you have. From wasps to raccoons and mosquitoes, we cover a full range of pests.

Filed Under: Pest Control

July 8, 2017

How to Keep Pests Out During the Summer

This article focuses on tips on how to keep pests out during the summer. Here in the Rockwall area, we’ve seen more rain than normal for a North Texas summer. This causes bugs and pests to move around and relocate. Ants for example have their colony washed out due to rain, so they move and build another one. This can cause a greater need for ant control service and pest control can become more challenging. With regular treatments, your bug population should be able to be kept in check so you can enjoy the pool, outdoor parties and other events outside your home.

To help prevent prevent pest control issues and keep pests out, apply some of the tips below.

Pest Control Rockwall Fire Ants

  • Keep kitchen counters clean and store food in sealed containers
  • As we’ve mentioned many times before, eliminate areas of standing water
  • Keep landscaping trimmed and maintained – this can be done yourself, or with a lawn service
  • Divert rainwater away from the house – contact a professional about drainage solutions
  • Keep basements, attics and crawl spaces well ventilated and dry
  • Replace weather-stripping around windows and repair loose mortar around the
  • Don’t let garbage pile up
  • Do not store anything, especially firewood up against the home
  • Don’t ignore cracks or holes in the exterior of the home
  • Don’t give pests a free meal, clean up after outdoor parties

Following these summer pest control tips should help keep your home free from any pest activity. If you suspect you have a pest control problem, please seek the help of a pest control professional. Give us a call at 972-730-7378 or contact us.

Filed Under: Pest Control

June 1, 2017

How to Keep Mosquitoes Away from Your Home

Natural Mosquito repellentKeeping mosquitoes out of your home or yard is a challenging task. We of course offer mosquito control and mosquito spraying services. We’ve posted previously an article about bug and insect control. This focuses on items you can add to your landscape to keep mosquitoes away from your home. There are a few options for homeowners that want to keep mosquitoes away from the home. Some include landscaping and others include items you may find at a hardware store. So what are they?

Mosquito Repelling Plants

For those that have an outdoor space that you like to enjoy or have children that play outside, adding some mosquito repelling plants is a great idea. Below we have a list of plants that help you keep mosquitoes away from your home.

  • Lavender – Have you noticed that rabbits or other insects don’t destroy your lavender plants? Lavender plants have a great fragrance that comes from the oils in their leaves. Some even say the lavender plant will hinder a mosquitoes ability to smell. Lavender plants are tough and drought resistant, perfect for the Rockwall weather and hot summers.
  • Marigolds – These easy to grow flowers emit a smell that deters mosquitoes and help keep them away from your home. You can plant marigolds in pots, flower beds or use them as a border for a vegetable garden. In addition to deterring mosquitoes marigolds also deter other bugs and beetles.
  • Citronella Greass – This grass is known for its distinct smell and is commonly used in mosquito repellents. It can be planted in direct sun and does well in planter boxes.
  • Rosemary – Rosemary is another great option for a natural mosquito repellent. The woody smell keeps mosquitoes as well as moths and flies away. Not only can it keep mosquitoes away from your home, it provides a great seasoning for cooking.
  • Basil – This in another herb that can also double as a mosquito repellent. Basil leaves give off a very pungent smell, which keep mosquitoes, flies and other insects at bay. Basil does well in planter boxes and can have full sun.

Mosquito Repelling Products

If you are looking for other items besides natural plants, citronella candles can be purchased at many hardware stores. Although, some research suggests that the citronella candle actually doesn’t provide much of a repellent. You may also purchase mosquito sticks, which only last a few hours and need to be replaced.

Mosquito Control

The best solution is of course regular pest control services for your lawn and property. Mosquitoes specifically will only travel about 100 feet from their birth place, so keeping your property free of standing water, piles of leafs, etc. is important. Contact us today for an estimate on your property.

Filed Under: Pest Control

February 12, 2017

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.

Filed Under: Pest Control, Termite Control

January 7, 2017

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.

Filed Under: Pest Control

  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to page 3
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Pay Now

Connect

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • LinkedIn

Recent News

What Pests Do in the Winter

How To Keep Rodents Away From Your Home

Footer

Pest Control Certification

MetroTex Rockwall Chamber
BNI Showing Services

Call

T: 972-730-7378

Hours of Operation
Monday - Friday 8am-6pm

Copyright © 2025 · Stronghold Pest Control - TDA TPCL # 667971 · TREC # 20315 · Web Design by Key Element Media

Cleantalk Pixel