pest control okc

Pest Control OKC: What happens to pests in the winter Pt. 2

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Pest Control OKC: What do other pests do in the winter?

Pest Control OKC has a few more pests behaviors that let them survive the winter and come back to annoy you in the summer.

Mosquitoes: Spend any time outdoors in the summer and you will eventually catch a bite from these tiny buzzing nuisances. Most people believe that the cold kills off these little terrors. When it warms up they move back from the warmer climates. But that isn’t what happens, mosquitoes will actually overwinter, hibernate, inside hollow logs and other protected places. They hibernate like this until the weather warms back up at which point females will wake up and begin looking for blood to develop eggs from. And to annoy you while you enjoy the warm weather of course.

Cockroaches: Cockroaches are survivors. They’ve been around for millions of years and, despite our best efforts, they’ll be around for millions more. They’ve developed into one of the most adaptable creatures alive today, so how do they survive the cold? Generally, they don’t. They don’t die, they simple choose to not deal with the cold by living in warm, moist environments. German Cockroaches, for example, stay active year-round by living in these kinds of environments, like your home, year round. American Cockroaches will spend the warmer years outside with the other pests, but once it gets colder they’ll begin to mass migrate to similar environments as their German counterparts.

Bed Bugs: bed bugs can handle an extreme range of temperatures. From nearly freezing to around 122 degrees Fahrenheit. This makes them difficult to deal with. However, they can’t last more than a few days in temperatures below freezing, making your home the perfect winter shelter.

If you need pest control, call The Bug Guy, Pest Control OKC, today.

pest control okc

Pest Control OKC: What happens to pests in the winter

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Pest Control OKC: What happens to pests in winter?

We all know the warmer months are the domain of pests. They seem to pop out of nowhere and invade our homes and BBQ. But why do we typically only have to deal with pests in the summer and spring? What happens to all the pests in Winter? Do they all die off or does something else happen? Pest Control OKC has some answers.

Ants: They may not be in your home during the winter, but that doesn’t mean ants aren’t nearby. Ants will engage in the Insect version of hibernation, called Overwintering. They will spend the fall gorging themselves as much as they can to put on fat. When the temperature drops and food becomes scarce, ant activity will decrease until eventually they seal their colony and hunker down for the coldest parts of the year. When the temperature rises they will reanimate and emerge, ready to invade the nearest Barbecue.

Termites: Different Termites do different things during the winter. Depending on the species and the climate, some termites use one method while others use another. Subterranean Termites will dig down deeper than they already are, below the freezing line of the soil to stay warm and wait out the colder months. Drywood termites on the other hand, will seek out dry wood to shelter in for the winter. After summer comes and the temperature reaches about 70 degrees the colony will send out swarmers to mate and find new locations to infest. If climate controlled conditions or climates that are warm year round, termites will never go inactive staying up year round. This makes homes particularly inviting to termites who can avoid the risk of freezing to death in the winter.

If you need pest control, call The Bug Guy, pest control okc, today.

pest control okc

Pest Control OKC: Keeping a summer home pest free

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Pest Control OKC: How to protect a summer home from infestation

You work hard, you save up, and your finally able to afford a summer home somewhere nice. But then you get there to enjoy a vacation you find it overrun with pests! What can you do to make sure that isn’t a reality? Pest Control OKC has a few tips.

  • Clean all cabinets and counter tops thoroughly before you depart. Clean all appliances to remove food residue and crumbs. Dust off shelves and store food such as cereal, flour and dog food in releasable containers.
  • Sweep and vacuum floors in the kitchen, under furniture, and around dining areas.
  • Check any pipes around the house for leaks, cracks and gaps and seal them before you leave to keep water from attracting pests and forming mold.
  • Inspect boxes, grocery bags and other packaging thoroughly. Insects may hitch a ride into your summer home from potted plants and infest your home after you leave.
  • Keep basements, attics, and crawl spaces well ventilated and dry. A good way to tell if you need more ventilation is the presence of mold and mildew.
  • Seal cracks, crevices, and other gaps in doors and windows before you leave. Doors and windows should be kept closed at all times unless well screened.
  • Keep garbage areas clean. Garbage should be taken out regularly and removed completely before you leave for the season. Garbage provides 2 things. Clutter and food sources. Insects like to be able to hide, from you and other predators. So cluttered places like a full garbage bin are attractive. And of course, if they can find a supply of food while hiding in their cozy garbage patch even better. Don’t give them the chance!

If you need pest control, call the bug guy, pest control okc, today.

pest control okc

Pest Control OKC: What’s eating your lawn?

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Pest Control OKC: How to tell what’s eating your lawn

Not all pests are created equal, some pests live underground while other in nests in the trees. Some invade your home while others just carve miles of tunnels into the lawn your worked so hard to make beautiful. Here are a few pests that you can keep an eye out for according to Pest Control OKC.

European Crane Flies: These nuisances resemble large mosquitoes and frequently appear in late summer and fall. They don’t bite or sting, but they will probably startle you if you mistake them for the world’s largest mosquito. They’re larvae state, called leatherjackets, resemble small, brown worms. Leatherjackets will feed on the roots of grass while they mature. This causes brown spots to appear in your lawn as the grass dies. Feeding will be heaviest during the summer as the larvae mature. You can check for infestation by cutting a 6 to 12-inch square foot of sod, digging down 4 inches, and peeling back the sod to look for leatherjackets. A healthy lawn will suffer damage from about 25 leatherjackets per square inch. Birds can be another handy indicator, look for birds scouring the ground for the tasty larvae.

Southern Chinch Bugs: Immature chinch bugs are reddish-orange with a white band across the back. Once they’re adults, they turn black in color. Adults also have shiny, white wings that fold neatly over their backs. Damage from these pests will start in sunny areas. Grass will brown and die. Once an area is dead you will see the browning spread across your lawn quickly, often within a day or so. Infestations might be spotty and may only affect portions of the lawn. Left untreated however, you can easily lose your entire lawn. Damage will typically occur in spring and fall. To look for these pests, take a coffee container and cut out both ends. Place it 3 inches into the ground and fill it with water. Chinch bugs will rise to the top of the water if present. Test near the edge of an affected area.

If you need pest control, call The Bug Guy, pest control okc, today.