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Pest Control OKC

Pest Control OKC: Bed Bug Bites and treatments

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Pest Control OKC: Bed Bug Bites and how to deal with them

Bed bugs are an invasive, annoying pest. They ruin furniture and are notoriously hard to get rid of, often requiring the work of a professional pest control expert. But by far the creepiest part about bed bugs is the way they feed on humans, sucking our blood as we sleep in the night. Bed bug bites often appear in lines as red bumps. They can be itchy and annoying. Should you find a line of bumps along with blood on your pajamas and sheets, it may be you have a bad bug infestation. Here are some common treatments if these bites become irritated and itchy:

Of course, the best way to prevent bed bug bites is to get rid of bed bugs. After you relieve the itching from bed bug bites, be sure to call a pest control expert to get rid of the infection. What’s good about bed bugs is that they’re more annoying then deadly. The worst that will happen is you’ll get really itchy and have some annoying bumps on your skin. Antihistamines can reduce the swelling and itching from the bumps, as can a plain old ice pack. You can clean the bites with antiseptic cream or lotions. The bumps should go away on their own in a couple of weeks. The only thing to really worry about is the possibility of infection from the openings left by the bed bugs but really as long as you shower and maintain a level of cleanliness that shouldn’t be a big concern. You’ll also want to wash and dry your sheets and blankets. Bed bugs don’t clean up after themselves and will leave fecal matter all over your bed!

If you have an infestation, call The Bug Guy, Pest Control OKC, today at 405-973-5522!

Fall Leaves On Tree- Pest Control OKC

Pest Control OKC Services For Keeping Bugs Away This Fall

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Pest Control OKC Helps Homeowners Avoid Fall Pests

A lot of people tend to love the fall with the colorful leaves falling off of trees, the tasty treats, and plenty of seasonal activities to be have some fun doing, but it’s difficult to focus on much else if your home has a potential pest problem. You may think that once fall has arrived that there is no longer a need for our pest control OKC services, but many pests still live on during this season.

The difference for fall months is that many of the pests you once saw buzzing around your yard will try to venture inside in search of warmth and protection to settle in before winter comes. Before things get too out of control (which can happen quite rapidly) you should consider contacting your local pest control OKC service team to help you.

A few of the most common pest problems in the fall months can include, but may not be limited to:

  • Stink bugs – They are resilient, can fly off to unknown locations, and give off chemicals to attract other stink bugs.
  • Some wasps – While most wasps are most active in summer they can survive in your warm home and be dangerous even if just accidentally provoked.
  • Carpenter ants – They can and will chew through wood of a home to build nests for their young.
  • Bed bugs –  These bloodsuckers can carry diseases, get into every nook and cranny of a home, and be very hard to get rid of.
  • Spiders – There are many male spider species that will become more adventurous and bite more often than usual as they seek to mate.

Dealing with any of the above mentioned insects or arachnids is not a pleasant thing for most homeowners. While some are more dangerous than others, it often takes professional assistance to rid a home of these small critters. Our pest control OKC team would be more than happy to help!

If you’re in need of our pest control OKC services, please feel free to give us a call! Our pest control OKC team can be reached by calling The Bug Guy at 405-973-5522.

Pest Control OKC

Pest Control OKC Explains Why Cockroaches Are So Terrible

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Pest Control OKC Explains Necessary Cockroach Extermination 

Mention cockroaches to anyone and you’ll see an involuntary facial twinge and possible a shudder. Cockroaches are a disgusting pest that anyone who’s ever had an apartment are all too familiar with. They’re unsettling to see for sure, but are they really a threat to you? Cockroaches rarely bite and they’re not poisonous, so why put in the effort or money to get rid of them? The Bug Guy, your local pest control OKC team, is here to tell you why.

The biggest reason you want to get rid of cockroaches as soon as possible is that they can contaminate food with deadly bacteria. One of the cockroach’s best survival tactics is that it can eat an absurd amount of food. Everything from normal food to soap, to feces, to leather, and even hair! Ready to gag, yet?

The problem for you is when the roaches contaminate the food in your pantry by moving from the bathroom to the kitchen and contaminating food with the bacteria from they carried with them. They also shed and defecate on food, spreading bacteria and disease. Furthermore, cockroaches can transfer the Salmonella bacteria.

Cockroaches also carry a range of allergens on their bodies and in their saliva. This can cause sneezing, watery eyes, and even skin rashes. If you or a loved one suffer from Asthma, the allergens on a cockroach’s body can also trigger an Asthma attack.

Everyone should know how resilient cockroaches are. That’s why The Bug Guy, your pest control OKC expert, recommends not trying to take care of an infestation by yourself. Call The Bug Guy!

We have years of experience and the tools necessary to take care of even the worst infestation problems. If you see a cockroach in your house, it may be a sign that more are hiding in the many nooks and crannies of your living space! Call The Bug Guy, your pest control OKC team, at 405-973-5522.

Pest Control OKC

Pest Control OKC: Formica Ants And Oklahoma

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Pest Control OKC: These Ants Don’t Sting, They Spray

The Bug Guy, your local source for pest control OKC, is here to tell you about a certain kind of ant. Formica ants are one of the many species of ants that can be found in Oklahoma. These ants are often called Wood Ants, because they like to make their nests in wooded areas. These ants are also known for invading the colonies of smaller ant species and capturing workers, turning them into slaves for their colonies.

Formica ants primarily feed off of the Honeydew produced by Aphids and other small insects. They even defend Aphids, a common garden pest, from predators and lead them to the best parts of plants to feed. These ants aren’t poisonous, but if provoked they can bite with their mandible and spray Formic Acid. This kind of acid can cause coughing fits, watery eyes, and skin irritation.

Still not convinced Formica ants are a nuisance? They are pests in 2 ways:

  • They can infest a home and cause a list of problem including being attacked by the colony and being sprayed with Formic Acid.
  • They farm and defend the Aphid, a common garden pest that can destroy garden plants and lawns. They also like to hunt caterpillars and other insects that can help pollinate your garden.

With any ant infestation, it can be hard to get rid of them, because it can be difficult to track down the colony. This is especially true for Formica ants as they like to hide the entrance to their colonies under rocks or in wood.

It’s best to call The Bug Guy, your local pest control OKC team, to come out and make sure the colony is dealt with. Years of experience allows our pest control OKC experts the ability to find and remove these colonies quickly and safely.

If you have ants infesting your home, give The Bug Guy a call and take back your home and garden from these acid spraying pests! Call now at: 405-973-5522

Pest Control OKC: Lesser Known Pests

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Pest Control OKC is here to tell you about some lesser known Oklahoma Pests

Wasps, Roaches, Ants, Termites, and ‘Skeeters. If you live in Oklahoma you’re probably all too aware of these kinds of pests. Of course, that’s not all the kinds of pests you can see here in Oklahoma and Our pest control OKC team is here to introduce you to just a few of them:

Reduvius personatus:

Also known as the Masked Hunter, from the Assassin Bug Family, sticky hairs all over its body allow this sly hunter to camouflage itself with dust and other debris. A favorite prey of this hunter are bed bugs, so finding one of these little guys in your house is a good indication of a larger bedbug infestation. While not poisonous or really any threat at all to humans, they can inflict a painful bite so The Bug Guy, Pest Control OKC, recommends leaving them alone. Also, consider calling us to investigate and eradicate a potential bedbug infestation.

Jumping Spider:

Spiders are terrifying enough on their own, but some of them could put an olympic vaulter to shame! There are many kinds of jumping spiders and on the whole they’re harmless to humans, though most can bite. The Johnson Jumping Spider, which can be found here in Oklahoma, can leap up to 5 times its length! These kinds of arachnids are active hunters and don’t build webs, preferring to hunt and leap on prey. While harmless, it can be annoying and certainly startling to have these guys leaping around your house.

Oil Beetle:

Oil Beetles are a type of blister beetle. If you see one of these guys be very careful, they can excrete a painful irritant that can cause skin blisters. Thankfully, these guys tend to stick to grassy areas and gardens; however, that doesn’t mean one couldn’t end up in your home.

Our pest control OKC team has been hard at work this year! Don’t be a victim. Give our pest control OKC team a call to eliminate your chances of a run-in with pests, common or uncommon. You may contact The Bug Guy at 405-973-5522.

Stink Bugs- OKC Pest Control

OKC Pest Control Warning Of Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs

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OKC Pest Control Shares A Story About A Stink Bug

Stink bugs get their name from the obvious pungent odor that they erect when they are threatened. It has been determined that this stinky smell helps stink bugs protect themselves from predators. Not only do they actually stink, but some may say they metaphorically stink, as well. At least, that would be the response from one blogger, by the name of Lydia Whitney, as she reported to having quite an unpleasant experience with a Brown Marmorated Stink Bug. Today, our OKC pest control team is sharing her short story with you!

Lydia Whitney wrote about her experience with a Brown Marmorated Stink Bug on her blog.

In this article she talked about how she sat at her computer working when she felt a “sharp pain” on her bare foot. Whitney looked down and discovered a stink bug biting her, but was highly confused as many experts have stated that stink bugs aren’t harmful to humans and do not bite. She went on to explain that normally a Brown Marmorated Stink Bug feeds by piercing a plant and sucking on the plant juices with its beak, which is made with straw-like mouthparts. The damage done to the plant is generally defined as mild to severe.

With this explanation and the evidence of pain felt by Whitney after the stink bug was found on her foot, it would be difficult to argue that they do not bite. In most cases, they probably wouldn’t prefer to bite people, but they are a nuisance to people with vegetable gardens, precious plants, and even inside homes.

Our OKC pest control team is inclined to share a few warnings with you as many homeowners have thought it was a good idea to attempt sweeping away or vacuuming up stink bugs. Our OKC pest control professionals would like you to know that the smell emitted from these bugs can last for hours. Yes, even inside the vacuum!

To prevent stink bugs from getting inside of your home consider checking to make sure your windows and doors are properly sealed. Additionally, consider having ongoing OKC pest control treatments for all insect control.

If you need help keeping your yard and home safe from pests, give our OKC pest control professionals a call. The Bug Guy can be reached at 405-973-5522.   

Hobo Spider- OKC Pest Control

OKC Pest Control: Hobo Spiders Are Crawling Out Of Obscurity

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OKC Pest Control: Keeping An Eye Out For Hobo Spiders

At one time hobo spiders were actually more well known as the venom was once said to be life-threatening. Today, the perspective may be a different as further research dispelled the deadly medical threat of a hobo spider’s bite. That doesn’t mean; however, that they aren’t still around and that their bites won’t do some damage. Luckily, our OKC pest control team still has an effective treatment solution to keep you safe.

While the hobo spider is originally documented as being native to Europe, it’s no wonder that thanks to years of immigration and travel that several places in the United States have become home to this spider species.

Hobo spider bites are often mistaken for other types, especially due to the Brown Recluse Spider stealing the spotlight over the years. To help you identify hobo spiders here’s our OKC pest control team’s description of these little critters:

  • They are brown in color.
  • They have no distinct rings on their legs, but they are covered in short hairs.
  • Their abdomens usually have several chevron shaped markings.
  • Males have two large palps- commonly described as “fangs, venom sacs, or boxing gloves” (they are actually just male genitalia).
  • Females have palps without the “swollen” ends.
  • Females have a much larger abdomen.

The hobo spider has poor eye site and less sticky webs in comparison to other spiders. Simply stated: to live; they must attack. This most likely explains why hobo spiders are known to be so aggressive by nature and will bite humans. As to be expected, the female spiders are even more defensive if they are tending to their egg sacs. Most bites probably occur when the spider becomes trapped in clothing, bed sheets, or someone accidentally breaks their web.

Our OKC pest control team is just here to let you know that the hobo spider is no longer an unknown entity, especially with the onset of warmer weather. In fact, our OKC pest control team has found funnel shaped webs attached to objects in many yards, by foundations, between planters, and other ground-level objects.

This is one spider species that is crawling out of obscurity. To keep your yard pest-free, our OKC pest control team would be happy to help! You can reach The Bug Guy at 405-973-5522.

Ticks- OKC Pest Control

OKC Pest Control Reviews A Story About Ticks And Lyme Disease

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OKC Pest Control Sharing A True Tale About A Tick Bite

Normally, when you think about the presence of ticks in your yard it’s already well into the summer, but as you already know our temperatures in Oklahoma have been warmer than normal this spring. This is why our OKC Pest Control team thought it would be important to inform our readers about ticks making their way out sooner than they usually do.

A lot of people don’t ever think that a tick bite will really do anything to them, but the warning of Lyme disease couldn’t be more real. Last summer there was a story shared online by several sources about an Oklahoma woman named Alyssa Layman who is now battling Lyme disease due to a tick bite. One interview of the story was published by News Channel 4, but our OKC pest control team wanted to share it here as a reminder that caution is needed with warmer days ahead.

The Alyssa Layman Story:

Alyssa Layman’s life was changed one June summer day in 2012 when she decided to go fishing in Arkansas. She was bitten by a tick (most likely to be spread via the blacklegged tick, or deer tick)* and she didn’t think anything more about it at that time. By the month of September she was in enough pain that she had to go to the emergency room. She stated she “had mood swings, started running a fever, had extreme pain.”

The interview with News Channel 4 was published in June of 2016 and it was explained how Layman, 4 years after her bite, still has to rely on her family members to help her do almost everything. She receives help from her mother to wash her hair, do the dishes, and help her cook, because she simply cannot do these things on her own. Her sister takes her to her doctor appointments and Layman also receives help from a service dog.

Layman hoped that by sharing her story about her battle with Lyme disease due to a tick bite that others would take caution. She also stated that “if you get a rash of any kind around a bug bite, definitely go in, get tested.”

Our Comments:

At the end of the original article, there was a comment about how Lyme disease is usually not a problem in Oklahoma, but officials say it is becoming more prevalent. Other resources suspect that a lot of people traveling to other parts of the country may be bringing back infected ticks to Oklahoma.

We wouldn’t want anyone to take any chances! Our OKC pest control team would be happy to help eliminate ticks from your yard to keep you, your family members, and even your pets safe.

To get in touch with our OKC pest control company, give The Bug Guy a call at 405-973-5522.

*Resource: https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/transmission/

Brown Recluse- OKC Pest Control

OKC Pest Control Team Looking Out For Brown Recluse Spiders

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Warmer Weather Brings A Need For OKC Pest Control

The warmer it gets outside the more Oklahomans find the desire to get out and become more active. Our OKC pest control team knows that people aren’t the only beings to enjoy springtime. In fact, Brown Recluse spiders are no exception.

The warm, spring weather is a great time for them to emerge as they are capable of surviving with no food or water for up to 12 months and probably have spent the winter hiding. During the daytime, the Brown Recluse spider is known to hide in dark areas. They like to move around mostly at night searching for prey.

If one is seen during the daytime, our OKC pest control team would suspect that pesticide applications, hunger, overcrowding or a desire to find a mate has probably brought them out. Sometimes, the spiders can become trapped in certain places within a person’s home, as well.

Identifying features of the Brown Recluse spider include a brown-to-gray abdomen, lighter coloring on the legs, and an orange-to-yellow cephalothorax (the anterior part of the body). You may also hear others refer to this spider by names such as Violin Spider or Fiddleback Spider. These names refer to the description of the violin-shaped pattern on top of the spider, with the base of the “violin” sitting on the eyes, and the neck of the “violin” pointing back toward the abdomen.

Many victims of Brown Recluses spiders often roll onto the spider during normal sleep movements causing the spider to bite. A common Brown Recluse spider bite can completely destroy the surrounding tissue. The wound can then develop a crusty-like appearance and texture surrounded by patches of redness and irritation. The awful part about these bites is that although the crust falls off, the deep, crater-like shape may not heal for several months!

Our OKC pest control team encourages you to keep an eye out for Brown Recluse spiders, but to really protect yourself and your family members from accidental spider bites, it’s best to receive a treatment in and around your home.

Our OKC pest control team can help! To get in touch with our OKC pest control company, give The Bug Guy a call at 405-973-5522.