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Chiggers- Pest Control OKC

Pest Control OKC Answers Questions About Chiggers

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Pest Control OKC: Informative Responses To Customer Questions

Over the last weekend many people celebrated Labor Day festivities in various ways. Some enjoyed their time out at the lake near woodsy areas. Others had their usually backyard BBQ. Of course, being outdoors near grass and trees can invite a lot of insects or other unpleasant things to take advantage of you. One such problem in areas like that are chiggers and our pest control OKC team is answering a few questions regarding these “red bugs”.

Are chiggers insects? 

As our pest control OKC expert, The Bug Guy, will tell you chiggers are not actually insects although many have referred to them as bugs. Instead, they are the larva of mites which belong to the family called Trombiculidae. 

What do chiggers look like?

Chiggers are very small in size. In fact, they are less than 1/50 of an inch in length. These tiny critters appear to be a reddish-orange color and they have six legs.

Do chiggers like to feed on people? 

Primarily, chiggers prefer to feast on reptiles, amphibians, birds, and other small mammals. Chiggers usually don’t seek out a human host, but will when coming into contact with them. Since chiggers normally live in patches, this is the reason people often notice several bites rather than just one or two. 

How can something so small bite people?

Many people make the mistake of thinking that chiggers burrow into the skin like scabies, but our pest control OKC team is here to tell you that chiggers do not behave this way. Instead, they attach themselves to the skin inject digestive enzymes into the bite location. This causes a hardened tube of dead cells called Stylostome. Then, they proceed to suck up the digested tissue with their tiny, little mouth parts called Chelicerae.

What happens to chiggers after they bite?

When they do attach to humans, chiggers usually die off within 72 hours, because they cannot obtain adequate nourishment from a human due to the human immune system reacting to the bite.  

If you discover a chigger problem on your home property the best prevention would be the following:

  • Keep grass short
  • Keep small animals out of your yard which could be possible hosts for chiggers
  • Remove wood debris which could be home to mites
  • Continue with pest control treatments 

Our pest control OKC team hopes this information answered a few questions you may not have previously known the answers to and we’d love nothing more than to help you keep your yard safe from pests like these. If you require our pest control OKC services, please feel free to contact The Bug Guy at 405-973-5522.

Pest Control OKC

Pest Control OKC Explains What To Do When A Roach Bites

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Pest Control OKC Reveals Cockroaches Bite!

Of all the bugs in the world you probably don’t automatically think about cockroaches when you think about the many crawling things which are fully capable of biting humans. It’s true that cockroaches can bite! In fact, some species have even been shown to eat human flesh, both living and dead. The Bug Guy, your pest control OKC expert, recommends taking these steps should you be bitten by any roaches.

Firstly, it’s important to know that cockroaches don’t normally bite humans. If confronted, they will normally try to run away. In some cases, a human will only get bitten, because the roach is trying to get some food that’s hanging on your fingernails. Some species of roach; however, are far more likely to bite. A dense infestation can also increase the chances of getting bitten as the food supply becomes more scarce.

Roaches have a fondness for certain areas of the body over others, these include:

  • Hands
  • Feet
  • Eyelashes
  • Fingernails

If you find a bite mark in any of these areas, clean the wound with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol. Roaches aren’t poisonous, but they can carry harmful bacteria inside their mouths from the food they eat, causing infections as they break the skin. Keep an eye on the wound, the biggest thing to watch for is infection. If the wound persists you may need to consult a doctor. If the bite wound persist for more than 4 days you need to see a doctor as an infection may be taking place.

Most roaches aren’t trying to eat you alive, usually what happens is the roach is trying to get some food stuck in these areas. If you want to avoid these bites, The Bug Guy, your pest control OKC guru, recommends not eating in bed (which will attract the roaches at night).

Of course, the best way to avoid roach bites is to not have roaches in your house in the first place. Let The Bug Guy, your trustworthy pest control OKC team, take care of any infestations you may have. Call us at405-973-5522!

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.

Bed Bugs- OKC Pest Control

OKC Pest Control Reports The Return Of Bed Bugs: Part 1

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OKC Pest Control: Protecting You And Your Bedding

Our OKC pest control team is ready for the month of February and all it has to offer, are you? If you have bed bugs, chances are you’re probably not ready for anything except some relief!

The month for love and romance is no time at all to be getting bitten up by bed bugs! Sleeping soundly in a bug-free bed is something everyone deserves. The last thing you’d want your significant other or special sweetheart to notice is that your bed has been infested with bed bugs causing them to be dinner for the gross, little insects. Likewise, did you know that your guests could actually bring bed bugs with them? It’s true as they can be very good at hiding. Read on to learn more.

Are bed bugs even still around? 

You may think bed bugs are less common these days than they were in the past, but our OKC pest control team is here to tell you that we’ve seen them make a big return! Older generations will remember they were a common occurrence before World War II in the United States and the epidemic seemed to eliminated for quite some time, but records indicate bed bugs remained prevalent in other areas of the world and that increases in immigration, travel, and restrictions on stronger pesticides have played a role in the comeback of these disgusting blood suckers.

Can you see them and if so what do they look like?

Bed bugs are tiny and they are very good at hiding in beds, dark areas, in luggage, and on clothing. If you do happen to see them they can be identified as reddish brown in color and even more red after they’ve sucked the blood of humans or animals. They also often leave behind evidence that they’ve been in your bed. Here are a few tips from our OKC pest control team to help you know what to look out for:

  • Bug skins or shells
  • Egg cases
  • Fecal stains on mattress, sheets, blankets, or pillows
  • Blood stains on sheets or pajamas
  • Sometimes a musty odor

As you can imagine, the thought of being bitten up by bed bugs isn’t very appealing. If you think you have signs of bed bugs in your home, please don’t hesitate to give our OKC pest control company, The Bug Guy, a call @  405-973-5522. We’d love to help protect you and your bedding!

If you’d like to know more about bed bugs, stick around for part two of this series!