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When your ant comes to visit.

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Have you every had a problem with ants in your house? Here’s an article about ant treatment and how to minimize their presence in your home.

When your ant comes to visit

Ants are fine when they are out in the woods crawling through the grass, but when they get on the counter top by the thousands, then we have a problem! Ant problems begin when they invade a building looking for food and water. They are attracted to many things, but especially to sweets, meats, fats, and oils. When they find what they’re looking for, they go get their buddies. They can also build their nests in walls, foundations, and cracks and crevices in your home. Here’s how you can get rid of them.

  • Preventative Measures – Make sure all food crumbs, left overs, dishes in the sink, etc., has been cleaned up. Over flowing trash cans should be emptied, and counters wiped down. Doing this will limit their options in your home. Although, good housekeeping doesn’t always prevent you from getting ants, it’s a great place to start.
  • Call in Reinforcements –  Ant treatment is very common, and calling in a professional exterminator will help keep the ants at bay. The exterminator will create a perimeter around your home, like a line of defense, warding off future trespassing by our small friends.

Weather it is ants, or any other bug, you don’t want them invading your home. If you are looking for treatment options,  contact The Bug Guy, the best pest control solutions in OKC!

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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.

Fly- Pest Control OKC

Pest Control OKC Answers Why So Many Pests Are Still Buzzing About

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Bugs, Bugs, And More Bugs? Pest Control OKC To The Rescue!

Oklahomans all over the metro area have been having a lot of problems with insects still buzzing around and getting into their homes. Flies are particularly problematic even at the beginning of September. Reports of wasps, mosquitoes, and other insects keep on coming, but why? The answer is quite simple and our pest control OKC team is here to share more about this phenomenon.

When temperatures soar into the high 90’s or even beyond you will notice that insects manage to thrive. One example our pest control OKC team can think of is mosquitoes. These blood suckers particularly enjoy living in warm environments. Since insects are cold-blooded they actually handle the heat much better than the cold, but that doesn’t mean they won’t seek to get out of the roasting sun at some point. That point can be when warm, summer rain rolls in.

When this happens the insects survive as they will seek shelter inside homes, hide in shrubs, and some even hang around due to standing water from when the grass was soggy. Since the temperatures are still plenty warm enough, the insects have had even more time to breed, increasing the need for our pest control OKC team to put in some extra work.

Take a look outside and you will notice that most people still have the greenest grass they’ve ever had for a summer in Oklahoma! This is, no doubt, due to all the rain we received throughout the month of August. While it has made for prettier lawns, the back and forth weather fluctuations have not done homeowners any good as they have attempted to keep their yards, gardens, and homes pest-free.

That’s where our pest control OKC team comes into play! If insects have decided that your home is a perfect place to rest, please give our pest control OKC team a call. You can reach The Bug Guy 405-973-5522 to book an appointment.

Yellow Jacket- Pest Control OKC

Pest Control OKC: Discovering An Unlikely Yellow Jacket Nest

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A “Yellow Jacket” Story Submitted To Our Pest Control OKC Team

Some yellow jackets build aerial nests, but many build their nests in the ground. These types of colonies can typically be found under porches, stairs, in sidewalk cracks, at the base of trees, or in out of the way places which would normally be undisturbed. Today, our pest control OKC team has a story that is brought to you by submission of a customer who helped us discover a yellow jacket nest in an unlikely location.

The JD Story:

It was a warm, spring day and Lois decided that letting her two children (JD and Matt) play outside in the backyard while she did some housework sounded like a great idea. The children ran outside to play on the old swing set.

After what only seemed like a few minutes of the children swinging, JD let out multiple bloodcurdling screams. Matt ran inside to get their mother as quickly as he could. When Lois and Matt had made it back outside they were horrified to see yellow jackets swarming and buzzing all around JD.

Luckily, JD wasn’t highly allergic to the multiple stings of the yellow jackets and was able to survive the terrifying experience, but has the story to tell for a lifetime.

Upon calling our pest control OKC team, it was discovered that the yellow jacket nest had been made just underneath one of the old, hollow swing set posts. When the children began to swing higher and higher, it caused the posts to rise from the ground and disturb the nest. The motion, no doubt, made for some angry insects.

Our OKC Pest Control Team’s Comments:

In most cases, aggressive behavior from a yellow jacket is not a problem for people unless an accident occurs. They may attack, as well, if you attempt to swat them away with fast movements. Yellow jackets are combative and protective of their nests if they feel threatened. This is problematic for any homeowner who happens to come upon a hidden nest, such as the children in the submitted story.

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 yellow jackets. You may contact The Bug Guy at 405-973-5522.

Scorpions- Pest Control OKC

Pest Control OKC Reports Of Scorpions In Oklahoma

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Pest Control OKC: The Facts About Scorpions

Oklahoma has become very well known over the last few years for its very hot summers. It’s this very dry type of climate that makes it easier for scorpions to survive in our state. Today, our pest control OKC team would like to share some facts about scorpions.

Interestingly enough, while they like dry climates, these arachnids (not insects) are very sensitive to the moisture loss from their body. This is why scorpions often hide during the day in locations that provide plenty of shade. Since they do require moisture they have been known to make their ways indoors, as well. Many pest control OKC customers report to seeing scorpions in bathtubs, sinks, or darkened areas where there may be a water source.

While there are approximately fifty different species of scorpions all over the United States, it has been estimated that Oklahoma has between three and five species living here. The only common scorpion reported to be across the entire state is called the Bark Scorpion. This is the most commonly seen scorpion by our pest control OKC team members!

How you can identify a Bark Scorpion:

  • An adult Bark Scorpion is between 1-3 inches long.
  • Coloring is tan, but ranges from all yellowish brown without any markings to striped with stripes running from head to tail.
  • Dark triangle mark on the front of the head above their eyes.

While these scorpions prefer to feed on crickets, roaches, beetles, and other small insects they have and will sting humans.

The venom from scorpions in Oklahoma is not usually considered fatal as in most circumstances the sting produces only a temporary, mild swelling. Our pest control OKC team has; however, found reports of some people experiencing numbness, tingling, vomiting, and/or convulsions. In more extreme cases, some people may be immobilized or experience difficulty in breathing. As with any allergy, people with sensitivities to venom may have worsened conditions, but survival is possible if they receive an injection of anti-venom in a timely manner to counteract the sting’s effects.

If you discover that you have a problem with scorpions entering your home, our pest control OKC team would be happy to help. The Bug Guy can be reached at 405-973-5522.

Bug Guy - Pest Control OKC

The Bug Guy In Full OKC Pest Control Action

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April Showers Brings… Many Bugs and The Need For OKC Pest Control!

Have you ever wondered why those pesky bugs are more active during warm spring and summer months? Ants, flies, wasps, spiders… all those creepy bugs have something in common; they need time to reproduce! The reason you’ll start to see more pests in warmer months is because they’ve had more time to lay enough eggs and potentially produce thousands of babies. This season is when The Bug Guy is in full OKC pest control action!

Not many would argue when we say that Oklahoma’s weather patterns have been just plain crazy this year. From the wet, damp rainy days all the way to the extremely and unusually warm spring days; we’ve had it all! It isn’t surprising that these fluctuating temperatures have created the perfect storm for incubating a staggering amount of reproduction for various insect species.

Did you know it only takes one burst of wet weather, for example, to create a breeding ground for flies? The astonishing part is that flies have the capability of laying up to 900 eggs! The offspring can then hang around for nearly a month afterwards. Annoying, right? If you’ve seen an increase in flies around your home in the last few weeks, it could be a result of rainy days all the way back in April.

On the other hand, many bugs start to make their way out of their resting places when temperatures become more stable and when weeds, flowers, and grass are alive to help the insects have places to hide and feast. This is why after the rainy month of April, comes the many bugs of May and the much needed use of OKC pest control.

As the busiest bug season is about to be in full swing, it might be wise to schedule your OKC pest control appointment as soon as you can. Our OKC pest control team will be serving the OKC metro area and we’d love to add your home to our list of stops to help keep your yard protected.

You can reach out to The Bug Guy at 405-973-5522 to get started with your OKC pest control services this spring and summer!

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/

Paper Wasps- OKC Pest Control

OKC Pest Control Warns Against Paper Wasps

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OKC Pest Control Reports A Mistake Made With Paper Wasps

Most people are used to seeing wasps during summer months, but as you are well aware, Oklahoma has had some of the most unusual warm weather these past few months. This overly warm spring has caused insects of all sorts to start emerging sooner. Paper wasps are just one winged species our OKC pest control team urges you to be mindful about.

The colony usually begins in the spring when a mated female leaves her hibernation site to build her nest and the maximum colony size can get up to 75 by late summer. Paper wasps can vary from a brown, red, or black color with yellow marks. They are only about 3/4 to 1 inch long with slender bodies. Their name most likely comes from the fact that their nests look like paper of a single comb attached to trees, shrubs, and a variety of structures, such as building eaves.

A Common Mistake Made By Homeowners

A lot of homeowners get a little ambitious when they see a wasp’s nest and their actions can often make matters worse. Paper wasps are generally not aggressive towards humans, but that’s when the most common mistake is made. Anxious people often think that grabbing a broom to knock the nest down will work. Our OKC pest control team warns that this is a bad idea as doing so is sure to have an entire colony of angry wasps chasing you!

Even accidental contact with a nest of paper wasps can warrant a wasp sting. Our OKC pest control team suggests avoiding painful and potentially fatal anaphylactic reactions by allowing a professional to remove the wasps from your yard.

Our OKC pest control company, known as The Bug Guy would be happy to help you prevent wasps from forming nests around your home! If you need treatment, give us a call at 405-973-5522.