Common Fall Pests
There are lots of pests in Oklahoma City that would love to share your home this winter. Here are the top five invaders.
- Rodents, especially the Norway rat, black (or Roof) rat, and the house mouse. These rodents have lived with humans so long that they cannot live without us. They constantly chew on a wide variety of materials, including electrical wires. This can start a fire. They also spread leptospirosis, lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCM), tularemia, salmonellosis, and rat-bite fever, mostly through eating food, urinating, and defecating on food.
- Cockroaches also spread disease by walking through sewers then on your food, food preparation areas, and food preparation utensils. They spread salmonellosis, typhoid fever, cholera, gastroenteritis, dysentery, listeriosis, giardia, and E. coli infection. Cockroaches damage clothing and papers, among other things.
- Ants generally come in homes to feed. They will nest in the attic, in wall voids, and in crawl spaces. Ants forage in the kitchen for food. Favorites are sweets and protein. They can spread E.coli, shigella, and salmonellosis. Pharoh ants also spread staphylococcus, clostridium, and streptococcus, so you definitely don’t want them around.
- Stink Bugs do not bite or spread diseases but smell bad when they feel threatened or are squashed. They tend to invade in large numbers and are difficult to get rid of.
- Spiders don’t usually spread disease, but that doesn’t mean you want them in the house. Black widow spiders and brown recluse spiders will bite when threatened. They can inject enough venom to make you really sick. Occasionally someone will die from a bite, usually a child or frail older person. Other spiders construct webs inside and look unsightly.
Problems Caused By Fall Pests
Fall pests spread several diseases, as mentioned above. The foul food chew on your stuff and may start a fire by chewing on an electrical wire. Don’t let fall pests threaten your family.
Preventing Fall Pests
Preventing fall pests starts with sanitation and exclusion. Here are some things you can do to keep these pests from moving in:
- Put firewood on a rack at least 18 inches off the ground and at least 8 inches from any wall.
- Remove debris from your yard.
- Keep the yard mowed and neat.
- Keep food in pest-proof containers of metal or glass.
- Clean up food and liquid spills promptly.
- Remove clutter from home.
- Fix all water leaks inside and outside of the house.
- Pick up pet food at night.
- Place garbage in a metal trash can with a tight-fitting lid.
- Take the garbage out regularly to a trash can with a tight-fitting lid.
- Fill all holes with steel wool or copper mesh and caulk it in.
- Fill holes around pipes, electrical wires, and cables where they enter the house.
- Make sure your window and door screens fit tightly and do not have any holes in them.
Get Professional Help
If you already have pests or want to make sure you don’t get them, contact Guaranteed Pest Service of Oklahoma. We will come out and inspect your house inside and outside. We will then develop a customized home pest control treatment plan just for you. After treatment, we will come out at regular intervals to renew the treatment, so no new pests get in. Contact Guaranteed Pest Service of Oklahoma today to get rid of your fall pests.
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