Live Oak Pest Control

Live Oak boasts some beautiful parks and gardens, and there are many things to do, including enjoying a day at Rush Fun Park or taking in the scenery at Retama Springs. With such a great climate and beautiful scenery, the city really is a great place to live, work, and play. Unfortunately, Live Oak is not immune to pests, and there are many that call the city their home. It is important for all property owners to know how to prevent these pests, and who to call for help when a problem develops.

Common Pests in Live Oak

Texas is home to so many bugs no one really knows how many species there are, but it is known there are tens of thousands. Many of these pests serve a real purpose. Spiders, for example, trap many other types of pests in their webs. Still, when too many pests invade, property owners soon find they have an infestation on their hands and have to call in a professional pest control for help. The most common pests to cause problems in Live Oak include:

• • Ants: Ants are incredibly annoying critters, and they are present in Live Oak all year long. While most types of ants are harmless, that is not true for all of them. Pharaoh ants, also called sugar ants, for example, carry many different pathogens and bacteria that are harmful to humans. Other very common ants in Live Oak are fire ants and carpenter ants.

    Fire ants pose a problem when they build nests that create a mound in the yard. If these nests are stepped on or otherwise disturbed, the fire ants inside become extremely aggressive and will attack. When they do, they grab onto a person with their teeth and use their stinger to sting them repeatedly. Carpenter ants, on the other hand, chew through wood as they build their nests, which can cause great damage to a home and other structures.

  • Earwigs: Earwigs are a very common problem in Live Oak and these scary looking insects often strike fear in those that see them. Earwigs have two telltale pincers that protrude from behind, and many people think they will become hurt by these. Fortunately, earwigs only use those pincers on their prey and they are fairly harmless to humans.

    Still, no one wants to have an earwig infestation in or around their home. These bugs like to congregate in dark and damp areas, so it is important to keep places such as the basement clean. Earwigs can multiply fairly quickly though, particularly when the problem is not detected right away. After an infestation has developed, it is usually necessary to work with a Live Oak pest control company that can eliminate it for you.

  • Stinging Insects: Hornets and wasps are perhaps some of the most annoying of all the stinging insects, but there are many others, as well. When these insects swarm, they may sting repeatedly, which is very dangerous for anyone, particularly those that are allergic to the venom of these insects. Swarms are more common than people think. When wasps feel threatened, or they sting someone, they release a chemical that signals other wasps in the nearby area. This is why a swarm of tens or even hundreds of wasps can appear in an instant.
  • Box Elder Bugs: Box elder bugs are native to Texas and so, they have been a nuisance for residents in Live Oak for a long time. The main diet of the box elder bug is juice from the box elder tree, although they will eat other vegetation, as well. Due to the fact that their food is readily available, they do not usually enter homes. However, when they do, they sometimes leave unsightly fecal marks on drapes, furniture, and other areas of the home.
  • Scorpions: There are 18 varieties of scorpions that call Live Oak home, but the striped bark scorpion is the most common. Scorpions are nocturnal and so, when there is an infestation, it is very hard to detect. Scorpions will likely emerge from their hiding places when the people in the home are asleep. Fortunately, the striped bark scorpion is not venomous, although the sting can be very painful. For people that are allergic, a scorpion sting can result in anaphylactic shock, which is sometimes fatal.
  • Spiders: Many people have a real fear of spiders but even when that is not the case, no one wants a large population in or around their home. Most of the spiders in Live Oak are harmless and some are even beneficial. For example, a spider nest or two outside might catch mosquitoes and other pests that would otherwise make their way inside. When spiders are poisonous though, or their numbers get out of control, it is best to leave the infestation to a professional.

    Black widow spiders are some of the most feared spiders out there, and they do have a presence in Live Oak. Black widow spider bites are rarely fatal for humans, but a bite could still produce scary symptoms. These include muscle spasms and cramps, fever, vomiting, nausea, and chills. The brown recluse is another spider to be wary of in Live Oak. A bite from this small spider can result in necrosis, or the skin around the wound rotting. Lastly, hobo spiders are also common in Live Oak, and a bite from this spider can result in pain, redness, and twitching in the leg for up to 12 hours after the bite.

  • Flying Insects: Some of the most common flying insects in Live Oak are mosquitoes, crane flies, and house flies. It is important to eliminate any infestation of flying insects. Although most people know the dangers mosquitoes pose, many are unaware that house flies can also transmit cholera, typhoid, and other diseases and infections. Eliminating these threats from around your home will not only make it safer, but it will also make your home and yard more enjoyable once again.

These pests are not only annoying, but they can make a home inhabitable and cause real damage. Termites alone cause approximately $5 billion in damage every year. Certain pests, such as ticks and mosquitoes, also pose a real hazard to humans, so it is important to eliminate them quickly.

Prevention is Key in Pest Control

Homeowners do not ever want to face a pest problem and so, prevention is important. Fortunately, there are many prevention tips you can follow to keep bugs out of your home.

• • • Store food properly: Most bugs enter homes in search of food, water, and protection from the elements. When food is not properly stored, it provides pests with easy access to that food. Food that is improperly stored will not only attract pests, but also make it easier for them to destroy the food source. Do not forget that all food should be stored in airtight containers, including pet food.
    • Eliminate trash: What you consider trash, pests likely consider a food source, so it is important to clean up garbage in all areas of the home. Counters and surfaces should be regularly cleaned and garbage should be taken out regularly. When taking out the garbage, it should be stored in a bin that has a lid and is kept in a garage or shed, away from animals.
    • Clean the floor: Many people do a good job of keeping counters and surfaces clean, but forget about the floor. Due to the fact that many pests are on ground level, a dirty floor is very attractive to bugs and makes it easier to enter a home. Sweep and mop regularly to ensure all food is picked up and the floor is clean.
    • Block entryways: At least twice a year it is important to conduct a full inspection of your home. If you see cracks, holes, or gaps around entryways, it is important to seal them with caulk. Insects and even mice can make their way into a home using only a very small space, so blocking off access points is important. The most important areas to check are around doors, windows, vents, utility lines, and pipes that enter the home from outside.
    • Trim greenery: Overhang such as trees, shrubs, and branches provides a very easy way for pests to get inside. Mice and other rodents in particular, will use these to make their way into a home.

Along with keeping pests out of the home, it is also important to keep them out of your yard. Once an infestation has made its way into your yard, it can easily make its way inside. It is important to keep the yard free of clutter by raking the leaves and mowing the grass regularly. Standing water in kiddie pools, birdbaths, and rain barrels can also breed thousands of mosquitoes, so it is important these are emptied or covered at all times.

Why Call a Live Oak Mosquito Control Service?

Preventative methods are important to keep your house and yard free of pests but unfortunately, pests are often tenacious and those steps do not always work. Homeowners sometimes feel as though they can get rid of the problem on their own, but it is usually wiser to call a Live Oak pest control service. A pest control service will provide you with:

• • • A free estimate: One of the biggest reasons homeowners try to tackle pest problems on their own is because they want to save money. Many of these same homeowners are surprised to learn during a free initial consultation that pest control services do not have to break the bank and that it costs nothing to learn how much the problem will cost to correct.
    • Effective treatment from start to finish: Simply eliminating the bugs you can see is not enough to get rid of the problem. A pest control company will identify the problem and how the bugs are getting in, and apply effective solutions to get rid of the infestation and ensure it will not come back.
    • Follow-up: While many pests respond to just one treatment, others need multiple treatments to fully eradicate the problem. A pest control service will schedule a follow-up visit to ensure the pests are really gone, and to provide another treatment if they have returned.

In the end, a pest control service will save homeowners time and money by eliminating a pest problem quickly and effectively.

Contact Us for Pest Control in Live Oak, TX

At Stride Pest Control, our Live Oak pest control experts know how annoying bugs are, and how eager you are to get rid of them once and for all. If you have any kind of infestation in your home, call us today at (210) 940-3902 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation and learn more about how we can help you fully enjoy your home again.

COMMON LIVE OAK PEST CONTROL FAQS