Warm Weather, More Pests
Pests bother us all year, but warm weather always produces them with a vengeance. Around our home or business, we must consider how to protect our buildings, families, and our customers from attack by common pests.
Ten Common Pests
No matter where we are, pests bother us. Some pests are capable of destroying our assets. Listed are ten of the most common pests in the Wichita Falls, Texas area.
- Aphids are tiny, host-specific, little creatures. They attack new growth on plants and are capable of destroying a garden. There are natural solutions such as the introduction of predator insects. However insecticidal soaps and horticultural oils may work best.
- Pest Caterpillars include tent caterpillars, the Genista caterpillar, spring cankerworm, and the tomato hornworm. Attacks occur all year round, but are most prevalent during the spring and fall. They aren’t devastating, but they can be a nuisance. Harsh weather sometimes eliminates these pests. They can also be treated with predators or by physical removal.
- Fleas are not particular whether they live on pets or people. Their nasty bites cause irritating redness and itching. Occasionally an infection may occur. Fleas can be found in warm grass, on animals, and in carpets. They live just about anywhere. To control them, regular washing of pets, steam cleaning carpets, and pesticide treatments work best.
- Fire Ants are unbelievably destructive and need to be controlled fast. Their nest mounds create hazards to agricultural stock. Their bite and sting are usually harmful to humans. There are biological controls, but they don’t always work.
- Chinch Bugs eat and kill your grass. The attack results in unsightly bald, brown areas in an otherwise green, lush lawn. One solution is to introduce predator insects.
- Grubs are the larval stage of the June beetle. They are voracious eaters of grass, chewing off the stocks at the root mass. They can be treated with nematodes or a viable treatment.
- Mosquitoes leave an itching bite. They’re dangerous because they carry West Nile and Zika Viruses as well as Lyme Disease. Eliminate their breeding grounds by removing standing water.
- Spider Mites are eight-legged, insatiable eaters of many of our favorite plants. If your leaves are being eaten away, you could be infested by spider mites. Treatments vary depending upon incidence and size of the attack.
- Snails and Slugs devour vegetable seedlings in one, short night. The slow-moving snails and slugs can be individually removed. However, their breeding sites need to be found and eliminated.
- Beetles are usually beneficial predators, but two types are voracious when attacking vegetable patches. The cucumber beetle and the flea beetle are very common. There are specific treatments for these two marauders, but it’s best to call professionals.
What to Do?
These ten common insects attack around homes and buildings. Untouched, they cause millions of dollars in damage and could cause significant health risks.
To adequately assess the situation and provide professional pest treatment, contact Texoma Pest Management. They’re specialists in pest management in the Wichita Falls, Texas area. Their four-point action plan controls or eliminates common pests. Texoma Pest Management will:
- Identity and assess the pest.
- Provide a range of effective treatment plans including possible outcomes.
- Implement the approved treatment plan.
- Provide a proposed maintenance plan to manage all your pest problems.
Call Texoma Pest Management today at 940-867-3509.
Pests don’t stand a chance with Texoma Pest Management on the attack.