Pest Library

What You Need To Know About Pests In Oklahoma City

When you find small critters scurrying around your home, you want to know what they are. To identify the pests that have entered your home in the Oklahoma City area, refer to our pest control guide. This resource will help you learn about our area's most common household pests.

Ants

Ant Crawling on Fruit

Ants are social insects that live all around us in very large numbers making it common to find them in our homes. If there is an insect that almost certainly a homeowner will have to deal with at one time or another, it is the ant. Our yards and homes provide them with everything they need; access to multiple food sources, indoor and outdoor nesting spots, and sources of water.

In our area, there are two ant species homeowners need to familiarize themselves with; the acrobat ant and the carpenter ant. Carpenter ants are the largest-sized ants to find a way into our homes. They are destructive ants that nest inside structural wood; the longer they are present, the more damage they cause. The acrobat ant was named because they lift their abdomen up over their head and thorax when threatened. These and other ants invade homes in large numbers and are difficult to prevent and control. Regular pest control services are the best way to avoid problems with these pests.

Keep ants out of your home by repairing cracks in your foundation. Place mesh covers over vents and drains and seal spaces around utilities entering your home. Eliminate excess water sources and remove decaying wood from your yard to make it less attractive to ants. Get rid of as many food sources as possible by keeping lids on trash cans, keeping outdoor eating areas clear of food debris, maintaining a clean kitchen, and picking up uneaten pet food. The fewer resources your property offers, the less attractive it will be to ants.


Bed Bugs

Bed Bug

Bed bugs are small parasitic insects that have developed a close relationship with people. They live where we live, work, and travel. These insects solely feed on the blood of warm-blooded animals, with people being their preferred hosts. The relationship bed bugs have developed with us is one-sided; we provide them with food and shelter, but they provide us with absolutely nothing, except a lack of sleep and a red itchy rash!

You are most likely to come into contact with bed bugs in public places; the more people moving in and out of a place, the more chances there are to pick up bed bugs. Hotels, airports, libraries, laundry mats, schools, and shopping centers are places where bed bugs regularly hang out. Once introduced into a house, they hide in areas that put them near their hosts, like seams of mattresses, upholstered furniture, and cracks in wooden furniture.

Getting rid of bed bugs in Oklahoma City is tricky because we can come into contact with them almost anywhere. You can do some things to prevent a large-scale infestation in your home:

  • Inspect secondhand items.
  • Keep belongings up off the ground in public areas.
  • Place protective covers on mattresses.
  • Regularly vacuum your house.

For professional help with bed bugs, call today!


Cockroaches

Large Cockroach

Cockroaches invade homes and businesses in large numbers and stay out of sight during the day. When just a couple of these insects find their way indoors, they quickly take over. Sharing your home with cockroaches is problematic for several reasons, including their ability to spread allergens, bacteria, pathogens, and parasites. They also cause unpleasant odors, stain surfaces, contaminate food prep areas, and stored food.

The three cockroaches to find their way into Oklahoma homes are the American cockroach, Oriental cockroach, and German cockroach.

  • American cockroaches feature a yellowish figure-eight pattern behind their heads, and their bodies are reddish-brown. They are the largest cockroach in the U.S. to enter structures.
  • German cockroaches are brown and have two black stripes behind their heads. They have adapted to living primarily inside of structures with people.
  • Oriental cockroaches have shiny, dark-brown bodies with a more beetle-like appearance than other roaches. Oriental cockroaches are attracted to high-moisture areas and areas of standing water.

If you spot cockroaches in your home, reach out to us to help you identify and provide the treatment necessary to eliminate them.

Because of the health risks that cockroaches pose, making changes around your house is essential in order to prevent these pests. Inspect your home sealing up openings and repairing defects that allow cockroaches to move inside. Always inspect deliveries and secondhand items like appliances for roaches. Never store food out in the open and regularly wipe down surfaces and vacuum to remove crumbs from your house.


Fleas & Ticks

Flea

Cat fleas, deer ticks, and dog ticks are regular visitors to Oklahoma outdoor spaces. Fleas are wingless insects, while ticks are arachnids, but both solely feed on the blood of warm-blooded animals. Fleas live on their hosts most of their short lives, but ticks are only on their hosts while they feed. Despite their descriptive names, both ticks and fleas feed on various hosts, including cats, dogs, rodents, wild animals, and people.

While it may be true that pet owners experience the most problems with fleas and ticks, these parasites are a threat to every household. Fleas and ticks regularly come into Oklahoma homes on mice, rats, and other uninvited animal intruders. Having either of these biting, blood-feeding pests living in your yard or home is less than ideal; they can spread disease-causing pathogens, including Lyme disease (ticks), parasites like tapeworm (fleas), and their presence causes unnecessary stress.

To avoid a flea or tick infestation on your property, it is essential to regularly vacuum, shampoo carpets, and wash bedding. If you own pets, partner with their veterinarian and place them on a year-round flea and tick prevention program. Seal openings in your home's exterior that could allow flea-infested rodents to gain access to your home. Remove harborage areas from your yard like leaf piles, woodpiles, and other debris. For professional flea and tick help, call us today!

For homeowners in the Oklahoma City area, the best pest control services around are from the pest professionals at Brandley Pest Control. Reach out to us today to learn more about our pest control options.


Spiders

Black Widow

Spiders are predatory arachnids that feed on many insects, including aphids and other garden pests. In most cases, spiders are extremely beneficial to have on your property and, in controlled numbers, can be a gardener's best friend. However, when spiders and their insect prey take over yards or, worse, our homes, you need them gone.

While most of the spiders that Oklahoma homeowners come across aren't a problem to be around, there are two in our area we need to be concerned about and avoid. Brown recluse and black widow spiders are dangerous as they have venom potent enough to cause harm to people. A health professional should manage symptoms associated with bites by these spiders. Neither species is aggressive, but both will bite to defend themselves if threatened. Most spider bites are accidental and occur after a person unknowingly makes contact with the spider.

Prevent spiders from entering your home by sealing all crevices in its exterior that they can enter through when hunting their insect prey. Reduce hiding spots near your home by cutting back vegetation, removing woodpiles, and getting rid of clutter. Avoid accidental contact with spiders by keeping clothing off the floor, inspecting clothing and shoes before putting them on, and pulling back sheets before climbing into bed. For professional help with spiders in Oklahoma City and beyond, call today.


Termites

Termite

Termites are small insects that often find their way into our homes. The damage they cause can become quite costly and time-consuming to repair. Termites move indoors unseen through the soil and cracks they find in the foundation or pieces of wood and can work hidden for years before you'll notice their presence. The most significant danger associated with termites is that you'll usually discover their damage before the termites themselves!

There are several different types of termites living across the country. In our Oklahoma City service area, the most concerning is the subterranean termite. These termites have high moisture needs and live in large underground nests. Every day, all day, worker termites leave the nest to forage for food. Their obsessive work habits mean that if termites are in your home, they are causing more and more damage to it every day. Subterranean termites have high moisture needs and prefer to feed on decaying or wet wood. You'll most likely find them infesting wood in your home near windows, doors, water pipes, and drains.

The best way to prevent problems with these destructive pests is to partner with a professional to put into place prevention measures. The best step you can take on your own to help keep these pests at bay is to reduce excess moisture on your property. Quickly repair leaky pipes, ensure good ventilation, fix clogged drains, and use dehumidifiers. It is also essential to repair defects to your home that could allow rainwater to seep inside and cause damage to structural wood.

For more information on termites, you can read this blog "Oklahoma City Property Owners' Complete Guide To Effective Termite Control".

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