The Pests Most Likely To Bug You in St. George Utah

The Utah desert has a way of keeping local homes contaminated with insects. These bugs range from completely harmless, to very pesky, to physically harmful. Generally, insects are drawn to areas based on food and water supplies, mating patterns, weather and, of course, environmental factors. Here in St. George, these are some of the common insects known to “bug” our residents and business owners.

Cockroaches

Cockroaches are some of the most disgusting bugs known to man. These nocturnal insects will rule your home at night. So, when you do see them crawling around during the day, you have an infestation hiding out somewhere dark.

Why are people so disgusted by cockroaches?

1. Can reproduce at an extremely rapid rate of about 20,000 baby cockroaches per year

2. Spread dangerous diseases like diphtheria, gastroenteritis, typhoid, hepatitis and dysentery

3. Have a knack for surviving volatile conditions, including fires, bombings, floods, demolitions, etc…

How to get rid of cockroaches:

• Keep food and crumbs in sealed containers or in refrigerator/freezer

• Keep drawers, cabinets, appliances, counters, etc… completely clean

• Check behind furniture regularly and spray when needed

• Use anti-cockroach baits as recommended

Ants

Ants are tiny little bugs that seem to be harmless. However, because they’re so tiny, they can penetrate the tiniest of holes to contaminate your food. And, because they feed on just about anything edible, keeping them out of your food can be a major task.

When it comes to defending themselves, ants attack by stinging or biting. Ant stings come in the form of acidic chemical injections, which cause irritation, swelling and pain. This is why ants are such a major pest control issues, especially in desert areas such as St. George, Utah.

It’s almost impossible to eliminate an entire ant colony simply because they adapt so well to their surroundings. So, when it comes to ants, it’s more about controlling the population than it is about exterminating it.

How to control ants:

• Never leave food out, even the tiniest morsel is attractive to ants

• Sugars, and anything containing sugar, needs to be completely sealed at all times

• Seal off tiny crevices and cracks where ants may run and/or hide

• Use insecticide sprays as needed

Spiders

Harmless spiders are annoying mostly because of the grotesque cobwebs they leave all over the place. And, when it comes to black widow spiders, they actually bite. These bites feel much like a pin prick, and they leave a nerve toxin venom behind after each bite. The venom isn’t fatal, but it can be quite dangerous.

How to control and/or get rid of spiders:

• Use broom to remove cobwebs regularly

• Vacuum away spiders and egg sacs you see

• Use pesticide specially formulated for spiders at night (when they’re most active)

Scorpions

Scorpions are 8-legged bugs with a tail that curves up and around, over their bodies. They also have two pedipalps, which are literally pinchers. Within the end of its curved tail is a stinger, which paralyzes and/or kills its prey.

How poisonous the scorpion is can be determined the size of its pinchers. Some scorpions are actually deadly. They are generally found outside around your home or business. And, they especially love the desert heat of cities such as St. George, Utah.

How to keep scorpions from getting inside:

• Seal off cracks around your home with sealant such as caulk

• Get rid of trash, loose wood, rocks and other debris they made hide under in yards

• Keep shrubbery pruned and lawn cut short to reduce hiding places

How to treat for scorpions:

• Use residual insecticide specifically formulated to kill scorpions for outdoor areas

• Treat windows, doorways, closets, woodwork and areas around plumbing with scorpion dust or spray specially designed for indoor use

 

Southern Utah Pest Control Tips: Termites, Scorpions, Ants, More

The mild climate in the Southern Utah area can be very inviting to both indoor and outdoor pests. And, we’re not talking annoying, noisy, even nosey pests known as neighbors. We’re addressing those pests known as insects, that “bug” and pester you both inside your home and outside around it. Here are some tips for keeping termites, scorpions, ants and other insects out of your house and under control around your home.

Termites

When it comes to bugs, termites are a homeowners worse nightmare. They feed on the wood around your home, destroying the home more and more over time. From around August until the end of fall season, they’re more prevalent because of the “comfy” temperatures. This is especially true in desert areas, where temperatures are generally not too hot, and not too cold.

Some of the telltale signs of a termite invasion include:

• Wood with small holes

• Drywall crumbling

• Doors or floors sagging

• Wings of insects sitting around

• Mud tubes (usually in garage or on home exterior)

How to get rid of termites:

There are no sure-fire DIY termite extermination tools on the market. Killing, stopping and controlling termites is a job for a professional exterminator. It takes expert skills to use motorized pumps, sub-slab injectors, drills and professional chemicals to do the job right.

Scorpions

Scorpions are desert loving insects. So, they’re very prominent in Southern Utah areas. Many people fear scorpions because of their pedipalps, also known as pinchers. These tiny claws really do pinch, which can be painful. They also have stingers at the end of their curled up tails, which are used to paralyze or kill the prey of scorpions.

Some scorpion bites are actually deadly, although fatalities are very, very rare. Either way, however, these bites are painful. And, in some cases, scorpion bites have been known to cause issues related to allergic reactions, which can be fatal if the reaction is severe enough. They generally live outside, although they have been known to sneak indoors on occasion.

How to control scorpions:

• Rid your yard of trash and other debris they can hide under, like rocks, stones and loose pieces of wood

• Cut down old, dying trees, as scorpions will hide under tree bark on the trees or that have fallen on the ground

• Seal cracks in masonry, exterior walls, around pipes and wires, etc… using caulk or other reliable type of sealant

• Eliminate unnecessary hiding places by keeping grass cut short and shrubbery neatly pruned

• Use an insecticide specially formulated to control and kill scorpions

• Call professional exterminator to treat your home’s outside perimeter with a dust designed to kill scorpions

Ants

Ants travel in colonies. So, when you see one ant, there’s an entire colony hiding out somewhere, with a Queen running the show. The job of the worker ants you see is to find food, and take it back to the colony. That’s why the best way to bait ants is by feeding them, even if the food is actually poisonous bait. And, just as they take food they find back to the colony, they will do the same with poisonous bait, spreading it throughout the colony, and even to the Queen herself.

General Pest Control

Here are some general tips for controlling bugs in and around the exterior of your home:

• Keep any food that’s not in the refrigerator or freezer in tightly sealed containers

• Always keep floors, countertops and cabinets clean

• Never leave food (or food wrappers/containers) in trashcans overnight

• All ripe fruits should be kept in the refrigerator

• Wash dishes every day, making sure not to leave dirty ones in sink for long

• Keep laundry, kitchen and bathroom areas dry, fixing leaks if you have to

 

Should I Do Pest Control Myself?

The country seems to be healing quite well from the recession. Yet, people are still constantly looking for ways to cut costs wherever they can. DIY tasks have become quite common as people try to keep more of their cash in their pockets. But, some things simply don’t make for good do it yourself projects. Pest control definitely falls on that list.

DIY pest control puts you and your family at risk of being exposed to dangerous chemicals. The chemicals required for pest and bug prevention are harmful to people, pets and the environment. Although store-bought do it yourself pest prevention products can be used safely, they’re just not as effective as the professional stuff. And, without proper training, professional products are an absolute “no no” as DIY products.

5 Reasons to Leave Pest Control to Professionals

Do it yourself pest control is much more dangerous and much less effective than professional extermination services. Here are five reasons why you shouldn’t handle your own pest prevention:

1. Professional Diagnosis – DIY tactics tend to deal with surface issues. You see a pest, you go buy a product to get rid of that pest. But, professional exterminators are trained to identify the underlying problem causing the pest problem. They know where to look, and what signs to look for to identify all pests within your home. If you misdiagnose the problem, you’re out of cash spent on DIY products. Plus, you’re stuck with the pest problem. Hiring a professional exterminator guarantees the right diagnosis. Then, and only then, can the exterminator determine the proper pest control and prevention product for the problem.

2. Effective Chemicals – The chemicals in do it yourself pest control products are much less harmful than those used by professionals. However, this means that they’re much less effective as well. Oftentimes, when you use the same product over and over, the pests become immune to them. And, as new offspring are bred, they tend to come into the world with a higher tolerance for the products you used on their ancestors regularly. With professional exterminators, this is not a problem. The chemicals are much more effective for killing pests, as well as pest prevention.

3. Longer Lasting Effects – As noted above, DIY pest control and prevention products are less effective than chemicals used by professional exterminators. These store bought products tend to get rid of pests you can see, for a short period of time. Professional products take it much further by killing unborn pests, and sterilizing others so they can’t keep reproducing. Because of this, store bought do it yourself products generally last up to 30 days. Yet, professional extermination chemicals continue with pest prevention for at least 60 days.

4. Safer for the Environment – Many DIY pest control products are dangerous for the environment. However, those used by professional exterminators are designed to be environmentally friendly. These chemicals are closely regulated to make sure that they aren’t destructive to the environment.

5. Personal Safety – Once again, pest control chemicals are dangerous. If not used properly, they’re harmful to breathe in, which is impossible when they’re in the air. They can cause serious harm to your heart, lungs, sinuses, skin and other vital organs and parts of your body. These chemical are also dangerous to your pets, and of course your loved ones. A trained professional knows how to use pest prevention products, and where to use them to guarantee safety.

Need professional pest control and prevention services in the St. George Utah area? Contact Shakespeare Pest Control to schedule an appointment for your southern Utah home today.

Home Tips to Prevent Ant Problems

Here in the US, ants are the #1 pest nuisance. That makes pest control for ants and ant prevention paramount to both homeowners and renters. Over 700 different species of ants exist in this country. Luckily, only about 25 commonly infest homes. These insects tend to live in colonies underground, which are made up of a queen and numerous workers. That’s why most do it yourself techniques just don’t cut it for getting rid of ants over the long-haul. But, they can help if done properly.

8 Steps to DIY Ant Pest Control and Prevention

When it comes to ridding your home of ants, you have to first get rid of the ants you can’t see. Then, and only then, will you be able to finally eliminate those you can. Because of the way things work within ant colonies, there’s usually just one queen per colony. And, she’s solely responsible for breeding new ants. Without her, the population will eventually die off.

However, she never leaves her safe haven… her nest. So, to kill the colony using DIY pest control and prevention methods, you’ll have to go through the workers to get to the queen. Here are 8 DIY tips to help you eliminate and prevent ants in your home:

1. Follow the Ant Trails. If you see a trail of ants coming into your home, follow it back to the source. Oftentimes, it could be something as simple as a kernel of food. Remove it, and you cause the trail to go elsewhere in search of food.

2. Don’t Kill Them. Sounds crazy? Well, the ants you see are just workers. They spend their days finding food, and returning with it to feed the queen and her babies. These baby ants are in training to become worker ants themselves someday soon. Kill them, and others come out to replace them.

3. Strategically Place Ant Bait. Use the workers to help you poison the queen and stop new populations from being born within the colony. Place DIY ant bait along the trailing pests. The workers will trail through it, carrying it back to their queen as food. She’ll feed on it, poisoning herself. This is a great method of do it yourself ant prevention.

4. Avoid Cleaning Yet. That trail of ants will now be lured to the bait. The more ants that take the bait, the more you kill, and the higher your chances of the bait making its way back to the queen.

5. Be Patient. Using workers to poison their colony and their queen is a process. It could take several days, maybe even a few weeks. Let your DIY ant prevention method work its course.

6. Spray Nests. It is a good idea to use a do it yourself insecticide spray on below-ground and outdoor nests. Drench the nests according to label instructions.

7. Stay Sanitary. If you want to control ant problems, sanitation is key to pest prevention. Ants need shelter, food and water to survive. They leave their shelter specifically to find food and water. Make it hard for them. Seal foods, and keep counters, floors and other areas clean and floors swept.

8. Seal Them Out. These tiny critters can get inside your home through the most minute crevices and cracks. Minimize their entry. Seal around wire entry points, cable pipes, doors and windows.

If you find that your home southern Utah is infested with ants, a pest control expert can help. Get a professional ant control and pest prevention inspection. Contact Shakespeare Pest Control of St George Utah to schedule your appointment today.

 

Welcome to our updated website. We hope that you enjoy it and that you choose Shakespeare Pest Control for all your pest and bugs extermination needs! – Danny Shakespeare (Owner)