Roanoke, TX Pest Control

Why Centipedes Invade Roanoke Homes

Centipedes have long, flat bodies with long antennae and one pair of legs per body segment. They are yellowish-gray or brown and have many legs, ranging in size depending on their length. While centipedes can grow to six inches long, most of those you will encounter will be one and a half inches long.

It is not uncommon to group centipedes with millipedes, another leggy pest. But these two critters are very different. For example, millipedes have two pairs of legs per body segment, a round worm-like body, and short antennae. Millipedes are also slow decomposers, while centipedes are quick predators that feed on other centipedes, insects, spiders, and more.

A centipedes diet is why you might have an infestation of this pest in your Roanoke home. If other insects or pests are present, centipedes can follow them inside, which can be made possible through weaknesses in the home’s exterior. Weaknesses can include cracks in the foundation, missing or damaged screens, weatherstripping, uncovered vents and drains, and other crevices.

Another reason your home might have a centipede problem because it provides the moisture this pest needs to survive. Centipedes and other pests will look for shelter in a more controlled environment when the weather changes drastically. They may do this to escape hot and dry weather or even excessive moisture and flooding.

You can prevent centipedes in your home by eliminating other pest problems, potential entry points, and excess moisture. However, if you have an active centipede problem, contact All-Safe Pest & Termite. Our residential pest control plans offer fast, effective, and guaranteed results to return your home to a pest-free environment. The two plans we offer are our Safe Select Pest Control plan and Protection Plus Pest & Termite Control plan.

Call All-Safe Pest & Termite to learn more about our services and how you can get started with a home inspection by one of our expert technicians.

Tips To Avoid Carpenter Bee Damage In Roanoke

Carpenter bees are identifiable by their robust bodies, shiny abdomen, and black body. They can also vary with white, yellow, or orange hairs. Carpenter bees look similar to bumblebees but are a bit larger.

This species is solitary, which means they don’t live in colonies but live alone in nests made by boring into wood. Because these bees are attracted to softwood, they will continuously pick the same pieces, causing damage over time.

The damage caused by these pests can also lead to more pests as the holes they create weakens the exterior and can provide entry points. It is essential to treat them as soon as you notice them. However, you can also take preventative steps to avoid carpenter bee damage by using these tips:

• Fill any empty holes in the exterior of your home, decks, sheds, and other structures. Make sure there are no active carpenter bees inside because they will only bore further in if their nest is covered.
• Remove fallen trees, stumps, logs, and other wood debris from your property.
• Use stain, paint, or varnish on untreated wood to keep carpenter bees away.
• Replace soft or water-damaged wood with hardwood.
• Reduce flowering plants as carpenter bees feed on nectar and plant pollen.
• Use wind chimes or similar noise-making items to deter carpenter bees.
• Install a bee house far away from your home to provide a place for these essential pollinators, but if you decide to do this, make sure you find one that is the right size and material.

The most effective way to keep carpenter bees from becoming a problem on your Roanoke property is by contacting All-Safe Pest & Termite. Carpenter bees are covered under our stinging insect control services, which consist of a three-step process:

• Our technicians will inspect your property to identify pest activity, nests, and conducive conditions during the inspection.
• The technician will treat and remove nests using methods based on the species. To prevent future nests, they will treat common hotspot areas.
• Our follow-up treatment aims to prevent future problems using a combination of dust and liquid residual products to create a barrier.

Contact us at All-Safe Pest & Termite to learn more about carpenter bees and how we can help to keep them away from your home.

Four Easy Ways To Keep Earwigs Out Of Your Roanoke Home

Earwigs are unsettling pests, partly because of their pincers and partly because of the myth that they crawl into people's ears. While they have pincers, they are used to capture prey, and for defense, so they are not likely to break the skin, although they can pinch people. Earwigs are also no more likely to crawl into people's ears than any other pest.

In general, earwigs are nuisance pests because they don't spread diseases or pose other threats to people, but even if this is the case, there is no place for any pest in a home. Here are four ways you can keep earwigs out of your home:

One: Eliminate Entry Points:

• Look for cracks and gaps in the foundation.
• Repair any damaged screens and install weather stripping and door sweeps.
• Install covers on vents and drains.
• Look over potted plants and other items before bringing them inside because pests can sometimes hitchhike their way into your home.

Two: Reduce Moisture:

• Keep gutters clear of debris and make sure downspouts guide water away from the foundation.
• Remove organic debris from your yard, especially close to your home.
• Repair any leaking pipes and faucets.
• Ensure there is proper ventilation, especially in bathrooms and kitchens.
• Use dehumidifiers in areas of your home that are prone to higher moisture, such as the basement and garage.

Three: Minimize Harborage Areas:

• Regularly trim foliage and keep the grass cut short.
• Remove things like wheelbarrows, buckets, children's toys, and patio furniture when not in use.
• Keep the inside of your home organized and clutter-free.

Four: Call-In The Experts:

• Contact professionals for expert pest control.

All-Safe Pest & Termite provides residential pest control services to Roanoke residents. Our residential plans, Safe Select Pest Control and Protection Plus Pest & Termite Control cover earwigs. These plans provide ongoing protection from earwigs, ants, cockroaches, spiders, fleas, ticks, mice, and much more!

Give us a call at All-Safe Pest & Termite to find out more about how we can assist with earwigs on your residential property.

Is Professional Mosquito Treatment Right For My Roanoke Home?

Mosquitoes are all too common during the warm summer months, especially those that see a lot of humidity and rainfall. It can feel like it is impossible to escape these pests unless you spend all of your time inside, but who wants to do that when the weather is nice?

Many people opt for store-bought solutions like candles, sprays, fans, and many more products that claim to be the solutions to mosquito problems. These products may keep these pests away for some time, but they will not resolve the issue entirely, leaving mosquito populations to continue thriving. They don’t eliminate the resources this pest needs, including breeding sites, shade, and food. 

To effectively rest a mosquito problem, you need to eliminate breeding sites by removing or treating stagnant water, reducing shaded areas where mosquitoes can hide during the hottest parts of the day, and reducing flowering plants where mosquitoes feed. There are many ways you can do this independently, but nothing compares to professional mosquito control.

Here are six questions to ask yourself to help determine the right course of action:

Are you experiencing excessive amounts of mosquitoes in your yard?

1. Do woods surround your home?
2. Do you have thick foliage on your property?
3. Is there a stagnant body of water near, such as a pond, lake, or marsh?
4. Is your yard prone to flooding or holding standing water?
5. Do you find it impossible to spend time outside without being bit by mosquitoes?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, professional mosquitos control services might be right for you! 

The best way to find out if professional mosquito treatment is right for your Roanoke home is by calling All-Safe Pest & Termite for an inspection of your property.   

We offer two mosquito control options depending on your needs, backpack misting and the In2Care System:

• We use backpack misting to treat landscaping and mosquito breeding sites. After the initial misting, we will return every 30 days between April and October, when mosquitoes are most active here.
• The In2Care System is used to trap mosquitoes on a seasonal basis. It attracts adults but targets both adults and larvae. We will install this close to your house in a shaded area where mosquitoes are likely to be. After installation, we will continue maintenance as needed.

Contact us at All-Safe Pest & Termite to learn more about our services and how we can help you!