Spiders are not a welcome sight in any homeowners garage. Unfortunately spiders tend to see it as the perfect spot to call home and start building their cobwebs, lure in their prey, and lay eggs! Getting rid of spiders in your garage needs to be a top priority once they are spotted. 

Spiders prefer living in a house’s garage the most for the sole reason that it is a shelter that provides all of their needs—it can keep them safe from the weather, nice and dark, with plenty of other bugs to eat.

Exactly how a spider would like it.

You would not like a spider bugging your garage forever, would you? Once a single spider has setup show in your garage, they are sure to multiply if you let them carry on. However, doing these simple tricks and techniques will help let spiders know they are not welcome!

See to It that Your Garage is Always Clean

Pests naturally gather and make a home in dirty, stuffy areas. If you find your garage filled with cobwebs or even just a single one, then that’s your call to start cleaning. Your garage may be filled with a myriad of cardboard boxes, and if you were not aware—these are enough to lure spiders in.

Cardboard boxes can serve as a comfortable home to spiders, which is why you must make sure that you do not leave a single box to rot inside your garage. There are times when you intend to put only one box, then another follows, and of course, it is followed by another. The next thing you know, your garage is filled with these boxes.

Make it a hobby to declutter and clean regularly. Doing so will not only make your garage look as good as new, but it is also sure to stir the pests away. If they like dirty areas, they are certain to feel the opposite towards clean ones.

Make Other Pests Feel Unwelcomed Too

Do not make your home a permanent residence to pests, may it be rats, roaches, or spiders! Once a single bug gets in, do not be surprised if others would follow the lead. Make sure that you make them feel like they do not belong.

One way to do this is to start looking for little cracks inside your home. This includes your garage. Pests like to stay in small, dark places—spiders are not an exception. Once you see these small cracks, do your best to seal them up.

Keeping your whole house clean can also drive away other pests along with the spiders. If not, you can always also resort to using pest and/or spider repellents. These can be the ones bought in the market or the ones that you can do-it-yourself at home, such as garlic or lemon spray.

Avoid Turning the Lights On

Reading that may have confused you at first—the goal here is to drive away spiders. And spiders like dark areas, so avoiding turning on the lights may not seem to add up. There is a reason for this trip or technique, actually, and it is quite simple to understand.

Spiders do like dark places, but the lights are also a need for them, in a sense that it is necessary for them to catch prey. Unlike spiders, bugs are attracted by artificial light, which means that a handy fluorescent light is a gateway for them to have a scrumptious meal.

However, what you can do is simply practice using natural light more—this would be the sunlight. Keep your garage open. Having your windows or door open whenever you work at the garage helps harsh sunlight get inside, making it a must in driving pesky spiders away.

Always Tend to Leaks Inside Your Garage

Just like any other living thing, a spider has three basic necessities, which would be a shelter, food, and water. Keeping your garage dirty would be the perfect shelter for them and the most favorable spot for them to start weaving their web. As soon as they have finished their web, food will start to arrive, which leaves them to worry about their supply of water.

If you do not immediately fix the leaks inside your house, however, then they would not have to worry further as they would have an ample supply of water already. Always do a maintenance run around your house and see to it that your faucets are not leaking, and make sure that there is no chance of it happening in the near future.

This goes the same for your roof. Leakage during heavy rains is not uncommon, and it is best that you have your ceiling or roof prepared immediately. If your windows are not properly closed, you might accumulate puddles of water inside your garage—a bad thing for you, of course, but it is the opposite for spiders.

Get A Spider Free Garage

Hitman Pest of Yuma are experts at clearing garages of unwanted critters like spiders and rats. Call us today to start taking back your garage!

Cockroaches are easily one of the most hated pests, and they unfortunately, they call Yuma home. They are disgusting, persistent and hearty insects that can feed on anything, from feces, leftover foods, dead animals, and even insects of their own species. They love dark, warm, and moist places, and they easily adapt to any environment. Often times, the only way to get rid of cockroaches is to call professionals. 

These insects multiply fast as they contaminate food, water, damage wallpaper, trigger allergies, and spread diseases. A cockroach infestation is very difficult to get rid of, and they are usually found in most homes in the kitchen, bathroom, pantry, and other parts of the house in search of food and water. 

If you ever see one cockroach in your house, it's almost certain that there are many others in hiding, waiting for the light to go off and begin their search for food and mates. This article is to educate you on the best ways to permanently keep cockroaches out of your kitchen and the entire house in general. Before that, let us discuss the behaviors that attract these beasts to your lovely kitchen. This is to help you understand and desist from such acts.

What Attracts Cockroaches To Your Kitchen

Many pests are most likely to breed in dirty, untidy, and poor hygienic environments, which is why you must always keep a clean and sanitary environment. To avoid the attraction of insects such as ants, cockroaches, termites, and even rodents, you must endeavor to practice good environmental hygiene. Below are some of the bad kitchen behaviors that you need to stop.

Roaches Love Dirty Dishes In The Sink!

Leaving dirty dishes in the sink overnight or for too long during the day is a bad habit that attracts cockroaches to your kitchen. It would help if you washed, dry, and properly arrange the dishes and other cooking utensils when done with them.

Leaving Crumbs On The Counter/ Floor

This is something that most people are guilty of, especially those with little children. The cockroach is an insect with a very sensitive sense of smell; thereby, they can easily perceive crumbs that you carelessly leave lying on the floor. And as we already said that cockroaches feed on anything at all they can find in your apartments. This is why you need to always mop the floor and wash the washables to ensure there is no iota of substances that can attract these insects to your kitchen and every other part of your home.

Garbage In The Kitchen

If you ever have to keep a basket bin in the kitchen, you must always empty the basket every day. Some people are fond of keeping the garbage bin in the kitchen till it is full to the brim before taking it out; this act will definitely attract ants and cockroaches to your kitchen. Moreover, it is ideal that you keep the basket bin out of the kitchen. Some other bad kitchen behaviors include leaving empty cans, bottles, cartons, and other useless empty packages as all these serve as a good hideout for several insects. 

How to Keep Cockroaches Out Of Your Kitchen

Now that you know the bad kitchen habits that attract cockroaches to your kitchen, we will now talk about the effective ways to get rid of these persistent insects permanently. The first effective way we will discuss is by using the insect's sensitive sense of smell against them. There are some smells that cockroaches can not abide by, and all you have to do is invite this smell into the kitchen; this will instantly send the adamant cockroaches packing.

Lavender 

Fortunately, cockroaches hate the smell of lavender, and this is what makes it an effective way of keeping them out of your kitchen. To use the lavender oil, pour it in a spray bottle and then spray it on the surfaces where you are likely to find cockroaches. Another way of saying goodbye to cockroaches using lavender is by planting the lavender tree outside your house.

Citrus

As much as you may love the smell of fresh fruits, cockroaches find the scent of citrus otherwise. You can drive away cockroaches by using citrus cleaners in your kitchen, bathroom, and other necessary places, as cockroaches hate the smell of citrus. Another way is by keeping some citrus peels in strategic places around your house so that cockroaches will perceive the smell, which will force them to stay away. However, you will need to refresh the scent by removing the old citrus peels and replacing them with new ones. 

Aside from the smell repellent methods, there are other effective methods that you can use to keep cockroaches out of your kitchen and home. Below are some Do It Yourself (DIY) methods of preventing these diseases spreading insects from taking up your space.

Install Door Sweeps And Seal Cracks

Cockroaches make their way into your house from under doors, cracks in the wall, holes, broken pipes, and other open areas where you may not even notice were broken. One of the easiest ways to prevent cockroaches from gaining entrance into your kitchen is by making sure there are no lapses or cracks that may give them access into any part of your house. That is, you will need to check the entire house as cockroaches may be gaining their way through other open parts from the bathroom, bedroom, living room, or other parts of the apartment.

When you do notice any cracks and holes, you will need to seal them as soon as possible. You can seal smaller ones with caulk, while the larger gaps and pipes can be sealed with foam or steel wool. If you notice big cracks around the attic vents or chimneys, you should create barriers using fine wire mesh.

However, the best way to go about this is by inviting a licensed exterminator to do an inspection, as they will effectively locate the cracks that roaches love and seal them for you effectively.

Regularly Clear Out Clutter

Another DIY strategy for roach control is by making sure you keep a tidy and jumble-free kitchen. You need to create free and open spaces and avoid leaving any stuff lying around. When your kitchen is free of clutter, there will be no hideouts for any pests, and your kitchen will not be hospitable for roaches. This method, coupled with the use of insecticide, will give you an excellent result.

Get Professional Cockroach Control

Roaches are very difficult to get rid of. You may has some success in keeping them out of a room for a while, but if you've seen one then there are others. The only way to be truly sure that your cockroach infestation is gone for good, is to call professional pest control technicians out to your home. Hitman Pest of Yuma are experts are protecting Yuma residents from the cockroach menace. If you spot one, it's time to call us.

Having ants walk around the kitchen is a common sight in many homes and is one of the most common pests requiring home owners to contact a pest control company.  When you start spotting ants in the kitchen, you can be sure they found a nice food source nearby. Usually caused by sugar granules left on the ground, spilled tea, or other sweet stuff. That is why it is very important to always clean up spills immediately. You don't need to roll out the welcome mat for ants.

Although ants may not be as dangerous to humans as some other pests, having them march around your kitchen can be very annoying. besides just being unsightly, ants can spread diseases from surface to surface.  If you do not get rid of them quickly, they will find a way into food containers in the kitchen or pantry and render the contents inedible.

Are you constantly seeing ants in your kitchen, and you need effective ways of getting rid of these ants? This article will provide you with some of the most simple and effective methods of getting rid of ants in the kitchen.

Clear off Food and Spillages ASAP!

One of the first things you want to do is store your food away from where they can easily reach. Look for containers with good covers and store your dry pantry food in them.

Wipe off any drink and food spillages around the kitchen right away. Telling yourself "you'll get to it later" is just rolling out the red carpet for ants. You should also avoid leaving used dishes in the sink for a long period. Try washing them immediately after use, or at least give them a good rinse.

Furthermore, avoid leaving your trash sitting for too long in the kitchen, dispose of it regularly.

Also, avoid leaving dead insects such as cockroaches and flies lying around the kitchen for too long. Dead insects tend to attract ants, so make sure you dispose such regularly. Doing all these will go a long way in getting rid of ants in your kitchen.

Cut off The Food Source

Cut off the source of their food in your kitchen. Ensure the containers where you store your dry good and raw ingredients are tightly sealed. Things like sugar, flour, cornmeal, etc. If there's nothing to attract them, they don't have a reason to come in. These ants have a way of entering containers of food that are not tightly covered. This is why it is best to properly store or get rid of anything that could attract ants in your kitchen.

Clean up food spillages immediately and always give your kitchen a full cleaning on a regular basis.

Use a Natural Ant Deterrent

Nothing will keep ants away like professional pest control. But until you can get one to you home or office, you can make a natural ant repellant to help fight back in the short term.

Make Natural Ant Spray

Ever wondered how ants march together as an army? Ants generally leave behind scented trails for others to follow, and that is how other ants can follow.

Give the floor and counters with a thorough wipe with an eco-friendly anti-ant spray. Making one is very easy. All you need to do is mix vinegar with water. 1 part vinegar to one part water. Vinegar can kill ants and ants do not like being around it. Sprinkling or spraying a diluted solution around the kitchen will repel and help keep them away.

Whenever you find an army of ants in your kitchen, use a mixture of water and vinegar to wipe off the trail. Although this won't kill the ants already in the kitchen, it will prevent others from coming in since there's no trail for them to follow.

Use Citrus

Another natural method of keeping ants away from your kitchen is citrus. Ants generally do not like the smell of citrus. Apply some around the doors and windows of your kitchen. Also, apply some around the entry points used by the ants into your kitchen. The smell of the citrus will keep them away from your kitchen. You can also place a few lemon peels behind your kitchen doors to discourage them from going in.

Herbs Can Repel Ants

Another natural method you can use in keeping ants away from your kitchen is herbs. Herbs such as bay and sage leaves can help keep ants away. Find any of these leave and place them around your kitchen to keep ants off. Consider growing some of your own. A nice little indoor garden of herbs can help make some tasty dishes and keep ants away.

Seal off Cracks and Holes

Sometimes, ants may not come in through the doors or windows. It could be through the cracks and holes on the kitchen walls. You can make use of caulk or any other thing you can find to seal off the cracks and holes. This will prevent ants from coming into your kitchen.

Deep Clean Your Kitchen Regularly

As you already know, ants like sugary things, dirt, and dead insects. Not cleaning your kitchen properly and regularly could attract ants.

But all those dark hard to reach spots. Around the stove. Under the refrigerator. Probably you do not clean the nooks and corners of your kitchen as often as your counters. There could be plenty for ants to eat somewhere in these hidden parts of your kitchen, such as drawers, cupboards, and so on. Make sure to spend some time on these parts of your kitchen regularly.

Call Professional Ant Control

Ants are very resilient and can living in huge colonies. Where you see a few, there are many more waiting for them to bring back food. The only sure way to be rid of ants in your kitchen once you spot them is to call the professionals at Hitman Pest of Yuma.

 

Rodent problems are common in Yuma Arizona. There are particular reasons for this, and some you can do something about to prevent a rat infestation. But, if you notice signs that you have rats, you don’t have to beat yourself up over it.

It would be prudent to take early action at the first signs to minimize the possibility that the rats might propagate and cause a health hazard – making the issue of ridding yourself of roof rats even harder to resolve. The best option is always to work with experienced roof rat experts like Hitman Pest of Yuma

To help you, here is a list of signs to look for.

What to Look For

In general, rats are intelligent creatures that have a mission regarding food and shelter. Furthermore, they like a warm place to shelter from the cold. So the winter season is no time to slouch on regular pest control services.

There is a high likelihood of finding rats have invaded your house or other properties during fall and into winter without anything luring them like pet food or animal feed. Farm or stable owners understand the significance of maintaining all feed well-covered and secured from rat raids.

Since rats can enter a property through any covering which they could chew, inspect the building from the ground to the roof. Focus on any place where exterior elements are fed via the outer building envelope into the cabin, home, or commercial properties like cable lines, vents, or where there might be ductwork or flashing.

Check out for any voids that are larger than one-fourth an inch. Maintain all trash cans sealed inside and outdoors. It would be best to store all firewood stacks and debris piles away from properties to eradicate potential rat’s nests.

These rodents are excellent climbers and can’t hesitate to utilize trellises and adjacent tree limbs to seek any unsealed nooks and crannies and get inside. Because nature has offered the rat a set of teeth that constantly grow, they’re always searching for materials which they can chew and gnaw to help keep those chompers filed down.

Typically, rats chew through plastic, metal, joists, wooden beams, cardboard, and wallboard. The longer your rat infestation goes unnoticed, the more financial damage they may cause to your building with their incessant chewing. The worst part is that they love to chew through wires – this may subject property to the likelihood of an electrical fire.

Signs You Have a Roof Rat Problem

You don’t have to see a rat before the critters have assumed residence in your home. Although rats like to come out mostly during the night, you might be able to notice their invisible presence from the strange sounds they make. The funny part is that you’re less likely to see even one before you start to notice the signs that signify their presence. These include:

Rat Droppings: They are often found in concentrated places since rats produce about 40 droppings per night. Typically, brown rat droppings are in a tapered and spindle shape approximately 9mm – 14mm long. Generally, they may resemble a huge grain of rice.

Footprints (running tracks): These rodents usually leave foot and tail prints in dusty and less-used places. Shining your flashlight at a relatively low angle can reveal these tracks.

pest tracks in the snow winter

If you’d like to determine whether an infestation is active, consider sprinkling talc or fine floor along a small floor stretch near the footprints and look out for fresh tracks the following day.

Scratching Noises: Do you suspect you may have rats on your roof? Roof rats, or black rats, are known to be agile climbers and may easily invite themselves into loft spaces and upper floors of houses.

Hearing scratching noises during the night from above might signify their presence. On the other hand, brown rats are less skilled climbers. Mostly, you might hear them scurrying under sheds, floorboards, and decking. They’re more likely to be recognized by a grinding noise they produce with their teeth called bruxing.

Damage: As aforementioned, rats have constantly growing teeth; therefore, they need to gnaw them on plastic and wood to keep them trim. You might also recognize ripped food packaging since rats tend to tear open food and leave behind visible teeth marks.

Rub Marks: Rats usually use established routes along walls and skirting boards because of their poor eyesight. Dirt and grease on their bodies leave dark marks and smudges on surfaces and objects they repeatedly brush against. These marks might signify rodent activity. However, as smears might remain for an extended period, they aren’t an ideal gauge of an active infestation.

Burrows: Typically, brown rats are believed to dig and excavate extensive burrow systems for food storage, shelter, and nesting. Check out for burrows in garages, under garden sheds or decking, or in compost heaps.

Nests: Rats tend to build nests in warm and secret areas using different shredded materials like fabrics and newspapers. Mostly, nests will have young rats and are often found close to their food source.

 

Insects and pests are things that every household eventually has to deal with. Many insects found in many places across the globe usually cause harm by either biting a person or animal or by spreading infectious disease all around the place.

Insects could pose a threat not just to people, but to other animals as well. It may not seem like it, but pests could also cause a great deal of harm to our much-loved cats and dogs. Therefore, great care needs to be taken when moving into a place with your furry companions, as they could also encounter pests that could cause both them and you some harm.

Because of its dry, arid climate that is different from other places in the United States, Arizona as a whole is home to various insects which could become household pests, and Yuma is no exception to that. These insects could also become both a nuisance and a threat not just to you or to your family, but to your cats and dogs as well. Here are some of the bugs that you and your pet need to be extra careful of:

Ants Can Bite Your Pets

Ants are pests that everyone in the world has to deal with. After all, ants crawl around food on the table if left unattended. But Arizona is home to a different species of ants known as fire ants. These ants, which are prominent for their bright, fiery red color, can cause harm to both people and pets if they are not careful enough.

When triggered, these ants carry a powerful bite that could be painful and leave a sting on the skin that could last from a few hours to a few days. No matter how small these critters are, you and your dog or cat should stay away from these ants or you could always get rid of them in your house so that they could not cause any sort of harm.

Scorpions Will Sting

A scorpion in your home may not seem a pleasurable or a likely situation that you will get into. And no one likes to be in contact with these creatures, let alone touch them. However, Arizona's dry, desert-like climate allows these scary bugs to be a common sight in many areas around the state.

Scorpion causes harm in two ways. The first one is through its claws which it often uses to catch smaller prey. The second (and the most common and terrifying one) is through the venom on its pointy tail.

This is also used by scorpions to kill prey, but a dose of this poison could cause serious harm not just to your family, but to your pets as well. Its sting is dangerous enough to bring you to the hospital or your pet to the veterinarian. Since they prefer hiding in the shade and in citrus trees, steer clear of these places if possible to avoid potential harm and refrain your pets from going and staying in these places.

black widow spider in yuma on its web

Spiders Are Dangerous To Pets

Just like ants, spiders are a relatively common bug that can be seen in houses all over the world. While some spiders are not harmful to humans and some even benefit them by preying on insects that could serve as pests, some spiders found in Arizona, such as the Arizona brown spider or the black widow spider, could deliver a powerful sting that can cause pain to most people or even a serious allergic reaction to those who are sensitive to them. This is not just the case with humans, but with dogs and cats as well. Most of them will get bites in various parts of their bodies when encountering these critters, which is a strong indication of spider infestation in your area. Because spiders often lurk in places such as your garage, patio, or yard, you should take extra care of your dog or cat when it wanders around these places.

Watch Out For Bees

Owing to its agricultural sector that serves as a huge economic force, you and your pet could see bees occasionally outside your house when you move to Yuma in Arizona. Usually, they are found in places such as air-conditioning units, pools, or areas that have water since they buzz around in these places to get water. While bees are helpful in pollinating plants and mostly attack only when their hives are disturbed, some bees such as killer bees are aggressive and attack in swarms. This is a major problem not just for you or for any members of your family, but for your pets as well, who could encounter and try to chase these insects down. Therefore, make sure that your pet stays in a place where he or she could be safe from a bee's sting.

Ticks Can Spread Diseases

tick that can hurt pets

Ticks are a parasite that causes harm mostly to dogs, but it could also harm cats and even to humans. And they're all found in Arizona including Yuma. While only a few species of ticks could be found in Arizona, such as the brown dog tick, these insects could carry a disease known as the Rocky Mountain spotted fever that could only be treated with antibiotics.

If you find ticks on your pet, seek a veterinarian immediately!

Keep Your Pets Safe From Dangerous Insects

As you can see it's not just us humans who have to worry about dangerous bugs. Our furry loved ones also need a pest free home. To keep you and your pets same from dangerous insects, call the experts at Hitman Pest of Yuma today!

Termite damage typically starts around termite-vulnerable wood, which starts to spread once the infestation starts growing. Subterranean termites are known for boring tiny holes into wood. If the infestation is allowed to progress, wood paneling or flooring might start looking warped, water damaged, or blistered. Eventually, the wood supports will start to break, crack, or sag.

How To Detect A Termite Infestation

If termites are invading your home, here are the signs to look out for:

Mud tunnels around the outside of your home, including concrete slabs, walls, bricks, and any other dense structural material. Termites build mud tunnels so they can travel through them when they are not able to bore into objects when searching for water and food.

Termite swarmers inside your home. These are the termites that fly around in swarms in search of mates. If you have started to notice swarmers inside your building, this is one of the tell-tale signs that termites are invading your home. These termites also shed their wings, leaving them behind on places like your window sills. This is another signal that termites are present in your home.

Damaged wood is one of the most obvious signs of a termite infestation. Wood damage often includes wood that has gone darker, or it looks similar to water damage. If you knock the wood using a hard object or hammer and it makes a thudding, dull sound, it is important to have the wood inspected as soon as you can for a termite infestation.

Small holes surrounded by sawdust, is another common sign of a termite infestation. In most cases, these holes are tiny but result in significant damages inside these wooden structures.

Termite damage can also result in tunnels. If you are looking at a wooden structure that was once solid, and now looks porous filled with channels and troughs, termites have probably been eating the wood.

Common Places Where You Will See Termite Damage

Siding Damage

With wooden siding, it is common to see chewed and damages areas close to the soil, particularly when the outside walls come into contact with the soil. The wood will look like it has been chewed or nibbled on. You might also notice eaten areas and holes appearing randomly on the surface of your walls.

Damaged Studs

If there is an outbuilding or shed on your property, these are also common places where you will find termite damage. The termites burrow long channels or tunnels in the wood, making the timber brittle enough that it will start to splinter or crack when you try to walk over it.

Damaged studs are also detected when you tap on them using a hammer. If the sound is hollow it could be a sign of tunneling inside.

- Crawl Spaces

If termites have started to damage the crawl spaces found under your house, this is often accompanied by several mud tubes. Termites are known for building these mud tubes that they take from the soil into the wooden structures in your home. These moist tunnels offer protection, allowing the termites to move freely throughout your home.

Water Damage

While termite damage often goes undetected, a termite infestation can look like damage caused by water. In some cases, the surfaces of floors, ceilings, and walls will start looking bumpy or swollen.

Damaged Walls

It is not common to detect damage caused by termites in your walls unless you have started to renovate. However, if the termite infestation has gone undetected for many months, the wall might start bulging out, or your windows and doors in a wall are no longer closing or opening smoothly. If you break into a wall, damage from termites is going to be unmistakable.

Frass Holes

Once termites start chewing into wooden structures they expel waste out of the holes that they have made. This waste is known as "frass". They do this by periodically boring circular, small holes through the sides of the tunnels that they make. You may be able to detect these holes along with a sawdust-like substance (frass) around the holes. They expel this waste so that it doesn't clog up their living spaces.

Ceiling And Floor Damage

If termites have started to eat into your floors, they might start to warp down or dip. This is caused by the timber that starts to weaken inside. If termites have damaged your ceilings, they might start sagging.

If you have started to notice wood damage in and around your home, it is important to contact a professional company like Hitman Pest of Yuma. Termites can cause extensive damages to your home, which is why you should never allow this type of problem to go untreated. Hitman Pest of Yuma provides top-rated pest-control solutions while providing superior customer service.

pest tracks in the snow winter

Arizona homeowners often let their guard down when it starts to cool during the winter months believing that pests are only an issue during the hot Yuma summers, but nothing could be further from the truth.

When winter arrives, some pests hibernate, while others enter homes seeking food and warmth. If you are looking to protect your home from unwanted guests, here are 7 pests to look out for in winter:

Bed Bugs

Bed bugs can be a problem at just about any time of the year since they can hitchhike at any point. However, the probability of encountering these insects is much higher in the winter since it is the perfect time for a vacation.

If you’re planning a winter vacation, don’t forget to inspect your hotel room for possible bed bugs. You should also examine your clothes and luggage before your return at home to prevent an infestation by any potential stowaways.

Bed bugs are usually very difficult to eliminate, and you will have to come up with a comprehensive plan if you want to successfully get them out of your house. That includes washing all the fabric throughout your home and perhaps scheduling a preventative service call with a pest control service.

Spiders

Spiders can invade your Yuma house at just about any time of the year, but the more dangerous spiders may choose to seek refuge indoors during the winter. While spiders tend to be less active during winter, they love heading to warmer places when it is cold outside.

Spiders such as the black widow and the brown recluse usually hide out in dark, low-traffic areas such as window moldings, cardboard storage boxes, basements, and many others.

To get rid of spiders from your home, you first need to identify the species that’s currently in your home. Once that is done, you can come up with a plan for getting rid of them once all factors have been considered. You should strongly consider hiring a pest control service to help with a spider infestation.

Roof Rats

Roof Rats are tiny rodents capable of slipping through openings the size of a dime. Roof rats love nesting in dark, secluded areas like your roof; and can become a major headache very quickly. They can cause serious damage to property by chewing through wires or drywall and may cause illness by contaminating food. Their droppings can spread deadly disease like the plague.

The best way to get rid of these little intruders is by sealing up any potential openings and calling professional exterminators.

Ants

Ants love enjoying the warmth of your home in winter, particularly carpenter ants. However, if you see ants, there is likely an established nest inside the house. Carpenter ants nest in wood, including windows and doors. Pavement ants as well as little black ants love nesting in cracks around the foundation as well as in walls.

Ants hibernate in their nests during winter. If you find a few ants walking out in the open when there’s a warm stretch in the winter, you should know that there’s probably a nest in your home. To get rid of ants, you should first find the nest and preferably call ant control experts to help you get rid of them.

Termites

Termites love feeding off wooden structures and timbers, which is why you will commonly find them in the walls of untreated homes. During the colder season, termites are particularly drawn to your house if there are high levels of moisture such as dripping air conditioner overflows, leaking showers, and tap or pipe leakages.

To stop a devastating termite infestation, you should consider pretreating your home.

Cockroaches

Cockroaches generally prefer living in small areas close to food and moisture, which is why human homes make the ideal habitat. Cockroaches hitchhike indoors via boxes, grocery bags, and secondhand appliances and are commonly found in kitchens and bathrooms.

Cockroaches, however, can contaminate food sources and spread bacteria and other pathogens. They are also known to trigger allergies and exacerbate asthma symptoms, particularly in children.

Storing food in securely sealed containers and keeping your kitchen clean are some of the best ways to deter cockroaches from getting into your house.

Wildlife

Wildlife such as racoons and squirrels typically don’t hibernate during winter. They prefer instead to hide in warm places attics as it gets cold outside. When they do, they can rip up insulation, tear holes in soffits, and generally make a mess that can attract other unpleasant pests.

Storing trashcans in sealed areas such as a locked shed and using animal-proof lids if you are keeping your trashcans indoors are all great ways to keep wildlife out of your home. Other measures include installing a mesh cover over chimneys and other exposed vents and repairing any lose shingles or siding to prevent entry.

Final Thoughts

Pests such as insects, rodents, and wildlife invade Yuma homes every winter. They need a place to survive until spring and can even choose to stay in your home even after seasons change. If they have food and a protective shelter, there’s no motivation for them to leave. So, ensure that they lack both and they will definitely leave.

As we already know, Arizona is an excellent place to live in. If you are looking into purchasing a home in the area or you already live, you may be wondering whether or not you will have to deal with termites in Arizona.

Unfortunately termites are found all over Arizona, including right here in Yuma. Below, we will be going over some of the key things that you should know about termites in Arizona.

Termite colony infesting a home Yuma

Are Termites Active Year Round In Yuma?

Yes, termites can be found eating the wood in our homes all year long. So one of the things that should be on your yearly to-do list is have a home termite inspection. Considering the fact that you will be dealing with termite season year-round, regular termite inspections are a must.

Since termites are active all year long, it's not really a season. Rather, it's something that you will have to contend with throughout the entire year. The temperature may drop a bit in Yuma, but not enough to drive those termites away.

So you you will find termites both visible and being a nuisance throughout the entire time. You can have issues with termites during the winter months when other areas might not have to deal with them any longer. While they won't nearly be as active as they are in the summer and warmer months, they will still present issues, and can still cause major damage. Even in the colder winter months.

Termites Can Cause Severe Damage All Year Long

One of the most important things to realize about termites anywhere is the fact that they don't stop eating in the winter. There is a common misconception that termites hibernate, but they don't. All winter long they will continue to quite literally eat you out of house and home.

As mentioned, they will end up causing a lot of damage to those with an infestation. Homes are subjected to a lot more damage from termites than natural disasters. You will find termites looking to mate and find new homes during the early summer. Because of this, you should be on the lookout for potential signs of a termite infestation.

Finding Out If You Have A Termite Problem

Knowing whether or not you have a termite problem doesn't have to be too difficult. One of the key things that you should be looking out for would be a swarm. You should be able to figure out if you have one during the busiest months by inspecting your windowsills and other areas throughout your home where termites may leave droppings. This way, you will be able to tell if you may be dealing with damage from termites.

Regular Inspections For Termites

You want to ensure that you can act on any discovery of termites as soon as possible. You should be getting your home inspected for termites professionally a minimum of once per year. You may even want to get into the habit of doing your inspections as much as every three months. This way, you can spot signs of trouble and act accordingly.

What To Do If You Spot Signs Of Termites?

Get Your Home Inspected

One of the best things you can do if you are looking to prevent the major damage that can result from having termites is getting your home inspected. You want to get your home inspected by a professional because they will be able to tell you whether or not you are dealing with an infestation. Here at Hitman Pest of Yuma, we can provide low-cost and affordable inspections for homeowners in the Yuma area. That way, you will be able to see what options you have available if you are dealing with a termite problem.

Preventing Termites

There are plenty of things that you should be able to do to prevent termites from becoming a problem. At Hitman Pest of Yuma we will be able to not only give you tailored advice on what you can do to prevent termites from destroying your home, but we will be able to implement cutting-edge termite control techniques to keep termites away from your property.

As you can see, termites are a big problem for a lot of homeowners in Yuma.

Unfortunately, the Yuma climate is one that is very friendly to termites all year long. It attracts termites because termites thrive in hot and humid conditions and can still survive our cooler months. Therefore, you aren't going to be able to prevent them entirely.

However, there are a lot of things that you can do to make it an unsuitable place for termites. This can help you keep termites at bay. However, when you are dealing with termite problems, you want to call on the professionals. We have all of the experience and expertise that is needed to ensure that your home is protected.

We use all of the latest treatment methods to ensure that your home is as protected as well as possible from termites and we stand behind our work. If you suspect that you have a termite infestation, give Hitman Pest of Yuma a call immediately. We will be able to prevent the problem from escalating and help you defend your home against these harmful invaders.

ants on the floor of a kitchen

With all the baits, traps, and pesticides on store shelves, DIY pest control may look like an easy project. However, for many pest infestations, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Often times homeowners will discover more pests immediately after trying to treat their home for pests themselves. The biggest reason why DIY pest control is so tricky?

Most people don’t have the right knowledge for effective application.

Even pests that may seem simple to identify actually aren’t. For example, there are dozens of different species of ants in Arizona, with different types of ants requiring very different solutions. The same strategy that may eliminate one kind of ant may be useless against another — and sometimes can make infestations worse.

Venomous insects can pack nasty bites and stings

Trying to get rid of insects without being bitten by ones that can actually cause physical harm is difficult. From allergies to spider bites, venomous insects shouldn't be tampered with by amateurs. If you are bitten by a venomous insect, seek medical attention.

Some treatments are dangerous, especially in inexperienced hands

Remember that pesticides are toxic to humans too and must be handled with care. While most modern treatments are better targeted than older ones and only cause permanent damage to pests, they can still cause health problems when used in excess. Additionally, even chemicals that are safe for humans can be deadly for pets, such as cats and fish.

Bugs are becoming more resistant

Over time, bugs and other pests are becoming more resistant to over-the-counter solutions. When you choose professional pest control, you’re choosing an expert who uses effective products known to zap pests and provide long-term solutions. Can't be creating super bugs now can we?

The wrong treatment can spread infestations

When used improperly, insecticides may be strong enough to temporarily scare away pests, but not strong enough to actually kill them. When that happens — a scenario all too common with bed bugs — these insects scatter throughout your home, possibly establishing multiple new colonies in the process.

You’re likely to waste more money than you’d save

Between accidentally buying the wrong treatments and having to apply them multiple times, you may end up spending more for supplies than you would hiring a quality exterminator.

Killing on contact is a short-term solution

If and when a DIY product does work, it typically kills on contact. This is a short-term fix, but it does nothing to help your situation over time. When you kill on contact, the pests remaining have a chance to regroup and relocate. You need a pest control solution that kills at the source rather than just some on contact.

Life is too short to spend your time worrying about pests

Successful DIY pest control takes up a huge amount of time that could be better spent doing things you love. Research to accurately identify your pest problem. Research to learn the most effective treatment. Research to find the best vendor for supplies. Just reading up can take a full day or more. When you hire a professional, you’re paying for experience. While pest control specialists do keep up with the latest scientific research in the field, they already have routine best practices down.

Hitman Pest of Yuma is Here for You!

If that list has convinced you to call in an expert to deal with your pest problem, contact the best!

Hitman Pest of Yuma has been dealing with Yuma's pest problems for years, and we can help you to.

Pests don't just magically disappear in winter.

They may simply be lying dormant or in a stage of their life cycle that doesn't make them all that noticeable.

Or they may simply be waiting for spring to arrive so that they can hatch or leave a cocoon or chrysalis. Don't leave yourself vulnerable to invading critters this winter looking for warmth by neglecting pest control for your home in the winter.

In the case of your larger pests such as rats, mice and other rodents - they don't hibernate during the winter!

They are only slightly less active because it is colder and they try to stay warm and insulated. However, they may become more noticeable during the colder months as they are prepared to take greater risks to get food.

So is pest control really necessary during Winter?

Absolutely!

In fact, this may be a good time to get rid of some pests when they can't run and hide.

This could save you from a major pest infestation when the warmer months arrive and those pesky critters start reappearing.

What Type Of Pest Control Do You Need During Winter?

1. Rodents

As mentioned above, rodents are generally just as active during Winter as in Summer.

However, Winter is a good time for identifying rodent activity in basements, attics and crawlspaces. This is important to find access points the rodents may be using and also to remove any signs of the presence of the rodents. Issues that are found can then be addressed and resolved before the weather warms up.

2. Spiders

Spiders tend to move indoors when the temperature begins to drop. They do this not for warmth but rather because their food source has largely disappeared from the great outdoors.

There are few insects available outdoors during Winter to feed off and spiders are more likely to find their preferred food source indoors. As any pest control expert will tell you, if you have a spider problem, you probably have other pests problems that you may not have noticed.

Removal of webs and other signs of spiders and eliminating the actual spiders themselves are all important things to keep in mind during the winter.

3. Attic Treatments

The attic provides the ideal habitat for dormant insects or eggs awaiting the warmer weather to hatch. These insects include carpenter ants, Boxelder bugs, moths and many more.

An attic treatment will eliminate the insects while they are in their dormant phase so they never have a chance to become pests as the weather warms up.

This type of treatment doesn't solely focus on eliminating bugs but also preparing the area to be bug-free when summer does arrives.

A clean, tidy and dust-free environment is a far less suitable habitat for insects. Pests are more likely to look for other accommodations after an attic has been treated by Hitman Pest of Yuma.

4. Sealing Structures

Ever wonder how those pests got in in the first place? The tiniest cracks and holes in a structure can serve as an access point. Winter is the best time to identify these access points and close them up permanently.

Cracks and holes that aren't noticeable are easier to find simply because cold air filters in from the outdoors giving a clear indication of where sealing is necessary. Even gaps that are formed between windows or doors and their frames.

The pest control specialists at Hitman Pest in Yuma are experts at using different techniques to seal your home as the first line of defense against pests, big and small.

5. An Invisible Barrier

Setting up an invisible pesticide barrier against invading pests is much more effective in Winter. This is because the chemicals are not as exposed to the elements of Mother Nature. Rain, wind, heat and sunlight all result in the breakdown of pesticides which make them far less effective over an extended period of time.

Preparing an invisible barrier is the perfect preventative measure to deter that first wave of pests from entering and infesting your home or business premises.

These types of barriers can be applied outdoors to set up a perimeter around a structure or inside the structure where pests are most likely to infiltrate. Hitman Pest will provide you with a comprehensive plan to set up pesticide barriers where they will be most effective when summer arrives.

6. Additional Pest Control Hints And Tips

The experts at Hitman Pest of Yuma are armed with the knowledge and experience necessary to deal with a range of pests that are common in southern Arizona. We know how to deter them and to eliminate them. Our staff also understand the importance of imparting their expertise to you, our valued clients, so that you can take the necessary measures to prevent pests from returning once they have been eliminated.

Check out these helpful pest control hints and tips from the pro's!

Last but not least, have your home or business premises inspected for pests regularly including in the Winter so that you are pest prepared in the summer.