Pests may be par for the course in Texas, but infestations are still serious business. Find out when it’s time to call in professional pest control.
From pesky mosquitoes to curious rodents to ominous spiders, pests are a fact of daily life in the hot and humid Dallas area, but that doesn’t mean you should keep your guard down when it comes to pest control. While seeing an occasional critter is no big deal, it can sometimes be the first sign of a growing problem behind the scenes. How do you tell the difference between a stray and a more serious infestation? Watching for the warning signs below is a good place to start.
Dead Pests
If you keep seeing dead pests throughout your home or around your windows, there’s a good chance that a living colony is thriving somewhere on your property.
Structural Damage
The most destructive pests use homes as nesting grounds, leaving behind holes, cracks and tunnels that can cost a fortune to fix. Rodents like to nest in walls, attics and similar out-of-the-way spaces, while sagging wood or mud tubes is a sure sign of termites.
Bite Marks
Gnaw marks on food containers and furniture point to rodents, and since both mice and rats live in packs, it’s safe to assume that your little visitors aren’t traveling alone.
Droppings
All pests – including the dreaded bed bugs – leave behind droppings that give away their presence. During active infestations, droppings tend to reappear in the same spots almost as soon as you clean them up. If the droppings you find are old, you might be in the clear. Before you breathe a sigh of relief, watch the same space for the next few days and take a look around your house for other problem areas.
Strange Sounds
Don’t be too quick to dismiss new sounds in the night as your house is settling down. To rule out pests, listen closely for squeaks, clawing, the pitter-patter of rodents’ tiny feet and the heavy footsteps of bigger animals like raccoons and squirrels.
If you suspect that you have an infestation, don’t wait to call professional pest control. By the time infestations become obvious, they’re often at the severe stage. The sooner you get help, the more damage you’ll prevent and the more money you’ll save on treatment.
Are you struggling with recurrent infestations in the Dallas area? Contact ABC Home & Commercial Services in Dallas directly or visit us on our homepage to learn how we can help you put an end to pests.