Poway, a city in San Diego County, California, has delightful weather all year around. Due to its hot summers and mild winters, this place is ideal for spending quality time. However, these weather conditions also attract certain annoying pests that often wreak havoc for local inhabitants and cause serious health issues along with significant property damage.
Common Household Pests
These pests flock to Poway homes when the weather gets scorching hot and dry, but infestations also tend to surge during cold or damp seasons. The following are some of the most prevalent pests you are bound to find in Poway:
Rodents
With their excrement and urine, rodents carry a danger of contaminating your cooking space and other food items. Mice and rats are capable of spreading multiple diseases and introducing other pests into your Poway home through their droppings. They can also destroy homes by nesting in insulation and ventilation systems and chewing on wires and roofing materials, causing thousands of dollars in damage.
Termites
The drywood termite, one of the most destructive species in the termite family, is abundant in Poway. This termite mostly swarms in spring and fall seasons, but as Poway has optimal weather all year round, this termite is the reason for continuous distress in local residents.
The drywood termites often consume wood from inside and make grooves and channels in your home’s walls, floors, and other surfaces. These grooves can cause severe damage to the wood and significantly reduce the structural integrity of the building.
Ants
Anyone who has dealt with ants knows they are a formidable foe, and apparently, it is impossible to do enough to get rid of them completely. Argentine ants are most prevalent in Poway, and it is difficult to eradicate them as this species has multiple queens. When these ants are threatened, one queen splits away and creates a new colony elsewhere, taking some of the worker ants with her.
Spiders
There are approximately 35,000 species of spiders worldwide, and around 3,000 of them live in North America. Spiders are often considered to be quiet creatures who like to live in dry and dark environments. Due to this particular inclination of spiders, they are frequently found in the garages and basements of Poway homes.
Here are the most common spiders you will often see in Poway:
- Black Widow Spiders
- Brown Widow Spiders
- Desert Recluse Spiders
Cockroaches
Cockroaches are Poway’s most dangerous pests and can cause various harmful diseases like Dysentery, Giardia, Leprosy, and Cholera. They tend to develop strong resistance against numerous insecticides, making it highly problematic to get rid of them. Cockroaches are found in Poway in four different species.
- German Cockroach
- American Cockroach
- Oriental Cockroach
- Brown-Banded Cockroach
Bed Bugs
Recently, there has been a considerable increase in bed bugs in Poway, California, and other regions of the United States due to the reduced usage of pesticides. Bed bugs are tiny oval-shaped insects that survive by feeding on human or animal blood. They tend to multiply quickly and often hide in holes and crevices because of their flattened bodies.
Expert Advice to Solve Your Local Pest Problem
These are the five most valuable bits of advice from pest control experts that can help you exterminate any pest infestation.
Maintain a Tidy Kitchen
Pests flourish in a filthy, wet environment. Keeping the kitchen counters, racks, stove-tops, and drawers clean to avoid insect invasion is crucial. Try to wipe down such areas with a disinfecting cleaner regularly. Furthermore, food particles that are left in the open can attract insects like ants and flies. It is better to remove these particles from exposed places to avoid ant infestation. This pest control method will not eliminate your pest infestation entirely, but it will significantly lower the number of pests in your home.
Get Rid of Stagnant Water
Make sure the drains outside your house are clean and dry since stagnant water in the drains can lead to mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue and malaria. When the buckets in your bathroom aren’t in use, keep them dry and empty. Also, it is essential to dry kitchen utensils aptly to negate the growth of bacteria.
Don’t Leave Fruits & Vegetables Outside
Overripe fruits and vegetables are tempting for flies and other insects. While certain pests attracted to these fruits, such as fruit flies, are harmless, decaying fruits and vegetables can also entice larger pests such as ants and cockroaches, which are challenging to eradicate.
Dispose Garbage Regularly
Garbage should ideally be disposed of every day. Otherwise, a stockpile of waste can result in rat, rodent, and cockroach infestations. These infestations can lead to disease transmission, especially if you have pets and kids in your home.
Install Window Nets
It is vital to install window nets to prevent pests such as mosquitoes, spiders, fleas, cockroaches, and giant spiders from entering your home. If any window panes or glasses are broken, fix them immediately to keep these insects out. Also, check every door of your home and perform all necessary repairs to ensure effective prohibitory measures.
Hire a Professional Pest Control Service
Hiring a professional pest control service can play an integral role in detecting and eradicating pests of various types. These services implement effective pest control plans to keep your living space clean and healthy. Running such services is considerably less expensive than paying for costly house repairs.
You can find and eliminate pests on your own. Still, professional pest control companies can provide you with a better pest management plan that can last for an extended period of time.
