Pest Library

Though bed bugs have a reputation for infesting dirty or unkempt places, the truth is that these hitchhiking pests can get into any of our homes. Bed bugs don't move into our homes on their own; we introduce them. We generally come into contact with these bugs after spending time in a public place; then, they move wherever we take them — they are first-class stowaways! Any place where people come and go in large numbers is where you are most likely to come into contact with bed bugs. They want to live where we live because our blood is their preferred food source. Airports, hotels, libraries, movie theaters, laundry mats, schools, and dormitories are examples of places people regularly encounter bed bugs.

After ending up in our house, the bed bug's flat, oval body enables them to crawl into the tightest of spaces and stay well out of sight. Their ability to hide well enables them to expand their population and take over multiple areas of a house. Regularly inspecting your home for bed bugs is an important step to take if you want to identify an infestation early before they have the chance to take over! Places bed bugs love to hide include:

• Seams of mattresses and box springs
• Cracks in wooden headboards and other wooden furniture
• Upholstered furniture
• Behind wood trim or baseboards
• Inside electrical outlets and wall voids
• Behind wall hangings like clocks or pictures

Put the following simple and easy to execute prevention tips in place to help keep bed bugs out of your Oklahoma City home.

• Avoid purchasing used couches, mattresses, bedding, or box springs for use in your home. 
• Reduce the clutter in your house to help you identify an infestation sooner rather than later. 
• Wash and dry your family's clothing and bedding on the highest heat cycle possible. 
• Vacuum your house frequently to remove any bed bugs that may have found their way inside. 
• When spending time in a public place, keep your items away from other people's belongings. 

Drinking your morning coffee and looking out your front window to see birds fluttering around your yard is quite relaxing for most people. However, when pest birds like pigeons make their way to your property and take it over, their presence is the opposite of relaxing; it is stressful! Pest birds have come to rely on people for some of their basic needs. They have discovered that living near people makes their lives easier; unfortunately, their presence makes our lives more difficult.

Pigeons are the most common and problematic pest birds for both home and business owners. Having pigeons or any other type of pest bird living in your yard or on your house is not only annoying but dangerous. Referred to as "rodents" of the bird world, pigeons are invasive, disease-spreading, damage-causing pests. Things that attract pest birds and make them think we want them on our properties include open trash cans, bird feeders, gardens, fruit trees, outdoor eating areas, and areas of standing water. These flying pests are difficult to keep off our properties once they are comfortable. The best way to remove them is with the help of a trained and knowledgeable professional!

Put the following simple and easy to execute prevention tips in place to help keep birds off your Oklahoma City property.

• Remove bird feeders from your property that will entice them and offer a regular food source.
• Keep birds from rummaging through your trash by placing trash bags in trash cans with tight-fitting lids.
• Maintain garden areas and regularly harvest fruits and vegetables. 
• Fill in low-lying areas on your property that collect water and offer a water source.

If you ever spot a cockroach in your house, it is likely either an oriental cockroach, an American cockroach, or the most likely candidate, a German cockroach. German cockroaches have adapted to living primarily indoors with people and regularly find their way into our Oklahoma City homes and businesses. German cockroaches can find their way into any of our structures, moving from place to place in things like deliveries, boxes, furniture, or appliances. American cockroaches are the largest species to find their way into our homes. These cockroaches live happily either outside on trees or under mulch or inside our kitchens, bathrooms, or basements. Oriental cockroaches have high moisture needs and regularly live near sewers, drains, toilets, tubs, leaking pipes, or areas of standing water.

The biggest reason any cockroach species has become a problem on your property is that they have discovered easy access to food sources. Cockroaches are natural scavengers and are on the constant lookout for food. They eat many of the same foods we eat, making our properties a place they want to be and a place they can thrive. After moving inside either on their own or by hitchhiking, they move to dark, humid areas to hide during the day; at night, they emerge and search for food. The most common areas of a home to find cockroaches include the kitchen, bathroom, and basement areas.

Put the following simple prevention tips in place to help keep cockroaches out of your Oklahoma City home.

• Trim back shrubs and bushes from your home's exterior that American cockroaches and other species can hide in and that provide them with easy access to your home.
• Place woodpiles a good distance away from the outside walls of your house.
• Inspect your home's weatherstripping, door sweeps, and screens for damage and replace defective ones.
• Seal any spaces around light fixtures or pipes entering your home.
• Reduce their access to food by placing lids on trash cans and keeping outdoor and indoor eating areas free of food debris.
• Repair leaky pipes or clogged gutters that could be providing cockroaches with a water source.

Dealing with rodents is frustrating for homeowners whether their home is in an urban area, the suburbs, or the country. Rodents are persistent, agile pests that regularly find their way indoors. Once inside, they cause many problems, including structural damage, food contamination, and damage to our personal belongings. Inside our homes, they also leave behind trails of urine and feces, create unpleasant musty odors, and create noises at night that interrupt your sleep.

Two of our area's most common rodent intruders are the small oval-shaped house mouse and the large, heavily built Norway rat. Though they are different species, the reason they come to our properties is the same. Our yards and homes offer rodents such as mice and rats access to their basic needs. They will eat from our trash cans, pet food bowls, and gardens, and they will hide and nest within yard clutter, landscaping, and woodpiles. Once they are living in our yards, they will move into our homes to escape harsh weather or to find food. Wall voids, attics, basements, and furniture provide rodents with hiding spots, and our kitchens provide a place to forage for food.

Put the following simple and easy to execute prevention tips in place to help keep rodents out of your Oklahoma City home.

• Make your property less appealing by reducing the rodent's access to food. Keep lids on trash cans, recycling bins, and compost bins. 
• Pick up uneaten pet food.
• Maintain your outdoor eating areas. 
• Kitchens should be kept tidy and free of leftover food and food debris.
• Maintain your yard and keep your lawn and landscaping from overgrowing and providing a cover for rodents. 
• Make it as difficult as possible for rodents to enter your home by sealing any openings in its exterior and keeping covers on chimneys.

If you see large numbers of spiders in your yard or homes, it is important to understand that they are the tip of the iceberg. Spiders only live where there is plenty of food for them to consume; therefore, if spiders are a problem on your property, so are other pests. Things that attract insects and then foraging spiders include open trash cans, standing water, and areas of dense landscaping and other vegetation. While most spiders we run into are harmless, there are two dangerous species in our area:

• The brown recluse spider is yellowish-gray to black, has long, thin legs, and has an identifying violin-shaped marking on its back. 
• The black widow spider is shiny black with two reddish markings that form an hourglass-like shape on the abdomen's underside.

When spiders live in our yards near our homes, it is only a matter of time before they find their way inside. Spiders move indoors to follow their insect prey which is why we often see an influx of spiders in the fall when the weather cools. Spiders also like to use our homes as a safe place to lay their eggs. Once inside, if there is access to food and water, spiders will hunker down and make themselves at home.

The following simple prevention tips will help you stop spiders from taking over your Oklahoma City yard, garden, or home.

• Cut shrubs, bushes, and other landscaping away from your home's exterior that spiders can use to gain easy access to your house.
• Remove access points by repairing cracks in the foundation of your home. 
• Replace damaged weatherstripping and screens.
• When you see their webs around your home or yard, remove them; nothing is more aggravating to a spider.
• Reduce standing water around your property that spiders could utilize.
• Regularly vacuum and dust your home to remove stray spiders. 
• Eliminate clutter from your home that reclusive, shy spiders like to hide in.

If you are looking for a local solution to your Oklahoma City home's pest problems, turn to the professionals at Oklahoma Pest Maintenance. With over 25 years of experience in the pest control industry, you can trust us with your pest control needs and top-notch customer service! To learn more about our effective residential and commercial pest control services in Oklahoma City, don't hesitate to reach out to us today!