Happy New Year, everyone! We hope you had a fun, relaxing and pest-free* holiday with all your friends and loved ones. As we head back to work after the holidays, we have our New Year’s resolution fresh in our mind. We want to help our customers make 2016 a year without pests! We did some research over the holidays and made a list of the six pests that are most likely to pester you in 2016. In this post, we’ll arm you with all the information you need to know to stop these pests before they start to bother you:
- Termites: not just annoying, a termite infestation can be downright dangerous if left unchecked. Across the country, termites cause $2 billion worth of damages each year and unfortunately for us, they’re extremely common and active in Oklahoma. Signs of termite damage include termite droppings (which look like pellets), sagging walls, floors or ceilings and termite wings (which resemble silvery fish scales). However, professional inspections are important as termites can cause hundreds or even thousands of dollars of damage to your home or business before the signs of infestation become visible. At Arrow Exterminators, we trust the Sentricon® System to keep us termite-free.
- Ants: another perennial pest that never goes away, we’re predicting ants will be back in force in 2016. It is estimated there are 15,000 species of ant that live in the United States and sometimes it seems like all of them live in Oklahoma. Given this wide variety and the differences between the species, their swarm cycles come at different points of the year. Whether it’s fire ants in the spring or flying ants in September, there’s always some kind of ant keeping us all on our toes. While store-bought traps and at-home remedies can get rid of a few ants here and there, it takes a professional to solve an infestation.
- Spiders: there are all kinds of spiders native to Oklahoma. Brown Recluse, Black Widow, tarantulas, jumping spiders, wolf spiders and more all call our state home. And while we love having spiders outside, providing natural insect control, nobody wants them inside the home—especially venomous spiders. With lots warm, wet weather headed our way this spring due to strong storms in the Pacific Ocean, we’re guessing there will be even more spiders than usual this year. We have over 60 keeping Oklahoma homes and business free of all kinds of spiders and we can help you keep your spider-free, too.
- Bed bugs: a few years ago, it seemed like bed bugs were something from a bedtime rhyme; now you hear about them everywhere. We’re here to tell you from experience, bed bugs are here to stay. These are some of the trickiest pests to get rid of and many pest control companies aren’t armed with the technology to get rid of them for good. Arrow Exterminators is the only company in Oklahoma using state of the art Thermal Remediation® technology which is proven to eradicate Bed bugs. There are steps you can take to greatly decrease your risk of a bed bug infestation. But if you do find them in your home, make sure to call us right away.
- Rodents: traditionally, we think of rodents as winter-time pests. While they are most common in the cooler months, rats and mice are always looking for a warm cozy place with food and water to call home. While they can seem harmless and even cute, rodents can damage wiring in your home, contaminate your food and potentially spread dangerous diseases. There are some easy steps you can take to seal up your home and deter pests from entering, but once they’re in rodents can be tricky to evict. Arrow Exterminators can get rid of any rodent quickly and humanely, so you never have to worry about your family’s safety.
- Ticks: ticks might seem like an odd choice to round out our list, but reports of tick bites and tick-borne diseases have been steadily increasing in Oklahoma. Ticks can carry a variety of diseases including Lyme Disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Tularemia. With various kinds of ticks widely dispersed throughout the state, ticks are a danger to Oklahomans and their furry friends! We can help make sure your home stays a tick-free safe zone.
We hope this information helps you plan for a pest-free* 2016! And if you see any of these pests—or any other—in your home, contact the experts at Arrow Exterminators. We’ll get rid of them in no time. You can also find us Facebook and Google+ for more pest prevention tips and tricks!
