john, Author at Exclusive Pest Control

A Beginner’s Guide to Roaches in South Carolina

Posted on December 10, 2020December 11, 2020 by john

If you’ve encountered a cockroach in your home or business, it’s important to know what kind of roach it is to make the best choice for extermination. This beginner’s guide to roaches in South Carolina is a quick way to determine the species of cockroach you’ve encountered and what to do next.

Palmetto Bugs

Palmetto Bugs, also referred to as smoky brown cockroaches, are large (up to nearly 2 inches in length) dark brown cockroaches. The largest type of cockroach found in South Carolina, they also thrive in warm, moist climates. This is why they are so common in South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and most other southern states.

Palmetto bugs have several motives for seeking shelter indoors. They are known as detrivores, which feed off of pretty much any kind of organic (or decaying) matter. They are likely to venture inside after a rain shower because of their dependency on moisture.

Palmetto Bugs vs. Cockroaches

If you spot a Palmetto Bug inside your home, it is not necessarily a sign of a serious infestation. Unlike many other breeds of roach, Palmetto Bugs don’t usually infest a home quickly or for very long due to their dependency on high levels of moisture. Typically, Palmetto Bugs are just looking for warmth, food, and are attracted to light, even from the most immaculately clean of homes.

Tips on Getting Rid of Palmetto Bugs:

Keep shrubs and bushes trimmed away from the sides of your home
Set out sticky roach traps under dark, warm areas of your home (such as under the fridge or other large appliances)
Have a professional exterminator perform quarterly inspections and preventative treatments on your home

German Cockroaches

The most common type of cockroach in the United States, German cockroaches can be identified from their small, flat, oval-shaped light brown appearance. They grow to be about ½ inch to 1 inch in length.

German cockroaches seek out warm places that have a good supply of food. They also are able to rapidly reproduce, laying up to 40 eggs at a time, and reach maturity within two months. This kind of roach can become a serious problem and should be addressed immediately by a professional.

Tips on Preventing German Cockroaches:

Clean up cooking and eating areas frequently
Don’t leave trash out or in garbage bins for too long
Use sealed food containers
Pick up pet food
Don’t leave used dishes or utensils in your kitchen sink

Oriental Cockroach

The Waterbug or Oriental Cockroach is defined for its preferred habitat. Unlike some cockroaches, who prefer a dry environment, waterbugs love water. They have wings but are not able to fly like the Palmetto bug. They are a nocturnal species, so they are more active during the nighttime hours.

Oriental cockroaches can be identified by their dark, glossy coloration and wingless appearance. They look more visually similar to beetles than other cockroaches. These cockroaches are attracted to water and enter the home through drains, especially during times of drought.

Tips on Getting Rid of Oriental Cockroaches:

Seal any cracks or holes in ground-level walls and foundations
Seal any water leaks and ensure screens fully cover any drains that lead outside
Remove wet foliage from windows and doors
Move your garbage bins out of areas with high moisture levels
Improve ventilation in moist parts of your home

Roach Extermination

If you’ve noticed cockroaches in your home or office more frequently, it may be time to call in a professional exterminator. If roaches are not killed and the building isn’t treated, an infestation is likely to occur, depending on the species of roach. Exclusive Pest Control offers roach extermination services, as well as preventative quarterly treatments. Prevention is the best way to ensure cockroaches cannot make their way in and infest. Contact our team today to schedule a visit and we can help you rest assured that roaches stay out of your home.

5 Tips to Keep Out Palmetto Bugs in the Winter

Posted on November 15, 2020November 30, 2020 by john

Palmetto bugs, the scourge of Southern homes, are a year-round nuisance. While many older bugs die in the winter, the younger ones will seek shelter from the cold in nearby trees, garages, and potentially your home once the temperature is consistently falling below 55 degrees. Here are five tips to prepare your home during the winter to prevent palmetto bugs from entering during the spring.

Clean Out Gutters

Like any other animal, palmetto bugs need food and moisture to survive. There are several steps you can take to help reduce moisture in your home. Regularly clean out gutters that are collecting water, seal up any leaks in attics or other crawl spaces, and fix pipes that may be dripping water to collect in the sink or on the floor.

Seal Up Cracks

Palmetto bugs can slide through the smallest cracks to get from outside to inside, and the warmth coming from your home helps them easily find these openings. At the start of winter, thoroughly examine the walls and windows of your home to identify areas bugs may be able to use to get in. Repair any large holes that may be at the bottom of your home or near any basement crawl spaces, and caulk up cracks in walls and windows.

Trim Nearby Trees

Large wooded areas often attract palmetto bugs, and they can use any trees close enough to your home to crawl over the branches and get inside. To cut off their access route, trim back branches yourself or make an appointment with a tree removal service. Sweep up piles of dead leaves around your house that palmetto bugs may be hiding in. Throw away or store securely any unused firewood as this can also be a breeding ground for palmetto bugs and other pests.

Use Bug Poison to Prevent Palmetto Bugs

Whether you’ve spotted bugs already or you’re taking precautionary measures, roach poison is effective for dealing with any stragglers. Identify small cracks and crevices that palmetto bugs tend to hide in, and set out poison, traps, or boric acid powder. Use roach sprays on any live bugs you encounter. When setting out poison or traps, keep pets and children in mind and make sure they aren’t able to accidentally ingest any harmful substances.

Call Pest Control

Although palmetto bugs don’t hibernate during the winter, you won’t see them out as much in colder months. Once winter is coming to an end, bugs will start to reappear and you may start to notice them around your house. If you spot any small roaches, that may be a sign that adult bugs have laid eggs in your home and that you may have a huge infestation waiting in the corners come spring. Call your local pest control company at the start of winter so they can spray outside and inside, and make sure they are scheduled to come out again in the spring when bugs are becoming active again.

Start preparing your home this winter to prevent palmetto bugs from entering during the spring and schedule a consultation today with our experts at Exclusive Pest Control.

Bed Bug Prevention and Treating in Winter

Posted on October 22, 2020November 30, 2020 by john

While winter can provide a welcome respite from many pests, bedbugs, unfortunately, aren’t one of them. Although they can temporarily survive when the weather drops to below freezing, bed bugs tend to prefer the same temperature range as humans. Once they have established themselves in your home, they won’t be seasonally affected like other insects. Bedbugs can enter your home at any time of the year from outside, or be brought in on luggage, used furniture, and clothing. Read on for signs of a bed bug infestation, treatments, and preventative strategies.

Signs of Bed Bugs

While bed bugs can be difficult to see with the naked eye, these pests leave several telltale signs when they have made a home in your sheets. Bed bugs feed on blood and come out at night to bite. Their bites aren’t poisonous, but they cause raised itchy red welts. The bites are most commonly found on ankles or any skin that is not covered by clothing.

If you’re not sure if bites are the result of bedbugs or other insects like mosquitoes, examine your bedding for bloodstains, an unpleasant musty odor, shed skins, eggs, or the bugs themselves. Bedbugs can also live on bed frames, in closets, carpets, and electrical outlets, so be sure to thoroughly check the entire room.

Bed Bug Treatments

Once you’ve identified a bedbug infestation, you’ll need to take steps to kill the adult bugs and remove their eggs. It’s recommended that you call a professional pest control company as soon as you notice signs of bed bugs. In the meantime, there are steps you should take prior to the pest control company’s arrival.

First, wash all of your sheets, clothes, and bedding in hot water and dry on the hottest setting. Vacuum the bed, mattress, carpet, and surrounding areas. Clean up any clutter around your bed and in your closet, and do a few home repairs to fix peeling paint or cracks that bed bugs may be able to hide in. Once the professionals arrive, they will identify the source of the bedbugs and use safe chemicals to completely eliminate them.

Bed Bug Prevention

As the old adage goes, prevention is the best cure. There are a few simple precautions you can take to help prevent these unwelcome guests. Carefully examine any secondhand chairs, beds, or sofas you’re considering bringing home for signs of bed bugs. To keep bed bugs from infesting a mattress, purchase a clear plastic cover for your mattress and box spring. Bed bugs are also repelled by certain scents like peppermint, lavender, and tea tree oil, so try spraying essential oils on or around your bed to naturally keep pests away.

If you’re careful when traveling, you should be able to prevent bugs from hitching a ride back with you. Upon returning from a trip where you may have been exposed to bugs, wash clothes in hot water and vacuum out your suitcase.

Whether you need to treat an infestation in your home or you want to prevent one from happening, our experts at Exclusive Pest Control can help. Schedule a consultation today to keep your home bug-free this winter.

Author: john