Pest Library

 Bed bugs are pests that can pop up in any home. Bed bugs like us because our blood is their preferred food source. They survive by living where we live and spend a lot of time, in places like airports, hotels, laundromats, schools, and libraries. 

Bed bugs most efficiently move from place to place by hitchhiking inside boxes, bedding, suitcases, and pieces of furniture. Once inside your home, bed bugs quickly find a daytime hiding spot. Our beds and bedrooms are common hideouts because they allow the bed bugs to be close to us as we sleep. Other favorite hideouts include underneath upholstered furniture, behind wall hangings and trim, and inside electrical outlets.

Keep bed bugs out of your bedroom with these tips.

• Place bed bug-proof covers on all mattresses in your home.
• Regularly wash and dry your family’s bedding on a high-heat setting.
• Vacuum your home regularly. 
• Inspect secondhand items for hitchhiking bed bugs before bringing them inside.

For effective bed bug control in Little Rock, reach out to us at George Termite and Pest Control.

 A cockroach is one of the most feared pests for homeowners to discover in their houses. These flat, oval insects move quickly, are prolific breeders, and are known for the health risks they pose. The most common cockroaches that become a problem in Little Rock homes are the American cockroach, German cockroach, and oriental cockroach. 

Cockroaches are opportunistic scavengers. Our houses offer cockroaches food, moisture, shelter, and warmth. These insects enter structures through openings they come across while out foraging for resources or hitchhiking in things like deliveries or secondhand items.  

Our most helpful cockroach prevention tips include:

• Maintain a clean kitchen and regularly wash dirty dishes.
• Reduce moisture in your home through proper ventilation and quickly repair leaky pipes and fixtures.
• Inspect deliveries, secondhand items, and other things you bring into your home for cockroaches.

For more information about cockroach control in Little Rock, call now.

 Fleas and ticks are ectoparasites, which means they feed on the blood of their hosts from the outside of the body. Blood is the sole source of nutrition for both. Favorite hosts include wild animals, rodents, dogs, and, when available, people. 

Fleas and ticks are primarily outdoor pests. They are regularly introduced into our Little Rock yards with the help of wildlife moving to and from our yards. Keeping these pests at bay is vital because of their ability to spread diseases that can make people ill, in addition to triggering skin rashes and other allergic reactions. 

If you own pets, one of the best things you can do to prevent issues with fleas and ticks is to place them on a year-round prevention program. However, it is important to understand that any property, whether you own pets or not, can be plagued by these outdoor pests. Regular flea and tick control services performed by a local professional are the best way to keep them from taking over your property.

 The mosquito is a type of small fly. The females must regularly consume blood meals to complete their life cycles. These biting pests thrive in Arkansas’s hot, humid temperatures and are most active from March through November. 

Mosquitoes are prolific breeders and quickly take over outdoor spaces in large numbers. Their presence can make it difficult for people to enjoy spending time outside. Mosquito bites not only leave behind red, itchy welts but also spread pathogens and parasites that can make people and animals seriously ill. 

Use the following tips to make your property less attractive to mosquitoes:

• Regularly mow your lawn and keep the grass short.
• Keep trees and shrubs well-pruned.
• Remove as much standing water from your property as possible.

Regular mosquito control treatments are the best way to control mosquito populations.

 Mice and rats are rodents that have successfully learned to live near people. Both have learned that wherever there are people, they have easy access to food and shelter. Rodents make terrible houseguests and have the potential to spread disease, cause structural damage, and take over our properties in large numbers.

Mice and rats are agile creatures that can squeeze their bodies through small spaces. Gaps along the roofline, in the foundation, or around windows and doors are common entry points. Finding rodent droppings, discovering gnaw marks, and hearing noises at night are common signs you are sharing your home with rodents. 

The following tips will help you keep rodents out of your home:

• Regularly inspect your home’s roof and foundation for gaps and make necessary repairs.
• Install door sweeps and chimney caps.
• Cut back vines, tree branches, and overgrown vegetation from your home’s exterior.

For professional rodent control, call now.

 Silverfish are so named because these teardrop-shaped insects are covered in shiny scales and move in a wriggling fish-like manner. Outside, these pests like to live in damp, shady areas. In yards, these pests often gather under rocks, landscaping ties, mulch, and in containers like trash cans and compost bins.

Though silverfish primarily live outside, if it becomes too hot and dry outside, they will migrate. Unfortunately, our home’s basements, crawl spaces, bathrooms, and kitchens often offer silverfish the moisture they seek. In our homes, their feeding habits will damage and contaminate stored pantry items, paper, and fabrics. 

Here are our most helpful silverfish prevention tips:

• Reduce humidity levels in your home using dehumidifiers.
• Seal any cracks that develop in your home’s foundation.
• Create a crushed stone barrier between any mulch and your home’s exterior.

Call us today to learn about our home pest control programs that will prevent issues with silverfish and other household pests.

 Spiders are one of the more common pests to find their way to our properties. Though they like living outside, they frequently enter our homes while following their insect prey. Our houses also provide spiders with a dry, safe place to lay their eggs.

Most spiders people come into contact with aren’t harmful to people or our property. However, Little Rock is home to two dangerous spiders: the brown recluse and the black widow spider. These dangerous spiders have venom potent enough to cause harm to a person if a bite were to occur.

To keep spiders away from your property, limit their access to their insect prey. Keeping lids on trash cans, reducing areas of standing water, and maintaining your yard can go a long way in controlling the number of insects and spiders attracted to your property. Stop spiders and insects from entering your home by repairing defects in your home exterior, keeping windows and doors closed, and keeping screens over vents and chimneys.

 If stinging insects have found their way to your Little Rock property, they are likely one of the following species:

• Carpenter bees
• Hornets
• Wasps
• Yellow jackets

These pests are regular visitors to our yards because these spaces offer them secluded nesting sites and access to insects, plant nectar, pollen, and other food sources.

Keeping stinging insects away from your property is essential because of the stingers they have extending from their hind end. Not only are their stings painful, but with each sting, they inject venom. People allergic to their venom can experience severe reactions ranging from a mild localized response to a life-threatening one.

The best way to enjoy your backyard without tiptoeing around stinging insects is to partner with a local pest control professional. Our yards naturally supply stinging insects with what they need. Through regular inspection and pest treatments, you can stop stinging insects before they take over your property.

 Termites are small, social insects that live together in large colonies. The most common type of termite in our region is the subterranean termite. They live in nests that they build in the ground in damp soil. These termites have high moisture needs and prefer to feed on wet or decaying wood. 

Cellulose found in wood and other organic materials is the sole source of nutrition for termites. A single termite isn’t a threat, but thousands of termites can cause significant damage to houses and other man-made structures. Partnering with a professional is the most effective way to guard your home and bank account from the damage these pests cause.

In addition to partnering with a professional, use these tips to prevent termites:

• Eliminate excess moisture in and around your home.

• Use caulk to repair cracks in your home’s foundation.

• Remove fallen trees, wood stumps, and other wood debris from your yard.

For termite control in Little Rock, contact us today.