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Are Crickets Harmful?

Archives for October 2020

Are Crickets Harmful?

Cricket exterminator san antonio

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Are you fed up listening to the creepy and chirping sounds of crickets in the night? Have you been wondering if these nocturnal creatures are harmful? The fun fact is that the males make these sounds to attract female crickets. Determining whether crickets are harmful or not depends totally on your definition of harmful.

There are three types of crickets commonly found in the United States:-

  1. Camel crickets
  2. House crickets
  3. Field crickets

All crickets once inside your home, are known to feed on fabrics such as Cotton, Silk, Wool, Fur & Linen.

So are crickets harmful? Our answer is yes! 

Firstly, if you have a cricket infestation outside your home, remember one thing; they never stop singing their chirpy song. This never-ending humming noise coming from the exterior of your home is going to drive you crazy, and eventually, you’ll end up seeing a shrink.

Secondly, crickets are notorious vegetarians and are known to devour fields within hours. If you have a lush green backyard lawn or a lovely pruned carpet of grass at your porch; an infestation of just a few 1000 crickets is going to cause you severe monetary damage when they are hungry.

Thirdly crickets are a food festival for othergiant predator animals, reptiles and birds like Salamanders, Snakes, frogs, toads, rats, bats, shrews, mice, and insect-eating birds.

Now picture this? A few hundred crickets basking on your lawn and a wide variety of predatory animals, reptiles, or birds stalking them, and you are trying to enter your home. This sure makes a worthy scene straight from Alfred Hitchcock movie. 

Do you want such an incident happening with you or your kids while they play in the lawn or backyard? No right? Accurate pest control provides a wide range of pest control services for San Antonio, Texas individuals and businesses that are facing a cricket infestation. 

  1. To temporarily control these pests, you can place sticky traps around your home or near doors, windows, and other crawl spaces.
  2. You can prune your lawn and dispose of the trimmings before it attracts crickets and other insects. 
  3. Seal cracks, gaps near the window-frames, doors, and other points of entry.
  4. Clean out cardboard boxes, piles of paper, and other food-soiled garments or fabrics.
  5. Keep a pet cat; they are an excellent defense against crickets.

Remember, crickets attract other predators, so keep your kids away from the lawn until you have called a professional pest control company such as Accurate pest control. Similarly, don’t let these tiny pests hamper your sleep at night, causing you to feel sluggish at work. 

Call us if you fear having crickets in the vicinity. We are a licensed pest control company, and our cricket exterminator services are the most called upon pest control service in San Antonio, Texas.

Why Wasps Are Attracted to Your Home?

wasp exterminator san antonio

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Dealing with wasps in your homes can be very frustrating. They are sure to ruin the fun if you’re enjoying a brunch outside your yard with your friends on a lazy Sunday afternoon. We at Accurate Pest Control have a few tips that will help recognize what attracts wasps.

If you notice a swarm of wasps flying around in your home or in the backyard where your kids play, there must be something attracting them. We have outlined five things that you need to watch out for:

Secure & Cozy Refuge

Worried why wasps are scouting at your home? There could be a possibility of finding a safe refuge. You must have often noticed they mostly find shelter in insulated walls, crevices, and hidden cracks and cavities. During the winter months, the queen wasps take charge and find a safe, warm, and protected sanctuary for her colony. Wasps love staying inside the walls or underneath your homes. The queen wasps will hide through the winter, knowing that her territory is protected and cozy inside your home. They also prefer staying in spots where they have easy access to weathered wood. Wasps use wood fiber to build their homes. 

Creepy-Crawly Bugs Accessibility

Warmer months are the time where wasps chase for food. So if you have insects in your yard or garden, you are bound to find wasps residing very often. If you see wasps hovering above the ground, they are looking to feed on insects on the soil resembling larvae and grubs. These are known as digger wasps, and the cicada killer wasp preys on cicada eggs. Wasps are said to be exceptional yard pest terminators; it becomes a problem if they start constructing nests on your property.

Leftover Scraps

Wasps also like to find scraps of meats and leftovers while hunting sprees in the spring and summer. Suppose you find wasps buzzing around the leftover meat and food scraps in your waste bin- it is because they adore protein-based foods. If you’re planning to have a picnic for your kids in the garden, you need to be watchful for wasps sneaking into the food plate or hovering onto food scraps left on the ground. 

Sweet Foods

As the season’s change, wasps love trying new kinds of foods. They’ll swap out the protein-based foods to trying something sweet. If you have a tree in your backyard that bears sweet fruits, don’t be surprised to see wasps determinedly prowl around the tree. They are also attracted to your soda cans/fruit juices and will dive straight into it if they get a chance.

Individual Plants/Flowers

It is no news that bees and wasps love nectar, which is also a food source for them. If you have trees with many flowers, there will be wasps swarming in your garden. They get too attracted to the fragrance of the flowers blooming in your garden. This means if you’re wearing sweet-scented body spray, wasps are likely to be attracted to the scent.

Well, now that you know the top things that attract them, you can make a conscious effort to remove anything that can attract them to your home. Don’t hesitate to call a pest control company in San Antonio, such as Accurate Pest Control, to quickly solve the problem.. 

Are you fed up with wasps buzzing around your property/home? Call Accurate Pest Control to learn more about wasps their habits and behaviors.

Identification of Yellowjackets and bees

Wasp Exterminator san antonio

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Stinging bugs, namely wasps, yellowjackets, hornets, and honeybees, are widespread summertime insects. But their stings can be more than just a throbbing annoyance. A survey done by the National Pest Management Association (A nonprofit trade) reported that stinging bugs are responsible for sending more than five-hundred thousand people to the hospitals every year. However, those with hypersensitivity to stings are at higherrisk. Anyone can be affected if a significant number of stinging bugs sting at once.

A few stinging insects are bigger threats than the others. To protect your family from the sting of the honeybees and yellowjacket wasps, you will first need to classify the kind of insect that may be buzzing over your home. A certified pest professional or a wasp removal team in San Antonio will help you spot a pest species and its risks. We have outlined a useful guide below to help verify the species:

Honeybees:-

  • These pests are social insects and live as colonies in hives, with 20,000 to 80,000 individuals.
  • Honeybees are not aggressive and do not search for something to attack as they mostly maneuver from one flower to another for nectar. They are suspicious and will attack if something seems to intimidate their colony.
  • These buzzing creatures are between 1/2 – 5/8 inch in size and orangish-brown or black.. 

Yellowjacket Wasps:-

  • Yellowjacket wasps have a yellow and black color outline and are between 3/8 – 5/8 inches in size. 
  • These creatures live in nests build of paper carton, which can grow to be football-sized. One nest holds several rounded paper combs, attached one below another, and enclosed with many layers. 
  • Depending on the bug type, the nest can be on plants, tree logs, or even attached to shrubs, bushes, homes, garages, or sheds.
  • Yellowjacket wasps are considered valuable insects because they control many pest insect species. Besides, these are slow to sting unless their nests are endangered. You must make sure that their nest is not located near  your home or property.

Ways to eradicate the bees/yellowjacket wasps:-

  • To safeguard yourself and your loved ones from the various types of stinging insects, you first need to ensure your property is free from hives and nests.
  • Take regular walks around your property and pay close attention to overhangs, eaves, the underside of porches, and decks for nests.
  • Make sure to inspect shrubs, trees, sheds, and other formations. In case you find a nest, do not try to remove it on your own. 
  • The colony can become defensive and attack you. Instead, contact an exterminator in San Antonio who will be able to shuffle or get rid of the hive safely.

It is not recommended to try removing a stinging insect nest on your own, and doing so can be very unsafe. Instead, call a licensed pest professional such as Accurate Pest Control or a wasp exterminator in San Antonio to access your property to spot the type of stinging bug to eradicate the problem immediately.

Want to learn more about bees and wasps? Call Accurate Pest Control today!

Pigeon droppings health risk – should you worry?

pigeon removal in san antonio

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Pigeons are highly social animals and are incredibly smart creatures. But did you know pigeons carry many diseases and parasites linked to their droppings? When pigeons start roosting on your property, they will rapidly create a vast mess with their poop. Not only are pigeon droppings in your home disgusting, but they can carry major risks to your wellbeing and can cause havoc on your property. However, the danger varies depending on the invasion. If you have a pigeon invasion on your property, there is a huge risk of your family members contracting illnesses from their droppings. Histoplasmosis, Candidiasis, Cryptococcosis, Psittacosis, Encephalitis, and Salmonellosis are some of the deadly diseases spread through pigeon droppings. The safe bet is to handle your pigeon invasion quickly by calling a professional pest control company in San Antonio to eradicate any risk of disease.

In addition to the disease and infection, pigeons can also carry parasites, ticks, and mites. A dead pigeon is more of a breeding ground for flies and pests. We at Accurate Pest Control believe, the more established the pigeon infestation, the more significant danger of having these pests getting into your property.

How hazardous are Pigeon droppings?

  • When an individual breaths dust or water droplets of contaminated bird droppings, it can cause several diseases, including aflu-like illness known as Psittacosis. 
  • Salmonella is a bacterial virus that can cause Diarrhea. Pigeons with this type of bacteria can spread it through their droppings.
  • One must take safety measures when they are cleaning up or come in contact with pigeon droppings. Make sure to rinse your hands and clean any bare skin before eating, drinking, or placing your hands near your mouth. Similarly, if you are feeding or handling birds, wash your hands afterwards.
  • Individuals with a compromised immune system, like HIV/AIDS or cancer, must avoid cleaning the droppings as it can be fatal.

How can you catch it?

  • Anyone can become affected if he/she breathes it in. The infant who died at the hospital in Glasgow, Scotland, had been exposed to the fungus. Experts reveal the apparent source has been traced to a room on the rooftop of the hospital.
  • Bird feces and feathers can disturb your home’s heating and cooling modules and indoor air quality.
  • Pigeon droppings contaminated with bacteria or viruses are often left on the windowsills and cars to dry out.

The best thing you can do to get rid of your pigeon problem is to call licensed pest control in San Antonio, Texas. Our Wildlife animal control in San Antonio uses proper techniques to keep your home or business free from unwanted critters and ensure that these creatures are removed safely. To improve the situation, you must ensure all areas are properly cleaned, and preventive measures are taken to stop the birds from invading your home/property.

Want to learn more about pigeons and the health risks associated with them? Call Accurate Pest Control today for a free quote!

Interesting Facts about snakes

wildlife animal control san antonio

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Everyone knows that Snakes are reptiles that have been around for approximately 100 million years and have evolved from prehistoric lizards. They are found on every continent in the world. There are 3000 diverse species of snake on the earth. In Australia, there are around 140 species of land snakes and about 32 species of sea snakes. Australia today is home to the most assorted range of reptiles anywhere globally, including the top 10 most deadly snakes. Snakes are regrettably still very misunderstood by many individuals. Accurate Pest Control  a trusted pest control company in San Antonio, Texasbrings you six interesting facts about snakes

Snakes don’t have eyelids

Most people tend to find snakes to be spooky and scary at first glance because they lack eyelids! These creatures cannot blink, and so they sleep with their eyes open. In place of eyelids, they have- ‘Brille,’ a skinny membrane attached to both eyes to defend them

Snakes use their tongues to smell

Another impressive fun fact is that snakes smell with their tongue. Snakes have a very sharp sense of taste and smell – they use their split tongue to pick up the scent, just like how humans use their nose to smell. They are fascinated by the whiff of the prey, predators, a latent mate, or a rival. 

Snakes have unique eating habits

Snakes cannot chew food like other creatures; hence they swallow their food whole. They have incredibly flexible lower jaws that allow them to gobble creatures 75% to 100% bigger than their skull. Once the food is ingested, the digestive system’s chemicals help break down the food quickly. Now, how cool of a fun fact is that!

Snakes rely on external heat

Snakes are referred to as ‘cold-blooded’ creatures, but it doesn’t mean their blood is cold in literal terms. The exact name is ‘Ectothermic,’ which means their body heat varies and is regulated by external sources. Unlike other mammals that can internally control their body temperature, reptiles need to use different heat sources such as the sun, to keep them warm.

Not all snakes lay eggs

We know for a fact that reptiles are different from mammals because they lay eggs. Humans are habituated to categorize and sort everything, but sometimes forget that nature has its own set of protocols that cannot be ignored. Roughly 70% of snakes lay eggs, and others don’t. The ones that lay eggs are called oviparous. The other 30 percent give birth to live young, similar to mammals. The reason for this is that some climatesare too cold for eggs to grow and hatch. Hence, snakes living in colder temperatures don’t lay eggs.

Forms of Locomotion

Snakes have a wavy, S-shaped movement, also known as lateral undulation. All in all, snakes have four other kinds of movements. E.g., Arboreal snakes use a type of locomotion that uses seven times more power, called a concertina. Another remarkable locomotion is used when a snake is trying to escape from a silky/smooth surface; this particular movement is called ‘slide pushing.’

If you ever encounter a snake on your property and feel scaredand don’t know how to deal with it, call a Wildlife animal control in San Antonio to eliminate the problem. You can rely on our licensed experts to provide safe removal of snakes, without harming them.

To learn more about fun snake facts, Call Accurate Pest Control today!

How to Keep Pigeons Away From My House?

Wildlife animal control & pigeon removal

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Pigeons and humans have existed together for thousands of years. These creatures are referred to as ‘flying rats’ because they are considered filthy, disease-ridden birds! If these pigeons start roosting in your home in large numbers, not only will it become a nuisance, but their droppings can be more harmful to your family. Whether you have a single bird in your house or want to prevent pigeon roosting, Accurate Pest Control can effectively and professionally solve your issue. We set up exclusion materials to keep birds away and also provide pigeon trapping. We focus primarily on removing common household pests from homes and businesses. We offer numerous humane pest control solutions, such as screening, repellents, and bird wires, which forces pigeons to look for a new home, thus discouraging roosting.

Outlined are a few DIY pigeon control methods you can do yourself without harming the pigeons.

1. Sparkly Items

Shiny and sparkly objects such as old CDs, aluminum cans, tiny mirrors, or even metallic wrapping paper hung near landing areas help keep pigeons away. These reflective objects make significant deterrents for tricky birds. The reflection of light off from these items disheartens birds from returning to your homes. 

2. Garden Balls

Garden balls not only act as a natural bird repellent, but these decorative balls can also amp up your yard or garden. These large colorful balls can be scattered in your yard or hung from trees, fence posts, and stakes. Birds will perplex these sphere-shaped orbs with eyes and try to evade them. 

3. Bird Spikes

Bird spikes are elongated, needle-like rods made of plastic or tin cans attached with wire to window sills and overhangs for bird removal. Birds cannot stand these spikes and hence won’t land on them.

4. Repellent Sprays

The most accepted concoction which will keep pigeons away is chili peppers, water, and vinegar. To make this spray, crush dried red chili peppers into a mixture of water and vinegar. To make the mix effective, pour it in a clear glass, leave it out in the sunlight for a natural infusion. Once finished, place the repellent in a plant mister and spray any areas where birds are causing problems.

5. Predators

Birds fearmany predators like cats, owls, and more giant birds of prey. Placing objects in the shape of these predators around your home can deter them from roosting. Keep moving these objects around initially, or the birds will get adapted to them.

We believe home remedies cannot always give you the desired results. You can still have issues with birds; your other choice, which you can easily rely on, is to contact a professional exterminator in San Antonio like us, who specializes in wildlife animal control. We visit and thoroughly evaluate your home to help determine the bird species you are dealing with and the best course of action that is safeand effective.

Are you looking for a trusted pest control company in San Antonio to get rid of your pigeon troubles? Call Accurate Pest Control today to avail of a free quote!

How to Keep Snakes Away from Your Home?

Wildlife Animal Control and snake removal San Antonio

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You’ve got yourself on the hammock, a book, and fries. Life was good till the snake slithered by in your yard. There is nothing creepier than having to see the snake sneak up on you. Ants, termites, cockroaches, bugs are still bearable to an extent, but snakesare definitely not! These creatures not only slither in your yard but can sometimes get into your home. If you ever face a situation like this, immediately call for help to the best pest control company in San Antonio to get rid of snakes.

We at Accurate Pest control understand that it is sometimes tough to think clearly when these pests appear suddenly onto your doorstep. So, we are here to share with you a few tricks to keep your home and your kids safe from snakes.

Outlined are easy hacks to repel snakes from coming in your yard and home –

  1. How to chase a snake away:-

The first and foremost thing to do when you spot a snake is to call a wildlife control company immediately. Until the experts reach your home, you can chase it off with the help of the hose. Spray the snake until it slithers away.

  1. DIY Snake repellent

Ammonia acts as a repellent to keep snakes away. If snakes seem to always find their way into your yard and home, ammonia is strong and works like magic. Snakes cannot stand the smell of ammonia and will go asfar away as possible. By soaking rags in ammonia and placing them in unsealed plastic bags where the snake usually wanders, will ensure itwon’treturn again.

  1. Keep snakes away from swimming pools

Keeping snakes away from your yard and home is not enough! If you have a swimming pool, make sure to check it regularly. You can pour white vinegar around the perimeter of your pool to not only keep snakes away but also keep bugs like flies from visiting the pool. Snakes can soak up liquids through their skin and will not glide over the vinegar.

  1. Another Tip to keep snakes away

Did you know snakes loathe humans just as much as we dislike them? To keep snakes out of your yard and home, it can be as easy as letting them know human beings reside there! All you need to do is save some hair from your hairbrush and drop it around the boundary of your home. Snakes will keep away due tothe smell of the hair.

If home remedies don’t work, we suggestcalling a wildlife control company in San Antonio for snake removal. Our experts at Accurate Pest control specialize primarily in removing pests from homes and businesses. We use proper techniques to keep your home or business free from unwanted critters and to ensure that these creatures are removed safely.

Want to learn more about snakes and how to keep them away from your property? Call Accurate Pest Control today to get a free quote!