Pest Control Pros in Mission, TX
Safeguard is fully licensed by the Texas Department of Agriculture for pest control services in Mission, TX. We offer custom solutions to pest and wildlife problems in both residential and commercial locations. By evaluating your environment and identifying the specific insect or animal invading your home or business, our team effectively rids you of those critters.
Reliable Rodent Control
Rodents, such as rats and mice, will not leave on their own. A proactive approach is the only way to prevent a small rodent problem from growing into a full-blown infestation or cause expensive damage to your house. Warning signs that you have these little mammals scurrying around your house include:
- Gnaw Marks
- Scratching or Scuffling Sounds
- Nests
- Unusual Pet Behavior
- Droppings (close to or around food- check back of cabinets and pantries)
Termite Control Experts
It’s no secret termites can cause serious damage to your home. Infestations can grow quickly, with unsuspecting homeowners unaware to the silent destruction going on around them. Here are some signs of termites to be on the lookout for:
- Visible wood damage
- Sound of hollow wood
- Chipped or cracked paint near and around windows, vents, roof, siding, or foundation
- Small tunnels made of dirt (mud tubes) found up walls or near your foundation
Understanding Termites
One of the best ways to deal with or prevent a pest problem is to understand the pest. Each pest has different behavioral patterns, feeding, and signs that you watch for. Not to mention that they will all require a different way to prevent or treat the problem.
Termites are present all over America. The only state that has not reported having termites is Alaska. Termites prefer a warm climate and are most present in the South, Southwest, and Southeast, but are found in the northern U.S. as well. Termites look similar to a white ant, often leading to them being called "white ants". Unlike an ant, the termite doesn't have body segments and their antenna are straight whereas the ant's antenna is bent.
Termites eat wood and plant matter. Termites do not carry any known diseases. But living in an infested building may cause asthma or allergy symptoms from the dust and wood particles.
Signs of termites will be termite mud tubes or dirt tubes. These will look like thin lines of dirt that look like it has spilled and dried along the wall. Not all termites make mud tubes. These are created by subterranean termites that live in the ground. These cannot be exposed to the air or light for long periods of time because they will dry out and die. This tube is made from dirt, termite saliva, plant debris or wood particles and feces.
Drywood termites live above ground. These do not build the mud tubes because they are not affected by the dryness of the air or the light. These termites swarm in the spring and create new colonies. Drywood termites tend to swarm in the spring after rain. These swarming pests find a mate and drop their wings before infesting a tree trunk, or worst your house. Drywood termites do not use their feces to build mud tubes. Instead, they push it out of small entrances to their nests. This results in a black powdery like substance, or like wood shavings around the area they are infesting.
Termites will look for habitats that best fit their life. Keeping this habitat away from your home will help keep the termites from destroying your home. Keep all woodpiles away from your house. Trimming trees and other shrubs helps to eliminate possible habitats. Stopping and drying up any water leaks. Without a source of hydration, termites will not find it an adequate place for living. Make sure your foundation has adequate drainage around it to prevent water build-up after rain. Because termites eat other plant material, cleaning your gutters is also important. A moist food buffet will be like a homing beacon for termites. Removing mulch from around the home.
If you do not want to remove the mulch from around your home you can introduce natural termite predators. An infestation will not occur where nature is keeping things in balance. Nematodes are a natural termite predator. So are a variety of bird species such as chickens, woodpeckers, and sparrows.
Understanding your pests will help you prevent a problem before it gets started and out of hand. Where you cannot adequately prevent an infestation or have to fix a problem, knowing the signs of the pest will help you determine the best way to rid the problem.
Learn More About Termite Control
Wildlife Management Experts in Mission, TX
For customized wildlife management, Safeguard Pest Control is the best choice. We will provide thorough inspections of the area to determine what species is present and determine the best course of action. We then conduct actions to prevent escape and entry points for the animal. Finally, we will trap and remove the animals from your home, business or property.
Our experts can remove many animals, including opossums, rats, raccoons, bats, snakes and more.