Pest Library
Know What You’re Dealing With
Not all pests are created equal—and not all of them require the same solution. Our Pest Library is designed to help Houston homeowners identify common insects and rodents. Knowing the pest helps you understand their behavior, risks, and role in the environment. From harmful invaders to beneficial pollinators, we believe informed decisions lead to better protection.
Common pests
Carpenter ants don’t consume wood like termites. These ants rely on moisture to soften the wood so they can excavate it one chunk at a time.
Mosquitoes breed in mud, containers as small as bottle caps that trap water, and natural water sources. Vectors of over a dozen diseases, mosquitoes’ blood sucking behavior demands professional attention.
Despite its name, the bald-faced hornet is actually a type of wasp known for its black body and distinct white markings. It builds large, enclosed paper nests and can be highly defensive if disturbed. Due to their aggressive behavior and painful stings, nests should be handled by professionals.
Wolf Spiders are active hunters that feed on other arthropods. Whether you find them cute or intolerable, they are indicators of the presence of other insects and arachnids.
Ticks don’t just bother your beloved pets; they use humans as hosts as well. They carry bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
Scorpions are nocturnal arachnids that wield a powerful poke at the end of their tail.
Although most centipedes will have far fewer than 100 legs, their handle appearance makes even 20 legs plenty undesirable as housemates.
German Cockroaches have coevolved with humans to be super survivalists in homes. They reproduce quickly and require a multi-faced control approach.
The House Mouse is an impressive intruder finding ways to squeeze through gaps under a 1/4”.
The Norway Rat is an 18th century misnomer on its origin. These brown rats live in burrows, sewers, basements, crawl spaces and unfortunately, more.
Probably most well known for the Hantavirus and its impact on everyone from every day homeowners to celebrities.
Roof rats tend to take the high road when compared to the Brown rat. They like tree limbs, rafters, and roof lines using their long tails for exceptional balance.
Beneficial Pollinators
The Rosy Maple Moth is famous for its cotton candy like color and fuzzy appearance.
Honey Bees are agricultural super heroes pollinating crops and sweetening our lives with their honey.
When threatened by a predator, the Black Swallowtail Butterfly will extrude a hornlike forked defensive mechanism that emits a foul odor.
The Soldier Beetle also known as “leather wing” is closely related to the firefly but got the dull end of the stick not being able to glow.
The Katydid is a noisy master of camouflage and has its ears located on its front legs.
When Lady Bird Beetles feel thrusted, they play dead and release a liquid from their leg joints. This defense mechanism is called reflex bleeding.
The Praying Mantis has a 180 degree head swivel and 3D vision.
Mayflies are key to healthy aquatic environments. Most of their life is spent underwater and the short lived adults don’t even have mouthparts.
Common Questions about Houston Pests
Yes, each pest will have different levels of persistence depending on the species and the surrounding environmental factors.
The good news for you is if pests are persistent, we are even more so. Just call us and we will return if additional service is needed between scheduled visits.
Most pests will respond after the first treatment with some results being immediate followed by a continual decrease over the course of treatment. Most common pests have the best results after a full cycle of treatment over the course of the four seasons to break up their egg and reproductive cycle.
Unusual sounds, droppings, or visible nests are common signs. If you aren’t sure, it’s wise to contact us promptly for an inspection and professional evaluation.
Our treatments are designed to restore balance to the environment where unwanted pets are kept in check and beneficial creatures are allowed to flourish. This is one of the reasons we customize each service plan to your specific needs.
Don’t panic! Try to identify the pest and document what you see and where. Then, contact us for guidance on the next steps for effective control.
We don’t blame you one bit! That is where our inspections come in. Just give us a call and we’ll be the ones to go face to face with the unwanted critters.
