Pest Library

The American cockroach, Oriental cockroach, and German cockroach are the three species most likely find their way into our Pennsylvania homes and become a major source of stress and frustration. Cockroaches are prolific breeders, and their presence causes major health risks because of the allergens they produce and the bacteria and viruses they carry on their bodies. There are several ways cockroaches find a way into your home, making it tricky to prevent these pests. Some of their most common entry points include:

• Cracks through the foundation and exterior walls

• Drains or vents

• Pieces of firewood

• Inside secondhand furniture or appliances

• Damage windows or doors

When cockroaches are in our Downingtown homes, they do their best to stay hidden. One of the most frequent ways a cockroach infestation is discovered is by flicking on kitchen or bathrooms lights in the middle of the night and seeing them scurrying across the counter or floor. Other signs that cockroaches are in your home include finding their black pepper-like dropping in drawers or cabinets, noticing an unpleasant odor developing in your home, or discovering their shed skins. If you ever think cockroaches have found a way into your home, don't try to ignore the problem; seek help immediately to eliminate them before they have the chance to take over.

Our most helpful cockroach prevention tips are listed below:

• Closely inspect the outside of your house and seal up any gaps, cracks, or holes that you find.

• Repair or replace any damaged door or window screens and weatherstripping.

• Install screens over chimneys and vents when possible.

• Make sure outside trash containers have tight-fitting lids.

• Remove water sources around your home by repairing leaking pipes and using dehumidifiers.

• Remove as much clutter as possible from your property that could camouflage a cockroach infestation.

Pests are a part of all our lives. Whether you live in the country or an urban area, you need to guard your property against insect invaders. Pests like ants, mosquitoes, lanternflies, and stink bugs are more than annoying to deal with; they can be dangerous and destructive. The best way to avoid problems with these common household pests is with regular pest control services. Professional pest control in Downingtown is the best way to eliminate current problems with pests and prevent them from returning in the future!

We have put together a quick overview of each pest to help you learn more about our area's common insect invaders.

• Ants are probably the most common household invaders. They live together and take over indoor and outdoor spaces in large numbers. In our homes, ants contaminate food and surfaces with bacteria, and some can even cause structural damage.
• Mosquitoes are flying insects whose females consume blood meals. Mosquitoes are not only annoying, but through their feeding habits, they spread diseases and parasites that cause serious illness in people and our pets.
• Lantern Flies are invasive pests. These agricultural bugs can cause devastating damage to grapevines, fruit trees, and ornamental plants. These flies have a unique appearance — their bodies are black, and their wings are pinkish-gray with black spots; the tips are black with gray veins. 
• Stink bugs are occasional invaders that regularly find their way into our homes each fall. They are attracted to the warm sunny side of our houses, and as they crawl over exterior walls, they find entry points. Stink bugs like to overwinter inside our temperature-controlled homes. When crushed, stink bugs emit a very unpleasant odor that can take over any house they enter.

Our most helpful pest prevention tips are listed below:

• Regularly and thoroughly inspect the exterior of your home, sealing any openings leading inside.
• Make sure screens in windows and doors are intact. Place mesh covers over drains, chimneys, and vents that enter your home. 
• Cut back shrubs and other landscaping away from your home's exterior walls. 
• Maintain your lawn by keeping the grass cut short and eliminating leaf piles, brush piles, and other yard debris. 
• Remove areas of standing water that insects will use as a water source or breeding site.

A constant source of frustration for people worldwide, rodents are common wherever we live or spend time. As we have taken over more and more land, rodents have learned to live with people. Whether located in an urban or rural area, our outdoor spaces and homes provide rodents easy access to food, water, and safe shelter from harsh weather and predators.

The most common rodents we deal with in the Downingtown area are field mice, Norwegian rats, roof rats, and voles. Moles are also problematic here, and although often grouped with rodents, they are insectivores, not true rodents. It is important to note that all rodents are distinguished from other mammals by their ever-growing front teeth, something moles do not have! Having rodents call your property home is problematic for many reasons, including the damage they can cause to your lawn and landscaping plants, the structural damage they can cause to your home, and the diseases and bacteria they spread. They will also contaminate your family's food.

Our most helpful rodent prevention tips are listed below:

• Prevent food odors from attracting rodent activity by keeping lids on trash cans and compost bins, picking up uneaten pet food, maintaining gardens, and keeping outdoor eating areas free of food debris.

• Repair leaky spigots and clogged gutters, and fill in low-lying areas that offer rodents a water source.

• Keep these curious pests out of your home by inspecting the exterior and sealing any gaps or other openings you discover. 

• Reduce the clutter inside and outside your home where these prey animals like to nest and use as hideouts.

When you contact us for rodent control services in Downingtown, you’ll receive the comprehensive and expert service you need to be performed with an eye for detail. To learn more or to schedule your service, contact us today.

The Downingtown area is home to a wide variety of stinging insects, each with the ability to make themselves at home in our yards and become a danger to our families and pets.

• Bald face hornets
• Bumblebees
• Cicada killers
• European hornets
• Hornets
• Wasps
• Yellowjackets

Though not all stinging insects are aggressive, they will all defend themselves when provoked or feel threatened. Stinging insects are most problematic and found in the largest numbers in the fall. All spring and summer, they are feeding and breeding and increasing their numbers. Having stinging insects in your yard in high traffic areas is never ideal, and they'll need to be removed with the help of an experienced professional.

There are several reasons why stinging insects are such regular visitors to our yards. Our yards provide them with nesting spots like trees, ground holes, spaces under roofs and decks, and other secluded locations. Gardens, fruit trees, and outdoor eating areas provide stinging insects and the insects they feed on with food sources. And finally, things like clogged gutters, buckets, and low-lying areas provide them with a water source. When stinging insects are regularly flying around our yards and eating areas, the likelihood of a sting occurring is high.

Our most helpful stinging insect prevention tips are listed below:

• Clear your yard of debris where stinging insects can build a nest, such as fallen trees, brush piles, and tree stumps.
• Fill in ground holes where ground-nesting species can nest.
• Keep stinging insects from looking for sweets and proteins in trash cans and recycling bins by keeping lids on them.
• Trim back shrubs, bushes, flowers, and other landscaping from the outside of your home.
• Keep stinging insects out of your house by keeping caps on chimneys, replacing damaged screens, and not propping open windows or doors.

Having any pest call your property home is troublesome, but those that cause health risks or cause damage to our homes are the most problematic. Wood-destroying insects are a group of insects that destroy wood with either their feeding or nesting habits. Wood-destroying insects aren't typically a threat to people but pose a major threat to our properties, causing damage to things like wood construction materials, wood furniture, and wooden structures.

Three of the most common wood-destroying insects in our area of Pennsylvania are the termite, carpenter ant, and carpenter bee.

• Termites: Termites are small social insects that typically live together in large groups. These pests feed on wood. In nature, their feeding habits help get rid of decaying trees and other vegetation. In our homes, termites cause a lot of costly damage by feeding on structural wood.
• Carpenter ants, like most termites, are attracted to wet or decaying wood and, over time, can cause major damage to our homes. Unlike termites, carpenter ants don't eat the wood; they tunnel through wood to create nesting galleries to expand their colonies. 
• Carpenter bees are solitary insects; each female creates their own nest in weathered or untreated wood. While they build individual nests, it is common for many females to choose the same piece of wood to use as a nesting site year after year. These pests often damage wood siding and trim, decks, wood play structures, and wood furniture.

Our most helpful wood-destroying insect prevention tips are listed below:

• Treat wooden structures on your property by painting or staining them.
• Remove fallen trees, tree stumps, and decaying woodpiles from your property.
• Never pile firewood close to your home's exterior walls. 
• Fix things like leaky fixtures and pipes that are causing excess moisture and potentially damaging the wood in and around your home, making it attractive to many wood-destroying insects. 
• Inspect your home's exterior, caulking any holes or cracks leading inside that you come across.

Don't let pests take over your Downingtown property; keep them at bay by reaching out to family owned and operated Budget Exterminating. We are dedicated to our customers and to providing top-notch customer service and exceptional pest control options. To learn more about the pests in our area and how we can work together to keep them out of your home and away from your family, reach out to Budget Exterminating today!