Avoiding Roaches in the Spring in the Mississippi Gulf Coast Region

Cockroach on a countertop during springtime in Mississippi

Cockroach on a countertop during springtime in MississippiAs spring brings new life and growth, it also brings more cockroach activity and visibility. Homeowners in the Mississippi Gulf Coast region face one of the most common and persistent pest challenges from cockroaches. They can threaten your health, infect your food, and destroy your property. Avoiding roaches in the spring can help you prevent a full-blown infestation later on down the road. 

Signs of a Roach Infestation

Nobody wants to find cockroaches in their home, but it’s better to find them sooner rather than later. The longer the infestation is able to grow, the harder it will be to get rid of the pests. Stay vigilant about these common signs of a roach infestation:

  • Live or dead cockroaches in the house.
  • Roaches prefer dark and moist places: under sinks, behind appliances, in cabinets, cracks, and crevices.
  • You will also find them in basements, attics, garages, or crawl spaces.
  • Roaches seen during the day may indicate a large infestation or a lack of hiding places.
  • Cockroach droppings resembling black pepper or coffee grounds.
  • The musty or oily odor produced by roaches from their glands.
  • Finding oval-shaped cockroach eggs hidden in protected areas like behind furniture, inside walls, or under carpets.

What Roaches Are Looking For

Food, water, and shelter attract roaches to your home. They can eat almost any organic material, such as crumbs, spills, grease, garbage, pet food, paper, cardboard, leather, hair, or nails. Leaky pipes, faucets, drains, toilets, sinks, or dishes provide them with water sources. They also look for shelter from predators and harsh weather conditions. Gaps around doors, windows, vents, pipes, or wires allow them to enter your home.

How to Prevent Cockroaches

Eliminating roaches’ food, water, and shelter supplies is the best approach to preventing them. Roaches can only survive one week without water. Here are some tips to keep cockroaches away from your home:

  • Keep your kitchen clean and tidy. 
  • Fix leaks or moisture issues in your plumbing system. 
  • Dry up any standing water around sinks, tubs, showers, or appliances. 
  • Use a dehumidifier or fan to reduce humidity levels in your home.
  • Seal holes or cracks in your walls, floors, ceilings, or foundation. 
  • Declutter your home and remove any unnecessary items that could provide hiding places for roaches. 
  • Keep your outdoor areas clean and well-maintained. 

Types of Roaches

Call a Professional Exterminator

While you can try some DIY methods to control roaches in your home, they may not be effective enough to eliminate the entire infestation. Also, improper use of some products could damage your health or the environment.

Contacting a qualified exterminator with the knowledge and tools to deal with any roach issue effectively and securely is best. Contact Southern Pest Control for the best pest control services in the Mississippi Gulf Coast region.

Avoiding the Springtime Swarm

an ant colony transporting larvae outdoors

The Spring days on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi are ample in sunshine and warmth, especially after the cooler winter rain. The sunshine and warmth awaken swarms of spring insects in Mississippi Gulf Coast such asan ant colony transporting larvae outdoors termites, wasps, bees, and ants that can make their way into your home and yard. These swarms are unwelcome guests to any home or backyard gathering. There are, however, ways to protect your property from infestations.

Insects that come out in spring are foraging for food and seeking to mate. While this usually is taking place outdoors, keep in mind that they also could be seeking shelter and someplace to nest inside your home. Be on the lookout for:

  • WASPS – Wasps come in a variety of colors which include yellow, brown, red and metallic blue and have a narrow waist and pointed abdomen. They nest in wood fibers that they have chewed into a pulp and formed a honeycombed umbrella shape.
  • BEES – Bees that aren’t your friendly honey making variety come yellow with black stripes. They tend to nest in piles of wood or other yard debris.
  • ANTS- Including Carpenter Ants and Fire Ants.
  • TERMITES – Termites come in shades of brown, white and black and range in sizes ⅛  of an inch to 1 inch. They have antennae and wings and can be mistaken for ants.

Termites to Watch For

Some of the most common swarming insects on the Mississippi Gulf Coast are termites. There are two main types of termites known to the Mississippi Gulf Coast area:

  • Drywood termites. As their name implies they make their home in dry wood and need no contact with soil to live. They don’t go for moist, softwood, instead, they eat across the grain of dry, hardwood. Because they go for dry wood, infestations are usually found higher in structures like rafters. They often enter structures through exposed wood or wooden furniture that is brought into the home. They are common to warmer, tropical climates with mild winters. Evidence of infestation includes discarded wings, feces or frass (piles of sawdust from feeding).
  •  Subterranean termites. These termites cause homeowners the most damage and also are the most common termite in North America. Eastern and Western Subterranean termites are prone to swarm in late February or early March. The Formosan termites swarm later in spring, usually May. They make mud tubes that are used as tunnels from the ground to their food source.

Protecting your home and yard from invading pests.

Below are just a few tips to discourage pests from taking up residence in your space.

  • Cleaning up after outdoor BBQ and other cooking as wasps and bees are looking for and are attracted to protein-based foods.  Leaking faucets or hoses provide a water source that attracts not only wasps and bees but termites and ants.
  • Patching cracks or crevices in walls, repairing broken panels or siding to discourage wasps from nesting in your walls. Keep your yard clean of heavy debris. 
  • Termites swarm in early spring months, looking to establish new colonies. They are attracted to water sources, and again repair leaking faucets or pipes as they are attracted to a moist environment. Avoid storing items in wooden or cardboard boxes, try plastic storage bins instead. 
  • Clean your yard regularly of rotting wood. Make sure your porch or deck is in good repair.
  • Keep mulch away from your foundation.
  • Store all firewood above ground and away from the perimeter of your property. 
  • Ants such as odorous house ants, nest in walls and beneath carpeting. Keep organic debris such as leaves and piles of wood away from your foundation. Store leftovers in airtight containers and keep areas clean of food debris and dirty dishes. Ants are attracted to sweets as well as protein-based foods.

Spring Pest Control in Mississippi Gulf Coast

All the tips above can help you prevent a pest infestation in the Mississippi Gulf Coast area. But sometimes you can do everything right and still wind up with ants on the counter and a wasp nest under the eave. When that happens, Southern Pest Control can help. We’ve been treating spring pests since 1975, helping countless home and business owners live safer and more comfortably. We’ve helped them through active and preventative measures, and we can help you too. Contact us today to get started!

TAP® Insulation: Bad for Pests, Good for Your Wallet

Ant on white background

Ant on white background

There’s a lot you can do to keep pests away from your home on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. You can de-clutter and properly store your garbage and dry goods. There are some DIY solutions that use essential oils to repel certain pests, or home renovation tactics that use screens or caulk to block others. These all can work to varying degrees, but is that all you can do? What if there was a way to always be killing pests without the need for traps or any effort on your part? And what if you could fight pests while also making your home more comfortable and efficient? TAP Insulation makes all of this possible. It’s a form of home insulation beloved by certain pest control companies, and it’s a service we offer for households on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. If you’re ready to step up your pest control strategy with only one simple installation, Southern Pest Control is here to help!

TAP® Insulation: An Overview

TAP stands for Thermal, Acoustical, Pest Control insulation. It is made up of loose-fill cellulose that’s blown into the attics of existing homes, or in the floors and walls of new builds. What separates TAP from other insulations like fiberglass or spray foam is that it’s been chemically treated with Boric acid. Boric acid is naturally occurring and is commonly used as a cleaning agent or first aid tool, but it’s also a very effective pesticide. It can kill a variety of bugs – including ants, cockroaches and termites.

The pests have easy access to the insulation – that’s how it works. It coats their bodies, and since a majority of insect pests are surprisingly hygienic, they end up ingesting the boric acid when they groom themselves or each other. These insects are unable to pass the material, so they soon after die of dehydration or malnutrition. And just like that, you’ve prevented an infestation of your home with no effort on your part.

What TAP® Pest Control Insulation Does

Are there other benefits to TAP Insulation aside from its pest-killing properties? Yes, not only is TAP a persistent pesticide for insects as small as Formosan termites to larger cockroaches and beetles, but it’s also a very good insulator. It’s made of cellulose a highly effective insulator, which slows the transfer of heat, keeping you warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. Your HVAC system will use less energy, and you’ll quickly see that reflected in your monthly utility bill. It’s also fire-retardant and mold and mildew-resistant.

Southern Pest Control for Expert TAP® Insulation

TAP Insulation is not considered toxic for children, adults, or any pets. However, you should still get the material installed by a qualified professional. At Southern Pest Control, we’re a leading installer of TAP Pest Control insulation on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. We think our friends and neighbors deserve a constant defender that can put a stop to potential pest infestations without them having to lift a finger, and that’s exactly what you’ll get from TAP Insulation. We’ll still be around and able to help on the off chance you have an infestation, but when properly involved TAP can greatly reduce the risk. So if you want to work smarter instead of harder to prevent pests in your home Southern Pest Control is here to help. Contact us today to learn more or schedule an estimate!