Common Pests in Frisco & The Colony

Here are some of the more common pests in our area, and a little more about each of them.

Ants

More than 20 varieties of ants invade homes throughout the United States during the warm months of the year. Worldwide there are more than 12,000 species, but only a small number cause problems.
Destructive ants include fire ants and carpenter ants. Other types include the honey, Pharaoh, house, Argentine and thief ant.
All ants share one trait: they are unsightly and contaminate food.
Ants range in color from red to black.
Carpenter ants range in size from one-quarter inch for a worker to three-quarters of an inch for a queen.
A carpenter ant colony is founded by a single fertilized queen that establishes a nesting site in a cavity in wood, and it can have a long life span.
A carpenter ant colony does not reach maturity until it contains 2,000 or more workers, which can take three to six years.

If you have ants, call 972-377-2473 or read about our general pest control service.

Cockroaches are among the oldest insects; fossil remains date back 200 million years.
They like dark, damp places with a plentiful food supply and hide during the day under sinks, behind dishwashers, stoves and refrigerators, and inside cupboards.
They feed on a wide variety of foods, especially starchy and sugary materials, and usually forage at night.
They can survive a month or more without food, but less than two weeks without water.
They have an acrid odor that may permeate items they come in contact with.
They can transmit bacteria and organisms responsible for food poisoning, dysentery and salmonellosis.
Exposure to cockroach allergens is a major health concern for children with asthma.
Two species are prevalent in the United States. The American cockroach has reddish-brown wings and reaches lengths of up to 1.5 inches. The German cockroach is between one-half and five-eighths of an inch long and is light brown with two dark stripes down its back.

If you have cockroaches, call 972-377-2473 or read about our general pest control service.

Termites cause serious damage to structures, often long before they are discovered: more than $1.5 billion in property damage a year to over 600,000 homes in the U.S.
They feed on wood, books, paper and anything else containing cellulose.
They favor warmer climates and actively avoid light.
They live in underground colonies, some containing over two million members.
In a larger nest, a queen and king may live for 15 years, with the queen laying up to one egg every 15 seconds for most of her life.

If you think you have termites, call 972-377-2473 or read about our termite control & inspections service.

Three species are common in the southern U.S.: the red imported fire ant, the black imported fire ant and the southern fire ant.
Fire ants pose a significant health threat because of their stings, which can cause severe allergic reactions in a small portion of the population.
They can be lethal to quail, lizards, songbirds and other small wildlife.
Besides mounds in the yard, they infest wall voids, bath traps and shower stalls.
They are sensitive to vibration and movement. Fire ants swarm up a leg, and when one stings and the person jerks, the others sting in response, so it feels as if they all sting at once.

If you have fire ants, call 972-377-2473 or read about our general pest control service.

Paper wasps build open, umbrella-shaped nests under eaves, porch ceilings, play sets and patio furniture.
Unlike honey bees, which sting once, wasps can sting over and over.
Wasps defend their nest and are most likely to sting when it is disturbed, so a nest near a door or walkway is worth dealing with early.
Stings can cause severe allergic reactions in some people.

If you have wasps or bees, call 972-377-2473 or read about our general pest control service.

Various species are problematic in the U.S., mainly the Norway rat and the roof rat.
Rats can burrow three feet straight into the ground, chew through many building materials and climb inside pipes.
They rely primarily on smell, taste, touch and hearing.
They eat and contaminate human and animal food.
They carry fleas, mites and other parasites.

A female house mouse gives birth to a litter of about six mice roughly 19 days after mating and can mate again within two days.
She can produce six to ten litters a year.
Mice are able to mate two months after birth.
They establish a nesting site near sources of food and feed 15 to 20 times a day.

If you have rats or mice, call 972-377-2473 or read about our rodent control service.

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