Summer is right around the corner, which means scorching hot temperatures in Phoenix. From June to August, the high can get up to 106 degrees. Phoenix pests like to make it into your home to seek water, food, and shelter to get some reprieve from the sweltering heat when it gets this hot.
In this article, we’ll explore the common pests found in Phoenix and the different ways to keep your home pest-free all year long.
Common Pests Found in Phoenix
Ants
You’ve likely seen the occasional ant crawling through your home. And when there’s one, there’s like hundreds and hundreds of ants nearby. Fortunately, most ant species don’t harm humans, but that doesn’t mean you want them marching around your kitchen.
Ants often find their way indoors during the summer in hopes of finding food and water sources. That’s why it’s important to keep a clean home and wipe up any spills or food crumbs. Keep foods tightly covered and stored. Since they can squeeze into tiny openings, it’s a good idea to seal up any cracks and crevices around your home with caulk. You can also use baits, indoor sprays, and nest treatment.
It’s also beneficial to know what kind of ant species you’re dealing with. Certain species can become aggressive if they’re disturbed. For example, fire ants are known for stinging and biting, leading to swelling, itching, and blistering. Fire ant colonies are typically found in lawns, pastures, buildings, golf courses, or cracks in the concrete. Although fire ants prefer to stay outside, they can become a significant issue if their colonies are too close to your home.
Another dangerous type of ant is the odorous house ant, contaminating food sources and making your home smell like rotten coconuts.
Scorpions
Scorpions are synonymous with the Arizona desert. In fact, there are 30 species of scorpions in the Grand Canyon state alone. Fortunately, there’s only one scorpion species that has a life-threatening sting – the bark scorpion. Although deaths from the Arizona bark scorpion stings are extremely rare, they can be painful due to their potent venom.
Wondering how to spot this type of scorpion? They have long, slender hands and fingers mixed with a long, thin tail or metasoma. Typically two to three inches long, the bark scorpion is nocturnal, coming out at night to hunt for crickets, roaches, and other insects.
Their tough exoskeleton allows them to retain water, which makes them immune to the harsh desert environment. However, these stinging pests will try to seek shelter by entering homes through ripped screens, cracks, and other entryways to further escape the heat.
Other common scorpions found in Arizona include the giant hairy scorpion, stripetail scorpion, and yellow ground scorpion.
To prevent scorpions from entering your home, you’ll want to go through the following checklist:
- Seal weather stripping around doors and windows
- Remove any clutter in your home and yard
- Keep potted plants off the ground
- Remove wood piles away from the home
- Prune back trees
- Eliminate any excess water.
Lastly, don’t forget to shake and examine clothing before putting it on.
Cockroaches
Cockroaches prefer warm temperatures, which makes Phoenix their little oasis. As scavenging creatures, cockroaches are constantly looking for shelter, food, and water to survive. They enter homes through windows, cracks, crevices, and other entry points. In certain circumstances, they can even be carried inside with bags and boxes.
Cockroach infestations can get out of hand quickly. If you notice one cockroach, you’ll most likely find more soon since they can lay 15-50 eggs per egg sac.
The most common types of cockroaches found in Phoenix, AZ include:
- German cockroaches
- American cockroaches
- Turkestan cockroaches
- Brown-banded cockroaches
The best way to prevent a cockroach infestation is to practice good cleaning habits, seal food in glass containers, and inspect cracks found in your attic, basement, and crawl space. While following these preventive measures is beneficial in preventing cockroaches from invading your home, it’s important to note just how resilient and resourceful cockroaches are. They’re nearly indestructible and are able to withstand a considerable amount of radiation. So your best course of action may be calling professional pest control in Phoenix to get rid of these pests.
Rodents
Phoenix is home to a variety of rodents, including rats and mice. Not only are rodents a significant nuisance, but they’re also harmful to humans because they’re known to transfer diseases via urine, droppings, saliva, or bites. The most common diseases they carry include rabies, the plague, hantavirus, lymphocytic choriomeningitis, tularemia, and Lassa fever. Rodents are also capable of causing severe damage to your home, chewing through electrical wiring and stored food. If your notice chewed holes in your food storage, make sure to throw it away and check your food supply nearby.
So how do you know if your home is infested with rats or mice? Rats are larger with smaller ears, bigger feet, and thicker, hairless tails. As different species with different behaviors, rats and mice require different pest control methods. The best way to prevent a rodent infestation from occurring in your home is to make sure all cracks and openings are sealed and cleaning thoroughly and regularly. If this doesn’t eliminate the pest problem, it may be time to call a rodent exterminator.
Spiders
Seeing a spider in your home, particularly a harmful one, can give us the heebie-jeebies. The most recognizable spider in Phoenix is the black widow. Although they rarely bite humans, their bites can lead to dangerous symptoms, including pain and swelling. In rare cases, vomiting, fever, chills, stomach cramps, and high blood pressure can occur. In this case, seeking medical attention is critical.
You may also see brown recluse spiders. As nocturnal hunters, brown recluse spiders feed on other insects and can typically be found in dark, hidden places, such as the basement, storage units, or attics.
The best way to prevent a spider infestation in your Phoenix home is to eliminate as much clutter as possible and seal all cracks and openings around your home.
