LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Cockroaches, spiders, and scorpions...the warm weather is back and so are the pests!
In the past three days, Las Vegas has seen temperatures near 90 degrees. And when the weather gets warmer, it lets the pests know it's time to come out of hibernation.
But before you bust out the insecticide and start spraying, 13 Action News spoke with a pest control expert who says there are safer, more effective methods.
"Once the temperature starts getting above 75°, the insects start coming out," said Mike Holly, a managing partner at Red Rock Pest Control.
First the crane flies, then come the cockroaches, and arachnids after that.
"Spiders and scorpions, now they’re coming out because all these other insects are out and that’s their food source," said Holly.
Over the past few weeks, Holly has taken a lot more calls about all the above.
"Just looking, if you see sunlight from your doors, insects are coming in. Outlets, from the exterior of your wall, those can actually be a source of ingress for insects coming into your house," said Holly, talking about some of lesser-known entry points for pests.
He says home pesticide sprays may seem like the simplest solution to keep the bugs at bay, but in the desert southwest, they don't work as well as you might think.
"Certain products, when you spray them on concrete, stucco, and on the ground, they just get broken down by the alkalinity and the pH difference in those surfaces. And so the products really don’t last more than 10 to 15 days," said Holly.
He says professional pest crews use a similar, but more effective spray because it comes with microencapsulation technology.
"They have additive ingredients in them that help the products stand up on the surface, helps the product not break down by heat or sunlight, the UV rays, and it helps it protect it from being broken down by the pH. The high pH of the concrete will not break down the insecticide as quick. So, we can get a longer life out of it. So, instead of having to come to your house and spray every month, we can spray every two months," said Holly.
Holly says spiders and scorpions aren't as easy because they can walk right over those treatments unaffected. That's why he's so excited to start using a new product called Averzion here in the Valley.
"It actually is a coating that we can put around the base of the house. It’s not a pesticide or anything. It’s just a coating and insects cannot crawl on it. So, they can’t crawl up into your house and it’s awesome. It doesn’t kill them. It just prevents them from getting up into your house from the ground," said Holly.
If you think you have a scorpion or spider problem, you're better off calling the pest experts, like Mike Holly and Red Rock Pest Control.
Holly also says there are some non-pesticide options if you want to try and take matters into your own hands. He suggests installing door sweeps under doors with cracks or gaps between them and the ground.
Holly says sticky traps are also really effective, especially if you place them near your garage door.
Finally, food-grade diatomaceous earth is an organic powder pesticide. He suggests spreading a light layer all around your house and it's very effective at keeping pests out.
