Watch Out For These Pests This Winter!

Asian lady beetle in Iowa home - Springer Professional Home Services

The winters in Iowa render it nearly impossible for many types of pests to live outdoors as they normally do. While many pests disappear this time of year, overwintering insects and rodents can attempt to make their way into your home. In partnership with PestWorld, the NPMA recently released their 2021 Fall & Winter Bug Barometer® predicting a significant increase in rodent and Asian lady beetle activity this time of year.

With our coldest months still ahead of us, now is the time to learn everything you can about winter pest pressures and what you can do to prevent an increased risk of a rodent problem or overwintering pest infestation. The experts at Springer Professional Home Services are here to help—read on to learn more!

Rodent Activity in the Winter

The most concerning prediction from NPMA’s report is the expected increase in rodent activity this winter. Rodents in particular are known for heading indoors this time of year to wait out the cold months ahead. No one wants to share their home with rats and mice over the holiday season, making it important to implement winter pest control before they get indoors. The biggest concerns of a rodent infestation in your home this time of year are as follows.

  1. With their ever-growing incisor teeth, rodents are constantly chewing on a number of things in your home, electrical wires included.
  2. To build nests, rodents will tear through materials in your home, including your insulation and cardboard boxes.
  3. Rodents can directly or indirectly transmit some of the most dangerous diseases, from rat-bite fever to hantavirus.
  4. Rodent droppings can contaminate food and create a hazardous environment in your home or business.

NPMA Bug Barometer 2021

What Are Overwintering Pests?

An overwintering pest is any insect or wild animal that gets into your property, typically in the fall, for shelter during the winter months. Rather than hibernate during the cold winter, these pests will nest and remain active in your attic or crawl space until spring rolls around. One of the biggest concerns for residents in Iowa is the Asian lady beetle. Before the first frost, adult Asian lady beetles begin to seek shelter to spend the winter. This is why fall infestations are so common as they flock to the sides of your home in the late fall before coming inside. Preventing overwintering pests like these beetles requires implementing fall pest prevention tactics to keep them out.

Winter Pest Control Services in Iowa

With the holidays quickly approaching, the last thing you want to deal with is a pest problem. Especially with NPMA’s prediction of increased rodent and Asian lady beetle activity this year, now is the time to implement fall pest control services. The exterminators at Springer Professional Home Services will work with you to keep pests out all winter. Contact us to get started!

Moles, Voles, and Gophers: What’s the Difference?

A gopher found in Central Iowa - Springer Professional Home Services

If you’ve been noticing small mounds of dirt popping up in your lawn, scattered holes in your yard, or unusual plant decay in your garden, you could be dealing with one of a number of types of rodents that live here in Des Moines IA. Moles, voles, and gophers are all commonly found in the yards of local homeowners, and although they are active year-round, spring and fall are the two best times to try to tame their activity. If you want to learn how to keep these burrowing rodents from making homes out of your yard, read on for expert advice from the technicians at Springer Professional Home Services!

How Are Moles, Voles, and Gophers Different?

Gophers, voles, and moles are all burrowing rodents that thrive in moist, cool soil. Spring and fall see the right amount of rainfall and the levels of temperatures that create the perfect environment for tunneling and ample resources for feeding. However, these rodents have some differences that set them apart from each other. Based on what they eat, they will be found in different parts of your yard:

  • Gophers prefer to eat bulbs and plant roots, thus, they will usually live under your lawn.
  • Voles eat all kinds of plant material, including grass, seeds, bulbs, tubers, rhizomes, and bark. They are much more likely to be seen at the surface than gophers.
  • Moles are carnivores with diets limited to worms, grubs, and various kinds of common insects.

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Can I Do My Own Rodent Control at Home?

Now that you know a bit more about these pests, you might be wondering what you can do to prevent them from living under your lawn or garden. Because they spend so much time underground, it can be hard to tell how to best approach your DIY pest control strategies. Some people like to use strong-scented plants like thyme, daffodils, sage, and more to prevent rodent activity.

If you’re already dealing with one of these pests, though, your approach should change. Here are a few at-home treatments that you can try:

  1. Mix a tablespoon of mixed dish soap and castor oil into a quart of water. This can be poured into any burrowed holes in your lawn.
  2. Use gopher mesh or chicken wire to create an underground fence.
  3. Set a trap using apples, carrots, or peanut butter for bait.

Although these are the best ways to trap rodents living underneath your yard, we cannot guarantee that these methods will be successful.

Professional Rodent Control in Des Moines IA

We’ve found that many homeowners in the Des Moines area have dealt with rodent vulnerabilities that they couldn’t find for years on end. With the expert touch of an expert rodent control technician, your problems can go away in a matter of a visit. Our holistic pest inspection process will leave no stone unturned and no pest undiscovered. Contact our team today to find out more about how we can help you and receive a free quote on rodent control!

What Pests Do Leaky Pipes Attract?

A leaky pipe attracting pests in Des Moines IA -

Problems with our plumbing fixtures can turn into problems with pests in a heartbeat. When water leaks from your pipes into your cabinets or walls, it can dampen the wood and cause pools of standing water, leading to an inviting environment for all sorts of pests that live in Des Moines IA. Failing to check up on your plumbing fixtures can lead to pest infestations that expand much quicker than you would expect. To avoid pest outbreaks caused by leaks in your home, read on for the Springer Professional Home Services technicians’ best advice.

Pests that Like Leaky Pipes

Leaky pipes in Des Moines can attract a whole host of pests, but these three are the most important to watch out for:

  1. Ants: If you experience a leak in one of your plumbing fixtures during the summer, it will be hard to avoid ants discovering it. When the heat of summer starts to dehydrate them, ants look for a cool, damp place to live.
  2. Cockroaches: Although cockroaches are some of the most hard-nosed pests in Iowa, they have to have consistent access to a water source in order to thrive. Paired with the hospitable hiding place that a dark cupboard or crawl space provides, roaches will find refuge wherever there is a leak in your home.
  3. Termites: Termites will add on to the preexisting wood rot that they find, boring through our homes’ wooden structures adjacent to their newfound water sources. If you find water damage from a leak in your home, keep a close watch for termite activity.

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How to Avoid Pest Infestations around Leaky Pipes

When you find a leaky pipe inside your house, you have to address it right away. Here’s how to avoid leakage-based pest problems:

  • Seal the cracks that you’ve identified with a silicone-based caulk. This is the most effective strategy for DIY leak sealing.
  • Try to keep any areas seeing leakage as well-ventilated as you can. This will keep moisture from continuing to build up.
  • Talk to your local pest control company. After an initial inspection, they will be able to help you put pest prevention products in place.

Preventing Pest Issues in Des Moines IA

When your leaky pipes lead to loads of pests, you can trust your local pest control company to get rid of them for you. No matter what kind of pests are present, our technicians at Springer Professional Home Services are able to assess your outbreak, identify the root cause, and determine the best steps to take moving forward. To learn more about our services or for a free estimate on pest control, contact us today!

What Should I Do About the Spiders in My Home?

Spiders in Iowa homes - Springer Professional Home Services

There’s no questioning why spiders are one of the most feared pests. With their long legs and speed, the sighting of a single spider running across the floor of your home can send shivers down your spine. The truth is that although spiders look frightening, most are completely harmless and actually assist in keeping the nuisance insect population in check. Regardless, spotting one—or more—of these invaders in your home can be unsettling and may even indicate a larger problem. Their presence can become especially troublesome when they seem to be growing in numbers indoors.

To reduce the number of spiders that enter your home, it’s important to make your property less attractive to them in the first place. The spider control experts at Springer Professional Home Services are here to help with expert tips on keeping spiders out of your Iowa home for good.

How to Prevent Spiders in Iowa

Spiders are driven to come indoors for the same reasons as other pests: in pursuit of food, water, and shelter! To keep them out, then, requires denying them access and making your home less attractive to spiders in general. Our best spider prevention tips to achieve this are as follows:

  1. For spiders, the best way to prevent them is to eliminate potential nesting areas—even outside your home. Keep wood and debris piles away from your house, and make sure to burn them frequently to keep them free of nests. Use a broom to keep the exterior corners of your home free of cobwebs.
  2. Once you’ve eliminated potential spider habitats outside your house, make sure to also seal any cracks in your foundation or siding. Caulk is useful to fill in the tiny cracks spiders frequently get inside through.
  3. After taking care of the outside of your house, it’s time to move inside. Vacuum at least once a week, and be sure to hit spider hot spots like the corners of outside walls, the space behind furniture, and throughout your finished basement. Dust ceiling corners weekly, and try to keep clutter to a minimum.
  4. Spiders are attracted to the other pests and insects in your home that they prey on. Preventing those pests means keeping spiders away! Basic pest prevention tips include cleaning up food and spills that typically attract small insects like ants and beetles.

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Get Rid of Spiders in Your Home

If you’re dealing with an ongoing spider problem, you may wish to attempt DIY spider control methods. Consider using citrus, lavender, or peppermint essential oils when you clean. Spiders hate these scents, and they are easy to incorporate into your housekeeping regimen. You can also make your own natural spider repellent spray by mixing together 1 cup water, 1 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon peppermint essential oil, 1 teaspoon liquid dish soap, and 1 lemon, juiced Spray the mixture along floorboards, window panes, in basement areas, and around the exterior of your home. Homemade repellents have to be applied frequently, so it’s best to add them to your weekly cleaning schedule.

If these all-natural spider repellents aren’t working, it’s likely a sign you have a bigger issue at hand. At that point, it’s best to enlist the expertise of a professional spider exterminator.

Keep Spiders Away With Springer Professional Home Services

If left unattended, spiders can progress in their lifecycle and begin laying egg sacs. A spider’s egg sac can contain hundreds of baby spiders, which, once hatched, will further perpetuate your infestation. A pest control professional will be able to perform a thorough inspection and analysis of your case. A professional is also recommended for handling more dangerous spider problems, such as black widows and brown recluse spiders.

No matter what spider problem you’re encountering in your Iowa home or business, Springer Professional Home Services can help. To get started, contact our team of spider control experts today!

Bug Bite Identification Guide

Bug bite identification in Des Moines Iowa - Springer Professional Home Services

In the spring and summertime here in Iowa, insects are out in full force. While this is simply a fact of life, no one wants to deal with being bitten by bugs this time of year—or ever! Even in the fall and winter, there are several biting bugs to stay aware of. At Springer Professional Home Services, we know how distressing it can be to discover you’ve been bitten by an insect. Our pest control experts are here to help you learn what insects are likely to bite or sting, as well as what you can do to prevent them.

Bugs That Bite in Iowa

Whether they bite or sting, there are a number of pests and bugs that are likely culprits behind the red, itchy bumps on your skin. The most common ones we deal with here in Iowa include:

  1. Bed bugs. Bed bugs are quite elusive and good at hiding, so infestations may go undetected until the population is extensive. They primarily feed on blood when their host is asleep, so you may not catch them dining on you. You may, however, awake with their bite marks, which appear in lines on your skin and can be very itchy.
  2. Fleas & ticks. Parasitic insect infestations usually originate from an infested animal, then find their way to human victims. On occasion, people traveling through an infested area (for example, a wooded area with lone star ticks) will be attacked by these pests, as well. Pets are common carriers of these pests.
  3. Mosquitoes. Nationwide, mosquitoes are very active in the spring and summer. Sometimes, we may not notice their itchy bites immediately and assume whatever bit us is inside the building with us. In the case of these pests, by the time you notice they’ve fed on you, they have left the scene of the crime.
  4. Bees & wasps. These stinging insects are active in the spring and summertime in Iowa. While they’d rather keep to themselves, bees and wasps alike will sting when provoked. Wasps in particular are aggressive when defending their nests, and can sting you multiple times.
  5. “No see ums” (biting midge flies). Anyone who has been to marshy areas has probably been attacked by these insects. About the size of a freckle, biting midges are most active at dusk and dawn. Repellants may give some relief from these annoying blood feeders.
  6. Mites. Mites like dust mites are incredibly small and can best be seen under strong magnification. Most cases of mites biting people in their homes can be traced back to rodents or birds nesting in the home, as these animals are their preferred hosts. Unfortunately, when their regular food source isn’t present anymore, the mites will feed on people.
  7. Spiders. Despite the fear associated with spiders, most species do not bite. However, there are two spiders that will bite in defense: black widows and brown recluse spiders. A bite from either of these more aggressive spiders can be very dangerous.

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Common Symptoms of Bug Bites

In general, the symptoms of bug bites or stings are very similar. Most commonly, symptoms will include red bumps at the site of the bite, itchiness, swelling, rashes, heat surrounding the bite, and other mild symptoms. When dealing with bug bites, it’s important to treat them carefully and also be on the lookout for more serious symptoms. Symptoms that may signal you are having a worse reaction—or even an allergic reaction—to the bites include substantial swelling in the eyes or throat, trouble breathing, and dizziness. Experiencing any of these symptoms requires an immediate trip to the doctor.

How to Prevent Bug Bites

If you are dealing with bug bites and cannot decipher where they are coming from, you could have a pest problem indoors. The best thing to do is to contact your local pest control experts. At Springer Professional Home Services, our experts will thoroughly inspect your property to determine any pest problems. From there, we’ll implement a pest control plan to keep the pests away for good. Contact us today to get started!

How to Prevent Asian Lady Beetles and Boxelder Bugs Inside

What Asian beetles look like in Central Iowa - Springer Professional Home Services

Here in Central Iowa, sometimes it seems that summer doesn’t quite stick around for long enough. Each year, as temperatures drop into a chilly winter, many kinds of pests seek refuge from the cold in our homes. Two of the most notable of these are the Asian lady beetle and the boxelder bug. If you don’t take the right precautions, these bugs can become quite a nuisance. You can trust the experts at Springer Professional Home Services to teach you how to avoid them in your home or to help you get rid of them once they’ve gotten out of hand!

All About Asian Lady Beetles and Boxelder Bugs

Asian lady beetles are commonly confused with ladybugs but are a different species altogether. Here are some features to look out for to be sure you’re dealing with Asian lady beetles:

  • Their color ranges from yellow to orange, to red, and they have an “M”-shaped mark on the back of their heads
  • They release a smelly, yellow substance when they are threatened or squished
  • You are more likely to find them indoors in the winter than ladybugs or many other pests

Boxelder bugs look quite different but cause the same amount of annoyance in Central Iowa homes. Here’s what to know:

  • Boxelder bugs have primarily black bodies with geometric red lines across their backs
  • They are often found around boxelder trees, as well as maple, ash, and fruit trees
  • Their feces leaves stains inside our homes

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How to Prevent Asian Lady Beetles and Boxelder Bugs

Both of these insects are opportunistic pests. No crevice in your home goes unexplored come wintertime. Here is a list of ways to prevent boxelder bugs and Asian lady beetles from entering your home this year:

  1. Inspect your entire property for even the tiniest points of entry into your house
  2. Make sure that the caulk around your molding is intact—seal any cracks on roofing and siding
  3. Put screens on doors and windows or check for tears on existing screens
  4. Keep your yard tidy and your plants trimmed

Taking all of these steps will reduce your chances of an infestation in your home and the chance of these pests populating your yard in the first place.

Pest Prevention Services in Des Moines IA

Whether you want to get a head start on preventing boxelder bugs and Asian lady beetles this year or they’ve already taken over your home, Springer Professional Home Services can help. We have been serving businesses and homeowners in Central Iowa since 1989, developing the best pest management systems and technicians in the region. Don’t let Asian lady beetles or boxelder bugs in this year—contact us today for a free quote!

How Bed Bugs Spread in Iowa

Bed bugs spread easily in Iowa. Springer Professional Home Services

Did you know that a single bed bug can lay up to 12 eggs a day, and up to 500 throughout its lifetime? Needless to say, bed bugs can spread quickly once established. Even worse, bed bugs often aren’t discovered until you start to notice their bites on your skin. Bed bugs are slow crawlers, which is why they usually travel by hitching a ride on your bags, clothes, luggage, furniture, and more. To stop bed bugs from spreading in your Iowa home or business, it’s important to learn how to keep yourself safe from their activity in the first place. The bed bug experts at Springer Professional Home Services are here to help you learn how.

5 Ways to Stop Bed Bugs From Spreading

To stop bed bugs from spreading in your home, you need to learn how to keep them out in the first place. Here’s how:

  1. Always be wary of purchasing second-hand furniture unless you’ve inspected it thoroughly for bed bugs.
  2. Buy protective covers for all of the mattresses and box springs in your home.
  3. When traveling, use hard shell suitcases and thoroughly inspect your hotel room for bed bugs. Always store luggage up off the ground.
  4. When arriving home from traveling, steam clean your suitcase and wash all clothing before storing everything away.
  5. If you utilize shared laundry facilities or a laundromat, seal your clothes in a plastic bag to and from the facility, and always fold your clothes at home.

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How Do Bed Bugs Get Into My Room?

Bed bugs most commonly are spread when infested items are moved from one area to another. Typically, this happens when infested furniture or items are moved from one room to another. The spread of bed bugs can also be traced back to travelers and college kids bringing home infested suitcases. Many people believe that people can spread bed bugs, but bed bugs do not latch onto their hosts in the same manner that fleas and ticks do.

Bed Bugs Spreading in Your Iowa Home?

If you’ve done all you can to keep bed bugs from spreading in your home but are still noticing the signs of their activity, it’s time to call in the professionals. At Springer Professional Home Services, we can work to not only get rid of bed bugs in your property, but keep them out for good!

5 Things You Should Know About Asian Lady Beetles

What an Asian lady beetle could look like in Central Iowa - Springer Professional Home Services

It’s easy to see why Asian lady beetles are often confused for ladybugs – they look a lot alike, are about the same size, and have similar names. However, they are different insects altogether, and each displays different patterns of behavior. The ladybug is a helpful aid to keep around in your garden, but the lady beetle can be an odorous pest when inside the home. Keep reading to learn more about the differences between the two in Central Iowa and what makes Asian lady beetles noteworthy.

Ladybugs and Lady Beetles – What’s the Difference?

When it’s warm out, ladybugs like to hang out in our gardens, eating aphids, mites, and other damaging garden pests. They then retreat to secluded places to overwinter in hiding. On the flipside, Asian beetles compete with ladybugs for resources, but then try to sneak into our homes when the temperatures drop. Effectively, a lady beetle problem leads to an unhealthy garden and a nuisance in the home.

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5 Things to Know About Asian Lady Beetles

Asian lady beetles set themselves apart from ladybugs and other insects in Central Iowa in several ways. Here are 5 things to know about Asian beetles:

  1. Their scientific name is harmonia axyridis, and they belong to the same order as ladybugs. They are also known as Japanese beetles and Japanese ladybugs.
  2. Their color ranges from yellow, to orange, to red, but they always have a black and white marking forming an “M” on their heads.
  3. As you would imagine, their name indicates that they come from Asia. They were brought over intentionally in the 1960s by the Department of Agriculture to help control agricultural pests.
  4. They prefer to seek shelter indoors during the winter as opposed to overwintering outdoors like similar insects.
  5. If threatened or squished, they will release a yellow, foul-smelling substance. You can use a vacuum to get rid of them while avoiding this stench.

How to Get Rid of Asian Beetles

You can prevent an Asian lady beetle problem in the house with the same strategies that prevent other pests – sealing off cracks in foundation, placing screens on doors and windows, and using EPA-approved pesticides. If you’ve tried these techniques and Asian beetles are still making their way into your home somehow, tell your local pest control company about your problem. The beetle control experts at Springer Professional Home Services have been trained in the most effective and ecologically sensitive methods of pest control viable in Central Iowa. Reach out today for a free quote or to learn more about the Asian lady beetle!

Will Carpenter Bees Sting People?

What carpenter bees look like in Des Moines - Springer Professional Home Services

No matter how many times you’ve been stung by a bee before, you likely won’t forget the sensation. They sneak up on you out of nowhere with a sharp prick and leave you with a painful sore that lasts for days.

But did you know that some bees are friendlier than others? Despite there only being a sliver of the different species of bees that are incapable of stinging, there are more that will only attack when they feel that their lives are at risk. Carpenter bees fall into this category. If you think you have them on your property, you shouldn’t be worried about being stung.

Do Carpenter Bees Sting At All?

You probably have carpenter bees if you’ve noticed little holes that look like they’ve been drilled into the wood on your windowsills, railings, porch, or other wooden parts of your house. Look around for bees with shiny black abdomen flying around these areas.

Male carpenter bees are actually unable to sting – they don’t have a stinger at all. Female carpenter bees could sting if:

  • They are stepped on
  • They are swatted at
  • A threat is posed to their nest

Males protect their homes most aggressively, but they are forced to rely on their intimidating appearance to ward off potential threats.

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Are Carpenter Bees Harmful?

Fortunately, even when carpenter bees decide to tunnel through the wood in our homes, they don’t compromise the structural integrity of the house. This being said, it isn’t wise to let them hang around for long, as the more damage they do, the more expensive and difficult it becomes to repair.

On the upside, carpenter bees are pollinators, serving as an important role-player in their local ecosystems. Some believe that carpenter bees eat the wood that they tunnel through (like termites), but they actually just chew through it to create shelter, and they sustain themselves on mostly nectar.

Although they serve an important function and don’t cause serious harm to people, animals, or buildings, having too many around might leave your house looking a little more weathered than you would like it to.

What to Do About Carpenter Bees in Des Moines IA

If you’re overwhelmed with these unwelcome guests, reach out to your local bee removal experts. At Springer Professional Home Services, we train technicians to specialize in removing bees with efficiency and consideration for the health of your family, your pets, and your yard. Get a free quote today!

What Should I Do About Odorous House Ants in My Home?

Odorous house ant invades a home in Iowa - Springer

Their name alone is enough to know that you don’t want them around, but what should you do when you find one (or probably more) of these critters living in your home? How can you prevent an infestation, and why on earth do they stink? We have all the answers and a team of experts ready to help you rid your home of these putrid pests.

What Are Odorous House Ants?

Just as its name suggests, an odorous house ant is a common subspecies of ant known for its stench. Outside of their characteristic smell, odorous house ants can be distinguished from other common ant variants by their particularly small bodies, which are usually between 1/8” and 3/16” in length, and their fast-moving pace. They also live in very large colonies and tend to move their nests often. They prefer sweet, naturally occurring foods like honeydew and sap, but their diets are fairly diverse, and they will not pass up food that they can find inside your home.

Preventing an Odorous House Ant Infestation

As it goes for many pests, keeping them off of your property starts with tidiness. Here are 3 ways to prevent odorous house ants from getting into your home and reduce the chance of outbreak:

  1. Be sure to trim all bushes, trees, and shrubbery so that they aren’t touching your house. Overgrown plants provide the perfect path of entry to any cracks or crevices your home has.
  2. Keep all food, including your pet’s food, covered tightly. Don’t leave crumbs on the floor, and be sure to wipe up spills quickly.
  3. Refrain from storing food (sealed or not) in your garage. Any food will attract ants and pests of all kinds. If ants have infiltrated your garage, the interior of your home will be their next stop.

Are Odorous House Ants Dangerous?

Odorous house ants do not sting or bite. While having an odorous house ant infestation is certainly a nuisance, it isn’t necessarily harmful to you or your family. Odorous house ants are attracted to food sources and typically confine their damage to your pantry.

Many have noticed that crushing an odorous house ant yields a scent reminiscent of blue cheese or rotten coconut, but this shouldn’t worry you about the possibility of any harmful emission. Scientists have concluded that some antimicrobial substance must be part of their make-up, and that substance is what causes the foul omission when the ant is squashed. The science behind their smell is more thoroughly explained in this article.

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How To Get Rid of Odorous House Ants

Because they cohabitate in such large numbers, once you have an infestation, it is nearly impossible to rid them on your own. However, there are some tactics you can use to stifle the outbreak you’ve found in your home:

  • Bait has been found to be a productive way to eliminate ants within your home. The bait should be placed where you have seen the ants. Worker ants may take the bait back to the nest and spread the insecticide, killing the queen and the rest of the colony. You might need to try several different kinds of bait before the workers take it.
  • Indoor insecticide sprays can be a temporary fix, but they merely address the symptom, not the actual problem. Spraying worker ants in your home will just leave the existing scent trail for other worker ants to follow right back into your home.
  • Using an outdoor insecticide around the perimeter of your home can help you prevent an ant infestation. To ensure the best results, the insecticide may need to be reapplied occasionally.

If your ant problem is becoming overwhelming, it may be time to call a professional. Our ant extermination specialists here at Springer Professional Home Services will be able to find the nest, properly shield your property, and eliminate the ant problem in your home. Reach out to us today for a free quote!