Keeping Pests Out Over the Holidays

A cockroach found in Baton Rouge LA - Dugas Pest ControlThe holiday season means family gatherings, good food, and sharing gifts—it’s a time of the year that so many of us look forward to. However, many different kinds of pests in Baton Rouge look forward to it, too. With so many new opportunities for pests to spread and proliferate associated with the holiday season, it’s important to stay diligent about pest prevention. To learn how to prevent pest infestations this holiday season, read on for advice from the expert technicians at Dugas Pest Control!

How Do Pests Spread During the Holiday Season?

Pest infestations definitely aren’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the holidays, but many people here in Baton Rouge LA can associate them with each other through past experiences. Here are the main ways pest outbreaks start during the holidays:

  • Plants: Trees, garlands, wreaths, and other decorative plants are all popular decor options during the holidays. They make easy hiding places for all sorts of insects, and sometimes even mice.
  • Packages: Bugs like cockroaches and beetles like to chew their way into cardboard packaging for shelter. They can end up being transported somewhere and multiplying in their new home.
  • Decorations: We’ve heard many stories of homeowners pulling their decorations out from storage to find them teeming with insects.

3 Ways to Prevent Holiday Season Pests

It’s important to take extra precautions against pests during the holiday season. We’ve asked our technicians to provide their three most essential tips to prevent pest problems around this time of year:

  1. Check your storage space and boxes for pest damage before bringing your decorations out for the season. There could be scratches and bite marks on boxes or droppings nearby.
  2. Store your firewood outside, off the ground, and away from your home if you can. Make sure to inspect your woodpile for pests before bringing wood inside.
  3. Shake out your tree or similar greenery before setting it up inside your home.

Need Pest Control in Baton Rouge LA this Holiday Season?

No one wants to deal with pests during the holidays, especially if you’ve already experienced how frustrating it can be. If you’re looking to get a head start on pest prevention this holiday season, ask your local pest control company how they can help. Our licensed and certified technicians at Dugas Pest Control are trained to conduct all-encompassing pest control services that include inspections, extermination, and preventative maintenance work to keep your home pest-free through the holidays and all year long. Contact us today for a free quote!

7 Common Household Bugs in Louisiana

There are many wonderful things about living in Louisiana, but the bugs usually aren’t at the top of the list! The warm, semi-tropical climate is favorable to pests, which is why Louisiana is known for its readily available supply of bugs and insects. Some insects are harmless, even though they may look fierce, while others carry disease. Nevertheless, all insects are a nuisance, and no family wants to share their home with them. At Dugas Pest Control, we get many calls for many types of pests. In this blog post, we’re sharing the most common household bugs and pests in the Baton Rouge area. Read on to learn more!

Common Pests in Louisiana

Termites are a common household pest in Louisiana - Dugas Pest Control

1. Termites >>

There are two types of termites in Louisiana: subterranean and drywood. Subterranean termites like to chew through the interior part of a wood structure. They then cover their tracks by filling holes with dirt or mud. By the time the damage is discovered, it’s too late. There is probably hundreds to thousands of dollars of damage. Drywood termites feast on dry wood and leave feces behind, but they don’t fill holes with dirt.

Carpet beetles are a common household pest in Louisiana - Dugas Pest Control

2. Beetles >>

There are many species of beetles, but the most common in the Baton Rouge area include carpet beetles and powderpost beetles. Interestingly, carpet beetles in their adult stage aren’t much of a problem, but as larvae, they are quite the nuisance. They feed on household items such as clothes, linens, and food.

Powderpost beetles can be just as severe as termites as the larvae create tunnels on the inside of wood structures. It won’t be until these beetles chew their way out as adult beetles that you will see signs of damage.

Mosquitoes are a common household pest in Louisiana - Dugas Pest Control

3. Mosquitoes >>

The wet, humid summers create the perfect environment for mosquitoes. Although mosquitoes are synonymous with Southern living, these insects can carry deadly diseases that can be transmitted to humans. With the recent threat of West Nile, it’s crucial to have professional mosquito repellents applied to your yard before mosquito season, which starts early Spring here in Louisiana.

Cockroaches are a common household pest in Louisiana - Dugas Pest Control

4. Roaches >>

Between flying roaches and cockroaches, the roach population certainly shows its face in Louisiana. Roaches thrive off warm, moist environments, and some, such as cockroaches, are found in high-filth areas. They can also carry diseases such as E.coli and salmonella. Baton Rouge is home to many types of roach, including the Smokybrown cockroach, American cockroach, and German cockroach.

Spiders are a common household pest in Louisiana - Dugas Pest Control

5. Spiders >>

Spiders are versatile insects that can be found in just about any climate, but the fact that Louisiana is warm and sub-tropical makes it a great location for all breeds of spiders. They especially prefer dark, moist places like underneath flowerpots or garbage can handles. Some of the most common spiders found in Baton Rouge include your typical garden spiders, fishing spiders, and bold jumping spiders. However, some have poisonous venom that can cause serious reactions in humans, including the brown widow spider, black widow spider, and brown recluse spider.

Fire ants are a common household pest in Louisiana - Dugas Pest Control

6. Fire Ants >>

With a warm climate and close proximity to Central America and Mexico, Louisiana is known for its colonies of ants, more specifically, red fire ants. Fire ants can have up to 700 colonies per acre that can include up to 250,000 crawling members. Fire ants are also fierce predators, carry disease and destroy property. If you are noticing an excess of fire ant mounds, be very cautious and reach out to your local ant control experts.

Silverfish are a common household pest in Louisiana - Dugas Pest Control

7. Silverfish >>

Silverfish have small pinchers, and although they are not poisonous, their pinchers will hurt. They have a fish-like shape and are a gray or silver color. They prefer dark, moist areas and are most commonly seen at nighttime when they leave their nest. Homeowners are accustomed to seeing these tiny bugs in kitchens and bathrooms, where there is excess moisture.

Need Help With Louisiana Insects & Pests?

Pests are a fact of life in Baton Rouge and all of Louisiana—all year long. To keep you, your family, and/or your business safe from Louisiana bugs and insects, the experts at Dugas can help. Contact our licensed pest control experts today to see how we can ensure you stay pest-free.

What Are The Flying Insects You’re Seeing All Over The Place?

What flying ants look like in Baton Rouge LA - Dugas Pest ControlEvery spring, we see a huge rise in calls from people in the Baton Rouge area whose homes have been overrun by flying insects. With the current weather conditions here in Louisiana, this year’s termite swarming season is expected to be widespread. Eastern subterranean termites and Formosan termites are both swarming now, but if you’re starting to find flying insects in your house, how can you be sure if they’re termites?

Can Termites Fly?

Certain termites can fly, although they’re not very good at it. They are very weak, and can only travel considerable distances in windy climates. There is only one class of termites that can fly – these are the reproductives, a type of termite specifically tasked with spreading the colony to new homes.

A termite colony will start producing reproductives once it has reached a certain level of maturity, usually about three years of development. The reproductives will fly to new locations to mate and find a new place to proliferate. After they mate, the male reproductive sheds its wings. Finding discarded termite wings or living winged termites in your home could be a sign that there is a termite colony thriving somewhere in the wooden structure of your house. If you think you might have a termite problem, let your local pest control company know.

Termites vs Flying Ants

It’s easy to mistake termites with their less destructive friends, flying ants. Here are three indicators that the flying insects that you’re seeing are termites, and not ants:

  1. Their appearance: Termite swarmers have longer wings, but shorter limbs and antennae. Flying ants will usually be larger – termite sizes vary by species, but some, like the Eastern subterranean termite, are as small as 10mm long.
  2. Signs in your house: If you’ve noticed damaged or hollow-sounding wood anywhere in your house, those flying insects in your house are most likely termites. Contact a local termite exterminator to assess the extent of the damage.
  3. Signs in your yard: If a subterranean termite colony is swarming near you, look out for tunnels on the surface of your yard. These are called mud tubes, and they are the paths that subterranean termites take from their nests to nearby food sources.

Other Flying Insects

The flying bugs around your house might not be termites or flying ants! Plenty of different winged insects reemerge around springtime, so you could be dealing with:

Visit our pest identification library for help narrowing down what kind of pests you’re dealing with.

Professional Pest Control in Baton Rouge LA

If you’re ready to get rid of the flying insects in your Louisiana home, it’s time to ask your local extermination experts at Dugas Pest Control for help. Our employees are trained to specialize on pests that commonly plague the Baton Rouge area. Over decades of service, we’ve helped loads of families rid their homes of pests with environmentally-friendly tactics. Reach out today for a free quote!

How Does Caulking Prevent Pests?

Caulk can be used to keep pests out of your home in Baton Rouge LA - Dugas Pest ControlThere are many little things you can do around the home to help prevent pest problems. One of the quickest, easiest, most effective ways to pest-proof your home is to use caulk around your windows and doors. Over time, cracks and crevices show up in our property, which are then used by pests to access your home! By sealing these cracks and crevices, pests will be forced to look elsewhere. With pest season just around the corner here in Baton Rouge, now is the time to learn how to prevent pests. The experts at Dugas Pest Control are here with all you need to know about how caulking can help pest-proof your property.

How to Pest-Proof Your Property With Caulk

Caulking prevents pests by closing off the access points through which they could easily enter previously. Learning how to caulk is easy and can provide you with relief from small ants and bugs in the spring and summertime. Our top tips for caulking are as follows.

  1. Thoroughly inspect your property. Look at your window and door frames both indoors and out, as well as your baseboards, crown molding, and more. If you have major issues with your door or window frames, you may consider using weather stripping or replacing them entirely.
  2. Choose the correct caulk. When you get to your store, you’ll notice several types of caulk. In general, silicone caulk is the most commonly used caulk for this purpose as it is resistant to moisture. It’s also a low-cost option. If necessary, purchase a caulking gun as well.
  3. Thoroughly clean the area. Before you apply any caulk, make sure to clean any areas you will be applying caulk to. This includes removing any old caulking, old paint, dirt, and anything else that could jeopardize the adhesion of the new caulk.
  4. Apply the caulk. When applying caulk, begin in one corner of the crack or gap and tilt the applicator at a 45-degree angle. Steadily apply the caulk in a smooth, slow line while applying steady pressure.
  5. Let the caulk dry. If needed, smooth any bumps or fill any gaps with a small spoon. Remove any excess caulking. For best results, let the caulk dry for at least 24 hours.

Other Ways to Prevent Pests

Caulking is something most homeowners can easily do to prevent ants, beetles, spiders, and other pests. Other pest-proofing methods include clearing your yard, cleaning your property, avoiding excess moisture, and working with a professional pest control company. To learn more about how caulking prevents pests or need assistance with pest-proofing your Baton Rouge property this year, give the pest prevention pros at Dugas a call today!