HELPFUL TIPS
Simple Ways to Keep Pests in Check
Practical tips for common pest problems around your home or property—including when a simple fix may be enough and when it’s time to call for help.
These practical tips can help you find the source and take steps to get the problem under control.
DIY PEST TIPS
Start With the Source
Not every pest requires the same solution. What works best depends on what you’re dealing with, the level of activity, and the conditions around your property.
Choose a pest below for common causes, steps you can take at home, and products Gary recommends when applicable.
Where are they coming from?
Fruit flies are attracted to fermenting or decaying organic material. Check ripe or overripe produce, trash and recycling, garbage disposals, spills, empty beverage containers, and other areas where food residue may collect. They can also breed in organic buildup inside kitchen and bathroom drains, so don’t rule out a drain simply because there isn’t food nearby.
What can you do?
Remove or clean the source first. Refrigerate ripe produce when possible, empty and clean trash and recycling containers, wipe up residue, and check drains for buildup. Traps can help catch the remaining adult flies, but they won’t solve the problem if the breeding source remains.
GARY RECOMMENDS
TERRO Fruit Fly Traps
Use these to help capture adult fruit flies while you locate and eliminate the source.
Where are they coming from?
Drain flies breed in the moist organic buildup that can develop inside sink, shower, tub, and other drains. That buildup provides the material they need to feed and reproduce, so simply getting rid of the adult flies won’t eliminate the source.
What can you do?
Clean and treat the affected drain to break down the organic buildup where the flies are breeding. Check nearby drains as well, since more than one may be contributing to the problem. Continue treatment as directed until the buildup and fly activity are gone.
GARY RECOMMENDS
InVade Bio Drain
A citrus-based drain product that helps break down organic buildup and address the conditions where drain flies breed.
Where are they coming from?
Ants typically come inside looking for food, water, or shelter. Crumbs, spills, pet food, moisture, and even small amounts of food residue can keep a trail active. Watch where they’re traveling—it can help you determine where they’re entering and what may be attracting them.
What can you do?
Clean up accessible food and water sources and wipe down areas where ants have been active. If you’re using bait, resist the urge to spray or kill the ants you see around it. The goal is for worker ants to feed on the bait and carry it back to the colony.
GARY RECOMMENDS
TERRO Liquid Ant Bait Stations
Place the bait stations along active ant trails or near areas where ants are entering, and allow the ants to feed on the bait.
Where are they coming from?
Indianmeal moths, often called pantry moths, are usually brought into the home in packaged dry foods. Common sources include flour, cereal, grains, rice, pasta, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, pet food, and birdseed. The source may not be the package where you first notice the moths, so it’s important to inspect nearby items as well.
What can you do?
Find and discard infested products, then thoroughly inspect the surrounding pantry or storage area. Vacuum shelves, corners, cracks, and shelf-pin holes where larvae or webbing may be hiding, and wipe the area clean. Store susceptible foods in tightly sealed containers going forward.
For products such as flour, oatmeal, grains, and other dry goods, freezing them for at least four days before transferring them to airtight containers can help kill moth eggs or larvae that may already be present.
Why are they coming around?
Crickets and earwigs are outdoor pests that may make their way inside while looking for moisture, shelter, or food. Damp areas, dense vegetation, leaf litter, wood piles, debris, and other protected areas around the home can give them places to hide.
What can you do?
Reduce moisture around the home and keep landscaping, leaves, debris, and stored items away from the foundation when possible. Check door sweeps, weatherstripping, screens, and other potential entry points, and seal gaps where pests may be getting inside. Outdoor lighting can also attract crickets and other insects, so reducing unnecessary lights near doors and windows—or moving lighting farther from entrances—may help.
Why are they coming inside?
Cockroaches are attracted to food, moisture, and shelter, but the type of cockroach matters. American cockroaches commonly live outdoors and may enter through doors, gaps, drains, or other openings. German cockroaches typically establish themselves indoors, often around kitchens and other areas with easy access to food and moisture.
What can you do?
Keep food sealed and clean up crumbs, spills, and other food residue. Avoid leaving pet food out overnight, and keep the area around food and water bowls clean and dry—crumbs, spilled kibble, and standing moisture can provide easy food and water sources. Address leaks or other moisture issues, reduce clutter, and check around appliances, cabinets, sinks, and plumbing where cockroaches may hide. Sealing gaps and other entry points can also help with species coming in from outdoors.
Seeing German cockroaches? Unlike the occasional cockroach that wanders indoors, German cockroaches reproduce quickly and can be difficult to eliminate without professional service. Contact us if you suspect German cockroach activity so the problem can be properly identified and addressed.
HELPFUL ARIZONA RESOURCES
Looking for More Information?
For information about venomous creatures, bites and stings, mosquitoes, or other vector-related concerns, these Arizona resources may be helpful.
Arizona Poison & Drug Information Center – Venomous Creatures →
Maricopa County Vector Control →
NEED A LITTLE MORE HELP?
Still Dealing With Pests?
Some pest problems are easy to handle on your own. Others need a little more attention. If the problem keeps coming back—or you’d rather leave it to Gary—we’re here to help.