Unlike many landlocked Midwestern cities, St. Louis sits close to water bodies. The city is located at the meeting point of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, which means more moisture, and consequently, more pests. The red brick architecture in older areas is great to look at, but many homes have foundation gaps and holes that rodents and insects often use to get indoors.
Homeowners often ignore pest problems until they find these invaders in the open. The ideal approach is to team with a local exterminator in St. Louis, such as Pointepestcontrol.com, for ongoing help. The Pointe team is known for their work across neighborhoods and makes time to educate homeowners about usual infestations and how to counter them. Below, we have listed common pests in this river city.
Pests in Urban Areas
Busy and dense areas of St. Louis, such as Soulard, Benton Park, and The Hill, have alleyways, which include trash bins that rodents love. Rats and mice can easily move between blocks using alley systems. Because of shared masonry, cockroaches also remain a problem for those living in townhomes and row houses. More often than not, homeowners have to spend on fixing repeat infestations.
Pests in Suburbs
In suburban areas like Kirkwood and Webster Groves, carpenter ants and subterranean termites are bigger threats. There is dense tree cover, with oak and maple trees, which ensures carpenter ant colonies don’t have to try hard to survive. Older homes in these areas often have original timber, which remains a soft target for termites. Missouri cities rank high in terms of subterranean termite infestation risks. Also, both termites and carpenter ants are associated with wood, so people tend to get confused between these species.
Pests in Wooded West
Chesterfield, Wildwood, and Ballwin are areas that have more problems concerning brown recluse spiders and deer ticks. Homes here are close to wooded areas, such as the Babler State Park, and that makes it easy for spiders to enter homes, especially during winter as temperatures drop. Rats can also migrate during the fall. Pest trends in these areas of St Louis change from September as the weather fluctuates towards winter.
How to Stop Infestations in St. Louis?
Here are some detailed measures that can help:
- Schedule seasonal inspections: No matter whether your home is new or has aging structures, you have to ask technicians to check the property each quarter. Even when there are no signs of an infestation, experts can catch early activity and prevent infestations from getting worse.
- Consider better waste management: It is critical that your garbage bins are always sealed and all your pantry essentials are in closed containers. Pests need food, and if you leave options, infestations will resurface periodically. Check whether pet food bowls are within easy access or if your kids are cleaning food crumbs immediately.
- Spend on landscaping: You have to ensure the yard is clear of debris, including fallen leaves. Having too many plants or overgrown shrubs can mean creating conducive conditions for rats, mice, and other insects, which is why experts recommend professional landscaping. You can find local services for quarterly work.
- Declutter the house: It is a myth that clean homes don’t have pest problems. However, it is also true that excessive clutter is a reason for infestations. Once every six months, you have to get rid of stuff you don’t need. Ensure all delivery packages and cardboard boxes are discarded.
If your home hasn’t been checked by a pest control service in St. Louis in the last six months, you are already behind schedule. Call technicians today and ask them about risk factors and how you can do better to prevent pest issues.