What Is Attracting Cockroaches To My Home?

A brown-banded cockroach in Knoxville TN - Russell's Pest Control

Having cockroaches in your home can be an unendingly frustrating experience. What’s even more frustrating is not being able to tell where they’re coming from. To top it all off, if you let them hang around for too long, you put yourself and your family at the risk of exposure to many different diseases—salmonella, typhoid fever, and dysentery are just a few. To avoid being subjected to the burden of an infestation and the possibility of common cockroach diseases, you have to understand more about the pests and what you can do to prevent them in Knoxville TN. Learn all about cockroach prevention with Russell’s Pest Control below!

Why Do I Have Cockroaches?

Cockroaches are not picky creatures—they are only looking for a bit of food, a source of water, and a place to hide. You can keep your home squeaky clean for the most part, but cockroaches can find and pick on certain weaknesses, eventually deciding to move in. Here are a few causes that could be contributing to your cockroach infestation:

  • Dirty dishes, counters, and floors that may have accumulated food crumbs and residue.
  • Areas with high levels of moisture such as bathrooms and kitchens. 
  • Uncovered garbage cans and recycling bins.
  • Excess yard waste or overflowing compost bins. 
  • Dark, cluttered areas that provide shelter for the cockroaches’ growing family.

How to Get Rid of Cockroach Infestations

Cockroach infestations can be quite difficult to deal with once they’ve already established a breeding population on your property. The best way to avoid dealing with this is taking preventative measures before an outbreak starts. Here are some ways you can prevent roaches on your property:

  1. Wash and dry your dishes thoroughly after meals. Clean counters and sweep floors often to prevent food debris from piling up.
  2. Reduce moisture in your home by running a dehumidifier in problem spaces. Also, check around your plumbing fixtures and gutters often for cracks and moisture buildup.
  3. Keep all garbage bins and recycling cans sealed shut and properly emptied. Compost piles should be turned over often or kept in their own separate bins.
  4. Organize and declutter your home. The fewer places cockroaches have to hide, the less interested they’ll be in staying.

Not all cockroaches will be deterred by these preventative efforts, though. It takes a trained and experienced eye to discover the source of some cockroach infestations.

Get Rid of Roaches with Professional Help

Are you struggling to find the source of your cockroaches and wondering how to get rid of them quickly? Reach out to your local pest control company for help. The cockroach exterminators at Russell’s Pest Control have years of experience upending the roots of roach outbreaks, safely removing roaches in homes and businesses, and helping our customers prevent future infestations with advice and preventative maintenance. For a free quote or to learn more about how our team can keep you roach-free, contact us today!

Do Mosquitoes Bite During the Winter?

Mosquitoes in the winter in Knoxville TN - Russell's Pest Control

Here in Knoxville, we deal with all types of pests year-round. While we all know to expect mosquitoes in the summer and even fall, it may startle some to encounter these biting pests in the winter. More often than not, mosquitoes die off and disappear in the winter when temperatures dip below 55 degrees Fahrenheit. But when warm temperatures linger well into the winter here in Knoxville, these pests can definitely outstay their welcome. Whether you’ve encountered mosquitoes when putting up your Christmas lights or out shopping for the holidays, you may be worried about bites this time of year.

At Russell’s Pest Control, we know how frustrating mosquitoes can be in our region year-round. Read on to learn more about winter mosquito activity, and whether you should be worried about bites during the winter.

Winter Mosquito Activity

During the spring or summertime, mosquitoes are expected whenever you venture outdoors. This is due to the fact that mosquitoes prefer temperatures in the 80s or more. Needless to say, it can be rather startling to come across these pests in the wintertime. Most male mosquitoes will die off when, as mentioned previously, temperatures begin to dip. Even when it begins to get colder, however, female mosquitoes can go into a state similar to hibernation called diapause.

So why are we still seeing and dealing with mosquitoes this time of year? Typically, it’s because we are experiencing warm weather well into the winter months. This enables mosquitoes to bite you, even during the winter months when you have your guard down.

Preventing Mosquitoes Year-Round in Knoxville

Despite the fact that you might see one or two mosquitoes this time of year, they are mostly inactive. This makes it the best time to start preparing for next year’s mosquito season. Some of the best mosquito prevention tactics you can do yourself in the next couple of months include the following.

  1. Look for hiding mosquitoes. Female mosquitoes may look to wait out the winter in your backyard if she lays her eggs nearby. Make sure to inspect your yard and get rid of debris, old tires, or tree trunks that could harbor these insects.
  2. Get rid of standing water. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water, even before wintertime. Remove, overturn, or cover any tires, buckets, birdbaths, flowerpots, and other things that contain standing water.
  3. Take proper care of your yard. Keep your grass mowed and take proper care of your yard to avoid mosquitoes harboring in dense brush.
  4. Try out natural mosquito repellents. While not always effective, planting rosemary, mint, and lavender in your garden could make for a natural mosquito repellent.
  5. Team up with your local mosquito exterminators. Your best chance of not dealing with mosquitoes year-round is by teaming up with an expert. Professional-grade repellents can help keep mosquitoes away for good!

Seasonal Mosquito Control

No matter what time of the year, the experts at Russell’s Pest Control are ready to help you stay safe from the threat of mosquitoes. We will work with you to implement the best mosquito treatments, no matter what time of year. Contact us today to get started!