1.  Trace the Problem to Its Source

Cockroaches are nocturnal insects. Because they spend much of their time skittering in the shadows within cupboards, pantries, and cabinets, it can be difficult to see them right away. What’s worse is that you may discover the infestation long after they have already discovered a source of food and water.

The easiest way to identify them is by the feces they leave behind. Small roaches will leave small black specks that resemble coffee grounds; larger roaches will naturally leave larger droppings.

2.  Let Your Property Manager Know

Before you call Nature’s Gate Pest Control, make your property manager aware of the problem. If you attempt to act outside of the terms of your lease, you may end up with more problems than just the cockroaches. On the plus side, your apartment’s maintenance may cover the cost of pest control.

3.  Clean Everywhere and Everything

Whether you hire a professional or wait for your apartment management to act, the most important thing you can do is clean. Scrub down absolutely every surface in your apartment, focusing on the kitchen and bathroom. Discarded food on plates and dishes is a favored target, so wash them thoroughly and often. If you discover any cockroach feces in your pantry, it may be wise to throw away any unsealed food items inside.

4.  Keep Pantry and Perishable Foods Sealed and Stored

Once you’re sure everything is clean, it’s a great idea to transfer any perishable food items into sealable plastic containers. Cockroaches love getting into flour and sugar sacks. They can even chew through paper and cardboard, so check any cereal boxes and keep them sealed away.

5.  Maintain a Dry and Crumb-Free Environment in Your Apartment

Cockroaches need two things to grow and reproduce: moisture and food. If there are any leaking pipes in your apartment, let your maintenance crew know to repair the leak ASAP. Without access to crumps and standing water, cockroaches will find it much harder to live in your home.

Hire Experienced Cockroach Exterminators

Depending on the rules established by your lease, you may be able to hire pest control experts to help solve your cockroach problem for good. That’s where Nature’s Gate Pest Control comes in! With our eco-friendly solutions, Nature’s Gate technicians can rid your apartment of any cockroach menace without resorting to harsh chemicals or pesticides. Call us today and schedule an appointment right away.

What Attracts Earwigs to Your Home

As with most pests that enter your house, earwigs are mainly looking for shelter and food. While they won’t destroy your house’s foundation like other bugs, such as termites or ants, they are looking for a safe place to hide and call their home. Most of the time when you do find earwigs living in your house, it’s because they are looking for an escape from extreme temperatures.

Your home also gives earwigs an endless food supply. Earwigs will eat almost anything from rotting food and garbage to any type of fruit, vegetable, or plants. Even things like crumbs in your kitchen or dining room, spilled drinks, or any other small messes will attract earwigs to the inside of your house.

Once inside your home, earwigs can multiply extremely quickly, so it’s important to keep an eye out for them. They’ll typically gain entrance to your house through the smallest cracks or gaps in doors or windows.

What Attracts Earwigs to Your Yard

Earwigs are not only attracted to the inside of your home but the outside as well. If your yard has any moist, hidden areas, they can bring earwigs to your home rather quickly, especially if you have any wet or rotting leaves in these areas as well. This decay gives earwigs the perfect place to hide and access to vegetation as a food source, whether it be naturally occurring or a garden you have planted in your yard.

Hire Professional Help to Get Rid of Earwigs

If you find that earwigs are in or around your home, there are several home remedies you might try to get rid of them. But sometimes home remedies don’t work. If that’s the case, or if you would just rather leave it to the experts, hiring professionals is always the most efficient and effective way to deal with earwigs. At Nature’s Gate Sustainable Pest Control, we can help you rid your house and yard of earwigs and prevent further infestations from happening. Contact us today to schedule a time for us to come out and inspect and treat your home with pest control for earwigs.

1. Earwigs

A common pest you might find in your garden is an earwig. These insects are attracted to moist, hidden areas, and they will eat almost anything, especially any vegetation in the area. Combined, these preferences make your garden the perfect place for them to live because it gives them both food and shelter.

2. Raccoons

Raccoons are known for eating just about anything, whether that be scraps from a trash can or fresh foods. If your garden is unprotected from pests, raccoons are sure to steal your fruits and vegetables to eat.

3. Fire Ants

Just like most types of ants, fire ants are looking for a food source. If you have a garden, it will likely attract fire ants because it provides them with a food source and gives them the warmth and moisture that they prefer. But weary, though, because fire ants can quickly and easily destroy vegetation.

4. Fruit Flies

With gardens come decaying matter and fungus, which will attract fruit flies to your yard. Not only will fruit flies feed off of these, but they will also lay their eggs in and around your garden, which can quickly lead to an infestation.

5. Wasps

If you’re finding a wasp here or there in your garden, they can be pretty beneficial. However, if you’re finding swarms of them, they can become quite the pest. Wasps tend to like gardens for several reasons: they enjoy nectar, eat ripe fruits, and prey on other insects that are drawn to your garden.

6. Moles

While moles aren’t exactly looking to eat the vegetation growing in your garden, your fruits and vegetables are attracting insects. If moles sense a garden in your yard, they’re smart enough to know that there will be insects underneath the ground and in and around your garden, providing them with a food source.

7. Rats

Rats can be another issue for homeowners with gardens, mainly because rats are omnivores. These pests will eat just about anything, especially fresh fruits and vegetables that are growing in an easily accessible location.

8. Mice

Much like rats, mice are looking for a food source, and having a garden in your yard provides them with food. But your garden doesn’t just give them food; it shelters them as well by providing them with the necessary materials to build a nest.

9. Ladybugs

Unlike other pests that come to your garden, ladybugs can actually be very beneficial. These little beetles prey on other harmful insects that could damage your garden and will eat any eggs as well.

10. Voles

Voles enjoy eating healthy grass, which makes gardens a very ideal place for them to find food. But they won’t stop there. Once they find a food source, they will begin to tunnel underneath the ground, which can damage your garden.

While not all pests are harmful to your garden, it’s still important to keep an eye out for any regular pests in your garden. Even if all you’re seeing is ladybugs, this can be a sign that other harmful insects are making your garden their home. If you’re having any issues with garden pests, you can always contact us at Nature’s Gate Sustainable Pest Control to handle the problem.

What Kind of Crickets Might Be in Your Home?

If you’ve been hearing crickets in your home, you may be wondering what type of crickets you're dealing with in your house. Usually, it will be one of three crickets: house crickets, field crickets, and camel crickets.

House Crickets

House crickets are common indoors because they can survive in the interior environment. You can recognize these crickets by the three dark stripes on their head.

Field Crickets

Although their name implies that they live in fields, these crickets are actually extremely common indoor pests. Unlike house crickets, they don’t have any distinguishable stripes, but they are usually black or brown.

Camel Crickets

Camel crickets are easily recognizable because they have a hump on their back. While these are common indoor pests, it can sometimes be difficult to know if they are in your home because these crickets can’t chirp or fly.

What Attracts Crickets to Your House?

Often, crickets are attracted to your home because of the temperatures. During the winter, when it gets colder outside, some crickets seek out warmer temperatures, which draws them to your house. They also enjoy moist areas of your home, which can include the kitchen, bathroom, or basement. Garbage cans, drainage pipes, crawl spaces, and utility rooms also attract crickets to your home. Having cricket food sources readily available will also attract crickets to your home. They’ll eat most things, including live and dead insects, plants, paper, fabric, vegetables, wood, carpet, fungi, fruits, cardboard, and more.

How to Prevent Crickets and Get Rid of Them

Whether you have crickets in your home or want to prevent them from entering your house, there are several steps you can take.

Preventing Crickets

To keep crickets from entering your home:

• Inspect your house for any small entry points that crickets can use, such as cracks and gaps. Be sure to seal these entry points.
• Stay on top of your yard’s landscaping by weeding plants, keeping wood piles distant from your house, and more.
• Have your home treated by professionals, such as Nature’s Gate Pest Control.

Getting Rid of Crickets

Getting rid of crickets in your home can sometimes be difficult, especially since they become quiet if they feel threatened in any way. But here are some ways to get rid of crickets in your home:

• Try to reduce moisture by using dehumidifiers in crawl spaces, basements, and attics.
• Use an insect barrier around your doors and windows to stop more crickets from entering your home.
• If the crickets get out of hand or you’d rather not eliminate them yourself, hire professionals, such as Nature’s Gate Pest Control, to get rid of them for you.

Whether you want to prevent crickets from getting in or already have some in your house, it can prove to be frustrating, especially if their noise is affecting your daily life. The most effective way to handle crickets is to let professional pest control do the job for you. If you live in St. George, Utah, or surrounding areas, trust Nature’s Gate to take care of any pest problems you have.

1. Cockroaches

One of the most commonly found bugs in basements is cockroaches, specifically oriental cockroaches. If they are getting into your home, they will likely find their way to the basement due to the moisture build-up in basements. While cockroaches are typically harmless, they are a nuisance and can create unsanitary living conditions.

2. Termites

Termites can also make your basement their home. These are especially dangerous bugs to have in your home because of their ability to eat wood and other foundations of your home. They can destroy your home’s foundation if you can’t take care of them quickly.

3. Centipedes

While centipedes are usually harmless to humans, encountering one in your basement can be scary and disgusting. These bugs with 100 legs are also carnivorous but pose no threat to you. Instead, they will hunt other bugs such as crickets, flies, and spiders in dark and moist environments, making a basement perfect for them.

4. Spiders

Spiders often prefer dark, moist places, which makes basements perfect for them. Most spiders you encounter in your home are harmless and pose no threat to you or your family. But sometimes a poisonous spider may make its way into your home, such as a black widow spider.

5. Earwigs

Much like other insects, earwigs like moist areas of your home, which is why they are drawn to basements, especially unfinished basements. While they aren’t dangerous to humans, they might bite you with their pincers if they feel threatened.

6. Pill Bugs

Pill bugs, sometimes called potato bugs or roly-poly bugs, also prefer basements due to the darkness and moisture. However, they are slightly different from most other bugs you’ll find in your home because they are crustaceans. They are typically harmless and cannot survive inside for very long.

7. Crickets

Because crickets enjoy moist areas of your home, basements make a perfect getaway for them when it becomes too hot or too cold outdoors. The most common type of cricket you’ll encounter in your basement is the camel cricket. These are often harmless, but the noise they make can quickly become a nuisance.

8. Millipedes

Similar to centipedes, millipedes are bugs with many legs. In this case, a thousand legs. They will usually appear in large numbers because they migrate together. But they don’t pose much of a threat to you or your family, especially since they can’t survive in indoor conditions much longer than a couple of days.

Whether you have a finished or unfinished basement, it can serve as a beacon to several different bugs due to dark and moist conditions. While most of these bugs are harmless to you and your family, they can be annoying and frightening. When you want to handle your basement’s insect issues, be sure to hire the best pest control in St. George. Call Nature’s Gate Pest Control to treat your basement today. 

Bugs You Might See During the Winter Months

Here in Southern Utah, our winters are relatively mild compared to the Salt Lake City area, but we still have a host of pests to keep an eye out for. Be aware of these different insects and rodents, and pay attention to any signs of them in your home.

• Spiders. Spiders can be found inside your home during any time of the year, but more dangerous species like the black widow or brown recluse are typically more likely to be found inside during the winter months.
• Cockroaches. Cockroaches carry disease, are notoriously difficult to kill, and multiply extremely quickly. They also can’t survive temperatures of less than 15 degrees Fahrenheit, making them likely to seek whatever refuge they can find indoors during the winter.
• Ants. Ants are attracted to any available food items left out. They live in colonies, meaning that if you see one ant, there are likely many to follow.
• Silverfish. These small bugs have a metallic-like appearance and move indoors to damp, cold places during the winter months. While they don’t pose a significant danger to humans, just one female can lay upwards of 3,500 eggs at once.
• Boxelder Bugs. This Utah bug is similar to the stink bug due to the foul odor they emit when squished, but with one difference: they can bite. You don’t want to have these irritating insects in your home.
• Beetles. Beetles are known for increasing in prevalence indoors during the winter months when they head inside in search of warmth. Although they’re not generally harmful to humans, they can congregate in large numbers and require a professional pest control response.
• Termites. Termites can swarm your home in large numbers and continue reproducing until February. They’re known for chewing on wood structures and can pose a structural risk to your home.
• Mice. Mice build nests in small, dark areas and reproduce quickly. They can cause extensive property damage by chewing through walls, electrical wires, and other home materials.
• Rats. Rats are a serious problem that must be addressed quickly, as these rodents can spread dangerous diseases such as hantavirus and cowpox. Watch for signs such as droppings.

Avoid Winter Pest Infestations

If you suspect an infestation in your home of one of these or any other pest this winter, Nature’s Gate Sustainable Pest Control is the company to call. As Southern Utah natives, we’re familiar with all the bugs that live in the area and utilize advanced pest control methods to protect your home and eliminate the issue. Our solutions are eco-friendly and free from harmful chemicals that could harm your family, your pets, or the environment. Contact us today!

Why are Pests an Issue During the Holidays?

During the Christmas season, many people decorate their homes with natural evergreen trees, garlands, and wreaths, as well as various decor made from wood, berries, pine cones, and other organic material. These items are beautiful and nostalgic (and smell great!), but any time you bring the outdoors inside your home, there’s a risk of insects coming as well.

Holiday decor also goes into storage for most of the year. This creates an ideal environment for bugs to live undisturbed for long periods.

Commonly Seen Bugs at Christmas Time

As a general rule, any pest that can find its way into your attic, basement, or other storage area could be brought into the main living spaces of your home by way of your holiday decorations.

Christmas trees—as well as wreaths and garlands made from evergreen boughs—can be host to a variety of pests, including mites, ants, spiders, termites, and more. Boxes of ornaments, stockings, and other decorations can be home to cockroaches, spiders, rats, and mice that enjoy chewing on wires like your strings of Christmas lights.

How to Avoid Bugs During the Holidays

Luckily, there are some strategies to prevent bugs from making a home in your holiday decorations. Some materials, like metal or recycled plastic, are less hospitable to pests in general, so opting for these types of decorations could reduce or eliminate the likelihood of insects moving in.

Regardless of the decoration’s material, be sure to store your holiday decor in sealed plastic boxes or bags. Cardboard or fabric storage containers are not airtight and allow insects to live inside. Inspect your items before placing them in storage and again before bringing them out. Avoid storing food items like candy canes or popcorn garlands.

Eco-Friendly Pest Control in St. George, Utah

If you’re dealing with a pest infestation during the holiday season, don’t hesitate to call the professional pest control technicians at Nature’s Gate Sustainable Pest Control. We have the experience, expertise, and technology necessary to safely rid your home of insects, rodents, and other pests. If you’re not dealing with a current situation but want to protect your home for the future, we can also set up personalized preventive treatment plans that will keep pests out of your family’s home.

At Nature’s Gate, we put our customers first and are committed to providing you with effective treatment services at a fair price. Contact us today to learn more, schedule an appointment, or request a free quote.

Inspect the House for Entry Points

The fact is that rodents need very little space to slip into the comfortable interiors of your home. Even as little as a quarter of an inch can give them just enough space to squeeze through. You need to inspect the walls and foundations of your house and the joints around the windows and door sills as well then seal any cracks. If you have a chimney, make sure to put a cap on it to prevent entry.

Inside the house, also look at the draining, vents, pipes, and appliance lines to find any access points. Rats and mice love to use insulation for a cozy home. If there’s any open insulation, make sure to cover it up as well.

Sanitize and Remove Food and Water Sources

One of the things that make rodents a difficult pest to control is that they need very little food and water to survive. They can eat almost anything. They can scavenge through the trash or any food left out and kill small insects and animals.

To prevent infestation, sanitation is essential. Make sure that you clean up all discarded pieces of food and that you don’t have any trash lying around either outdoors or indoors. Keep a sealed lid on all the garbage cans. Remove uneaten food at night and clean common crumb areas.

When it comes to food storage, you want to store all your dry food, pet food, and bird feed in sealed metal, glass, or plastic containers. Store the containers above ground level on shelves or cabinets.

Use Simple Home Remedies

A few simple natural repellents can discourage a rat infestation. These include peppermint oil, black pepper, cayenne pepper, or clove oil. These oils are known to irritate a rodent’s nasal passages and discourage them from entering the house. Generously apply the substance in the exteriors of your house, specifically between the foundation and ground.

Call a Professional Pest Control Company

Your safest bet would be calling a pest control company because DIY methods are rarely as effective as calling an expert. At Nature’s Gate Pest Control, our exterminators have years of professional experience in dealing with all kinds of pest infestations. We use the best products and tools to ensure the safety of your home with due care and diligence.

Keep Your Food Properly Stored

Ants love sugary foods, and if you keep the food in its box or wrapping, you may find ants all over them. That’s why it is important that you immediately transfer all the food you need to keep in the pantry to sealed plastic or glass containers after your return from the grocery store. Keep fresh fruit in the refrigerator instead of leaving it on the countertop.

The same principle applies to your Thanksgiving desserts. Do not leave them uncovered on countertops. Only bring them out when it’s time to serve them.

Keep the Kitchen Clean

Preparing large meals can create a mess, and while you’re keeping so many cooking variables in check, you might want to leave the cleaning until after you’re done cooking and serving. But if you want to keep the ants out, it's important that you clean as you cook and don’t leave the dirty pots and utensils out as an invitation to bugs. Make sure to wipe all the crumbs and spills and avoid dirty dishes from sitting in the sink while you cook.

Eliminate Clutter and Garbage

Your kitchen is susceptible to clutter during meal preparation, especially if you’re making an entire feast. Make sure you clean frequently and keep the floor and countertops wiped and mopped. When you’re throwing out perishables, make sure you throw them in closed-lid cans. You’ll also want to remove all trash from the kitchen as soon as the can fills and keep the trash in a sealed container as far from your house as possible.

Find the Ant Colony and Seal All Entry Points

Insect-proofing your house before the arrival of Thanksgiving is important. If you have an existing ant infestation problem, finding their colony and killing it at its source is the only way to get rid of them. Once you eliminate their nest, then you can start sealing all potential points of entry. Make sure to seal all cracks and crevices. You may want to use joint or caulk compound and put boric acid in crevices.

Since ants are very small and come in large numbers, it might not be possible to keep them all out all by yourself. For a serious infestation, you need to call in the experts. Calling an expert exterminator like Nature’s Gate Pest Control will give you the best defense against pests. Our professionals can identify nests in all the hard-to-find places and remove the problem from its source.

House Spiders Aren’t Garden Spiders

While many think outdoor spiders, or garden spiders, migrate indoors during the fall for warmth, this isn’t true. House spiders aren’t the same species as garden spiders. In fact, garden spiders won’t be coming into your home at all this autumn. House spiders have been in your home the entire time due to the controlled climate and good food and water supply. So why are we only seeing them during the fall?

Why Do Spiders Come Out During the Fall?

Spiders typically stay in the same place their entire life, whether than be in your basement, under a table, or anywhere else in your home. If you do see more spiders during the fall, it will typically be male spiders looking for a mate. While fall isn’t the only time male spiders wander for a mate, certain species are known to come out during the fall.

You may also be seeing more spiders during the autumn because it gets darker earlier. You typically won’t see indoor spiders during the day. They like to remain hidden until the sun goes down, which is when they come out. With the sun setting earlier and earlier, you are likely to see more spiders wandering your home before you go to bed during the fall as opposed to the summer.

Spiders Hide in Areas Near Food Sources

If you’re looking to rid your house of spiders this fall, whether you have a fear or a general dislike of them, there are many common areas they tend to hide, especially if there is a food source nearby. Most spiders do prefer dark, secluded areas that avoid sunlight. You can find spiders living in any of the following areas: basements, garages, corners, windows, underneath and behind furniture, in cabinets and closets, in small cracks, and in boxes. Many of these areas provide the ideal environment for house spiders. If any area of your home has insects such as flies, cockroaches, ants, beetles, termites, or mosquitos, spiders are especially likely to make their home near where these insects are prevalent.

While spiders are more beneficial to your home than harmful (they eat other insects that find their way into your home), there’s a big difference between decorative Halloween spiders and real spiders crawling around your home. When you want to prevent spiders from making your house their home, enlist the help of Nature’s Gate Sustainable Pest Control to get rid of any spiders in your house.