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Bug facts

Common Austin, TX Pests and Their Life Cycles

When it comes to pests invading your home it is best to know the life cycle, warning signs, and what their egg sacs look like. Being well informed can help you identify the start of an infestation that way you can treat it before it becomes a full-blown issue. We will cover some of the pests we deal with every day in Austin, TX, the life cycles they have, and usual places to look for them.

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What is the life cycle of a roach?

Let us start out with one of the more common ones we have all dealt with, roaches. The most common ones you will see around Austin, TX are German, American, and Brown-banded cockroaches. Some live for as little as 200 days like the German roach all the way up to 700 days like the American cockroach. This lifespan gives them more than enough time to cause trouble in your home.

The eggs are large making them easy to spot. Brown-banded roach eggs are the smallest ones with a red and brown mix of color. German roach eggs are long and slim with a red end transitioning to tan. American roach eggs look like a small dark red bean which makes them slightly difficult to spot in dark places. Throughout their lifecycle, they molt several times changing from a light tan color to a deep brown or dark tan color depending on the type of roach.

The easiest way to spot the start of an infestation is to check common nesting grounds for them. All varieties of roach need a steady source of food and water like couches, under sinks, near pipes or toilets, or in compost piles outside. You can keep compost piles away from your home to help keep an infestation from moving in. We also recommend regular cleaning of these common areas to help catch the problem before it gets out of hand. Even though these steps can help, we still recommend regular preventative treatment to help keep these pests from moving in.

What is the life cycle of a spider?

Spiders are another common pest we've all dealt with; however these aren't as bothersome as most pests. The ones we'll talk about today are those that can cause harm to you, your family, or your pets which are the black widow and brown recluse. Both species like dark areas that go undisturbed like under sinks, crawlspaces, and attics. Outside you'll commonly find them in firewood piles, tool sheds, or crevices outside.

Each black widow egg sac contains anywhere from 200 to 250 eggs which take as little as 2 weeks to hatch. Black widow egg sacs are a tan color and can be smooth or have what looks like little spikes. While brown recluses leave behind several egg sacs that can each produce up to 50 spiderlings. Brown Recluse egg sacs are off-white or tan color and have a loosely woven exterior and tend to be in clusters of 3 or more. Thankfully they take up to 5 weeks to hatch giving you plenty of time to find and remove them. The easiest way along with regular preventative treatment is to keep your bushes and weeds trimmed to reduce their hiding places. Keep a regular cleaning schedule even in those less used places like crawl spaces and attics.

Fortunately, the signs of a spider problem are easy to spot. If you see webs commonly throughout your living space or outside you need treatment to remove these pests. Both species tend to have a lengthy lifespan of 1 to 3 years giving them plenty of time to create offspring.

What is the life cycle of a termite?

Termites are one pest no homeowner wants to deal with. They cause a large amount of damage to your home structure, flooring, and wallpaper all while remaining nearly invisible. With how difficult these pests are to spot it's best everyone knows the early signs of a termite infestation and what they look like.

Termite eggs are translucent and reasonably easy to see with your eyes although you aren’t likely to see them. The larva is tan, or tan and brown depending on its caste and resembles a fly larva but has a visible head and antennae. You can also see flying termites known as the reproductives which are one of the first warning signs of an infestation.

If you see reproductives buzzing around your home, discarded wings, or if your wood is blistering it's time to schedule an inspection. Unlike the other pests we have talked about, these have the lengthiest lifecycle on the list with a range of 2 years to 12 years in optimal conditions. There are a couple of ways to help deter termites from invading your home although it's still best to have preventative treatments. If you have the space to plant mint and vetiver grass you can help deter these and other pests from choosing your home as a nest.

What is a fire ants life cycle?

Thankfully, the fire ant life cycle is not much different than any other ant species. They start out as an egg, hatch into larvae, grow into pupae, then become an adult ant which takes up to 25 days. You're not very likely to see them outside of their adult stage though.

These pests like warm moist areas and often nest near a water source which can mean not only in your yard but in your home. With fire ants, there are only two helpful measures you can take to prevent them from choosing your home. You can spray a mix of white vinegar around entry points, and you can keep eating areas clean to prevent them from foraging in your home. Aside from these two options, it is best to have a regular preventative treatment done to avoid getting fire ants.

The warning signs for fire ants aren't too easy to spot when they're invading your home and yard. If you see some in your home or roaming around your yard it's likely you've seen the start of a problem. Another tell-tale sign you've got an issue is fire ant mounds in or near your yard. If you see any of these it's recommended you schedule an appointment to get an evaluation and proper treatment scheduled.

We hope these tips and warning signs for our common pests in Austin, TX will help you spot and prevent pests from infesting your home. If you notice a pest problem, call Root Home Services, your local pest control professionals.

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Our thorough pest and lawn care solutions provide with elimination from, ants, fungi, roaches, spiders along with pesky weeds and more! Give us a call and find out how we can help get your home back on track. We serve all of Travis and Williamson Counties as well as Hays and Bastrop Counties.

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