Why Henderson is unique
We live in a dry desert. If you moved here from almost anywhere else, you likely came from a wetter, greener, and more humid place. Despite the lack of moisture, Henderson and Las Vegas continue to attract droves of people moving from out of state. Perhaps it’s the lack of a state tax, or better cost of living (if you are coming from California), or the desire to live somewhere that doesn’t have six months of snow shoveling each year! No matter the reason, after someone makes Henderson their home base, they quickly learn through sometimes frightening experiences that insects can thrive in the desert despite the lack of water.
I counted the number of team members working here at Anver Pest Control that are true natives born in Henderson and I was pleasantly surprised that we have five born in the Silver State! Most of the other team members moved here young and are now as close as you can get to a pure native. Having grown up here I can remember as a kid what it’s like not having pest control in a home. I recall lying in bed as a kid trying to fall asleep and suddenly feeling something scamper across my arm only to turn on the light and see a cockroach was happily living in my room that happened to feel comfortable enough to take a leisure walk on my arm! Yes, absolutely gross, but as a kid I didn’t realize this wasn’t normal until years later. I tell this story to others, and they look at me in horror, but at the same time they have an instant understanding and appreciation as to why I got into the pest control business.
What bugs live here
Over the years I have gone to several national pest control conferences and heard stories of pests that plague other parts of the country. It seems like each climate has unique bugs, insects, rodents, and small animals that are problematic to that area. Some climates regularly battle termites, mosquitoes, and ticks. Fortunately, although still present, these pests are less of a problem for Henderson residents.
The most common pests a Henderson resident is likely to come across are the following:
- Ants
- Scorpions
- Black Widow spiders
- Wolf spiders
- Cockroaches (American & Oriental)
- German cockroach
- Earwigs
- Rats/mice
- Silverfish
- Crickets
- Bed bugs
While some of these are venomous and can cause quite a bit of discomfort for even a fully grown healthy adult, most of these pests are just a nuisance that can often carry harmful filth residue and bacteria. Most of the common pests can be controlled by a standard pest control program that uses residual products that protect a home for up to two months at a time. Crickets, Black Widows, and most cockroaches are in this category. Unfortunately for many companies and residents, this is where many “pros” strategies come to an end.
I would say the most notorious pest in Henderson and Las Vegas is the dreaded scorpion. Few things can cause as much panic and fright as sitting on your couch while noticing a scorpion walking along with its tail up and stinger exposed on the pillow next to your arm. Yes, I know by experience how it feels to be stung—the sting felt like an excruciating bolt of lightning hit my finger. Then within minutes I felt the venom working its way up my hand and arm. After a few hours my symptoms ranged from sharp pins and needles on both my feet, a feeling of my arm being on fire, blurred vision, and everything I drank including water felt carbonated. The symptoms were most severe the first day and slowly began to taper off over a week. There was an option to go to the hospital and request an anti-venom, but after a few calls with most hospitals saying they didn’t carry it and the one hospital across town having it on sale for over $5,000, I decided to wait it out. Fortunately, I’m still here today, but I definitely recommend anyone else get proper medical attention if this happens to you.
Pest control, including scorpion control, is a must living in Henderson and Las Vegas. My symptoms after being stung were challenging as an adult male; however, the risks exponentially increase for children and the elderly.
Fortunately, scorpions are lone rangers and do not travel in packs. If you see one, it doesn’t necessarily mean there is another close by. Over the years we have developed a Scorpion Defense System that effectively targets scorpions where they live using a combination of sprays and granules so they can be controlled at the source, before they make their way inside and cause a scare or, even worse, a sting.
What strategies work well? What doesn’t?
The optimal pest control strategy we recommend will depend on your home’s needs. If the home has been vacant for a while or the home hasn’t had any pest control work done for some time, then a more thorough initial service or “cleanout” will be needed. This service brings the property back up to an ideal pest free standard. This includes a full inside service upstairs, downstairs, and the garage. Outside service includes treating the foundation of the home, driveways, patios, landscape barriers, retaining walls, grass lines, exterior boundaries, and de-webbing eves. This service will remove the common Henderson pests. However, this alone will not do much good to control against scorpions. Since scorpions have a robust exoskeleton, are larger, and often walk without their bodies touching the ground, they can carry on as normal after a general pest control treatment.
To control scorpions, a more targeted treatment is needed. We specialize in this with our unique Scorpion Defense System. In addition to general pest control, higher-end specialized products focused on scorpion control coupled with scorpion specific granulation can be the difference between allowing a scorpion population to continue thriving on your property and getting rid of them altogether.
Do seasons matter for bugs in Henderson?
The short answer is yes. Some insects are more prominent in certain seasons. For example, cockroaches are year-round, but they make a larger appearance in the summertime. Ants are year-round as well, but at the end of summer ant queens breed and burrow into the ground to establish a new colony. Rodents are year-round but become more noticeable in the winter. Bed bugs are year-round since they live indoors but are most active in the summer when its warmer. Scorpions are most active in the spring and summertime, but they are also found all year long.
What you need to know if you do it yourself.
Doing pest control on your own is a route some people take. If they do it right, it can be a way to save some money. The challenge often comes from using the wrong products in the wrong places and being inconsistent in their application frequency. Most over the counter products sold at retail stores offer a quick knock-down punch if you spray the bug directly, but offer little residual protection, regardless of what the advertised promise on the bottle says.
The primary difference between our professionals and over the counter is an experienced technician knows what products work best for the pests invading your home and yard. Different products are often needed to handle different pests, making a comprehensive pest program the difference between a pest free home and a pest friendly home.
If you are considering getting help with your pest control needs, we’d be happy to provide you an instant quote for either general pest control or our Scorpion Defense System.
But despite these stinging and unpleasant invaders (that can be controlled) Henderson is a great place to live!
Best,
Nick