It’s local bug season: How to deal
It’s that time of the year again: pesky, annoying insects have found their way into your home and you just can’t figure out how.
For starters, an insect’s recent stay may not be entirely your fault. As local weather continues to warm, all types of bugs are crawling out of cracks and crevices.
Soon the insects will be looking for a reprieve from the heat and your home is the perfect chill spot.
Besides the common ants, fleas, roaches and general spider visitors, the Sacramento area is known to harbor some tough critters carrying illnesses and even venom, ramping up the number of calls pest control experts receive.
“Everyone’s level of tolerance is different,” said Jayson Gaultney, vice president of Direct Hit Pest Control in Rio Linda. “Some people see one bug and they’re calling pest control, it’s very individual.”
The Bee cited Direct Hit Pest Control’s guide to “Common Summertime Bugs near Sacramento,” and crossed referenced the list with Gaultney and other online resources to get a better idea of the type of bugs to expect, their habits and where they’ll most likely be found.
Here’s what we learned:
Box elder bugs
From the same family as stink bugs, box elder bugs have a flattened, elongated half inch ovalshaped body with six legs and two antennae, according to Direct Hit Pest Control. These insects usually enter the home in large numbers but typically don’t damage property — just stain surfaces.
“Generally when you start to see them, it’s pretty common to see a lot of them at once,” Gaultney said. “They kind of come in huge numbers because they tend to collect around specific trees and they get in a breeding cycle and next thing you know you have hundreds of them.”
You’ll most likely find them in sunny areas within your home, particularly in small spaces.
Cockroaches
Roaches, including small German roaches traditionally found in food cabinets, are prevalent all year round. But the Turkestan roach has taken over the Sacramento area. These outdoor, sewer roaches are currently breeding, which means you’ll likely see a few of the big crawlers summer, Gaultney said.
“There’s a lot of them outside so they get into the cracks and crevices around your foundation where the cement meets the foundation of the home, but they’re generally coming from the storm drains or the sewers,” he said. You’ll most likely find them in dark, damp places.
Black widows
Spiders flourish during the summer, with a rise specifically in black widows. With venom 15 times stronger than a rattlesnake’s, their bite causes aches, nausea and trouble breathing, according to National Geographic.
“Black widows are more of a concern because they can be dangerous; they’re really the only dangerous spider per se that we have in our area,” Gaultney said. “Black widows do warrant a call to pest control.”
The spiders are extremely common in Sacramento during the summer but they’re hard to spot during the day because they hide in gaps and underneath objects, Gaultney said. Black widows are commonly identified by their strong web.
“Black widows are identified by their red hourglass marking on the underside of their shiny black abdomen,” according to Direct Hit Pest Control’s website.
Where you’ll most likely find them: in “low sheltered places” including firewood, foundation gaps, lawn furniture and outdoor toys.
According to National Geographic, while bites can be fatal (more likely in babies, seniors and those who are sick), it’s not very likely you’ll die.
“In humans, bites produce muscle aches, nausea, and a paralysis of the diaphragm that can make breathing difficult; however, contrary to popular belief, most people who are bitten suffer no serious damage — let alone death.”