Pest control in Las Vegas solved by regular service, cleaning

Southern Nevada is known for its beautiful desert sunsets, bountiful buffets and Elvis impersonators. It’s also home to some serious pests such as scorpions, spiders, ants, silverfish, bees and wasps. They thrive here thanks to hot summers, mild winters, seasonal rains and human settlements.

According to Matthew Detisch, field manager at American Pest Control, animals only become pests when they become a nuisance to people. And so far this summer, a lot of people are annoyed.

“We’ve been quite busy this summer,” he said. “Many homeowners saved up a lot of money last year during the pandemic and are now looking to take care of pest issues.

“Scorpions are a constant recurrence along with black widows and cockroaches. These pests are quiet during the extreme heat of the day, just like you and me, but at night they come out.”

Scorpions return every summer, and the best way to keep them from becoming a nuisance is to service the home regularly throughout the year. Detisch creates a barrier around the base of the home with pesticides that repel scorpions so they go somewhere else. Others die after walking over an area that has been sprayed because the solution enters their bodies via the membranes of their feet.

American Pest Control has been fighting pests throughout Southern Nevada since 1970 and reminds clients that pests need three things: water, food and a place to live. Eliminate any of those and there is less of a problem.

Detisch says there is no such thing as a nontoxic pesticide. The federal government carefully regulates the pest control industry, and most products are approved by the Environmental Protection Agency.

The products are nontoxic to pets and children when used correctly. A green movement within the industry has pesticides being made with herbs and plants that are natural enemies to pests.

“No matter how it is labeled, meaning green or eco-friendly, the product must still do one of two things: kill the pest or stop its ability to reproduce,” Detisch said. “The important thing to understand is that the efficacy of the product is based upon how it is being used. So if you buy a can of bug spray, you have to follow the label instructions very carefully when getting ready to use it.

“And the same goes for us. American Pest Control is extremely careful when spraying for insects at someone’s home and we always follow the label.”

Now that the monsoon season has arrived, expect to see more pests in and around the house, especially ants.

“Monsoon rains drown the outside nests of ants and other insects, and this forces them to begin looking for a new dry place,” Detisch said. “And many times that means your house. The best way to avoid this from happening is to keep your home clean and patch any exterior holes or openings around the house.”

Detisch smiles when he says there would never be any ants, rats or cockroaches in the valley if it wasn’t for the tremendous growth here.

“We build and build and add air conditioning and refrigeration, and all of that brings pests into the community,” he said. “We’re building a paradise in the desert and inviting them in. I can tell you that if we eliminated all the decorative water features around the city, the pigeon population would decrease by 70 percent.”

Many chronic pest problems occur in older homes that were built with natural grass lawns. These lawns are a natural environment for pests. Today, most new homes have desert landscaping.

“Anything that is being built here means building supplies are coming in from out of state,” Detisch said. “All housing material, along with trees and shrubbery, are shipped in from somewhere else, and pests, including rats, arrive with those items.

“Roof rats are not native to the Southwest, but we have a big roof rat problem here. A few types of scorpions, one of which is the notorious bark scorpion, live inside the bark of trees that are imported from Arizona and elsewhere.”

The best advice that Detisch gives his clients is to keep a clean house and an uncluttered yard. A clean yard means keeping trees and shrubs trimmed and away from the house. All garbage cans should have tight lids. If there are fruit trees in the yard, pick up and discard fallen fruit.

“Always remember that a clean house is not inviting to pests,” he said. “Clean your kitchen at night by putting away dishes and don’t leave food on the table.”