A great many of the most maligned arthropod pests that inhabit the United States can be found in San Antonio. The city’s far southern location and tremendously high population keep local pest control professionals busy during the summer months. Last spring, local entomologists stated that 2019 would be a pest-heavy year for residents of San Antonio, and now that September has arrived, these early predictions can now be confirmed as accurate. Due to the particularly hot and dry summer season, several arthropod pests gravitated into homes as early as May in order to find respite from the unforgiving climate. Last May, local entomologist Molly Keck claimed that arthropod pest complaints among residents had become noticeably more frequent than previous years. Fleas were among the earliest reported pests that had been infesting homes in the city, but once scorpions started seeking cool shelter within homes during June, it became clear that basically all arthropod pests in the area were going to be making desperate attempts to secure cool indoor conditions. The arthropod pests that residents are most likely to encounter within their homes are numerous. Some of these pests include bark scorpions, Argentine ants, and a variety of cockroach and spider species.
While cockroach pests favor a habitat near the Gulf Coast, several roach species are encountered in San Antonio homes every day, particularly German and brown-banded cockroaches, as these two species dwell primarily within indoor habitats. American and Oriental cockroaches are also commonly encountered in San Antonio homes where they spread dangerous pathogens acquired from their filthy living conditions within dumpsters and even sewers. Scorpions have adapted to thrive in hot and dry desert environments, but it is not uncommon for residents to spot venomous bark scorpions scaling both the exterior and interior walls of homes during particularly hot days. Striped bark scorpions are known for congregating in large numbers on properties in the city, and while this scorpion species is relatively small in size, they are easily the most dangerous of all species found in San Antonio. In addition to scorpions, black widow and brown recluse spiders are two other common arachnid pests that pose a health threat to homeowners and tenants in the city. Black widows are most often found in cluttered areas around homes and within structures that see little human traffic, like garages and sheds. Brown recluse spiders, on the other hand, are not shy about entering homes, but luckily, they do tend to be shy around humans. Nevertheless, bites from these spiders are potentially life threatening and common in all areas of Texas. Due to the public health threat posed by brown recluse spiders, a pest control professional should be contacted even if one or very few specimens are found indoors.
Have you ever found a scorpion within your home?
