termites crawling around in destroyed wood damage they created

Redefined Pest Solutions Pest Library

Our pest library will highlight the most common pests in and around Columbia, TN.

What You Need To Know About Pests In Columbia, TN And The Surrounding Areas

Insects, spiders, rodents, and other pests belong anywhere but our Columbia, TN yards and homes. Pests are annoying, destructive, and can pose serious health risks. It is essential to ensure that unwanted pests aren't taking over your indoor and outdoor spaces. Use the pest guide below to learn helpful information about the pests that regularly invade our properties!

Ants

Tennessee is home to many types of ants. Ants are social insects that live and work together in large groups. Though ants can take over our properties in large numbers and contaminate food sources, most aren't a significant threat to our property or health. However, Columbia, TN and the surrounding area, is home to the carpenter ant and the fire ant, two species of dangerous ants. The carpenter ant causes structural damage by nesting inside pieces of wood. The fire ant poses health risks. Fire ants are aggressive ants that deliver painful, venom-filled stings; their presence can make it impossible for you to enjoy your outdoor space.

One of the biggest reasons that any ant species becomes a problem on our properties is because they have discovered reliable food sources. Like people, ants are omnivores, and our trash, outdoor eating areas, pet food, and gardens will attract these pests. Once ants learn that food is available, persuading them to leave is difficult. The best way to remove ants from your property is with the help of a pest control expert.

Ant Prevention Tips: Seal any cracks, crevices, or gaps you discover in your home's exterior to block entry points. It is also essential to take away their access to food and water. Keep lids on trash cans, pick up uneaten pet food, practice proper food storage, and regularly vacuum, mop, and wipe down surfaces. Repair leaky pipes and fixtures, and remove water-damaged or decaying wood in or around your home. For effective ant control solutions, call today!

Cockroaches

If you find cockroaches in your house scurrying across counters and walls or darting behind a crack in the wall, it is more likely than not German cockroaches. German cockroaches are small roaches that have adapted to living indoors with people. Our homes, restaurants, grocery stores, schools, and anywhere else food is stored or prepared can be home to German cockroaches.

German cockroaches and most other species are attracted to warmth and moisture. Their primary mode of transportation into homes and businesses is hitchhiking. They will crawl into boxes, onto furniture, into electronics, and other items and move wherever we take them. Once they enter our homes, they move to dark, quiet areas and emerge to forage for food at night. Their presence poses a health risk because these insects spread pathogens, bacteria, parasites, and allergens.

Cockroach Prevention Tips: Controlling food and moisture sources is key to preventing problems with cockroaches. Repair leaky pipes, ensure your home is well-ventilated, and use dehumidifiers to reduce humidity levels. Regularly remove trash from your home, vacuum, and store your food in the fridge or airtight containers. Never leave out uneaten pet food, and keep indoor and outdoor dining areas free of food debris.

General Pests

Your home should be a sanctuary where you and your family feel comfortable and safe. Common household pests that find their way into your home cause many problems and add stress to your life. Some of the most significant issues that pest invasions cause are listed below:

The spread of disease-causing pathogens
Food contamination
Staining or otherwise damage to fabrics, walls, and other surfaces
Painful bites
Foul-smelling odors

Implementing a year-round home pest control service is the best defense against any pest!

Pests like beetles, centipedes, fleas, Japanese beetles, millipedes, rodents, silverfish, stink bugs, and ticks should never be comfortable in our Columbia area homes. The biggest reason pests find their way to our properties is that they provide them with their basic needs. Safe shelter, multiple food sources, and reliable water sources attract common household pests and keep them from moving on.

General Pest Prevention Tips: Keeping pests out of your home is best done by removing access points. Seal cracks in the foundation and place screens over vents and caps on chimneys. Make sure screens, door sweeps, and weatherstripping is intact. It is also important to remove moisture sources and their access to food by keeping lids on trash cans, storing food in airtight containers or the fridge, picking up leftover food in outdoor and indoor eating areas, and vacuuming and dusting your home regularly.

Spiders

Close up of a brown recluse inside of a home on the kitchen counter

Spiders are pests that most people aren't comfortable finding inside their homes. Though most are harmless, they are unpleasant to find hiding in the dark corners of your house or see scurrying across its surfaces. It is also essential to understand that spiders are predators and live where their insect prey lives. Therefore if you see large numbers of spiders in or around your home, there is likely a widespread pest problem that you need to address.

While the spider's creepy appearance tends to give them a bad rap, the truth is they are quite helpful. Spiders feed on and help to control the number of nuisance and dangerous insects. Most spiders in Tennessee are harmless spiders, such as the wolf spider. They have venom only potent enough to harm their prey, not people. Unfortunately, Tennessee is home to dangerous spiders like the black widow and brown recluse. If bitten by one of these spiders, they do have venom potent enough to cause health problems in people. For help identifying and controlling spiders on your property, don't hesitate to contact us today!

Spider Prevention Tips: As you spot spider webs remove them; this annoys spiders. Maintain your yard and keep the grass cut short and vegetation cut back from your house. Eliminate common entry points by replacing damaged screens, ensuring weatherstripping and door sweeps are intact, and caulking cracks in your home's exterior. Remove areas of standing water from your property that provide a water source for spiders and attract insect prey to your property.

Stinging Insects

There are some pests that, while a nuisance, aren't dangerous; however, some, like stinging insects, are harmful and should never feel at home where we live. Types of stinging insects in our region include:

Wasps
Hornets
Mud daubers
Carpenter bees

Stinging insects can become a problem in our yards as our trees, gardens, flowerbeds, trashcans, decks, porches, and homes provide them with food sources and sheltered nesting spots.

While beneficial in nature, their dangers outweigh their benefits when living near us. Predatory stinging insects use their stinger and their venom to paralyze their insect prey. All stinging insects will use their stingers to defend themselves and nest from harm. Stinging insects in your yard increases the chances of you or a family member being on the receiving end of a painful, venom-filled sting and reduces your ability to enjoy your yard.

Stinging Insect Prevention Tips: Keeping stinging insects at bay is difficult. They can use our properties as a place to nest or forage for food. The best prevention tip is to implement a year-round home pest control plan. Regular pest control services will help keep your outdoor and indoor spaces free of unwanted, stinging insects. To learn about stinging insect control in Columbia, TN and the surrounding areas, call today!

Termites

Living in Tennessee means you must be proactive and guard your home against various pests that call our region home. Termites are a year-round threat in the Columbia area and pose significant dangers, not to people but to our structures and bank accounts. Termites are social insects that live in large colonies and feed on the cellulose found in wood and other organic matter. Things like wood, paper, books, insulation, and sheetrock are found in our Tennessee homes and can supply termites with a reliable food source.

If you discover evidence of termites in your home, getting rid of them is best done with the help of a professional. Termites are small insects and can make their way into our homes through minor defects in the foundation or wood making contact with the ground. Once inside, termites infest and feed on the interior of pieces of structural wood located behind walls, under floors, or above ceilings. Eliminating termites as quickly as possible is vital to limit the costly damage they can accrue. Most homeowners' insurance does not cover termite damage because their damage doesn't occur overnight and is preventable!

Termite Prevention Tips: One of the most effective ways to avoid attracting termites is to reduce excess moisture and wood debris in and around your home. Repair leaky pipes, ensure your home has good ventilation, and repair defects in homes that will allow rainwater inside. Remove things like fallen trees, woodpiles, and decaying wooden structures from your property. For professional termite control, reach out now!

How To Get Rid Of Pests In Columbia, TN And The Surrounding Areas

If you are tired of sharing your property with pests, contact us at Redefined Pest Solutions. We are here to offer the best pest control in Columbia, TN and the surrounding areas; you can trust our professionals and our effective pest control solutions to eliminate pests and prevent them from returning. We are ready to go above and beyond for you and your family; call today to learn about our residential and commercial pest control services!