Pest control in Las Vegas that knows block walls, palms and desert heat

What pests are most common in Las Vegas, NV?

The pests people call about most in the valley are Arizona bark scorpions, roof rats and house mice, German and Turkestan cockroaches, western subterranean termites, ants, black widow spiders and Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Most follow the heat, the irrigation and the monsoon, so what you see changes from month to month.

Many of these pests give early warning signs. Catching them early usually means a smaller job, and the right service depends on what you actually saw.

• Small tan scorpion near a door, in a garage or under a pot: scorpion control
• Scratching in the attic or fruit gnawed on a palm or tree: roof rat control
• Roaches in a kitchen or apartment: cockroach control
• Winged swarmers on a calm sunny day, or tubes on a slab edge: termite inspection
• Ankle bites in daylight: mosquito control
• Trails along a drip line or pool deck: ant control

Why are there bark scorpions in a desert city?

Arizona bark scorpions are not native to Las Vegas. They first appeared in Southern Nevada around 1990, arriving with plants imported from Arizona and spreading through palm trees and new track-home construction. Around the valley they are more likely to be in block walls and houses than out in open desert.

That matters for where you look. Bark scorpions can live in large numbers inside hollow block walls, reached through narrow cracks, which is why so many of them end up in yards that back onto a perimeter wall. Decorative gravel and stacked pavers often give them more cover, though how much depends on the yard.

Sightings climb from spring through early fall and fade as nights chill, with summer the peak. A violet blacklight shows them clearly after dark because scorpions fluoresce. Sealing and screening, covered under scorpion exclusion and home sealing, is usually what keeps them out for the long run.

Why do roof rats climb palms and block walls here?

Roof rats came to the valley with imported palm trees and fruit shipments and have been documented here since 1990. They do well on palms and cypress, on year-round water from pools and irrigation, and on fruit and pet food. Palm trunks and block-wall tops make an easy route to a tile roof.

The Southern Nevada Health District once trapped nearly 200 roof rats at over 300 homes in 35 ZIP codes, and its plague and hantavirus tests were negative. Rats are still a nuisance and a sanitation problem, and they chew wiring and insulation.

Trapping handles the rats you have. Rodent exclusion closes the vent, pipe and roofline gaps they use, and trimming palm fronds back from the roof removes the bridge.

What does the monsoon change for pests?

The Southwest monsoon typically runs from early July to mid-September and brings heavy rain, flash flooding and gusty winds, more often over the surrounding mountains than the valley floor. Water pooling in yards helps mosquitoes, and storms can push roaches and other pests toward dry buildings.

One early-September day has put 0.88 inch of rain on the National Weather Service office, nearly three times that month's average. In a valley that averages about 4 inches a year, that is a big change for insects and rodents. After a storm, check saucers, tarps, buckets and clogged drains, and call about mosquito control if bites continue.

Do slab homes and gravel yards change how pests get in?

Yes. Many valley homes are built on a concrete slab, so termites and ants often reach the house through cracks, plumbing penetrations and the slab edge rather than through a crawl space. Gravel yards, drip lines and block walls decide where the foundation is shaded, damp and sheltered.

Western subterranean termites are the valley's main termite, and colonies stay active year round. A slab foundation hides their work, which is why a documented termite inspection is a common request before a sale, and why builders and owners ask about pre-construction termite treatment.

Yard work matters too. Our yard and desert landscape service looks at drip emitters, rock beds and pool decks, where ants, crickets and other pests find water.