While Arlington residents experience severe weather disruption nearly every year, most don’t know that heavy rains and flooding create ideal environments for unwanted pest invasions to take place. Because when the saturated ground causes water to invade basements, garages, and crawl spaces, it pushes insects and rodents into the higher, drier ground, which is usually inside your house. The triple joint from displaced arthropods and wet devastation is an extra risk that can swiftly weaken to pricey invasions if not kept on top of. These scenarios need urgent measures and usually require a Top-rated pest control company in Arlington to avoid extended complications.
How Flooding Forces Pests Out of Underground Nests
Floodwaters in Arlington do not just rise on human homes; they wipe out the subterranean biosphere that the bulk of the pests that plague us daily call home. Ants, termites, and soil-dwelling beetles wake to find their nests and tunnels under water. Arlington gets an average of 39 inches of rain every year, according to the National Weather Service, and peak flooding usually takes place with spring storms and during hurricane season.
This displaced movement cultivates an instinct for survival that forces pests to move upwards or outwards in search of dry refuge. Now, scientists from Texas A&M University have shown that colonies of the wood ant can detect potential rises in water level even 24 hours before a flood occurs, leading to an exodus en masse from the flooded area. Post-flood pest invasions in regions affected by rain or flooding are all but guaranteed, as the nearest dry shelter is often your home, garage, or shed.
Common Pests In Arlington After Rains & Floods
- Fire Ants– they create floating rafts to endure floods and then disperse into the land, where they can start colonies in places like mulched gardens and around home foundations.
- Termites – After rain events, large numbers will attempt to seek new nesting sites, often in wooden structures and moisture-damaged areas.
- Cockroaches – Crawl out of sewer systems and underground hiding spaces, usually entering homes through any open floor drain and cracks in the wall
- Rats and Mice – The quick evacuating flooded burrows and storm drains will enter homes through small openings and any damaged places
- Spiders – Follow insects in need of shelter, especially wolf and house spiders
- Silverfish – Favor the hot, moist environment after flooding, mainly feeding on paper and clothing goods
Seeking Professional Help
So, when you talk about post-flood pest invasions, timing is everything to tackle those pests properly. After storms, professional pest management companies know what challenges Arlington’s climate and geography present. They can pinpoint the entry points flooding may have created, where pests are likely to start a colony, and make or advise on the prevention steps suited to your particular property vulnerabilities.
Green Pest Services provides post-flood pest control in Arlington. They know what species are most likely to invade after various weather phenomena. They can devise treatment plans that address not just the immediate infestation but also the surrounding environments to avert future infestations. Their technicians have the necessary training to operate safely within flooded areas. They can work alongside homeowners who are in the process of obtaining insurance money or carrying out property repairs.
Wrapping Up!
Arlington sees heavy rains and flooding, which are ideal storm conditions for pest infestations that can live on through the water receding. Understanding that the very pests displaced by flooding want what you do, a dry, safe place to regroup, is the key to keeping your home protected. If you notice these signs of pest activity after a flood and take action quickly, you can stop small pests from becoming large infestations. Keep in mind that the wet environments and debris generally left over due to flooding still lure bugs for weeks, even months, so enlisting professionals in pest management makes sense to ensure that you have peace for longer!
