Pest guides

Fire ant mounds in the yard, or trails of tiny ants in the kitchen. Fire ants are the big one in Texas. Their stings burn, and some people have serious allergic reactions.

Small roaches in the kitchen usually mean German cockroaches, which live and breed indoors. Big roaches that wander in from outside are a different, easier problem.

Winged swarmers by a window, mud tubes on the foundation, or damaged wood. Termites work slowly, so you have time to compare companies. Treatment is a job for a licensed company in almost every case.

Itchy bites, small dark spots on sheets, or bugs in mattress seams. Bed bugs aren't known to spread disease, but they're hard to get rid of. Starting early helps a lot.

Droppings, gnaw marks, or scratching in the attic. Sealing holes matters as much as trapping. Cleaning up droppings the right way lowers your risk of getting sick.

Texas mosquitoes can carry West Nile virus and other diseases. Dumping standing water every week is the most important step.

The striped bark scorpion lives all over Texas and often moves into attics. Stings hurt but usually aren't dangerous. Know the warning signs anyway.

Fleas usually ride in on pets, and in Texas they're linked to flea-borne typhus. Ticks wait in tall grass and brush.