Arkansas is a beautiful state filled to the brim with Southern charm. It has balmy weather, great food, and a lot of amazing places to camp. However, it’s also in that part of the United States that is famous for having large, scary-looking bugs.
If you own a home in Arkansas, you are going to have to brace yourself for pests of a wide range of types. Even the most common house insects will be enough to ruin a good day. These are the ones Arkansan homes have to worry about the most.
To help newcomers to this state, let’s take a look at how you can prevent these little critters from making a home in your home.
What are the most common house bugs in Arkansas?
Arkansas is a hotspot for bugs of all types. These are the worst offenders.
1. Cockroaches
If there is one bug that is found in almost every town, it’s the cockroach. Arkansas has three common species of cockroach, though almost any other roach you could imagine can also make its home here.
The most common cockroaches in Arkansas are the American cockroach, the German cockroach, the Oriental cockroach, and the Smoky Brown Cockroach. All of them carry diseases, can contaminate food, and are crazily good hiders.
The best thing that you can do to prevent cockroaches is to cover pipes with pot lids at night, take out your garbage daily, and avoid leaving food around. Roaches will go to any home where they can eat something.
PRO TIP – Roaches are excellent at hiding. If you already see a roach, you have a big roach infestation and need to call pest control.
2. Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes in Arkansas are bad. Like, really bad. Along with being literally everywhere, these aggravating bugs tend to carry bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can get both you and your pets sick.
Heartworm, a potentially lethal parasite, is found in mosquitoes. Malaria, zika, and other diseases are transmitted by a single bite. It’s not just an itchy rash anymore!
The best way to prevent mosquitoes is to burn citronella candles, plant flowers they hate, and also give your pets heartworm prevention medication. (Hey, you can never be too careful with Fluffy and Fido!)
3. Ticks
There’s a reason why there’s a country song that involves “checking her for ticks.” States like Arkansas are tick central. Ticks often hang out in bushes, where pets like dogs and cats pick them up. But, they can also hop onto people.
A tick that comes into your house is rare, but there are cases where tick infestations can actually spread inside a home. This is a huge problem, as ticks carry Lyme Disease.
Putting tick prevention on pets and checking yourself for ticks is wise. So is wearing socks and long pants when you go out for a country hike.
4. Bed Bugs
It’s true. Bed bugs are everywhere and Arkansas is no exception. These small, round, bugs are a menace that can cause serious rashes. They are also notoriously famous for causing harm to bedding, fabric, mattresses, and even carpets with the brown smears they leave.
The worst part about bed bugs isn’t the bites. It’s the terrible work you have to do to get rid of them. These pests are hitchhikers who are excellent at hiding in rugs, beds, couches, and even cracks in walls.
Dusting your home’s crevices with diatomaceous earth can prevent them from coming in. Sadly, the only way to prevent them is to check luggage when you leave a hotel and to avoid going to already-infested places.
5. Termites
Termites are an insect you will see throughout the South, and they sure love destroying homes. These bugs survive by eating the wood that they find. If they find a wooden home, they will start to tunnel their way throughout your house as they eat.
This can cause extreme structural damage to homes. At times, it can even cause a deck or stair to collapse.
Your best bet for prevention is to keep your area dry, seal all wood that you have on a regular basis, and store firewood far away from your home. If you notice moist or moldy wood piles, remove them immediately.
6. Asian Lady Beetles
Lady beetles are another name for the ladybug, with the Asian lady beetle being a larger, slightly more orange type of this dome-shaped bug genre. These bugs are not nuisance pests, as they don’t tend to cause harm to your house.
However, they love to chew up plants and at times, can be annoying since they can crowd your home. Just putting beetle deterrents around your house is enough to keep them away.
7. Spiders
Like all other parts of the United States, the state of Arkansas is filled to the brim with spiders. Not all spiders here are safe. While house spiders are the most common, the state is also home to several venomous spiders.
The worst venomous spiders, of course, are the black widow and the brown recluse spider. If you notice brightly-colored spiders, it’s also safe to assume that they may be poisonous.
The best way to keep these pests out of your house is to plant plants that spiders hate and to avoid having other creepy crawlies out and about.
8. Fire Ants
Ants are bound to end up almost anywhere you go in America, but some ants are less awful than others. One of the biggest problems you’ll find on ranches in Arkansas is fire ants. These are brownish-red ants that are notoriously aggressive.
These ants can and will bite and sting if you get near their burrows. In most cases, they don’t go near homes. They don’t want to nest there, it’s not their type of place. However, they will go in if they smell food left on the counter. Keep your food properly stored!
9. Wasps
Wasps look a lot like bees or yellowjackets, but they aren’t the sweet honey-making bees that you know and love. Nope, they just make giant papery nests in houses and sting people because they can. They are the jerks of the animal world.
If you notice wasps buzzing in your house, it’s because they have at least one nest inside or near your home. They like to wander through cracks, crevices, and holes in your home.
The best way to prevent them is to seal up holes that can be an entryway. Outdoors, you may want to call a pest control group to remove any wasp nests you find close to home.
10. Bees
Though bees are rarely ever a real pest, they can turn your home into a nightmare if you’re unlucky. We’ve all heard of horror stories where bees crawled into a home’s walls and made a hive. It’s rarer than a wasp infestation, but it absolutely can happen.
If you notice an inordinate number of bees in your house or see a yellow liquid oozing from your walls, that might be a bee colony. The same can be said if you notice a loud buzzing sound. Bee colonies in homes are fairly rare.
The issue here is that you may only realize you have a problem if you already have structural damage. Removing the colony is both a job for pest control and home repair aids. Prevention is simple: seal up your home so bees can’t crawl in!
11. Centipedes
In both the South and the Midwest, you’re going to deal with a lot of creepy crawlies. One of the most unsettling is the common house centipede. These small centipedes can bite, but most of the time, they don’t want to be near people.
Like spiders, centipedes feast on a lot of the other bugs that we find to be pesky. Fleas, ticks, ants, and gnats are all prey to them. If you have centipedes in your home, then that means you have other pests in your home.
The best line of defense is to get rid of the other pests. Having roach traps, fly traps, and even just removing food from your area can usually dissuade them from staying around. If that doesn’t work, focus on drying out your area.
Centipedes love moist and damp areas. That’s why they are often found in cellars, bathrooms, and kitchens. A little dehumidifier action is all you need to make them go away. Of course, you might not want to do that. They are very good at getting rid of other pests.
In conclusion…
Arkansas is a great state to live in—just ask the bugs! It’s true, it’s a bug’s paradise. However, a little prevention is all you need to make sure those pests don’t rain on your picnic. Keeping food locked up, keeping your home dry, and also keeping an eye out for wasp nests can do a lot.
When in doubt, just call up an extermination company to have a quick look around your home. They’ll be able to seal up your house and give you pointers on the best ways to prevent bugs in your area.