Mosquito Joe says there are steps you can take to beat the bugs before they beat you.
SAN ANTONIO — After such a prolonged period of dry weather, we’ve had quite a bit over rain over the past several weeks. And, the welcomed rain relief also comes with more unwelcomed guests, often in our homes. When heavy rain hits South Texas insects and critters emerge, like mosquitoes, termites, roaches, scorpions and snakes. It happens because they’re trying to escape the water, and find drier, more elevated areas.
“Lou Lou is outside. Lou is outside. He brought the snake from outside? Yeah,” said Tidy Thorp along with her mother Blakely.
Mom says while they were cooking dinner their cat Lou Lou brought in what they believe was a coral snake.
“I can’t remember if it was him or I that turned around, but the cat was just in the middle of the kitchen, just pawing and batting at a very slithery very. It was just going left and right and I was having trouble. And all I did was scream snake!” Thorp told us.
“They come out due to the rain because their home is outside. And when rain floods the area, they kind of look for drier areas. So they’re looking for drier climate to inhabit, which is going to be homes, gutters, patios, things of that sort,” said Alvin Solis who is the General Manager of Mosquito Joe of San Antonio.
He says if you can’t control the creeping critters to call a professional, but homeowners need to be proactive.
“Be sure to plug all areas in the foundation, preventing any kind of cracks and crevices to be inhabited, as well as dusting the the areas around the windows, around the seams,” Solis added.
He says preparation is key.
“Preventative maintenance is getting the bugs before the rain and right after, even though you may not see them right after, it’s best to get it before they become an issue,” said Solis.
How concerned is the Thorp family about snakes in their home moving forward?
“I think we were a little behind on mowing the lawn with all the rain. So I think now that we’ve mowed it, we probably don’t have to worry about them too much,” Thorp said.
With more rain ahead, lawn mowers will be quite busy heading into the weekend.