Pest questions from Long Beach

Store-bought sprays kill the ants you see but scatter the rest, and Argentine ants come from huge connected colonies outdoors. Baits that workers carry back, and treatment where the trail enters the house, usually work far better. Keeping counters dry and sealed food out of reach helps too.

In a climate without a hard winter, pests stay active all year, so a regular schedule tends to stop problems before they build. A one-off visit can work for a single issue. We will tell you honestly which one fits your home.

They are small and light brown with two dark stripes behind the head, and they hide near kitchens and bathrooms. Seeing them in daylight usually means a larger population. In apartments, treating neighboring units at the same time gives the best result.

Not always. Drywood termites spread through a house may need fumigation, but a small, reachable infestation can sometimes be treated locally. Subterranean termites are treated through the soil instead. An inspection shows which type you have and how far it has spread.

When a home is sold in California, the buyer or lender usually wants a wood-destroying pests and organisms inspection. The report lists active infestations and damage, often split into Section 1 and Section 2 items. We inspect and write up what we find.

Pest and termite companies are licensed by the Structural Pest Control Board, and you can look up a company on the Board's website. Ask which work they are licensed to do, and get the treatment plan in writing. Do this with any company, including us.

Often, yes. Roof rats are common around Long Beach and climb into attics along fences, trees, ivy and power lines. Raccoons and opossums are louder and heavier. We trap, clean up what they left behind, and seal the gaps they used.

Pets bring some in, but opossums, raccoons and feral cats living under decks or in crawl spaces are a frequent source. Treating the house alone often fails if the wildlife stays. We treat indoors and out, and deal with the animals that brought them.

That is often the invasive Aedes mosquito, a small black and white species that bites in daylight and breeds in very small amounts of water. Emptying saucers, buckets and plant trays each week makes a big difference.