PHOENIX — The Valley is seeing critters of the smaller variety invading homes after storms, including termites and scorpions.
You can go to a hardware store and buy a spray to kill pests on the spot, but you need a heavy-duty insecticide to put in the ground to kill the colony and prevent long-term damage.
"So, we were pulling the baseboards off and when we pulled that one off, that's when we found all the residue," says homeowner, Alisha Allen.
Alisha found termites while remodeling her home. It's a big problem for homeowners after the Valley has seen several days of heavy rain.
"I was actually tempted to, you know, break open the wall a little bit but my husband was like, 'no, we'll be fine,'" says Alisha.
Many people have been calling Urban Desert Pest Control over the past week after seeing pesky critters. A few on the outside may not be a big deal but if they are on the inside, you should call an exterminator.
"When it rains for a couple of days and then it gets hot and muggy, that's termites cue to swarm and start new colonies," says Brad Olsen, owner of Urban Desert Pest Control.
If not, you will begin to see mud tubes that can't just be knocked down. They will keep growing unless treated and can even hang from your ceiling. That could also indicate damage to walls or wood floors.
"The truth is, a termite takes time to do damage. It's not overnight; it's not in a week. Termites are really, really small and they work slowly," says Olsen.
The heavy rains also bring other pests, like scorpions, that can even be a danger to you or your pets.
"If you don't kill the colony with ants, bees, and termites, it's a band-aid at best. They are going to keep going and keep going," says Olsen.
Smaller equipment is used to put insecticide on the inside of your home. If you have termites and it is left untreated, you could see significant damage in six months to a year.
