Pest Control in Scripps Ranch - San Diego, CA

Black Phoebe

Black Phoebe – Natural Fly and Gnat Control

Scripps Ranch, located in San Diego’s North County Inland, is a “bedroom community,” meaning that there are few businesses, other than service-oriented ones, for the commuters of this area.

Residents of 92131 have the benefit of living in spacious homes with canyon views but close enough to reach one of San Diego County’s four directions without too much of a commute.

Hearts Pest Management provides Scripps Ranch residents with exceptional service. Our technicians are caring to both customers and the environment./

Ant Control in Scripps Ranch

Scripps Ranch gets pretty warm during the summer months; otherwise, like the rest of San Diego County, it is a Mediterranean climate. With the mild temperatures, pests tend to be year-round rather than seasonal.

Ants Farming Aphids

Ants have a behavior called “farming” – they herd aphids to harvest the sweet honeydew aphids emit from their backsides.

Although, some pests are more prevalent during certain months; for example, ants – Ants are a problem throughout the year but come spring and summer, they really become a nuisance when they start making their way indoors in search of food and water.

Odorous House Ants

Odorous House ants are by far the most common indoor invaders, often contaminating food by leaving their waste behind (literally!).

Odorous House Ants (Tapinoma sessile) are also known as "stink ants" because of how they smell when crushed - like rotten coconut! The ants are brown/black in color can be found throughout the United States.

odorous house ants

Odorous House Ants and Larvae

Odorous House ants get into kitchen pantries and anywhere else in the house where there´s an attractive food source. These ants favor sweets but will also raid pet food as well.

Trails of Odorous House ants are easily identifiable and usually lead to an outdoor nest which is typically located in the soil beneath rocks, bricks, logs, boards, and other objects on the ground.

It´s important to the floor free of crumbs, especially in children´s rooms and in the dining area, where Odorous House ants can find fallen treats.

Argentine ant and nest

Argentine Ant and Nest.

Argentine Ants

Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) are an invasive species from South America that has taken over most of California, displacing our own native ants.

We can thank the coffee exporters from the 1800´s for stowing away these tiny ants aboard their cargo ships.
Since their initial invasion, Argentine ants have built one big super colony in California, which is why we have ant issues year-round.

Do-it-yourself ant control doesn´t work very well on Argentine ants because they can move an entire colony within hours.

EcoWise Certified

Our Service Professionals are EcoWise Certified

Argentine ants will pack up and move to either escape when threatened or take advantage of a new food source. Argentine ants have just one node and when crushed, give off a musty odor.

The most effective pest control and permanent solution is to find and treat the ant nest; queen Argentine ants must be eliminated to properly eradicate a colony. Hearts Service Professionals are experts at finding these ant nests and treating appropriately.

Hearts Pest Management utilizes Integrated Pest Management (IPM) solutions when treating for ants.

Besides spraying and/or using special baits, we also search out the source of the ants, find and eliminate the nest, and advise customers on ways to prevent ant infestations inside and outside the perimeter of their home.

We can treat ants with either traditional and organic methods, or even a combination of both.

Scripps Ranch residents with young children and/or animals prefer our organic "Greenthumb" maintenance plan. Visit our main page on Green / Organic Pest Control to find out more about our green program.

Landscape Pest Control in Scripps Ranch

Leaf with aphids and whiteflies

Pest afflicted plants and trees if left untreated, will decline and die either rapidly or slowly.

Aphids are often green in color, depending on the species, with long slender mouthparts that they use for piercing plants.

Aphids suck the fluids out from tender parts of the plant, usually the leaves, and cause them to discolor, turning them a yellow-brown.

The honeydew an aphid emits from its rear is a sticky substance that causes black, sooty-looking fungus to grow on leaves and the stems of plants.

Honeydew attracts ants and in exchange for protection from predators, aphids allow the ants to “farm” them, herding them into areas where they can be protected.

Treating aphids equals less ants!

Gophers

Gopher Damage

Gopher damage to a walkway.

For more information on gophers, visit our Gophers and Squirrels page.

Besides aphids, Hearts will treat other landscape pests such as whiteflies, fungus, caterpillars, grubs, fleas, wasps, gophers, and rodents.

Rodents and gophers require monthly inspections of property and treatment.

Take a look at our line of pest control services in Scripps Ranch:

  • general pest control
  • green and organic pest control - certified!
  • residential, commercial and landscape pest control
  • rat, mice and bird control with complete programs to stop entry and clean up all the mess and contamination
  • bee removal and honeycomb cleanup
  • gopher control
  • cockroach elimination
  • flies and fleas
  • landscape pruning and modifications

Bees and Wasps

Honey Bee

Honeybee filling her pollen basket (yellow ball on her leg).

Hearts Pest Management understands the essential role bees and other pollinators play in nature.

Hearts service professionals do their utmost to respect honeybees while at the same time, ensuring the safety of home and family.
Hearts specializes in bee removal and honeycomb clean-outs. We will eradicate a hive only when necessary – and, only If it is within 150 ft. of the home.

Wasps:

Drawing of a paper wasp and nest

Paper Wasp Nest

Wasps are more aggressive than honeybees. Bees are actually quite docile when pollinating; it’s the ones protecting their hive that you have to be wary of, should you cross their path.

Paper wasps usually have hanging nests shaped like upside down umbrellas, which start small and gradually build into bigger and bigger nests.

If you see a nest forming, and it is still very small, about the size of a fifty cent piece, you can stop construction by hosing it down but you have to make sure to remove the stem as well or the wasps will rebuild in the same area. Hearts, however, will remove the nest for you.

yellow jacket

Yellowjackets are also attracted to the honeydew aphids provide.

In the case of Yellowjackets, it’s a good idea to get professional help to eradicate the nest since yellowjackets build their paper nest underground.
If you see Yellowjackets flying in and out of a hole near your home, most likely there is a nest under there; you definitely don’t want to step on it!

Green lynx spiders

Green Lynx Spiders – Helpful agricultural and landscape pest agents.

Spider Control in Scripps Ranch

There are small little jumping spiders, fast-moving wolf spiders, beautiful orb-weaver spiders, and not-so-itsy-bitsy widow spiders that inhabit San Diego’s Scripps Ranch.

Only two spiders of medical importance are a concern for Scripps Ranch residents – black and brown widow spiders.
Daddy Long-legs can’t even penetrate human skin and usually disappear within a day or two.

Orb-weavers that create beautiful, intricate webs outdoors are actually beneficial for the landscape by eating garden pests.
Widow Spiders - It’s the black and brown widow spiders that are sneaky and hide in dark corners – under patio furniture and on children’s outdoor play equipment, not to mention BBQ’s.

Black widows have a red hourglass on their abdomen while brown widows have an orange one.
Brown widow egg sacs are spiky and cream color which makes them easily identifiable.

Both widows have messy, Halloween-looking webs that you see in corners of windows, garages, closets, etc.

Black and Brown Widow Spiders

Brown and Black Widow spiders are poisonous to humans.

Spiders such as the black and brown widow have to be eliminated on contact and their egg sacs destroyed. If you have a lot of spiders, it’s because you also have a lot of insects – a spider’s food source.

Hearts will eliminate spiders and egg sacs, treat for both spiders and insects and remove any accessible webs around the perimeter of your home.

Roof rat

Tree branches that touch a roof creates a natural bridge for roof rats to crossover and enter the home.

Rats and Mice

Rats can be one of the most troublesome of rodents, especially when they decide to set up home in your attic or crawl space.
You know you have rats when, at three in the morning, you hear a pitter-patter of feet above your bed...

Or, when you open up the pantry in the kitchen and you find little gnawed holes in bags of rice or cereal and/or droppings.

Evidence of Rats:

Once roof rats are inside, they create a mess and destroy insulation by urinating on it; breathing in the contaminated insulation and feces through air vents can transmit disease so it is important to rid the home of rats as soon as possible.

Hearts Pest Management provides free inspections for Scripps Ranch residents. We can help homeowners with rat and mice Control by providing trapping and remediation, baiting, attic clean-outs, and exclusions (finding and blocking off access points).

To schedule a service and/or a free inspection, please call today for a caring Hearts Pest Service Representative at:

800-986-1006 or Locally 858-486-1006

You can also fill out the form below to obtain more information regarding both our traditional and organic pest management services.

Call Now 1-800-986-1006 or complete the form below

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