Tacoma is the third-largest city in the state of Washington and the second-largest city in the Puget Sound area. The city also serves as the center of business activity for the South Sound region and is home to a lot of historic landmarks, and cultural attractions. Tacoma has over fifty parks and there are wide open spaces for recreation. The parks feature a lot of historic structures.
Living in Tacoma is affordable, and it is one of the best places to live in the Pacific Northwest. But no matter how aesthetically appealing Tacoma is, problems inside and outside the households still exist and one of them are related to pests.
Tacoma, being surrounded on 3 sides by water and having natural greenbelt areas and aging infrastructures, are key contributors to a lot of pest issues.
Pests in the garden or backyards
Earwigs
Earwigs are slender insects with 2 antennae, 6 legs, 3 body parts, and a set of pincers that looks like their tail. They grow between a quarter to an inch. They are usually found outside in the yard or garden where there is enough moisture, but they can also thrive inside homes and buildings. These scavengers don’t bite. They are not poisonous, but their presence can be an annoyance when they invade your property in numbers.
Pests in crops
Stink Bugs
Stink bugs are said to have originated in most Asian countries and reached the U.S. shores in 1998. These insects can damage fruit trees and ornamental plants. In 2022, brown marmorated stink bug infestation was recorded in 30 Washington state counties, including Pierce County. A few tree fruit crops that were infested were red apples, green pears and pink sweet cherries. The fruits were discovered to have small dots on the “skin.”
When threatened, these insects produce foul or stinky odor. Although stink bugs do not directly present threats to human properties, they have a strong tendency to invade homes in big numbers which can be a serious nuisance, especially their odor. These pests that can destroy crops, fruits, vegetables and other plants, become home pests on warmer days when they are drawn to houses for protection.
Pests that tend to swarm
Gnats
Gnats are tiny flying insects that can be both biting and non-biting. A gnat infestation can be a major problem when they tend to swarm during the summer months. While people are trying to enjoy the space outside their homes, they can come flying in large numbers called clouds and they can get in your mouth, eyes, and food. It’s very rare that gnats bite, but these pests can cause a life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis.
Tacoma households should be aware of the danger or annoyance these unique pests can cause inside and outside their properties. When infestation happens, the best thing to do is to trust pest control companies in Tacoma to solve the problem in a systematic way. Pest problems should be dealt with as early as possible because they can bring bigger trouble when left untreated. We don’t know what these annoying creatures are capable of doing if they come in large numbers, so always call the experts to get rid of pests in your area.