CENTRAL TEXAS — Insects and animals are lurking outside, but because of this high Central Texas heat, they're looking for cooler places to hide and find water — that means their final destination could be your home, if they're not already there.
Brandon Wallace with Cen-Tex Pest Control says 60 percent to 70 percent of his calls right now are related to scorpions and rodents — and they can be found under your home, near plumbing, inside walls and even attics.
Wallace says it's normal to get calls about scorpions right now.
"It's just their time of year — it's warm and they're looking for water."
Now, all the calls about rodents is not so normal, but it's the heat that's bringing rodents together.
He says during recent research he learned that —
"During this time is perfect time for them to start breeding and being more active."
David Moellendorf has spent years as a researcher, looking into critters like tarantulas and scorpions.
He actually discovered a new species tarantula once in Texas and it was named after him — he knows Texas critters, like scorpions, pretty well.
"Very often, they [scorpions] like to climb up trees, if there are branches over hanging the house, they'll just climb right on to the house — they're looking usually for places to hide," Moellendorf said.
Both him and Wallace have recommendations to keep these critters and more, out of your home.
One, make sure your yard is clean and tidy — remove any debris including leaves from your yard and have no woodpiles lying around.
Also, close up any outdoor holes or cracks which includes sealing spaces like lines running from your AC unit outside or closing gaps on doorway weather strips.
Wallace recommends pest controlling your home every three months and using bait stations outside your home to help reduce rodents from wanting to get inside.
Mollenedorf suggests using and looking in to natural resources to keep pests away.
