Round Rock, Texas

Pest control in Round Rock

Ants, roaches, scorpions, mice or something you cannot name? Text me what you see, with a photo if you can. I’ll help you find a licensed local pest control company and get a visit set up.

Text Terry about pests

OnHand Home is not a pest control company. I help you find one, and you get their business name before you agree to anything. There is no charge for my help. You pay the pest control company for the work.

What the work involves

A general pest control company treats the common household pests: ants, roaches, spiders, scorpions, wasps, and often mice and rats. Many also offer mosquito service, termite work and bed bug work. Some do only one of these. Ask what they cover before you book.

Most companies sell either a one-time treatment or a recurring plan, often quarterly. A one-time visit makes sense for a single problem, such as a wasp nest or a fire ant mound. A plan makes sense when the pest keeps coming back, as scorpions and roaches often do.

The first visit usually starts with an inspection. The technician looks inside and outside, finds where the pest lives or enters, and then treats. Good companies also tell you what to change at home, such as sealing gaps or fixing a leak.

Your pest control company should hold a Texas license. The Texas Department of Agriculture licenses and regulates people who apply pesticides in and around structures.

Why Round Rock homeowners call pest control

Ants in the kitchen, or ant trails along a baseboard
Fire ant mounds in the yard that keep coming back
A scorpion in the bathtub, the garage or the bedroom
Roaches at night when the kitchen light comes on
Droppings, scratching in the wall or attic, or gnawed food boxes
Wasps building under the eaves or near the front door
Spiders and other bugs that show up after rain or in summer
A move into a new house where you do not know what you are getting

One-time treatment or a plan?

Tell me which pest you have and how long it has been going on. That points to the right kind of visit.

One nest, one mound A single wasp nest or fire ant mound is often a one-visit job. Ask what the company does if it comes back.
A pest that returns every season Scorpions, ants and roaches come back unless the cause is fixed. A plan with regular visits fits better. Ask what each visit covers.
Something inside the walls Mice or rats in a wall or attic call for an inspection first. Treatment without sealing the entry points usually fails.
A pest with its own specialist Termites and bed bugs are different jobs with different methods. See the separate pages for each.

What changes the price

Pest control prices depend on the pest and the property, not on the trade. Get the scope and the price in writing before the first visit.

Which pest it is. Roaches, rodents and scorpions each need a different method.
One-time visit versus a recurring plan, and how many visits the plan includes
The size of the house and the yard
Whether the first visit costs more than the later ones
Whether exclusion work, such as sealing gaps, is included or sold separately
Whether the plan covers return visits between scheduled ones
Whether the plan renews on its own, and how you cancel

Questions to ask the pest control company

Use these to compare quotes side by side.

What is your Texas Department of Agriculture business license number?The state licenses pest control businesses and the people who apply pesticides. Ask for the number and confirm it with the department.
Who will apply the treatment, and are they licensed?Applicators are licensed in several levels. Ask who will be at your door.
What exactly will you treat, inside and outside?The scope decides the price. “General pest” does not always include rodents or scorpions.
Do you seal entry points, or only spray?For rodents and scorpions, closing the way in matters more than the treatment.
What are the products, and are they safe around my kids and pets?You can ask for the product name and the label. A good company explains the re-entry time.
What happens if the pest comes back between visits?Some plans include free return visits. Others charge each time.
What does the plan cost per visit, and how do I cancel?Ask whether it renews automatically and whether there is a cancellation fee.

Scorpions

The striped bark scorpion is the most common scorpion in Texas, according to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. It climbs trees and walls, shows up in attics, and may come into living areas in hot weather.

AgriLife says scorpions are hard to control with insecticides alone, so closing the way in comes first. Texas stings usually cause moderate reactions. See a doctor if swelling or pain persists, or if you have trouble breathing.

Add weather-stripping to loose doors and windows
Seal gaps around eaves, pipes and other cracks
Keep window screens tight and in good repair
Trim branches that touch the house or give a path to the roof
Ask the company to treat the outside of the foundation as well as the inside

Fire ants

Fire ant mounds are fluffy soil with no hole in the middle. They are easiest to see a few days after heavy rain. Do not poke one. The workers climb up whatever touches the mound and sting many times.

The Texas A&M fire ant program says to tackle fire ants in the fall for fewer ants in the spring. It lists broadcast bait and a two-step method. Ask the company which one it uses, and how many visits it expects.

Mice and rats: exclusion or trapping?

Trapping removes the animals inside. Exclusion keeps new ones out. You need both. Traps without sealing the entry points leaves a way in for the next group.

An AgriLife entomologist advises closing openings of one quarter inch or wider. The same advice favors traps rather than poison for mice already inside. Poison should be a last resort and is best left to professionals. Ask any company how it keeps poison away from children, pets and wildlife.

Ask where the animals got in, and whether the quote includes sealing it
Ask how many trap visits are included, and who disposes of the animals
Ask about cleanup of droppings and insulation, which is often a separate job
Store pet food in airtight containers, and keep trash cans covered

Roaches

German cockroaches are light brown with two dark stripes behind the head. They live in cracks near food and water, so kitchens and bathrooms are the usual places.

Texas A&M says gel and container baits changed how roaches are controlled, and that some roaches resist liquid sprays. A repellent spray where bait goes can make the bait fail. Ask the company whether it uses bait, and whether it places monitor traps to check results. Clean up spills and store food sealed to help.

Wasps, bees and mosquitoes

A wasp nest by a door is a quick job for most pest control companies. Ask whether the price covers one nest or the whole house.

A swarm or hive of honey bees is different. Texas keeps a public list of registered beekeepers who remove bees. The Texas Apiary Inspection Service does not license them, does not vouch for their skills, and does not endorse anyone on the list. Ask any beekeeper what they do about the comb and the bees. If you want mosquito service, ask the company the same scope and plan questions as for any other pest.

Round Rock and Texas notes

Texas pest control businesses and applicators are licensed by the Texas Department of Agriculture, Structural Pest Control Service. Ask for the license number, and confirm it with the department.
Honey bee removal in Texas often goes to a registered beekeeper, not a pest control company. The Texas Apiary Inspection Service keeps the public list and does not license beekeepers.

What happens after you text

You text meSay what is going on, add a photo if you can, and include your ZIP code. The message is already started for you, and you can change it.
I ask a question or twoI check the details a pest control company will need and confirm you are in our area. We are starting in Round Rock.
I look for a pest control companyI check who can take the job. You get the business name before you agree to anything. If I cannot find someone, I tell you.
They quote and do the workThe pest control company confirms the time and the price with you. You pay them for the work. I follow up afterward.

Tell me what is going on.

Text me a short description and your ZIP code. A photo helps.