Pest control plans from $57. Licensed, insured and eco-friendly.
Call Us Today at : (512) 561-7451Yavapai County, Arizona
Prescott mixes Victorian houses, granite boulder country and ponderosa pine at about 5,300 feet. That combination gives it a pest list you will not find in Phoenix or in Flagstaff.
Prescott served twice as Arizona's territorial capital and today is a Yavapai County city of 45,827 people, counted in the 2020 census. The Bradshaw Mountains rise to the south and the Sierra Prieta to the west, the boulder outcrops of the Granite Dells lie north of downtown, with Thumb Butte on the skyline and Granite Creek running through town. Its median age of 60.2 reflects its long pull as a retirement town.
Winters bring about 10 inches of snow, and the summer monsoon runs from mid June to mid September with rain, hail and flooding. Those swings mean Prescott homes see both high country and desert pests. Yavapai County extension agents report bark scorpions in the area, pines here face beetle flights from early spring, and older houses give termites and centipedes more ways in.
University of Arizona extension in Yavapai County reports that local bark scorpions turn up in wooded areas, woodpiles and sheds and other protected spots above ground. The bark scorpion climbs and never burrows, and it is the only Arizona species considered life threatening. Houses near creeks and arroyos can see more of them during the monsoon, when scorpions get washed downstream. Logs carried in from the woodpile are another way inside.
Beetles fly earlier at Prescott's elevation than in the higher forest. Extension foresters report collections as early as March where ponderosa grows at its lower range, and Prescott may have had six or seven beetle flights in 2002. Fading needles are the first sign, followed by pitch tubes and red boring dust. Healthy trees can be protected with deep watering and a preventive spray before the first spring flight.
Three centipede species are common in north central Arizona. The one people notice is the giant desert centipede, often 6 inches long, reddish yellow with dark bands and a red head. Its bite is rated about as serious as a bee sting, with some risk of infection. Centipedes hunt at night, favor damp spots where crickets hide, and slip under doors and through cracks. Good screens and weatherstripping are the best barrier.
Of the termites found across the dry Southwest, the subterranean kind cause the most damage, according to University of Arizona entomologists. They nest in soil and reach wood by building mud shelter tubes up foundations, and their tunnels run along the grain. Keep soil beside the foundation dry with good grading and drainage, fix leaks quickly and hold plantings at least 2 feet off the walls. Established colonies call for professional treatment.
Black widows stay active all year in Arizona. Outdoors they shelter in animal burrows and under debris, and once inside they hide under or behind furniture and in other secluded spots. Check quiet corners for their messy webbing, and shake out gloves, shoes and clothing that have been stored or left on the floor before you put them on.
Pine beetles can take flight as early as March at this elevation, so preventive tree sprays belong on the calendar before then. After a dry winter, extension foresters suggest watering pines in March or April, soaking the ground about two feet deep at the drip line. This is also a smart time to reseal doors and vents.
Summer storms bring heavy rain, hail and sometimes flooding. Scorpions move to drier shelter when rain or irrigation soaks their hiding spots, and homes near Granite Creek and other drainages can see new arrivals washed in from upstream. Clear boards, rocks and debris from along the walls before the storms start.
With about 10 inches of snow a year and cold nights, mice and other rodents look for warmth indoors. Firewood season also brings risk, since scorpions and centipedes can hide in stacked logs. Keep the woodpile well away from the house and hold only a small supply indoors at a time.
Prescott has 809 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, many of them Victorian homes, and twelve historic preservation districts, including the one around Whiskey Row downtown. An older house can offer more ways in: worn door sweeps, loose window screens, gaps where utility lines were added over the years and wood trim sitting close to the soil.
Homes near the Granite Dells, Thumb Butte or Groom Creek sit beside rock, brush and woodland, which is where scorpions and centipedes hunt. Our approach follows extension advice: seal and caulk, replace tired door sweeps, clear clutter from the foundation, trim branches off the roof and treat where we see activity. Plans start at $57, and we use eco-friendly products.
Yes. University of Arizona Cooperative Extension in Yavapai County reports bark scorpions in the area, usually in wooded spots, woodpiles, sheds and other sheltered places above ground. The bark scorpion is a climber and is the one Arizona species considered potentially life threatening. If anyone is stung, especially a young child, call the Arizona Poison Control and Drug Information Center at 1 (800) 222-1222 right away.
Earlier than many people expect. Extension foresters report beetles collected as early as March where ponderosa pine grows at lower elevations, and they note Prescott may have had six or seven flights during 2002. Preventive insecticide has to go on before the first spring flight, and deep, infrequent watering helps keep trees strong enough to resist attack.
It hurts, but it is usually not serious. Extension agents in Yavapai County rate the bite of the giant desert centipede about as serious as a bee sting, with an added risk of secondary infection. Centipedes are not vicious unless harassed. Wear gloves when moving firewood or rocks, and keep screens and weatherstripping in good repair so they stay outdoors.
Ask for a free estimate at (512) 561-7451 and get a plan that covers scorpions, termites and the pines around your house.
Arizona · 34 locations
