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Jun 24, 2025

East Texans battle insect home invasions as warm weather increases activity

TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - East Texas spring rains followed by heat means the annual battle against summer pests: the seasonal fight to stop invading insects. Already, exterminating companies are jammed

TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - East Texas spring rains followed by heat means the annual battle against summer pests: the seasonal fight to stop invading insects.

Already, exterminating companies are jammed with customers wanting pest control.

“We’re going non-stop. I’m all the way in Whitehouse some days, all the way in Gilmer, Longview, Big Sandy, we’re just all over,” says exterminator Beau Breland of Jennings Termite and Pest Control.

In perspective, there are more insects in the world than all other species combined. Nearly 80% of all the worlds species are insects, according to the Smithsonian Institute.

For homeowners, there’s a wide variety of pests they try to get rid of. The most obvious make their homes in the mounds that show up in your yard: ants. The battle is against ants, mosquitoes, flies, roaches, and the most destructive, termites.

“I think it just comes with the summer, you see those more than anything, they get active this time of year. If you see a swarm of termites on your property that’s a definite indicator that they could be on the house or getting ready to colonize the house,” Breland says.

Food often attracts ants, roaches and other pests indoors, and places like the ‘Sasquatch Trading Post’ in Gladewater fights a continuing battle against them.

“I keep pantry moth traps out because those are nefarious for getting into dry goods. You don’t want insects getting into your food establishment, whether grocery store, restaurant, whatever. So you’ve got to stay on top of it. We have an exterminator that comes in routinely,” says owner Martin Pessink.

Waiting to act could make the problem much worse.

“Find a pest control company that you trust and go ahead and start treating the house early in the year,” Beau says.

There are early warning signs you can look for. Raised mounds in the yard mean ant colonies and dirt tunnels on the outside of buildings are often used by termites.

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