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Call Us Today at : (512) 561-7451Maricopa County, Arizona
Peoria grew from 1,925 residents when it incorporated in 1954 to nearly 191,000 by 2020, pushing north into foothills and washes toward Lake Pleasant. New houses on former desert face a very different set of pests than the original town.
The 2020 census put Peoria at 190,985 people, nearly four times its 1990 count of 50,675, spread over about 179 square miles. Most of the city is in Maricopa County, with a northern piece in Yavapai County. It began in the 1880s when settlers, many of them from Peoria, Illinois, came to farm land watered by the Arizona Canal, and Old Town still keeps historic buildings from that era.
The north end is another world. Lake Pleasant, a reservoir on the Agua Fria River behind the New Waddell Dam, became part of Peoria in 1996, and the Hieroglyphic Mountains, West Wing Mountain and Sunrise Mountain rise nearby. Skunk Creek and the usually dry New River and Agua Fria cut through the city. New neighborhoods such as Vistancia sit right beside that terrain, which shapes the Peoria pests we see most.
When desert is graded for new homes, the scorpions living there do not disappear, and Extension notes that newly developed areas commonly have scorpion trouble. Bark scorpions squeeze through weep screed holes, poorly fitted doors and window vents, then move through wall voids. They are most active when nights stay above 70 degrees. Stings hit small children hardest, so check cribs, bedding and shoes if one has been seen indoors.
Almost all lenders want termite protection on a new Arizona house: soil under the slab is treated before the concrete is poured, then a final grade treatment goes along the stem wall once landscaping is done. Extension advice is that homes more than about five years old likely have a degraded final grade barrier. Landscaping, pools and new patios added later can disturb that treated soil, so inspect the stem wall twice a year.
Where north Peoria homes meet cholla and rocky slopes, pack rats are close by. The rats build large stick-and-cactus dens, collect bright objects, and are known for chewing car and appliance wiring. If one can fit its head through an opening, it can usually squeeze its body through, and it may gnaw a hole wider. Seal gaps at the roofline, garage door and utility entries, and keep debris and brush away from the house.
Black widows favor places people rarely disturb: the back of a garage, stored boxes, crawl spaces and cluttered corners. The female is glossy black with a red hourglass underneath. Extension guidance is to wear gloves when moving stored items or firewood, repair screens, caulk openings, and reduce the insects that spiders feed on. Spiders come in with firewood and boxes or through small gaps, so both housekeeping and sealing matter.
In spring, swarms cluster on fences, trees and eaves while scouts look for a home. They usually leave within 24 to 72 hours and are fairly docile during that pause. A colony that moves into a block wall, attic, or irrigation box is different: established colonies can defend in large numbers. Do not seal an opening while bees are still using it, and have the colony removed before the hive grows.
Bark scorpions cluster together in sheltered spots to overwinter, which is why remodeling or taking down a block wall in winter can uncover several at once. It is also a good season to seal gaps and fix door sweeps before activity returns in spring.
Swarming honey bees are common as days lengthen, and wildflowers draw foragers into yards. If you plan landscaping or pool work, check walls, trees and valve boxes for active bees before crews start mowers or trimmers, since noise and vibration provoke colonies.
Storms fill washes and push scorpions toward nearby homes, and desert subterranean termites fly after rain. Maricopa County's advice for mosquitoes is to empty anything that holds water, repair screens, use repellent, and remind neighbors to do the same.
If your Peoria house is only a few years old, take a close look at the builder's work. Check gaps around pipes and cables, the garage door seal and the weep holes along the bottom of the stucco, since those openings let scorpions in. Keep sprinklers and plants back from the foundation and do not pile soil or rock against the stem wall, which hides termite tubes.
Around Old Town, where the oldest buildings in the city stand, yards are more established. There we pay more attention to wood that has been exposed for years, roof rat activity in dense trees, and roaches coming in through drains and doors on hot summer nights.
They often do, because those houses went up on land scorpions already occupied. Grading and construction push them to find new shelter, and fresh block walls and wall voids suit them well. Sealing weep holes, door gaps and pipe openings, along with regular treatment, cuts down the number that get inside.
Your new Peoria house most likely received termite treatment during construction, both before the slab was poured and again along the foundation at the end. Ask the builder for the records. After about five years that barrier likely weakens, so plan on inspections twice a year and a new treatment if termites or mud tubes appear.
Pack rats are common wherever natural desert with cholla and rocks meets homes, including the desert edges of north Peoria. Watch for large stick piles, chewed plants and damaged car wiring. Clearing brush and debris near the house and sealing openings are the best ways to keep them out of garages and attics.
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