Whether it is fur or feathers; arachnid or insect, let our family protect yours!
Whether is feathers ,let our family protect yours
General Info
West Oaks Pest Control is proud to be a Family and Veteran owned and operated pest control company in the Ventura County area and #1 in Quality. We are capable of meeting the most stringent requirements of our customers yet retain the flexibility to customize programs to meet individual needs. Proudly serving the community for 19 years strong!
Since it doesn't get cold enough in this area for most pests to die off during winter months, there is a need for pest control throughout the year. Many times we have more problems with ants entering the house in the winter than we do in the summer.
Spiders
Black widows are identified by red hourglass markings on the underside of their abdomens. Black widows are shiny black in color. Females are larger than males and can measure up to 10 millimeters in length. These spiders are members of the genus Latrodectus.
Termites
Termites are often called the “silent destroyer” because they may be secretly hiding and thriving in your basement or yard without any immediate signs of damage. While each termite species thrives in different climates and eats different types of food, all termites require four things to survive — food, moisture, shelter and optimal temperature. Unfortunately, all homes, regardless of their construction type, can provide these ideal conditions for termite infestation.
Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are flat, reddish-brown, oval insects about 3/16-inch long or the size of an apple seed. Swollen and reddish after a blood meal. Bed bugs (often misspelled as bedbugs) are small, nocturnal, wingless insects that belong to the family of
Fleas
Fleas are external parasites which can be found attached to the skin of their hosts. Adult fleas measure approximately 1/8-inch in length. Their bodies are shiny and reddish-brown in color. They are covered with microscopic hair and are compressed to allow for easy movement through animal fur. Fleas do not have wings, although they are capable of jumping long distances. They have three sets of elongated legs. Read more about what fleas look like.
Cockroaches
Blattaria. Some species invade human dwellings and are considered pests. These cockroaches can be carriers of various diseases because they are commonly found near waste deposits or in the kitchen, where food is present. Restaurants may also experience cockroach infestations.
Bees
Found globally, bees are winged insects of the super-family Apoidea, order Hymenoptera. There are more than 20,000 recorded bee species. Chalicodoma Pluto, the largest of these creatures, is reported to be 1.6 inches long, while Perdita minima, the most diminutive of bees, are only 0.07 inches long. Bees can be black or brown with red, yellow or lustrous blue stripes. Some bees are notable for their ability to collect substantial amounts of honey. All bees are hairy, a trait which is crucial to the collection of pollen. Flowers and flourishing vegetation usually indicate the presence of bees: there is no insect as important as the bee when it comes to pollination. Many female bee species have rows of bristles on their hind legs which form a hollow basket. When the bee lands on a flower, pollen grains are combed into the hollow basket and bristles. Cross-pollination occurs when the displaced grains of pollen are distributed to the fertile pistils of other flowers as the bee alights upon them.Although only females are able to transfer pollen, all bees are able to sip the nectar from flowers using a tongue-like organ. This nectar is their primary source of energy. Pollen is sustenance for both adult and larval bees, as it contains protein and other nutrients necessary to their survival. Bees possess an organ that converts nectar into honey, which is collected depending on the species inside the hive, or bee colony.
Ticks
Ticks vary in color by species. Adult ticks are smaller than a sunflower seed (1/8- to 5/8-inch long if engorged with blood), while nymphal (or immature) ticks are less than 1/16-inch. Common problem ticks include the American dog tick, deer or black legged tick and lone star tick.
Mosquitoes
We have all had to deal mosquitoes. The high pitched buzz tells us that we have mosquitoes nearby, and that we should beware since mosquito bites might not be far behind. Mosquitoes can chase us indoors during the best time of the year. Is there anything short of pitching a tent that you can do to take back your outdoor living space around your home?
Flies
Mosquitoes can be confused with flies. Mosquitoes have long legs, and a long proboscis or “nose” that female mosquitoes use to “bite” people and pets to draw blood, needed to lay eggs. Most flies won’t bite and even long legged flies are usually much smaller than mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are pesky pests and can spread disease such as West Nile Virus, dengue, and malaria. Believe it or not, there are over 1,000 cases of malaria every year in North America. More commonly, though, mosquitoes threaten family events more than health.
Beetles
You probably have carpet beetles. The larvae of the carpet beetle is the one that does the damage on your clothes. Please call for a free inspection.
Moths
Something is eating the clothes in my closet, but I don't see any moths flying around. What does this mean?
A unique aspect of the pocket gopher’s burrow is the horseshoe shaped mound at the surface (moles construct volcano-shaped mounds at the surface of their tunnels). Pocket gophers are most active during the spring and fall when ground soil is primed for digging. These are solitary creatures that tend to be social only during mating season and child rearing. Control of these furry little pests can be challenging. If there are only a few pocket gophers invading your territory, trapping is the recommended method providing that it is in compliance with local regulations. Always check regulations for any local restrictions. Two of the most common traps in use are squeeze-type box traps and two-pronged pincer traps. The key to successful trapping is placement. Always locate the main runway. The type of trap will determine exact location, quantity needed, and if bait is necessary. Rodenticide baits are, also, an option. While these can be effective, these must be used in strict compliance with the label and regulations. If there is a large population of pocket gophers, more involved methods may be needed. Controlling large infestations may require the use of specialized equipment or fumigation. Home remedies, as often is the case, are rarely effective. Pocket gophers are a challenging pest to control once established. It’s recommended you contact a pest control professional for a full evaluation prior to any involved control efforts.
It is difficult for some people to think of birds as pests. But a bird problem can lead to lost business, contaminated products and expensive damage to building exteriors. Certain species of birds have become recognized public health threats because they harbor disease organisms that can be transmitted to humans. Bird droppings are an added problem, signaling unsanitary conditions and eating away at building finishes. The droppings can also be expensive to clean up. West Oaks Pest Control can customize a bird control program that uses habitat modification to make your facility unattractive to birds.
Rodents are warm-blooded mammals that, like humans, can be found throughout the world. They have oversized front teeth for gnawing and check teeth, which are adapted for chewing. Rodents chew on anything available to them and cause great damage in and around homes.
Mice
Rats
Black rats have long been named as the cause of the Black Death of the Middle Ages. While this plague is no longer as serious a threat to humans, roof rats are still carriers of disease. They may transfer diseases to both human and domestic animals.
Squirrels
By simply watching a squirrel, one sees a free-spirited daredevil. They playfully scamper across the ground, fearlessly leap from tree branch to tree branch, and masterfully run along power lines without a misstep. Squirrels seem to live a fairly carefree lifestyle, but they can create a number of problems for humans.The most commonly encountered species of tree squirrels are the gray squirrel (
Gophers
Geomys. There are varied species of pocket gophers. They range from about 5 inches to 14 inches in length. Their fur varies in color from black to brown to nearly white and is very soft. The pocket gopher got its name from the fur-lined pouches outside its mouth. These pouches are typically used for food transport. Pocket gophers are skilled burrowers and built for an underground life. Pocket gophers are well designed for their subterranean lifestyle. They have a short neck and powerful forequarters with large claws on the front paws. Their heads are small and flattened with small ears and eyes and lips which close behind the large incisors. Biology does vary slightly based on the species of pocket gopher. As an example, some have only a single litter of offspring each year while others can have two. The average size of a litter is three to four. Young pocket gophers don’t hang around home for too long, though. Typically, they leave the family unit in late summer to early fall and establish their own territories.The pocket gopher prefers to burrow in lawns and gardens. The tunnels can range from a few inches to a few feet in depth and several hundred feet in length.