Why are drywood termites a worry in South Pasadena's older houses?
Drywood termites live inside dry, above-ground wood. UC IPM says they infest attics, roof framing, fascia, rafters and exposed trim, and that they are hard to detect and rarely seen until they swarm. That is why a house with original wood framing, such as the Arts and Crafts homes along the arroyo, deserves a close look in those parts of the building.
The tell-tale sign is hexagonal fecal pellets pushed out of small kickout holes. Swarmers fly in the daytime in summer and fall, typically late summer or early fall in coastal and southern regions. A limited infestation can sometimes be handled by replacing wood, while a widespread one may call for whole-structure fumigation. The drywood termite control page and the guide to drywood and subterranean termites cover the choices.
What does a cobblestone or old raised foundation mean for pests?
Cobblestone foundations from the arroyo are part of what makes the Lower Arroyo Seco homes distinctive, and they come with gaps, vents and crawl-space access points that a technician will want to see. Subterranean termites, California's most important termite pest, need soil contact, so a raised foundation over damp ground is a place the inspection should reach.
Rodents also use gaps at foundations and vents. If a house has a crawl space or attic that has not been sealed in years, attic and crawl space rodent exclusion is what keeps rats and mice out once the infestation is treated. Subterranean termite control is the page for the soil-contact side.
Do the hills and the arroyo bring wildlife and rodents to South Pasadena yards?
Raymond Hill, the Monterey Hills and the Arroyo Seco give the city green corridors that run between yards, and animals use them. Landscaped slopes with ivy, shrubs and mature trees suit roof rats, which nest above ground and travel along fences and branches into attics.
If the animal is a coyote, raccoon or skunk, the rules are different. This site does not trap, remove or relocate wildlife, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife does not allow relocating wild animals. A technician can seal entry points, and homeowners are advised by CDFW and LA County Animal Care to remove food, water and shelter and to lock pet doors at night. See wildlife-proofing.
Who covers mosquitoes in South Pasadena?
The San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District covers South Pasadena. It does mosquito and West Nile surveillance, dead-bird collection and standing-water inspection, but it does not handle rodents or bees. That leaves rats, mice and wasps to a pest technician.
If you find standing water on your own property, such as in a planter saucer or an old container, reporting it to the district and emptying it yourself are both reasonable steps. The mosquito control page explains what a technician can add on private land.
When do termites swarm near the arroyo, and what does that tell me?
Wings on a windowsill are one of the few visible clues to a termite problem in an old house. Drywood termite swarmers fly in the daytime in summer and fall, typically late summer or early fall in coastal and southern regions. Western subterranean termites swarm on calm, sunny days right after the first autumn rains and may also swarm in spring, especially in southern California.
Collect a few swarmers in a sealed container and note the date, the room and whether the insects came from a wall, a floor or a window. That detail helps a technician tell which kind of termite is involved. In a house with an old attic and a raised foundation both may be possible, so a termite inspection should look at both the roof framing and the sub-area.
How do Argentine ants behave in South Pasadena yards?
Argentine ants follow irrigation, and a city with mature gardens on Raymond Hill and the Monterey Hills gives them plenty. UC IPM and UC San Diego research describe supercolonies that spread within weeks of watering and fall back when it stops. In hot, dry weather they search buildings for water, and in fall the colonies merge into larger ones with hundreds of queens that stay large through winter.
Bait stations are the most effective control, especially winter to early spring, and trimming plants that touch the house plus sealing entrances helps. See Argentine ant control for what a visit involves.
