Neighbors who do not maintain their home and property well tend to attract pests.  Insects and rodents do not discriminate over property lines. If the neighbor has a habit of tossing dinner scraps out the backdoor, expect cock roaches, ants, flies, and raccoon to be attracted.   If they set their trash bags out before garbage day, the heat and warm it up causing odors to attract bugs.   Furthermore, as the summer temperatures rise, homeowners are less apt to stay on top of their pets’ excrement rotting in their backyards.  Leaving excrement invites flies and roaches to the area.

When neighbors do not mow their lawn regularly, critters make homes in tall grasses.   But residents here have been known to tear up real grass

in favor of replacing it with rocks.  This cuts down on their water bills since there is no lawn to water.   Problem is, scorpions love to live under small rocks like the kind Las Vegas and Henderson residents lay down in their yards.  Scorpions are very common in Southern Nevada. The Rock Scorpions are less poisonous than Bark Scorpions, though neither specie is shy of our patios and porches.  Both can sting without being provoked.   Bark scorpions’ venom is so poisonous that it can be lethal to children and elders.

The first step, of course, is to manage any problem that has already made it into the home. If the neighbor’s ants have sent their little ones over to take up residence on your property, it’s time to do some effective eviction of unwanted guests. There are a slew of products that can be bought in stores for fighting off or trapping everything from spiders, bees and mice to larger critters like rats and even possums. When these methods don’t help, or just to ensure a complete and thorough job is done the first time around, you can always give Buddies Exterminating a call. Once the immediate issue in the home has been managed, it is time to speak to the offending neighbor, if possible. Some people simply do not know or understand how their behaviors and habits affect the people around them. When made aware of the effect they’re having, many people will quickly rise to action in correcting the problem. However, there are people who simply do not care. When faced with this type of person, it will be necessary to take further actions.

The next step is to speak to the building owner or manager, if that is not the neighbor themselves. When living in a tenant situation, such as an apartment complex, a trip to the manager’s office can be very effective. If the neighbor in question is renting a free-standing home next door, the ownership of that home is a matter of public record and, therefore, can be looked up rather easily. That person can then be given a call or written a letter in regards to the situation at hand.

If both of these steps fail, or if the living conditions become completely unmanageable, contact the Home Owners Association (HOA) or the Department of Public Health or equivalent organization for the area. Having the authorities step in to handle the situation isn’t always the most pleasant solution, and really needs to be the last resort, however, it is very effective.