A Village Named for Its Willows
Willowbrook began when residents of the Ridgemoor subdivision decided to incorporate in 1960, when the village had only 167 people in 37 houses. It was named after the willow trees along a creek behind one resident's property, and that creek flows toward Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve. Route 83 later became a busy corridor of shopping centers and hotels.
Today the village has ten community parks, Lake Hinsdale Park, creeks, ponds and stormwater detention basins. Water is a big part of the landscape, and it is also the reason mosquitoes are a common call here.
Water Nearby Means Mosquitoes and Ants
Creeks, detention basins and ponds hold standing or slow moving water, especially after heavy rain. Mosquitoes breed in that water and rest in the shade of nearby shrubs and grass. Yards next to ponds or basins may see more of them than homes farther away. Wet ground and thick landscaping can also attract ants and earwigs.
Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve sits nearby, which brings ticks and rodents toward some yards as well.
Houses, Condos and Apartments
Willowbrook has traditional single family neighborhoods and several apartment and condo communities. The pests you see depend on where you live:
- Single family homes. Mice in fall and winter, ants in kitchens, spiders in garages and basements, and mosquitoes and ticks in yards.
- Condos and apartments. Cockroaches, bed bugs and mice can move between units through shared walls, pipes and ceilings. Treating one unit is not always enough, so we look for the source.