Posts Tagged ‘pest-control’

Two Basic Signs of Best Bug Infestation

Friday, March 12th, 2010

Bed bugs are insects that cause itches & rashes, and are usually found in beds. You may already have them and you don’t even know it. Bed bugs are really tiny and difficult to detect. The best way to eliminate them is to ask a termite exterminator or pest control company to do the job.

What are the signs and symptoms you have a bed bug infestation? There are two common signs, and they are as follows:

1. Rash From Bed Bugs

Itching is the first sign of a bed bug rash. You won’t be able to see the rash at first but it will definitely feel itchy. It is itchier than a mosquito bite, and the itch can only be felt after a long time (minimum of 1 hour). Sometimes, the bed bug rash appears only a few days or weeks later.

A bed bug rash has a small, round and red bump that looks more swollen than a mosquito rash. In some cases, the rash looks a lot like a bite mark in sequence. If you think you may have bed bug rash, examine it for a few days. Prolonged itching is caused by the rash, lasting for days. A bed bug rash also doesn’t heal as fast as mosquito bites. They remain swollen for weeks at a time.

2. Odor of Bed Bugs

Next thing to look for is bed bug smell. What kind of an smell does it have?

Bed bugs release an obnoxious, musty smell, so a room where there’s a lot of bed bug infestation smells of it. Under the mattresses and headboard are common places where they can be smelled. Sofas are also sometimes infested with bed bugs. If they have cracks, check if they’ve got bed bug odor.

You should call pest control experts immediately if you happen to have a bed bug infestation. Afterwards, you should create pest control rules at home to prevent a repeat of this incident.

Learn more about the most effective methods of eradicating mosquito and pest control from your homes or offices.

Termite Resistant Remodeling – What’s Involved?

Thursday, March 4th, 2010

Termites are a significant issue in much of the U.S. In the Southeast, Hawaii and California, termite issues are quite serious. It would make sense to either build or remodel our houses with the intention of preventing termites rather than waiting until we have a major problem and then working hard to get rid of the problem. This article will take into account a variety of techniques and materials that may help stop termites from becoming a problem.

The primary thing to understand is that termites require food and water to survive. If we can construct or remodel our homes in ways that eliminate termite’s access to food and water, the risk will be cut back dramatically. While that sounds simple, the devil is in the details. The basics of pre-emptive construction are 1) good defensive design that includes an array of tactics, 2) use of impervious building materials, and 3) installation of barriers to avoid access by termites.

Preventative design requires keeping the property dry, controlling moisture in and around the home and allowing for easy termite inspection. Research demonstrates that most termite invasions start with wood-to-ground contact. Good design will avoid wood-to-ground contact. The next issue to avoid is moisture problems. Moist wood is a termite magnet. Be sure the soil slopes away from the structure. Reduce the humidity in crawlspaces. Design in access panels for higher-risk areas such as where plumbing penetrates the structure.

Termite-resistant building materials are an key component of termite prevention remodeling. Possibilities include using steel framing rather than wood, using treated lumber or naturally resistant woods such as heartwood of cypress. A newer alternative is plastic or composite woods. These are made from either 100% recycled plastic or plastic combined with wood fiber waste such as sawdust. Several grades are available. One way to improve the termite-resistance of existing wood is to paint or spray with a preventative borate solution. This is a great option if you’ll be replacing or installing new drywall when the framing is completely exposed. Borates soak into the wood, won’t break down over time and will last a very long time.

In the U.S., chemical barriers are widely used and quite effective. Physical barriers for subterranean termites consist of stainless steel mesh, and sand or crushed rock. Formosan termites can get through openings as small as 1.4 mm or .055 in wide. One answer is stainless steel mesh. This mesh is somewhat expensive and its usefulness depends completely on proper installation. Another solution that can work in some areas is crushed stone or sand. The particle size is vital to success. Particle size needs to be adapted for the individual termite in the area. If there are multiple subterranean termites in the area, this answer will not work.

Physical barriers for drywood termites mean that the home must be sealed completely. After the remodel is complete, use caulk and expanding foam to seal every little crack and crevice. Leaving even one tiny breach means the termites have a way in to your home. Eventually one of them will get in and create a colony.

The safest way to approach termite remodeling is to utilize every potential technique and technology. Time and money are limited however. Use the most valuable techniques and materials first. You want the most bang for your buck. Eliminate wood-to-ground contact. Grade the ground away from the property. Add access panels. Spray a borate solution on exposed wood. Use termite resistant building materials. Seal the remodel project thoroughly. And get a termite inspection once a year. Each state has different building codes and different laws. Always consult construction and pest control professionals before carrying out the ideas above.

An inspection, and the resulting peace of mind, is only a phone call away. Florida Bug Inspectors provides professional inspections at a competitive cost. We also offer 20 years of expertise in prevention and control. Safe, effective, experienced. Call FBI today.

Plant Protection And Soil Treatment Methods

Friday, February 26th, 2010

Most of us have been discouraged at one time or another because a favorite house plant died or did not look its best. Perhaps the use of unsterilized soil was to blame.

Proper soil treatment, either by heat or chemicals, can destroy all kinds of soil-borne pests: fungi, nematodes, bacteria, insects and weed seeds.

Many common ailments of house plants can be traced to using soil or pots contaminated with pests which rot, chew and suck away the roots, crown or bulb. This prevents water and nutrients from reaching the leaves and flowers. Such plants may appear unhealthy or may wilt, wither away and die. The same soil-borne pests may rot seeds or cuttings, or cause young seedlings to suddenly wilt and topple over (called damping-off).

Soil treatment can be regarded as cheap insurance that your house plants have a fair chance to grow, look their best, and bloom.

The easiest and most effective way to disinfect your soil and pots is by heating. Heat treatment at the right temperature and for the correct length of time destroys all five major kinds of pests, and leaves no long-lasting toxic residues in the soil, as some chemical treatments occasionally do. But be careful to avoid overheating, particularly with steam or dry heat. Otherwise the physical structure of the soil may be broken down and excess soluble salts may be released, resulting in harmful side effects.

Heat Sterilization

To heat your soil properly, follow these steps:

1. Prepare the soil as for planting. Add the sand, peat moss or other materials you wish in the final potting mixture. The soil should be loose, free of coarse debris and lumps, and just moist enough for planting. Don’t have it so wet that it sticks together when squeezed in your hand.

To be sure (the first time) you have done a thorough job of sterilizing, scatter in a handful of oat or ryegrass seed while mixing the soil. If seedlings pop up after sterilization, while the soil is airing, you know that you slipped up somewhere. Incompletely sterilized soil is frequently more hazardous to use than non-sterilized soil. Harmful microorganisms have less competition and hence grow quickly throughout the soil and attack plants.

2. Spread the soil from one to three inches deep in a cooking pan or wooden flat and bake in a 200 degree oven for one hour. Clay pots, wooden containers and pot labels can be placed on top. They should be sterilized, too. Plastic pots are easily sterilized by washing in hot, soapy water. The soil can also be put directly in the pots and baked in the oven as above.

A home canning-type pressure cooker can also be used or the soil can be put on a rack above boiling water in a large, covered wash boiler or kettle. If a pressure cooker is used set the valve at ten pounds pressure. For three-inch pots of soil heat for ten minutes; four-inch. 15 minutes; six-inch, 30 minutes. If using the boiling water method without steam pressure double the time intervals.

3. After heat sterilization stir the soil’ thoroughly and water it for several days before planting. Be careful not to recontaminate the soil with microscopic pests by avoiding dirty surfaces or utensils and diseased plant material.

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House Pest Remedies Without The Use Of Harmful Chemicals

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

There is no reason to gross out at the sight of an ant, termite, mosquito, or rat beginning to feel cozy in your place. You have to remember that there are pest control tips which can help you get rid of these pests efficaciously. All you have to have is the willingness to study how to do it right.

It is up to you to choose which method to employ, however the natural and organic recipes for pest control are more commended than utilizing pesticides due to the effects of the harmful chemical substances it can cause. So to make sure your health will never be at risk, initiate practicing some preemptive measures.

Learn what repel these home pests and learn how to utilise it.

There grounds why ants have been marked as one of the most bothersome insects. It is because they show up in massive colonies plus they are everywhere. How to tackle them? Primarily, check if you can locate where they enter in your home. Once you know the exact place, it is time to ward them off with citrus oil, coffee grounds, or cayenne pepper spread over the place as ants cannot go over these items. Garlic cloves, cucumber peels and spearmint leaves are known as products that drive away ants out of your home.

Now it is time to concentrate outdoors, wall the ant hill with some cornmeal particularly in the entrance. These will be taken in and shared by the whole colony. Little do they know that by eating it up, indigestion would kill them within a week.

The repulsiveness of cockroaches roaming around your home is enough to make you work out your plan to get them out of your sight quickly. You might not know it yet, but there are natural pest control ideas suitable to them as well! To avoid them, place catnip in the areas cockroaches might often dwell. If they are already inside your home, set a container these cockroaches would easily find with a piece of bread soaked in beer. Beer works like cornmeal for ants, it would kill them because they cannot digest it, too!

A mosquito thrives in stagnant water. So the basic step is to rid your yard with all standing water – the

habitat of mosquitoes. If you are staying outdoors, apply a solution combined with at least thirty percent eucalyptus. This acts like any mosquito repellant stores offer commercially. Growing plants such as rosemary, marigold and sage in the yard will keep the mosquitoes away due to its natural deterrent quality.

Learn more about ants and pest control so that your home stays clean and fresh the way it should.

The Early Signs Your House Might Have Termites

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

No one wants to have termites, but the sad fact is we are all at risk. Termites do not discriminate; they invade any home. Some may think a termite infestation is just irritating, but they can do more damage than you may know. Termites are important in the circle of life, but they shouldn’t be attacking our homes. If you do not know the early signs of termites, they can destroy your property, even your entire house.

Sadly, homeowners normally don’t even know they have termites until after a lot of damage has already happened. Knowing at least the early signs of termite attacks can help protect your home before the problem starts or worsens. Termites will do more harm to a chunk of wood in a short length of time. Hence, knowing some things to watch for can help you prevent a termite infestation before serious harm is done.

Termite infestations normally are not detected that easily by the naked eye. A little more time and a more conditioned eye is needed in order to find these wood eating creatures. Your furniture, floors, walls and other areas of the home that is made of wood are some of the usual places they attack. Another tip to help determine termite infestation is inspecting in mud holes and piles of feces.

Check areas where termites usually would go, to see if there are any signs of infestation at all. Check your garden and lawn area; tree stumps, dead leaves and in the soil for mud holes. Also check if your walls have cracks or spaces, because they could be a termite’s entryway into your walls. You should also check basement walls, moldings, window sills and doorframes.

If any show signs of feeding activity, you should contact a professional exterminator or pest control company. You can even do it yourself if you have knowledge and equipment. The point is stopping the termite problem before it even begins.

Learn more about the most effective methods of eradicating rat and pest control from your homes or offices.

How To Eliminate The Cockroach Population Thriving In Your Home

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

Cockroaches are one of the most irksome insects that you can find in every corner of the world without an exception. They generally inhabit the dark and wet corners of a home and feed upon all kinds of organic waste. They damage and infest all types of edible items and can also be bearers of harmful diseases. Therefore, one should wipe out the cockroach population in a lasting and effective way.

Most people looking for an effective remedy for the cockroach problem resort to usage of chemicals and sprays that eventually turn out to be very harmful for humans as well. Thus, it is advisable to use natural ways of cockroach elimination than opting for dangerous insecticides for doing so.

You can start by making changes in your kitchen habits and ensuring that not just your kitchen but your sink and the area below it are also kept clean. You should also ensure that all utensils are washed in time and are not left unclean for long. The spaces in and around the kitchen sink, being damp and dark provide cockroaches a perfect spot to live and grow in numbers. You should ensure that you cover all your food items as well as other organic stuff, so as to ward off the cockroaches.

It is important to seal all the gaps and openings, particularly those close to your drainages and water pipes as these are the primary points of entry for cockroaches. You should also make sure that the areas near sewers are kept clean and dry so that they do not become breeding grounds for cockroaches. If you live in a place, where there are common litter bins around, you should try getting them removed as they could turn out to be one of the prime causes behind the cockroach infestation in your home.

Lastly, if you are not left with an option but to use chemicals, you must opt for milder, yet effective chemicals like boric acid that is less hazardous than other stronger insecticides and sprays.

Learn more about the most effective methods of eradicating rat and pest control from your homes or offices.

Ways To Rid Of Bed Bugs With Bed Bug Covers

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

Increasingly, more individuals are finding bed bugs a problem within the home. They are a type of bug that have the potential to cause many problems for those who are exposed. This especially applies to those who are allergic to them. If you are someone who wants to prevent a bed bug infestation or find that you are currently dealing with a problem associated with them, then consider the use of bed bug covers.

Evolution relates to the nesting that the bed bugs have taken to in peoples homes. Although they do not have wings, they tend to pose a problem with finding and ridding them. They are usually no more than 1/4 in size and are flat shaped with a reddish brown color. They feed on humans more than they do other types of warm blooded animals, however they will not discredit the idea of using them as a host.

The hatching of the bed bug, gives them characteristics that are very white in color. Over time this color tends to darken into a light tan to deep brown color. There are even times where they may look a reddish color due to the blood they have recently consumed.

Most often they are found in the darker areas of the home when disturbed. At times, they leave casings behind, however this does not indicate their presence. The only way to really be able to tell whether they are in the home, has to do with whether or not you come across them or happen to go to the doctor and find that one of the bites that you got was related to a bed bug.

Having an infestation can be as easy as bringing luggage home or having one on your clothes when you go into your home. From that point they have the potential to grow in numbers, amounting to a large problem with an infestation. This has to do with the way they lay eggs every day, from the time they are brought into the home. Most of the time, one bed bug has the potential to drink three times the amount of its weight, in addition to laying around five eggs each day. Each of the bugs have a year to live from the time they are born as well.

Since their main source of food is usually the person within the home, the best way to rid of them has to do with not allowing them access to the skin. This can be accomplished through the use of bed bug covers. These types of covers are materials that use a different type of woven material so that the bed bug does not have the ability to get through. This can help to rid of a current problem or prevent a future one from developing.

There are many choices for people to choose from in relation to bed bug covers. Most of the time, one of the best choices are those which are zippered. This choice should consist of a mattress cover that is of known quality. Additionally It is wise to buy pillow protectors as well, in order to prevent them from invading any part of the bed. Usually the best way to avoid an infestation involves preventing the bed bugs from having a place to infest.

Anyone who find they are having a current problem or wants to avoid one in the future will find bed bug covers as a good buy. They offer other benefits as well, which relates to the allergens that are within the bed, due to the construction of the cover.

Bed bug covers offer a great solution in relation to dealing with a current problem or one that you do not want to develop in the future. We’ve got the best inside information on the best bed bug cover on the market.

3 Kinds Of Cockroaches That Can Be Seen In The Home

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

There are 4000 odd species of cockroach in the world. Only three, though, are known to invade our workplaces and homes and cause problems. Some other species of cockroach are similar, but are found in the home less often than these 3. Each cockroach is more or less varied and has its own different characteristics. Even So, they are all pests which can cause great health hazards and damage to us & the people we love.

Distinguishing these cockroaches could be the first step in iradication & control. It is quite simple and can aid in extermination methods. Here are the three major types of cockroaches.

American Cockroach

The American cockroach can grow up to 25mm in length. It has a reddish brown color and single stripe on the head. These roaches get easily attracted to liquor. Thus, they are often found in drinking establishments or at home after party where wine, beer & alcohol was present. They can live for around one and half years, and have an incubation period of 6 to 8 weeks.

German Cockroach

These kinds of cockroach boast of a tan or brownish color, and two lighter stripes on the back of its head. They can grow up to lengths of 15mm. It is probably the fastest breeding in comparison to the cockroaches, giving birth to around 30 to 40 nymphs with an incubation period of 30 days. That is relatively fast, seeing one of them can multiply to 30,000 in a year’s time. They can live for around six months.

Oriental Cockroach

Among these 3, the Oriental cockroach is probably the biggest. It grows approximately 25mm in length. They are a dark brown or black color with a shiny body & move generally slower than the other species. They are often called the waterbug ’cause they like to live in dark, damp areas. They are potentially found in damp mulch or cellars. Incubation can last two months with about 15 eggs hatching and they can each live for up to two years.

Learn more about the most effective methods of eradicating rat and pest control from your homes or offices.

Reasons Why We Should Get Pest Control

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

There are many pests and they come in different forms. They could be mice, ants, mosquitoes, termites, or whatever pest they could be, they can all be seen as undesirable creatures that interrupt our daily routines. Having pest control will help protect yourself & your home from the harm they may cause, including (but not limited to) the following spreading disease, contaminating our food, threatening our health & destroying our property.

It is very essential to have really good pest control around any location where food is present. This includes anyplace from grocery stores to farms, to your own houses. If pest control is not utilized, these pests can get your food contaminated. It hinders plant growth, including food-bearing ones, thus turning our food inedible.

Most people consider bugs as the primary pests that hinder growth of food-producing plants. Other pests include birds, rodents, and even plant eating creatures. Getting rid of these pests well can be done with chemicals or organic pesticides, creating fences & other kinds of prevention, setting traps, or creating other forms of prevention.

Diseases can also spread rapidly if proper pest control is not done. Bugs and insects can transfer diseases such as viruses & the flu, not just to people but to animals & food too. At home, we can start with prevention-use bug repellent to lessen exposure to mosquitoes and other biting insects. Getting professional pest control in and around the home will also limit the number of pests that can threaten your health.

Getting pest control against pests that can damage our properties & homes are just as essential. The use of chemicals to get rid of & prevent attacks of insects that eat wood, burrow & chew holes in our property, and others, will help ensure your home is kept in good shape.

Many people oppose using a lot of chemicals in & around the home, because of health hazards. Nowadays though, there are organic alternatives that do just as good a job as their non-organic counterparts do.

Learn more about the most effective methods of eradicating mosquito and pest control from your homes or offices.

Viral Sicknesses Mosquitoes Can Bring

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

If you spend a lot of time out-of-doors, you should be conscious that annoying mosquitoes can bring an array of viral diseases that could be deadly.

Most people have already heard about the correlation between mosquitoes and West Nile virus. However, there are various other diseases mosquitoes carry that the general population does not know about. It is an unfortunate fact that if the news does not report a person contracting a mosquito carried disease, most people would not even know the existence of these diseases at all. Mosquitoes are one of the deadliest and dirtiest pests man is aware of.

The following is a list of some of the viral diseases mosquitoes can bring: – dengue fever – epidemic polyarthritis – Japanese encephalitis – LaCross encephalitis – Rift Valley fever – Ross River Fever – St. Louis encephalitis – West Nile virus – yellow fever

These are just some of the numerous other types of diseases mosquitoes can carry. Mosquitoes are also the sole cause of malaria, the world’s leading cause of premature death.

The mosquito genus Anopheles cause over 5.3 million fatalities to occur each year. They are the mosquitoes that bring the malaria virus. Children under the age of five make up most of these deaths.

Almost all mosquitoes are capable of carrying the filariasis worm, the cause of the disease elephantiasis. Approximately 40 million people the world over are currently dealing with some form of this disease.

Even though these facts seem scary, they are not the most dreaded part of the mosquito problem. As people age, mosquito bites are often undetected. In children, mosquito bites often cause their skin to swell up & turn red. In adults, however, they tend to build immunity to these bites.

True, some types of mosquito types can’t be ridded of; the mosquitoes can be repelled or warded off using simple mosquito nets & repellents. Keep these creatures away from your body and stay healthy, to prevent catching diseases from these terrible insects.

Learn more about the most effective methods of eradicating rat and pest control from your homes or offices.