Residential Pest Control
Home owners should be aware of the risks bugs and pests pose to their family. This guide will provide an outline of some of the common pests and what to watch for with home pest control.
Sometimes used as a punchline, bed bugs are no laughing matter. They were almost completely wiped out in the United States by the end of World War II. Unfortunately, since the 1990s, they have had a revival. The bed bug population may have increased as much as 100 times over since 1990. Bed bugs feed exclusively on the blood of living mammals. Bed bugs, whose scientific name is Cimex lectularius, gained their popular name from their habit of living in beds, where their food supply is nearby (you).
Bed bug bites may be minor, or they may cause welts and other irritations. One common indication of a bed bug problem is recurring hives that seem to only break out at night and go away by day.. Symptoms of the bites may be more noticeable at night than during the day. To prevent infestations of bed bugs, keep a clean home. Home pest control begins with maintaining a tidy home. Regular thorough cleaning and keeping your mattress sealed will help reduce the problem. General pest control guidelines such as sealing cracks and crevices in your home's foundation will also help reduce the possibility of problems.
Once you have bed bugs, it's too late to merely keep a clean bedroom. The bed bugs will need to be exterminated with insecticides, which need to be fast-acting and complete. Rather than tackle this job on your own, you should consider bringing in professionals to deal with the problem safely and effectively.
One of the most likely home pests to deal with is ants. Tiny openings or cracks in our home are all that are needed for ants to gain entry. Once an ant finds food in your home, the problem may develop quickly. Ants live in colonies and are able to quickly move the colony for new food sources or to avoid threats. Almost all do it yourself ant control kits are only effective on the ants you can see. They will not exterminate the many thousands of ants in the colony who are not visible. Do it yourself ant killing kits also often fail to account for the many, many different varieties of ants which require different treatments. One size fits all approaches are a gamble. Seeking professional help is a wise idea.
Rodents come in many obnoxious species, a few of which are mice, rats and squirrels. Rodents share one identifiable trait: large, nasty front teeth. Rodents can cause harm to your home itself with their ever-gnawing teeth as well as the items in your home. Mice will eat your food, and they can ruin far more food than they can eat themselves. Mice reproduce rapidly, with a single breeding pair being able to easily produce hundreds of offspring in a year. Dealing with a rodent problem will likely involve a combination of traps and poison; both of these require careful attention and proper usage.
We all have heard of termites munching on wood. These can be destructive, while eating through paper and wood in your home. Spotting winged termites indoors always indicates a significant infestation. This is most likely to happen between the months of March and May, when winged termites are triggered by the warming weather to emerge and start new colonies. Similar to the other types of pest problems mentioned above, trying to deal with a termite problem on your own is not a time to try and save money. As a home seller you may be legally required to disclose termite history and treatment. Explaining to a potential buyer that you did not adequately fix a serious problem could be disastrous.
Home pest control professionals have the tools at their resources to properly fix a termite problem. Termites have a tendency to sneak in through areas of the house which require advanced carpentry skills simply to gain access to. Pest control professionals have training and access to equipment that the average homeowner just does not have: pesticides and equipment that are dangerous and ineffective if not used properly.. Insecticide must be injected into the foundation walls and alongside the foundation. Clearly, this is neither a wise nor safe project for the average person.
Home owners should be aware of the risks bugs and pests pose to their family. This guide will provide an outline of some of the common pests and what to watch for with home pest control.
Sometimes used as a punchline, bed bugs are no laughing matter. They were almost completely wiped out in the United States by the end of World War II. Unfortunately, since the 1990s, they have had a revival. The bed bug population may have increased as much as 100 times over since 1990. Bed bugs feed exclusively on the blood of living mammals. Bed bugs, whose scientific name is Cimex lectularius, gained their popular name from their habit of living in beds, where their food supply is nearby (you).
Bed bug bites may be minor, or they may cause welts and other irritations. One common indication of a bed bug problem is recurring hives that seem to only break out at night and go away by day.. Symptoms of the bites may be more noticeable at night than during the day. To prevent infestations of bed bugs, keep a clean home. Home pest control begins with maintaining a tidy home. Regular thorough cleaning and keeping your mattress sealed will help reduce the problem. General pest control guidelines such as sealing cracks and crevices in your home's foundation will also help reduce the possibility of problems.
Once you have bed bugs, it's too late to merely keep a clean bedroom. The bed bugs will need to be exterminated with insecticides, which need to be fast-acting and complete. Rather than tackle this job on your own, you should consider bringing in professionals to deal with the problem safely and effectively.
One of the most likely home pests to deal with is ants. Tiny openings or cracks in our home are all that are needed for ants to gain entry. Once an ant finds food in your home, the problem may develop quickly. Ants live in colonies and are able to quickly move the colony for new food sources or to avoid threats. Almost all do it yourself ant control kits are only effective on the ants you can see. They will not exterminate the many thousands of ants in the colony who are not visible. Do it yourself ant killing kits also often fail to account for the many, many different varieties of ants which require different treatments. One size fits all approaches are a gamble. Seeking professional help is a wise idea.
Rodents come in many obnoxious species, a few of which are mice, rats and squirrels. Rodents share one identifiable trait: large, nasty front teeth. Rodents can cause harm to your home itself with their ever-gnawing teeth as well as the items in your home. Mice will eat your food, and they can ruin far more food than they can eat themselves. Mice reproduce rapidly, with a single breeding pair being able to easily produce hundreds of offspring in a year. Dealing with a rodent problem will likely involve a combination of traps and poison; both of these require careful attention and proper usage.
We all have heard of termites munching on wood. These can be destructive, while eating through paper and wood in your home. Spotting winged termites indoors always indicates a significant infestation. This is most likely to happen between the months of March and May, when winged termites are triggered by the warming weather to emerge and start new colonies. Similar to the other types of pest problems mentioned above, trying to deal with a termite problem on your own is not a time to try and save money. As a home seller you may be legally required to disclose termite history and treatment. Explaining to a potential buyer that you did not adequately fix a serious problem could be disastrous.
Home pest control professionals have the tools at their resources to properly fix a termite problem. Termites have a tendency to sneak in through areas of the house which require advanced carpentry skills simply to gain access to. Pest control professionals have training and access to equipment that the average homeowner just does not have: pesticides and equipment that are dangerous and ineffective if not used properly.. Insecticide must be injected into the foundation walls and alongside the foundation. Clearly, this is neither a wise nor safe project for the average person.
