Pests can be destructive to your home, causing damage and even health risks. Fortunately, pest control companies have a wide range of treatments to help you get rid of them.
Look for a company that uses exclusion methods and green pest control techniques. Also, consider a company that offers alternatives to harsh chemicals and poisons.
Termites
A termite infestation is a dangerous and costly home pest. These voracious wood-eating insects can cause thousands of dollars worth of damage to homes and other structures in just a few months. The good news is, a qualified pest control company can eliminate these troublesome creatures with regular inspections and effective treatment.
If you notice a sudden increase in flying termites, discarded wings around windows or doors, and other signs of activity, you likely have a large and active termite population near your home. Flying termites are the reproductive members of a termite colony and are easily identified by their dark exoskeletons and two sets of long wings.
The best termite treatments work to keep these pests at bay by utilizing strong, long-lasting chemicals that penetrate the surface of the wood and block its ability to absorb moisture. These products also use active ingredients that can be diluted and safely sprayed in your yard or inside your home. They are non-staining, odorless and long-lasting for optimal performance.
This product uses imidacloprid, fipronil and lambda-cyhalothrin to deter and kill a broad range of pests, including termites, ants, fleas and cockroaches. It’s non-staining, odorless, and can be mixed with water or diluted with dilute solvents for spot treatments in wall voids or cracks. It comes in a convenient 1-gallon container with a trigger sprayer for easy application.
The Sentricon system works differently from other termite treatments. It uses the termites’ own natural foraging behavior against them. Foraging termites enter the bait stations while searching for food and share it with other colony members, poisoning them without harming their own bodies. This stops the process of molting and ultimately affects queens/reproduction, killing them and eliminating entire colonies.
Orkin offers several different termite treatment plans, depending on your area and situation. Their basic plan includes a yearly termite inspection and the setting of traps around your home, while their advanced option offers a re-treatment guarantee in case initial efforts to eradicate the problem fail. Lastly, their premium option combines both the basic and advanced plans, as well as covers termite damage between service appointments.
Bed Bugs
Bed bugs (scientific name Cimex lectularius) are small, flat insects that feed on the blood of people and animals while they sleep. These invasive pests are excellent hitchhikers and can be brought into your home from hotels, hostels, movie theaters, rideshare services, and more.
The first signs of a bed bug infestation are bites or welts on your skin and tiny blood stains on sheets and pillowcases. You may also notice blackish fecal spots on furniture and baseboards.
Once a bed bug infestation is identified, it is essential to act quickly. The best way to prevent a severe bed bug problem is by practicing good hygiene. Wash all sheets, pillowcases, and blankets in hot water, vacuum the floor regularly, use a protective mattress and box spring cover, and seal cracks and crevices where pipes or wires enter your home.
If you suspect a bed bug infestation, carefully inspect the area during the day and at night. A good rule of thumb is to look in the tufts and seams of mattresses, along the cracks between your bed frame and headboard, the creases of dressers and side tables, and around the edges of baseboards.
Inspecting hard-to-reach areas of furniture may require the use of a flashlight, a paint scraper, or even a credit card to disassemble a piece and examine its interiors for hidden pockets, molted skins of nymphs, and blackish fecal marks. For furniture that is inaccessible to steam, vacuum, or Cryonite treatment, consider using a heat chamber. These are available in a range of sizes to accommodate various pieces of furniture, and they can be heated to a temperature that kills bed bugs and their eggs.
A Prep Sheet is usually provided by the Pest Management Professional, or PMP, before a chemical treatment begins. It is important to follow this plan closely to ensure the treatment is successful. Depending on the severity of the infestation, the PMP may choose to first treat the mattress and other bedding with either Steam or Cryonite.
It is critical to choose a reputable pest control company that is licensed and has experience with the species of pest you are dealing with. You should look at a company’s years in business, read customer reviews, and check the Better Business Bureau to determine whether it has sufficient experience.
Insects
Insects are the most numerous and diverse group of organisms on Earth, forming the foundation for complex ecological food webs in agricultural, natural and urban areas. In addition to influencing the appearance, function and complexity of these ecosystems, insects play critical roles in pollination and decomposition. They are also the most common pests in homes and gardens, with cockroaches, fruit flies, beetles, and ants among the most troublesome.
There are several ways to control insects, including traps and netting, repellents, physical removal, and chemical methods. These include solutions that deter pests by affecting their scent, appearance or taste and others that kill them directly. While chemicals are generally easier to find and use than other control methods, they can pose health and environmental concerns upon exposure and have a limited effectiveness.
The best way to avoid insect infestations is to prevent them from occurring in the first place. Clean houses and yards regularly, removing rotting or spoiled food, empty trash containers, scraps of vegetables, fruits and meat, and weeds. Keep garbage and compost bins tightly closed, with lids that clamp shut to ensure rodents cannot access them. Store ripe foods, such as fruits and vegetables and uncooked grains, in the refrigerator, and consider using plastic or glass storage containers with tight-fitting lids rather than paper bags.
If you do encounter a pest infestation, the first course of action is to identify the problem species and select the most appropriate control method. In general, the more targeted and specific a treatment is, the more effective it is likely to be. For example, ant sprays may have a chemical that disrupts the ant’s ability to smell, while crawling insect sprays are designed to target the insect’s legs and body.
Before hiring a pest control service, read online reviews to see what other customers have said about the company and its services. Look for comments about price transparency, scheduling flexibility and overall customer satisfaction. Finally, be wary of companies that charge high cancellation fees; this may indicate that they’re less than committed to providing ongoing pest control services.
Rodents
Rodents are incredibly destructive pests that can chew through a variety of materials and cause structural damage. They also carry diseases and spread them throughout the property. Their breeding rate is incredibly high and one rodent in your place of business can quickly turn into a whole colony of mice or rats.
They’re most often seen scurrying in the attic or crawlspace and can chew through wires, insulation, wood, and even concrete, leading to potential fire hazards. They can also cause damage to a building’s foundation and roof, creating leaks and other problems.
Generally, there are several ways to control rodents without using poison. They include sanitation procedures, food source and harborage removal, travel pathway reduction, and exclusion methods.
Rodents have an incredibly varied habitat, ranging from small burrows in the ground to tree holes and rock crevices. They’re also able to adapt to nearly any climate.
In order to prevent rodents, you can close all entry points. This includes sealing cracks around pipes, repairing damaged areas of the home’s exterior, and blocking access to roof vents, soffit vents, and doors.
You can also set up traps, such as snap or electric ones. These traps work by triggering a metal spring setup that snaps down and kills the rodent when triggered. They’re relatively non-toxic, but they require constant monitoring since you’ll have to keep placing and resetting them. A live catch trap is more humane, but it will still require constant monitoring and requires special care to ensure the rodent doesn’t starve or become dehydrated.
It’s also recommended to use a pest control professional to treat your facility. These professionals can identify the type of rodent and the best products to use to eradicate them. They’ll also help you develop an ongoing maintenance plan to prevent future infestations. This may include sealants, traps, bait stations, and other products that will keep the rodents away. Make sure to read product labels and verify the company’s certifications before hiring them. They should be able to provide you with documentation on their licenses, safety record, and other qualifications.