Thursday, November 13, 2008

HOW COCKROACHES CAN AFFECT YOUR BUSINESS

Your restaurant may have regular customers – even those you want to avoid! We have all been to a resturant where we have seen a small roach crawling around near our table, most people including me would not visit that establishment again. Most customers are likely to tell their story to at least one friend. You know the old saying see one roach during the day time and there are probably hundreds if not thousands at night. The best way to keep these guest from causing revenue loss is to prevent the population in the first place.

www.epestsolutions.com for all your roach control needs

Here are some facts:


  • Unsightly, menacing cockroaches can impact your restaurant’s profitability and its reputation, not to mention the health of your customers and employees.

  • Lost or unhappy customers due to cockroach sightings can have a significant economic impact on your business.

  • Statistics show that one unsatisfied customer may tell up to 20 other people about their unpleasant experience.

  • Can you afford to take the chance of one of your customers spying a cockroach in your restaurant?

  • Cockroaches can cause problems like disruptions of electronic cash registers, computers, security devices, smoke detectors, etc. by invading and leaving debris in these sensitive areas.

  • Roaches contaminate food with their excrement and secrete an unpleasant odor which can permeate your restaurant environment.

  • Cockroaches have been identified by our public health agencies as a vector for tuberculosis, cholera, dysentery, salmonella, e. coli, typhoid and many other types of disease-producing bacteria.

  • This is why public health inspectors are adamant about cockroach control in restaurants.
    Recently, cockroaches have been shown to be a major source of allergens affecting adults and children.

We can help you prevent and stop any roach control issue you may have in your commerical facility, resturant or home. Saving our customers over 60% by doing their on pest control.

http://epestsolutions.com/Roaches.html

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Choosing the Right Bait For Rodent Control

The level of rodent activity determines the proper bait for the job. Proper bait selection and application will determine the success of the rodent control job.


Knockdown and Cleanout


Final and Fastrac are good for quick knockdown of population to a manageable population. An acute rodenticide, like Bromethalin found is fastrac, works in the shortest amount of time.
Select a higher toxicity, single-feed rodenticide for a heavy infestation where there is strong food competition within the active population.

Reduction and Elimination


Contrac and Final

Controls a persistent infestation
In areas where a non-target animals are present, select a single-feeding bait which is lower in toxicity ( Contrac)


Prevention and Maintenance


Contrac and JT Eaton


Once the population is under control, maintain a comprehensive rodent control program
Monitor for new activity


A second-generation anticoagulant (Contrac) is recommended for occasional invaders to ensure they ingest a lethal dose in a single feed.
Bait stations are highly recommended for whichever bait you choose


Choosing the Correct Bait Formulation
Extruded Blox Bait
Most popular choice
Highly palatable and weatherable
Can be used indoors and outdoors
Features multiple gnawing edges
Has a hole down center for easily securing into bait stations




Pellets
Pellets are excellent choice for burrow baiting
Weatherablilty makes pellets popular for moist weather conditions
Hard, compact shape satisfies a rodent’s desire to gnaw

Liquid Baits


Ideal for use when food is abundant
Liquid Bait (liqua tox) is more acceptable for dry areas
Strategically place liquid baits where rodents will readily encounter them
Do not place bait in rat burrows, rats are neophobic and will remove any foreign object






Visit us at http://www.epestsolutions.com/

Rodent Proofing Your Home and Commercial Property

Eliminate all conducive areas and conditions

Harborage reduction

Eliminate the rodent’s food and water source.

Identify harborage areas

Keep vegetation and tall grass short. Tall grass protects rodents from predators.

Keep overhanging trees cut back. Overhanging trees provide dark shadowy areas where rodents feel sake and protected.

Piles of debris should be removed. Garbage provides food harborage areas for rodents

A 2 foot wide barrier of cement or crushed rock should be established around commercial structures

Dumpsters are one of the most common rodent problem areas.

Make sure dumpsters are large enough to prevent spills.

Make sure dumpsters have tight lids.

Store dumpsters 25-50 yards from the exterior of structure if possible.

Identify areas that need to be rodent proofed (proceed after rodent knock down has occurred)

Close all holes in exterior and interior walls

Permit no openings over ¼”

Install self-clsomh devices on frequently used doors

Install vinyl or rubber sweeps under garage doors to eliminate any gaps

Seal all pipes, drains and vents, they need to be tight.

Chimneys need to be capped and in good condition.

Remember a rat can fit through a ½ inch opening and a mouse can fit through a ¼ inch opening.


Visit our website at www.epestsolutions.com

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Rodent Biology (Rats and Mice)


Norway Rat

The Norway rat has an average body weight of 10 to 17 oz, often well over a pound!!; The body is heavy and broad, usually between 7" and 10"; The head is long and has a blunt nose; The Norway rat tail is usually about 6 inches long, and is never as long as the body; The ears are typically small and held tightly against the body; The color is brown to black on the back and sides, and gray to yellow on the belly.
Droppings are blunt and have an average length of 3/4 of an inch



The Norway Rat prefers to feed on meats, fish, flour, fruits, vegetables...meaning it will eat almost any human consumed food!!! The Norway Rat will consume about 1 oz of food per day and about ¾ of an oz of water, and produce anywhere from 30 to 180 droppings; there are from 6 - 18 pups in a litter, and 3 – 7 liters per year; adults live about 18 months.
The Norway rat usually nests in basements & lower portions of buildings. They quite often burrow in the soil and have extensive runs. The Norway rat is active primarily at night; They are fair climbers but good swimmers; Rats are suspicious of changes in the environment or new foods, for this reason it may take a couple of days for traps or poison baits to take. Rats are nocturnal, with their peak activity at dusk or before dawn. When the population is large or they are disturbed or hungry, you can see activity during the day.



Roof Rat

The Roof Rat average body weight is 6 to 12 oz, and has a long slender body, usually 6 to 8 inches in length; the nose is pointed compared to the Norway Rat and the ears are large and very prominently displayed; The tail is long and uniform in color, and can usually reach the tip of its nose; The color is black on the back and grayish white on the underside.
Droppings are pointed and average 1/2" in length
The roof rat typically eats seed, fruits, vegetables, and grains and eggs; the roof rat will consume about an oz of food and an oz of water each day, producing 30 to 180 droppings per day; There are 6 – 14 pups in a litter, and 3 – 7 liters per year; adults live about 18 months.
Roof Rats usually enter and nest in upper portions of buildings. They can nest outside in trees, especially in palms and ivy; They rarely burrow and are excellent climbers; Very active at night; Rats are suspicious of changes in the environment or new foods, for this reason it may take a couple of days for traps or poison baits to take. Rats are nocturnal, with their peak activity at dusk or before dawn. When the population is large or they are disturbed or hungry, you can see activity during the day.

House Mouse

The house mouse weighs only 1/2 to 3/4 of an oz; Average body length is 2.5" to 3.5"; The tail is usually 3 to 4 inches in length; Ears are large and prominent; The house mouse is gray on it's back and lighter gray on it's belly;
The droppings are pointed and average 1/4" in length
The house mouse prefers meats, grains, cereals, seeds, fruits, vegetables, and will eat almost anything a human will consume; The house mouse consumes 1/10th an oz of food per a day and 1/20th an oz of water; Droppings produced are around 50 per day; There are 6 young in a litter, and 8 liters per year; adults live about 15 - 18 months;
The house mouse may nest in any portion of the building near food; They only have an average range of 50 feet from the nest; Active mostly at night; Nibbles small amounts of food instead of consuming a large meal; Very curious.

Simple Guide For Rat and House Mouse Identification

This is a simple and easy to understand guide to help any homeowner determine what is being heard moving around in your attic and crawl spaces, whether roof rats, Norway rats, or the house mouse. Good information and easy to implement solutions for all your rodent needs.

House Mouse
The house mouse weighs only 1/2 to 3/4 of an oz; Average body length is 2.5" to 3.5"; The tail is usually 3 to 4 inches in length; Ears are large and prominent; The house mouse is gray on it's back and lighter gray on it's belly;
The droppings are pointed and average 1/4" in length
The house mouse prefers meats, grains, cereals, seeds, fruits, vegetables, and will eat almost anything a human will consume; The house mouse consumes 1/10th an oz of food per a day and 1/20th an oz of water; Droppings produced are around 50 per day; There are 6 young in a litter, and 8 liters per year; adults live about 15 - 18 months;
The house mouse may nest in any portion of the building near food; They only have an average range of 50 feet from the nest; Active mostly at night; Nibbles small amounts of food instead of consuming a large meal; Very curious.

Norway Rats

The Norway rat has an average body weight of 10 to 17 oz, often well over a pound!!; The body is heavy and broad, usually between 7" and 10"; The head is long and has a blunt nose; The Norway rat tail is usually about 6 inches long, and is never as long as the body; The ears are typically small and held tightly against the body; The color is brown to black on the back and sides, and gray to yellow on the belly. Droppings are blunt and have an average length of 3/4 of an inch
The Norway Rat prefers to feed on meats, fish, flour, fruits, vegetables...meaning it will eat almost any human consumed food!!! The Norway Rats will consume about 1 oz of food per day and about ¾ of an oz of water, and produce anywhere from 30 to 180 droppings; there are from 6 - 18 pups in a litter, and 3 – 7 liters per year; adults live about 18 months.
The Norway rat usually nests in basements & lower portions of buildings. They quite often burrow in the soil and have extensive runs. The Norway rat is active primarily at night; They are fair climbers but good swimmers; Rats are suspicious of changes in the environment or new foods, for this reason it may take a couple of days for traps or poison baits to take. Rats are nocturnal, with their peak activity at dusk or before dawn. When the population is large or they are disturbed or hungry, you can see activity during the day.

Roof Rat

The Roof Rat average body weight is 6 to 12 oz, and has a long slender body, usually 6 to 8 inches in length; the nose is pointed compared to the Norway Rat and the ears are large and very prominently displayed; The tail is long and uniform in color, and can usually reach the tip of its nose; The color is black on the back and grayish white on the underside.
Droppings are pointed and average 1/2" in length.
The roof rat typically eats seed, fruits, vegetables, and grains and eggs; the roof rat will consume about an oz of food and an oz of water each day, producing 30 to 180 droppings per day; There are 6 – 14 pups in a litter, and 3 – 7 liters per year; adults live about 18 months.
Roof Rats usually enter and nest in upper portions of buildings. They can nest outside in trees, especially in palms and ivy; They rarely burrow and are excellent climbers; Very active at night; Rats are suspicious of changes in the environment or new foods, for this reason it may take a couple of days for traps or poison baits to take. Rats are nocturnal, with their peak activity at dusk or before dawn. When the population is large or they are disturbed or hungry, you can see activity during the day.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Mouse and Rat Control Solutions from epestsolutions.com


Non-Chemical Control

Trapping is recommended where poisons are inadvisable (Commercial kitchens, homes, schools, etc.)
Trapper T-Rex Rat Trap
Trapper Rat Glue Board
Catchmaster 72 MB Glueboards
Ketchall Mouse Trap
Trapper Mice snap traps
Pro-ketch Mice Trap
Trapper Polarbear glueboards

http://epestsolutions.com/info/mouse_rat_control_solution.htm


Glue traps are effective when placed in a rodent's runway between their harborage areas and their feeding are, but they will not work in a wet or dusty environment.

Trapper Rat Glue Board (heavy duty, to hold the rat there) http://www.epestsolutions.com/1104/Trapper+Rat+Glue+Boards+Traps.html






Catchmaster 72 MB Glueboards (great for insects also and very cheap! )





http://www.epestsolutions.com/1126/Catchmaster+72MB+Glueboards.html

Snap traps work well on both rats and mice. When trapping for rats it is best to place the traps inset, but baited, for several days to acclimate the rats to the traps. Mice will readily investigate snap traps, and little balls of cotton tied to the triggers work well as a bait
Trapper T-Rex Rat Trap (This traps work and nothing will get out of the T-rex’s grip)



Snap-E Mouse Trap (available for mice and rat)
Automatic traps are very effective for capturing mice, but they will not work on rats. Place them in the same manner as you would baits.
Ketchall Mouse Trap (Repeating mouse trap, can't beat this for mice, wind the knob, setting the internal spring mechanism. Catch them and all there friends while you sleep.)
Proketch Mouse trap, multiple catch, low profile and glueboards can be set inside to get the mice to stick and creates easy disposal. Can be used without glueboards for a more humane release program.

Baiting
Place baits in safe secluded area where the rodents are frequenting. Proper placements of bait are more important than the type of bait used.

Contrac Blox Rodenticide
Final Blox Rodenticide
Contrac Place Packs
JT Eaton Rodent Bait Blox

http://www.epestsolutions.com/1180/Contrac+Blox+Rodenticide.html

Put out more bait than you think is necessary. Under baiting is one of the most common mistakes in rodent control.
Use bait forms that are best suited for the particular conditions, such as wax blocks (Contrac Blox) for damp areas, cereal (meal) baits (Contrac Place Pacs) where bait security is a must, and tracking powders (ZP) where competitive foods are abundant.

Contrac Blox Rodenticide
Contrac Place Packs
Final Blox
JT Eaton Rodent Bait Blox

Be sure to follow label directions and use bait stations and the newer tamper-resistant stations when possible, to prevent any accidental poisoning of non targeted animals.

EZ-Kleen Rat Bait Station Setting Your Trap Video
Protecta Keyless Bait Stations
Protecta RTU Mice Bait Stations

http://www.epestsolutions.com/1061/E-Z+Kleen+Rat+Bait+Stations.html

Protecta Rodent Landscape Rock
Store baits in areas where chemical contamination will not occur. Rodents can detect the contamination and will not consume the contaminated baits.

Exclusion
It is much easier to control rodents outside a structure rather than within, so the most successful and permanent form of rodent control is to “build them out.” Cracks and openings in building foundations must be sealed. Doors, windows, and screens should be tight-fitting.Use materials that are rodent “gnaw proof” such as copper mesh (Stuff-it) sheet metal, expanded metal, perforated metal, iron grills, hardware cloth, and cement mortar. Materials having an opening 1/4 inch or less will exclude both rats and mice.
Copper Stuff-it

Sanitation
Reduce harborage by eliminating weed's, refuse piles, overgrown vegetation, and rubbish piles.
Place garbage and trash in garbage cans and industrial dumpsters with tight fitting covers.
Proper sanitation will benefit any rodent control program.
There is no substitute for sanitation, and the program must be continuous or the benefits derived will be quickly lost to reinvading rodents.
Eliminate as much of the rodent's water source as possible, as rats need water daily and mice will drink freestanding water if available.

We have put together some terrific rodent control kits that we believe will get the job done and done right. Take a look and order today and get a jump start on your rodent problem.
View Our Rodent Kits at
http://www.epestsolutions.com/Rats_Mice.html






Whether it is a small job or a big one, we can help!
Offering free professional advice and professional grade products for all your pest control needs.
Thank you!

Monday, September 8, 2008

How to kill fleas in your home and yard




Over the past few months we have noticed a large increase in flea control question from our toll free number 1-888-523-7378 and free advice email at info@epestsolutions.com. We believe that you can never have enough information to arm yourself when you are dealing with pest control and doing it yourself. Below is easy to understand flea control advice and some basic steps to becoming flea free.
We hope this helps answer and questions you may have about controlling fleas in your home, yard and on your pet.
For more information or to read more about each product listed below check out our website at






Indoor Flea Control Solutions:



Treating the Pet




With flea control an important step is to control the breeding area, which is our pets. It only gets off as an adult flea if it is forced off by your brushing or the dog's chewing.There are many materials now available to use on the pet, and the best ones (Petcor) will affect not only the adult fleas, but also the eggs that they lay. Petcor contain a growth regulator that kills the eggs that come in contact with the chemical. This same chemical can be applied to your carpets and furniture and it keeps the flea larvae ever from becoming biting adults. There is, of course, also regular bathing of the pets, possibly with a flea shampoo that can definitely kill fleas that are present."Ultrasonic" flea collars,that claim to set up "flea free" zones around your pets do not work in any way, shape or form and there are a number of studies that support that belief.



Treating the Home for Fleas
Step two, if your home has reached the point where the flea eggs, larvae, and pupae are widespread in the carpet, you need to treat all those areas with a properly labeled product (Ultracide, Precor 2000, Pro Control Total Release Fogger). We have materials that are excellent, odorless, and of extremely low hazard when used correctly. Since flea eggs and larvae can be just about anywhere in the home that the pets go, your goal will be to apply the spray to all those susceptible areas. If there are certain places that the dog or cat likes to hide or rest, be certain that there are fleas there and a chemical treatment is a must. Do not however spray your clothing, bedding, toys and any personal belongings. Pick up everything on the floor, including under beds and inside closets this will make your treatment as effective as possible. Try to tie up any cloth like curtains and bed skirts that are hanging on the floor.

Vacuum thoroughly in all areas, and dispose of the bag or contents in exterior garbage as to not leave any eggs or live fleas in the house to reintroduce themselves.
Remove all pet dishes from floors.
Cover fish tanks and turn off the air supply during the application.
Try to spray every inch of carpet and furniture and hardwood floors that is possible - even under beds and under sofas and chairs. Spray the pet bedding and specific areas pets travel the most. Allow the chemical (Ultracide, Precor 2000) to dry before walking on it, and try to walk backwards when applying, so you don’t walk through the spray.

After the Treatment
Allow the area to completely dry. You want to wait till the spray is dry, so that it does not contact your skin, and once it is dry it adheres very, very tightly to the carpet fibers. You can check this by placing a tissue paper on the carpet and stepping on it lightly with your shoe. If it shows a wet spot then you need to leave again for another hour or two. Opening windows and turning up heaters prior to the application, if possible, will speed up drying time.The second important step is to vacuum again, every day if at all possible. This is not going to remove any flea chemicals, but will once again cause flea pupae to hatch to adults. The chemical cannot kill the pupa, as it is hidden within its cocoon, but the adult fleas that emerge can be killed by the freshly placed spray, even after it is dry.


It may takes about 3 weeks for fleas to complete their life cycle, from egg to adult. You still will see occasional fleas for the next two to four weeks, until they are all emerged from their pupae. You can speed up this process by vacuuming regularly, but adding more chemical applications on top of what is already there

Outdoor Flea control
Fleas prefer to live in cool, shaded areas close to moisture, which outdoors would include under shrubs, trees, bare areas of ground, etc. Normally fleas don’t live in open sunny grassy areas. A good form of attack for outdoor fleas control is to perform a thorough spraying, with plenty of water, with a chemical such as Talstar PL Granule or Talstar One Insecticide or Tengard SFR One-Shot Liquid Termiticide/Insecticide . These products are also very effective against killing ticks, ants, roaches, spiders and most common bugs. Thoroughly spray the areas where where pets run, sleep and rest. Pay close attention to areas in and around dog houses.An insect growth regulator, added to you spray, will cause the immature fleas to die and will prevent eggs from hatching and completing their life cycle. By combining the 2 forms of chemical you will achieve a complete control system that attacks adults, immature fleas and prevents the existing eggs from hatching. Talstar PL Granule or Talstar One Insecticide or Tengard SFR One-Shot Liquid Termiticide/Insecticide need to be mixed with Precor (IGR). Talstar PL Granule or Talstar One Insecticide and Tengard SFR One-Shot Liquid Termiticide/Insecticide will kill the adult fleas and Pro Control Total Release Fogger will control the immature fleas and stop the egg hatching process.

Available for the DIY homeowner at www.epestsolutions.com

Products We recommend:

Ultracide
For more information or to read more about each product listed below check out our website at
www.epestsolutions.com

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Stopping the Bed Bugs







Shop with http://www.epestsolutions.com/ for all your bedbug advice and control products.
Bed bugs are well-adapted to living with humans. Like other successful parasites, they prefer to live near their next meal.In the case of the nocturnal bed bug, this usually means close to where people sleep or lounge.In recent surveys of bed bug-infested apartments, for example, more than 90 percent of the insects were found living in beds, sofas and recliners ( see “battling bed bugs in apartments, “ pct august 2006).Disposal. The fastest way to reduce bed bug numbers is to throw out infested items. Bed bugs can be hard to eradicated from beds and upholstered furniture because so many may be present and well concealed.Box springs, sofas and recliners are especially challenging, affording unlimited hidden harborage within inches of the host. Heavily infested or damaged mattresses, frames and headboards also may warrant disposal. Nonetheless, throwing out infested items isn’t an option for some customers and often may not be necessary.When infested items are discarded, bagging or wrapping them prevents dislodgement of bugs en route to the dumpster.Encasement. One good way to limit bed bug habitation of beds is encasement. See our product: Allerzip anti allergy mattress encasements. Encasing both the mattress and box spring denies them access to inner, hard-to-treat areas.Once the Allerzip anti allergy mattress encasements cover is installed, any bed bugs which happen to be inside are entombed and eventually will die. A tight-fitting smooth outer cover also makes it easier to spot and destroy any bugs reappearing on subsequent visits. Encasement like allerzip anti allergy mattress encasements makes a lot of sense if the old infested bed is to be kept. Allerzip anti allergy mattress encasements also help protect new bed components until the current infestation is eliminated.Allerzip anti allergy mattress encasements are the highest quality zippered bed encasements of various available. Bed bugs trapped inside will not bite through the fabric, but cheaper covers are more likely to tear during installation and use. One high quality encasement developed specifically for bed bugs was recently introduced by allerzip anti allergy mattress encasements protect-a-bed ( chicago ) . Available know thru epestsolutions.com.
Vacuums.



Vacuums can remove many types of pests ranging from cockroaches to ladybugs. Routine vacuuming by clients is seldom of much benefit against bed bugs because they hide in places where normal housecleaning efforts do not reach. Targeted vacuuming of infested harborages, however, can be useful if performed properly and limits of the procedure are understood.Bed bugs are harder than cockroaches to dislodge with a vacuum.Adults and nymphs cling more tightly to surfaces and each tiny translucent egg is affixed with a cement-like substance. When vacuuming bed bugs, better results are achieved by scraping the end of the suction wand repeatedly over the harborage area. While many bed bugs will be dislodged, some individuals – and especially eggs – will be left behind. Removal becomes difficult if not impossible when bugs and eggs are located deep within crevices of wood, fabric or upholstery. Another potential concern when vacuuming bed bugs is the chance they will be spread. Perhaps more so than with cockroaches, we have noticed some bugs and plenty of eggs surviving the high-speed ride down the vacuum hose into the collection bag. If vacuum bags are not discarded, bed bugs could be transported to other clients or back to the office. Brush attachments enhance the potential for spread by allowing bugs and eggs to adhere to the bristles.
Sterifab / Bedlam.
Sterifab and Bedlam are often used to treat bed bug infested beds and upholstered furniture. Although both Sterifab and Bedlam are technically pesticides, some companies choose to use them because of their comparatively short residual when treating human contact surfaces. Sterifab and Bedlam contain mainly alcohol and the relatively shortlived pyrethroid d- phenothrin.There is uncertainty whether either product has sufficient residual activity to kill bed bug nymphs emerging from eggs, why in most cases a good safe pyrethroid (suspend) is also recommended. To study this question, groups of adult bed bugs were sprayed directly with each bedlam and sterifab.In another experiment, adults and newly emerged nymphs were confined on filter paper discs that were treated one hour, two days or seven days earlier. Three different bed bug populations were evaluated:
Two previously shown to be susceptible to pyrethroid (suspend) insecticides, and a third population known to be resistant.
When adult bed bugs were sprayed directly with sterifab or bedlam, all (100 percent) died including those from the pyrethroid-resistant population.
Efficacy against resistant bugs presumably was related to the alcohol present in both formulations which itself is lethal to bed bugs as a contact (wet) spray.
When newly emerged nymphs were confined on surfaces treated with sterifab or bedlam one hour, two days, or seven days before, almost all (95% to 98%) of the pyrethroid (suspend)– susceptible nymphs were killed, but nearly none (2%) succumbed from the resistant population.
These preliminary findings suggest that both Sterifab and Bedlam provide excellent contact kill as a direct spray against adults and nymphs. Whether they’ll also afford residual protection against emerging bed bug eggs depends on the (pyrethroid) susceptibility of the population and perhaps other factors still being investigated.
Laundering / Drying.
http://www.epestsolutions.com/




Bed bugs often infest bedding, clothing and other personal belongings which cannot be treated with insecticides. But highest water setting should be used.Please note we could find no study that has been done to test the benefits of laundering and drying of infested bedding.