Tuesday, February 28, 2012

How to Do a Professional Termite Inspection

Termites can cause thousands of dollars of damage to one of our most precious investments, our homes. They can silently invade and expand while the home owner is unaware. One of the best things that the DIY Pest Controller can do is a thorough home inspection. In this article, we will review termite home inspection tips of the professional pest controller.
If you see swarming termites, that is a pretty clear indication that you have a termite problem, but it is important not to wait until you see swarms to act. There are areas that should be inspected every six months to ensure that termites have not moved into your home.

Exterior:
Review any possible entry points such as siding, cracks in mortar, expansion joints, foundation voids, and porches. You are looking for any signs of activity which includes tubers (mud colored shelter tubes that are created by termites). These tubes may be located in the corners or cracks themselves, so get close and wear your glasses. Pay particular attention to areas where the earth comes into contact with wood, stucco, or veneer. They will follow cracks and edges as “guidelines”. Your windows, sills, garage doors and frames are all areas that can conceal the tubes. Look for wings, pellets, or ‘bodies’ on sills. Moisture problems in any of these areas could increase termite susceptibility.
Also, review areas that have mulch and timbers that are near to your home. You may find actual living termites in these areas and this will let you know it’s time to make sure you have adequately protected with a chemical barrier.

Interior:
Your interior inspection will consist of squeezing into small spaces that no one wants to be in armed with a high power flash light. Your basement and crawlspaces need to be reviewed for the same signs of activity such as tubers, wings, bodies, actual damage to wood, and pellets. The foundation walls, joists, and sub flooring are all areas that need to be viewed and inspected. The cracks/corners where they meet are areas that tubes can be concealed. Also, if you are aware of an area directly behind a flower box or dirt filled porch, pay careful attention because this is an welcome entry point for termites. You may have to move some insulation aside by hand to view the structure underneath. Your attic is not normally the primary entry point, but an inspection of it as well will give you even more peace of mind.

Many treatment and prevention products only previously available to the professional pest controller are now available to the do it yourself-er. You can easily review your options for termites such as; chemical barriers, baits, traps and gels to keep your home and family well protected.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Keep Flies From Entering

Nothing is a more unwelcomed sight than to have flies zooming about inside of your home. Not only is it annoying but an unwanted fly problem can be very embarrassing as well. The presence of flies is somehow tied to notions of unsanitary. One way to keep flies under control is to limit their entrance into your home in the first place. In this article, we will discuss how to keep flies from entering your home.

First of all, be certain that your windows, screens and entry ways are sealed tightly and in good repair. If there are tiny cracks, crevices or tears in the screens, you are handing over your home to flies for their pleasure. If one fly can make its way in, you can bet more flies will follow. Try spraying your entry ways and sills with a residual insecticide so that if a few flies move in, they will die where they land. Time released pyrethrin sprays are another option. Pay attention that you do not have trash cans located near any entry ways. Flies LOVE trash cans and are very opportunistic. Make their lives a little harder by extending the area that they would have to travel from meal to meal.

While we are discussing trash cans, make sure that you empty yours very, very regularly. Sitting trash decomposes and emits more enticing odors to the fly. Giving them ample time to reproduce and begin another generation. So empty cans regularly, and wash them out weekly with a good bleach bath. Using locking lids can also limit access to your trash as a breeding and feeding site for the fly.

When cooking, be sure to keep exposed food covered at all times. Wipe up any crumbs, etc. as soon as they are made. Don’t leave produce on the counter without cover. Check any cracks between your appliances and counter tops to be sure that no food particles have made their way down. Keep the backs of cabinets clean and clear from excess storage items or clutter.
Check under sinks and appliances to also be certain that there is no accumulation of food or moisture, further limiting the fly’s access to a man made fly buffet.

Keep all drains free from any standing water or food build up. Regularly flush your drains to remove any ‘gunk’ that may be building up on the insides of pipes. Drain flies particularly love this type of environment. Don’t forget to check bathroom shower and tub drains for build-up of soap scum, hair, etc. It sounds gross, but remember, you are making your home completely unappetizing for fly existence.

If you are able to remove all food sources and breeding site, your fly problem can be limited to one or two strays who accidentally gain access to your home, instead of a replay of horror film proportions.

Friday, February 17, 2012

How to Control Earwigs

Earwigs are generally a nuisance pest, and don’t cause much stir for homeowners. But last year, Houston saw an invasion of earwigs in previously unprecedented proportions due to an unusually hot summer. With an unusually warm winter, be prepared for a hotter summer. In this article, we discuss earwigs and what to do in case earwigs try to move indoors again.

Earwigs are omnivorous insects and one of the few that actively hunt for food. They will feed on insects, plants and ripe fruit. Earwigs can live for up to one year from hatching. An interesting fact about earwigs is that the mother actually does attend to her eggs, and sometimes the hatchlings until their first molt.

Earwigs are distributed throughout the Americas and Eurasia. The common earwig was first found in North America in 1907. Presently, earwigs are usually found in the southern and southwestern states, although the spine-tailed earwig has been found in Canada.

The earwigs are normally nocturnal, and generally like dark, cool and moist crevices or debris to shelter in. They will often be found in mulch, dense ground cover or loosened tree bark. While earwigs like cool places, they do not like freezing temperatures and cannot survive under extreme conditions.

During the extremely hot Houston summer, it is believed that the earwigs all moved indoors to receive relief from the excruciating heat as their normal safe zones heated up and dried out. If we experience more unusually hot summers, we can expect the masses of earwigs to continue to seek shelter in air conditioned and damp places.

So how is the DIY pest controller to keep earwigs at bay?

One of the best ways to control earwigs is to keep them out of your home in the first place. To keep earwigs out of you r home, try using an insecticide perimeter spray around your home to limit earwig entry. Another option is to use a granular insecticide and sprinkle it in a three to six foot band round the home. If you have mulch around your home, sprinkle the insecticide directly into the mulch.

If you are able to keep them out, you will have less reason to expose your home interior to insecticides.

Remember, Earwigs are attracted to damp areas, as are many other pests. So try to minimize any areas which may be holding excess moisture. Check your crawl spaces, leaky faucets or water run off from your air conditioning units. Inside, be sure that you basement is as dry as possible. Don’t invite trouble.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Mother D - Diatomaceous Earth! Effective and Earth Friendly!

MotherEarth D is a broad spectrum desiccant dust with 100% high purity freshwater diatomaceous earth for long lasting control of crawling insects.


Diatoms are harmless against humans and pets and are completely natural.

MotherEarth D is made of the highest-quality diatomaceous earth, lasts virtually forever if left untouched and provides long-lasting control of insect pests.

Mother Earth D should not be the only product used in the fight against bed bugs as it does not kill quick enough. For best results, use a contact kill such as Sterifab or Bedlam in addition to the dust product.


Diatomaceous Earth is a naturally occurring substance composed of fossilized shells and water plants. Since it is not toxic to the environment or humans, it has numerous uses in pest control. In this article, we will discuss diatomaceous earth and its various uses for the do it yourself pest controller.
Since diatomaceous earth has very sharp edges and tiny pores, it acts as a desiccant. If you can imagine that diatomaceous earth is like tiny shards of glass and the bugs that walk over and through it end up have their waxy protective layer removed, and they in essence dry out or are cut up. Diatomaceous earth acts as a physical control of pests, not a chemical control. Therefore, Diatomaceous earth is not toxic to our environment, humans or animals, but direct inhalation of it should be avoided, as with any other tiny particle substance.
Diatomaceous earth is relatively inexpensive, making it an excellent choice for the DIY pest controller. The only down side to diatomaceous earth is that, if you are using out of doors, it is important to realize the wetting the diatomaceous earth will make it ineffective, and reapplication will be necessary.
Let’s discuss some of the popular uses for diatomaceous earth.
INDOOR USE
DI will work to keep your indoor pests under control. Indoor insects that can be targeted are ANTS, COCKROACHES, EARWIGS, SPIDERS AND OTHER CRAWLING INSECTS. Using a hand duster, lightly apply in dry areas where crawling insect pests are found or may hide, including cracks and crevices, along baseboards, around sinks, cabinets, refrigerators and stoves and in attics and basements. Direct contact with dry dust is required for effective control. DE is not a bait, you cannot place a small amount of DE in one area and expect the pests to “find” it. Place the DE in areas where there is known pest activity. If you are using vacuuming in your pest control regimen, placing some DE in the vacuum canister will kill those pests that are captured by the vacuum. This will help you to not simply relocate indoor pests to another area in your home. DE can serve as a ongoing control for BED BUGS once you have addressed the initial bed bug problem with appropriate chemical measures.
FLEAS: To control fleas infesting pet areas, thoroughly treat floor and bedding in and around pet's sleeping quarters. Treat surrounding cracks and crevices, baseboards, furniture, carpeting and wherever fleas are suspected. Apply a thin coat of dust to rugs and carpets. You should rake (not sweep) nap back and forth, causing dust to enter rug or carpet. Let product sit overnight. Repeat application as necessary and vacuum every 3 - 4 days for effective flea control. DE will kill fleas and help deodorize carpet or rug.
If you have a vacation or summer home that is closed up regularly, applying DE to the home before it is retired for the season will offer long term and non toxic pest control without great expense or effort.
OUTDOOR USE
DE is effective for the treatment of outdoor ANTS, EARWIGS, MITES, SPIDERS AND OTHER CRAWLING INSECTS. Try using a hand duster or other equipment suitable for application of dusts, dust lightly in areas where insects are found such as windowsills and doorframes, around foundations and along ant trails. Direct contact with dry dust is required for effective control. Repeat treatment in problem areas as necessary for control.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Chinch Bug Problem

If you are a Southerner, nothing causes you quite as much pleasure as a barefoot walk across your beautiful, soft, green St. Augustine lawn. Chinch Bugs are a huge nuisance and can cause brown dead spots with veritable ease. In this article, we discuss the Chinch Bug identification and control methods.

Chinch Bug identification is important. First of all, if you notice irregular patches of dead or stunted grass, surrounded by a halo of yellow, you may have a Chinch Bug problem. Although, a Chinch Bug issue can easily be confused with certain types of diseases, usually, brown patch disease will occur in a circular or semi circular fashion, while the Chinch Bug destruction will be irregular. An easy way to identify that it is a Chinch Bug issue is to witness the little buggers yourself.

One way to locate the Chinch Bug is to simply part the grass with your hands and see what you see. It is imperative to not mistake the Big Eyed Bug with the Chinch Bug. The Big Eyed Bug is a beneficial pest and will eat off many detrimental pests from your lawn. To distinguish the two, the Chinch Bug has a more narrow body in relation to its head. The Big Eyed Bug will have larger protruding eyes and the head is at least as wide as the leg bearing portion of its body(the thorax). The Chinch Bugs head is much more harrow than it’s thorax, the eyes are small in proportion, and the Chinch Bug will have a distinctive white wing with black triangular marks.

Another good method is to cut the bottom and top from a coffee can and simply push it into the ground with a twisting motion, creating a sample. Then fill the can with water, and wait about ten minutes. If Chinch Bugs are present, they will float to the surface. This is called the flotation method. Be sure that you do not test in dead grass, only damaged.

If you isolate that Chinch Bugs are your problem, and they are causing substantial damage to your lawn, you may need to take chemical action to end your Chinch Bug problem. There are a variety of liquid or granular insecticides that will control chinch bugs. The granular type should be applied with a standard fertilizer spreader, and then watered lightly to initiate the insecticide component. Be sure that you do not spread the insecticide onto sidewalks or walkways where it can be washed in to water ways.

Sweep up any excess that has found it’s way to these surfaces.

Using a liquid spray is easiest by applying a hose end sprayer that can distribute 15-20 gallons per 1,000 square feet.

Friday, February 10, 2012

What to Do About Carpenter Bees?

Although Carpenter Bees are common, and usually do no severe damage by their tunneling, they can sometimes be extremely dangerous and cause structural damage if the same timber is used by colonies year after year. In this article, we discuss how to identify carpenter bees and control methods for carpenter bees.
There are a dozen different species of carpenter bee in the United States alone. The different species may each prefer a different nest type, those that nest in sound structural wood can become an expensive pest.
The carpenter bee is a metallic blue black color and measures a substantial ¾-1 inch long. They have orange or yellow hair and can look like bumblebees except for their tail section. The carpenter bee has a black tail section which has no hair.
The carpenter bee likes to over winter in their nest tunnels that were built the summer prior. April or May is the right time for the bees to reemerge and begin mating.
Now, the female will reuse an older egging area, or extend it, or build a completely new one. This is where she bores into the wood, deposits an egg and seals it off with its ‘bee bread’ nutrient for growing. Usually the newly formed adults will emerge in late August or September.
So, now that you know a little about carpenter bees, what can you do to prevent them from nesting near your home?
Well, carpenter bees may often be found around fences, patios, wood shingles, eaves, outdoor ceilings and windowsills. Any wood that is unfinished or painted and well weathered is a good choice for a carpenter bee.
You can locate the next by looking for bee activity and a perfectly round hole about the size of a dime. Once you have located the entrance, apply dusts or insecticide sprays into the nest entrance and on a large area of wood surface surrounding the area. Then, after approximately a half or whole day, plug up the hole. Be very, very careful to wear protective equipment and use the insecticides according to the labeled directions.
If nests are located, it is important that you remove the damaged wood and replace it with pressure treated wood, which will deter further nesting attempts. Also, painting your wood or white washing it will keep carpenter bees from nesting again. Use all of the above strategies to control carpenter bees in your outdoor living area.

Friday, February 3, 2012

How to Correctly Identify Your Insect

How to Identify Your Insect

Carpenter ants in the United States are some of the largest ants and there can be several different types of carpenter ants infesting one home or business at a time. You will want to look for a black or red black in color and and they are typically about 3/8 to ½ inch in size. And you will typically see worker ants.

Carpenter ants are polymorphic meaning that the same species can have multiple sizes of workers. One of the best methods of identifying carpenter ants from other ants, is to look for their specific characteristics. They will have a waist with only one node and a thorax with an evenly rounded upper surface.




You want to correctly identify your ant, because some ants the resemble a carpenter ant are not wood destroying ants an can easily be mistaken for one.

Another confusing thing occurs when people see what they refer to as winged ants, you may have termites or you may have carpenter ants, so you will want to know the difference between the 2 and how to identify them correctly.
The difference between the 2 is that carpenter ants have dark colored bodies and narrow waist line, they have a definite segmented body where a termite will not. The Carpenter ant will have elbowed antennae and the hind wings will be shorter than their front wings.
Is it a Ant or Termite



Termites on the other hand are have light colored and not waist, they will have straight antennae and the wings are of equal length.

Carpenter ants eat forms of protein and sugar and outdoors the carpenter ants will feed on living and dead insects. Carpenter ants are also very attracted to honeydew which is a sweet liquid produced by aphids and scale insects. Indoors, carpenter ants feed on meats, as well as syrup, honey, sugar, jelly, and other sweets. They can switch from eating a sweet to a protein source at specific times of their season and also based on the food source that has been available to them. Carpenter ants are not eating the wood, they are only removing the wood as they create their galleries and tunnels.
Carpenter ants typically forage at night in between the sunset and midnight during the warmer months if summer. Most foraging is done at night between sunset and midnight during spring and summer months. Sometimes workers travel up to 100 yards from a nest in search of food.

Carpenter ants will build their nest in moist wood including rotting trees, tree roots, tree stumps, and logs or boards lying on or buried in the ground. They are also attracted to areas that are moist and contain decaying wood. Areas in your home that maybe water pools or the gutter leaks in that particular site are all good places to look for termite or carpenter ant activity.

Nests have been found behind bathroom tiles; around tubs, sinks, showers, and dishwashers; under roofing, in attic beams, and under subfloor insulation; and in hollow spaces such as doors, curtain rods, and wall voids. Carpenter ants may also nest in foam insulation.

The Carpenter ant causes damage to wood by excavating and creating their galleries and tunnels. How much damage depends on how long a colony has been there in that particular piece of wood.

Most people start seeing carpenter ants during the spring months, and if you can determine if they are coming from outside to the inside or if you have an interior nest that would be great. It is not always that easy, and the use of baits and non repelling insecticides will make it less necessary to know where they are living. If you are seeing them in late winter it is most likely that they have a active colony inside the structure.

Reproductive ant swarms are usually seen in early spring when temperatures and moisture levels are ideal for starting a new colony. Carpenter ants will produce large numbers of queens and males during late summer. They emerge from nests the following spring for their nuptial flights. After mating, queens search for suitable sites to begin new nests. Once they land, their wings break off and each queen attempts to construct a new nest.

When carpenter ant nests are indoors, mating swarms become trapped inside. Finding large numbers of winged ants indoors is a sure sign that an indoor nest exists and may give the approximate location of the colony.
It is important to remove any source of moisture conditions that will attract the carpenter ants to an area, when doing an inspection look for areas that are consistently wet. A moisture meter may be of some use and are relatively inexpensive.

Remove stumps and store wood away from the structure that you are trying to protect from Carpenter Ants or really any ant for that matter that might fine this to be a great harborage area.

If the nest is exposed or you can identify the areas that the ants are trailing then you can spray a non repelling insecticide on the exterior of the structure. They cannot identify the chemical as being present so they continue about their daily routines moving in and out of the chemical. Firponil is a good choice of chemical and it is contained in the product,
Carpenter Ant Kits that continue both option for food source, you can text your ants by putting them both out at the same time, if they aggressively pick on food source up say the maxforce
carpenter ant bait which is a honey dew formulation, then continue to apply that particular bait until you no longer see ants. If they pick up Advance Carpenter ant bait which is a protein based product continues placing this out daily. Always place your bait in areas that the ants will come in contact with, never spray an insecticide in the area where you are trying to get them to pick up the bait. Be Patient! It can take a couple of weeks to eliminate a colony.

Sprays on surfaces where ants travel or congregate, such as along baseboards or in holes or cracks in the walls and floors, may reduce the frequency and number of ants you see, you would want to also use a non repelling chemical something like Phantom, which is also available in an aerosol formulation to make easy application.

If the nest cannot be located, baits are a effective alternative. The carpenter ant baits work by combining an attractive food source with a slow-acting toxicant. The ants consume the bait and return to the nest to share the bait with the rest of the colony. Carpenter ants have complex food preferences, and that is why we recommend purchasing the Carpenter Ant Kits that continue both option for food source, you can text your ants by putting them both out at the same time, if they aggressihttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifvely pick on food source up such as the Maxforce carpenter ant bait which is a honey dew formulation, then continue to apply that particular bait until you no longer see ants. If they pick up Advance Carpenter ant bait which is a protein based product continue placing this out daily as well.

Always place your bait in areas that the ants will come in contact with, never spray an insecticide in the area where you are trying to get them to pick up the bait. Be Patient! It can take a couple of weeks to eliminate a colony.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Mole Control

Moles are notorious for the amount of damage they can cause to a lawn, golf course and sod farms. Knowing a little about the mole, its habitat and diet will help you be more successful in your control and elimination projects.
With constant digging and tunneling in the search for their food source turf grass insects and earthworms, moles can do quite a bit of damage before you even know they are there.

The most common mole and the one that is known to cause the most damage is the eastern Mole.
There are two common methods for controlling moles in your lawn, Physical / mechanical control and chemical control.
Included in physical and mechanical control is habitat modification, which is attempting to resolve mole tunneling with turf grass insecticide to remove their food source. This often fails because mole also eat earth worms which will not be effected by the professional insecticide.

Exclusion of moles by using a barrier fence is somewhat effective but not always available to homeowners or large facilities. It is recommended to use ½ inch mesh hardware cloth or sheet metal and bury it to a depth of 12 to 18 inches.

Live trapping of moles using pit fall traps can be constructed of large coffee cans or other similar containers and buried in planting beds along frequently used surface runs. The traps must be deep and steep-sided to prevent the mole from escaping once inside. Bell laboratories manufacture a new mole trap that is effective and easy to use. This is a lethal trap and is similar to scissor jaw traps.

Chemical control of moles, the use of toxic baits can be very effective in mole control. New Anticoagulant mole gel bait (Kaput Mole bait) does work very effectively. New products that are in the shape of earth worms that are placed in the moles active run have reached the market that are creating very effective mole control, Talprid Mole Bait.
It can be very difficult to control moles in your lawn, but you should not give up the fight and beautiful mole free yard is worth the effort.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Seasonal Guide to Ant Control

SPRING

Ants search for protein to nourish the brood. Capitalize on this ant craving by selecting Maxforce Granular Insect Bait and/or Maxforce Bait Stations.

SUMMER

Ants forage for sweet honeydew, which is typically found on plants and ornamentals. Choose a bait that is high in carbohydrates, such as Maxforce FC Ant Killer Bait Gel.

FALL

Honeydew-producing insects begin to die off naturally so sweet-feeding ants will prefer Maxforce Ant Bait Gel. Maxforce Granular Insect Bait is also effective because it contains a balanced diet.

WINTER

When it’s cold outside, ant activity indoors indicates a colony has located inside the heated environment. This normally means that the ants are feeding on the same foods we eat, so a balanced bait or combination of protein and sweet Maxforce Baits will work best.