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Archive for August, 2009

Swarming Termites Are Cause For Concern To Homeowners

August 28th, 2009

When you see swarming termites, your home is in big trouble. The reason is that termites do not swarm until they have a fully matured colony.

That is why when you see swarming termites you should take immediate action. You should call an inspector with a known and proven reputation to come out and inspect your home to determine the nature and extent of the infestation as well as the degree of damage to your property.

When you see a few termites, what you do not see are the many thousands, perhaps even millions, which are secreted throughout your house eating away at whatever wood they can find. DO not be misled by seeing only a few as some of these termite colonies can be quite large. It is no wonder that many professionals say termites cause billions of dollars in damages to houses every year. So it is critical that you do not ignore these pesky pests just because you happen to see only a few of them at a time.

Swarming termites, while always a problem, do not always mean there has been damage done to your home. For instance, a swarm could mean that the termites are just arriving and you have time to take steps to prevent damage. This usually occurs around early spring, although for some pests it can be as late as May or June. So there is no need to become overly concerned so long as you act right away. At this juncture, you are most likely wondering just what it is you ought to do.

You should call your local agricultural extension office and at least two exterminators to come out and inspect your home. You should accompany the inspector on the inspection and hopefully have some idea of what to look for. It would be really advantageous to you if you could get someone from the extension office to be there during the inspection. Be sure to have the inspectors come out on separate days and do not let them know who the other person is until after you have had a chance to review all three reports.

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Don Rodriguiez Pest Control , , ,

How Will I Know If I Have Bedbugs?

August 27th, 2009

Bedbugs are insects from the family Cimicidae. These insects feed on the blood of humans and other warm-blooded animals. Although not nocturnal, bedbugs usually feed during the night, when the hosts are asleep. What are the different bedbug symptoms?

One bedbug symptom is the bite marks that appear after sleeping on your couch or bed. These bite marks usually appear a few hours after getting bitten. Or it may also take a few days for the bedbug bites to appear. How can you identify a bedbug bite?

Bedbug bites are pink to red and can either be flat or raised. You will observe that the marks form a pattern, like 3 or more in a line. And you will see that they are a bit closer to one another. Scientists say that this pattern may be caused by disturbance while the bedbugs feed. They simply move a bit away from the other bite mark.

Reactions to bedbug bites can be different. Some people see the bite marks as soon as they wake. For others, it takes days for the bite marks to appear. And still, some people do not show any bedbug bite on their skin. Bedbugs do not carry diseases that can be transmitted through their bites.

Because people show different reactions to bedbug bites, some feel extremely itchy while others do not itch at all. The worst reaction to a bedbug bite is an allergic reaction, which rarely happens.

Antihistamines and systemic corticosteroids are used to treat the itching and burning caused by bedbug bites. These medicines cannot make the bedbug bites disappear.

Another medication is a topical corticosteroid. Applying this on the bedbug bites will relieve itchiness and burning. This will make the bite marks disappear, too. When you feel itchy, do not scratch the bedbug bites. This can cause scars.

The bite marks will tell you if you have a bedbug infestation. The next thing hat you must do is finding the area that is infested with bedbugs. A professional exterminator can kill the bedbugs for you. You can also kill these insects on your own.

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Renee Garcia Pest Control , , ,

The Bed Bugs Threat – Problem and Remedy

August 26th, 2009

Bed bugs are a source of vexation that most homes would wish to get rid of. These tiny vicious creatures thrive on the blood from warm blooded animals and if they can’t find a human victim they could go for a cat or dog as well. To confront this issue, one must go for professional pest control procedures.

Bed bugs infestation is mostly spread through travellers, but once these annoying bugs reach a new place they adapt to the new surroundings quickly. They swarm beds, furniture, carpets and all such objects where they can find holes and cracks.

Quite a lot of people harbour the wrong notion that bed bugs prefer places that are unclean. Bed bugs are creatures that are thirsty for blood and not trash, and therefore trash removal is not a very helpful way to remove them. But cleaner surroundings assist in better visibility of these pests and thereby getting rid of them becomes easier.

Another myth about bed bugs is that they are too tiny to be seen with naked eyes. The truth is that these creatures can be seen without any help but it is difficult to see them because their flat bodies permit them to slide into tiny crevices and folds of cloth without any difficulty.

One of the simplest ways to remove bed bugs is to engage an experienced pest controller who can sanitize the home of these pests. Of course some home remedies do fight bed bugs, like washing bed sheets, carpets and other affected items of clothing in hot water and afterwards exposing them to strong sunshine. Crevices in the walls must be filled with a sealant, and any piece of furniture that has holes must be got rid of as they can turn into potential habitats for these pests.

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Pamela London Rats & Mice , , , , , , ,

Don’t Let Pest Control Take Control Of Your Family’s Budget In This Economy Crisis

August 25th, 2009

It’s fair to say that most people don’t mind having nature in their lives. Whether it’s a few birds chirping away or the occasional deer in the woods, nature can be nice and enjoyable. However, if you are like most, you want it to stay in its place…outside and NOT in your home.

With an economy crisis unfolding around the world, some people may find that it’s just not cost-effective to hire a professional extermination service on a regular basis. These people will be left to contend with nature on their own. Sounds like a daunting task; however, it’s not as rough as some may think.

You can take control of your pest control by using things around your home and ingredients that you can buy for cheap to make all sorts of repellants, deterrents, and environmentally-friendly “insecticides” for your home and garden. Here are a few frugal recipes for pest control to get you started:

Keep those pesky ants away with a few sprinkles of cinnamon! They hate the smell and the taste. Cinnamon is great because you can buy for cheap lots of this spice at your local discount store. Some places carry it for less than 50-cents per jar!

If you don’t want to welcome deer in your garden, try mixing these two extremely inexpensive ingredients that you can buy for cheap just about anywhere, liquid dish soap and hot sauce! One tablespoon of the detergent mixed with some hot sauce, use as much as you want, put into a spray bottle and applied to your greenery will keep those dear deer at bay! Re-apply as needed after a heavy rain.

Get rid of those tiny aphids that nibble and destroy your garden. Simply mix canola oil with some dish soap and water. You only need one tablespoon of the canola oil, so you can just use what you have around the house. There is no need to go out looking to buy this stuff in large quantities. Put this mixture in a bottle, shake, and spray. Reuse an old cleanser bottle that you have cleaned out or buy for cheap a spray bottle at your local discount store. This mix actually kills these annoying pests without killing your garden.

Rodents can make a mess of your trash. This is a very easy frugal recipe for you to try for helping to deter them from costing you time and money with clean-up. All that you do is grow some peppermint in the area that you want to have your trash can or compost bin. Many rodents like mice do not like peppermint. Buy for cheap the seeds to grow the peppermint and treat that area just like the other parts of your garden.

Try your hand at these simply pest control tricks to minimize your extermination costs during this economy crisis. You may be surprised at the great results that you get!

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Alexandra Vrugt Pest Control , , , , , , , , ,

Termidor Termite Is An Effective Weapon In The War Against Termites Infestation

August 24th, 2009

There is a war going on against termite infestations in this country as well as around the world. The war is being fought against three main invaders in this country: Subterranean, dry wood, and Formosan termites. Termidor termite treatment is one of the weapons in a vast arsenal which is directed toward subterranean pests.

A product of BASF based in Mount Olive, NJ, Termidor termite treatment is said to be the number one selling and used termiticide in the United States and is now being used in many countries around the world. This product offers a two-fold approach to eradicating your home of infestations.

While there are other termite exterminating products on the market, few if any have the double-edged sword of Termidor termite treatment. Most exterminating weapons will get rid of termites in one way or another. Where this treatment differs, is that it actually prevents a re-infestation of your home and yard by setting up a protective barrier around them. Not only are termites gotten rid of, other termites are prevented from taking their place.

You should keep in mind the goals of this double strategy — eradication and prevention. What professional exterminators do to apply the product is to drill holes through the foundation of your house so that the product can be pumped into the ground below which is repeated until a protected seal is formed. Holes are also drilled in walls and floors as needed to attack and to defeat the colony. When done properly, you can have confidence your property is protected.

The product is said to be safe for humans and pets so do not worry if you have one or both. It is also said to be environmentally friendly and has undergone over eight years of testing by the US Forest Service.

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Jon Cardozo Pest Control , , ,

Eco-Friendly Pest Control Has Ancient Roots

August 23rd, 2009

Green pest control goes back thousands of years. Ancient people fought bugs even before farming began. After agriculture began the fight turned into a way. Early farmers had to find ways to defend their crops against pests. Losing the battle of the bugs could lead to starvation.

Early farmers were observant and quickly learned how nature handled pest control. They duplicated what they saw and were not afraid to experiment. Ancient writings of Rome, China, Sumaria and Egypt contain evidence of pest control techniques. Some techniques worked well and were passed on.

Pest control methods used by ancient farmers included: Using beneficial organisms, like birds, frogs and other bugs to help manage pests Rotating crops and using sanitation to reduce pests Using baits and traps, and burning crops after harvest Using plants that are resistant to pests

Ancient cultures learned they could control pests or stop them from breeding by burning the fields after harvest. This pest control technique was used over 3 thousand years ago in China, and borrowed by the Roman 1000 years later. Fire is still used today in a limited way.

Another pest control method of disrupting the lifecycle of pest is crop rotation, which proved very effective for the ancient farmers. This method is still widely used today to prevent the rapid reproduction of pests. An example of interrupting the lifecycle of pests occurred in the 6th Century in Greece. Pythagoras recommended that swamps in the outlying areas be drained to stop the spread of malaria.

The Chinese especially became adept at pest control using beneficial species. For example, 3200 years ago ancient Chinese texts note the use of predatory ants to protect citrus groves from caterpillars and wood boring beetles. Later on officials prohibited the removal of eggs and the hunting of both frogs and birds as these species consume vast numbers of insects. Praying mantis was released in gardens among the chrysanthemums to devour leaf-eating insects.

Early in the 16th century mechanical pest control traps were first invented. Dr. Bruckmann from Germany crafted the first fly trap. The trap was made of wood and attracted flies with sweet bait. He also designed flea traps that could be worn around the neck like a necklace. The aristocracy of Western European found these quite attractive.

Green pest control techniques have been around for a long time. They have been proven and refined over thousands of years. They fell out of favor when chemical pesticides were introduced, but are again gaining popularity. The appeal of these techniques is they are effective, relatively inexpensive, and have a reduced environmental impact. Today these green pest control techniques are collectively called Integrated Pest Management.

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Russ Frank Pest Control , ,

Dog Repellents Ideal for Your Use

August 21st, 2009

Dog repellents are being used all over the world to chase away annoying dogs. We all know that dogs are dubbed as mans best friend. Pet dogs understand the behavior of their master well. Most of us consider them as a family member by people who keep them in their homes. Hence, we can find much news about dogs saving lives of many people. However, we can also come to know about dogs can also attack us. These attacking dogs are usually stray dogs that can be found in our residential areas.

Elderly people most often encounter barking dogs while having a morning stroll or jogging. Children may come across such dogs while walking down the lane to their home, playground, and school. Women may encounter such dogs while going to the grocery store or walking home at night. Bikers and cyclists find these dogs blocking their way until they speed away from them. So, we can understand how scary it would be to face a ferociously barking dog. No need to worry about that because we have dog repellent is available.

Many a time, it is advisable to maintain a safe distance from these dogs. There are times when these dogs may not allow you to maintain a safe distance instead they come closer to you, barking all the time. The more you ran away, the more they will chase you.

There are some easy methods that you can make use of to chase away unfriendly dogs. There are a lot of dog repellents available in the market today that can help you immensely. Dog repellents are mainly meant to distract the dog and confuse them in such a way that it gives you time to escape when attacked. You can make use of ultrasonic repellents and muzzle spray for this purpose.

The above mentioned defense items do not cause harm to the dog. It only creates a sense of discomfort to drive them away. Why do not you invest in a dog repellent today, to get rid of ferocious dogs?

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Charlie Duff Pest Control , , , , ,

Using Animal Repellents

August 21st, 2009

In the movies and in animated cartoons, animals are often portrayed as the cute and cuddly creatures that man would want to have as their best friend. Teddy bears that can act and sing melodious tunes, dogs who can dance and talk, birds that can serenade princesses are the stuffs that fill the scenes of fairytales and movies. As we watch these animals do their tricks, we would likely think to have them as pets.

However, this fantasy is far from the real world. In the real world teddy bears do not sing they growl when provoked, dogs cannot dance and talk they bark when they see an attacker, and birds who are predators threaten to share our food when we are out in a camping trip. Not all animals are bad. They too have a role to play to maintain the delicate balance of life. Some of them though show their animal instincts for survival especially if humans provoke them.

There have been reports that people who are on camping trips were attacked by bears. Some of them were lucky enough to have brought animal repellents to ward off attacks. Those who were not ready enough suffered; some sustained major and minor injuries while others had to face the worst. Snakes, dogs, mosquitoes, insects, and other wild animals are just some of the animals that are warded off by repellents that are out in the market today.

Animal repellents can keep away ferocious animals from getting near us. Some of these repellents contain scents and odors that animals stay away from. The use of these repellents has been recommended to campers and to home owners who often encounter stray animals roaming around their backyard.

These animal repellents does not directly kill the animal it just wards them off and distract their attention for us to easily escape when we are attacked. Due to this, these repellents have the seal of approval from nature lovers.

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Charlie Duff Pest Control , , , ,

How To Kill Termites: It Is Not As Hard As You Might Think

August 20th, 2009

Are you wondering how to kill termites? Well, you have several choices.

Given the amount of damage these swarming pests do each year, getting rid of them is no joking matter. And because they can eat a lot of wood each week, especially those that have large colonies, you will want to be able to discover infestations as early as possible.

And, it is not enough to inspect your house. You need to also inspect any furniture which has wood in it as well as trees around the yard which might be dead or dying. Any old tree stumps are prime breeding places for colonies. So how do you get rid of these pesky creatures?

Although it will take some time and a lot of the product, one way of ridding your home of the infestation is by placing a specially treated bait throughout your home. The bait will be carried by workers back to the colony where it will be ingested, thus wiping out the colony. The reason it will take time and lots of product is that some of these colonies can number up to a million members.

Another strategy is fumigation where a tent or tarp is put over your house after a lot of preparation and you and your family members finding another place to stay for a few days. However, this form of treatment is effective only against dry wood termites which are usually found in the southernmost part of the United States.

Still another method is liquid termite treatment which involves termiticides being sprayed around your home and yard. It may even require drilling holes in your foundation and pumping the liquid through your foundation and the ground beneath it. A shortcoming of this method is that it requires the insects to come into contact with the liquid which means the person doing the spraying has to have a pretty good idea where the colony is located.

One other option available to you, though only if you are in the process of constructing a house, is a Borate termite treatment. What you do here is to paint the substance on all of the wood, which is not easily accessible, after the house is constructed. This is a very good preventive measure to take to avoid the costly damage done by termites.

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Don Rodriguez Pest Control , , , , , , ,

Deciding What Plants to Use in Your Garden Space

August 17th, 2009

There are no hard and fast rules towards developing a perfect garden. However, a little bit of planning and programming can always increase the range of its beauty.

The reason you need to plan is because you cannot just plant any vegetable. You need to analyze the area you are planting in to determine if your crops can thrive there. Thankfully, there are tons of plants out there, so no matter what kind of environment you have, you will have a lot of options.

The first type is greenhouse or sun room plants. These are very popular and include such species as Croton Manny and Croton Petra. These need direct filtered light in order for the color of the plants to fully develop.

Indoor growers will find ferns to be a preferable type of plant. Names of plants in this category include Southern Maidenhair and Spleenwort (I think they sound a bit weird).

Besides these somewhat elaborate crops, there are traditional plants. These include basic fruits and vegetables that can be eaten right off the crop. Most gardeners like to have some of these in their gardens.

There are many benefits to growing a wide range of plants. The aromas from every individual one mix together to form a pleasant smell that greets you whenever you arrive at your garden.

It is important to remember that plants need to be treated as gently as human beings. That calls for a lot of grooming sessions, which includes cleaning leaves, trimming stems, and other maintenance activities necessary to maintain the beauty of your flowers.

If you want to have a lot of plants, you will need the space to back them up. In addition to area, the quality of your soil must be great, so anything that grows in it will be healthy.

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ryan breakaway Garden & Landscape , , , , ,