Month: December 2015

Getting your own place, or simply making yourself home in a new one is often an exciting accomplishment. Getting to know the neighbors, checking out local businesses, and redecorating, as fun as they are, can really tire you out. Of course, you’re going to want to make sure you get a good night’s sleep as soon as you’ve moved in the bed. But, what do you do if you end up with some tiny, biting bunk mates?

Bedbugs may be a potential problem in multi-family residences. Using second-hand furniture, or a poorly cleaned shared laundry are common conduits for bedbug infestations. Before moving, make sure to read reviews for any prospective complexes to see if there are any known bug issues. Even if the reviews are in the clear, sometimes previous residents might have left something extra behind. Worse yet, sometimes neighbors can expose your linens and furniture to bedbugs just through passing proximity.

If you are finding that your sleep is not as restful as you’d hope, here are some clear signs that you may have a bedbug infestation:

1. Stains on sheets: Stains left by crushed bed bugs are normally rusty-red or brown in hue. Bedbug excrement is darker in hue but may bleed into fabrics like a marker.
   
2. Bites: The first sign you might have of bedbugs is their telltale bite patterns. Bites may occur on any part of exposed skin, but often manifest in clusters or a linear pattern. The bite manifests on the skin as a small, flat, reddish welt.
   
3. Live bedbugs, or their remains: Bedbugs are small and oval-shaped. They are brown in color, but develop a red tinge after feeding. Often, when an infestation is particularly severe, live bedbugs as well as their corpses, eggs, and feces are visible.

If you believe you have a bedbug infestation, before you throw away all your sheets and furniture, a professional consultation can assist you in finding solutions and preventing further issues. If skin issues persist after consulting an exterminator, consider seeking medical assistance.

A termite infestation can severely damage your home and property. In order to avoid the negative effects of a termite infestation, all homes (particularly those in areas with a higher risk of termite infestation) should receive regular termiticide spray services form a professional company. This small investment in termite control can save you thousands of dollars in potential repairs should a termite infestation take hold in your home.

In addition to a professional termite spray service for termite control, there are a few natural techniques that you can use to help ensure that your home does not become infested with termites.

Know What Types of Wood Termites Prefer

Termites are naturally more attracted to certain types of wood than others. Additionally, there are certain types of woods that are less likely to become infested with termites, or negate the risk altogether. some of the types of wood that termites are not attracted to include:

• Eastern red cedar
• Black walnut
• Pacific Yew

Reduce Moisture

Subterranean termites require moisture in order to survive and thrive in any environment. Subterranean termites may seek moisture underground and bring it back with them – but most will seek locations where moisture is already present. Subterranean termites are found throughout the entirety of the lower 48 United States.

On the other hand, drywood termites do not require moisture in order to infest wood. Drywood termites are only typically found in the Southern US and are rarely seen in the North.

The best choice that you can make to protect your home from termite infestation is to work with a professional termite control company who has the expertise required to protect your home. In addition to working with a pest control company, keeping a close eye on the state of your home and knowing the signs of an infestation can help you to spot a termite problem before it causes serious damage or snowballs into a large infestation.

During localized flooding brought on by Hurricane Joaquin during October of 2015, a reporter out covering the weather almost stepped on what he thought was a pile of mud but turned out to be an “island” of fire ants floating along the surface of flood waters.

Although fire ants are found across much of North America, not everyone is aware of their unique response to heavy rains and flood conditions. Since fire ants make their homes in the ground, they understandably react in extreme ways when those homes are threatened by floodwaters. When threatened by water, ants latch on to one another, weaving their bodies together into a sort of raft made entirely out of members of their own colonies.

Due to the tightly knit “weave” of the ants, water cannot penetrate the raft allowing the ants to stay dry. This water-tight nature provides the raft with the buoyancy force necessary to float. (Ant Lab)

The water-tight raft does more than just help the ants stay buoyant: it also allows them to create air pockets that keep them from drowning. Since they can, in effect, carry their own air supply around with them, they are able to stay afloat this way for days or even weeks. It’s as ingenious as it is alarming.

If you live in part of the country that’s impacted by fire ants, be sure to educate yourselves their habits in the face of heavy rains and flood waters. If you don’t you could place yourself in danger of interacting with one of these floating “rafts” of fire ants. Imagine stepping on one or brushing up against one by mistake while wading: those ants would consider you a godsend and begin heading to higher ground immediately.

To keep your home and yard fire-ant free, make sure to consult with a pest control professional today.