Sunday, July 29, 2007

Bedbug Preparation for treatment

The most important thing to remember with regards to bedbug work is preparation! You can treat until the cows come home for bed bugs, but if you have a poorly prepared home then it is futile to even try. So how do you get an A+ in preparation 101? It's not easy, but anyone can do it. Here's how.
Start with a thorough vacuuming of any live bedbugs. If you have them so bad that they are crawling up the wall of you know that they are concentrated in a certain corner of your bed, whatever the case might be, then vacuum them up. Vacuum along the seams of the mattress and box spring, tear the back of the box spring off and vacuum in there. Vacuum inside drawers and closets, furniture, everywhere. Now sprinkle some baking or talc powder and suck it up in your vacuum and now throw out the bag. Next you will want to gather all bedding and get it laundered in hot water and dried in a hot dryer. If you are planning on taking them to a laundry mat then be sure to have another means to carry your cloths back home. Do not use the same bag to transport them back to your house. All clothing in closets and drawers need to be treated the same way and anything that needs to be dry cleaned will have to be sent to the cleaners. Now keep the drawers and closets empty. All things out from under the bed and all things out of the closets and drawers. Ideally you will want to take out all dresser drawers for the treatment company and take apart all beds exposing the frame work. Be aware that the treatment company may be tearing back carpeting from the walls so ask them this in advance and also they may be treating behind picture frames so anything valuable needs to be marked as so. Be sure to throw away old magazines and newspapers. Take down curtains or drapes and launder or dry clean these as well and keep them down for the treatment company. Unscrew and take off any light switch plates or outlet plates in all rooms. Now start from the top and go to the next room. All rooms will need to be treated. It's a process, no doubt, but well worth it in the long run.

Thursday, July 26, 2007

exterminator

Today's pest control professional has been through the ringer when it comes to terms of endearment. The bug man, the spray jockey, the smelly bucket, the verminator, the "Orkin Man" (even if he or she didn't work for Orkin). One thing I find is that residential customers are very loyal to their exterminator, whether it be to take care of bed bugs or water bugs, they love their monthly visit from the verminator. If you stumble by this blog or visit often, what is your opinion of the Pest control person and do you have a favorite company and technician and why?

Sunday, July 15, 2007

Flea treatment

Fleas are public enemy number one when it comes to pet owners! Cats and dogs suffer and so do their owners. The most important order of business is often fast and lasting control. If you have an outside animal like a cat or dog and you own a large back yard then you are going to want to treat the yard as best you can. Sometimes this can be done by a pest control firm who offer power sprays which would also help with ticks. Next order of business is to contact the vet and treat the animal with a flea dip or powder and then use a product like frontline. The last thing to do it treat the home. You can do it yourself when it comes to flea control with products that are offered online or at your local hardware store. If you are dealing with cats then you will want to use foggers, if you are dealing with dogs you can get away with just the can spray. If you are using foggers be sure to turn off any open flames and follow the directions and label carefully, also, whichever product you choose be sure it contains an insect growth regulator like methoprene to control the flea eggs and to prevent any future infestation.
Treatment should begin with a very thorough vacuuming of the whole house with emphasis on areas the pet frequents. BE sure to vacuum furniture, under beds and under furniture, in closets, on top of area cats lay around on...etc. After you vacuum be sure to throw away the bag outside the home! Now if you are using foggers you simple use the proper amount per room, place a newspaper under the can and set off the foggers, starting from the top of the home, working to the basement next, and then the first floor so you can exit without exposure. If you are using the can spray then be sure to treat every room. Treat the stair areas and areas your pets jump from like the sofa because these areas are where eggs fall off in greater numbers. Treat the areas thoroughly and follow the label.
Be sure you have a place where you and the pets can stay for the day while the treatment is working. All pets will need to be out of the home as well as you. Upon return it would not be too unusual to experience some light activity up until a week or even two as the eggs hatch and get a dose of the chemical. After two weeks the problem should be gone. If all else fails then call a professional pest control firm.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Green Beetles

What's the deal wit all these green beetles flying around and how do I get rid of them? They are June bugs or June Beetles...not to be confused with Japanese Beetles. You usually find June beetles flying around during the months of late June and July. They are no harm, they just bother the heck out of you. The fly into you, your care windshield, you house. They are annoying to say the least. There really is no way to treat them locally and the best way to deal with them if you have a large patch of land is to wait until the months of August and November because it duding those months the grubs are active in the grass and it is at this point you will reduce next years population. My professional recommendation is this. Get a tennis racket!

Friday, July 06, 2007

Moles and Talpirid

Moles can reek havoc on a person's lawn and there is nothing more frustrating than spending a lot of time and money on your lawn, only to have it ripped up by moles! Who are these creatures of destruction? They feed mostly on insects and love, love, love earthworms. Their appetite is incredible and their metabolism is super high. They are active all year which means they do not hibernate. They breed in late winter or early spring which means you can look for a boost in activity about 10 weeks later. They build tunnels like the English with a primary run, and exploratory run, and deep tunnels. Last but not least. They damage lawns.
So how do get rid of them? Well there are all kinds of traps and devises you can uses, but lately there is a product being used by the professional pest controllers called Talpirid from Bell Laboratories. It is a poison bait that mimics an earth worm. One "worm" contains a lethal dose and they are easy to apply. This product is not available at your local hardware store, but pest control operators can get it and it is working like hot cakes! Happy hunting!