Catch Mice

People seem to think that the only way to catch a mouse is to slap some peanut butter on the trigger of a mouse trap or squeeze some cheese on there. Mice love to eat anything, and the more choices you give a mouse the better the chances will be that you catch them. Chocolate syrup is popular, string tied to the trigger or a piece of cotton ball for nesting is another. If you notice the mice are chewing through your cereal boxes, then give them what they want and attached some cereal to the trigger. Bacon, bread, and beans are good. Try mixing chocolate and peanut butter together. Be creative as trapping and catching mice is an art. If you get good at it then you will be rewarded with a mouse free home.

Flies in the winter. Yes.

All of a sudden seeing flies in your home? They could be cluster flies. Cluster flies find protection in your home during September and October, looking for a crack to get into and a warm void to over winter in. When you get a warm day in the winter these flies come out. Sometimes they are just s few, sometimes there are many, but most times they are confusing and scary to the home owner. These flies can be controlled with spraying voids, and you can also try to cut them off at the pass by sealing holes and fixing screens outside before they come in, although this can be grueling and hard to get all the holes. I usually just recommend a vacuum with a hose attachment to suck them up as they become visible.

Products that work to kill roaches

Roaches are tough to get rid of if you do a sloppy and not so thorough job, but if you decide to give it a go yourself or you are looking for some products that will help get rid of that roach problem that is plaguing you, then here you are. To start with there are many roach control gels out there. Maxforce, Maxforce FC, Maxforce FC Select, Dupont Advion Roach gel, Avert roach gel, Magnetic roach food, Avert dry flowable, Maxforce roach bait stations, Advion Roach Bait Stations, Gentrol, Gentrol Point Source, Sprays and mixtures too numerous to mention. Yes, there are many products out there that controls and eliminates roaches, the trick is in the application and thoroughness of that application. Good luck and happy hunting.

Prepare for a bed bug treatment the right way.

Whether you live in a home or an apartment, there are steps that must be taken to get some decent results from a bed bug treatment. The preparation can be intensive and take much time, but it is worth it in the end. First thing to do is get your clothing ready for laundry. Every piece of clothing in any drawers, any clothing or fabric stored in boxes or bags, curtains, blankets, sheets, bed skirts, bedding in general, pillow cases, furniture covers, towels, coats, anything fabric will need to be bagged, sealed, and brought to either the laundry mat or if you think your washer and dryer can handle it, then so be it. The clothing should go through a wash and then placed in a hot dryer for about 45 minutes. With the shear volume of clothing, it is almost worth the money to have a laundry mat handle it. Shoes that can not be put in dryer should be put in zip lock bags, sneakers should be placed in dryer for 45 minutes. If you have other clothing that can not be washed, then it should go through the dryer for 45 minutes, leather coats should be taken to the dry cleaner. The clothing that comes out of the dryer should be put in NEW bags and sealed, with the old bags tossed away. At this point any clutter under your beds and in closets should be placed in zip lock bags. Find a website that sells bulk bags in different sizes as you will need to place alot of things in zip lock bags. At this point all clutter is up off the ground, out of closets, and any loose items bagged. Now it is time to vacuum. Vacuum under furniture, beds, entire carpets, all over, thoroughly. Place some talc powder on the rug and vacuum up to hopefully coat any bedbugs in the vacuum. Now toss the bag in the trash outside of the home.
Some theories state that taking up the rug and tossing is good. Some just say that taking the rug back away from the tack board is ok. I guess it will depend on the severity of the problem. This will give access to the pest control professional to treat in between the tack board and the wall. If you feel comfortable taking back the rug then do so, if not the pest control person may do it, either way, make sure it is done. Take pictures and anything hanging off the walls and turn around for treatment. Take drawers out of dressers and night stands. Make sure the drawers and the inside and underneath of these items are treated. If you have any cardboard boxes or paper bags used as storage, take everything out of these items and place in zip lock bags and throw away outside. Eventually these bags will need to be inspected or treated as the pest control person sees fit. Books should be zip lock bagged or tossed. Magazines zip lock bagged or tossed. All electronic items, especially from the bedroom, need to be zip lock bagged and sealed. Be sure you get a tight seal on these bags. If you have an attic or above the house crawl space, make sure the pest control professional treats and inspects this area, make sure vent covers are taken off and treated, make sure the pipe chase covers for bathrooms are removes and treated, make sure outlet and switch plate covers are removed and treated. Once the treatment is done, be sure the pest control person puts a box spring and mattress encasement on both the box spring and mattress. Do not skip this step. You may have to live out of bags for a while as the follow up treatment should be no more than 10 days out. Be sure that you factor in several follow ups. It is worth an inspection contract to be sure they are gone. They are not easy to get rid of. Don't be afraid to follow the pest control operator to make sure everything is getting done. Chances are you will be shelling out a thousand or more dollars for a proper treatment to be done, that's a lot of money and you have the right be sure it is being done the right way. The above may seem extreme, but it needs to be done. God luck.

Bedbug Trap is Here

There is going to be an arms race when it comes to bed bug traps with the introduction of the CDC 3000 bedbug trap and the NightWatch bedbug trap. Both use the same concept of human type pheromone, heat, and CO2 to attract the bed bug. The traps will be steep to begin with at a price of five hundred dollars a pop or more, but the benefits will out way the cost. The trap can confirm the presence of bed bugs and it can confirm the success of a bedbug treatment. Both of these reasons can justify the cost in my opinion. They will also be able to act as a tool in the fight against bedbugs. The CDC 3000 website has a video on it showing how the trap works that can make you a believer. Finally...a tool that is useful in this battle.

Doctor Austin Frishman

I was at a seminar this past week at Univar USA where Doc Frishman was giving a talk about roaches, bedbugs, and everything in between. It's truly a pleasure to attend his seminars because I always learn something new and because he is such an icon in the pest control industry. He cares a great deal for the pest control technicians and for this industry and it comes across so strongly in his talks. It's so nice to be part of an industry that, as large as it is, feels closely knit.

Red and Black Bugs

This is one of those times of years where you start to spy red and black insects or orange and black bugs known as boxelder bugs or Halloween bugs. These box elder bugs like to hang around with lady bugs as well and even stink bugs. They all like to hang on the sunny side of your building or home, get into any crack or crevice, and drive you nuts. How can you eliminate these bugs from your life? There are several sprays you can use, and you can also do your best to seal out and bug proof your home by sealing every crack and crevice you can find around your home. Along with keeping the bugs out, you will also increase your energy conservation. Insect proofing the home won't work completely, but it will help eliminate many of the box elders from getting inside by about seventy five percent. Good luck and fight the good fight.

Where to buy exterminating and pest control supplies.

Exterminating supplies are sold by distributors, over the counter pest control supply companies, or do it yourself pest control supply websites. Not everyone can buy exterminating chemicals as they may be what they call, restricted use products. You must have a license to buy these chemicals. Other than that, most insect baits, mouse traps, and bug spray chemicals are able to be bought by the public. Sometimes the companies selling the exterminating products, as policy, will require a license, and others do not. I know in the area I live there is a company that is an exterminating company, but they also sell to the public. Distributors such as Lesco (John Deere) , Residex, and Univar will require a license as they will not sell to the public. Then there are your DIY websites like epestsupply, pestcontrolamerica, and diypcs are online websites where you can shop. Another place to consider is your local home improvement store. They will sell your basic roach control supplies or mouse control supplies.

Get rid of roaches

Roaches are not a pleasant thing to deal with, in fact, most people panic when they find them in their home. They worry about how they got them and if they are dirty etc. The fact is roaches can come from anywhere. You can bring them home on a shopping order or one can hitch hike home with you on your shoe. One gravid roach, or roach with children, can get bad fast. So what is one to do when faced with such a problem? I can tell you what not to do. Do not spray and do not set off foggers. This will only spread or push the roaches deeper into hiding. Yes you may kill some, but the drawbacks are worse. Baiting is the best way to control them. Gel baits work best. Maxforce or avert gel are good ones. Avert dry flowable bait is good also. Bait stations work effectively also. The best way to handle bait gel is to put dots in corners of cabinets or behind splash boards, always using caution and keeping safety in mind. Another good tool is the victor roach pheromone traps. One very effective tool to incorporate into your plan is gentrol. This is a growth regulator that will prevent the roaches from reproducing. A comprehensive and integrated approach is the best way to go with roaches. You can buy some of these products at your local home store or hardware store, or online at a do it yourself website. Good luck.

Signs of a mouse probelm

How do you know if you have a mouse problem? What kind of signs should you look for? First and fore most would be droppings. If black specks start to show up in areas then it could be mouse droppings. They look like skinny tic tacks with points ends. Another sign is holes in boxes or other food products. The next would be gnawing. The last would be simply sighting them. Sometimes unusual activity from a cat or dog can alert you to a problem as well. If you suspect a mouse problem then buy some product to start the elimination process of call a professional, as mice can get out of hand quite quickly. Happy Hunting!

Mice in cold weather

I'm going to start to angle the blog posts to mice, rats, and other rodents as we are all brought into the colder months. Ever wonder how mice know your house is warm and decide to come in and set up shop for the winter? It's a simple as shutting off the lights in your garage during the daytime and look as how many areas light is still coming in. These are all perfect areas for mice to enter. Same goes for your own front door. How's that weather stripping? Missing? If mice are scurrying along and suddenly feel heat escaping from under the door, they come right in. Heat escapes from space around pipes and wires that are coming into your home. Heat escapes under doors. Heat escapes and mice love. So the best way to prevent mice from coming in is to seal off all these kinds of holes and gaps to the best of your ability. Regular old foam will work, or a product called Stuf-fit, even caulk. Just plug up the holes.

Electric mouse killer

Building a better mouse trap has long been a goal for men to strive for. After all, the US patent office has thousands and thousands of patents filed for mouse traps. One traps that has come down the pike is an electric mouse traps and an electric rat trap. These traps basically kills the mouse or rat with an electric shock, making more humane than a snap trap. The drawback to these traps is that they are expensive and they require batteries to maintain them, adding to the expense. With the cold weather finally hitting the east coast, the questions and concerns about mouse and rat control start to ramp up as people search for was to keep mice out and catch the mice they already have. Tis the season.

Pest Control

The idea behind pest control is just that. Control. When faced with an infestation, the best approach to take is an integrated one, analysing the situation and incorporating a number of measure to try to eliminate the problem or at least to get control of it. Some situations, like bed bugs, may just be able to be controlled, depending on the situation and the willingness of the client to do their part. One thing I find and many of my colleagues express dismay in is the customer who expects you to come in with a magic wand and with one service get rid of their problem with no follow up and no cooperation on their part. Sometimes this can be done, but it's a rare case when you can walk in and get complete control in one visit. This is one of the reasons it's called pest control and not pest elimination, although there are some companies that advertise this. Perception is key.

Exterminator. A perspective.

Exterminator, pest control technician , pest control operator, pest management professional, the bug man. We've been known by many names over the years, but no matter how fancy or foul a name you give us, one thing is for certain, you have to have a knack for the industry. You can hand anyone a B&G sprayer and say go to town, but the pest control industry is so much more. You need an analytical brain and a sharp eye for detail. There are alot of things to consider when faced with an infestation. Customer services, earning the trust of your customer, determining the best and the safest approach to your problem, understanding where the problem may have originated, and sometimes, how to diplomatically ask the customer to do his or her part.
Over the years I've worked for pest control companies, I've owned my own business, worked for Univar, a pest control products supply company, and presently work as a support services manager, where the department of pest control falls under. Just as the names of our professional positions have changed, so has the industry and it's philosophies. I've seen Dursban TC come and go, Baygon bait come, go, and come back, and great chemicals like Termidor come to market. I am sure that there are colleagues out there who have been around since the days of cloridane too. With all these changes one thing has stayed the same. The fact that the pest control industry is a united group of men and woman who really love what they do and, although sometimes under appreciated and under paid, still continue to do a great job to help the public. Hats off to us all!

Mice Rats Rodents

Winter time is here and with it brings the potential of a mouse infestation. Why to be proactive by winterizing your home so to speak by using a popular monitoring tool, the glue board. Your garage is an easy access point for mice as is your basement. These areas often times have openings or pipes and wires that enter with gaps where mice can enter. Step number one would be to seal these gaps. Next I would say to place out these glue traps under and behind things. Check them often to see if anything was caught. The best thing to do is to pick up a bulk pack from your local pest control supply shop or online at a do it yourself web site. They come in boxes of seventy two. Catchmaster and Victor are two good brands.

Baiting for Mice

Baiting for mice with poison has always been a questionable practice in my opinion, especially in a household environment for a few reasons. One thing is of course safety. Poison can be deadly and the average homeowner is not always the best at reading directions let alone a label. I see visions of mouse bait packs being tossed behind fridges and sofas and every which way. This is not good. The next reason is once the mice get into this tasty treat then they die. They die inside. The old wives tale where they run outside to look for water is not true. The last time I looked we all had a pretty good supply of water in our own homes. Mice will die behind your walls, under stoves, in your sofa. They will die anywhere. Then they smell, and depending on what time of year it is you will also wind up with a bad fly problem. I think you can have just as good a result if not better in trapping the mice with glue traps and snap traps. You have more flexibility with these items and they are much safer. Once you catch the mice you can toss the trap and count your dead. Happy Hunting.

Food Roaches and thier control

German roaches have alot of nicknames like food roaches, dirt roaches, and plain old roaches. There are many tools in the arsenal to control and kill these roaches that reproduce at a rate of about 40 babies per egg. Some things that are effective against roaches would include gentrol point source, phantom, maxforce roach gel, avert roach dust, victor pheromone traps. These products speak to an integrated approach to the control of roaches. One thing you do not want to do is spray with a repellent or agitating chemical. This would simple disperse the roaches to other areas and render the baits ineffective. Phantom is a product that is non-repellent and works pretty well on these insects. Baits are always very effective, especially when used in conjunction with gentrol. Good luck and happy hunting.

Mites

The word Mite can instill fear in just about anyone who fears the itchy buggers. Mites are truly scary because they are unseen. Many times mites are not even a pest control issue, but a medical issue, when dealing with scabies for instance. Other household mites include bird mites, dust mites, rodent mites, straw mites. The great thing is that all of these mites have a treatment. The best way to get rid of a mite problem is to find and eliminate the source and treat at the source. Then take care of the residual mite problem or the secondary infestation as needed.

catching and trapping mice

Mice can nest in furniture, bedding, sofas, and chairs. Mice can get in via the slightest crack or gap and once they are in they make themselves at home. I've heard of stories of mice who clear out a hole in the stuffing of sofa cushions and drive homeowners crazy as they try to figure out where they are hiding. The fact is, unless you are extremely lucky, finding a mouse nest can be impossible. The best defense is a good offence. So at the first signs of mice, which will usually be droppings or food destruction, make a list of products that you will order on your friendly "do it yourself" pest control products website or to pick up at your local home store. To save and buy in bulk I recommend the websites. Keeping the safety of children and pets in mind, you will want to pick up snap traps and glue traps. Mice are curious creatures, so you should have no trouble trapping them all if you set up and follow a good trapping program. If you actually see a mouse scurry across the floor, then I would place glue traps in that area. Next you will want to identify areas of heavy mouse poop. IN this area set up many snap traps. Use an assortment of attractants on the triggers. Chocolate syrup, cheese, peanut butter, and cotton are great ones. A product called Provoke by a company called Bell is formulated specifically for mice and works wonders. The trick to a trapping program is not to be greedy. Place out alot of traps. It might look ugly for a while, but it will increase your success rate. If after a few days you only have caught a few mice, then the next step is to clean up the mouse droppings with bleach water (wear gloves), and take the traps up. Look for more signs of droppings. If more occur then start the process over. If there are alot of droppings in an area you will want to consult a professional for cleanup as massive amounts of droppings can be harmful.

Lice

Back to school time is here and with it comes the possibility of your children coming home with something other than homework. Lice is one of those things that can send panic through a household, but it doesn't have to. Start with prevention. Be sure to ask your children not to share hats or scarves. Wash hats and outer wear on a regular basis. If your child does contract lice or if someone in the classroom has lice, follow the recommendations the school nurse sends home. It is important to know that lice are feeble and can't survive very long off of it's host. Use a knit comb and a product prescribed by your pediatrician for lice and you will be good to go. Once fantastic website that I will share with you is www.headlice.org . This will help you more than you can know. Good luck and rest easy. Panic only brings ulcers.

Online Pest Control Products

Do it yourself pest control product websites have been around since the start of the Internet I would suspect. They serve a purpose so that consumers can buy the product that professionals can buy to use on pest problems they are experiencing. Just like those who like to change their own oil or hang their own ceiling fan, there are those who want to tackle their own pest problems. Many times they want to use the same pest control products that the professionals use, but many distributors require a license to buy direct from them. This is the why I think DIY pest control product websites are so popular. As always, if you are a die hard DIY guy and buy your products online, be sure to read the label and be extremely careful with how you use the product.

Small Flies

Being bothered by small flies? Can't seem to find where they are coming from? Small flies can be very bothersome because they seem to appear out of no where and never seem to go away. You have to ask yourself some questions and maybe do some investigating as well. Have you had any leaks lately? If so then the area that is wet could be breeding these flies. Go to the area of the original leak and make sure all is dry. Maybe you have a leak and you don't know it. Check under your sinks, look in the pipe chase closet where the pipes for your bath tub and shower are located, if you have a soil pipe in the basement that runs above ground, look for obvious cracks, check the basement and garage for any free standing water, If you have a fridge that has a catch pan underneath it to catch moisture, check it and make sure it is dry. As you can see there are quite a few areas that can be breeding these flies, and as you can tell already, they love moisture. If you find any of these issues then once the problem is corrected the fly problem will go away shortly there after. The flies can be fruit flies in which case you will want to look under things like your fridge or stove or anywhere a piece of fruit might have fallen and rolled to. These flies can breed in something as small as a teaspoon full of spilled fruit juice. Next take the trash bags out of your trash can s to make sure they inside of the trash can is dry and free of any spills. Again, once the rotten fruit is gone the flies will follow. Look for old and forgotten bags of potatoes or onions. Stuff like that. The other problem can be your plants. If you have alot of live plants in your home and you accidentally over water them, this over wet soil can breed fungus gnats. Check your soil, correct the habit or over watering, and the problem will go away. Small flies can also be coming up from your pipes. The lining of you pipes get gooked up with slime and buildup that breeds these flies. Garbage disposals are notorious for this. One way to check is to simply place paper cups over all your sink drains and then the next morning look to see if any flies were caught under the cup. If not, repeat the process when you go to work and when you come home check under them again. Last and worse case scenario of all is the possibility of a broken pipe under your home. This is the most expensive to correct. If this is the case and the plumber comes out to fix the problem be sure to absolutely insist that they not only fix the pipe, but that they also excavate all the wet soil and replace it with dry fill or your problem will continue forever.
So with all this information, how do you get rid of your small flies? Most of them can be taken care of by correcting the source or moisture. There are also enzymes you can buy like drain gel if they are coming up from your pipes. Correcting the problem is the best way to battle and win the war against the small flies. Good Luck.

Provoking Mice with Provoke

There is a great product on the market that can assist you in luring mice to your snap traps and other mechanical traps. It is called Provoke and it is formulated by Bell Labs and it has been working like a charm. I used to get frustrated when I placed out all these traps in an account that clearly was being over run with mice and caught only one, and that was if I was lucky. I did find that my success rate increased big time when I started using Provoke and so I thought it would be a good idea to put it out there. Most professionals already have heard of this product, but many homeowners have not. If you currently have been having a rodent problem and you have a pest control professional treating the situation you can ask him (delicately) if he or she has tried provoke or if you are trying to trap the mice yourself then you can look for the product online or at an over the counter pest control product store. Either way, it is a useful tool to have in the battle.

Ground Wasps

The little black wasps that hover close to the ground are back. I watched a person walking down the street near a field look over and realize these ground bees were hovering around and he went crazy. flapping and running like the world was ending. Fact is they are not that aggressive and usually leave you alone. They are around for a short time, then they are gone. If you feel the need to treat them a simple garden spray will do.

Bird Mite Panic

Bird mites become a nightmare when home owners find a bird nest in a vent or under an air conditioner and they remove it, only to find these tiny bird mites all over that suddenly start biting anything in their path. In a previous post of mine entitled, what else, Bird Mites, there is a link at the end of the post that gives a level headed insight into the bird mite and shows us that although pesky, can be controlled without bombing your house with fumigants. Some have asked about products that can be bought to help in the crusade in getting rid of them. Sterifab would be a good product that you can find at an online pest control products store and a professional product that is sold is Talstar that is a miticide on the label. If you think you need to spray I would recommend calling a professional. Mixing and using professional chemicals can be dangerous and caution always must be used. Having said all this, you can rest assured, bird mites can be controlled and eliminated by using your head and not your heart.

A better mouse trap

Is there really a better mouse trap out there? Can mice ever be stopped? We can do our best to exclude them from our living space and when they do invade, we can do our best to get rid of them. Electronic mouse repellers only work for a short time if at all, all the others take patience and brain power. If you have a mouse problem the best advice is to buy an arsenal of mouse control products and throw everything at them. Don't be greedy. Buy alot of product and use it all. Don't be afraid of over kill. Use snap traps, glue traps, baits, mechanical traps. Use caution also. If children or pets are present. Be very careful. You'll never catch all the mice in your house with three snaps traps set under your sink. Go to town and happy hunting.

Roach traps

As nasty as roaches are, they are one of the easiest pests to control in my opinion because of the great arsenal of products available for their control. Baits, sprays, glue boards, and pheromone traps. Victor has a great trap that attracts roaches using a sex pheromone that can be used effectively as a monitoring tool to see how a control program is going, or for use in extremely sensitive situation to knock down the population. With pheromone traps and a good IGR like gentrol, you can rid a site of their roach problem. Be sure to stress the word patience in this case. Happy hunting.

Big ground bees

Big ground bees around this time of the year (late July and August) could usually be identified as cicada killer wasps. These "big bees" are solitary ground bees that dig a hole in the ground, leaving a pile of sandy like earth outside the hole. This hole is where the wasp will place a paralyzed cicada and lay it's egg in the paralyzed body. So how do you get rid of these mad scientist bees? Well, usually if then bee is not in an area that disturbs you then it is best to leave them alone. They are not aggressive bees. If they are in an area you frequent then you will want to treat the entrance hole. This is best done with a good professional grade insecticide dust. It should be done at night when the bees are not flying around. It should be done very carefully. Be sure to wear long sleeves and pants, eye goggles, gloves. Approach with an escape route in mind. If you are nervous you can purchase a tool that allows you to dust the hole from a far distance called a bee pole. These professional products will need to be bought online at a good do it yourself pest control products website or an over the counter pest control supply store or distributor. Be careful and good luck.

Get rid of fleas

Getting rid of fleas doesn't have to be a secret, in fact, flea control is one of the easiest things to do in the pest control business, it just takes a detailed person. Begin with picking a day to do the treatment. On this day you, your family, and any pets will need to be gone for at least a few hours if not more. On the day of the treatment arrange for your pet to be taken to the vet to be dipped and treated with a product like front line. Now it is time to vacuum like there is no tomorrow. From the top of the house to the basement. Vacuum under beds, under furniture, every nook and cranny. Vacuum on top of cushions, on top of sofas, stairs, all over. When you are done vacuuming then take the bag out and throw it away outside in the trash. This is a must. Next is the treatment. The treatment will be slightly different if you have a cat or a dog. Cats get up on the top of cabinets or might like to sleep up on window sills, where dogs usually won't go much higher than the sofa or the bed. This is why if you are dealing with cats you will need to fog. Both animals will require a good carpet spray. The spray you buy will need to have both and adulticide and an insect growth regulator in it like precor or nylar. Spray as directed paying close attention to areas your pets frequent more often. Spray the stairs heavy and if your cat jumps down off of the bed or other furniture pieces then spray the carpet in this area a little more as the flea eggs will fall off during these jumps. Now if you are dealing with a dog your job is complete. If you have a cat then you will want to fog. Use foggers with both adulticide and an insect growth regulator. Be sure to extinguish all open flames when fogging. I used to request that customers shut off the main gas valve which would automatically extinguish any flames. Be sure to contact your local utility company. Use the foggers as directed. Any of these products can be found online at a do it yourself pest control products website or a local hardware store. If you have a back yard then you should spray that as well with a good outside spray labelled for fleas. When you return be sure the carpets are dry and crack the windows to ventilate. Good luck.

Mole Control

Killing moles in your garden or lawn is about as hard as winning the lottery it seems, but people have done it. I have heard success stories from individuals who went online a bought the latest DIY mole control product like Talpirid or some other kind of trap or device and won the battle. Those are the lucky folks, then there is my Barber who has a house down the shore and is in a constant battle with these creatures. Controlling moles in a lawn is not easy, but it can be done. Personally I would recommend calling any number of experts in the field. Locally there is a company called the Mole Man who sole purpose it to get rid of your mole problem. I am sure there are other companies in the USA who also specializes in mole control.
If you are adventurous or want to go crazy like the guy from Caddy Shack then order your products and say a prayer. If you catch the problem early enough then maybe you have a fighting chance. Sometimes it is as easy as eliminating there food source by treating your lawn for grubs and worms early in the season and starve them to death (or at least drive them over to your neighbors). Anyway...happy hunting and god luck.

Wasps and bees in hole

I've gotten questions about how to handle bees or wasps that were entering a small hole in an outside wall that happened to be near an entrance door. My first recommendation is not to seal that hole. If you sealed it then all the bees and wasps coming back from foraging for the day would get agitated and confused and wind up stinging. The best approach is to buy a dust with a nozzle and in the evening dust the hole. This dust enters the area the bees are nesting and as new bees go in and out they brush up against the dust and bring it further into the nest, ultimately killing off the nest. A good product to use is Tempo dust or Apicide, either product could be found on the Internet on a DIY pest control products website or at your local distributor. As always, use caution and be aware of the possibility of getting stung or others getting stung. Sometimes with bees, wasps, or hornets your best bet is to call in the pros.

Phantom Itching and bumps. Bird Mites

Bumps and itching on the skin can be caused by a host of different reasons. Dry skin irritation, fleas, mosquitoes, bed bugs, chiggers, mites. Much to choose from as you can see. How does one determine what is causing the itching and bumps? Process of elimination can help. Ask yourself questions like do you have animals or does your friends have dogs or cats? (Fleas) Have you been camping or hunting lately? (Chiggers) Have you been travelling lately or bought any used furniture or bedding? (Bed Bugs) Do you have a bird nest near the home? (Bird Mites) Think through some reasons why the above bugs would be in your home. Can you physically see any of these pests? Are there blood stains or bugs on your bed or sheets? This is clearly a sign of bed bugs. Can you see fleas hopping? Again, the obvious. If you are getting bitten without seeing the pest then it could be a possibility be that the problem is coming from birds who are giving you the problem of bird mites. If this is the case don't panic. In a previous post of mine entitled, Bird Mites, I offer some good advice and some calming thoughts. Remember, any pest can be treated and the trick is to be calm and collective and do what you have to for peace of mind.

Shadows by the National Pest Management Association

I was contacted by the NPMA today via email asking to post their new Public Service Announcement entitled "Shadows" . I was thrilled to do so considering the fact that the National Pest Management Association is such a wonderful organization that supports both professionals and the public with fantastic information. Check out their PSA by clicking here.

How do mice get in

Mice can basically nudge their little noses into the hole the width of a pencil. SO the battle to try to keep them out is long, but can be accomplished. Start with the obvious areas. Take a walk around your home and look for wires and pipe that enter your home. Can you notice any space around the wires or pipes? If so then you should caulk around these openings. Next place to look is the exhaust of your dryer. Often times lint props the flap open leaving a clear highway for rodents to enter your home. Others areas include under the garage door and entrance doors. If there are gaps then they can get in. Make sure all the weather stripping is in tact. Lastly, if you notice any cracks or holes in the foundation of your home along you outside perimeter then cement those areas up.
Happy fourth of July!!

Baiting for Mice

You can find mice in kitchens, closets, bathrooms, furniture, bedding, ceilings, they can get anywhere they want to it seems. Trapping mice requires the trapper to have two things, a good bait and lots of traps. Don't skimp on the traps and I would recommend snap traps because they can be tossed in the trash and you can count your progress. You can get a box of 72 traps on any do it yourself pest control products website. The next thing you need is a good bait. Traditionally people would use peanut butter or chocolate, but we now have something better. Offered to the professional pest control market, a product called PROVOKE is what's all the rage. PROVOKE was formulated by Bell Labs and has been doing fantastic in baiting and attracting mice to the trap for a few years now. Again, this is a professional product and would need to be bought off of a DIY pest control products website or maybe your exterminator would sell you a bottle. Happy hunting.

Japanese Beetles

The shiny green pests are back, looking for our plants and destroying our crops. These beetles can be extremely destructive and it has been known that municipalities and counties will begin a large trapping program at the first sign of these beetles. Home owners follow the same route to control these Japanese Beetles with traps. My recommendation is is you are going to use Japanese Beetle traps then use alot of them, don't be stingy or cheap. This will give you best coverage and control and it will give a broader area of coverage. There are natural enemies of Japanese Beetles that can be used, but I would assume that that method would be used more in a crop situation. Traps can of course be found on the web at any DIY pest control product website or at your local hardware store. Happy Trapping.

Ground Bees and their control

Ground bees come in all shapes and sizes. Some are great in number and some live by themselves. Ground bees can incorporate wasps, bumble bees, yellow jackets, cicada killers, and digger wasps. Some are dangerous and some not so bad. So what's a person to do?
If you encounter a swarm of low flying black wasps or bees in your garden then you have an infestation of digger wasps or ground digging bees. They are not very aggressive and most cases you can walk through them without getting stung. As always, if you are or suspect that you are allergic then stay clear of all bees and wasps.
If you encounter large bees a few inches long then you have a case of cicada killers. Again, not very aggressive.
Yellow jackets and bumble bees can attack so be careful.
The best way to handle most of these ground bees is to dust their holes with a good insecticide dust. These dusts can be bought online at do it yourself pest control products stores. A good dust to look for is apicide, tempo, or delta dust. If dealing with yellow jackets or bumble bees use extreme caution, dust in the evening, or call a professional exterminator.

Waterbugs, Shad Roaches, Oriental Roach

They go by the names shads, water bugs, the oriental roach among others. They scare you at night when you flick the lights on. They are creepy. So how do you get rid of these roaches? I've always considered water bugs to be the easiest of the roach family to control. There used to be a great product called baygon bait that was used for shads, but it was discontinued. These days the granule bait of choice is niban that can be bought on most do it yourself pest control products website. The granules can be spread around hot water heaters, in garages, behind washers and dryers, heaters, crawl spaces, in the corners. Upstairs you can sprinkle behind stoves and refrigerators. Outside it can be sprinkled in cracks and crevices. Always minding children and pets and following the labels. Another way to control water bugs is a good inside perimeter spray using any of the residual insecticides. Shads are floor crawlers, so there is a good chance they would come in contact with the chemical. Another practice is using glue traps. Placing them under the stove, furniture, under the sink, in the basement, etc. As they fill up be sure to track how many there are. As they get less and less you can be assured the problem is resolving. All of these products and tools can almost always be found on a good do it yourself pest control products website. Good luck and happy hunting.

Get rid of ants

WHAT: Ants can be real pests to families when they invade. There are many kinds of ants such as carpenter ants, pharaoh ants, and regular old pavement ants. No one wants them,but they can be controlled and eliminated.

Where: Ants inside can be found in the kitchen, bathroom, even creeping along the wood work of living areas.

HOW: Getting rid of ants in the home requires patience and trusting. I almost never recommend spraying for ants inside, especially if you are not exactly sure what ant you are dealing with. Baiting is the way to go. Products like Terro is a great sugar based bait. Another good bait that I recommend is Advance Dual Choice. Maxforce ant gel is another good one. When placing out bait, be generous and use caution if there are children and pets present.
Baits that professionals use can be bought on the Internet these days. Any online do it yourself pest control products website is a good start. You can always try your local hardware store, but if you are looking for the stuff the pros use I would go the route of ordering online. Maxforce and Advance are two professional names to look for.

Bird Mites

The panic that can ensue from a suspected bird mite infestation can be overwhelming and intense. I found this to be true when a site that I take care of called me for a bird problem they were having in the ceiling. It was reported that the room the birds were found in had people reporting getting bitten and itching. When my pest control person went in there and took down the drop ceiling tile there was a giant nest and he pulled 4 birds out of there. The nest fell in and the room was full of bird mites. They were able to be seen best on the black phone as they scurried. The room and nest was treated with Talstar, a miticide, and sterifab, and the room shut down for a few days. A few days later the housekeeper went in and threw away the nesting, bleached the entire room, and all was fine.
I decided to investigate bird mites further on the Internet that night and found a site that gives some alarmist information and frankly the info was not true. My fear was these mites could infest peoples homes and, like fleas, take a blood meal from their human hosts, reproducing and becoming a major problem. The website I found that is in question would have folks fumigate their homes and go through crazy measures to get rid of a problem that is not a human problem but bird problem. The facts are as follow:
Bird mites need a bird blood meal to reproduce, not a human blood meal.
Bird mites can bite and be a problem for people, but if you find the bird nest they are coming from, get rid of it, and treat your home as normal, you can get rid of them. They will not multiply into million of mites taking over your entire home.
The fact of the matter is there is no need to panic. Identify the problem and treat. Simple.
For more info that is factual look at this site from Penn State.
http://www.ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/birdmites.htm

Pest Control Company Research

Whether you are looking to hire a pest control company to eliminate ants, bed bugs, or termites, how can you determine which company is the best one to do the job? This is really important when considering an exterminating company to come into your home to take care of a problem such as termites or bed bugs or bees. You need to know what's the difference between Orkin or Terminix . You need to know if customers liked Western Pest Services or Truly Nolan and why? Where can you find this information?
To begin with you can use old reliable, Google. Google searches are fantastic when it comes to compiling information about any topic these days. Then there are other services like Angie's List that rates and gives reports on companies from people who actually used them. Angie's list has a small fee, but it worth it to get an unbiased opinion about a company. The last way to research a company goes back to the beginning of time. Word of mouth. Ask around and see what other peoples thoughts are about certain companies. People are not afraid to tell you their opinions, and if they had a good experience they will see that company to you themselves, and if they had a bad experience they will make you wish you never even thought of them in the first place. SO when researching a pest control company be sure to get all the facts before you sign that check. It can save you aggravation and money.

Get Rid Of Ants Quickly

So what is the best was to get rid of ants in your kitchen or other areas of your home? First thing you want to do is look at why you could possibly be attracting the ants inside. Do you have children who like to drip grape juice on the floor or do you drop cake crumbs from lunch on the floor? If this is the case then you have to use some IPM or Integrated Pest Management and keep your area clean to make your kitchen unattractive to the ants.
Now you want to purchase some granule ant bait, a good perimeter spray, and some ant trap bait stations. Some of the products that work well are featured in an earlier article of mine rightfully called, Kill Ants, where you can get some ideas.
Outside is a good place to start your investigation. Do you see any ant trails? Are they entering your home from a crack? If so then you will want to take a good sprinkle of your ant granules a spread where the ants are trailing. Also a good ant gel is a good choice to place around the ant trail. I feel baiting is a better long term solution. Don't expect the ants to go away over night, but your should start to see results. Inside you should also use the same technique. If you see ants then place out baits. As always use caution around kids and animals.
Some people like a more direct approach with a ban out and up the perimeter of the home. If you choose the spray route, then be sure to use a good non-repellent like Phantom or Termidor. Being a good detective and having an eagle eye will improve your results. Good luck!

Organic Pest Control

These days there is a real push for things to be green. Part of this movement involves organic or green pest control. When you think about it, the pest control industry has been ahead of it's time when considering organic pest control with the early introduction of IPM or integrated pest management. IPM incorporates many control measures to keep bugs at bay, many times not involving chemicals at all. Sealing up cracks and crevices and placing out glue traps for instance is a good control technique that does not involve the use of pesticides.
IF you are looking for a good organic pest control product all you have to do it Google this topic and you get a ton of hits. Anything from parasitic wasps to fly parasites. It is truly an interesting topic and it's big time business. Entire horse farms can incorporate the use of fly parasites to keep control of the major fly problem the horse manure brings. Companies like ARBICO have been providing this service for years and I think it is definitely a topic to think about at your next morning meeting because it is definitely the way the world is moving and if you are not willing to change then you and your company can be left behind.

Bees in wood

The big bees that dive bomb you in the spring time are called Carpenter Bees. They actually drill a perfect circle hole in the wood members of your home and they become bothersome when the males, who hover around that hole, fly at you to intimidate. The male bees are not capable of stinging, and the female bee, who is more worried about tending to the egg in the hole, can sting you, but it is unlikely unless you grab one in your hand and squeeze.
Treating for these bees can be expensive and sometimes time consuming. It is recommend to hire a pest control professional as they are better equipped to treat the areas the bees are damaging. The exterminator will use a power spray machine most likely in the event the bees are up high or there are many of them. Another method would be to dust as many holes that you can find with a good insecticide dust. The problem with this is that the bees sometimes find their way under the flashing or up under wood pieces where you can't get to. One last method is to paint the wood areas with a thick latex type paint. This is not really one hundred percent tested and not always practical. If you go the route of treating each hole, be sure to go back a few days later to seal the holes with a good wood putty.

Bed Bug Seminar

Know your enemy! Knowledge is power. These are just a few of the catch phrases that I think are important in the control of bed bugs. Coming up in the next few months will be a seminar for pest control professionals about bed bugs and their control. It will include a segment about litigation which is also important these days, especially if you have a pest control company. The seminars will be presented by two very prominent people in the pest control industry, Rick Cooper and Dr. Michael Potter. I have included a link to get more info.

http://www.bedbugseminars.com/speakers.html

Little orange bugs, the clover mites.

When I was little my friend and I used to sit on the steps and crush the little orange bugs that used to crawl around. They would leave little orange streaks and we called them brick bugs. When I grew up and entered the pest control industry I would tackle these clover mites on a wider range. They can over run an area, entering buildings and homes and becoming real pests. Professionals would recommend what they call a power spray. If you want to get tricky, you can leave a 2 foot bare track around your home, or you could simply go to your local hardware store, buy a good outdoor spray, and put a good perimeter barrier around your home. Good luck.

Bees and wasps

Out in force and ready for action. Bees and wasps are popping up in houses, attics, and generally being a pest outside again. Spring is here and summer is right around the corner and if the bugs of summer are not already out they will be soon. If you have a bee or wasp inside it is probably just an over wintering bee. If you start seeing several then there could be a chance that they have found a home in your walls or attic or near a window. Here are some things you do not want to do. If you see them entering the wall, do not plug up that hole! They will for sure find there way into your home even worse. A professional would dust the hole which would kill off the bees or wasps. If you have bees or wasps in your attic, do not fog! This will kill off a few but could agitate the rest and drive them down into your home. If you suspect honey bees, do not attempt to eliminate them yourself. Call a professional.

Termite defense

This article will help you sort out all the products that are available for the control of termites. There are so many techniques and products to choose from it can be intimidating to the novice. So what do you choose or what do you ask your pest control provider to treat your home with? There are termite baits like Advance Termite Baiting System, there are granules like Bayer Advance Termite Killer Granules, there are liquid treatments like Termidor, there are physical barriers like mesh screens, it's mind boggling. IF you are faced with a termite problem at your home I would recommend simply leaving it up to your professional. DO a little research as to what chemical you want, then ask. I still am a strong believer in Termidor as a full treatment and then maybe using a bait as a back up. The history and research behind Termidor is so strong that it is hard to not chose it. The baits have some good history as well, but if the termite doesn't find the bait then it is useless. The granules should be used as an add on, never to do a full treatment.

Orkin or Western Pest Services?

Who is the best in termite control these days? The fact is that many of the pest control companies out there use the same chemicals and control measures in some form or another. So how is a person to know if they are getting a fair shake? I am a big advocate of doing your homework. Ask neighbors and friends who may have had the same problem who they used and what they thought of their service. Researching on the web is also a great idea. Companies like Orkin have great websites with a wealth of information and knowledge about the company and what they offer. Google the companies to see if there is any opinions written about them in the world wide web. As always, your best bet is to get three estimates from a large company like Western Pest Services or Orkin, a mid sized company that is located in your area, and maybe a neighborhood guy. Quite frankly, the neighborhood guy may offer the best service and price. You may get a pie in the sky warranty with the bigger firms, but when it comes right down to it, if you call the neighborhood guy with a re infestation I would say that nine times out of ten he will be there that day to retreat for you free of charge. The decision is entirely up to you, but one thing you should not do is rush into it. The termite are not going to eat your home in a day like you see in the cartoons. Research and homework.

Ants in my kitchen

If you are having a problem with ants in your home, as this is the time of year they will start to become a pest again, then you will want to treat the outside along with the inside. Many times you can locate an actual "ant trail" leading from the soil, up your outside wall, and into a crack. Sealing this crack will be a big help. If you can't be that lucky, then you will want to get a good ant granule bait and sprinkle it liberally along the outside perimeter of your home. This will help to cut the ants off a the pass and help with your inside pest control program. Advance ant granules are the best for this purpose. Maxforce also has a good granule.

Termite Inspections

We are coming into the termite season soon and in no time people will be calling their pest control technicians about flying ants that has blanketed certain areas of the home. This is a common complaint, but consumer beware, you have to make sure you have termites and not flying ants. The difference is about eight hundred bucks. You can look at the differences in my article, Termites or Flying Ants, where the physical characteristics are discussed.
If you do have a termite swarm do not fear.These visible termite are not dangerous to you or your wood furniture. You best bet is to simply vacuum them up and then ask for a free estimate from you pest control person. Get a couple of estimates, then decide. Make sure the termite inspector lets you go with him during the inspection and make sure he or she points out what he finds.

All The Little Ants Go Marching

It's that time of year when the summer bugs start to wake up and make their way into the kitchens of the world in search of food. The most common kitchen critter is the ant. Big ants, little ants, black ants, red ants, it does not matter how they come, we just don't wan them here.
If you got them then I would suggest buying a good sugar based ant bait gel from your local home improvement store or do it yourself pest control website. Place button sized smears on a piece of cardboard and place it out on the counter where you are finding the ants. Some people will cut straws up into two inch pieces and squeeze the bait into that. This is just to keep your counter from getting sticky. As always, if you have children or pets, be extra cautious or look for another way to treat them.

Best Bug Spray

I get asked all the time about what is the best bug spray for roaches, termites, flying ants, ants. The fact of the matter is it can depend on many variables. In some cases the best bug spray is not the spray at all but baits. In other cases you may have to simply defer to a professional, like in the case of termites. Termites especially are tough to handle with a do it yourself product. It is better to let a professional inject the proper chemical to eliminate the termite colony. Home improvement stores have a decent collection of bug sprays these days. Some are specific to the pest, like bed bug spray or ant spray, others are more general in nature. The fact is probably any product you pick up at the store will work as good as the other if used properly. If you are in the market for a more professional product then I would suggest looking a good do it your self website, if you are simply looking for a good bug spray to spray a cluster of ants outside or a water bug in the home then I would suggest any of the products at your local store.

Termite or flying ant

Flying ants will be making their appearances very soon as will their close swarming brother, the termite swarm. It is during this time of year when folks come home to a house full of what look to be flying ants, only to find that they are in fact a swarming termite. It is critical for you to determine which it is, your wallet will thank you for it. A termite job can cost from seven hundred dollars to well over a grand or two where as an ant treatment can run a hundred bucks or less. See my point. Educate yourself and don't take the word of your local pest control salesman who comes out to give you a quote as he will surely be looking to make a buck.

Ants in the kitchen

A few more weeks and the warm spring weather will be waking up the flowers and the trees and all the creatures that crawl. Ants being on of these creatures will often be seen in the kitchens of America looking for a sweet treat to start their summer time routine. The best way to avoid this problem is keeping the kitchen clean and spills wiped up. If a clean kitchen is not working then you have to find a good ant spray. I think putting down a good perimeter spray in the kitchen is most effective for ants because the results are often times faster than placing baits down. Problem is the best ant sprays are not always available to the public. The best ant spray out there is a product called Phantom that is a non-repellent chemical that the ants unknowingly walk over and bring the chemical back to the nest killing off others in a domino effect. This chemical is usually available only to professional pest controllers, but I've seen it for sale on several do it yourself pest control products websites. Reading the label is important when using this product. A good crack and crevice application works best. Incorporate a baiting program and you will have a good one two punch. I think Dupont's Advion ant Bait is best to use.

Bedbug elimination

There is one thing that people neglect to think about and do when trying to get rid of bed bugs. They prep their houses for the treatment and hire a good pest control operator and after everything is said and done and every area from head to toe has been treated there is still a safe haven for these bugs to thrive! It's the vacuum cleaner! Using a vacuum cleaner in bed bug control is an important tool for pest control professionals, but after they leave the customer neglects to pay attention to their own vacuum cleaner. They forget that the months that preceded the treatment they had bed bugs. It is safe to say that they did some house cleaning during these times and the vacuum was involved. What they succeeded in doing was vacuuming up live bed bugs and possibly eggs. Now in the safety of the vacuum bag they can continue to live and be troubling to the poor folks that are battling the bed bugs. Here is how to attack it. Sprinkle some corn starch con the floor and vacuum it up. This will coat the breathing mechanism of the bug that might be hanging on outside the bag. Then take the bag out and throw it away outside. If you have a canister vacuum then empty in a trash bag slowly to avoid the dust from flying everywhere and clean out the canister with some bleach and spray down with a product like Steri-fab. If you have a hose attachment on any of these kind of vacuums then use the corn starch method throw the hose as well. Good luck in your battle.

Getting rid of mice in sofas, beds, and furniture

Mice in my sofa! Are you kidding me? It's true and more common than you may think. Mice in sofas furniture, and beds occur because these items are perfect nesting sites for mice and rats. So how do you get rid of the mice once they infested your furniture? I would suggest first and foremost to eliminate any crumbs from the area. If you are a snack muncher I would stop this practice of eating on the couch to make a fast meal for the mouse impossible. Then you want to buy a bunch of snap traps. Why not just throw some bait packs under the sofa and hope for the best? Well the best reason not to do this is what if the mouse or rat dies in your sofa? Now you have to deal with a rotten odor and a carcass rotting under your butt. Mix up some peanut butter and chocolate syrup on a spoon and then put a smear of this on your trap to make the mouse have to work at getting a taste. This will optimize a catch. Then, at night before bed, take the cushions off of the sofa of chair, put a newspaper down to protect the upholstery, and place the snap traps on top of the paper. Put out many traps to optimize your chance of catching the mice. Also place the traps behind the sofa or chair and if the trap clears the underneath of the sofa I would place a few under there. You might not have success right away, you may have to repeat this process for a few nights, especially if you are dealing with rats. Be sure to always wipe off the trigger and place fresh peanut butter each night. Now if you are unfortunate enough to have the rodents infesting your bed I would recommend just placing a ton of traps under bed using the same process. Having said all this you will have to take some things into consideration. IF you have had a rodent infestation for a long time and the mice have been infesting your furniture for a long time then there is a chance that there are droppings in the sofa or bed area. If this is the case then you have to think about the dangers of the mouse droppings. It may be safer to throw away the furniture. If this is not an option than at least the mice are caught and the increase in mouse dropping will stop. So good luck with the trapping and happy hunting!

Why do mice come into my home

Here is a question that many people ask. Why did mice choose to come into my house? Am I dirty? Am I messy? The answer is yes and no. A mouse can be running by your house just as you are going in and hop in as your door is open. That mouse might be with children. Now there are many. Sometimes you have a hole or a gap under a garage door and the mouse feels the heat escaping and follows the heat into your house. You can have the cleanest house on the block. It won't stop mice from coming in. What a clean house will do is make it uncomfortable for mice to live in which will increase your chances of catching them. If you have a messy house with lots of clutter (hiding and nesting spaces) and lots of crumbs then you have made it welcoming to mice and they can survive easier. After all, if you had a choice between dried up peanut butter on a trap trigger or crumbs from a chocolate cookie that fell to your floor, which would you choose? Keep things tight and sealed and you will decrease chances of them entering in the first place.

New Bedbug Book Hits The Shelves!

After much anticipation it has arrived. It's fresh and it's new and it finally shipped! The new Bedbug Handbook: The Complete Guide To Bed Bugs and Their Control has hit the shelves and I have to say that it is worth the money! Bedbugs beware! It is written by two of the hottest experts in the pest control business, Larry Pinto and Sandy Kraft, and it has the most up to date information about this topic you can find. If you are having a bed bug problem, I would recommend it if only to get a better grasp on what to expect from your situation and the best way to proceed getting rid of it. If you are a professional, your library should not be with out this book. I have to give it five stars out of five! A good read for any professional and consumer alike.

Red and Black Bug

The red and black bug is what we call in the industry...well...a headache! It's the boxelder bug and here in the northeast we are going to be having some pretty warm temperatures. They are saying that we might hit the 60 degree mark tomorrow and this will mean one thing, all the red and black bugs will be coming out of hiding to get a breath of this warm fresh air. Boxelder bugs will emerge in peoples homes and pest controllers will get calls to get rid of them and everyone will scramble like crazy until the next freeze. There really are no do it yourself pest control products on the market for these bugs specifically on the inside. What I would not recommend is smashing them with a newspaper as they will stain your walls and some may leave a bit of a foul odor. My suggestion would be to use the good old fashioned vacuum. Suck them down as they appear and this will eliminate them from the house for good!

Mold, it's control, and it's dangers!

Funny topic to find in a blog dedicated to pest control, but believe it or not, mold is a pest and many pest control companies parallel their business with inspection and control of mold. With the floods and massive rains and storms that have been hitting the west coast, I thought I'd just touch upon this complex topic. Mold is one of the hottest topics when it comes to litigation and insurance lately because so many people are afraid of it. I think their fear is a legitimate one because mold can cause all kinds of problems from a bad cough to death in severe cases. I think the best way to approach writing this blog entry is to try to stress that any kind of moisture can develop mold. Not all molds are dangerous, but it doesn't hurt to have your home tested to see if the mold is in fact a health issue. If it is then remove the mold. A simple, common sense approach to this problem is the best avenue when dealing with a mold issue. It is not something to take lightly or to ignore.

Kill Mice and Kill Rats

Kill rodents the old fashioned way if you have mice or rats infesting your home. The good old snap trap can be your best defense against these intruders and using the old stand by peanut butter or cheese will work just fine. The trick is in the placement. I know folks who will put out a few snap traps in the kitchen when they saw it run across the living room wall, thinking that mice always will visit the kitchen. This is of course true, they have to eat, but if you see a mouse following a path across a certain wall or under a piece of furniture then you have to place that traps there. Another trick is to put out plenty of traps, not just two or three. Over kill is OK in these situations. Also be sure to place plenty of traps in areas where you find mouse droppings. This is an obvious area they visit.