EPA's Bedbug Summit

Last week I attended the bed bug summit that was sponsored by the EPA and found it to be very interesting. The brightest brains from across the pest control industry was there along with representative from the hotel industry, schools, HUD, apartment industry and government, all gathered to discuss what Dr. Potter calls the "perfect Storm" Bedbugs. After listening to a rather bleak summary of university findings on the effectiveness of our chemicals against these critters and other presentations from various government agencies, we broke into groups and came up with recommendations to present to the EPA so they can start to get a handle on the importance of this issue becoming a "pandemic" and effecting the economy in a negative way. When you think about it, bedbugs can be linked to public transportation, furniture and mattress delivery services, laundry mats, schools, hotels, motels, theaters, anywhere the public gathers, and with no real silver bullet to kill these bed bugs it is a scary future. Maybe the EPA will ease the requirements or costs of registering products or let us bring back the old stuff that worked. One thing that everyone agreed on was the fact that we need an aggressive public awareness campaign to get people away from the stigma attached which will hopefully lend itself to early intervention. One thing is for sure, it will only get worse before it gets better.

Boxelder Bugs are Back

It's that time of year again when the red, orange and black bugs start to take their territory. Looking for the perfect silver bullet to get rid of those pesky box elder bugs that seem to over take the sunny side of your building or home? Well I wish I could deliver, but I can't. This problem needs to be dealt with by good old fashioned elbow grease. Inside you need to vacuum them away, outside you need to spray them down with soapy water. Mix up a cup or two of cloths detergent in a gallon sprayer, lightly mix so not to get over run by suds, and spray away. Get them as they cluster in clumps and watch as they fall away dead.

Bees in the ground

There are several species of wasps and bees that tend to dig into the ground to either nest or lay eggs. Cicada Killers, digger wasps, yellow jackets, and so on. If you have a case of the giant cicada killers and they are far enough away from you and not really bothering you, I would say to leave them alone. They are very seasonal and do no harm. If they are patrolling the area right next to your walk way then you may want to shoot some insect dust into the hole, at night, carefully. Same goes for yellow jackets, but again, extreme caution. Digger wasps and the wasps you see flying low to the ground can be controlled via a god surface spray. Most times though, I recommend hiring a pro when dealing with wasps or bees.They can be harmful if managed incorrectly.

Ants Ants Everywhere

Controlling ants can be one of the most aggravating things to try to accomplish every...but it can be done. There is an arsenal of products out there that can be used, many of them can be found on your local do it yourself pest control products website, or you can simply call your local pest control company. The products range from granules like Advance and Maxforce to gels like Terro and Uncle Alberts. There are your ant bait stations like Advion or Maxforce ant and of course sprays like Phantom. With all of these products out there why is it so hard to get rid of them? Mostly because there are such great numbers, people misapply products or they start the control too late. So be diligent and generous in your treatments and as always, use caution and keep safety first.

Kill Ants Dead-Tips From The Pros

I've been in the pest control industry now for 16 years and killing ants can be either one of the easiest tasks or the hardest tasks to deal with, considering which kind of ant you are dealing with. If you are dealing with the regular old pavement ant, at this time of year, a good sugar based ant gel bait is your best bet. Go outside and look for the trail that is heading into your house, or locate the trail inside and put a few dabs of ant gel along the trail and watch these little ants go crazy. Terro and maxforce ant gel are great products. Uncle Albert's Ant bait is another one believe it or not. As always you want to be careful of pets and children when placing these products down, so be careful and read the label. The biggest question always asked is where do you find the stuff the professionals use. Most do it yourself pest control products websites will sell to the public so long as it is not a restricted use product like tracking powder. You can also look at your local home center, although the pro products are the best. Happy Hunting!

exterminating supplies

Consumers are always looking for the next best DIY project to tackle and pest control is not safe from these weekend warriors, but they want the real stuff. Exterminating supplies or pest control supplies are easy enough to find online at the many DIY pest control products websites. Sites like EPestSupply or pestproducts.com have what you are looking for, so long as it is not a restricted use product. All states have there own laws and it is best to check to make sure it is ok to apply pesticides without a license, but in most cases if it is not restricted use, then you are ok. One word of caution is just that, use caution. These chemicals are dangerous and need to be applied per the label. So use your head and go to battle with what ever pest is pestering you.

Orange and black bugs

Here they come, the red and black or orange and black Halloween bugs or boxelder bugs. With the warm weather descending upon us, the boxelders that were over wintering will be scurrying over to the boxelder tree with in the next few months to start the process again. Get the old soap and water sprayer out or consider some of the DIY products you can find online for box elder bugs. These are the most insane to get rid of bugs out there I think, so the battle begins.

Ant Elmination Tips from the Pros.

There are right ways and wrong ways of ant control and many times homeowners, while trying to be over zealous, do things the wrong way. First of all...don't ever use ant sprays and ant baits in the same areas. I am a big believer of ant baits anyway. If you are faced with a boat load of ants on your counter tops then take a damp paper towel and wipe them up. This will take care of a good amount of what is there now and give you time to place some effective ant baits. You can approach this two ways...as an ant commando...or as an ant spot specific agent. The first way would include a total program. I would get some good granule maxforce or advance ant bait and sprinkle it around the outside perimeter of the home, being careful of children and pets. Then on the inside I would use some ant gel baits along with some ant bait stations in the area you originally experienced the ant problem. The reason I am against spraying is because it often time leaves an oily residue and it also will repel the ants. The goal of the baits is to get them to bring this bait back to the nest and cause a longer lasting control. Ant baits can be bought at your local home store or you can often time order professional ant bait online via a do it yourself pest control supply website. Happy hunting and good luck.

Are Termite Renewals Worth It?

The question is, are termite renewals worth the money? I like to think of it this way. Most termite jobs are expensive, many times invasive, and involves moving items and a mess. A termite renewal is an insurance policy or a yearly warranty, for lack of a better word. Usually you pay ten to fifteen percent of the job on a yearly renewal basis. This guarantees that if termites return, the company will come out and treat the area of concern. Liquid termite jobs are not a sure fire treatment, even though the termite technician may have done an overly thorough job. The problem is, you can't see what is going on under the slab. The liquid termite juice may be splitting at a rock or other obstacle under ground, leaving the perfect non treated area for termites to re-infest. Same goes for termite bait. It may take some adjusting of placements, etc. So I would argue that termite renewals are worth the money. At least for a few years so that you are relatively sure the treatment has worked. If you don't pay the renewal, the company can charge you the full price again. Yikes!

Box elder bug sure fire elimination

Is it true...a sure fire way to finally get rid of the bug that has plagued society for years and years? Can it be as simple as a bait or a pheromone that will kill off for good this bug we all hate? Well unfortunately no. With the warm winter days comes the boxelder bug slithering it's way into the offices and homes across America like an unwanted flu or cold. How can we stop them? Vacuum them. I have an old shop vac that I keep only for boxelder bugs on the outside of my home, and another little carry along canister vac with a hose for the inside. This system instantly eliminates the pest and everyone is happy. Short of cutting down a ton of trees or using sprays that don't really work, vacuuming is the best way to do it. Keep you house and box elder problem clean with your handy every day vacuum.

Mice in my furniture

Here is a question I get pretty often. Can mice live in a sofa or puffy chair? The answer is yes they can. If you tip your couch over you will see a dust cloth stapled to the bottom. Mice can get through this and burrow in the stuffing, settling into a pretty posh environment. Get a strong flash light and start to explore if you think this could be the case, or set up traps and place some bait in the area of the sofa. Tamper proof bait station are required and safety is your best friend. Good luck and happy hunting.

The best to keep mice out.

The best way to solve a mouse problem is never to have gotten one in the first place. So what is the best kind of product out there to keep mice out of your home or garage? Door sweeps and weather stripping is your first like of defense against mice. You'd be surprised how a small gap under your garage door can invite a mouse or rat in for a long winters nap. The nest is sealing gaps. Using products like stuf-fit, a copper wool product, or regular old steel wool will do the trick (steel wool will rust though ). Any kind of expanding foam product to keep mice out will also do wonders or even some good old fashioned caulk. Won't the mice just eat through the foam like a piece of bread? No. Mice are lazy and will look for the next easiest route of entry.

Wings in my living room

Have you ever left for work only to come home to a mess of wings all over your carpet or kitchen floor? Maybe you came home to live flying ants that are taking over your house. If you experience this kind of phenomenon in the months of March, April or May, the chances are you have a swarm of termites. This is a pretty sure sign that the termites that do damage to your wood are near. The first thing I would do is to identify if you actually had a termite swarm or an ant swarm. The differences are made clear online. This will educate you and could possibly save you money. There is a big difference in price for an ant job as opposed to a termite job. Next thing to do is call for three or four estimates. Ask questions about the product they use for their termite control and if they use baits or not. Once you get your quotes then ask around for any other companies that friends or family may have used in the past and had a good relationship with, then get some prices from them. Some things not to do is panic or rush into it. Take your time, do your home work, and all should be fine.

Mice in cold weather

Mice and rodents in general are not big fans of the cold, in fact, most start looking for shelter when the first signs of the frigid cold start to show. As many of us know the shelter they seek is often times our very homes. They sneak in, usually through a crack or crevice, and set up shop in our kitchens. Aside from catching them once they are in, one was to help raise the chances of catching them is to make it as uncomfortable as possible for them. If they are getting a constant meal of crumbs every night and water that is left in a cup in the sink, then why would they go after the bait you are setting for them on the traps? Make sure your kitchen and living areas are barren waste lands. Keep the landscape bare and that will usually increase the chances of bait acceptance on snap traps or poison bait in general. Happy Hunting.

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.