Pest Control
Insects, and Rodents and Bats, Oh My!
Claim your free Poker Pass
Pagina 1
INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................................3 URBAN VS. SUBURBAN AND/OR RURAL EXTERMINATION ISSUES .........................................................5 INDOOR PEST CONTROL .......................................................................................................................................7 OUTDOOR PEST CONTROL ................................................................................................................................ 23 NATURAL PESTICIDES VS. CHEMICALS ........................................................................................................ 41 WHEN TO HIRE A PROFESSIONAL AND HOW TO CHOOSE THE FIRM ................................................ 43 RESOURCES ............................................................................................................................................................. 46 SUMMARY ................................................................................................................................................................ 47
Claim your free Poker Pass
Pagina 2
Introduction
Bugs, rodents, insects, bats, mice, ants, squirrels, and roaches! What is a homeowner to do? Even if you live in an apartment, your lease may not require the landlord to handle infestation or pests. If you find yourself in this situation, you have come to the right place. This book will teach you how to recognize the various pests you may encounter. For example, if you are trying to rid your home of termites, do you know what kind of termites you have? If not, you may use the wrong solution. This book will also help you decide when to try the do-it-yourself pest removal route, and when it might be wise to bring in the pros. While it is impossible to cover every possible insect, rodent and pest infestation in this book, we will focus on the most common types of infestations and pests. We will give you more detail than you ever thought existed on indoor pests and outdoor pests, their habits, how to get rid of them and the considerations you must make for your family and pets when you use chemical deterrents in your home. We will not talk about pest control for crops and farmers. If you have THAT kind of a problem, you should be talking to the local office of the Department of Agriculture! We’ll provide resources find reputable, local pest control companies, and links to get more information about pest control, as well as information about how to CHOOSE a professional service if you need to do so. It’s all in this book! While we will suggest products for each type of infestation, we do not endorse or recommend any one particular product to use in extermination of a specific pest. Nor do we mean to suggest that you should or can do the extermination yourself. You must assess your problem, decide whether you can do the work yourself, and understand the regulations and guidelines in your area for use of chemicals and extermination procedures. Use caution and prudence at all times! For starters, let us assume that you know or believe you have a pest infestation in your home or you would not be reading this book (unless, of course, you have a passion for pests, or you work in the pest control industry). If you have seen evidence of infestation – roaches walking across your table, flying ants outside, mouse droppings in your house, etc. – you KNOW you have a problem. Claim your free Poker Pass
Pagina 3
If you are not sure (perhaps your neighbor has termites and you wonder if you have them, as well), you may have to hire a professional to find out, or get in touch with your inner Sherlock Holmes, and do a little analysis on your own. Whatever the reason you find yourself reading this book, it is now time to dive in and review the details of pest control. There is no doubt that by the time you finish this book, you will be the neighborhood expert on pest control and pest deterrents and solutions.
Claim your free Poker Pass
Pagina 4
Urban vs. Suburban and/or Rural Extermination Issues
Let’s start with the basics of your own environment. If you live in a city, you are not likely to have a flying squirrel problem. But, you are likely to have roaches, bed bugs or even mice or rats. If you live in the suburbs, you may have ants, squirrels or spiders. If you live in a rural area, you may have mice, squirrels, raccoons and other pests. Whatever your infestation problem, you have certain options, based on your living arrangements. For those who live in an urban environment, you should NEVER consider buying chemicals and taking on a pest control project on your own without first understanding the following: Whether your lease or building rules require you to do your own extermination or whether the landlord is responsible for all work in that regard. What you can, and cannot use, in the way of chemicals to remain in compliance with any city or local codes and regulations and who is allowed by law to administer these products. Whether the extermination will require you to vacate the premises for some period of time. Whether you feel comfortable doing this work yourself (even if you ARE allowed to do so).
If you live in a suburban or rural area, you will need to know: The local regulations and codes regarding natural vs. chemical pest control products and who is allowed to administer these products. The local regulations about how and when you can administer a pest control solution. Whether the extermination will require you vacate to the premises for some period of time. Whether the particular extermination you wish to undertake is safe for you to complete or whether you should hire a professional.
Claim your free Poker Pass
Pagina 5
Do not just head for your local hardware store to buy a can of some chemical and spray it around your house or apartment. Do your homework and understand what pests you actually have, how best to get rid of them, who is ALLOWED to get rid of them and whether you can perform extermination without moving out of the house for a period of time. Understand health issues for children, family, pets and plants and take appropriate action before you create another problem! If the infestation you have is dangerous in any way to your family or health, and you cannot complete the pest control project in a timely fashion (for whatever reason), you must decide whether it is safe for you to remain in your home until you can get the work done. Whatever your problem, you may feel queasy when you think about rats, spiders, insects or bats, but if you DO have any of these problems, you will need to educate yourself on what these pests look like and what they do, before you can decide how to handle pest control issues. So, let’s get started! The first area we will cover is the one most likely to create real problems for you and your family: Indoor infestations.
Claim your free Poker Pass
Pagina 6
Indoor Pest Control
Without further adieu, let us discuss critters of every size, shape and annoyance. We will begin with indoor pests. Bed Bugs - Perhaps the pests with the most press in recent months have been those pesky bed bugs. Bed bugs are small insects that, like it or not, feed on your blood. Many people have bed bugs in their home, but those with an infestation, or those who stay in a hotel or public lodging facility and come away with bites will tell you that a bed bug infestation can be a real problem. As you can imagine, bed bugs are most active at night, since that is when they get their food! Bed bugs are about the size of a small watermelon seed, and they look like this:
You CAN see them with the naked eye and you might find them in your bed, in the folds or cracks of sofas or upholstered chairs, and even in walls or on the floor on a rug or carpet. The most annoying thing about a bed bug is that it can live for MONTHS without water and without food, so don’t think you can starve them out of your house! When a bed bug bites you, you will not feel anything right away. Later, you will have a welt on your skin that is likely to be red in the center (rather like a fleabite) and itchy. If you have a bed bug infestation, you probably carried in your visitors with luggage, or when you bought a piece of used furniture, or they came in on your clothing (as travelers from another location like a friend’s house or a hotel room). If you live in an apartment, your bed bugs may have migrated through the walls from another apartment. To get rid of bed bugs on your own you should disinfect bedding, furniture and all other places they may be hiding. Because you will be washing sheets and bedding and working within your home, you will want to use a pesticide that is the least toxic you can find. Claim your free Poker Pass
Pagina 7
Do not spray a pesticide on a mattress, couch, sofa or chair. You can apply small amounts of a pesticide on the seams of furniture or mattresses where bed bugs may be lurking. Be very careful about administering a pesticide unless you know it is safe. Here are some options for products to eliminate bed bugs: http://www.diatect.com/bed-bug-killerppc.php?gclid=COCM7e36t4gCFQVWPgodphLpig http://www.bed-bug.net/ http://www.deadbedbugs.com/?gclid=CLHPpZD7t4gCFSTsPgod_kUIhw
The Health Department suggests professional extermination of bed bugs. As you will see when you read the section of this book on hiring a professional, you should always check licenses before you hire anyone.
Ticks – Ticks vary in appearance and some can be very tiny. All ticks have eight legs and all ticks feed on mammals. To participate in this feast, they first attach to a ‘host’ (dog, person or other animal) and after they are full, they will then drop off the ‘host’. The exception to this is the deer tick which, if given a chance, will partially burrow under the skin, and remain in that position to continue feeding. Because ticks can carry disease, their appearance on an animal, or person, is of significantly greater concern than just the squeamish feeling caused by finding an insect attached to the skin. Here are some pictures that will help you identify the various ticks:
Deer Tick (black legged) Lone Star Tick American Dog Tick
Claim your free Poker Pass
Pagina 8
* top down = female specimen, male specimen, and nymph specimen
The deer tick is the one most of us know best. That variety of tick is responsible thousands of cases of Lyme disease in the U.S. every year. In 2002, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported more than 23,000 cases of Lyme disease in humans, and the CDC estimates that nine out of ten cases of Lyme disease go unrecorded. Lyme disease can cause fatigue, symptoms of the flu, and if left untreated, can cause joint and organ damage. You MAY see signs of this disease in a red or pink rash that appears in the shape of a bullet or ‘bull’s eye’, although not everyone who has Lyme disease actually sees this rash appear. The American Dog tick can spread Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, a disorder characterized by fever, headaches, and muscle pain or aches. You may also see a rash around the wrists and/or ankles. This rash often appears around 2-3 days after the fever begins, and will then spread to other parts of the body. If you want to treat the area around your home to ensure your family’s safety, you can spray an insecticide around the perimeter of the yard and within the yard. Be sure you are sure that the insecticide you use is a broad-spectrum solution for most ticks, but most especially for deer ticks. If you want to better protect your yard and home from ticks, look for areas where water may pond or gather (this will also attract mosquitoes) , and trim hedges, brush and shaded or wooded areas. Keep your grass short and grow plants and trees that will allow sunlight in the yard and reduce the moisture your soil will collect. You should know that even this would not guarantee that you and your family would remain ‘tick free’. If your child spends time in a neighbor’s yard or on a baseball field, or if you play outdoor sports, cut the grass or walk in the park, you may also have to watch for ticks you bring home. Your dog may wander outside the yard and bring ticks into your home on his fur, or your dog may pick up ticks from other animals who visit your home. Claim your free Poker Pass
Pagina 9
Check your dogs (especially around the ears, between the toes and around the neck and back, although you will find ticks on other parts of their bodies as well. It is always wise to take precautions: use an insect repellant when you participate in outdoor activities and shake or wash your clothing to remove anything that may be stuck to the fabric. Take a shower and wash with a washcloth to be sure nothing sticks to your skin. If you have ignored the problem or if you did not previously recognize the problem, you may find you have a tick infestation. You will have to look on your furniture, near windows, and in other areas near the baseboards in your home. You will have to clean your home thoroughly and pay special attention to furniture, bedding and dog or pet beds and blankets, and places your pets like to sleep or play. You can use ‘residual insecticide’ powders or sprays in areas where you think the ticks may land. If you suspect an infestation of ticks in your home or yard, you should call a professional exterminator, or try one of the following products: https://www.ticktubes.com/index.asp?PARTNER=google http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/maxforce_tick_management_system.htm http://www.pestproducts.com/permethrin.htm#Permethrin%20Pro
Remember that whenever you are considering your own pest control, you must know the regulations in your city, county and state to be sure you can order and use the chemicals and pesticides you are contemplating for your solution and that you feel you can administer this yourself. Otherwise, call the pros! Furniture Beetles (cousin to the Powder Post Beetle, Death Watch Beetle, and the Carpet Beetle) – Furniture beetles infest seasoned sapwood from both hard wood and soft wood trees, though you don’t usually find them in heartwood. These beetles attack furniture, cabinets and sometimes the very structural timber of your home! They tunnel along the grain of the wood leaving a powdery substance behind with ‘pellet’ like debris visible in the tunnels. Here is a picture of a furniture beetle and the hole from which it emerged: Pagina 10
Claim your free Poker Pass
After the beetle has infested the wood, it will emerge from its tunnel below the surface to mate and lay eggs. Thirteen to thirty percent moisture is enough to successfully develop the larvae. It will take about a year after infestation of the wood before you will actually see the adults appear on the surface of the furniture or beams. These beetles are the most active at night, though some species do not seem to mind the light. If you do not see the beetles, you may be able to confirm infestation by virtue of the small holes left by the beetles when they burrow out onto the surface. You can reduce the moisture in the wood by 10% to 12% to slow the development of the colony, but you will have to treat the wood and exterminate the colony. You can treat unpainted wood with an appropriate pesticide, or fumigate. If you are going to attempt this process yourself, use one of the following products (after checking carefully to be sure that you know how to administer the solution and making the decision to do-it-yourself, rather than hire a professional). http://www.pesticideinfo.org/List_Products.jsp?PestName=Furniture%20beetle http://www.pestcontrol-products.com/cgibin/store/commerce.cgi?product=onebeetlepheromonetrap http://www.buildingconservation.com/articles/beetle/beetle.html http://muextension.missouri.edu/explore/agguides/pests/g07422.htm
Silverfish – A beautiful name for a not-so-beautiful bug! These critters are about half an inch in length with a long, flat body that tapers to a more slender width at the tail. Silverfish look like this:
Claim your free Poker Pass
Pagina 11
Silverfish love dampness, and you are most likely to find them in your laundry room or basement, in the attic, or under your kitchen or bathroom sink, or near a window or doorframe. It takes about three months for a silverfish to become an adult. They love to eat paper, the pages of books, wallpaper and wallpaper paste and natural fabrics, cereal and even flour, so you really won’t want to share your home with them for very long if you value your possessions. If you suspect you have an infestation, you can use one of the following products: http://store.doyourownpestcontrol.com/cgibin/pestcontrol.storefront/EN/catalog/1190 http://store.doyourownpestcontrol.com/cgibin/pestcontrol.storefront/EN/catalog/1125 http://store.doyourownpestcontrol.com/cgibin/pestcontrol.storefront/EN/catalog/1125 http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/SPEC/pick-demonwp1.htm http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/SPEC/pick-talstar1.htm
Indoor Ants – While any and all of the ants mentioned in this section can appear inside and outside your home, for this section of the book, we have attempted to separate the species by those most commonly appearing inside. In the ‘Outdoor’ section of this book, you will find ants like carpenter ants and fire ants. For now, let’s look at the ants most commonly found inside your home. For the most part, Argentine ants are found in California and in the Southern United States. Pagina 12
Claim your free Poker Pass
They often prey on termites and cockroaches, so you might think they are desirable if you have either of those problems. However, they also prey on small insects on plants, on aphids and when they find their way inside the home, they can be a real pest. Unlike the Pharaoh ant, the Argentine ant will not make a home in the walls of your house, but instead, will come inside to feed and then leave. It usually takes about two months for the ant to develop from egg to adult, and sometimes it takes as long as five months. The colony cycle will be persistent and annoying. They can survive in conditions that are too harsh for other ants and will often nest hear food and water sources, in damp soil next to the house or near plants or sidewalks – areas that give them close proximity to enter your house or live in your house near the food supply. To tackle Argentine ant colonies, try one of the following products:
http://www.kmantpro.com/argentineants.htm http://www.pestproducts.com/argentine_ant.htm#Argentine%20ant%20eliminatio n
The Pharoah ant is small and nearly transparent which makes it hard to detect but also makes it dangerous when infestations occur in schools or hospitals.
Because these ants are so tiny, they can go most anywhere, including cuts and open wounds, which makes them prime candidates to spread infection. They will also carry bacteria to the food on which they snack, so open food sources will become breeding grounds for disease. Pagina 13
Claim your free Poker Pass
Pharaoh ants originated in the tropics, but they can live anywhere inside heated buildings or in warmer climates. Inside your home or office, they will form their nests as near to the food supply as possible. Elimination is difficult because these ants live in many colonies and will split into smaller colonies when under attack. To eliminate Pharoah ants, look for this products and other similar products:
http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/phar.htm Other ants you will find foraging indoors include the Thief (or Grease) Ant, the Acrobat Ant, Little Black Ant, the Odorous House Ant, and the Crazy Ant, seen in order below:
The most important thing to understand about ant control is that you have to locate the nest(s) and destroy the colony. You can sometimes get closer to figuring out where the nest is by leaving some sweet or attractive substance for the ants to find. When you can see where the ants seem to be coming from, you can often follow the trail to their nest locations. By treating the cracks and entrances to your home, you will have a better chance of eliminating the colony. You should not treat the whole floor, cabinet, countertop or other area. Be careful to use pesticides as defined on the labels to avoid health problems and contamination of food, etc. Remember that you want to kill more than just the foraging ants. You want to place bait or use a pesticide that can be carried back to the nest so that the colony is destroyed. Here is a list of resources and products commonly used for most indoor ant problems: http://www.beyondpesticides.org/alternatives/factsheets/ANT%20CONTROL.pdf http://www.pestproducts.com/antbaits.htm http://www.pestproducts.com/dual_choice.htm http://www.pestproducts.com/maxforceantbaits.htm http://www.pestproducts.com/fluorguard_ant_bait.htm Claim your free Poker Pass Pagina 14
http://www.pestproducts.com/drax.htm http://www.pestproducts.com/pesticides.htm#Niban%20FG
Cockroaches - Roaches are perhaps the best known and most dreaded form of indoor pests. They are difficult to control and spread easily, especially in apartment buildings and public environs like hospitals and restaurants. They are extremely adaptable and thus more difficult to kill. There are numerous types of cockroaches from the German cockroach (perhaps the hardest roach to exterminate) to the American cockroach (water bugs or palmetto bugs) and the smoky brown cockroach, and the Oriental cockroach. Here are some pictures in the same order as mentioned above:
The German cockroach is smaller than its brethren, and adults measure only half to five eighths of an inch in length. They are light to medium brown and have two strikes directly behind their head. They will eat anything, and each roach can live up to a full year. Like most roaches, they are more active at night. If you see them during the day it is usually because they are forced out of hiding by a burgeoning population and overcrowding, which causes a shortage of food and forces the roach to go elsewhere to find water and sustenance. They will spend three quarters of their time in hiding in cracks and dark places, and you can find them most often in kitchens and bathrooms. The American cockroach is about one and a half inches long and is typically a reddish brown color. It will eat just about anything and loves sweets and starches, so it will even go after wallpaper and book binding paste. You can sometimes find them outside in shady areas of the yard or in holes or hollows in trees. Inside, these roaches love to hang out around bathtubs, kitchen sinks and floor drains, and in basements and crawl spaces. The smoky brown cockroach looks much like the American roach but it is slightly smaller and is more of a dark brown color with less tones of red. These roaches like plant and decaying vegetable material. Once inside your home, they will revert to a diet that is much like that of the American roach, in that they will eat just about anything. Pagina 15
Claim your free Poker Pass
Because they are a tropical creature, the smoky brown roaches are most often found in the southern U.S. where temperatures are more moderate year round. However, they can often hitch a ride, by hiding in fruits or plants that are shipped around the country. Oriental cockroaches are a little smaller than the American cockroach. They have wings, but they do not fly. They will often live in decaying organic material, mulch, garbage, etc. They are not as dependent on the water source inside your home, because they get most of their water from the food they eat. The older brown Oriental nymphs are sometimes hard to identify as they look very much like the American cockroach nymphs. You will find them in the same areas in basements, kitchens, bathrooms and sometimes even outdoors. Today’s pest management recommendations for roaches will usually include a broad spectrum approach that incorporates the use of baiting, pheromone traps, dusting and growth regulators. Here are some products you can consider for residential roach extermination: http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/advion_roach_bait_gel.htm http://store.doyourownpestcontrol.com/cgibin/pestcontrol.storefront/4554b50d00f4e22827424200c148061b/Product/View/K B040-KIT http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/avert_dry_flowable_roach_bait.htm http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/spec/pick-maxforcegel1.htm http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/spec/pick-cb80.htm http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/vone_pyrethrum.htm http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/spec/pick-gentrolaerosol1.htm http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/spec/pick-gentrolliquid.htm http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/spec/pick-gentrolpt.htm http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/spec/pick-roachphere1.htm http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/cb_D-Force-HPX_aerosol.htm http://store.doyourownpestcontrol.com/PestControl/CatalogPages/Aerosols_1094 /1.html
Bats – The chances are that you do not have ‘bats in your belfry’ as the saying goes, but you may have bats in your home! They love to hang around in attics, unfinished upper floors, and even closets and behind draperies. Pagina 16
Claim your free Poker Pass
There are a number of types of bats. Here is a picture of one type:
If it has taken you a while to figure out that you have a bat living with you, you may, in fact, have more than one bat living in your home. If you see the bat and then lose track of it, don’t assume it got out of the house somehow. Check behind curtains and anything hanging on the walls. Bats can squeeze into very tight spaces. Look on the floor underneath furniture and tables. NEVER put your hand into a space to check for the bat. You do not want to risk being bitten! It is important to know that, while most bats do NOT have rabies, about 1% DO have rabies. So you must be very careful in trapping and removing the bat(s). If you have a pet, your pet is likely to find the bat before you find it, so you should of course be sure that your pets are all vaccinated against rabies (even if they NEVER go outside). If a bat is flying around your house, you should REMAIN CALM. You do not have to run out of the room. If you are not trying to attack or grab the bat, it may swoop and swirl around you if you stand in the middle of the room – so DON’T. Go stand in a corner, or walk calmly to the door and stand in the doorway with the door open slightly to watch the bat’s motion, so you will see where it goes to hide. Once you know where the bat is hiding, you can strategically work to get the bat into as small an area as possible (near a door or window) and then open that door or window so the bat can fly outside. It may take as long as 15-20 minutes for the bat to come out of hiding and use the exit you have provided. The smaller area to which the bat is confined, the more likely it will immediately take the exit you have provided. It may fly around the room for a while to use its orientation senses, and then, when it senses an opening and fresh air, it will leave the premises. If the bat lands and you feel up to the challenge, you can use a large plastic or glass container to trap the bat. Wear a pair of very thick leather gloves to ensure you will not be bitten. Slowly put the container over the bat, then slide a very thin piece of cardboard or a stiff piece of construction paper underneath the opening to the jar or container to trap the bat inside. Pagina 17
Claim your free Poker Pass
Carry the container outside, and well away from the house, and place the container up against a tree. Remove the cardboard or paper and allow the bat to attach to the tree before you slide the container away. Then step well away from the container and let the bat go free. It will probably stay attached to the tree for several minutes while it orients itself to its new surroundings. If you do not feel up to the challenge of trapping the bat yourself, confine the bat to a room or small area and call your local animal control office. If you or anyone else in the house is bitten, do NOT release the bat. Instead, call animal control and have the bat tested for rabies. Take the injured person to the doctor for appropriate treatment. ALWAYS remember that any kind of wild animal damage control is risky and may pose a health threat. Follow state laws and do not kill or harm wild animals. If you are unable to handle the problem, call animal control. Do not take chances! The best way to repel and avoid bats in your home is to close off the openings they can use to gain access. Here are some repellants you can consider: http://www.pestrepellerultimate.com/google.htm http://www.stoppinbugs.com/batcontrol.htm http://www.pestproducts.com/bat_scat.htm Repellants may have some limited effectiveness, but the long term solution is prevention. Fleas - Like ticks, fleas feed on mammals. The difference is that fleas can jump easily from one host to another. These critters are capable of jumping up to eight inches high and sixteen inches SIDEWAYS! While some people are not that sensitive to flea bites, many people will experience red, raised, itchy spots on their body, often in clusters where a flea or fleas have jumped around to more than one location. There are numerous types of fleas, the cat flea being the most common, even on dogs, and all fleas are tiny.
Claim your free Poker Pass
Pagina 18
You can see fleas with the naked eye if you are looking for them. Unfortunately, they often jump on, bite you and jump off before you know they are there! It is the flea larvae you should worry most about, as that will cause the infestation in your home. They are tough to see in carpeting and cracks of upholstery, bedding or floors. By the time you see the adult fleas, you are really only seeing about five percent of the total population that resides in your home. When a flea lays eggs on your pet, the eggs will fall off and sprinkle the larvae throughout your house. That means you have to treat the whole environment, unless your pet is confined to a certain area. Start a flea control program in the late spring before the infestation takes hold. If you are using a flea ‘bomb’ you must remove fish, pets, children and plants from the environment before you set off the bomb. Wait 4-6 hours before returning pets and people to the environment. Then open the windows to air out the house. Here are some products you can consider for flea control: http://www.pestproducts.com/fleas.htm http://www.nofleasusa.com/frontlinehome.html?gclid=CLLYu4KruogCFRtLPgodB C6piA http://www.mindfully.org/Pesticide/Fleas-Without-Poisons.htm
Pantry Pests – This is a category of pests that will invade your food stores and pantry and wreak havoc on your food supply. They love flour, pasta products, cereal, crackers, bread, spices, nuts, fruit and pet food. They will even eat powdered milk and corn starch! You might bring the pests home in a package of food or they may come through the walls of an apartment and infest your home that way. This category of pests includes weevils (granary and rice), beetles (confused flour, red flour, drugstore and tobacco, and moths (grain and Indian meal), seen below in the same order:
Claim your free Poker Pass
Pagina 19
You will often see these pests for the first time as they fly around your kitchen or you may find them on, in or near a package or container of food. You can unwittingly bring these pests into your home in food packaging. Be careful not to purchase torn or broken packages. Even if the seal on the package you buy is NOT broken, these pests can get into the packages at the factory, so avoid mixing old food with new food you buy, just in case the old food has already been infested or the new food you bought is infested. Keep your pantry clean and dusted and wipe it down with a wet cloth. Put opened packages of food into sealed plastic or glass containers. Discard any foods that are infested. Clean old containers before using them to store new food. Here are some products you can consider to defeat pantry pests: http://www.planetnatural.com/cgi-bin/planetnatural/pantry-pest-trap http://store.greenfeet.com/itemdesc.asp?ic=5507-08140-0000 http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/factsheet/32.pdf http://www.epinions.com/content_184491609732
Centipedes – Like many pests, centipedes often live outside or inside. The house centipede is a familiar creature with many legs and an elongated body with multiple segments. The house centipede is smaller than its outdoor brethren by some 5”, but outdoor centipedes can wander in from outdoors if they are living near the foundation of your house.
The smaller house centipede doesn’t bite, but the larger ones sometimes will. If you are bitten and the bite has broken the skin, you should consult a doctor to be sure the bite does not cause problems. The good news is that centipedes do not bother food supplies or furniture. The bad news is that they do love to multiply and can rapidly take over your house. Pagina 20
Claim your free Poker Pass
They are most active at night, and they like basements, bathrooms, attics and closets – anyplace that is dark and, if possible, damp. They lay their eggs in damper areas in the house and these areas might include firewood you have stored in your home. You might be interested to know that centipedes eat other pesky insects, but that may not offer enough value for you to want to share your home with them. A centipede can live 1-5 years! Products that may help you rid your home of centipedes include: http://www.pestproducts.com/centipedes.htm http://www.betterpestcontrol.com/centipede.html
House Mice – The house mouse is small (about one to two inches long without its tail), and thin, with large ears, a pointed nose and tiny eyes. Fur can be gray or brown and sometimes it is darker.
Mice love to eat just about anything but they especially like sweets, grains and seeds. They get most of their water elsewhere so you won’t necessarily see them around water supplies in your home. The city dwelling mouse will spend all of its life indoors, while the suburban and rural house mouse may spend time inside AND outside. You can find the country mouse in basements, shrubs and garages. Inside, you will find evidence of their tenancy in insulation or in areas where soft fabrics or bedding are available. They gnaw on soap, leave droppings in old dresser drawers and hang around in the ceiling and walls. You might find evidence in your kitchens, where boxes or packaging has been gnawed in your pantry or storage area. Traps are safer than baits and should be used wherever you have children or domestic animals in residence. You can also dispose of the dead rodents more easily without risking their dying inside the walls of your house and causing an unpleasant odor. A pesticide for rodents can be used where there are no animals or children who might be at risk by touching or playing with the pesticide bait. Claim your free Poker Pass Pagina 21
You can consider some of these products for mouse removal: http://www.thepestdepot.com/rodents.html?gclid=CIzEiff4vIgCFQTpPgodPV9giQ http://www.dreamingearth.com/natural-pestcontrol.htm?gclid=CLff0Yj5vIgCFRpVQQodh3lqyg http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/mice.htm House Flies – Last, but certainly not least, let’s talk about the pesky house fly. When the weather gets warm, or inside a warm house, these flies can lay 600 eggs in various locations throughout the house. These eggs hatch within two days and voila you have a house full of annoying flies.
Flies land on open food sources and carry bacteria from one place to another. You certainly do not want to allow an infestation to continue. In the very warm weather, you can be faced with the birth of 2-3 generations of flies in less than a month. Left unchecked, this population will swell and by the fall, your home will be filled with flies. They will feed on any organic material, on vegetables, fruits, animal and human waste. During the day they will land and rest in the walls or behind furniture in the house. Their nighttime resting places can include wires, drapery pulls, and they will usually stay within flying distance of food, resting five or more feet above the floor. Products that will help you rid your home of house flies include: http://www.betterpestcontrol.com/Housefly.html http://www.faster-results.com/us.fastuk/search/web/fly-control/ http://cerc.colostate.edu/titles/AIB673.html
Claim your free Poker Pass
Pagina 22
Outdoor Pest Control
Wasps – The wasp is a smooth-bodied creature that varies in length from half to three quarters of an inch, and is closely related to the hornet. Wasps will build a nest that will hang from a rafter, roof, beam, branch or house eave. That nest will house one queen. There are numerous types of wasps which includes: hunting wasps, solitary wasps, digger wasps, potter wasps, burrowing spider wasps, paper wasps, mud daubers and parasitic wasps, among others. The solitary wasp is quite common, though the paper and mud dauber may be more common in most areas. The solitary wasp will capture and sting insects and spiders and as such may be considered a beneficial insect, though you may not want the nest very near your house. The mud dauber wasp will build the classic globe shaped nest and some will build what is known as an ‘organ pipe’ nest. Mud daubers often build their nests on the side of a house, in a shed, under the ceiling of a porch, or even in electric motors. Here are pictures of some of the wasps you may see in your yard (see the section on Bees for the variety known as ‘yellow jacket’): Parisitic Paper Mud Dauber Potter Solitary Spider
Most wasps will only sting when you try to approach or harm them. If you decide to destroy the colony in a wasp’s nest, ALWAYS do so at night when the wasps are more dormant and quiet, and they are all inside the nest. If you are looking for products to exterminate wasps, here are some you can consider: http://www.pan-uk.org/pestnews/homepest/Wasp.htm
http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/wasp.htm Claim your free Poker Pass
Pagina 23
http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/spec/pick-stinger.htm
Hornets - There are various types of hornets, and they are close brethren to the wasp family. Nearly all hornets build nests in the same way. These nets are shaped like a tear drop, and they are attached directly to the side of a building, or to a tree or largetrunk bush. A hornets’ nest is usually brownish in color, as opposed to the gray yellow-jacket nest. You can find hornets buzzing around in barns, hollow trees, old bee hives and attics. See the section on Bees for the variety known as ‘yellow jacket’.
If you must rid your yard or home of a hornet’s nest, you should always treat the nest at night while the insects are more quiet and dormant and all of them are safely inside the nest. Do not shake the nest, or you will suffer the consequences! Hornets’ nests have one opening, usually at the bottom, where all the hornets enter and exit the nest. Spray the entire nest, but try not to OVERSPRAY. Do NOT stand directly under the nest when you spray, because hornets will drop out of the nest and may sting you before they die. If you are spraying the side of the house, wait until the next day and clean the nest and the chemicals from the side of the house. Do not try to remove the nest at the same time as you use the spray. Bees – Yellow jackets, bumble bees, carpenter bees abound! While yellow jackets are much more disruptive to your environment, with a nasty sting and a nest of considerable size, the average bumble bee is fairly harmless. Bees in general are a favored insect in the yard, because they help to pollinate and keep the natural cycle going. However, if you happen to have an overly large supply of carpenter bees, for example, you may need to consider pest control.
Bumble bees are large and make an audible buzzing sound when they fly. They can sting, though they are not likely to do so unless they are perturbed, or if you disturb their nest. Bumble bees are black and yellow (and rarely black and orange), and they look fuzzy, compared to other bees. Claim your free Poker Pass
Pagina 24
If the bumble bee nest is in a location that is far from your home and occupied areas of your yard, you probably don’t need to exterminate. However, if the nest is in an area used often by your family, or it is near the home, you may want to remove the colony to avoid problems for children and pets who may disturb the nest and be stung. Carpenter bees bore into wooden structures and use the nests they create to lay eggs and raise their young. They do not maintain a hive, but instead use the wood for their home, so they are a pest of the destructive sort.
Carpenter bees will not bore through an entire structure and do wide spread damage like a termite or a furniture beetle, but they will damage the wood of outdoor structures. These bees look like bumble bees, but they are larger (one half to one inch in length) and their abdomen is bare instead of fuzzy. If you see holes in your deck, a fence post or a window frame, siding, overhangs, soffits, or fascia board on your home, you may want to investigate further. These holes will be small (no more than eighths of an inch in diameter) and round, and if they are fresh holes, you will see sawdust on the ground or surface directly below the hole. The female of the species has the stinger, and while the males will stand their ground to protect the nest, they cannot sting or harm you. Honey bees are a beneficial sort and, although it is unlikely you will find a hive on your property, if you are in a rural area, and you discover a honey bee hive, you may want to leave it alone, or if you wish to remove it, call the local agriculture extension to see if you can find a bee keeper in your area who might remove the hive and use it in a controlled environment to make honey.
Claim your free Poker Pass
Pagina 25
Honey bees forage for nectar, and then collect pollen on the hair that covers their body. They pollinate flowers and continue the cycle of fruit production in plants. They will bring nectar back to the hive and fill the honey ‘comb’ to create a store of food for the colony. Yellow Jackets are the most aggressive.
They are actually in the hornet family, but most people consider them bees, since they look more like bees, except they have a corseted (thinner) waistline. They love sweets and organic waste matter. They will nest in the ground or in old wood piles, railroad ties, cracks in walls and other locations. If you see what looks like a bee flying around in your border hedges, it is probably a yellow jacket looking for other insects to eat. They are aggressive and they will sting, so do not mistake them for the more docile, beneficial bees in your yard. Here are some products you can consider to eliminate the various types of bees and ‘faux bees’; namely yellow jackets, in your yard: http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/spec/pick-yellowtrap.htm http://www.pestproducts.com/yellow_jacket_elimination.htm http://www.bugclinic.com/carpenter_bee.htm http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/carpenter_bees.htm http://www.innovations-report.com/html/reports/agricultural_sciences/report44087.html http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/pcbees.htm
http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/HGIC2507.htm http://www.uky.edu/Ag/Entomology/entfacts/struct/ef606.htm
Claim your free Poker Pass
Pagina 26
Spiders - Most spiders are extremely beneficial creatures and we do not recommend extermination, unless they infest your home, in which case you should call an exterminator. There are outdoor spider infestations that should concern you and these are primarily related to spiders that can be toxic or poisonous when they bite a person or a pet. The black widow spider, and the brown recluse spider are of concern.
Black Widow
Brown Recluse
The black widow spider lives around the foundation of your house, underneath shrubbery, under rocks and wood piles. They rarely venture inside a dwelling. If you are bitten, you should seek medical attention. The brown recluse spider lives under rocks, wood piles and debris but it can, on occasion venture inside the house. If you are bitten, seek immediate medical attention. To eradicate these pests use one of the following products: http://doyourownpestcontrol.com/brown_recluse_spider.htm http://www.pestproducts.com/blackwid.htm http://www.bugsaway.com/blackwidow.htm Beetles – You may encounter many types of beetles in your yard. The powderpost beetle, like the termite, can effectively destroy even the strongest timbers, creating a powdery mess where there once was a strong beam!
Adults don’t do the damage. It is the cycle of the eggs, larvae and pupae that does the deed. But where you see adult beetles (coming through small holes in the surface of Claim your free Poker Pass
Pagina 27
the wood) you know the damage has been done. You will only see the adults emerge once a year, probably in June. Adults are only about a quarter of an inch in size, and they are flat and brownish-red in color. They will nest in hardwood and in dead wood in the yard and even in fallen tree limbs. They might even have infested the lumber that is delivered to your yard to build that new deck. So take care to check for signs. Antique furniture, wood flooring and other products may also fall victim to these pests if they are brought in from the outside. The long-horn or round-headed beetle loves to feast on trees (mostly dead or dying trees, but sometimes in live trees as well). Be careful not to bring them into your house inside the firewood you cut. They will bore holes in any wood they can find.
The adult long-horn beetle (round-head) is large (one half to three inches in length) and has long antennae. The old house borer beetle is the most common, living in pine and other soft woods and often found in older homes, sheds and barns.
These beetles are the most common on the mid-Atlantic coast of the U.S., but they can be found in the south and Midwest as well. Adults are dark brown to black, about one inch in length and have a mildly flat appearance. They can live three to twelve years and will reinfest wood in and around your home if given the chance. To treat these infestations, use one of the following products: http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/powderpostbeetles.htm http://www.e-bug.net/beetle/woodboringbeetles.shtml http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/HGIC2453.htm Claim your free Poker Pass Pagina 28
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7425.html Earwigs – You can easily recognize earwigs by the pincers at the end of their abdomen. Earwigs are brownish-red in color and about five eighths of an inch in length. They feed at night, eating dead insects, live plants and decaying plant material. They live in dark, damp areas (under rocks and near foundations), and they will quickly build a population to take over a neighborhood if they are left unchecked. To prevent reinfestation, you will have to treat around your foundation in your compost and mulch areas, around thick turf and in flower beds. Here are some products you can use to control earwig infestation: http://www.cleannorth.org/help/answerbook/pesticides.html http://www.ghorganics.com/page9.html http://www.diatect.com/how-to-kill-earwigs.php?gclid=COGkmiFv4gCFTaVFQodpiifKA
Gophers - Pocket gophers are small rodents that range in size from five to fourteen inches. They are black, brown, light brown or white in color and they have a small, flat head with tiny ears and eyes.
Gophers are active all year but you will notice them mostly in the spring and fall when the ground tends to be damp and easier for them to dig. Gophers can dig deep underground tunnels and holes and you may see a fan-shaped mound at the entrance and exit of the tunnel. Gopher traps are effective unless your infestation is large. If you locate the main tunnels and place traps, you can quite easily trap the little pests. Just be sure to place a trap at either end of the tunnel so that the gopher does not escape. To find the main tunnel, you can poke a sharp stick or metal rod in each direction running directly out from the mound. Once you find the tunnel, open it and place the traps in a position to block the tunnel and cover it with grass, or wood material. You Pagina 29
Claim your free Poker Pass
should fasten the trap to stakes with wire, so that the trap is not removed by larger animals. Once you have trapped the gopher, you should appropriately dispose of the dead animal. Then leave another trap in the tunnel for a week or two to be sure you catch all the gophers and remove them from your property. If you do not catch a gopher within 3-5 days, move the trap to another location in the tunnel. Be sure that you protect the traps while they are set, so that children and pets will not be injured. Spring is the best time to trap gophers, because it is easy to find them from the fresh digging and burrowing you will see and they are very active at this time of year. You can find gopher traps and solutions here: http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/gopher.htm http://www.victorpest.com/mole_gopher_products.htm http://www.wildlifecontrolsupplies.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY &Store_Code=NWS001&Category_Code=WCSGT Moles - The smaller, but equally annoying mole may not be as easy to spot as the gopher, but moles can certainly tear up your garden and your lawn.
You can find their tunnels in the same way you looked for the gopher tunnels (by probing with a sharp pitchfork or object. The mole tunnel will drop down a few inches and then proceed horizontally in one direction or another across your lawn or garden. To set a mole trap, you must dig a hole down to the main tunnel, as you did for the gopher trap. Make sure the hole is no larger than the trap, then build a small mound of loose soil into which you can seat the trap. Then place the trap in the hole and press it down firmly into the mound. Fill in both tunnel entrances with soil and release the safety hook on the trap. Be sure you place a board or box over the trap area so that your pets and children are not injured by accident. Pagina 30
Claim your free Poker Pass
Check the mole trap once a day, and discard the dead animal appropriately. If you do not catch a mole after 5 days, move the trap to a new location. You can also use bait, gas or repellants. Look at these products to assess your options: http://pestcontrol.netfirms.com/mole_control_without_poison_bait.htm http://www.critter-repellent.com/mole/mole-control.php?source=GoogleAW http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/moles.htm http://cooperseeds.com/viewitem.php3?prod=1083 http://www.heartlandamerica.com/browse/item.asp?PIN=20745&DL=GAW1&
Ants – Outdoor ants include carpenter ants, fire ants, and cornfield, large yellow, pavement, Allegheny mound, lawn, false honey (small honey) ants. Below you will find pictures of each specimen in the same order as referenced above:
Carpenter ants are large (about one quarter to three eighths of an inch in length), dark brown or black and some will have red or yellow coloring as well. Florida carpenter ants may be a bit smaller. The Florida carpenter ants eats plant and animal foods and loves sweets. Most carpenter ants also feed on other insects. These ants are nocturnal. They nest in damp or rotting wood, tree stumps, fence posts, dead trees and hollow logs. While termite tunnels look rough hewn, the carpenter ant tunnel will be clean and the inside walls will look like sandpaper with none of the classic ‘muddy’ material of a termite tunnel. If you find a carpenter ant nest in your home it will usually be near a water source. These indoor colonies nearly always migrate from a colony outside your home, so you Claim your free Poker Pass Pagina 31
will have to exterminate in both areas. The wood damage caused by a carpenter ant is not as serious as termite damage, but you should still be concerned about the overall effects on your home. Carpenter ants like window and door sills and frames and kitchen, bathroom, and tub enclosure areas. You may have to use a screwdriver or other sharper object to gently probe the wood around outdoor or indoor areas where you believe you may have an infestation and damage. Fire ants are not as common as carpenter ants, but they do sting and their sting can be quite painful. They will attack pets, people, plants, buildings, even telephone wires and air conditioning units and they can cause extensive damage to your home. The red imported fire ant will build a mound in almost any type soil, but you will most often see these mounds in fields, pastures, parks or open lawns. Mounds can be twelve to eighteen inches high and are sometimes located in rotten logs, tree stumps, and under or even IN buildings. The southern fire ant will nest in loose soil, but these fire ants can also be found hiding in wood or masonry cracks. The various varieties of fire ants can be black to red in color and all are about an eighth of an inch in length. To exterminate these ants, try one of the following products or solutions: http://www.amdro.com/Amdro/labels.html http://www.nobugs.ca/Getting%20rid%20of%20Carpenter%20Ants.htm http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/phantom_termite_insecticide.htm http://www.cooperseeds.com/ants.php3?cartid= http://www.epestsupply.com/antpro.htm?gclid=CNeg77OZv4gCFRlISQodax28B w http://www.pesticide.org/ants.html http://www.ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/pdfs/pavementAnt.pdf http://www.uri.edu/ce/factsheets/sheets/alleganyant.html http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/housingandclothing/M1166.html Pagina 32
Claim your free Poker Pass
Termites – Termites are the bane of American home owners. They live in every area of the U.S. and they cause extensive damage to houses (more than fire and storm damage combined). A termite colony can contain more than one million termites. Termites build their nests in the soil because they like moisture but they also gravitate to wood that is wet. They will invade wood that is in contact with the ground, whether it is the wood from which your house is built, a firewood pile or other wood supply. They build mud tunnels and tunnel up through the wood, reaching heights that would not otherwise be accessible to them. Termites are small, and they look rather like ants. Some have wings but they don’t fly far so you may or may not see them outdoors and this may or may not mean you have an infestation in or around your home. In any case, you should investigate further and call an exterminator if you see ANY signs of termite damage in the wood in or around your house. There are drywood termites, dampwood termites and subterranean termites.
Unlike the drywood termite, the subterranean termite does not push wood out through bored holes. Instead it uses the particles of wood to build its tunnels, making a kind of plaster to coat the walls. Subterranean termites feed on wood or other items that contain cellulose, such as paper, fiberboard, and some fabrics derived from cotton or plant fibers. Termites have protozoa in their digestive tracts that can convert cellulose into usable food. Drywood termites do not have to live in or near the soil. They can live in wood that is not rotting and the nest does not need high moisture content. Only the reproductive drywood termite has wings (four to be exact). These termites eat furniture, dying trees, utility poles, orchard trees, stored lumber, and houses! The dampwood and winged dampwood termite does not require soil to build a nest, but they do need high moisture content, so they will look for decaying or rotted wood and a cool, humid area to nest. The ‘rotten wood termite’ is most prevalent in California, Oregon and Washington states. The Nevada dampwood termite is a little smaller than its Pacific sister. It lives in a dry mountainous area and attacks forest trees and mountain cabins alike. Pagina 33
Claim your free Poker Pass
This termite is subterranean and often looks for only decaying or rotted wood to make its nest. The Florida dampwood termite lives in the southeastern counties of Florida and in the Florida Keys. It nests in damp logs near the salt water. They are most often found in wood that is partially or totally buried, and in fallen tree branches and tree stumps, and old wood piles. Dampwood termites often nest in wood buried in the ground. In general, the dampwood variety of termite is larger than the drywood or the subterranean termite and it can measure up to three quarters of an inch in length. Damaged wood is characterized by a rather velvety surface inside the tunnels. To address termite infestation, try one of the following products or solutions: http://www.naturespest.com/ http://www.uky.edu/Ag/Entomology/entfacts/struct/ef604.htm http://www.diatect.com/commercial-pestcontrol.php?gclid=COW5jtShv4gCFU5xFQod3HNgKg http://www.nobugs.com/termites/premisefacts.html http://www.pestproductsonline.com/st_termites_category.htm?source=ADInsectT erm http://www.termite.com/
Outdoor Flies and Moths – Where do we begin? Deer flies, horse flies, stable flies, fruit flies, blow flies, drain flies, black flies (buffalo gnats), midges, cluster flies and phorid flies. Here are some pictures of these pests in the same order in which they were referenced above:
Claim your free Poker Pass
Pagina 34
You might think that flies belong outdoors and that they will probably not bother you or your family very much if they remain outside. But horse and deer flies will bite humans and their bites can be painful, and all of these flies can, at the very least carry bacteria around and into your home. Horse flies are one of the largest fly species. They inflict painful bites on animals and humans alike. There are many types of horse flies, including the Blue Tail Fly celebrated in old folk tunes. Deer flies are smaller than horse flies and they have a tan or dark body with dark markings. Like the horse fly, they lay eggs around ponds, lakes and swamps. Stable flies have a pointed proboscis extending in front of their head. They use this to puncture the skin and suck blood. The bite is painful. These flies lay eggs in hay, straw, weeds, grass and even sea weed. Blow flies infest dead and decaying animals and will easily spread bacteria. The female blow fly lays her eggs in a decaying carcass and the larvae (known as maggots) then use that as their food source when they hatch. Cluster flies are about a quarter of an inch long, dark gray and look rather like a house fly. The cluster fly lays eggs in the soil and the larvae use earthworms for food. If you have an infestation, you should address it before the cold weather sets in, or you may be faced with cluster flies inside your home. They will squeeze in around windows and in cracks in the walls in an attempt to survive the cold. Drain flies are also called sewer flies, filter flies and moth flies. They feed on organic debris, compost, rotting vegetation and animal feces. They are about a quarter of an inch in length and yellow, brown or black in color. These flies lay eggs around drains and sewers and breed in shady areas, bird feeders, ponding water, moss and wet leaves in roof gutters among other places. The larvae feed on decaying animals and plants and can transmit bacteria. The fruit fly is tiny (only about an eighth of an inch in length) and is tan or light yellow. You will see fruit flies inside and outside, but they often start outside in late summer, infesting fallen fruit and vegetables. They will find their way into your house and your perishables will become their meals if you do not take care of the infestation. Eggs are laid in rotted or decaying fruit and vegetables and near garbage sources in outdoor or indoor bins. The midge is actually a fly, but many people confuse them with mosquitoes. They are tiny (only about five millimeters in length) and the larvae are found in lakes, tanks, Claim your free Poker Pass
Pagina 35
reservoirs, ponds and ponding water sources. At their seasonal peak, they can infest residential areas as well. Midges are more than annoying. They fly into your eyes, ears, nose and mouth and contaminate EVERYTHING. The biting midge is often referred to as a ‘sand fly’, ‘no-see-um’ or ‘punkie’. These midges can leave welts when they bite. Black flies or buffalo gnats are only about a quarter to a half an inch in size and they are a blood-sucking fly. They are usually gray to black in color and you will most often find them in shaded areas. The larvae attach to small branches or other objects in shallow streams and rivers. The phorid fly breeds in damp, decayed organic material. Eggs are laid on the decaying material and the larvae will feed for one to two weeks. To address infestations of any of these outdoor (and sometimes indoor) flies, you should consider the following solutions and products: http://www.spalding-labs.com/home.php http://www.epestsupply.com/fly_control.htm?gclid=CMGNu9W8v4gCFRTNSAod BSkWCA http://www.faster-results.com/us.fastuk/search/web/fly-control/ http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/ansci/horse/eb55-1.htm http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/fruit_fly.htm http://www.pestcontrol-products.com/wasps_traps.htm http://www.varmentguard.com/pest_library/PHORID%20FLY.pdf http://www.stablekare.com/products.html http://www.pestcontrolsupplies.com/FlyIndex.htm?gclid=CPrJtN29v4gCFSAeWA odSnIGKA
Rats – As disgusting as you may find the cockroach as an indoor pet, you probably find the idea of a rat infestation outside your home or apartment even MORE disgusting. Rats are infamous carriers of disease and a rat infestation is dangerous to health and the home environment.
Claim your free Poker Pass
Pagina 36
The common roof rat is smaller than its Norway rat cousin and it is thinner in girth. It weighs between five and nine ounces and is approximately seven to ten inches in length. Roof rats have large ears and a prominently pointed nose. The roof rat has smooth fur. These rats like vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts, grains and meats.
They climb and nest in trees, attics, or ceilings, and they can enter your home in the same way that a squirrel might! They might also nest in underground burrows if they are in a wooded or rural area. The Norway rat weighs about twelve to sixteen ounces and is about six to eight inches long. It has a blunt nose, small ears and tiny eyes. Its fur is shaggy and varied in color. The Norway rat is much more aggressive than the roof rat.
These rats will eat almost anything, but they especially like meat and carbohydrates. They can burrow along your house foundation or live under garbage or shrubs. If they come inside your house they will go up into the attic or ceiling. Rat control products include: http://apartments.about.com/od/cockroachesmicepest1/qt/poisontip.htm http://www.critter-repellent.com/rat/ratcontrol.php?source=GoogleAW&campaign=Rat&creative=Control2 http://www.nixalite.com/ratzapper.aspx?gclid=COaUh96lwogCFSJNPgodE1kOB Q http://www.lowguys.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code =pestcontrol&Product_Code=EPC-12 Pagina 37
Claim your free Poker Pass
http://www.pestcontrolsupplies.com/NorwayRat.htm?gclid=CIn3xIWmwogCFSF WPgodq1UBBQ
Squirrels - There are a number of varieties of squirrels, from flying squirrels and gray squirrels to tree squirrels and more. Squirrels are cute and fuzzy but they can be real pests if they invade the trees and branches around your home and decide to take up residence in your attic or house. If you do not exercise some population control in the area around your home, you may find them seeking shelter in your home during the winter months. Flying squirrels live in hardwood tree cavities. These squirrels are about nine inches in length (including their tail) and they weigh about three ounces. They have brown fur and a white stomach and inner ‘wing span’.
The flying squirrel glides up to 200 feet, using a soft flexible membrane (it is not actually a wing) that attaches from the front leg to the back leg and runs along the length of their body. They are the most active at night. They like to enter your house through the roof or a hole through a fascia board, chewing their way through to make a wider hole. The gray squirrel is about eighteen inches in length, including its tail and it weighs up to one and a half pounds. It is gray or salt and pepper in color and usually has a white stomach.
The gray squirrel will eat nuts and vegetables and will store its food. They are most active during the day. If they enter your house, it is usually through the attic near the gutters or even through the basement. The red squirrel is reddish brown and may turn a bit gray during the winter months. Red squirrels are smaller than their gray squirrel cousins and they have small ear tufts that help to distinguish them from the gray squirrel. Claim your free Poker Pass
Pagina 38
Red squirrels live in tree cavities, in oaks and hickory trees, and they will line their nests with leaves and sticks to make them more comfortable. To prevent squirrels from entering your home and hanging out on your roof you can install gutter guards and cover your downspouts so that they do not have as much access to your house. There are no poisons on the market to eradicate a squirrel, so you must trap the squirrel to get rid of it. You have to watch carefully to see where the squirrels eat and the paths they take around your yard. Then place the trap accordingly. You will need a walnut-based oil lure, or even some peanut butter, to place inside the trap to attract the squirrel. When you trap the squirrel, you need to take the trap five miles away from your home so that the squirrel will not come back and take up residence again after you let it go. If the squirrel has already taken up residence in your attic, you will have to place the trap there. Check the trap every day. Here are some trap products you can consider: http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/SPEC/pick-lonestarsmall.htm http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/SPEC/pick-havahartsq1.htm
After you trap and relocate the squirrel, be sure you seal off any openings or places they might have chewed in order to gain access to your house. Use metal flashing or quarter inch mesh hardware cloth so that squirrels cannot chew through the surface again. Mosquitoes - If your yard is infested with mosquitoes you may find it difficult to work our play outside, especially around dusk. In extreme cases, mosquitoes can also be a health hazard for West Nile virus and other diseases. In order to prevent infestation, reduce or eliminate the areas where water ponds near sidewalks, in the yard and around the house. Reduce the shady areas where mosquitoes might seek refuge and open up the yard to the sun so that your yard is not damp and dark. Pagina 39
Claim your free Poker Pass
Mosquito eggs are hatched in water so if you can clean out water and leaves from gutters and remove any old rotten lumber, old tires or buckets, barrels and cans, and clean out bird baths and pet water dishes frequently, you will find that mosquitoes are much less likely to congregate in your yard. You can find more information on mosquito control techniques and products here: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/Urban/mosquito.htm http://www2.yardiac.com/show_category.asp?category=645&promo=google&gcli d=CJvkmPirwogCFQVaQAodEj8ECA http://www.mosquitobarrier.com/ http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/qa/pesticides.htm http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/mosquitoes.htm
Claim your free Poker Pass
Pagina 40
Natural Pesticides vs. Chemicals
While the decision as to whether you will use natural or chemical pesticides is a personal choice, you will also have to consider the local and regional regulations and guidelines for what you can and cannot use to eradicate a particular pest. If you are working with a professional company and you prefer a natural solution, talk to the professionals you interview to ask about your options and determine whether you are hiring the right person to suit these preferences. About one quarter of the pesticides purchased are for use in an urban setting and these pesticides are purchased to eliminate pests in the house, the yard and the garden, or pests that affect pets (like fleas and ticks). Many people do not realize that chemical pesticides have come a long way. They consider horror stories published in the press about DDT, contaminated water and soil and other issues. The newer, more biodegradable chemical pesticides still affect water and soil in some cases and hence many communities and states have instituted regulations to control which pesticides can be used in a particular environment and to exterminate a particular pest. Unfortunately, the long-term effects of these chemicals are not yet known, though most scientists believe that the risks are only significant if a product is used incorrectly or in the case of long-term exposure to a professional, for example. You might be interested to know that over seventy percent of all consumers studied, reported having used some sort of pest control product in their home within the past twelve months. Most of the injuries and illnesses reported resulted from improper use of the pesticide. The fact is that, even if you use a natural product, you can suffer the effects of allergy, sensitivity or toxicity if the product is not used appropriately. If you have ANY concern about the pesticide you are planning to use, or about your own ability to administer this pesticide, you should call a professional and let them do the job for you. Professionals are insured and their staff is trained and they can give you detailed information regarding the use of these pesticides in or around your home, and tell you when to remove plants, pets and people from the premises and how soon you can come back.
Claim your free Poker Pass
Pagina 41
Professionals can also tell you whether you have to prevent your family’s exposure to grassy areas, trees, surfaces within the home, for any period of time after the pesticide is applied.
Claim your free Poker Pass
Pagina 42
When to Hire a Professional and How to Choose the Firm
We have given you a lot of information about pests and how to control the pests in and around your home. However, it is probably wise to point out that under most circumstances, pest eradication is a job you may wish to leave to the professionals. If you are not familiar with the regulations in your region or community, or if the infestation is significant and something that may require analysis and treatment of your entire home and/or yard, you probably want to leave the work to the pros. For smaller jobs, like controlling a new population of fleas in your pet’s bedding, you may feel perfectly able to handle the situation. When you decide to hire a professional, you should talk to more than one pest control company before you make a decision. Find out if they have a particular specialty and how their people are trained. If they are a franchise or a branch of a chain of stores, ask about training, licensing and other available knowledge transfer that the larger firm may offer to its branches, franchises and employees. Be sure the company you choose is properly bonded and insured so that the people who do the work in and around your home are certified, licensed, reputable and INSURED and will not sue you if they fall off your roof! All licensed pest control firms must keep records. If your state is like most states and requires licensing of these companies, you can easily get references, and see copies of licenses and certificates. You should also insist on a contract that specifically states what the company will do for you and how they guarantee their work. What if they exterminate carpenter ants and there is evidence that these ants are back again within a month? What recourse do you have? What if they damage your home in some way while they are exterminating? What is their insurance coverage and what must you prove to collect insurance on the damage? Certified individuals may be certified in general household pest control (including rodents and bugs) and in lawn or outdoor pest control, in fumigation techniques and in termite or wood pest control. The company you choose should be able to articulate its safety procedures and practices, how they store, apply and clean up after pesticide application.
Claim your free Poker Pass
Pagina 43
They should offer a free estimate of the work to be done and work with you to agree on the terms within the contract you sign. The contract should include diagrams or drawings of where the work will be done and any actual invasive procedures they must use (drilling holes in your walls or floors, etc.). Be sure the person who is providing the estimate shows you specific examples of the pests and the damage they have caused, so you are not taken by someone who claims you have an infestation, when you do not have a problem. There MUST be evidence of infestation if you truly have pests in your home. A reputable pest control company will certify their findings in writing, giving specific details about the infestation they have found. This will protect you legally if you need to take action after the fact. The contract should include the following information: Your name and address and the address of the property the company will treat, as well as the name and address of the company with whom you are signing the contract and the name of a responsible individual and the date of the contract, the date the work will start and the duration of the contract with any renewal terms as appropriate for annual work or repeat treatments. A list of all buildings and areas the company will treat. Name and address of property owner and address of property to be treated. Specific information about the infestation, the type of pest and what the company will use to eradicate the pest. This section should include specific information about the chemicals and products that will be used in the pest control, how they will be applied, etc. Whether the company will re-inspect the premises and, if so, how often, and whether there is a charge for re-inspection or repeat treatments. The minimum and maximum price the company will charge for their services (ideally you can sign a fixed price contract). Information about the insurance and any bonds or other guarantees the company offers. All company employees should carry official identification, and all company vehicles should be clearly marked with the company name and ID. Check references and check with the Better Business Bureau to be sure the company you choose is reputable and has no outstanding complaints against them. Pagina 44
Claim your free Poker Pass
Understand your state and local rights as they relate to the standard ‘cooling off’ period stipulated for all contracts. In other words, you should have 48-72 hours to cancel the contract if you change your mind after you sign. Find out whether you have to cancel in writing. Do not make the decision to start the job the next day. Be sure you know what you are getting yourself into and think over the services and the contract carefully before you commit to a start date. If you do not understand the terms of the contract, contact your consumer affairs and services office in your community, or call the state department of agriculture or the consumer services state office, or the cooperative extension in your community, OR the Better Business Bureau to get help. Here are two links you can use to find local pest control companies in your area or region: http://www.leadingcontractors.com/forms/index.jsp?cat=1106110000&src=1404& cmp=1003452077&kwd=pest_control http://www.servicemagic.com/category.Pest-Control-Birds-Insects-RodentsTermites.10375.html
Claim your free Poker Pass
Pagina 45
Resources
Last but not least, we want to provide you with some links and resources you may find helpful for determining how to proceed with your particular pest control problem, finding a product or service or just getting more general information about a particular pest. http://www.spcpweb.org/yards/?gclid=CPeU1trVs4gCFRdFQQodgHdn1g http://doyourownpestcontrol.com/ http://www.pestproducts.com/ http://www.pestrepellerultimate.net/product_comparison.htm http://www.ecentralstores.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&Store_Code= PSC&gclid=CPeulILWs4gCFQ5YPgodB1cVig http://www.pestworld.org/ http://www.pestweb.com/ http://www.pestcontrolmag.com/pestcontrol/ http://www.critterridders.com/
Claim your free Poker Pass
Pagina 46
Summary
As you begin your critter control project, be sure you have all the information you need about your particular situation, the pests you want to eliminate, and the products you should use and whether there are regulations about how and when you can use these products in your particular home, apartment or environment. If you have ANY questions about doing the work yourself, contact a professional and start an interview process to locate the right firm to solve your problem at a price you can afford. Remember that you do not have to make a decision today, so take the time to do the job right. Do not risk your health or your pocketbook by making a quick decision and making a mistake. With a little forethought and some good, basic research skills, you can find out more about your particular pest and decide how best to address your pest control problem. Good luck!
Claim your free Poker Pass
Pagina 47