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Most people have heard of bed bugs, but most simply consider them the subject of a children’s nursery rhyme and not a pest that they need to be concerned about. Unfortunately, that isn’t quite the truth. Bed bugs are real pests that are a real problem for thousands of homeowners throughout Maryland. Because of the way they get around, anyone is susceptible to a bed bug infestation. It doesn't matter if your home is big, small, clean, or dirty. You can determine whether you have a bed bug infestation by looking for the right signs, and like with all pest infestations, early detection helps make the elimination process less cumbersome. Below are the bed bug signs to watch for around your Maryland house so that you can identify a bed bug infestation before it gets out of hand. What Are Bed Bugs?Bed bugs are small parasitic insects. About the size of an apple seed, adult bed bugs have broad, flat, oval-shaped bodies that are reddish-brown. During a feeding, their bodies puff up as they become engorged with blood, and they become redder in color. Although they are small, adult bed bugs are not so small that they are difficult to see. Adult bed bugs are visible and can readily be seen by the naked eye. Bed bugs in the nymph stage are also visible, but due to their small size and pale color, they are more difficult to spot. Unlike adults, nymphs easily blend in with their surroundings. Bed bug eggs are the hardest to spot of all because they are tiny, dust-sized specks. A whitish color, they are very difficult to see and tend to be laid in places where you might not notice them, such as in the seams of your mattress, folds in upholstery, or along joints in the headboard. As previously mentioned, bed bugs are parasites that require blood meals for survival. They get their name because they tend to spend time in beds where they have easy access to their host. Although they can eat and move around at any time, they are usually nocturnal, which makes sleeping hosts an easy target. Even so, bed bugs are not only found in beds. They can also be found on furniture, in cracks and crevices on the floor, behind picture frames, in electrical outlets, and even inside your walls. Once a bed bug infestation begins, it will spread, and bed bugs can be found in any room of your house. In fact, a bed bug infestation can begin in a room of your house that is not a bedroom. How Do Bed Bugs Get Around?Bed bug infestations do not occur in the same way that other pest infestations occur. In the case of most infestations, the pests enter your property and make their way closer and closer to your house until they eventually make it all the way inside. This is not how bed bugs infest homes. In fact, you are unlikely to ever find bed bugs lurking around your property. Bed bugs are indoor bugs, and they like to travel. They frequently climb into bags, boxes, or luggage, or onto shoes or clothing, and they use those items to hitchhike to new places. The following example will make it easy for you to understand how bed bugs can infest almost any location with ease. Let’s imagine a home with a bed bug infestation. The homeowners are unaware of the infestation, so they haven’t taken any steps to eliminate it. One morning, one of the owners gets dressed for work. A bed bug climbs onto her pant leg without her knowledge. She uses public transportation, and as she waits to get to her destination, the bed bug crawls off her pants and onto the seat. Arriving at her stop, she stands and exits, and you take her now unoccupied seat. As you travel to your stop, the bed bug climbs into your bag and travels with you to your house. Because you are fully unaware of its presence, you don’t think to check over your clothing or inside your bag before going into your house. Once inside, the bed bug climbs out and finds a place to hide close to a host where it can get a meal later that night. Your bed bug infestation has begun without your knowledge. What Is The First Sign Of A Bed Bug Infestation?As you can see from the story above, bed bugs mode of transportation prevents typical pest prevention suggestions from working. Sealing cracks in your foundation won’t keep them out. Eliminating food or water sources in or around your house is ineffective (and impossible, since you are the food source). Preventing a bed bug infestation from occurring in your Maryland house is nearly impossible unless you commit to examining every person, bag, box, or other items brought into your house to make sure there are no bed bugs on them. Instead, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the signs of a bed bug infestation so that when you see them, you know what they are and can take action to eliminate the problem as quickly as possible. Often people begin to suspect bed bugs have gotten into their house when they discover bites on their skin. Bed bugs most often feed at night while you’re sleeping. Their bites are nearly painless, so they’re unlikely to wake you, but if you wake up in the morning with red, itchy bumps, or these bumps develop over time, they could be from bed bugs. Bed bug bites are frequently confused with flea bites because of their similarities in appearance. However, there are usually a couple of differences that can help you determine which pest is causing problems in your home. First, fleas tend to bite the extremities, especially around the ankles and feet, while bed bugs prefer the trunk of your body. Fleas will bite haphazardly, while bed bugs tend to bite in a linear or zig-zag pattern. If you are finding bites on your body that are red, itchy, on your trunk, and in a linear pattern, it is highly likely that you have a bed bug infestation. To determine if you do, you’ll need to take further action to look for other signs of bed bug activity. Even if you don’t have bed bug bites, it’s wise to know the other signs of an infestation so that you can check regularly to see if any of the signs are present. Early detection is the best way to eliminate a bed bug infestation easily and thoroughly. What Are Other Signs Of A Bed Bug Infestation?Although a bed bug infestation is bad news, there is a bit of good news. Although bed bugs do tend to hide, they leave behind some fairly obvious signs of their presence if you know where to look and what to look for. Unlike some other pests, such as termites, that can be easily missed even when there are tens of thousands of them in your house, if you take a proactive role in looking for signs of bed bugs, you’ll usually be able to find them if they’re there. Whether you have obvious bed bug bites or not, one sign to look for is the blood they leave behind after a meal. Not everyone develops the red bump after being bitten, so it’s smart to look for this sign, even if you don’t have bug bites on your body. Check your sheets, blankets, and pillow for small red dots. These tiny drops of blood sometimes drip out as the bed bug makes its way back to its hiding spot after a meal. Similarly, sometimes bed bugs leave excrement behind as they travel over your bed. Look for small brown or tan streaks on your sheets, blankets, and pillows. Both excrement and blood droplets show up best on light-colored sheets, so if you’re concerned about bed bugs, you may want to use lighter-colored sheets so that you can easily see these signs. Another sign of bed bug activity is seeing the bed bugs themselves. Since adult bed bugs are large enough to see without the aid of a magnifying glass, you simply have to know where to look for them. Start where they are most often found, and work your way out from there:
In addition to looking for live adult bed bugs, you can also look for bed bug casings or eggshells. While these are usually smaller and harder to see due to their color, they can often be found in clusters. The same goes for looking for live bed bug nymphs or eggs. They are more difficult to see than the adults, but it is possible if you know what to look for and where to look. What Should You Do If Bed Bugs Get Into Your Maryland Home?If during your search, you find signs of bed bug activity, you’ll want to take action right away to deal with the infestation. Bed bugs breed rapidly, and a small infestation will soon become a large infestation if not swiftly eliminated. DIY bed bug control methods may claim to work, but they rarely provide the results homeowners need. They may lead to a temporary reduction in bed bugs or bed bug activity, but they usually leave some bed bugs behind. Even just a few bed bugs that survive a DIY treatment are enough to continue to reproduce and bring the infestation back. Instead, you’ll want to enlist the help of the professional pest control experts at American Pest. At American Pest, we have spent years perfecting our bed bug control techniques, and we carefully train our service technicians to ensure they are experienced in the proper methods. We use eco-friendly heat treatments that are not only the most effective way to fully eliminate a bed bug infestation but also the only treatment method that works in just one day. Our heat treatment, which is also referred to as thermal remediation, works by heating your home to a temperature that is lethal to bed bugs in all stages of development. Since heat can penetrate walls, it is the most effective method for eliminating every bed bug in your home, even the ones that are hiding in areas that conventional liquid treatments can’t reach. For the best bed bug control provided by the most qualified pest control company available in Maryland, contact American Pest today. We’ll fully eliminate your bed bug problem so that you can get a good night’s sleep without the worry of bed bugs. Learn more about our home pest control and commercial pest control options. via American Pest Blog https://ift.tt/3nxOcoy You must be logged into the site to view this content. via Terminix® Service, Inc. | #1 in Pest Control & Termite Treatment | TrustTerminix.com https://ift.tt/2SCZSbw Ask the Entomologist: What Is the Most Effective Way to Get Rid Of Stinkbugs and Ladybugs?10/7/2020 You must be logged into the site to view this content. via Terminix® Service, Inc. | #1 in Pest Control & Termite Treatment | TrustTerminix.com https://ift.tt/3llz5gb You must be logged into the site to view this content. via Terminix® Service, Inc. | #1 in Pest Control & Termite Treatment | TrustTerminix.com https://ift.tt/3iiB96z Once again, American Pest is thrilled to announce that they will continue their partnership with Breast Care for Washington, a local nonprofit that provides breast cancer screenings and care to women in D.C.—where the highest breast cancer mortality rate in the country exists. While the reasons for this alarming statistic vary, access to breast cancer screening is a prime factor. American Pest has pledged to donate $1 for each residential program service completed during the month of October. Donated funds will go to Breast Care for Washington, a community-centered screening organization that assists medically underserved women by providing no-cost mammograms, healthcare education, clinical breast examinations and patient navigation services. “With the help of American Pest, its employees and customers, Breast Care for Washington continues to serve the women in our community in greatest need with lifesaving breast cancer screening services,” Says Beth Beck, President & CEO of Breast Care for Washington. “Thank you for standing with us these past seven years and allowing us to provide care to over 5,000 women.” Breast Care for Washington was founded in 2012 by Dr. Regina Hampton, a breast surgeon, and Beth Beck, M.A., CHES, former executive director of Capital Breast Care Center. The organization’s mission is to reduce breast cancer mortality in the Washington, D.C. area by promoting access to breast cancer screening, diagnostics, and treatment to all women regardless of their ability to pay. For information about BCFW or to make a charitable donation, please visit breastcaredc.org. via American Pest Blog https://ift.tt/2Obzrdh
If there are a lot of hornets buzzing around your property, they can make it hard to spend time outdoors from spring, through summer, and all the way into the fall. Although there are several types of stinging insects in Maryland, they are not all the same, and hornets can be especially dangerous. Learning a little about them can help you make informed decisions about how to deal with these stinging insects on your Maryland property. What Are Hornets?Hornets are a type of wasp. Although there are 20 species of hornets, the species you're likely to find in Maryland is the European hornet. They get their name because they were introduced to the United States from Europe in the 1800s. What Do Hornets Look Like?European hornets are known for their large size. They can grow up to an inch and a half in length. They have long bodies that taper to a point, six legs, a set of antennae, and two pairs of wings. Their heads are a reddish-brown color that gradually becomes browner on their thorax, while their abdomen is striped with yellow and brown markings. Although they do have hair on their bodies, it is easily missed by the naked eye, which gives European hornets a somewhat bare, shiny appearance, which is very different from furry bumblebees. What Do Hornets Eat?Although they enjoy tree sap and will even eat leaves, European hornets are not vegetarians. They often feed on other insects, including flies, bees, grasshoppers, and more. Where Do Hornets Live?European hornet nests are made of chewed up wood and cellulose. They prefer to build their nests in hollowed out trees, inside walls, or in quiet buildings, like barns or attics. If they build their hives out in the open, they’ll cover the outside in a papery envelope to protect them from the elements. How Is A Hornet Colony Structured?The social structure of European hornets is well-developed and highly organized. One queen rules the nest, and she is the only female that can reproduce. There are few males in a colony, and they serve the function of mating with the queen. The males typically die soon after fulfilling their duties. What Is A Hornet’s Life Cycle?As fall turns to winter each year, every hornet in the colony dies off except for the new queens and their eggs. These young queens find places where they can shelter and survive through the winter. Then, in the spring they will come out, begin to build a new nest, and lay their eggs. Once the eggs hatch and mature into worker hornets, they take over the duties of building the nest and finding food so that the queen can focus solely on her main mission of reproducing. As the summer ends and fall returns, the older queens lay eggs that become the new queens before dying off with the rest of the colony. Why Are Hornets In Maryland So Dangerous?While no one wants to have a close encounter with any type of stinging insect, hornets can often be the worst of all. As the largest species of wasp, European hornets can deliver a powerful and painful sting when they feel threatened. How Can I Prevent Hornets?In order to prevent hornets and their stings, there are several things you can do. Knowing how to behave when hornets are present is important so that you don’t aggravate them or make them feel threatened. Knowing how to make yourself and your home a less appealing place to spend time is important so that you have fewer hornets on your property. Knowing how to get rid of a hornet infestation is important so that you don’t end up in a very bad situation. How To Behave When Hornets Are PresentLike most animals, hornets are not typically looking for a fight. They would much rather avoid conflict if given the choice. However, if they feel threatened, they will not hesitate to sting. How To Make Yourself And Your Home Less Appealing To HornetsPreventing a queen hornet from building her nest on or near your property isn’t always possible, but you can take steps to make the area around your house as unappealing as possible to a new queen looking for a place to build her home. Limit water sources by:
Limit food sources by:
As far as making yourself less appealing to hornets, there are a couple of things you can do. Although opinions are mixed about whether certain colors attract hornets, there is some evidence that they are drawn to yellow, so you may want to avoid wearing that color if you want to avoid hornets. It’s also wise to avoid wearing perfumes, colognes, or other scented items. Sweet scents can attract hornets that think you are a potential food source. How To Get Rid Of A Hornet InfestationIf you are seeing hornets all over your property, it’s safe to say that you have a hornet infestation. Regardless of whether you’ve seen the hive or not, seeing a lot of hornets around your Maryland home is a cause for concern. Hornets are dangerous and you don’t want to risk the safety of your family or feel like you have to stay inside during the nicest months of the year. via American Pest Blog https://ift.tt/2G5WinM You must be logged into the site to view this content. via Terminix® Service, Inc. | #1 in Pest Control & Termite Treatment | TrustTerminix.com https://ift.tt/2S6RalE You must be logged into the site to view this content. via Terminix® Service, Inc. | #1 in Pest Control & Termite Treatment | TrustTerminix.com https://ift.tt/2FWpi14 Spending time outside on your Maryland property can be difficult in the summer months for one main reason: Mosquitoes. These pesky insects can turn an enjoyable evening in your backyard into a dash to the back door to get inside out of their reach. If you’ve been having trouble with too many mosquitoes on your property, it’s time to do something about them. Our quick and simple ways to reduce mosquitoes around your Maryland property will help. What Are Mosquitoes?Although most people know what mosquitoes are, it never hurts to refresh your memory, and perhaps learn a few new facts in the process. Mosquitoes are insects, and there are over 3,000 species of them worldwide. Only a few species are active in Maryland, and their common names are the yellow fever mosquito, the Asian tiger mosquito, and the common house mosquito. While these three species vary in certain aspects, they have many things in common. Mosquitoes are small, have six legs, and a pair of antennae. They often appear gray or brown but can vary in color. Their most defining feature is their proboscis. It is made up of six needle-like mouthparts that make it easier for the mosquito to pierce your skin and find blood vessels in order to suck your blood. Only female mosquitoes suck blood. Male and female mosquitoes both eat nectar, but females need blood in order to breed. After feeding, a female mosquito will take up to several days to digest the blood meal before looking for an area of standing water where she can lay her eggs. Mosquitoes can lay up to 300 eggs at a time. These will hatch into larvae that stay in the water until they become adults. In warm weather conditions, this process takes about two weeks. Why Are Mosquitoes On My Maryland Property?There are several reasons why you might find mosquitoes on your property. First, though, it’s important to understand that it’s unlikely that you’ll find any property in Maryland that is 100% mosquito-free. Although most mosquitoes don’t travel far from their original breeding site, they can travel several miles, which means that during mosquito season, there will always be at least a few errant mosquitoes around. However, in many cases, the mosquito populations on a Maryland property are more than they need to be. This can happen for a few reasons. First, mosquitoes will be found in locations where there are plenty of areas of standing water. Female mosquitoes require standing water to lay eggs, so they won’t stick around a very dry place. In addition to standing water, mosquitoes also prefer areas that are high in moisture simply for their own comfort. A warm, moist environment is a mosquito’s ideal location. That makes most Maryland properties prime locations for mosquitoes in the spring, summer, and even into the fall. Mosquitoes also prefer places with plenty of foliage where they can hide and rest during the hottest parts of the day. If your property has overgrown shrubbery or bushes, unmowed grass, or a lot of trees, you’re more likely to have a mosquito problem. Are Mosquitoes Dangerous?The short answer to if mosquitoes are dangerous is yes, they are. The longer and more surprising answer is that not only are mosquitoes dangerous, but they’re also the most deadly animal in the world. If you combine the human fatalities that occur from snakes, crocodiles, hippos, and bears each year, it doesn’t come close to how many people are killed by mosquitoes in a single year. Mosquitoes are responsible for killing up to one million people each year. It may seem improbable, but when you consider how easy it is for mosquitoes to transmit dangerous diseases, it becomes easier to see how they could infect and kill many people Malaria is the illness spread by mosquitoes that causes the most deaths each year. Thankfully, although there are a couple of thousand cases of malaria in the U.S. each year, the majority of those are contracted in other countries and are typically discovered in people after they come to the U.S. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean people in the United States have nothing to worry about when it comes to mosquitoes. They are capable of spreading many other illnesses that can be dangerous or fatal if not treated. West Nile virus is the most common mosquito-borne illness in the U.S. Most people who contract it have no symptoms. Those who do typically develop a fever, along with flu-like symptoms including body aches, joint pain, headaches, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. In rare cases, West Nile virus can cause an infection in the central nervous system that results in encephalitis or meningitis, which can cause death. Zika virus was first found in the U.S. only a few years ago. In the majority of people who become infected with the Zika virus, the symptoms are mild and include fevers, headaches, rashes, and muscle pain that last for several days to about a week. However, the Zika virus can have devastating effects on unborn babies. It is known to cause birth defects that affect the brain Dengue causes illnesses in about 25% of the people who contract it. Symptoms usually include a fever, but can also include nausea, rash, and body aches. While most cases are mild, a severe case can become life-threatening within a few hours. Eastern equine encephalitis is rare but dangerous. Symptoms include fever, chills, and malaise, and most people recover in a couple of weeks. However, if the virus attacks the central nervous system, it can cause meningitis or encephalitis. Of those who get encephalitis, about a third die and many of those who recover have long-lasting effects. What Are Some Quick And Simple Ways To Reduce Mosquitoes Around My Maryland Property?When you realize how dangerous they are, reducing mosquitoes around your Maryland property becomes a bigger priority. Not only does taking steps to eliminate mosquitoes reduce your risk of contracting an illness, but it also makes being outside more enjoyable. No one likes having to fend off hungry mosquitoes when they’re trying to relax in their own backyard. Set Out Fans. If you want to spend time in your backyard but are being attacked by mosquitoes, a fan or two in the area where you’re spending time can help. Mosquitoes are not strong fliers and will likely get blown away by the fans. This solution will not remove any mosquitoes from your property and will only work while the fan is on. Furthermore, it can be uncomfortable for those sitting closest to the fan, but it works in the short term Wear Bug Spray. If you have to be outside and the mosquitoes are atrocious, wearing bug spray works in a pinch. Use a spray that has DEET. If you’re not comfortable spraying it on your skin, you can spray it on your clothes instead. This is another solution that will only work for as long as you’re wearing the spray, and it will not eliminate any of the mosquitoes on your property; it will simply keep them off your body. Remove Standing Water. This is the most effective DIY method for reducing mosquitoes around your Maryland property. Mosquitoes need stagnant water to breed, and if you don’t have any on your property, you not only will have fewer female mosquitoes hanging around, but you also won’t have new adult mosquitoes taking flight every couple of weeks. Water can build up in many areas that you might not think about. Take a walk around your property and look for upturned buckets, children’s toys, loose pool covers, shallow areas in your driveway or lawn, clogged rain gutters, areas where water collects in your landscaping, pet dishes, and other spots with standing water. Remove or eliminate as many as you can. Eliminate Excess Moisture. Besides eliminating standing water, it’s also wise to get rid of areas with excess moisture. Although these spots may not be a breeding area for mosquitoes, they will encourage mosquitoes (as well as other pests) to stick around, and they could turn into areas of standing water if not taken care of. Pay careful attention to shaded spots, since these areas don’t receive as much sun as other areas and thus take longer to dry out. Cut Back Foliage. Cutting back the foliage around your house has a couple of benefits when it comes to reducing mosquitoes around your Maryland property. First of all, it allows the sun to reach more areas of your yard, which helps keep your property drier. Second, by cutting back foliage, you reduce the areas around your property where adult mosquitoes can rest during the day. Trim bushes and shrubbery in your landscaping, especially right around your house or in the areas where you spend most of your time outdoors. Make sure to keep your grass trimmed as well. Enlist The Help Of Professionals. The best, most effective way to reduce mosquitoes around your property is to enlist the help of the professionals at American Pest. We are experts in mosquito biology and behavior, and we have the skills, products, and equipment necessary to drastically reduce the mosquito populations around your house. At American Pest, we employ a three-step mosquito control program to make your property a safe and enjoyable place to spend your time. First, we inspect the property to determine the areas where mosquitoes breed and spend their time. Next, we use a specialized misting system to apply a treatment to your yard, focusing especially on shrubs, bushes, and areas that are known to retain moisture. Finally, we treat mosquito breeding areas that can’t be eliminated, such as small ponds or swampy areas, with a larvicide to prevent mosquito larvae from growing into adults. Our mosquito treatments are performed monthly during their peak times of activity, typically April through September. This keeps mosquito populations around your property low all season long. We also offer one-time treatments for special occasions. If you are ready to take your Maryland property back from pesky, dangerous mosquitoes, it’s time to take action. Follow our DIY steps for mosquito reduction and contact American Pest to take care of the mosquito attractants on your property that you can’t do anything about. We are ready to make your yard a pleasant place to spend the summer. via American Pest Blog https://ift.tt/3cpjngL |