It started when you saw a black, rice-shaped pellet on your counter. Or perhaps it was the scratching sound in your walls that first alerted you to the problem, or the jagged hole you found in a box of cereal in the pantry. Whatever the initial clue, it has recently become clear that something besides your family is living in your house. A Few Facts About MiceThere are several species of mice in Washington D.C., but the most common type to find in your D.C. home is the house mouse. Unlike field mice that prefer the outdoors, house mice can survive outside, but they prefer to shelter inside buildings in dark, secluded areas. These areas can include attics, wall voids, basements, and more. The Dangers Of MiceWhen mice get into your Washington D.C. home they bring many dangers along with them. The first danger has to do with their need for constant chewing. The Problem With Mouse TrapsWhen most people spot a mouse in their D.C. home, their first instinct is to buy a mouse trap or two to take care of the problem. If you search the internet for mouse traps, you’ll find millions of results offering everything from the classic spring-loaded traps to fancy live traps to directions for homemade traps. The possibilities are endless. But do mouse traps actually work? The Most Effective Form Of Mouse ControlFor the most effective form of mouse control, you need a multi-pronged approach to eliminate current activity and prevent future infestations. Attempting this on your own if you aren’t an expert in mouse behavior or elimination will not only be an exercise in frustration, but it could be dangerous for your health and safety and the health of your family. via American Pest Blog https://ift.tt/3bNO8vI
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Fulton, MD, August 31, 2020—American Pest, Washington DC’s leading provider in modern, preventative pest management, acquires Atlas Exterminator Co., Inc.—a family-owned pest control firm located in Cockeysville, MD. Atlas Exterminator Co. Inc. has been serving homes and businesses in Baltimore and surrounding areas for over 70 years, providing the highest quality pest control service in Baltimore County. Bruce Morgan, Owner of Atlas Exterminator Co., Inc., and past President of the Maryland State Pest Control Association (MSPCA), currently resides as chairman of the Wood Destroying Insect (WDI) Committee—stewarding the state’s credentialed program and training needs. “We look forward to cultivating a relationship based on the respect and conviction that Atlas has provided to their customers over the last seventy years,” says David Billingsly, President of American Pest. “Atlas’ accomplished pest control professionals are a great addition to our diverse, growing team.” Bruce Morgan, owner of Atlas Exterminator Co. Inc. adds, “At Atlas we have always valued the confidence business owners and homeowners have placed in our team members and our service quality. With this merger, we found a partner with comparable values—a partner focused on service excellence—an organization that offers an assortment of new service lines to compliment what Atlas already provides.” The acquisition of Atlas Exterminator Co. Inc., is American Pest’s 12th acquisition in 48 months, bringing 10 additional pest professionals to its expanding team. The Aust Group acted as exclusive financial advisor. About American Pest: American Pest, a part of Anticimex Group, has been providing Integrated Pest Management (IPM) solutions since 1925. Our team consists of over 250 brand ambassadors— specialists in pest prevention and customer experience. We credit our longstanding tradition of excellence to our people, who provide quality pest control solutions to over 40,000 homes and businesses and millions of square feet of federal offices and institutions throughout Washington D.C., Maryland, and Northern Virginia. via American Pest Blog https://ift.tt/2F8MQiI No one wants to think about a bed bug infestation in their home or business, but the truth is that it could happen to anyone. If it happens to you, are you prepared to deal with it in the most effective way possible? You may think that do-it-yourself methods of bed bug control are the simplest and cheapest way to get rid of your Maryland bed bug problems, but we guarantee that you’ll want to call a professional instead. What Are Bed Bugs?Bed bugs are small parasitic insects that make most people feel itchy just from the mere mention of their name. Their name comes from the fact that they often bite human hosts in their beds while they sleep, which makes them a pest that is a cause of fear, stress, and insomnia. Bed bugs usually grow no bigger than a quarter of an inch in length and have broad flat bodies that swell after a feeding. The adults are reddish-brown and the nymphs begin a translucent white color and then darken through each stage of development. Unlike most pests that must be near in proximity to your home or business to infest it from the outside, bed bugs infest homes by riding in on their hosts. Bed bugs love to travel, and they often climb onto the clothing, bags, boxes, or luggage of unsuspecting people. This means that anytime you are out in public, you have the potential to bring bed bugs home with you. While most active in the hottest months of the year, bed bugs are active year-round. They tend to spread to new locations most during the summer and over the holidays as these are the most active times of the year for travel. During the other parts of the year, they will still hitchhike from place to place, but they are also known to settle in and increase their populations in the areas where they're currently thriving. The Common Mistake Maryland Home And Business Owners Make When It Comes To A Bed Bug InfestationWhen Maryland home and business owners discover a bed bug infestation, they know that they must take action. A bed bug infestation does not go away on its own, nor can it simply be ignored and allowed to stay. Even if an infestation is discovered in its early stages, if nothing is done about it, it will continue to grow until bed bugs have overtaken the entire building. It is at this stage that many home and business owners make a common mistake. Instead of contacting a professional pest control company to eliminate their bed bug problem, they assume it will be a lot less costly to take care of it themselves. In theory, this makes sense. Most jobs are cheaper to do on your own. For instance, repairing your car yourself instead of bringing it to the mechanic will save you the cost of labor. However, if you don’t have any car repair experience or skills, you might not fix the problem or you could even end up making the problem worse. The same goes for bed bug control. Although trying to eliminate a bed bug infestation on your own may save you the cost of hiring a professional pest control company, if you don’t have the experience or skills related to bed bug control, you might not fix the problem or you could even end up making the problem worse. The Most Common DIY Bed Bug Control MethodsTo further illustrate why DIY bed bug control may be more costly than professional pest control, let’s look at some of the most common do-it-yourself bed bug control methods. Baking SodaSprinkling baking soda around the areas where bed bugs are most often found is a popular do-it-yourself method of bed bug control. The theory is that when bed bugs come in contact with the baking soda, it will dry them out and kill them. At less than a dollar a box, it’s easy to see why home and business owners flock to this method of bed bug control. Unfortunately, there is absolutely no scientific evidence that it actually works. Even if it manages to successfully eliminate a few of the bed bugs that walk through it, you’ll still be left with a sizable and growing bed bug infestation. Rubbing AlcoholLike baking soda, rubbing alcohol is thought to eliminate bed bugs on contact. It has been shown that some bed bugs will die when sprayed with alcohol that you can find at the store. However, because not all bed bugs die when sprayed, your infestation will remain. Furthermore, it would be nearly impossible to directly spray every bed bug in your home or business, making this method ineffective. Although it’s inexpensive at a couple of dollars a bottle, that’s two dollars down the drain on a method that takes a lot of time and doesn’t work. MothballsMothballs are a common DIY method of pest control for everything from moths to mice, so it’s no surprise that people try to use them to eliminate bed bugs too. It’s thought that the smell of mothballs is repugnant to bed bugs and will repel them. However, this theory, even if true, does nothing to actually get rid of your bed bug infestation. It simply drives them deeper into your walls where they can remain for several months without a meal before reemerging. Mothballs are usually around $5 per box, so they are not a huge investment, but you’ll waste months thinking you may have eliminated your bed bug infestation only to have it come back even larger than it was before. Washing BeddingWashing bedding on a hot water wash and drying it on a high heat setting is an effective way to eliminate bed bugs on your sheets and blankets. However, this method of bed bug control, while effective for the items you’re washing, does nothing to eliminate the bed bugs that aren’t on your bedding. Washing your bedding is an effective part of bed bug control, and one that only costs you the price of the water, electricity, and laundry soap, but it is only part of the solution. FreezingLike washing bedding on a hot setting, freezing items with bed beds is another effective way to eliminate them, but it is only part of the solution. You must ensure that your freezer’s temperature remains below zero and that the items stay inside for at least four days. However, like washing bedding, this doesn’t take care of any of the bed bugs that aren’t on the specific items you freeze. Since most people don’t have access to a large enough freezer to put items like beds, and since no one can put their walls in a freezer, this method is only partially successful on its own. The Most Cost-Effective Bed Bug Control MethodYou may have noticed that none of these do-it-yourself methods of bed bug control cost that much money. More importantly, though, you may have also noticed that none of them fully work to eliminate bed bugs. If you attempt these methods, you may not have spent a lot of money, but you will have spent a lot of time and frustration with nothing to show for it. At this point, you may be tempted to try do-it-yourself bed bug sprays. A gallon of bed bug spray costs around $20, which again is less expensive than hiring professionals. However, as in our car repair example, if you don’t know the proper way to apply the treatment, the proper places to treat, or the equipment needed to supplement a chemical treatment, you won’t experience effective results. In fact, you could end up putting the health of the people in the building at risk if you don’t apply the spray correctly, and you could make the problem worse by sending the bed bugs into hiding only to come out again in a few months. When it comes to deciding the most cost-effective method of bed bug control, you need to take more than the direct monetary cost of the solution into consideration. DIY methods of bed bug control may only cost you a small amount of money on products, but they also cost you time that you could be spending on other things you need or want to do. Furthermore, since they don’t work or only partially work, you’ve wasted your time and money. If you own a business, you also have to take into consideration the money you will lose in revenue as you work on solving your bed bug problem. Once you consider all the factors, it becomes clear that while it may be a short-term monetary expenditure, in the long run, professional bed bug control will save you time, money, and frustration. At American Pest, we are experts in bed bug control. Not only do we understand the habits and life cycles of bed bugs, but we’ve also spent years perfecting our bed bug control methods to ensure that they are effective, efficient, and safe. We use heat treatments to eliminate bed bugs in just one treatment. Our heat treatments work by heating your building to a temperature that is known to be lethal to bed bugs and holding it at that temperature for several hours. Heat treatments are extremely effective because they can reach into every nook and cranny of your building, including within the walls where bed bugs often hide. They are also effective because they eliminate bed bugs in every stage of development, from egg to adult. When you consider that your bed bug infestation can be fully eliminated in just one day and is guaranteed to work, it’s easy to see why the best way to treat a bed bug infestation in your Maryland home or business is through the professional bed bug control services of American Pest. If you have bed bugs in your home or business, don’t fool around with DIY methods that don’t work. Instead, jump right to the guaranteed solution. Contact American Pest today. via American Pest Blog https://ift.tt/31K5RQY Terminix Service, Inc., the largest pest control company in the Palmetto State, has been named one of the Best Places To Work in South Carolina for the seventh year in a row by the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, SC Biz News and the Best Companies Group. The survey and awards program was designed to identify, recognize, and honor the best employers in the state of South Carolina benefiting the state’s economy, workforce, and businesses. “We are grateful to be named a top workplace in South Carolina for the seventh year in a row. This recognition is particularly special because it’s based on feedback from our employees,” said Lex Knox, chairman and CEO. “2020 has been a year unlike any other in our 73 year company history, yet our commitment to delivering quality service through a highly-skilled team remains constant. We will continue to empower our people and invest in their continued career growth.” Companies from across the state entered the two-part survey process to determine the Best Places to Work in South Carolina. The first part consisted of evaluating each nominated company’s workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems, and demographics. The second part consisted of an employee survey to measure the employee experience. The combined scores determined the top companies and the final ranking. For more information, visit www.bestplacestoworksc.com. Curious about what makes a career with Terminix so special? Ride along with our employees in the video below to learn why this is more than a job, it’s a passion that they get to do everyday. Interested in joining the Terminix family? Check out our career page for the latest openings and opportunities. via Terminix® Service, Inc. | #1 in Pest Control & Termite Treatment | TrustTerminix.com https://ift.tt/31xkhnt The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) has named Greenville in a list of top 10 U.S. cities with the greatest risk for increased pest pressure from vector pests, including ticks and mosquitoes. Already a hospitable environment for ticks and mosquitoes, Greenville experienced its second-wettest May on record and has continued to have higher than normal temperatures throughout the summer. Because of this, the area should expect to see an increase in both mosquito and tick pressure as the weather continues to remain hot into the fall. “Each season, we keep a close eye on the weather and implications it has on pest management,” shares Kevin Hathorne, technical director of Terminix Service, Inc. “With heightened conditions this year and the desire to spend more time outdoors socially distancing, it’s important for the public to be aware of vector pests and how to guard against them.” Vector pest prevention measures include:
Mosquitoes and ticks are vector pests, meaning that they can carry diseases and pose a public health threat. The good news is that there is no evidence that mosquitoes can transmit COVID-19. While Terminix cannot guarantee the elimination of pests carrying diseases such as Lyme Disease and West Nile Virus, these measures can reduce the chances of bites occurring. For more information on mosquito and tick management services, visit this page for a free quote and to find your local branch or call 1-800-TERMINIX. via Terminix® Service, Inc. | #1 in Pest Control & Termite Treatment | TrustTerminix.com https://ift.tt/2YuXCWZ Termites are a pest that most people don’t think about until they wish they didn’t have to be thinking about them. Because they easily move into homes without the homeowners’ knowledge, termites often cause severe damage to a structure before being identified. Understanding what signs to look for to know if you have a termite problem is important if you want to avoid costly damage and repairs. However, the signs of termite activity are often subtle and hard to identify. The following will help you know what to look for when you’re trying to spot signs of termites around your Washington D.C. property. A Brief Description Of TermitesAlthough you may find it hard to believe, termites are fascinating insects. They are social creatures that live in colonies made up of a well-structured caste system that includes a queen and king, reproductives, soldiers, and workers. Each caste performs specific duties that help the colony survive. Termites are small insects with long, narrow bodies, six legs, and a set of straight antennae. The reproductive termites have two sets of wings that fall off after they mate. Reproductive termites resemble flying ants and are often mistaken for them. Termites in other levels of the caste system also resemble ants but are a milky white or yellow color. Termites eat wood, and although they typically prefer wet, rotten wood, they can also be found in dry, sound wood. The workers are responsible for digging tunnels and collecting wood to feed to the rest of the colony. Why Termite Activity Can Go UnnoticedTermite activity often goes unnoticed for weeks, months, or even years at a time. It’s hard to imagine your home being destroyed without your knowledge, but this scenario plays out all over the United States every year. Termites are responsible for over $5 billion in structural damage to homes and businesses every single year, and that damage is often caused because the home or business owners are unaware of the presence of termites. So how do these tricky pests do it? Termites get away with getting into buildings and damaging them while totally undetected because they remain out of sight the vast majority of the time. Termites live underground. All but the reproductive termites are unable to withstand the dry air and sunlight that comes with being out in the open, so they spend their entire lives hidden away. In fact, if they have to leave the ground to move to a different location, worker termites will build mud tubes to move through to protect themselves from the light and air. Once termites get inside your house or business, they stay hidden within your walls or other wooden structures in your house. In the end, you are unlikely to ever lay eyes on a termite as they damage the inside of wood throughout your home. Therefore, if you’re not paying attention, you’re unlikely to notice a termite infestation until it has caused serious damage. Nine Tips To Spotting Signs Of Termites Around Your Washington D.C. PropertyWith an understanding of why termite activity often goes unnoticed, it becomes more important than ever to be proactive about looking for signs of termite activity. Although it can be difficult to spot the subtle signs of a termite infestation around your Washington D.C. property, it’s not impossible. They do leave some signs behind if you know where to look and what to look for.
What Might Be Attracting Termites To Your Washington D.C. PropertyTermites can be found in every state in the United States except Alaska. They are definitely in Washington D.C., and they are likely in your neighborhood if not already in your house. Although termites can be found almost anywhere, there are certain factors that they find more attractive making them more likely to invade your Washington D.C. property. Termites love moisture. They need it in the soil to survive, but they also like it in the wood that they infest. Although they can and do infest sound wood, they much prefer wood that has water damage or is rotting. Therefore, you can make your property less attractive to termites by reducing moisture wherever possible. Outside, make sure you have proper drainage systems in place so that water is dispersed and doesn’t end up pooling around the exterior of your house. Inside, ensure proper ventilation to lower humidity. Install dehumidifiers if necessary. Both inside and outside, check for leaky pipes or drippy faucets, and repair any that require repairs. If any wood gets damaged by water, replace the affected areas. Termites are also more likely to invade a home where they can easily access wooden structures. If your property has areas where wood comes into direct contact with the soil, you’re more likely to have termites come to your property. Common spots where direct wood to soil contact occurs is at fences, porches, and decks where the beams or posts are buried directly in the soil. If your property has these areas, first check them for termite damage by digging down into the soil a few inches and examining the wood for grooves or other signs of termite damage. Then either remove or replace these areas with a wood alternative to eliminate the wood to soil contact. The Best Way To Avoid A Termite InfestationEven by taking preventative steps to make sure your Washington D.C. property is less appealing to termites, you still run the risk of a termite infestation. Although making your home less appealing to termites may decrease your chances of a termite infestation, it doesn’t protect your house from a termite infestation. Furthermore, there are no do-it-yourself methods of termite prevention to protect your home against a termite infestation. If you want to take proactive measures to avoid a termite problem, you need the preventative control provided by American Pest. American Pest offers installation and maintenance of The Sentricon® System with Always Active™. This termite baiting system is not only effective at preventing termite infestations, but also eliminates active infestations, making it perfect for your home no matter what your current termite situation may be. The Sentricon® System with Always Active™ works through the use of bait stations. After developing a customized termite control plan for your home, one of our expert, licensed pest technicians strategically installs these bait stations into the soil around the perimeter of your house. Safe from tampering to protect your children and pets, Sentricon® with Always Active™ contains a bait that is scientifically proven to be more attractive to termites than the cellulose in wood. When termites encounter the bait, they spread it throughout their colony in two ways. First, it can spread from termite to termite through contact. Second, the termite will leave a pheromone trail to alert other termites to its presence. As it spreads through the colony, the termites will all be eliminated within a few months. For termite protection that works, don’t wait until termites have already invaded your home. Although careful and proactive inspections can alert you to a termite infestation early on, the better solution is always to prevent a termite infestation before it starts. If your Washington D.C. property is not currently protected from termites, call American Pest. We’ll perform a thorough inspection of your property to look for signs of an active infestation, then go over a solution that will work for your home. Stop worrying about termites and do something about them! American Pest is ready to help you with your termite control needs. Contact us today. via American Pest Blog https://ift.tt/3gbwT89 Ticks have become an increasingly large problem all across the country in recent years. Rarely even thought about in the ‘80s and ‘90s, they are now a pest that is feared during the warmer months of each year because of the dangerous diseases they spread. While much is still unknown about many of the illnesses ticks carry and transmit, we know enough to be mindful of their presence and to take action to reduce their numbers on Maryland properties. The following information will help you understand the ticks of Maryland, the diseases they spread, and how best to keep them off of your Maryland property. What Types Of Ticks Are Common In Maryland?There are nearly 900 species of ticks in the world, many of which are harmless to humans. Unfortunately, the four species that are most common in Maryland are all capable of spreading diseases. American Dog TicksAmerican dog ticks get their name because they are only found in North America and their preferred host is the domesticated dog. Brown with whitish-gray markings, American dog ticks are slightly smaller than an eighth of an inch but can grow to over half an inch when fully engorged. American dog ticks prefer to spend their time in grassy areas with some vegetation. They choose areas where larger mammals are likely to pass by. Because they are attracted to the scent of animals, they can often be found in the vegetation along the edges of trails and roads where animals might walk. Although they need blood meals to survive, adult American dog ticks can live for up to three years without a meal and larval American dog ticks can survive for about a year and a half without a meal. After an adult female has a meal, she’ll drop off her host and lay up to 6,500 eggs before dying. Brown Dog TicksBrown dog ticks get their name from their color and their preferred host. They are reddish-brown and about the same size as the American dog tick. Brown dog ticks are one of the few species of ticks that do well in indoor locations. Most ticks require higher levels of humidity to survive, but brown dog ticks can survive in the low humidity of your home. This makes them a problem for homeowners because once inside, they can infest your home. Although unlikely to bite humans, brown dog ticks will bite humans in the absence of a canine host. After a meal, female adults will lay up to 3,000 eggs in cracks and crevices around your house. Once hatched, the larvae will move up to find a host. Both the adults and larvae can survive up to eight months without a meal. Lone Star TicksLone star ticks are so named because of the single silvery-white spot on the backs of female ticks. They are about the same size as the American dog tick and the brown dog tick. Because they need both small and large mammals to complete all stages of development, lone star ticks are found in areas where both are present. They require shaded areas with relatively high humidity and are often found in the transitional zone between wooded areas and lawns or fields. Lone star ticks usually climb to the tips of low vegetation, such as blades of grass, to wait for hosts to walk by, but adults can also sense when a host is nearby and crawl to them. After a meal, a female adult can lay up to 3,000 eggs. They can survive over a year without a meal. Black Legged Ticks (Also Known As Deer Ticks)Black legged ticks get their name from their dark legs. However, they are more commonly known as deer ticks because white-tailed deer are their preferred host. Reaching about 1/8 inch, they are smaller than the American dog tick. Deer ticks are an orange-brown color with a darker brown area near their head. Like most ticks, deer ticks prefer to spend their time in areas with low vegetation and the possibility of a host walking by. They are often found in the transitional areas between the woods and yards or fields. Deer ticks can use both small and large hosts at all stages of development. When an adult female has a meal, she’ll drop off her host and lay up to 3000 eggs. Deer ticks can typically survive for about a year without a meal. However, if they get inside your home, they can rarely survive for more than a few days because of the lack of moisture. What Types Of Illnesses Do Ticks Spread?When it comes to ticks, you rarely have to worry about having an infestation inside your house. Only brown dog ticks can go through their entire life cycle in an indoor setting. However, just because you won’t find thousands inside doesn’t mean there’s nothing to worry about. Just one tick getting onto your body then biting you can cause serious illness. Different species of ticks can cause a variety of dangerous diseases. Lyme DiseasePerhaps the most well-known of all tick-borne illnesses, and certainly the one that is the biggest cause for concern here in the Eastern US, Lyme disease is a growing problem in Maryland. Lyme disease is transmitted through deer ticks. Although most people think the first sign of Lyme disease is the tell-tale bull’s eye rash, in reality, there are vastly conflicting reports that put the percentage of people who get the rash anywhere from 25-80%. Other symptoms of Lyme disease include fever, headache, fatigue, muscle aches, joint aches, and more. If left untreated, Lyme disease can become a chronic condition that causes neurological problems, or in rare instances, even death. When caught early, Lyme disease can usually be successfully treated with antibiotics. Rocky Mountain Spotted FeverRocky Mountain spotted fever is a fairly rare bacterial disease spread by American dog ticks and brown dog ticks. Early symptoms include fever, headaches, and muscle aches. A rash often accompanies or follows these symptoms. Rocky Mountain spotted fever responds well to antibiotics. However, if not treated promptly, it can lead to damaged blood vessels, organs, and tissue, as well as death. TularemiaTularemia is a bacterial disease that can be contracted in several ways, including through the bite of the Lone Star tick or the American dog tick. The most common sign of tularemia spread by a tick is a skin ulcer at the site of the tick bite, along with swollen lymph glands. Tularemia is rare, so it can be difficult to diagnose. However, once it is diagnosed, a course of antibiotics usually leads to full recovery. Tick ParalysisSpread by the American dog tick, tick paralysis occurs during exposure to a neurotoxin during a tick bite. Symptoms include paralysis and tingling that start in the legs and work their way up the body. Once the tick is removed, symptoms resolve themselves within hours. However, if not removed promptly, symptoms can spread to the lungs, making it difficult to breathe. This can lead to death. Southern Tick-Associated Rash Illness (STARI) Southern tick-associated rash illness, called STARI for short, is spread by the Lone Star tick but is often mistaken for Lyme disease. Symptoms are similar, including the rash, fever, headaches, and muscle aches. There is no test for STARI, and it is not known if antibiotics are effective against it. Nevertheless, they are often prescribed because STARI is often mistaken for Lyme disease. AnaplasmosisSpread by the deer tick, anaplasmosis is a bacterial disease. Fever, chills, headaches, and muscle aches are common symptoms associated with anaplasmosis. Although testing for anaplasmosis can take several weeks to get results, doctors often prescribe antibiotics based on symptoms before a positive test result. BabesiosisBabesiosis is caused by microscopic parasites that infect your red blood cells after being bitten by a deer tick. Most people who are infected have no symptoms. Others have flu-like symptoms. In some instances, babesiosis can cause severe, life-threatening symptoms. After diagnosis, treatment is available and requires a combination of antibiotics and anti-parasitic drugs. How Can You Reduce Tick Populations In Your Yard?Although tick infestations are not usually a cause for concern inside your house, they are a serious problem outside your house. The chances of ending up with a tick bite and a tick-borne illness are much higher if you have a lot of ticks living on or around your Maryland property. Luckily, there are things you can do to make your yard less likely to attract ticks. First, understand where ticks are most likely to be found. Transitional areas are a favorite spot for ticks, as well as areas of tall grass and underbrush. To keep tick populations down, eliminate these areas. This can be done by:
Second, understand that ticks often enter your property by riding in on other animals. Making your lawn less attractive to wildlife will help lessen the tick populations on your lawn. You can do this by:
Third, understand that even by taking preventative steps, you’re unlikely to fully eliminate ticks from your property. For the best protection, you need the professional services of American Pest. At American Pest, our technicians are fully trained in the life cycles and habits of ticks. We use this information to develop tick control plans that target ticks at the most opportune times of year to eliminate them in all stages of development. With professional tick control, you can relax, knowing that your yard is a safe place to spend time without worrying about the many dangerous illnesses spread by ticks. If you need tick control, contact us today. via American Pest Blog https://ift.tt/3ikLzTI Mosquitoes are the pest we love to hate. You’d be hard-pressed to find a single person who likes mosquitoes or has anything good to say about them. Unfortunately, eliminating them entirely is out of the question and even keeping them out of certain areas is an exercise in futility. However, even though we can’t fully eliminate mosquitoes from our properties, we can learn what attracts them and do everything in our power to make our Maryland yards as uninviting as possible. You may be surprised to learn what some of the things are that mosquitoes are attracted to. If knowledge is power, the following information is sure to help you keep your yard as mosquito-free as possible. What Are Mosquitoes?It may seem silly to address the question of what mosquitoes are. After all, if you ask anyone over the age of three, they’ll easily be able to identify a mosquito. However, there are probably some things about mosquitoes that you don’t know. First, let’s get the obvious facts out of the way. Mosquitoes are small flying insects. They range in color but are typically gray or brown with markings of various colors. Mosquitoes have long, thin legs, one pair of wings, and a long proboscis. There are over 3500 species of mosquitoes in the world. The three most common species found in Maryland are the Aedes aegypti, commonly called the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes albopictus, commonly called the Asian tiger mosquito, and Culex pipiens, commonly called the common house mosquito. Despite their notoriety, there are probably some facts about mosquitoes that you were not aware of. For instance, many people think that the main form of sustenance for mosquitoes is blood, but in reality, the main food source of mosquitoes is nectar. Nectar is a source of sugar that provides nourishment for male and female mosquitoes. When it comes to blood, only female mosquitoes are the guilty party that partakes of this meal. Females require proteins and amino acids to produce eggs. If you have been bitten by a mosquito, you can know with 100% certainty that it was a female mosquito. A Surprising Fact About MosquitoesWhen you think about mosquitoes, you probably think about how annoying they are. Where there is one mosquito, there are many, and they can make whatever you’re trying to do quite miserable. They buzz around your head, feast on any open area of skin they can find, and typically win the battle by driving you inside your house. But despite how universally despised they are, all of the things mentioned above are not even the worst things about mosquitoes. If you were asked what the deadliest animal is, what would you say? Sharks? Hippos? Venomous snakes? Although all of those are good guesses, none of them are correct. The deadliest animal in the world is the tiny mosquito. Mosquitoes are responsible for killing over one million people worldwide every single year. They do this by infecting people with many dangerous diseases. Mosquitoes are carriers of malaria, West Nile virus, Zika virus, dengue, yellow fever, and more. While some of these illnesses are treatable or have only mild symptoms associated with them, others are quite serious and can result in death. When you realize how dangerous mosquitoes can be, it becomes much easier to understand why avoiding them is important for more than simply avoiding the annoyance of their bites. You May Be Attracting Mosquitoes Without Realizing ItWhen it comes to choosing a host, mosquitoes are not equal opportunity biters. Although they will indeed bite anyone, if given the choice they have preferences and are attracted to some people over others. There is good news and bad news when it comes to what makes a person attractive to mosquitoes. The good news is that you have control over some of these factors. The bad news is that other factors are unavoidable. What are the factors that make you more attractive to mosquitoes?
Can You Make Yourself Less Appealing To Mosquitoes?Although many of the factors mentioned above are out of your hands, not all of them are unable to be changed. You may not be able to change your blood type or chemical make-up, but you can make some simple changes that can help.
In addition to doing what you can to avoid the things we know overtly attract mosquitoes, there are other steps you can take to try to keep away from mosquitoes. These steps include:
Unfortunately, some of these suggestions are impractical. For instance, during a hot Maryland summer, often the most pleasant times to be outdoors are in the early morning or evening hours. Going hiking usually requires you to be in the woods. Additionally, many people don’t like to wear DEET. What You Should Do If Mosquitoes Are A Problem On Your Maryland PropertyThankfully, even though you may not be able to avoid mosquitoes everywhere you go, there are ways to make mosquitoes less of a problem on your own property. There is no reason why you should feel like a prisoner in your own home, scared to go outside because you’ll be attacked by a hungry swarm as soon as you walk through the door. Lessening your mosquito problem starts by assessing your property for the things mosquitoes love. When choosing where to spend their time, mosquitoes look for areas of standing water to lay their eggs and they look for shaded areas where they can rest during the day when the sun is at its hottest. Even if your property isn’t home to a pond or other water feature, it likely has areas of standing water of which you weren’t even aware of. Mosquitoes only need a small amount of shallow water to hatch and grow. These areas on your Maryland property may include:
To help lessen the mosquito populations on your property, look for the spots on your property where water has collected, then eliminate as many of them as possible. This not only means dumping out the collected water but also making sure that water won’t collect again the next time it rains. In some cases, such as a tire swing, this may not be feasible. However, you can make a note of these areas and empty them regularly. In regards to the shaded areas mosquitoes seek out to rest during the hottest parts of the day, there are ways you can make your yard a bit less inhabitable.
Despite taking steps to eliminate standing water and reduce shady areas on your lawn, mosquitoes will likely still find ways to thrive on your property. If you’re finding that they are still a problem, it’s time to contact American Pest. At American Pest, we have the products, equipment, knowledge, and skills necessary to target the areas where mosquitoes breed and rest where it is not practicable for you to eliminate the water or foliage. We’ll treat these areas with our backpack misting system, using products that target adult mosquitoes in the resting areas and eggs and larvae in the standing water. With monthly treatments, you can enjoy your Maryland yard without the bothers and dangers of mosquitoes and their bites. Contact us to learn more, to ask questions, or to schedule an inspection. We are here to help in any way possible. via American Pest Blog https://ift.tt/2D0CAbe Although having pests anywhere in your house is an unpleasant thought, there’s something especially disturbing about the idea of pests being in your bed. Just the fact that there is a pest with the word “bed” in its name is enough to make you want to check your sheets before climbing into them each night. Bed bugs are a big problem in homes and businesses all over the United States. If your Washington D.C. home has been experiencing a bed bug problem, you have to take action to eliminate it because it won’t go away on its own. Many homeowners are tempted to attempt do-it-yourself bed bug control methods, but these are almost always a waste of money. Read on to find out why and to learn what you should do instead. What Are Bed Bugs?Bed bugs are small parasitic bugs, which means they require a host to live. While humans are their preferred host, bed bugs can also survive on the blood of other mammals like cats, dogs, rodents, and bats. Bed bugs are small, apple seed-sized pests that are reddish-brown in color as adults. They are smaller and a creamy white color as nymphs, which can make them difficult to see if you’re not carefully looking for them. Female bed bugs can lay up to five eggs a day, making it easy for a small bed bug infestation to become a large one rather quickly. Bed bugs were nearly eradicated in the US in the late 1950s and barely heard about except in a popular nursery rhyme through the 1990s. However, they have made a startling comeback over the past couple of decades, and they are now alive and well all over the United States. In fact, any home or business, from the most rundown house to the ritziest hotel, is at risk of a bed bug infestation. How Do Bed Bugs Get Into Washington D.C. Homes?The reason no home or business is immune from a bed bug infestation is due to the way that bed bugs get into buildings. Unlike most pests that find their way into your yard, then into your home from your yard, bed bugs operate differently. Bed bugs enjoy traveling and will hitch a ride on whatever they find passing by. That may be your pant leg or shoe, a bag they crawl into before you pick it up to carry it home, or the luggage you use when you stay in a bed bug-infested hotel room. At some point along your journey, they’ll crawl off or out of the item they hitched a ride on. This may be in a public place, such as in a library or on public transportation, it may be in another hotel, or it may be in your home. Although they’re called bed bugs, these tiny insects are just as happy to hide in locations other than beds. You can find them in the seams of upholstered furniture, behind picture frames on the wall, in cracks and crevices in the flooring or on walls, and even inside electrical sockets. While mattresses may be bed bug's preferred location due to their close proximity to sleeping hosts, their adaptability to various types of buildings is one of the reasons they’ve made such a big comeback in recent years. How Do I Know That Bed Bugs Have Gotten Into My Washington D.C. Home?There are several signs to look for when you suspect a bed bug infestation in your home. Most homeowners first suspect bed bugs when they start waking up with red bumps on their bodies. If you’ve started noticing bug bites you didn’t go to bed with, you should look for these signs to determine if you have a bed bug infestation:
If you find any of the signs mentioned above in your house, you likely have a bed bug infestation. This leads to the obvious question of what you should do about them. Letting them be is not an option since they will grow and grow in population until they overrun your house. One thing many homeowners decide to do is try to get rid of them on their own. Why Do Homeowners Try To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs On Their Own?There are several reasons that Washington D.C. homeowners try to get rid of bed bugs on their own, but the most common reason is because they think professional bed bug control is too expensive. If you call a pest control company for a bed bug control quote, it can seem pricey, so your next thought might be that you can take care of the bed bugs and save money by using a do-it-yourself form of bed bug control. Other reasons for trying to get rid of bed bugs on your own might include not wanting the hassle of other people coming into your house, wanting to only use all-natural methods, or wanting to be in full control of the process. What Are Common DIY Methods Of Bed Bug Removal?If you do an internet search, you’ll find all kinds of DIY bed bug treatments that will supposedly solve your bed bug problems. Many people want to use natural methods that are safe for their family, so they try things like vinegar or baking soda, which are both touted online as effective bed bug treatment options. Another common do-it-yourself method of bed bug control is using bed bug sprays. These sprays can be found at any general big box or hardware store for a few dollars. That makes them seem like a great and cost-effective solution. It’s also common for people attempting to eliminate a bed bug problem on their own to try washing and drying all of their bedding and clothing. They may also vacuum their carpets, and even their mattresses, to try to eliminate the infestation. Are DIY Methods Of Bed Bug Removal Effective?Vinegar does kill bed bugs when they come in direct contact with it. However, unless you are prepared to spend inordinate amounts of time and vinegar, spraying areas of your house, and attempting to spray the bed bugs themselves, you are unlikely to remove the whole problem. Baking soda is one of those DIY treatment methods that has no scientific backing and simply does not work. You can sprinkle it around your house, but you will still have bed bugs crawling around. Bed bug sprays can be effective at eliminating bed bugs, but they have a couple of disadvantages. First, applying them safely can be tricky. You must carefully follow the instructions listed on the bottle to keep the area safe for your family members. Second, bed bug sprays are the type of treatment that usually only eliminates part of the problem. Bed bugs that are hidden away in your walls, as well as eggs, will remain alive and well. Finally, there is the DIY method of bed bug control that involves washing bedding and clothing and vacuuming floors. Although this is an important part of bed bug control (even when you hire a professional), it won’t take care of the problem on its own. Bed bugs will remain in your mattress and other areas of your home and will be eager to come out to feed on you after you change your sheets. As you may have guessed from the title of the article, do-it-yourself methods of bed bug control are rarely, if ever, effective. They might reduce the number of bed bugs you have in your house for a short period of time, but unless you eliminate every single bed bug in your house, including the nymphs and eggs, you will not get rid of your infestation. It will simply return after a few weeks. While you attempt these DIY methods, you waste precious time and money that would be better spent on proven solutions. Although it’s tempting to try to save money and hassle by doing it yourself, in the end, DIY bed bug control leads to wasting money and increasing the hassle as your bed bug infestation continues to grow. You’ll end up spending money on treatments that don’t work, then spending more money hiring the professional you were trying to avoid. How Does American Pest Get Rid Of Bed Bugs?At American Pest, we understand that having a bed bug infestation is stressful and a serious cause for concern for Washington D.C. homeowners. With nearly 100 years of experience treating pest problems, we are well-equipped to swiftly eliminate your bed bug problem. Because we understand that you may have budget constraints or desire an all-natural treatment option, we offer several types of bed bug control methods to meet your needs. In addition to conventional liquid treatments, we also offer thermal remediation (heat treatments) and K9 inspections. Our K9 inspections utilize specially-trained bed bug detecting dogs. These dogs can pinpoint bed bug activity with an incredible degree of accuracy, which helps ensure we get the best results with our treatments. Conventional liquid treatments are ideal for smaller infestations and infestations that haven’t spread throughout the house. They typically require two to three treatments and/or follow-up visits to ensure full eradication. Our heat treatments do not require the use of any chemicals and usually eliminate every bed bug in every stage of development in just one treatment. Heat treatments are ideal for large, widespread infestations. When you contact American Pest, we’ll listen to your concerns and work with you to develop a bed bug control plan that works for your particular situation, needs, and budget. Don’t waste money on solutions that don’t work. via American Pest Blog https://ift.tt/3eKfoel Being a homeowner comes with many responsibilities. Taking care of such a big investment requires a lot of money, time, and hard work. From paying bills to making minor repairs to keeping the lawn in good shape, there’s always something that requires your attention. When pests get into your home, they introduce an entirely new set of responsibilities. You have to figure out what they are, where they came from, what problems they’re causing, and how to get rid of them. Or do you? Some home responsibilities require the help of a professional. Pest control is one of them. If you’re of the opinion that pests aren’t a big deal or that a DIY treatment is all you need to take care of a pest problem in your house, read on to find out why professional pest control for your Washington D.C. property is a great idea. Is It Really A Big Deal If Pests Get Into My Washington D.C. Home?On the surface, discovering a few bugs in your Washington D.C. home doesn’t seem like anything to be too concerned about. Everyone has experienced finding an occasional spider or ant in their house. Simply removing pests from your house as you find them is doing enough to be able to get on with your life, right? In some cases, that’s true. It’s possible for a stray pest to accidentally find its way inside without it being a signal that a large infestation has occurred in your home. In other cases, you might have a problem on your hands. Pest infestations vary widely in their “threat level” based on the type of pest that has gotten into your house, how many pests are present, and how widespread they are throughout your home. For example, finding a few earwigs in your bathroom can be startling, to say the least, but it is probably not something to be overly concerned about. Earwigs are generally harmless and are considered an occasional invader. They often get inside by mistake while looking for a moist area or relief from the heat. Earwigs are not usually interested in staying in your house or breeding there. Finding one is not an indication that thousands more are hidden away in your walls. On the other hand, discovering that a termite colony is living in your walls is a big cause for concern. Termite colonies may start small, but they can quickly grow into the thousands, and some have been known to grow to over one million members. Furthermore, termites survive by eating the wooden elements of your home, including the ones that hold your house up. If termites are in your house, you have a very good reason to be worried. The main thing to consider when pondering the question of whether or not it’s a big deal if pests get into your Washington D.C. home is that different pests cause different problems for homeowners. Some pests are simply a nuisance. They don’t cause any serious problems in your house or to your family, but they can multiply so that you start finding them all over the place and have to deal with them constantly. For example, ladybird beetles, more commonly known as ladybugs, can get into your house in the fall while looking for a warm place to spend the winter. They often group up in corners of the ceiling and are difficult to get rid of. They aren’t harmful to humans, and the worst damage they’ll do is leave stains behind when you try to eliminate them. While an infestation of this sort may not seem like a big problem, over time it can take a mental and emotional toll on you. Some pests are destructive. When they get into your house, they ruin your belongings and damage your house. On the lower end of the “damage spectrum”, there are some types of moths that will chew holes in your clothing and other fabrics. On the higher end, there are pests, like rodents, that chew through your walls, wiring, and ductwork. This not only damages your house, but causes fire hazards and water damage that can lead to mold, wood rot, and other pest problems, such as termites. Some pests are dangerous to your health. Cockroaches are known for their unsanitary behaviors. Once they get into your house, the germs and bacteria they’ve picked up on their bodies are transferred to the surfaces they walk on in your home. This contaminates countertops, toothbrushes, and food. Cockroaches are linked to the spread of over 30 types of diseases. They also trigger allergy symptoms in some people. They are just one of many pests that cause serious health concerns when they get into your house. To make a long story short, having pests get into your Washington D.C. house is a big deal. Unless it is simply an errant bug that you got rid of and never heard from again, pests are good at getting into your house and staying out of sight long enough to grow their ranks and start causing any or all of the problems mentioned above. What’s Wrong With DIY Pest Control?Now that you understand that even a small infestation is a cause for concern, you’re likely thinking about what you should do if pests get into your D.C. home. Is it as simple as stopping by the local hardware store for some supplies to treat it yourself? It’s true that DIY pest control solutions abound. All you have to do is Google your problem and you’ll see thousands of articles pop up that claim that they can help you get rid of your infestation. From all-natural solutions to chemical treatments and everything in between, someone has the suggestion you’re looking for. The real question is, do these methods work?With as many options as there are on the internet, it’s likely that if you try enough of them, you’ll find something that works. However, attempting to get to that point is what gets a lot of homeowners in trouble. As you work your way through potential solutions, you run the risk of wasting time and money. You also run the risk of harming your family or even making the problem worse. For every method you try that doesn’t work, you’ve wasted money on the supplies you needed for that method. You’ve also wasted time since the pests are still present in your house and causing problems while you decide on the next treatment method to try. Some DIY methods use products that aren’t safe for your family. Other DIY methods require applications that must be done extremely carefully in order to be safe for your family. Without the proper training or experience, you may inadvertently apply the product incorrectly and put your family’s health at risk in the process. Furthermore, some DIY treatments seem to work at first because they eliminate the adult pests or send them deep into your walls to hide. When you stop experiencing the problems that the pests were causing, you assume your treatment worked, and get on with your life. In the meantime, the eggs they left behind start hatching and maturing, and the adult pests that were hiding decide it’s safe to come out again. Suddenly you start experiencing problems all over again and discover that your treatment wasn’t as effective as you thought it was. The fact is that many DIY methods simply don’t work and the ones that do are either too hard to find or too risky to try on your own. The best option for a pest infestation is having professional pest control performed. How Does Professional Pest Control Work?When it comes to a pest infestation, having professional pest control performed is always the smart decision.
How does professional pest control work? It starts the moment you contact American Pest. We’ll listen to your concerns and perform a thorough inspection of your home to determine what pests are active in your house, what conditions in and around your house may contribute to current or future pest infestations, and what treatment methods will best address your active infestations, while also preventing future infestations. We’ll then work with you to help you decide on a pest control plan that best meets your needs and budget. Once you’ve chosen the right plan for your Washington D.C. home, we’ll perform an initial treatment that eliminates active infestations and puts a barrier of protection around your house to keep new pests from getting inside. From there, we’ll return on a recurring basis to re-treat your home and protect it from the pests that are most likely to try to get inside with each passing season. With American Pest, you receive year-round protection that is guaranteed to work. How Can I Get Started With Professional Pest Control?Getting started with professional pest control is as easy as picking up the phone or hopping on the internet. You can get in touch with American Pest by calling, emailing, or filling out the contact form on our website. We’ll talk with you about your particular needs and concerns and schedule an appointment to inspect your house at a time that is convenient for you. Whether you already have pests in your house or you want to take proactive action to prevent them from getting inside in the first place, American Pest is here to help. Contact us today. via American Pest Blog https://ift.tt/2Obooyd |