The Top 3 Hiding Places for Pests

One of the most annoying issues homeowners face is pest invasions. Pests can pose a threat to the health of your family and the structure and safety of your home. In order to find and eliminate vermin, there are 3 areas you should examine in your home where they tend to nest.

1.Air Vents

As the weather outside gets colder, insects and rodents tend to get cozy inside of warm air ducts. Screens can be placed on vents to keep these critters out in the cold. However, the threat of pests rises again at the beginning of summer, so you should keep an eye on this area to ensure your preventive measures are still working.

2.Attics

Attics are a favorite place for rats, mice, squirrels, raccoons and bats to nest. These animals can cause major damage by chewing on your electrical wires and shredding insulation. They can also spread diseases like Hantavirus and salmonella. Inspect the outside of your home and seal up even the smallest holes to prevent intrusions.

3.Kitchen Cupboards

Perhaps the most unwanted place for pests to be is in your kitchen. Fruit flies, rodents and cockroaches are common invaders that can contaminate food and spread bacteria. Keeping your cupboards clean and sealing food in containers often prevents these infestations.

In spite of your greatest attempts to keep critters out and trap invaders, pests are persistent. So if you do find an infestation in your home, visit this website to find more information about pest control in Raleigh.

Never Mess With a Rattlesnake

Rattlesnakes and other venomous vipers should never be messed around with. If you have one around your house call a professional to eliminate it. 

Does Your Home Have an Ant Infestation?

Ants are such common insects that it's not unusual to see a few indoors, especially in the summertime. However, if you're dealing with ants daily in your home, or seeing them where there's no obvious source, you may have an ant colony in your house.

Check the Season

Ants are likely to try to move inside in cold and wet weather. Occasional ants may wander inside looking for food when the weather is warm, but a number of ants appearing in the winter may indicate they're nesting within the walls. Once a queen ant has taken up residence, the colony can be difficult to remove, as killing individual ants with sprays or traps won't stop more from coming.

Identify the Pest

There are thousands of species of ants. While sugar ants are a relatively harmless nuisance, fire ants may sting people, and carpenter ants can damage wood.

Prevent the Problem

A few simple practices can lower the chances of ants infesting your home. To make your house less inviting to these insects:

• Clean up food and residues, especially where ants are seen
• Store all edibles in sealed containers
• Kill any visible ants
• Fix leaky faucets

Ants are a common issue in many homes, but a full infestation often requires professional intervention. See this link for more about ant control in Garner.

Call Your Pest Control Company Annually

If snakes, bats, cockroaches and other critters give you the heebie-jeebies, you might want to call your local pest control professional every year. Depending on your perspective, many animals and bugs can be considered pests. Basically, if it lives on your property without your permission and has the potential to cause harm, it’s a pest. Whether the creature has fur, feathers, scales or an exoskeleton, just about any animal can fall into the pest category.

Knowing how to safely, efficiently and legally remove pests can be tricky. Some, such as snakes and spiders, are dangerous to be around. An expert will know the tricks of the trade and be able to stay safe. Other pests, such as cockroaches, are very difficult to kill. It may seem like if you kill one of them three more take its place. Your pest control company has the knowledge to outsmart those little buggers. Professionals also understand the laws that govern which methods are legal to use with different species of animals. In some states, trapping is against the law. In other places, chemical poisons may be banned. Also, some species are protected, and have very strict restrictions in place regarding their removal.

An annual checkup by your pest control company will let you know what kinds of pests you have around your house. The exterminator can implement a plan to keep you pest free for the next year, so you can rest easy. Part of the plan may be to eliminate habitat for pests, which has the added benefit of making your yard look nice and tidy. Other methods include traps and poisonous bait. If the pests are in your walls or attic, more than one visit may be required. Be sure to choose a company that is friendly and will listen closely to your needs. If you prefer to avoid certain chemicals, be upfront about your desires.

The cost of a professional is a bargain compared to do-it-yourself plans. Multiple trips to the hardware store to purchase pest control products is time-consuming and expensive, and many of the products don’t perform as advertised.If you’ve tried to eliminate pests on your own before, you know what a challenge it can be. Pests seem to have an innate ability to find openings in your house that you never would’ve dreamed existed. Your exterminator may be able to advise you on the best way to close those openings up, thus solving a pest problem before it starts.

When scheduling your yearly pest control visit, be sure to choose a company that is licensed and insured. For more information about pest control in Raleigh, visit this website.

5 Ways to Roach-Proof Your Home

Cockroaches are an unfortunatefact of life in most communities, especially in warmer climates. Follow theseguidelines to discourage these unpleasant insects from moving in.

Cleanliness Is Key

Available food sources attract roaches and other pests. Carefully vacuum up any crumbs in the kitchen and dining room to avoid making an impromptu roach restaurant.

Protect Your Edibles

Along with cleaning, make sure your other foodstuffs aren't accessible. Store dry goods in tightly sealed jars or canisters of glass or heavy plastic, keep as much as you can in the refrigerator, and cover all fruit.

Close up the Cracks

To keep roaches from entering your home, look for any cracks or gaps around windows, pipes or plaster walls. Fill in any ingresses with silicon caulk.

Seal Your Doors

A cockroach can flatten itself to squeeze through unlikely gaps, such as under closed doors. Affix rubber seals along the bottoms of all external doors to keep roaches from sneaking inside.

Stopper the Drains

Cockroaches can climb up pipes and through plumbing, especially at night when no water is running. To prevent a midnight invasion, stopper drains at night, particularly in kitchen sinks.

Even when taking all reasonable precautions, cockroaches may still invade. For more help dealing with an infestation, see this link for information about professional roach control in Cary - http://www.trianglewildliferemoval.com/roaches

Gut Bacteria Important Factor in Cockroach Gathering

North Carolina State University research shows that bacteria in the gut of German cockroaches play a major role in how the cockroaches gather together, or aggregate… read more

3 Tips for Dealing With Bed Bugs

A bed bug infestation disturbs the sanctity of slumber, invading your very bedroom and bed. While these pests are among the most obnoxious of the insect kingdom, following these tips can reduce your chances of facing them.

Clean Thoroughly

Daily vacuuming rids a room of bugs, as well as the dust they take shelter in. As the insects can't survive high temperatures, regularly washing bed linens in hot water and drying on high kills most adult bugs and eggs.

Invest in a Mattress Cover

A sealed, zippered mattress cover of fabric or vinyl can prevent the bugs from moving in. Some covers are treated with pesticides for extra protection.

Be Cautious When Traveling

Take care not to bring bed bugs back to your home, especially if you're staying at a hotel or other place that may have a bed bug problem. Bites may not show up for more than a week, so when sleeping in a strange bed, check for signs of an infestation, including:

• Brown or rust-colored spotting in the corners of mattresses
• Tiny bugs in sheet folds or wooden bed frames
• A sweet, musty odor

While following such precautions makes an infestation less likely, these insects can be difficult to avoid. If you already have a problem, see this link for more about bed bug removal in Garner.