Pest Library

Rats and Mice

Rats and mice are both pesky and destructive creatures that multiply quickly. Rodent infestations are a tricky problem to solve, and they can be extremely disruptive to the home or business space. In the event that you notice a rodent infestation in your home or business, contact us immediately to schedule an expert inspection of your property. We are ready to assess the situation and formulate a plan of action designed around eliminating the problem.

Treating for Rodents

Exclusion is the key to protecting your home against invasion. Walking around your home and looking for possible entry points is key. Also, inside your home we look for areas around pipes under sinks. We will repair and block problem areas. Harborage is another concern that we will advise you on. We suggest eliminating areas next to your home such as overgrown shrubs, debris, and wood piles. These make good hiding places for rodents. Food supply is something to consider as part of rodent control. Are you careful not to provide food for rodents inadvertently by leaving fruit sitting on the ground from your trees? Are you sure that you are feeding birds only with the seeds you put out? Is your compost pile enclosed and covered? Your neighbors may be careless in these areas, but we can help you protect your own home regardless.

Baiting and trapping are done with care as not to harm your pets. Trapping in your crawl space and attic is important and poisoning rats in these areas is not advised for obvious smelly reasons! Weekly visits will be part of the program until the problem is gone. Contact us today!

Ants

Most home owners will experience ants in their homes at some time–and perhaps often. There are two types of ants that are called Sugar Ants. The Odorous Ant is called a Sugar Ant but is attracted to protein based foods such as pet food, but also butter. We all know the usual Sugar Ant that goes after our donuts and honey!

Sugar Ants are highly mobile and will carry their nests as far as 300 feet. If you see them in your home, it is likely that they are nesting in your walls. They can climb up your electrical wiring in your kitchen. It is important that you do not ignore the “scout” since it will leave a pheromone trail for the rest of the workers.
Treatment for Sugar Ants consists of treating the wall voids through the outlets, crack and crevice treatment, interior perimeter treatment, and treating the foundation perimeter (weather permitting). The products that I use are safe for people and pets but deadly to ants. Exterminating the nest is a must!

Prevention will go a long way to ensure invasions of Sugar Ants will be kept at bay. Keeping the kitchen counters wiped down and sealing your sugar and honey in containers will help. Also keeping bushes next to the house trimmed away so as not to leave a bridge for insects to travel. There is no guarantee though that you won’t have an infestation suddenly appear. Many homes that I have treated are very neat and clean. Don’t worry; it happens to the cleanest homes also!

I guarantee results usually after the initial application and treatment. There is no charge to you if I need to come again for a follow-up treatment. Contact us today!

Spiders

Most people do not like spiders in their home–especially in the rooms where they sleep. In the pest control business we call it “tolerance levels.” Your tolerance level may be zero, which borders on arachnophobia, whereas another may even appreciate the work of spiders to kill other bugs. Whatever your level, it is important to know that not all spiders are beneficial. Although most spiders are not a lethal threat, they can bite; and young children are more sensitive to these bites–and they can cause swelling. And yes, we do have black widows here in Oregon. Fortunately, they are usually found in dark hidden places. Always wear gloves when working with piles of wood and debris.

Late summer and fall are when you notice how large the spiders have become. It is frightening when a giant house spider scurries across the floor. They are harmless of course and the ones you see, which can be up to three inches or more, are males looking for mates. Don’t worry because there are steps you can take to rid your home of spiders.

Spider Control

Treatment for spiders starts with a good brisk de-webbing under your eaves and around your home. This will make your home less scary! The full, yellow eggs sacks you may see will be dealt with when we apply a spray. It has a residual effect for 30 days. If you are planning on power washing your home, then do it before we apply the spray. We will also extend the treatment inside the home by spraying baseboards, around windows, and high in corners. Some people prefer only to spray outside and that is okay. However, the materials that we use are safe for people and pets, but deadly for bugs!

Your task is to seal cracks and crevices, repair window screens, and keep your home clean and swept.

Fleas

Fleas and the control of fleas are part of life if you have a dog or a cat. Watching your beloved pets suffer is stressful with all the scratching and biting. Fortunately there are solutions that will work to bring sanity to your home. I have the expertise to remove all 4 stages of fleas in one application.

Flea Control

Because fleas have 4 stages of development, it is important to target all of them. When you have fleas, you also have eggs, larvae and pupa in your carpet and perhaps your couch! Gross! Carpets and upholstered furniture must be treated along with baseboards. The final stage is the adult flea which jumps on you and your pets. The adult stage is usually all that you will see and just treating the adult stage will not stop the infestation. Meanwhile the infestation continues unless you understand the life cycles of fleas. An adult female can live 100 days and produce 400-500 offspring!

Don’t make the mistake that many people make by “bug bombing” your home. This method can only kill the final adult stage of the flea. Also treating your yard during the summer months will be important. And of course treating your pets with good flea control is a must. Washing their bedding in the hottest water and using a hot dryer will be part of the process of ridding your home of fleas. Contact us today!

Wasps and Hornets

Paper wasps are a very common sight during the spring and summer months. These wasps build their small, hexagonal-shaped homes under your roof eaves. You can easily spot an active nest by the activity and the clearly visible larvae. It is important to look up at your eaves regularly to knock down the early nests and keep the nests from developing into a threat. The good news is that wasps and hornets nests die out when the queen seeks shelter elsewhere to winter in. Wasps will never return to an old nest.

Typically May is when the queen crawls out of her hibernation to begin her nest. This is true of Paper Wasps, Yellow Jackets, and Hornets. In light of this fact, I suggest that May is a good time to hang out the Wasp trap. Perhaps you will catch a queen and prevent an infestation.

Pest control maintenance throughout the summer ensures that you will not have to face the threat of a large Wasp, Yellow Jacket, or Hornet nest. Prevention is our policy and we will be looking up and out for you!

Yellow Jackets are perhaps more of a threat than Paper Wasps because they make their nests in the ground and even perhaps in your own raised garden. Another name for Yellow Jackets are Ground Wasps. It is important to pay attention when you see wasps flying through a small hole in the ground. They are very aggressive! Do not try to put anything down the hole unless you have a bee suit to protect yourself from being stung multiple times. You have no idea how large the underground nest is! Old tree stumps, rotted wood on your property can be a potential nesting area. However, wasps are able to excavate an amazing amount of soil in order to make room to build their nest.

Hornets, or Bald Face Hornets as we call them are much larger and build nests the size of basket balls. Their nests are completely enclosed except for an entry hole usually at the bottom of the nest where a sentry watches for threats. Hornets are formidable and are known to go straight to your face when threatened. Once again, do not try to knock down a nest unless you are prepared with a bee suit and some good foam that will buy you some time to run!