Bed bugs are small, reddish-brown, flat insects that like to feed on human blood. While most prefer human blood some will also feed on animals such as dogs, cats, birds and rodents. Bed bugs can hide in many places and will wait until a person is sleeping to feed. They usually hide in mattresses but can also hide in sofas or chairs, drapery, nightstands, picture frames, baseboards and behind wallpaper. They will wait until a person is sleeping to come out and feed.

Bed bugs are also successful hitchhikers. They can get into clothing or luggage and easily brought home from hotels or other places. They are often found in hotels, where they can travel from room to room and in visitors’ luggage or other personal belongings such as purses, briefcases, and backpacks. Even some of the finest hotels are not immune to this problem.

Although bed bugs are visible to the naked eye, most people are not aware they have them until bitten. Bed bug bites often cause redness and some swelling, although approximately 50% of bed bug victims do not show any reaction at all. Bites can be on the arms, neck, torso, hips, legs, hands or feet and usually appear as several bites in a linear or a circular pattern. Sometimes, bites do not appear from several hours to days after being bitten, which can make it difficult; to determine were the bite took place.

Unfortunately, we are experiencing a widespread problem of bed bugs in the United States. These tenacious pests are able to go without food for as long as a year and the females will lay eggs in batches of up to 200 at a time. Researchers have found that the new bed bugs are much more resistant to the chemicals used in the past and they require professional pest control management. It is not as simple as getting rid of a mattress that has an infestation.

Bed bugs are extremely difficult to control and can multiply quickly. Early detection is critical to prevent an even larger infestation that can also be very costly to rid your house of them. If you suspect you have an infestation or just want us to inspect your home please give us a call so we can create a treatment or maintenance plan that is right for you.

Bees and Wasps

Although bees are beneficial to the environment, it could be potentially dangerous to have a beehive near your home. Not only are their stings painful but if someone who is allergic is stung they could have a serious enough reaction to warrant a trip to the hospital. Sometimes a bad reaction could occur even if there was no prior awareness to an allergy or had previously been mild. Multiple stings can also be quite dangerous, especially with regard to the elderly or small children.

Wasps and bees can easily be mistaken for one another due to their similar characteristics and the fact that they are both capable of giving painful stings. The main differences between the two are that bees are more mild mannered and normally will only attack when provoked or if you disturb their hives, while wasps are aggressive predators that can disrupt outdoor activities looking for human food. A bee will die after it stings you once while the wasp is capable of stinging multiple times before dying.

To determine the best solution to eliminate the problem for good and remove nests safely it is important to identify the difference. Their nests are different and should be approached and removed differently. Control of wasps is also more difficult, because there are no insecticides that effectively repel or discourage them. Insect sprays need to be used with caution because some of the over-the-counter sprays on the market can cause harm to children and pets.

If you have noticed swarms of bees or wasps around your home that you are concerned about please contact us. Not only will be take care of the pests themselves, we will safely locate and remove nests/hives that are outside of your home as well as those that are located inside the walls or attic of your home.

Mosquitos

There are many varieties of mosquitoes, some of which carry deadly diseases. As a result, mosquito control is very important to human health and well-being. If you feel you need to be concerned or your property is prone to attracting and breeding mosquitoes please contact us so we can assess the situation and provide you with an effective treatment plan or advise you of the steps you can take to eliminate the problem.

The family pet is a popular carrier of fleas and ticks, which unfortunately results in these pests entering a home. Fleas and ticks both have the ability to transmit disease. Although fleas are more likely to just cause irritation from the bites, ticks on the other hand transmit a number of serious diseases including Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Lyme Disease to name a few.

While neither of these parasites chooses humans as their primary host both will bite and feed on humans in the absence of other food sources however, they can live for several months up to a year without feeding. After feeding ticks will drop off their host to lay eggs and seek out tiny crevices in which to store their eggs while fleas will lay their eggs where the host rests and sleeps which can result in a full-blown infestation of your home. Attempting to rid your home of a flea or tick infestation can be very frustrating because eggs can hatch from 2 weeks for a flea and up to months later for a tick, long after you think you have the situation under control. If you suspect you have an infestation or just want us to inspect your home please give us a call so we can create a treatment plan that is right for you.

Rodents such as rats and mice as well as other small animals, including groundhogs, opossums, raccoons, squirrels, and skunks can all be a nuisance to your family and home. They can also cause extensive damage to your house and can carry many diseases.

Rodents can easily chew through some types of siding, wood structures, and will tear insulation in walls and ceilings for nesting. They will also gnaw on electrical wires increasing the possibility of fire. They can easily exist in homes by consuming and contaminating food and water as well as eating pet food and can transmit disease to humans, pets, and livestock.

Small animals such as groundhogs, opossums, raccoons, squirrels, and skunks can also create havoc within your home or can cause considerable damage to your yard. These creatures are primarily drawn to properties that offer easy access to food and shelter. Raccoons and squirrels like to nest inside attics and will also tear insulation and gnaw on electrical wires.

The presence of rodents or other animals is usually detected by the damage they cause to food and structures, by their droppings, and by their nests. If you see any of these signs please contact us. We will provide you with a thorough inspection to identify the problem, what factors may be attracting them, eliminating all potential entry points, and reducing the population by applying traps, bait, or application of rodenticides. Proper cleanup after an infestation, especially after a rodent infestation, is also necessary and requires a great deal of caution. Inadvertently stirring up the dust of their nests can be hazardous to breathe in the bacteria contained within.

Termites are referred to as the “silent destroyer” because they are rarely seen, but can still be thriving in your home without any immediate signs of damage. Do not assume your house is termite-free because you have never seen them because they only swarm once or twice a year and you may not see them. Termites feed on dead wood around or within your house and can cause great structural damage. They cause millions of dollars each year in damages to structures and the longer you wait the more damage will occur. With a proper inspection and/or treatment, you can prevent that from happening to your home.

To reduce the risk and extent of damage, we recommend yearly inspections, not only to determine if you have termites but to also point out and discuss with you any conditions around your house that may be conducive to termites. If termites are present, we can offer you a variety of effective treatment plans that will best fit your situation. Some indications you may have termites can include:

• A swarm of ant looking insects with or without wings that are in your home or in the soil around your home
• Mud tunnels or tubes formed on the outside of your structure
• Small pinholes or dirt found on walls, ceilings, and/or baseboards
• Damaged or hollow-sounding wood
• Small piles of sawdust