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IPM less pesticides

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IPM less pesticides

The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), (IPM) integrated pest management is best defined as “a long-term, effective, and holistic approach to managing pests of all kinds by carefully combining various interventions (e.g., education, code enforcement, rodent proofing, poisoning) in ways that minimize environmental hazards and deficiencies that affect people’s health.”

IPM less pesticides = the new way to manage pests, all the tools to get rid and prevent pests. If you do a home seal, this reduces the risks of pest and reduces pesticide usage. So lets say you have scorpions and you’re thinking what can I do as the homeowner?

1. Home seal.

2. Consistent pest control, not random whenever you think about it.

3. Caulking holes and ????

4. Clean up back yard, no fruit and trash.

5. Black lighting for scorpions.

All these things mitigate the use of pesticide, therefore this = less pesticide usage.

Real Estate

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Real Estate

So have you bought a home recently or planning on selling one, now is probably the time? Market is up and things are moving and that’s a great thing. Real Estate continues to be a winner for building equity. So in that light let’s discuss the Pro’s and Con’s of inspections.

Pro:

Hiring a professional – starting with a Professional Experienced Real Estate Agent, Home Inspector and a Termite Inspector. All 3 are important on purchasing or selling your home.
1. I can’t even imagine just settling for good with a Real Estate Agent, I want one that has been around awhile – knows the in and outs of what neighborhoods are good, etc. Look on the internet for reviews and ask friends. Agent:
2. Home Inspectors – Again look for qualifications and experience, again ask friends and neighbors, how many do they do each day or weekly? The latest trend is to bypass the Termite Inspection and have the home inspector do that, check credentials and make sure he is certified with the Office of Pest Management (OPM) Department of Agriculture?
  1. This is a true story, just a month or so ago. A realtor called me to say that her neighbor sold the house, buyer sent a home inspector (he missed the termites) now what? Well as I understood the story he was licensed but just missed it. It happens so you must be careful. Why not hire a Professsional that has 30+ years at this?
3. This is my line – You want a Professional Termite Inspector, I personally have over 30 years of looking for and at bugs. I’ve been around the World looking at bugs and regularly investigate and check out the new stuff that is happening around Arizona and the USA. ProBest goes back 40 years to 1981, we started doing just termite inspections and treatments. Then 2007 happened, thank goodness we were already selling and doing pest treatments, weeds and bird work.

Do your homework, challenge the conventional – HIRE A PRO and leave it to them to do the hard work but choose wisely.

Mosquito vs Crane Fly

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Mosquito vs Crane Fly, have you seen these giant flying winged things? I get calls frequently on mosquitoes and they are the size of Mothman. Good news, they are Crane Flies and only live a few weeks here in Arizona, normally coming out in March and April. I want to thank Catchmaster for their infographic on this pests. We use a few products mostly snap mouse/rat traps and multi-catch mouse devices.

They are more of a nuisance than anything else, just resting on a wall near your front or back porch. They then get sucked into the home via that door. Since they look so much like a mosquito they start thinking its a giant mosquito. We have many other things in Arizona to worry about like Africanized Honeybees, Iron cross Blister Beetles, rodents and the list goes on. So when it comes to Mosquito vs Crane fly, if its small = mosquito and large = Crane Fly.

These bugs fit into what we call occasional invaders, these are bugs/pests that make it into the home infrequently. These also include earwigs, silverfish and chinch bugs (this time of year). So by keeping your yard free of weeds, can greatly increase your odds against these bugs making it inside. There are a lot of bugs, and we can prevent them by doing just a few things. This program is called IPM or Integrated Pest Management

The great thing about this program, you can help. Follow the link to ways to prevent pests from getting in.

Boxelder Bugs

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Boxelder Bugs can be a real nuisance and are identified as a occasional invader. They become quite numerous in the Spring and Summer, populations go off the scale. I have seen (millions) similar to False Chinch bugs especially in tall grass and weed areas. So the key in reducing the population is to keep grass mowed and weeds in check.

These bugs feed by sucking the juices out of the plants and therefore pose little risk to homeowners. Keeping doors and windows shut can keep the majority out but since they are little they often sneak by. The use of screens is extremely beneficial and is considered (IPM) Integrated Pest Management. Reduce and seal cracks, electrical outlets can be sealed with caulking and check the jtrim along the stucco edge of your home. You can also seal all holes on exterior and interior of the home.

Boxelder Bugs don’t bite, but since they have a piercing suck mouth part they could possibly puncture the skin. The ideal treatment is a barrier pest control treatment which will help to reduce numbers. They are also a prey of scorpions and spiders. So keeping those numbers down is essential in keeping your home bug free. As always please call ProBest Pest Management 602-249-7378 or 623-414-1076

Cricket Poo

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Cricket Poo can be mistaken for termite activity. Cricket mess under a hand lens appear to have sharp jagged edges. Often black in color while termites use soil and water which when mixed in their poo, used to build tunnels and tubes. I see this kind of activity inside garages on the foundation step up and along foundations outside homes. Termites construct their tunnels over surfaces such as slabs and drywall or 2x4s in homes.

People mistake lots of things as termites, I get calls on Mud dauber soil nest, They build these almost ball looking things which they then pack with incapacitated spiders and then lay their eggs inside. When the egg hatches the little baby larva eats the paralyzed spiders. Termites build little tunnels or tubes about the size of pencils and the little girls make their way throughout these tubes to contain moisture. The arch enemies of termites are ants and they fight if they interact. But you really don’t need either of these two on your property.

If you run into something and you don’t know what it is, call us 602-249-7378 or 623-414-0176 or send us a picture at [email protected]

Essential Services

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Essential Services – In response to the Covid-19 virus

Essential Services and their providers are the FrontLine of defense to Pest Control.This virus has certainly made people think, maybe those Preppers were right? Maybe we all need to think about – what if? The President, Governor of Arizona all have weighed in and set guidelines and protocols to the Pandemic. So why is Pest Control an Essential Service?

We are the Protectors of Public Health!

As you quarantine in place, we continue to serve your home or business. I never in all my days ever thought this day would come, yet here it is. The scorpions, ticks, mosquitoes, and rodents will not go away on their own. They will continue to be a constant threat against our lives. While many carry diseases, we are the force needed to stop them. We have the tools and knowledge to keep them at bay. The key in my mind is knowledge, anyone can spray but do they know the enemy? There are numerous pesticides on the market one even touts yearly protection – if that was true I would use the stuff. Depending on time, weather conditions and other factors, most pesticides only last a limited amount.

Why has ProBest Pest Management stopped doing insides homes and when did you stop? I made this decision years ago, probably about 2005. The pesticides are mixed with water, put down wet which dry and children and pets can then come in contact with these pesticides. Once dry they can become airborne and nobody needs to breath that over time. Most all work can be done from the outside, this requires more time. These days pesticides have come a long way, only certain pests like German Roaches require inside treatment (can be done with specific pesticides such as dry baits or gels). Ants can also be treated with baits. Bed bugs are a different story but these days there are fungal spores ready to annihilate the blood suckers.

Long story short, we PROTECT the PUBLIC. I personally have almost 30 years of experience, many long hours of study and credentials ready to serve you. Read my bio and you decide, who do you want on your side? Someone who cares and loves his job, or somebody just in it for the money. ProBest Pest Management 623-414-0176 or 602-249-7378.

Kings of Pain

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Kings of Pain tv show, you have got to watch this show. These two guys inflect pain upon themselves and then rate the pain on 3 levels – intensity, duration and damage 1 -10. They expand on the work of Justin O. Smith 1-4 with his pain scale. Now just so you know, I’m a wimp when it comes to pain. I think by now you should realize that men are babies, I can be a home sick and continue to moan as if there was someone home to hear me.

So I hear about these stings, I have been stung a few times by bees or hornets but nothing serious. Now I’m not downplaying the issues some people have with one sting but apparently I can get through several.

Now look at the stinger on this Tarantula Hawk, wowzers. This menacing bug ambushes tarantulas, lays an egg on it after stinging it and paralyzing it and the baby grows up on tarantula meat. This flying little bugs rarely mess with us, but if you provoke them watch out for that stinger. So give the Kings of Pain a look and see what you think?

Cockroaches

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Cockroaches can be real scary if they are in your home. Do you know some can actually fly or at least glide somewhat. If the one in your home is this BIG, you need to call ProBest right away 602-249-7378 or 623-414-0176.

OK they ever get that big, well maybe in prehistoric time but not anymore. By the way if they were that big a show wouldn’t do it and they would be easier to find and get rid of. By the way, I’m kidding but if you have German Cockroaches you really need us. The longer you put it off the more they breed and reproduce. How about a few facts?

One female can can produce thousands in just one year.
They tend to gather together after birth.
Egg cases are not susceptible to insecticides.
German Roaches can and do change their normal behavior.

Roachy

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Roachy the Official spokesbug

Electric

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Well its inevitable when you do termite work you are going to hit a few pipes. Normally I think of water pipes not electric. In my 30 years of doing pest control work, I don’t recall hitting an electric line so this week was it. Woo hoo and no injuries, just a breaker that popped.

The problem was we have no idea where the construction people lay the lines. In this case it was diagonal from the water spigot. No chance of knowing where they are and no chance of guessing. You wouldn’t expect lines to criss cross the garage floor, but we hit one in that situation, no where close to any water device.

Termite work can be dangerous, pest control and wiring. Use a reputable company, one that will help if they encounter an issue. Call ProBest today for any termite or pest issues 602-249-7378 or 623-414-0176