All posts in “bugs”

Silverfish / Firebrats

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Silverfish / Firebrats

Silverfish / Firebrats can infest various and obscure places, this one was is in an outside rodent station. Usually found within structures and notorious for eating books, book bindings, papers and old documents. The quickest and easiest way of transporting them into your home is by way of old storage boxes or materials which they love to infest. Silverfish are usually uniformly silver, while Firebrats are mottled gray-brown color. They are usually associated with damp areas, active at night and hide during the day. Mainly nuisance pests, usually causing little damage. They do not cause disease and they don’t come up drains. The best method is reduce the dampness and they will usually disappear.

I think if you have a crawlspace and/or attic, this would be the first place to check. Those areas are noted for undisturbed and dampness, depending as well on geological areas of the country. I would then check areas of bathrooms, laundry rooms, kitchen and basements  and don’t forget to check stockpiles of books or magazines. I also think baits work best on getting rid of the little pests.

So here are a few tips:

  1. Fix any leaks.
  2. Caulk any opening in wall and any areas where they could slip in.
  3. If you see 1, take action. If your system doesn’t get rid of them – Call a Pest Management Professional such as ProBest. 602-249-7378

Silverfish / Firebrats

Palo Verde Bugs and you

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Palo Verde Bugs

Palo Verde Bugs and I just had to post this short little video, this is a relatively BIG bug and they fly. I’m always a bit concerned at this time of monsoon time of year. Since they fly and could hit a motorcyclist and we have enough issues with people not seeing motorcycles.

They feed on the roots of trees especially Palo Verde trees. They then pupate into a beetle that can grow to about 4 inches and they have spines oh and they can bite (see my blood). That makes them one of the largest beetles in North America and can you imagine getting hit in the head with one of these. Ouuuuuch! Did I mention that cats love to play with these little monsters?

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJ9gCoZXCC4[/embedyt]

palo verde bugs

Poop – What is it?

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Poop?????

Is it Poop? Not the best and most visible pictures, I need a new camera. Any ideas? I have been called a few times by people believing this to be from termites, not. I find this at the bottom of stucco and pretty readily found in Arizona.

poop DSC03764

Ok so we know its not termites, well here it is drum roll please – cricket poo. Somehow the crickets get into the wall and their feces falls down the wall voids. This is also a big sign that you need pest control because the next problem will be scorpions. I’m only guessing here but I’ll bet that scorpions love to eat crickets.

Health Checks & Symptoms – Bedbug Awareness Week day3

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Health Checks & Symptoms

Health Checks – Well it’s that time of year, school is out and traveling begins. Whether at home or traveling for summer vacation, bedbugs could be a key concern. Although named for their habit of feeding on human hosts in bed. They can be found in all types of locations and items. To promote public awareness and to help avoid issues, the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) has declared June 4-10, 2017 as BedBug Awareness Week. ProBest Pest Management is joining NPMA in this important public education effort by sharing common signs of a bed bug infestation to keep an eye out for this summer.

“Just like people enjoy traveling in the summer months, so do bed bugs, and they love using personal belongings like suitcases, boxes and shoes as a hiding place, just to be near a food supply,” said Keith V. Birkemeyer aka Dr. Bug,  at ProBest Pest Management in Gilbert, Arizona. “With these biting pests being easily transported, it’s important to know the top signs of an infestation. This way proper precautions can be put in place  to know when it’s time to call a licensed pest control professional such as ProBest 602-249-7378 or call us at 623- 414-0176 to assess the situation.”

Concerns

Dr Bug shares the following  signs and symptoms of a possible bed bug infestation:

  • Small red to reddish brown fecal spots on mattresses, upholstery or walls
  • Molt bed bug skins, their white, sticky eggs or empty eggshells
  • Red, itchy bite marks, especially on the legs, arms and other body parts exposed while sleeping
  • Very heavily infested areas may have a characteristically sweet odor

“During the summer, travel increases and so does the likelihood of encountering bed bugs. We strongly encourage the public to take extra precautions to avoid encounters with these biting pests,” added Dr. Bug.”

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ALNAR90u1w[/embedyt] [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUl3Iw6NoJ0[/embedyt] [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Axi1d6sVv4M[/embedyt]
health checks

Photo by NPMA

health checks

Photo by NPMA

Bedbug Awareness Week day1

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Well it’s that time of year, school is out and the traveling begins. Whether at home or traveling for summer vacation, bedbugs could be a key concern. Although named for their habit of feeding on human hosts in bed, they can be found in all types of locations and items. To promote public awareness and to help avoid infestations, the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) has declared June 4-10, 2017 as BedBug Awareness Week. ProBest Pest Management is joining NPMA in this important public education effort by sharing common signs of a bed bug infestation to keep an eye out for this summer.

“Just like people enjoy traveling in the summer months, so do bed bugs, and they love using personal belongings like suitcases, boxes and shoes as a hiding place, just to be near a food supply,” said Keith V. Birkemeyer aka Dr. Bug,  at ProBest Pest Management in Gilbert, Arizona. “With these biting pests being easily transported, it’s important to know the top signs of an infestation, so proper precautions can be put in place and to know when it’s time to call a licensed pest control professional such as ProBest 602-249-7378 or call us at 623- 414-0176 to assess the situation.”

Dr Bug shares the following noteworthy signs and symptoms of a possible bed bug infestation:

  • Small red to reddish brown fecal spots on mattresses, upholstery or walls
  • Molt bed bug skins, their white, sticky eggs or empty eggshells
  • Red, itchy bite marks, especially on the legs, arms and other body parts exposed while sleeping
  • Very heavily infested areas may have a characteristically sweet odor

“During the summer, travel increases and so does the likelihood of encountering bed bugs. We strongly encourage the public to take extra precautions to avoid encounters with these biting pests,” added Dr. Bug.”

Bedbug

Bedbug

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPBal3PdvgU[/embedyt]

Wood rot

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Wood rot and your home.

Wood rot = wood decaying fungus as a type of fungus that digests wet/moist wood causing it to rot. Often times the mere correction of the wood is enough to salvage the wood. Is the wood in contact with the dirt? Is there a water leak and the wood is getting wet or staying wet for extended periods of time? Obviously if you see a fungus growing in the wood, it would be a dead giveaway (in the picture above). If you’ve read any of my blogs you know that I highly recommend performing a monthly home inspection. What should the homeowner look for?

  • Any water leaks, no matter how insignificant should be investigated.
  • Lingering moisture around the foundation of your home, correct sprinklers and/or flood irrigation.
  • Some times bushes can hold the water close to the house, avoid vines.
  • Inspect window sills, door frames and underneath sinks.
  • Painting or resealing wood really helps to prevent the water from getting in.
  • Decks need to be checked often.
  • Roofs should be checked.
  • Caulking can also help, but make sure you’re not covering up a problem.

Problems and Issues

The key is to find the problems and issues before they become major catastrophes. An ounce of prevention may save you $1000s of dollars and a real headache. Homeowners can simply get screens fixed and may keep the bugs out and in the same way a simple fix of a gutter leak may save you hours of time to rebuild a section of your house. Did you know that its usually a moisture content of over 20% that causes the problem, and I know you’re thinking we don’t have that kind of moisture in Arizona. Remember that thing we call monsoon?  That fungus really needs good temps, oxygen and a food source and that could be your home.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsSWmS-A1uY[/embedyt]

 

wood rot

 

Are you facing bug problems at your home/business?

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Got bug problems?

Bugs and bug problems are a realty of life but there is no reason to put up with them at your home or business, right? Your family is most important to you, how about friends and coworkers? I’m reminded of the recent issue with United Airlines. Not the one where they hauled that guy off the plane but the scorpion incident. Someone once told me there is no such thing as bad press, United Airlines may argue that point with you. So what is a good ad to project that you know bug/pest control? I think the ad below reflects a good sign of competence in Pest Management, along with knowledge of the bug business and good reviews. Tell me what you think?

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0ZkyLGHwmE[/embedyt]
bug problems

bug problems

Scary things living in your attic?

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A bump in the night in your attic!

It might sound strange, but if you hear noises at night in the attic it may not be your imagination. Maybe those bumps in the night might be coming from inside your attic. Even the smallest of holes allow mice and insects such as honeybees access into your home. I always suggest that you do periodic checks of your home especially the attic to basically keep an eye out for trouble makers. Birds and even larger animals can gain access into crawlspaces & attics. As a result this can cause concern and sometimes it is a real pain to get rid of them. Honeybee are always on the search here in Arizona for a new place to live. Honeybees often swarm in Spring and Fall since we have a somewhat higher temperature throughout the year. If you notice bees going into your home use extreme caution as they may be very dangerous. Once you have made them MAD, you can’t take it back. They can stay agitated for 8+ hours, they can sting dogs, neighbors and children.

https://www.facebook.com/rjoplin/videos/10208607135351946/

 

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVWUhkPuU4Q[/embedyt]

 

PestBlots

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What do you see? Pestblots

PestBlots is a video from PestWorld.org. This site also serves as the official website of the National Pest Management Association (NPMA). It is a non-profit group committed to the protection of public health, food and property. This site serves as a complete resource for consumers, media, educators and pest control pro’s. Furthermore common household pests to do-it-yourself pest control tips, PestWorld.org provides timely info and tools to better serve our visitors’ pest control needs.

Therefore, please utilize PestWorld.org as your main resource for info on bugs, rodents, pest control, and the growing pro’s pest management industry.

Pest control pro’s are invited to visit NPMAPestworld.org to access the NPMA’s member website. This site provides timely news, valuable information and access to all NPMA member benefits.

NPMA - Pestblots

ProBest is a member of the NPMA. PestBlots

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsqNSkaJlcE[/embedyt]

Mission

Support

Provide Business, Education, and Resource Tools necessary for Success by Pest Control Pro’s

Protect

Ensure rule making and laws are Favorable to the Pest Control Industry

Grow

Offer Programs to Support Industry and Group Members’ Business Growth

Ant Invasion

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The ants go marching one by one, remember the old saying?

How many times have you sprayed something on the ants and they just coming back? It’s not about killing the ones you see, it’s about killing the Queen. You can spray until your fingers go numb, but I’ve got the secret – oh and that’s why you pay me to come to your house for the ants and other bugs. OK just kidding, but you really have to know the bug in order to have the right ammunition to annihilate them. You must get something to the Queen and take her out.  Call ProBest Pest Management and we can solve those ant issues 602-249-7378

ant

ant

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJmNDfAEu_s[/embedyt]
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