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Drains & Restaurants

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Drains & Restaurants

Do you ever check bathrooms before you eat at a restaurant, I check drains and restaurants for a living? I won’t eat until I check the bathroom, if its clean then probably (probably) the kitchen is clean. If you have a restaurant, staff must be taught that part of the process is cleaning. Everyday a certain station should be cleaned and then someone needs to double check. If a customer gets something in their food, the reputation can be sullied in that visit and those reviews sites are not forgiving.

Daily cleaning, certain areas.
Weekly cleaning.
Inspection by someone who cares, not just someone that wants to go home.
Inspection by management. If you set the standard – staff will comply.
A German Cockroach can get by with just a speck of grease, don’t forget in between appliances.
Use a checklist, its not tough. If you start out clean and keep it that way.

The Public is your Critic

Only takes one complaint, and if its online – it is there FOREVER. Those Dirty Dining shows are proof of that.
Make the weekly cleaning game with free appetizers etc. If staff doesn’t consider it work – it won’t be.
Set the standard, if you don’t then no one else will.

Lizards

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Lizards

These lizards are can often be found at South Mountain doing pushups on the boulders and the lizard in the picture is a Chuckwalla. They range in size up to 16 inches, and they live in the Southwest here is Arizona from California all the way to Southern Utah and Nevada. We do have a lot of lizards here in Arizona, but nothing as big as those Florida Iguanas. Those were in the news recently when it got really cold and they were dropping from the trees. A friend has one in Payson, she named Stan, it hangs out daily and soaks in the sun.

In regards to pest control, we don’t treat and shouldn’t treat for them as they do more good than harm. They eat plants like annuals and perennials and will feed on insects. Occasionally they find their way inside, usually by mistake. Just let them out to continue to do what they do.

Rat holes

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Does your yard have rat holes, do you know what is happening in your yards or your neighbors? Rats or rodents in general can do a lot of damage to wiring and irrigation pipes. Their teeth continue to grow and they need to gnaw them down and they do it by using wiring and other harder items.

Now if that wasn’t bad enough consider for a moment that they might get into your home? They are not very clean and can distribute urine and feces everywhere. They can carry in parasites like ticks and mites. They can also damage any plastic in the home. The other issue in Arizona is the more rats you have the greater possibility of snakes. The snakes looking for food, often will trail them right into your yard or area and set up shop.

Now most snakes are probably OK but you don’t want those venomous ones like the West Rattlesnakes etc. If you don’t know what they look like don’t take a chance. Always, always use gloves and pay attention to your surroundings. Don’t just throw bait in the rat holes, they can and will kick it out. Poison Control is 1-800-222-2222 and as always call 911 immediately. We can help with snake removal so call ProBest once you are safe 480-831-9328 or 623-414-0176. Always take care, we live in a desert – caution.

Attic infestation

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Attic infestation, can be caused by many critters including mice and rats. But they are not the only ones, have you considered wildlife like raccoons, birds and bats. Remember mice only need a hole the size of a dime and a rat a quarter. I think everyone should inspect their home twice a year, maybe the attic once a year maybe at Christmas. Attic infestation can occur from a few days to months. Take the packages into the garage and open them up. You don’t or need bugs or rats inside your home. That in itself could cause you hours or time you could be buying me a gift. This also goes for sheds, check that shed at least once during the summer and once during the winter. The National Pest Management Association constantly updates articles at their site, check it out for Fall and Winter pests. They also included a Bug Barometer for the seasons. Walk around the outside checking for honeybees and holes underneath. If you spot holes, or poop it’s time to call ProBest Pest Management 480-831-9328. Nobody likes surprises that cost money so on Attic infestations catch it early = no need to pay. Even if your looking for an opinion or need something identified, give us a call.

Signs:

Open holes, check the louvered screens and weep holes.
Look around insulation for tunnels.
Look around for feces.
Look around for dead bodies or scavenging.
Look around for scratching.

Spider webs

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Spider webs and spiders

Spider webs are the worst, you’re walking through the woods and boom – spider web. You’re in crawlspace and boom spider web. You’re in your garage and you are looking for a tool and you encounter a spider web – freaks you out. Yep, been there. Black Widow webs are crinkly and most often in a complete mess in direction. Sometimes you will find a egg sac and sometimes even the mama upside down just hanging out waiting to bite you. (They don’t do that).

Wear gloves ALWAYS when you are doing yard-work or working in garage.

When you’re hiking in the wood carry a stick ahead of you, by the way this also serves as a bear stick – I’m kidding.

Keep your garage area tidy, less chance for spiders to pop up.

Keep doors and windows closed and door trim in place.

Mice in Phoenix, AZ

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Mice in Phoenix, AZ?

Mice in general do their best to make it into our homes and businesses in Phoenix. What can be done to keep them out? I often read stories from the news sources on what people do to get pests out of their home. From the guy who torches his mattress, to the person using 25 aerosol bombs for bed bugs. And yet some people think having them in the house is cute. Remember these critters carry diseases and pathogens on their bodies. ProBest Pest Management often gets the call after the person has pretty much in their opinion done it all and can’t catch that one single mouse.

They know more than you think?

The bad problem is that that mouse already is wiser to our tricks and since they are now smarter it often takes more time. Mice will generally range for about 30 feet while rats may travel over 100 feet and remember they urinate and spread feces as they run. Often times people don’t put out enough traps, or they think it’s only one and it turns out there are more. If you see one estimate a few and take charge or better yet call a Professional. So don’t think that we can get them out in 24 hours, we will bring our A game but we will get it done. Mice are curious and that is in our favor, we might need traps, glue boards or mechanical traps but we will succeed. So my advice, don’t wait call a Professional right away – we have the tools. 480-831-9328

A few facts:

Mice rely on whiskers to touch and their noses to smell.
Their eyesight is weak.
They prefer to stay near the wall using their whiskers to feel there way.
They are curious while rats are shy.
Mice may visit multiple sites feeding on many food areas nightly.

Termite tubes and tunnels

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Building termite tubes and tunnels is hard work, but the termites do it 24/7/365 and I’m pretty sure not going to give it up soon. It really doesn’t matter what type of wall you have concrete, block or stone. They will work their way around electrical pipes or plumbing entry ways. They will stop at nothing to achieve their goals of getting food.

termite tubes

How about some termite facts?

Oldest insects on Earth.
Scientists believe that for every human on Earth there are 1000 lbs of termites.
A queen termite may lay 2000 or more eggs per day, some African Termite Queens may lay 30,0000.
Some Termite Queens may live 15-25 years.
Termites are more closely related to cockroaches than ants.
Termites build the largest actual nest than any other insect.
Ants are the termites biggest foes.
They believe that termites cause $5 billion worth of damage in the U.S. each year.
Ants have a narrow waist, but the termite is a solid type.
Ants have elbowed antenna while termites is straight.
In Arizona we have about 17 species of termites, not all cause problems.
Did you know that termites swarm, they send reproductives out to start new colonies. In Florida, East Coast it occurs during the early Spring while in Arizona it happens just after Monsoon in September – October or so.

Ants come a crawling…

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You know that old adage about the mechanic that never fixes his own car, cause he’s so busy or the pest control operator that never practices what he preaches – not me by the way. But by allowing that tree or bush to touch your home you may allow the ants to come into your home by the the millions.

ants trees

That colony could have lived in that tree for years, never attempting to go into your home but that new highway just afforded them that option. In their social hierarchy, some members forage for food and if they come across a new source like your kitchen it could all be over for your peaceful setting. They will take some food and make their way home leaving a pheromone trail for others to follow.

Did you know?

There could be 1 million in their colony, maybe more.
There are 1 million ants per person on Earth.
All those ants you see are female.
They have great eyesight but their antenna’s are the thing that really helps them in finding food.
They live about 45 – 60 days but probably have lived on Earth for over 1oo billion years. Queens may live 30 years.
If you weighed all the ants it would be more than all the humans. WOW, right?
The Maricopa Harvester ant is the most venomous insect on Earth and guess where it lives? Clue is Maricopa… and it’s sting is equal to 12 bee stings.
The Red Imported Fire Ant in Florida builds rafts to float during massive rain storms.
Their worst enemy is ProBest technicians, no just kidding but it’s other ants. Our technicians are good at what they do, but remember the ants are always on guard against intruders.
They can make their nest almost anywhere, don’t make it easy for them. Think about the types of landscape and decorations you place around your home.

Restaurants and the need 4 pest Control.

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Restaurants

The other a friend and myself visited a Pizza Place restaurant, before I even ordered I visited the bathroom. One of the cleanest bathrooms I’ve been in – in my life. That my friends is how I decide if I’m going to eat at a restaurant. Nothing would upset my intestinal track more than a sloppy disgusting dining place.

I’ll tell you another pet peeve, when an owner calls and I say you have to clean before I’ll take the account and when you come back nothing is done. Easy enough for me, I just won’t do the establishment, period. They are never going to be happy and neither will I. Restaurants should be cleaned at the end of each shift, they should then be cleaned weekly and then again on a monthly schedule depending on how busy they are. Each cleaning schedule can and should focus on certain things, again depending on the restaurant.

restaurants floor drain

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Termite tube in my carpet?

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This picture is a termite tube coming up through the carpet, so termites work 24/7/365 and they won’t stop until they find food. Even if they find food, their search continues to the next food source. So occasionally they will enter through a crack in the concrete, so you need to look against the wall and inside the house. As always you can always call upon the best to look for these little girls. “Call A Pro… Call The Best. ProBest. 480-831-9328

By the way, now is a good time to look for termites in Arizona.

Look for tubes outside on the foundation.

Look for either drop tubes or tubes coming up from the soil or concrete carpet areas.

I see a lot of tubes in garages, so focus on garage along the outer walls.

Termite tube carpet