Silverfish attic – book pests

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Where do silverfish live? My books are being eaten by something, what could it be?

How many people do you think bring in boxes into the house during Christmas or other occasions without thinking about pests? That pest, mouse or squirrel may have been living in that box all winter until it found itself within your home and all heck breaks loose. The silverfish may be eating the paper, glue or any binding on a book it can find. That mouse or squirrel may have set up to give birth in that warm and comfy attic space away from all the hub bub. Check out Bob Vila’s Top 5 Spring Pest Proofing Tips.

silverfish

All I can think about is “Christmas Vacation” where that squirrel jumps out of the Christmas tree. Boy wouldn’t that give you a start?

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

Did you know that rodent teeth continue to grow?

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This story is from Grant County, Washington and just highlights the need to understand rodents. I have on occasion had people tell me “I don’t care if I have rodents or birds in my attic”. “I don’t care if they are under my crawlspace, they are not bothering me”. Well maybe not today but how about tomorrow? What happens when they leave, what parasites do they leave behind? What damage can be done to the structure? “911 outage in Grant County possible caused by rodents”

Rodents incisor teeth continue to grow and they need to keep them in check.
Fleas, ticks and other critters make their homes in the nest or on the bodies of wildlife.
Animals/wildlife seek shelter within our homes but it is very important to keep them out. They produce feces, urine and other bodily secretions daily – you don’t want or need them in your home.
Mice urinate almost continuously, if this becomes airborne you have the chance to breath it in. This is how Hanta Virus is spread.

Home-sealing is a key to keeping them out.

Are bats using their friends to search for food?

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“Bats eavesdrop on each other to find foods”

I have to be honest I think bats are cool, I was out on a trip into the desert many years ago. We were actually on a trip to find some tarantula’s and scorpions and the bats were enjoying the early evening hours. There were many bats and I noticed a lot of flying insects we even threw up a shoe to see if they would go after it and they did. (No bats were harmed with the shoe throw)

So just because something looks creepy doesn’t mean that it is. Don’t harm animals, wildlife or snakes. Call a Pest Management Professional to help remove it and relocate it if possible.

Birds and their damage.

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So you just noticed that birds or something is getting into your attic, well if you ignore it maybe it will just go away? Probably not, but even if you fix the problem that might not be the end of it. Birds, critters or even pests can cause other problems. The animals might have parasites and once you get rid of them the parasites might come down from the attic looking for food. That might be you!

So one of my suggestions would be to do periodic checks of your property, look up and down. Look for openings or rub marks (like the picture on the right), or for feces buildup on your home (left picture). My recommendation is to do monthly or at the very least quarterly checks of your property.

What do you know about Bed Bugs?

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Arizona Department of Economic Security has issued a Health Information Fact Sheet #13 in regards to Bed Bugs

https://www.azdes.gov/uploadedFiles/Developmental_Disabilities/qafs_bedbugs_13.pdf

Facts about Bed Bugs
What to watch for
Risk facters
What to do – Prevention
What to do – when Bed Bugs are suspected

Just another house in flames, as homeowner attempts to rid home of Bed Bugs.

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A New Jersey homeowner used a combination of a space heater, hair dryer and a heat gun to get rid of the Bed Bugs BUT that set-up caused an explosion and BOOOOOOM. Please use caution and common sense in dealing with Bed Bugs. Please check out our website and the National Pest Management Association for helpful tips and the way to contact a Pest Management Professional near you.

Hospitals sharing more than health

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“Bed Bugs Invade Hospitals”

Bed Bugs continue to show up in weird and strange places. So do you have a plan before you vacation or stay in a hospital?

Keep an eye out for bugs or fecal spotting on beds or sheets. If you notice something mention it to staff.
If you place clothes in drawers just be sure to leave the suitcase in the garage and wash/dry everything.
If you bring items home, check them for Bed Bugs.
If you encountered bites, have someone check them before checking out of hospital.
If you accidentally find them at home call a Pest Management Professional immediately.

Do you think Bed Bugs can infest your car?

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One of the many things that we offer to residents in Arizona is that your car will probably be hot enough to kill Bed Bugs. We definitely don’t want you leaving pets in your car because temperatures can reach 150 to 200 degrees without a lot of effort here in sunny Arizona. Temperatures can easily exceed 50 degrees from the outside temperatures depending if you actually locate a cactus to park under. OK that is actually a joke but if you live here you try to find shade anywhere you can. Temperatures above approximately 113 – 120 degrees should be hot enough to kill these little biters.

This story appeared in MYFox9.com Minneapolis-St. Paul “Bed Bugs in your car? It’s a real problem“.

Were you aware that May is “National Pet Month”?

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Were you aware that May is “National Pet Month”?

Lots of us own pets, from cats to snakes and because of this we can also from time to time get uninvited pests including ticks and other vermin. In Arizona we don’t get fleas very often but we do encounter ticks on a regular basis. So what can you do to stop those infestations from happening to your home.

Don’t leave food out for feral cats, this may bring in other unwanted pests.
If you see holes in the yard check for Pocket gophers, they can damage plants and bring in pests.
Even birds like pigeons can bring in pests, don’t allow them them to live on your roof.
Bats can make your attic a home, seal and block all access into your attic. Bat Bugs can take up residence within your attic and if you get rid of the bats, the Bat Bugs may come into your home space.
Check your pets frequently for signs of fleas or ticks. You can use over the counter medicines but if you do please mention this to your Pest Management Professional – some of those products may contain a similar products and cause an overdose to the pet.
Keep grass or vegetation trimmed around the home.
Don’t become a hoarder, keep debris away from the home and discourage rodent activity.
Never place firewood next to your home, don’t invite rodents or pests near the home. If you use firewood only bring in what you plan on using right away.
If you have rodents, it may lead to snakes. Snakes have to eat so don’t encourage them to come to your house.
Don’t allow water to stand, mosquitoes can bite and transit diseases and parasites to your pets.