All posts in “ProBest”

Does your Pest Company report on conducive conditions at your home?

 

Part of doing pest control involves me walking around your property and doing a cursory check of the things I see.

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So when I see a condition that could cause further issues I want to bring it to the attention of the homeowner. The issue above could cause further problems down the road by leaking into the home or by causing the roof to really leak especially with the monsoons we are experiencing these days. So the question is really an easy one – “Why keep a company that doesn’t care about you or your family?” Call ProBest Pest Management we will inform you on conditions that can cause potential issues – call us today at 602-249-7378 or 623-414-0176 and thanks.

Genealogy & Pest Control

Pest Management Professional Magazine recently did an article in their “After Hours” section called “Connecting genealogy and pest management” by Dan Jacobs and I wanted to say thanks. I also want to share with you one of my hobbies, which I enjoy when I have time that is. I also love to hike but not in the heat or in the summer here in Arizona. Sometimes it is just great to get out into a wooden area and see what is happening. This hobby is related to my Scouting career. A few of my FaceBook friends enjoy camping, hiking and vacationing and I really enjoy their posting of their activities. The 2 pictures below are 2 of  my (25) Eagle Scouts when I was in Florida. Scouting builds character!

Within the last few months:

Ann & Joe went camping in Michigan

Jason hiked part of the AT Trail (Appalachian Trail) which he does almost every summer with friends. I have hiked sections of the AT a few times with my Scouts. Jason is the one in the back.

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Jason M. participated as a Counselor at a summer camp

Frank & Shelly went to the beach

and this one was beyond belief – Chris ran 100 miles through the Sahara Desert – Marathon Des Sables.

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The most common pests and how to eradicate them from your home

Household pests are tricky to deal with. If you don’t know what to look out for they could go unnoticed and cause serious damage to your property, belongings and general health. The trick is to catch them early and eradicate them before they get the chance to breed and establish their residence.
This list of common household pests has been provided by the expert team who provide pest control in North London, their experts have provided advice on how to get rid of various pests from your home.
Mice
The bane of the kitchen, mice are active all year round and usually nest in areas that are warm and quiet. They often chew up furniture and find their way into food packaging. In addition, they can spread disease. If you’re suffering from a mouse infestation, cleanliness is key. Make sure your kitchen floors and work surfaces are spotless; place packaged food into containers; and put some mouse traps in the most common problem areas.
Moths
Moths are certainly one of the most annoying pests; however, it’s their larvae that does most of the damage. When they lay their sticky eggs on clothing and upholstery it can be very destructive. If you have a moth infestation, clean all of your clothes and ensure your closet is dry and ventilated. In extreme cases, store your clothes in plastic boxes until the problem goes away. Make your own moth traps by hanging up flypaper and putting a little fish oil on it to attract them.

Cockroaches
Cockroaches usually live in warm houses and come out during the night. They often hide in cracks and crevices in the kitchen and will feed on virtually anything. Getting rid of cockroaches requires poisonous bait; however, this can also be harmful to humans, so it must be used with caution.

Bed Bugs
While commonly found in bedding – hence the name – bed bugs can also live in small cracks and crevices. Controlling them can be very difficult as they spread quickly, so if you ever have bed bugs acting fast is the key to success. Wash all of your bedding on a high temperature, and then take apart your bed frame and disinfect it. Vacuum your entire room and give it a thorough clean for safe measure. If the problem re-occurs call an exterminator straight away.

Rats
Of all the pest, rats are without a doubt the most dangerous. Typical signs include droppings, smear marks and teeth marks on cables and furniture. Rats have been known to start electrical fires and can also spread diseases, so dealing with them straight away is paramount. Sometimes traditional pest control products won’t work and you’ll have no choice but to call the professionals. Qualified pest controllers can not only eradicate pests, but could pest-proof your home and this is certainly recommended if you have a recurring problem.

Guest post by Aaron Higgins North London Pest Control

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What do you think are the World’s Deadliest Insects?

 

I ran across this story from back in February 2014 “8 Deadliest Insects in the World.” My guess was correct as I frequently mention it in many of my bug presentations. So what do you think are the top eight? Go ahead and take a good guess.

I asked this question just this last week at the Nature Camp, can you name the bugs that bite or sting here in Arizona?

  • Honeybees
  • Wasps
  • Scorpions
  • Mosquitoes
  • Ticks
  • Assassin Bugs
  • Bed Bugs
  • Some flies

Can Subterranean termites damage paintings and other wall art?

 

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Remember last week on the 18th July Arizona termites – sneaky and they will get in

Once termites find their way in they will continue to seek out cellulose and if they find it in a painting they will attack and eat. So if you notice anything unusual on a wall or painting please check it out. Sometimes those hidden areas can surprise you.

Are there more issues with termites in crawlspace homes?

There are probably no more issues than with a monolithic or floating slabs and some would say crawlspaces are easier to see.

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I would venture to say that in my opinion Post Tension is probably better, the ability to pull concrete together helps to avoid the pitfalls of cracks developing. Crawlspaces can be tricky because I have seen some that were impossible to crawl, less than 18 inches high or so many obstacles in the way. But with the right height and limited obstacles crawlspaces can easily inspected. I would suggest a yearly inspection and that inspector can also mention things like:

  • water pipes leaking
  • air conditioning vents on ground
  • sometimes under mobile homes they leave the wheels in place, these need to be inspected as well
  • pillars (block or metal) checked
  • insulation falling or loose
  • crawlspace access points not sealed or in place, loose or non existent metal
  • dirt falling in

Anyway you get the point, yearly inspections

Resources for IPM

 

I talk a lot about IPM because it just makes sense, you know the stories and how people just want the old way of pest control. Just like any business you have to change and adapt to those changes or you ultimately die from lack of business. I will admit it isn’t easy to walk away from money but Integrated Pest Management  (IPM) is here to stay) and the the betterment of all of us.

Which makes more sense:

  • Pest Company A shows up at your home, power sprays (soaks everything with pesticide), then comes inside your home and using a compressed sprayer sprays all the baseboards within the home.
  • Pest Company B asks questions about activity, does a walk around the property and then begins a treatment program. They use a webber broom to knock down webs and locates wasps nest. They might use bait for ants outside and/or using a backpack treat specific locations for scorpions and crickets, they might use a bellows hand duster to put pesticide dust into cracks and crevices to treat the insects (food insects or actual pests) that might be hiding in those areas. If there is a problem within that structure they might use baits or products that pose less risks to the family and pets.

School & Home Integrated Pest Management July 2014 Newsletter – Thanks to the University of Arizona (College of Agriculture & Life Sciences.

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Grasshoppers

 

 

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We don’t often talk about grasshoppers or locust but I would say that they would be considered occasional pests. Those pests that accidentally get into homes or businesses. Technically a locust is a grasshopper but not all grasshoppers are locusts. Locusts were once known as the Plague of the West and will eat almost anything in its path.

Keeping windows and doors shut will keep them out along with repairing window screens.

Insects make nests in unusual places.

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Sorry for the blurriness of the picture put it is a fire alarm sprinkler head and a Mud Dauber wasp has decided to create a nest in the head itself. We decided to alert maintenance because I didn’t want the alarm triggering.

 

What is the weirdest place you have seen a nests?

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