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Tips for preventing pests at Christmas time.

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I’m not talking about uninvited people showing up at Christmas time and/or those over staying their welcome. Let’s talk about bringing in Christmas trees and the creatures we may be bringing in as well.

Always check your Christmas tree for things like squirrels, remember the “Christmas Vacation” movie (I really love that movie) hilarious.
Use caution when bringing things down from the attic, go through and make sure there are no rodents, bats or wildlife living in the boxes.
While you are in the attic, do a little inspection – check for termites (mud or dirt and damaged wood), do you see feces from rodents or bird nests.
Use caution when putting up Christmas decorations outside, you might disturb wildlife and you may accidentally fall.
Use caution putting decorations into trees or bushes, critters may live there.

It’s not always about the Scorpions, how about visiting Arizona? Sunset Crater

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Sunset Crater

Just north of Flagstaff is the Sunset Crater Volcano – Sometime between 1040 and 1100, a series of eruptions—the only eruptions in the Southwest indisputably witnessed by local peoples — brought the dormant San Francisco Volcanic Field back to life.

Cave-like lava tubes and cracks in the lava flows serve the needs of insects, spiders, lizards, and rodents. Bats also inhabit some of these spaces, flying out at night to feed. Birds, given their ability to fly freely between nesting and feeding sites, can be seen – and heard – throughout the monument. Among them are Steller’s jays, pinyon jays, black-chinned hummingbirds, white-breasted nuthatches, ravens, and crows. Golden eagles and several species of hawks watch from above. But the monument is surrounded by pine forests which provide foraging habitat for mule deer, elk, pronghorn, bobcat, and coyote, and are home to a variety of small mammals, including the Abert squirrel, cottontail rabbit, and porcupine.

Yikes, how did that get in there?

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Rats and mice nomally can squeeze through small opening (mice – dime and rats – quarter), I think this guy just had a bad day. I suppose it ate some bait or got bit by something, cause it looks like it has some room to wiggle. Just a caution on mice/rats, rodents in general they have teeth and aren’t afraid to use them. They will gnaw on electrical wiring around pool pumps, car engines and equipment of all sorts. By the way this also goes for rabbits, they will also go after wiring. So what precautions can you take:

Check you home monthly for signs of pests, I know I say it often but eventually you might listen to my advice.
Check for holes or loose screening, including those weep holes at the roofline.
If you see bees flying in and out, check it out but use caution.
Don’t stack firewood against the house.
Don’t let trees or bushes touch the house, super highway for rodents and ants.
Have a Professional Termite company do an inspection for termites.

How do you know the problem is huge – when the cockroaches are everywhere?

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The very minute you walk into the home, you know there are issues. How does the bug guy know? Let me share my observations:

The cockroaches are in the door hinges or above the entry door into the home.
The cockroaches are in the bedrooms.
The cockroaches are in the living or dining rooms.
The home has a distinct odor. Once you have been in a home with a severe cockroach problem you never forget that smell. The same applies to Bed Bugs and sometimes rats or rodents.

Did you know that a smell can bring on a flood of memories, influence people’s moods and even affect their work performance. Maybe walking into a house where someone is baking cookies and you instantly recall your Grandmother in the kitchen or if your a pest operator walking into a place where the roaches far outnumber any other living things. Gives you the heebie jeebies right?

Tell me your instant recall of a smell you have encountered, maybe I’ll share a few more.

Ouch, can this happen at your home or business?

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A friend of mine on FaceBook – Ernesto Luis Verbauwen posted this picture the other day and I just had to repost it on my home seal – so thanks to Ernesto. Ernesto works at Fumigaciones San Lorenzo in Concoria, Entre Rios.

I just really love the fact that as pest control operators we can all get along and share useful tips and facts to help one another.

Which according to my research Bogata, Colombia. Bogotá formally Bogotá, Capital District, from 1991 to 2000 called Santafé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent capital district

In “Rodents will gnaw on anything, what happens if its your home“, we looked at 20% of homes in US possibly the number of fires by rodents. Scary, I think so! What if it were your home or business. Some wildlife outside is OK, but I would say none inside. So home-seal and keep them out and hey if you’re in Concoria give my friend a call, I’m sure he will treat you right.

Rodents – why are they scary?

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Did you know Rodents encompass 43% of all mammals on earth, the mouse is #2 and Norway rat is #3.

There are about 4260 species of mammals known on this planet at the moment, though taxonomists are still arguing and species are still being found.

Diseases directly transmitted by rodents (thanks to the CDC)

It was far easier to report information directly from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) site, click the link for more information.

Bubonic Plague right on our doorstep in New Mexico

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“New Mexico reports second human case of Plague of 2013 in Torrence County Girl” Plague is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium, Yersinia pestis. It is found in animals throughout the world, most commonly rats but other rodents like ground squirrels, prairie dogs, chipmunks, rabbits and voles. Fleas typically serve as the vector of plague. Human cases have been linked to the domestic cats and dogs that brought infected fleas into the house.

“Squirrel with bubonic plague closes campgrounds in Angeles National Forest – July 2013‘

So did you think that Bubonic Plague was a long forgotten disease, or how about Hanta Virus, Lyme disease or Rabies? Every once in awhile these little diseases pop up around the U.S. and we all need to remind ourselves of their potential to kill.

Rub marks where rats are getting into the structure.

Is there Lyme Disease in Arizona? YES!

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According to CDC surveillance statistics, only 52 cases of Lyme disease have been reported in Arizona in the past 10 years. These statistics may be misleading. Reported cases reflect the “tip of the iceberg,” or only a fraction of the true cases. The CDC states there are approximately 30,000 reported cases of Lyme in the US, and acknowledges that it is under-reported by 10 fold. This means that there are a minimum of 200,000 cases in the US that meet the CDC standard of diagnosis.

There are over 25 species of ticks in Arizona that may carry Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, Tularemia, Babesia and tick fever, as well as Lyme disease. If the tick that bites you is infected, it can inject Lyme bacteria into your bloodstream within hours of attachment. The bacteria can also invade your brain and nervous system in less than 24 hours.

There is a Arizona Lyme Disease Association and is there an answer – YES. As with any wildlife issue, there will almost always be a bug problem. Wildlife can be cute and can also carry diseases and parasites. So why not prevent the issue without harming the wildlife. How is this possible you say? Brochure Tick Control

The mice or ground squirrels enter the box, feed on the non-toxic food and get a combing of fipronil on their fur. They can then carry this back to nest-mates and it absorbs into their skin, killing ticks or fleas that bite and suck their blood.

Here is another article “Lyme Disease in the U.S. is 10-times underreported.”

Certified Installers by State

Rodents aren’t just a problem in NYC, how about Arizona?

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“Harlem says rats to blame for telephone woes“, you may think they have their issues and yes they do but we also have issues with rodents. There was a issue a year or so ago where rabbits were chewing/gnawing on vehicle wiring and that can be a real headache if you need your car in a hurry.

The front incisors of rodents never stop growing, In fact, continuously growing front teeth is a trait shared by all rodents from the tiniest mouse to the largest rodent. Observing mice & rats who have nothing to gnaw upon, its been found that these incisors can grow up to five inches per year.
Rats have strong teeth that allow them to chew through glass, cinderblock, wire, aluminum and lead.
Rodents need to chew four to five hours each day just to keep their teeth gnawed down to the point that they are able to eat. If their teeth grow too long they will die of starvation.
There is a very high sodium content in electrical and cable wiring. This makes the wires taste good to the rodents, but can lead to wire failure & is a fire hazard. Check your home-owner’s insurance policies to see if it covers fire if it is a result of rodents chewing on wires.

Photo – Univar Environmental Solutions

My Top 3 reasons why you need pest control, or do you?

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Pest control isn’t always needed at your home, but if you have issues you can either take care of it yourself or hire a Professional. I have written numerous home seals that categorically point out the advantages of hiring a pro for that job. There are those that believe that no matter the circumstance, it isn’t necessary to hire a professional. Here are the facts as I see them:

You may need experience and expertise.
Remember Bubonic Plague, Hanta Virus and other diseases are still present in the U.S. – “Rabbit test positive for Tularemia in Pueblo West, CO.”
Not every job can be accomplished by stepping on the bug.