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Bug-Man

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The Bug -Man

Bug-Man strikes – My office staff has really stepped up this year, we incorporated a sign into our welcoming of our Post Office clients. We tell them the weather forecast and often underping the pest world into the mix. We even mention it in our message on our service slips.

“Bugs aren’t going to inherit the earth, they already own it”. Since the dawn of time, by the way I wasn’t there bugs have been gunning for us. We invaded their territory, we made caves our domain and then we build houses where they lived first. So technically they were here first but God gave us dominion over all creatures. In some cases people have to decided to just grin and bear it, but bugs can make it tough. I remember a campout once where the mosquitoes just wouldn’t leave me alone. By the way it is tough trying to breath when your all locked away in a sleeping bag. Have you witnessed those shows where the flies or gnats are a real pests especially for animals?

 

bug-man

Weather cooler, watch out for rodents

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Weather may bring in the rodents mice and rats and other critters may be trying to gain access into your home. Just like any warm blooded animal, rodents want to be snug as a bug in a warm environment and that could be your home or attic. So I suggest that you take a look at the areas around your home that may be inviting to a critter, that doesn’t have to be a rodent exclusively. Pigeons, bats and even cats may try to get into your attics or crawlspaces and set up a home, so what can you do?

  1. Check your home quarterly inside and out and repair:
    1. Check weep screens.
    2. Check those louvers that allow your attic or crawlspace to breath.
    3. Caulk all holes or cracks that may allow access – remember mice can enter holes that are about the size of a dime and rats the size of a quarter.
    4. Here’s a biggie – think like a rat, how would you get in? I had a family of rats once that were coming in on telephone wires.
  2. When you bring down that stuff in the attic, open boxes either outside or in the garage oh and wear gloves as well. You don’t want any surprises jumping out of the box inside your home.
  3. Trim trees of your home, don’t allow vines to grow and attach.
    1. I suggest not planting plants to close to the house.
    2. If the trees did touch, make sure you repair and check the tiles.
  4. Read up on the enemy and become familiar with their habits. Always better to know more than you need to know, especially if you own a home.
    1. http://www.pestworld.org/pest-guide/rodents/
    2. Remember ProBest Pest Management is just a phone call away, 602-249-7378 check out our home seal page and specialized foam treatments..
weather

weather scorpion

How can you keep the scorpions out of your home?

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Home sealing is the way to go, hands down and here is the way to handle the scorpions.

  1. Inspect the outside of your home, high and low. Look for honeybees or wasp nest. Are the weep hole screens in place?
  2. Check for entry spots where scorpions or bugs can get into your home.
    1. Use a mirror and check the jtrim (that’s the thing that holds the bottom of stucco up). Ideally it should be flush against the foundation, the holes are OK and are there to allow the wall to breath and allow moisture to escape.
    2. Make sure you check corners, use some type of foam (use rigid not expanding foam) and secure in place with caulking.
    3. Repair leaky pipes, check flood irrigation and drip irrigation.
  3. Check window and/or door screens.
  4. Install garage door sweeps, call ProBest or check out our webpage https://callprobest.com/home-seal
  5. Remember scorpions need water, food and shelter just like you and me. Get rid of their food source, crickets and other small bugs. Consider calling a pest professional like ProBest Pest Management? Setting a schedule is essential, we won’t forget and we will call you in advance.

Twas the night before Christmas and not a creature was stirring

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Oh yes they are, and we all need to be aware they are always out there and wanting into our cozy warm homes. What can you do to keep them out?

  1. Seal all holes coming into your home.
  2. Repair screens.
  3. Install door sweeps.
  4. Install garage door seals.
  5. Close flue dampers or at least check them.
  6. Pay attention to wiring around homes, rodents need to keep their teeth from growing to long.
  7. Seal weep holes and check attic often.
  8. When brining stuff down from attic, open boxes outside – prevents anything from getting loose within the house.
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Photo by Univar

 

 

My favorite bug in the news – “Kissing Bug”

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“Kissing Bug” aka Triatoma, Assassin Bug, Cone-nose, Wheel Bug, or Ambush bug and sometimes called the Masked Bedbug Hunter “Arkansans spot the dangerous “kissing bug“. This bug is considered a predatory insect, it generally goes after other bugs and suck their fluids right out of their bodies. It gets that Kissing Bug name from the way they attack humans at night if they get into your home – they go to the area of our bodies that allow easier penetrations, like our mouth.

There are a variety of species (7000) and most look cool with their coloration but watch out for their piercing sucking rostrum. They live in the Southern States and Mexico. They transmit Chagas Disease with that painful bite wound where people accidentally scratch and introduce the organism into their bodies .

Best way to keep them out of your home:

  • Make sure screens are in place.
  • Don’t leave doors open.
  • Use door sweeps or correct low thresholds.
  • Home-seal and prevent them from sneaking in.

The tips for keeping the bugs out, what are they?

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To a Pest Management Professional the slogan – Integrated Pest Management is really important. Why, you ask? Because it is at the heart of what we do, everyday! I don’t think that many of us that really want to harm nature and there is a fine line to doing that and protecting us from the bugs that could kill us.

At its core is this principle – “Integrated Pest Management is a process involving common sense and sound solutions for treating and controlling pests. These solutions incorporate three basic steps: 1) inspection, 2) identification and 3) treatment. Treatment options vary from sealing cracks and removing food and water sources to pesticide treatments when necessary.”

But you and I both know that it isn’t always easy controlling certain pests like cockroaches in apartments, so its take everyone’s cooperation and help to solve the dilemna. The same goes for scorpions, home-sealing is just one step to controling these beasts.

So heer are a few tips to help you in your mission to keep your home or business bug free.

    1. Home-seal your home or buisness (fill in cracks and crevices).
    2. Fix any leaking pipes.
    3. Don’t stack firewood or any material against your house, the idea is to be clutter free.
    4. Keep trees and bushes clear from your home.
    5. De-clutter.
    6. Don’t bring in used furniture until you check it completely.
    7. Repair screens and door thresholds.
    8. Those holes at the roofline are to allow the attic to breath, don’t let birds or wildlife make their home there.
    9. A clean home is less attractive to wildlife and pests.

probestpestDSC06481a

Chagas disease and the Assassin Bug…

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“Neglected Tropical Diseases: An unfolding Tragedy of Chagas Disease in North America.” As many know this is my favorite looking bug, the one I think has the patterns and artistic shape that just looks cool for a bug. If you read the home seal you also know that this little bug is a biter and transmits a nasty little disease called Chagas.

The data shows that incidents in Mexico could be in the area of 1-6  million cases, USA 300,000 – 1 million and Canada less than 100,000.

 

Tips for keeping them out of your home:

  1. Repair screens and make sure they are in place.
  2. If your spending time outside, wear some type of repellent.
  3. If you live near horses or cattle, pay particular attention – they prefer these animals but given the chance will come after us.
  4. Close doors and install thresholds and door sweeps.
  5. Repair weep screens on attic rooflines.
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http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/chagas/

 

Yikes, how did that get in there?

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probestpestmanagement537

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:

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

ProBest Pest Management Top 10 Tips how to keep those bugs out!

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ProBest Pest Management Top 10 Tips to keep those bugs out!

 

  1. Seal up those cracks, holes and any entry points where those critters can get in.
  2. Reduce harborage areas where those bugs hang out.
  3. Keep trees, shrubs and vines off the house.
  4. Check your home monthly for any signs of trouble.
  5. Never and I mean never stack firewood against the house.
  6. Check and repair window screens.
  7. Store food in seal-able containers and I usually freeze it first then store.
  8. Avoid taking in boxes and storing them in pantry – see #7 above.
  9. Don’t forget to check out buildings, honeybees and termites can show up and do significant damage if not caught immediately.
  10. Follow your local Pest Management Professional on FaceBook, Twitter or their home seal to stay current with local issues.

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