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Rainy season brings the termites, are you ready?

When your home was built the contractor probably was required to pretreat the soil before pouring the concrete slab. By AZ law a final grade was to be performed within a certain period, if you look in the electrical box you may find the two required stickers. One should be the original pretreat and the second is the final grade. Now that’s if they haven’t fallen off or are not legible. You can also visit the Office of Pest Management site at http://tarf.sb.state.az.us/index.php?ckset=ok – they started keeping track in 1990 I think.

Back in the day termiticides like Chlordane could last for 50 years, but in my opinion today I think it is closer to 15 years. Especially when placed under concrete without things that would break down the chemical. The outside of the home or that final grade is another completely different story. If nothing messes it up it might last 7 years but that doesn’t happen very often. Water, rodents, sun and the heat, people installing pipes or wires often disrupt that barrier. It is my opinion that you shouldn’t plant anything under the eaves of the roof line, roots and water may affect the home and you don’t need anything else to worry about.

So keep checking your foundation, clear away rocks or soil from the stucco area – you need to be able to see that foundation. Don’t stack firewood against the home or for that matter any other debris. As always if you need an inspection give ProBest Pest Management a call at 602-249-7378 or 623-414-0176.

What happens after a disaster?

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What happens after a disaster? Where do the pests go?

Have you ever wondered what exactly happens after a natural disaster, have you considered the following.

1. If it was a flood, from heavy rains or hurricane:

a. What about the rodents where did they go?

b. What about the cockroaches and other things that might live in the sewer system or septic tank?

2. Fire:

a. Animals are affected by fire, including birds.

b. Rodents can also be affected by fire and may seek refuge in your building or sheds.

The scourge of kitchens and restaurants.

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The scourge of kitchens and restaurants. The German Cockroach

What can you do to keep them out of your kitchen?

German Roaches love to hang out with their tops and bottoms of their body touching, so a cardboard box is a great place for a roach. So if you bring home boxes, take them apart and throw them out. Store the contents in Tupperware type containers.
These roaches don’t live outside, so if you caught something trying to get in – it’s not a German Roach.
Sanitation is important, I often find (I’m guilty of this as well) that you need to clean the sides of whatever is next to the stove. Grease splatters and a single roach can make dinner of a grease spot for a long period of time. These roaches will eat enything.
See that thing attached to the right hand roach, that is an egg-case and it contains 30 eggs and potentially 30 brand new roaches.
Don’t use a bug bomb, it will drive them deeper and make it all the more difficult to get rid of them.
These bugs carry and transmit diseases and germs so it is extremely important to stop them in their tracks.
If you find one, figure out where you think it came from and maybe it is time to call a Pest Management Professional.

Sometimes those termites drive you daffy…

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Sometimes those termites drive you daffy…

Every once in awhile you get that termite job that is either unique or somehow just different. No matter what you do, the termites continue to do some damage in a home.

Scenario

House is about 20 years old, no record exists for a pretreatment with the state – in Arizona (Office of Pest Management)we are required by law to report all termites treatments. I actually wrote a home seal “Termite Sleuth on the Job” same house – continued issue but in a different area.

Treated entire house with Termidor, down drilled all attached slabs and garage and have drilled various areas within the home on the wooden floors. I’m almost convinced that no pretreatment was ever done. No further issues along the exterior of the home, only on the interior and once we drill the area we notice activity later. Now I did mention Termidor, but if it isn’t where they are moving through it – it won’t work. So without taking the floor up I decided to use some bait stations – FirstLine™ by FMC. I used another product in Florida and have learned a few things on bait systems after some time in Arizona. I place the units in areas where there is some shade or something with a bigger footprint to help hold cooler temperatures and maybe water.

probestpestmanagementIMAG0771 probestpestmanagementIMAG0770

FREE Termite Inspection

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[aio_button align=”center” animation=”flash” color=”orange” size=”medium” icon=”thumbs-up” text=”FREE Termite Inspection” url=”https://callprobest.com/free-termite-inspection”]

Click the button above to go directly to the contact form.

Just after monsoon rains is when we encounter more termite activity and that time frame is July – December, depending on frequency of rains. I recommend an inspection yearly, ProBest Pest Management offers a free service! If you are familar with termite tunnels or tubes you can make a cursory check yourself and if you spot something you can always give us a call at 602-249-7378.

Here a few pictures to remind you of what you are looking for.

These little suckers transmit some nasty stuff…

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These little suckers transmit some nasty stuff…

Nearly one million people die of malaria every year, mostly infants, young children, and pregnant women, and most of them in Africa. An estimated 50 to 100 million people contract dengue each year in over 100 countries. West Nile virus first emerged in the Western Hemisphere in 1999 in the New York City area and has since spread across the United States. The virus is transmitted to humans by mosquitoes.

Water damage to your wood home.

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Water damage can occur and ruin your wood home.

water damage

Water can be the life blood or it can even cause issues with the way we build homes in the way it causes water damage. When flashing on a roof allows water to seep in, the wood gets wet and then dries. Chimneys are often the cause if incorrectly fitted with flashing. This interaction causes brown cubicle rot, this rot looks like a wood burnt piece of wood. It is really important to understand this action and take precautions against it. When water does enter a home it takes the path of least resistance and often follows a path straight down. This often causes the water to seep through the termiticide in the ground and could allow termites to enter that area. The more water through a termiticide barrier, breaks down the termiticide and may allow termites into the structure.

This fungus also would generally fail a (WDIIR) Wood Destroying Insect Infestation Report, bear in mind that this report doesn’t get into a lengthy discussion on water and fungus but typically relates to termites and other insects. Letting mold grow unchecked in your home can have negative consequences both for your checkbook and your health. Mold spores thrive on moisture. Mold spores can quickly grow into colonies when exposed to water. These colonies may produce allergens and irritants. Before mold remediation can begin, any sources of water or moisture must be addressed. Otherwise, the mold may return. Typically in Arizona we don’t have to worry about moisture levels but if there is a water leak it needs to corrected immediately. Just remember mold is present almost everywhere, indoors and outdoors. As always if you find that you have wood rot please give us a call at 602-249-7378 ProBest Pest Management.

Water Damage can occur inside or outside.

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Water Damage can occur inside or outside.

Depending on circumstances water can leak or enter wood in a variety of ways. Improper flashing at a roof or leakage near a shower of bath can result in damage occurring and often times tracing its way to the ground. If this happens it can reduce the amount of termiticide needed to prevent termites from entering a home.

Termites are a threat to your home and result in over 5 billion dollars of damage each year in the U.S. Termite treatment is a job best handled by Professional Pest Management companies due to the equipment and techniques needed to perform the work.

The WOW Factor – Termidor HE Copack

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The WOW Factor – Termidor HE (High Efficiency) Copack

Termidor HE Copack – is dispersed more evenly through the soil than standard liquid termite treatments, creating an Enhanced Protection Zone.

Has the potential to save millions of gallons of water each year.

Ensures a more precise application of termiticide around homes.

Reduces the need for much of the disruption, digging and drilling around homes.

Termidor HE Copack is the latest innovation in Termidor technology.

ProBest Pest Management participated by conducting 16 of these test sites.

Termidor WG80, Termidor SC and Termidor Dry

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The choice of Pest Management Professionals………..

Photo by PPMA

We offer our customers a choice of two termiticides, today we will discuss Termidor by BASF and tomorrow Transport by FMC.

Termidor 80 WG (the “WG” in Termidor 80 WG stands for wettable granule) and Termidor SC (the “SC” in Termidor SC stands for suspended concentrate.) when mixed with water they make the same type of solution. They are in fact different formulations of the same product.

Kills by ingestion, contact, and the “Transfer Effect” meaning affected insects help spread Termidor throughout the colony before dying themselves.
Manages colonies up to 6 times faster than bait systems.
Most effective termiticide – over 10 years of test data prove most effective and fastest at eliminating termite populations.
Responsible, low-dose treatment, with no odor.

BASF also introduced a dry formulation “Termidor Dry” that can be injected into galleries and wood members where termites are present.

The one and only issue I have is this – months after a job is completed with Termidor another colony of termites may attempt to gain access into the home. Termidor does allow this, however in 90 days the termites will be dead. You don’t want a termiticide to kill to fast as the termites will block tunnels on the dead termites. Now the issue is a callback, most people when they see a tube or tunnel will call and want us to return – so it’s a callback for me. Don’t get me wrong all those little termites will be dead (I think) in the tunnels but a rebuilt tube is a rebuilt tube….

and now ——- Termidor HE Co pack – High Efficiency

Termidor HE Copack expands upon the proven Termidor SC formulation with the addition of a BASF proprietary molecule that temporarily “boosts” the transport of fipronil, the active ingredient in Termidor, into the soil and creates an enhanced protection zone around the structure being treated. Benefits can include applying 50 percent of the water, and thus half the finished solution of a typical Termidor PerimeterPlus application.* It also requires 77 percent smaller trenches and allows for wider hole spacing.

ProBest Pest Management had the opportunity to participate with field trials here in Arizona and this product really works. Why not work with a company that industry manufacturers go to – to test their products? ProBest Pest Management followed protocols and continue to do periodic checks on these homes in the test program.