Category: Pest Control

How to Get Rid of Ants When You’re in a Hurry

Block Up the Entrances

One of the first things that you should try if ants are marching in is blocking up all of the potential entrances with tape, window stripping, paint, or anything else that will cover it up. Sometimes you can figure this out by just watching where the pests go after they get food from your house

Create a Homemade Trap for Killing Ants

Another potential quick way for getting rid of a small ant infestation is by using a trap with household ingredients. Ants have very simple digestive systems, so there are some things that are no problem for humans but highly toxic to ants. One of these things is sodium bicarbonate, also known as baking soda.

Clean Up Scent Trails

If you see a line of ants going to and from your kitchen, they are most likely following a scent trail. Chemical trails are how ants alert other ants from their colony about a source of food. When a scout ant finds some source of food within your house, it produces a scent as it moves the food back and forth from its home. The scent remains on the ground, creating a path for other ants to follow.

Try Peppermint

If you’ve tried to block up every possible entrance to your house, tried traps and don’t see any scent trails, another option is to spray peppermint in any areas that you think are a problem. Peppermint is actually a neurotoxin to ants, and it is highly deadly to them. You can buy essence of peppermint at a store quickly, and then you can either use an eyedropper to drop a small amount for spot treatments, or you can dilute it in a water spray bottle in order to spray on ants to kill and deter them from going where you don’t want them to go.

Get a Professional to Help

While do-it-yourself treatments can be helpful in a pinch – the best way to deal with an ant infestation is by working with a professional team who can ensure that your pest problem is completely under control and keep them away.

 

How to Get Rid of Ants

You know the drill: stop those first few ants from marching into your home or apartment and you might just keep them all out for good. Let the first couple ants go, though, and they’re likely to report back to their friends and show them the way inside. So, how do you get rid of ants before they take over? Just like getting rid of mice, getting rid of ants isn’t fun, but it’s completely doable. Here are a few natural remedies to cure your apartment of ants.

Keep Things Clean

The best way to get ahead of those pesky ants is to keep everything clean and tidy. Consider getting air-tight, sealable storage containers for gains, cereals, and other dry foods. This way, when you aren’t using them, they’re sealed up and out of sight (and reach) from ants. Clean up spills quickly so nothing will attract ants to your floors or countertops. Sticky things like honey, syrup, jam, and sugar-based foods are especially attractive to ants, so make sure you’re cleaning up your mess after every spill or cooking session.

Diatomaceous Earth

This naturally-occurring sedimentary rock is best used outdoors. Place a line of Diatomaceous Earth (DE) on a horizontal surface, like a cement sidewalk or patio flooring. As an ant tries to cross the DE line, the powder will attach to them and kill them (we’ll spare you the details on how it’s done, though). Just rest assured that the DE line will stop the ants in their tracks and inhibit them from marching into your home.

Talcum Powder

In a similar way, talcum, or baby powder, can also be used to get rid of ants. Find the entry points the ants have been using to get into your house, sprinkle a line of talcum powder down to create a firewall, and watch it do its work. Since ants breathe through something called spiracles on the sides of their bodies, the attached baby powder will clog their airways, killing them quickly.

Water and White Vinegar

If you’re a little more patient or don’t mind trying a few times to get rid of the ants, try filling a spray bottle with 50% water and 50% white vinegar. Spray the ants as you see them, and try to find the ant hill, too. The combination generally takes a few times to kill the ants, but it works. Just be patient; you might have to do a few rounds of spraying before seeing results

 

A Guide to House-Invading Ants and Their Control

Description

The ants that we see day to day are adult ants. Immature ants or “brood” are usually a whitish color and somewhat resemble fly maggots. They are found inside the nest where they are tended by adult workers. Adult ants do not grow. Some ant species have may have individuals of different sizes. So, if you see “small” ants, they do not “grow up” into larger-sized ones.

Ants, as do all insects, have three body divisions: head, thorax, and abdomen. The thorax (middle section) is the part where the legs and wings (if present) are attached. An ant’s thorax and abdomen are joined by one or two segments called nodes, which form the petiole or pedicel. This petiole is one of the important features used to identify different ant species. Seeing winged ants inside your home often means that you have an indoor nest and it may cause alarm because winged ants are often mistaken for winged termites.

Here are some features that can be used to distinguish between the two.

Ants have a constricted or “pinched” waist; termites lack this constriction

The forewing of ants is larger than the hindwing; termites have four wings of equal size

Ants have bent or “elbowed” antennae; termites have straight, beadlike antennae

Life History and Habits

Ants are social insects – they live in colonies that contain three castes or groups: workers, queens, and males. Most of the ants you find in a colony are the workers, which are sterile females. They are responsible for gathering food, feeding the brood and queen, and maintaining and defending the nest. Most ant species produce winged males and females during certain times of the year. These winged individuals, called “swarmers”, leave the nest to mate and start new colonies. After mating, the males die and the females (queens) search for suitable locations to start new colonies. The queen sheds her wings and starts laying eggs that will hatch into the legless, grub-like larvae. The queen takes care of these larvae as they develop until finally they become pupae. Within a few weeks, adult worker ants emerge from these pupae and take over the job of tending the young. At this point, the queen’s primary job becomes lay more eggs, although she may help feed and groom the larvae.

Some ant species, such as the Argentine ant, do not leave the nest to mate. With these species, new colonies form by “budding” – where one or more queens, along with some workers and young, break away from the main colony and move to a new location. Ant species that reproduce by budding usually do not have permanent nests. If conditions become unfavorable or if the nest is disturbed, the ants will simply move to a new location. This behavior may make it more difficult for you to find and eliminate a nest. Other ants that reproduce by budding include the odorous house ant and the pharaoh ant. In addition, some ant species have colonies that contain a single queen while other ant colonies may contain several queens. These ants may be more difficult to control because eliminating a single queen (or even a few queens) may not eliminate the colony and it may be easier for them to split up and form several colonies near each other.

 

How to get rid of ants

Ant control can be a nuisance as once one ventures inside your home in search of food, and scores something yummy, he’ll send a message home to call in all the troops.

With a straw or teaspoon, take a few drops of water and drip into each container. You want to create a paste, so slowly add more liquid as needed. Stir together until it’s like the consistency of maple syrup.

Seal the lids tightly, then pierce small holes in the lid and upper side, which are big enough for the ants to crawl into the container. Now that your traps are ready, place these in areas most affected by ant intrusion, such as behind the fridge or at the back of a draw. Leave for a few days to attract the ants but don’t kill them, as you want to track the ant back to his colony. If you don’t see where the ant goes, spray a little vinegar on the next ant seen and watch it reverse back to the colony.

It’s the colony you really want to treat to remove the underlying issue. A chemical-free approach is to run a hose up to the colony and let it saturate the area so the ants get packing and move on.

Ant infestation prevention tips

Now that you’ve gotten rid of the ants, it’s best to create a barrier to prevent an ant infestation from occuring again.

 

How to Get Rid of Ants in Your Home: The Complete Guide

There are over 10,000 species of ants on Earth, making them one of the most abundant creatures on the planet. Most of them prefer to live in forests and jungles, while others think your home is the best place for them.

While a few of these tiny creatures may not cause much harm, they reproduce rapidly and can make themselves at home quickly when conditions are ideal. Often, modern houses provide every luxury an ant could desire, including abundant food and shelter from the elements. Once they’ve settled in, their nesting habits can cause untold structural damage to your home.

Physical Barriers to Prevent Ants Invading Your Home

According to pest professionals, Pest Control, no structure is safe from pest invasions, so it’s important to take steps against ants regardless of how secure you think your home is. Due to their tiny size and extraordinary climbing capabilities, ants can enter your home through tiny cracks and crevices.

Here’s how to keep them out:

Seal any openings you notice with a silicone-based caulk.

Replace worn weather-stripping and repair loose mortar around your windows and basement foundation.

Trim back trees and shrubbery from your walls and windows.

Stack your firewood at least 20 feet away from your house.

These are some of the tried-and-tested remedies for getting rid of ants:

Spray powdered chalk near entry points

Wash your floors with a solution containing lemon juice

Squeeze a few drops of lemon juice near access points

Spritz a solution of water mixed with pepper around ant entryways

A solution of salt dissolved in water also helps get rid of ants

Wipe window sills and doorways with a 50/50 solution of water and vinegar

Peppermint essential oil mixed with water repels most household pests

Keep a small bowl of cinnamon and cloves in your kitchen

Best Ways to Help Get Rid of Mice

Eliminate entry points.

Building mice out, or rodent-proofing your home, is an effective way to stop mice infestations from expanding or ever occurring in the first place. Defend your home from mice by eliminating points of entry and easy access. This can be difficult due to a mouse’s ability to squeeze itself into even the smallest of openings (one-quarter of an inch and up). A good rule of thumb is if you can fit a pencil into a crack, hole or opening, a mouse can get through it.

Use mouse traps.

The best way to help get rid of mice in an ongoing infestation is with mouse traps. The classic wooden snap traps will do the trick for light to moderate mouse populations, but keep in mind that most people underestimate mice infestations. It’s not uncommon to lay one dozen traps for just one mouse – or what you think is just one mouse. Use plenty. It’s also a good idea to lay many different types of traps. Use bait traps, multiple-capture live traps and glue traps in conjunction with the wooden traps. This gives you a better chance at catching all of the mice, since some might be keen to certain types of traps and know to avoid them.

Choose the best bait for mouse traps.

You can use whatever food the mice have been eating in your home for bait, or mouse-approved favorites such as chocolate, peanut butter, bacon, oatmeal, dried fruit or hazelnut spread. When you’re ready to set the baited trap, tie the bait to the trigger with fishing line or dental floss. This will make sure the mice get what’s coming to them without “making off with the cheese.” You can also secure the bait with a hot glue gun. Replace with fresh bait every two days. If the food isn’t working, you can try using nesting material such as cotton balls or feathers

Proper placement of mouse traps is critical.

Place the traps perpendicular to the walls, with the trigger section facing the baseboard. This causes the mouse to run directly into the bait as it naturally scurries along the walls, instead of running over the trap from the wrong direction, triggering it prematurely. Mice don’t travel more than 10 or 20 feet from food sources and nesting areas (i.e., their territory), so place the traps anywhere you see mice or signs of mice, such as rodent droppings or “rubbings” on baseboards and walls. Change trap locations every two days or so. Mice are naturally curious so they won’t avoid traps like rats will.

Bait stations.

Bait stations (or bait packages) are sealed packets containing meal or pellets. They typically come in plastic, paper or cellophane wrapping, allowing the mice to easily gnaw through and get at the preserved, fresh bait. The mice feed on this bait and die. While helpful in getting rid of mice, these products are best handled by trained pest management professionals to ensure the safety of you, your children and your pets.

 

How to Get Rid of Rats in Your Home

Rats can be a problem in the home. Unfortunately, you may not see them until there is a large infestation and it becomes more difficult to get rid of the rats. Rodents can cause a great deal of damage, contaminate food, and carry disease. Fortunately, there are ways to effectively kill the rats, with the two best ways as traps (including both open and enclosed rat traps) and baits

How to Find the Rats

The first step in ridding your home of rats is finding where they are living. Because they are nocturnal (most active at night), rats aren’t often seen in the open during the day. But, it is easy to see signs of their presence.

Rat Traps

Traps can be an easy and inexpensive way to get rid of rats. Traps are relatively cheap, if unbaited, can be left in place for long periods. But all traps, baited or unbaited, must be regularly inspected, as a dead or dying rat or a food bait can attract secondary insects and cause an infestation. Traps should be set where rat signs are seen and in out-of-the-way, hidden areas, especially in attics, basements and near food sources. Always take care to keep traps away from potential triggering by children or pets.

Baiting Traps. Dry pet food can be a very attractive bait for rats, so can nuts, dried fruits and dried meats, such as bacon. These can be attached to the trap with thread, wire or even glue. For rats, soft baits, such as peanut butter and cheese, are not always effective, because the rat can sometimes pull off the bait without snapping the trap.

Rodenticides. Rodenticides are the poison pesticides for the killing of rats and mice. If the rat population has gotten high, it may be best to contact a licensed pest control professional, as they have access to and knowledge of proper use of bulk rodenticides. Otherwise, it is generally recommended that homeowners use traps to control and eliminate rats. When any pesticide or rodenticide is used, all label directions must be read and precisely followed. Some rodenticide baits can be bought at home stores, but a new EPA regulation has now limited these to specific baits sold only in disposable, ready-to-use bait stations. This can help protect children and pets from inadvertent contact with or eating of these poison baits.

 

How to get rid of mice and rats in your house

If you have rats or mice in your house, you need to know what signs they leave, what problems they cause and how to get rid of mice and rats humanely. Our guide explains how to get rid of rodents, such as mice and rats, and prevent them from returning to your home

Winter nights can mean a mouse in the house or even a rat. But poisoning isn’t the only way to get rid of them – humane mouse traps and deterrents are both possibilities that cause far less unnecessary suffering.

You’re also more likely to see mice and rats in your garden during winter, but so long as they stay in the garden and don’t cause damage to your shed or anything else, they shouldn’t cause any problems out there.

Which rats and mice enter houses?

House mice (Mus musculus), wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus), yellow-necked mice (A. flavicollis) and brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) are all common in houses. Of the three mice, the one you’re most likely to encounter at home is the wood mouse, as this species is even more common in houses than the house mouse

What attracts mice and rats to your house?

There are two main things that can attract mice and rats to your house – food and shelter. If you don’t tidy up properly and there’s food waste on the floor or surfaces, rodents are going to love it!

 

Shining a new light on rodent infestations

When a rat or mouse infests a kitchen, restaurant, food store or food processing factory, one of the first tasks is to find out where they are and the routes they take to get to food and shelter. The larger the building, the harder it is to locate the rodents and their hiding places.

The Fluorescent Tracking Gel is making this task much easier and Rentokil technicians are already receiving positive results in field trials on customer premises. Rodents are intelligent, agile and small, they easily into places humans find difficult to access or may not think to look. They can climb cables, wires, pipes, conduits, squeeze through gaps and gnaw holes through many types of material to gain access to buildings and hidden spaces.

The Fluorescent Tracking Gel has been deployed on customer premises worldwide with outstanding results, helping to solve infestation problems that previous conventional control measures could not solve. This new innovation has quickly become a key component in identifying root causes of infestations and adds a smarter tool to the resources of our pest control technicians.

Why are rodent surveys important?

The first step in getting rid of rodents is to survey the infested property to find out where they are and how many there are. Even today, many pest controllers simply lay down bait or traps, without an understanding of the best places to position them on the site. A low-cost service without a proper survey can result in an ongoing problem for businesses when rodents return and cause recurring infestations. The customer often ends up with larger infestations and much higher pest control bills due to the delay in addressing root causes.

Rodent agility

Rats and mice are highly agile and enter buildings in many ways, so you need to inspect all the vulnerable places that they can access

 

How to Get Rid of Mice with Natural Ingredients

Don’t be deceived by Ratatouille, house mice aren’t as friendly (or as clean and sanitary) as Remy. They live in dirty places such as sewers, and that’s how they carry germs and disease into the house.

Use coffee powder to match the strong smell of mice

This one material is almost in every house. But why does it have to be coffee powder?

It turns out that mice have a sharp sense of smell, to trace the tracks it leaves behind. Similarly, black coffee powder has a sharp aroma disliked by mice. Hence, it will avoid areas that smell like coffee powder.

Repel mice with Noni Fruit

Another way to repel mice is to use noni fruit, also known as Indian mulberry, among other English names. Apart from its health benefits, this fruit can also repel mice.

Don’t get dumped! Sprinkle your eggshells in rat-infested corners

When making scrambled eggs or omelets in the morning, eggshells are immediately thrown away. But now, you can use it as a rodent repellent at home.

How to Trap a Possum With Ease

Physical Characteristics

All opossums range about 21 to 36 inches long, measured from nose to the tip of their tail. They’re similar in size to a cat or a small dog. Some of their more identifiable characteristics are their pointed head and pink nose, a long, hairless tail, and hairless, pointy ears. Their mouths contain 50 small, sharp, teeth. They also feature opposable thumbs on their hind feet.

Common Species

Virginia Opossum

The Virginia Opossum is the only opossum species native to America, and it is the only variety known to cause problems in the U.S.

Common Opossum

The Common Opossum (also known as the Southern Opossum) prefers habitats near water like tropical forests, but will also be found close to people in urban areas.

Gray Short-tailed Opossum

Much more difficult to spot because of its size and relatively small geography, the gray short-tailed opossum is known to be more aggressive than other species, especially while they are mating.

Opossums Versus Possums

The opossum is native to North and South America, while possums are only found in Australia.

Although they’re named after each other because of their resemblance, possums have longer, furry tails while opossum’s tails are hairless.

In general, possums are fluffier, smaller, and with less severe features.

 

How To Trap Opossum

The traps should be set in locations the animal frequents or where it is causing damage. Fish, canned cat or dog food are good opossum baits. To readily entice the opossum into the trap, use a small trail of bait leading to the trap. All traps should be checked in the morning and evening, so that captured animals may be dealt with in a humane manner. Release the animal several miles. Check with your game and wildlife department before trapping and releasing them.

Description/Biology

Opossums have a repulsive, musk-like odor and can be an occasional nuisance when they enter crawl spaces, under decks, garages, and similar areas. They nurse in the mother’s pouch for about 3 months.The average number of young is 6, but as many as 13 may be born.

• The opossum is 2-3 feet long. Its head is white to yellowish with a pink nose, black eyes and bluish black, naked ears.
• Adults are long-haired, light-gray, and about the size of a large cat weighing 4-15 lbs.
• It has a long scaly tail, black at its base, grading to yellow-white or pink for the rest of its length.

 

BAITING POSSUM TRAPS WITH THE BEST BAIT FOR POSSUMS AND OTHER OPOSSUM BAITING TIPS

Although they aren’t particularly finicky eaters, the best possum bait is fish or apples. Baiting opossum traps with canned pet food also works well. While there are differences of opinion as to the best bait for opossums, all professional trappers agree, the smellier the better. (No, your old sneakers won’t do the trick!) One of the most important opossum baiting tips is to smear the bait in, on and around the trap.

HOW TO DETER POSSUMS

Chicken-wire fence is a good method to ensure you won’t find a possum in your yard. Construct a fence that is four feet high with the top 12 to 18 inches bent outward away from the garden. You can “possum-proof” standard fencing by attaching an electrically charged wire along the top. However, if you’re like most, you’d rather not detract from your landscaping. If you really want to say goodbye to a possum in your garden and in your yard, apply a liquid or granular repellent that targets their sense of smell and taste.

 

What Do Possums Eat and Are They Dangerous?

Opossums benefit humans in many ways, helping control a number of unwanted pests. Although opossums are nonaggressive, nocturnal creatures that generally aren’t dangerous, they are often nuisances that dig in the garbage, take up residence under a porch, raid a well-tended garden or wreak havoc in the chicken house.

Diet

Opossums are omnivores and survive by eating a variety of foods. The primary sources of sustenance are small rodents, insects, worms, slugs and snails, frogs and birds. Additionally, opossums eat vegetables, berries, nuts, fruit, garbage, pet food and bird seed.

Disease

Opossums are resistant to rabies and rarely carry the disease. Opossum feces, however, sometimes carry the eggs of a parasite that may cause illness in horses if the feces contaminate food and water. According to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, most opossums don’t shed the parasite, and even if exposed, most horses don’t contact the disease. Keeping opossums away from barns and horses’ water and food is the best way to minimize opportunities for contamination. Additionally, opossums are hosts for fleas that carry a number of diseases.

Dangers to Humans and Pets

Opossums generally present no dangers to humans and animals, although they often harass household pests by showing their teeth, hissing and growling. Occasionally, fights break out and the opossums inflict serious injury with their sharp teeth. Usually, however, opossums protect themselves by emitting a foul, rotten smell from their anus while playing dead, often for as long as 45 minutes.

 

 

Keep Raccoons, Skunks, and Possums Out of Your Yard

Besides being pesky mammals, raccoons, skunks, and possums have something in common—they hate light. Keep the outside of your home well-lit, and they’ll stay way. This is also a good tip if you have a dog: Make sure you turn on the light before you let your dog out in the yard at night, and give skunks and other creatures time to amble away.

How to Keep Animals Out of Your Trash

To keep raccoons, possums, skunks, or other critters out of your garbage, regularly spray the side of your cans with a mixture of half ammonia, and half water. They hate the smell (as we all do) and will stay away. (You can also try using an ammonia-based glass cleaner like Windex, but it’s not as strong.)

WHAT ATTRACTS SILVERFISH TO YOUR HOME?

Silverfish are fast-moving, nocturnal insects that have many of the same habits as cockroaches. Like cockroaches, silverfish can trigger allergic reactions in some people, but are primarily nuisance pests that don’t bite and are not likely to spread pathogens that cause disease. However, they can contaminate food, damage paper goods and stain clothing, so you definitely don’t want them hanging around your home

Moisture

Silverfish are sensitive to moisture and need high levels of humidity (above 75 percent) to survive, so they’re attracted to humid, damp conditions. You can find often find silverfish in bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms, garages and cabinets. They can stray out of high humidity areas for a short period of time, but in general, they need higher humidity

Warm, dark places

Silverfish typically prefer dark hiding places with temperatures between 70–90 degrees

Carbohydrates and protein

Silverfish eat carbohydrates like flour, rolled oats and starches in cardboard boxes, paper, book bindings, glue and insulation. They also eat protein, such as dried beef and dead insects.

Reduce moisture

Repair any leaky pipes and faucets. Use a dehumidifier in damp areas to help reduce water condensation and humidity, and use a ventilation fan when you take a shower or are cooking. Keep gutters and downspouts free of debris, and grade your landscaping so water drains away from your house.

 

HOW TO GET RID OF SILVERFISH

Figuring out how to get rid of silverfish can be frustrating because they prefer scurrying around in the dark and are quick to hide when you turn on the lights. This guide explains ways to get rid of a silverfish infestation. You’ll learn what’s attracting them to your home, plus which essential oils and natural ingredients will get rid of them, and how to make traps to kill the ones you don’t see.

WHAT ARE SILVERFISH?

Otherwise known as “fishmoths,” silverfish are about 1/2 inch long with a scaly appearance, and range from pale silver (young ones) to a dark silver-blue (old ones). Although they don’t live in aquariums, their bodies are shiny and wriggle, making them resemble fish quite a lot. Unlike fish, however, they have an exoskeleton along with two antennae on their heads and three prongs on their tails.

IF YOU’VE SEEN ONE, YOU’VE GOT MORE

Silverfish are rapid breeders. Females can lay between 2 and 20 eggs each day throughout the year, and their larvae reach the adult (breeding) stage in three to four months. In other words, thanks to their rapid life cycle, one male and one female silverfish can create a nasty infestation in a couple of weeks.

WHERE DO SILVERFISH LIVE?

Silverfish prefer dark, damp, moist areas — as do a variety of other household pests. Fortunately, this means that your efforts to get rid of them will also kill off many other bugs in your home, too.

Toss the trash. Toss old newspapers and magazines, transfer dry foods from cardboard boxes to canisters and get rid of paper bags or empty boxes you’ve let pile up

 

How to Deal With a Silverfish Infestation

Silverfish control is the only way to battle an ongoing silverfish infestation in your property. While if you’ve noticed the bug in your home means that you’re probably too late to prevent a silverfish population from settling in your home.

Humid areas attract them, and if you haven’t taken the proper measures to keep silverfish outside, then your home is prone to an infestation. Here’s everything you need to know about the silverfish bug.

Silverfish have two long antennae on their head, followed with a body that has no obvious segmentation. While they have short and thick legs, silverfish bugs are capable of moving quite fast. The origins of their name are said to come from their rapid side-to-side movements, resembling a fish.

Reproduction

Silverfish reproduction habits differ from species to species, however, they all have one thing in common. All silverfish bugs go through love dances before mating. As for laying eggs, silverfish bugs either lay a few eggs every few days or lay eggs in clusters of two to 20 per cluster. The eggs are elliptical and measure around one millimetre in length.

Habitat of the silverfish bug

Silverfish bugs prefer dark and humid areas like basements, kitchens, bathrooms and even attics. They are also pretty tough and can live in any climate, although they won’t thrive.

 

How To: Get Rid of Silverfish

Did you know that if you store them in a dark, damp place, your most valuable possessions—rare books, important papers, and designer clothes—are in danger of being eaten by a sly, silver marauder? Read on to learn how to rid your home of silverfish, ravenous pests with insatiable appetites.

Don’t let the name fool you: Silverfish are nothing like the goldfish you nurtured as pets in your childhood bedroom. Whereas the latter swim placidly about their aquarium dwellings, the former lurk in the dark, moist corners of your home, munching on everything from paper goods and fabric to adhesives and mold. Named for their glassy, metallic appearance and slithering style of movement, silverfish are wingless, antennaed household pests whose ancestry stems back millions of years, predating even the dinosaurs. Given their lineage and history, it’s safe to say that silverfish are a tenacious species. Eliminating these resilient critters from your home may not be quick and easy, but with patience and persistence, you can get rid of silverfish using the following tips and tricks

NATURAL MANAGEMENT

Looking for a nontoxic way to get rid of silverfish? You have at least a couple of options. Before running out to make any purchases, however, first experiment with the contents of your kitchen cabinets. Strongly scented herbs and spices have been known to repel silverfish, so try leaving out generous helpings of cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, or whole cloves, or strategically placing sachets filled with dried rosemary. If, despite your efforts, silverfish remain in your home, move on to one of the more aggressive treatments described below

BAIT-AND-TRAP METHOD

There are many pros to natural pest management. But if there’s one downside, it’s that you must take it on faith that your chosen treatment has been successful. You typically don’t get the satisfaction of seeing bugs dead on the floor, so you never know for sure whether the issue has been resolved. If you’re not squeamish—and if you’re dealing with something short of a full-blown infestation—consider preparing one or a series of traps. That way, you can know for sure whether or not you’re making strides

CHEMICAL REMOVAL

Look out for any signs indicating that your problem with silverfish has gone from minor to major. Inspect surfaces for crusty, cast-off skins and tiny, pepper-like feces. Likewise, search such things as wallpaper, boxes, newspaper bundles, and book bindings for small scrape marks and ragged edges—either or both of which suggest active feeding. Even yellowish stains on clothing or furniture upholstery can mean that silverfish are attacking your home at night, after having spent the daylight hours in dormancy. To match an aggressive infestation with an aggressive treatment, seek out a commercial pesticide formulated to treat silverfish

 

Home Pest Control: Silverfish Identification, Prevention, and Removal Tips

silverfish are small, wingless insects found throughout the U.S., often in residences. They are thought to be one of the oldest insects in existence. These bugs have been around for 400 million years, which is altogether 100 million years before the existence of dinosaurs. Although harmless to humans, silverfish can damage many starchy materials and items within the home. Learning how to prevent and get rid of silverfish is important information for all homeowners to know.

Silverfish infestations can be daunting because they reproduce quickly, can go for long periods without eating and come out only at night. Silverfish damage household items people don’t often look at or think about, like old books stored in basements and seasonal sweaters tucked away in the garage. This means an infestation can get worse over many months before a homeowner will notice. When the infestation is discovered, it can be hard to tell if remediation efforts are working. Worst of all, many traditional pest control poisons have no effect on silverfish

Silverfish are slender and lithe. They have a wide head and abdomen plus a narrow, pointed back end. They’re silvery gray, often shiny, and have six legs, which gives them a fragile and delicate appearance. Most people identify silverfish by their double antenna and three long appendages on the side of their bodies opposite their head. These three long appendages coming from the rear look like additional antennas

Silverfish can be found in many parts of the country and in different environments. However, silverfish are most commonly found in dark and damp locations. Inside a home, silverfish are found in basements, bathrooms, attics, garages and kitchens. Damp clothing and paper attract silverfish, so they’re often found in homes with a lot of clutter, starchy materials, and/or books

Silverfish have some interesting adaptations, possibly because the species is so ancient. The following characteristics make silverfish different from many other species of insects.

How to Deter Scorpions Naturally – Useful Tips

What are scorpions?

While this may be obvious, there remain some points about scorpions that help in both killing them and preventing them from coming into our homes. A scorpion bite can really sting, and actually can tingling in the lips if you are stung smartly.

Scorpions are classified as arachnids, which is a type of insect that has eight legs. Scientists classify them with spiders, mites and ticks. They hunt down other insects which makes them predators on a small scale.

While most know them to be desert dwellers, scorpions may also live in some rain forests as well. Most scorpions are not seriously poisonous to humans, however, some, like the bark scorpion, do pose a mild threat to people.

 

How to Keep Scorpions Out of Your Bed

1. Get Rid of Excess Moisture

Preventive Pest says that one of the main reasons why scorpions enter your bedroom is to look for water. Thus, make sure to keep the corners and floors free of moisture. If possible, use a dehumidifier to lower the level of humidity in your home.

2. Get Rid of Other Bugs

In addition to water, scorpions also look for insects, which are their main source of food. Therefore, if you find the presence of ants, roaches, or other pests in your bedroom, you should get rid of these bugs as soon as possible before scorpions find them.

3. Eliminate the Shelters of Scorpion

Scorpions often hide in moist and dark places, particularly during the day. Get rid of any structures around and in your bedroom that would be an ideal condition for these creatures to live and grow. Here are a few things that you can do to keep scorpions from crawling around in your space:

Store all cardboard boxes on the shelves rather than on the floor

Do not keep clutter under your beds or around the room

Keep your bedrooms and closets neatly organized because scorpions often hide in piles of clothes and shoes.

4. Seal Your House

Scorpions would slip through a small hole the size of a standard credit card. Thus, sealing your house, particularly those areas around your bedroom is necessary to prevent them from entering the living space. To be sure that your bed is secure, make sure to take the following measures to seal the windows, foundations, and doors:

Use caulk to seal in any cracks or holes on the walls, foundation, or walls of your house

Make sure the screen is sealed and the windows are tightly closed so that scorpions cannot climb in

Get doors sealed to prevent scorpions from penetrating

5. Place Sticky Traps

Those sticky traps which are designed to catch mice and insects can also be effective in trapping scorpions. You can place them around dark or moist areas of your room. Once you have caught a scorpion, keep in mind to dispose of the trap and place a new one.

6. Apply Cinnamon Oils

Ground cinnamon is known as a natural repellent to scorpions. You can purchase these type of essential oils and spray it around your bedroom to keep these creatures away.

Scorpions are very common pests that are found in many households. In order to avoid surprise visits from these pests, be sure to take preventative measures to keep them from getting inside of your home — especially on your bed.

Build a Natural Scorpion Deterrent Barrier to Repel Scorpions

For centuries the powerful pest repelling properties of cedar have been known and treasured as a natural and effective pest and scorpion deterrent.

We offer high quality granules made from red cedar heartwood, granules made from the center of choice and aged red cedar trees common only to East Central Texas. These granules contain high concentrates of aromatic red cedar oil, which is extremely offensive to scorpions and insects in general.

The long lasting aroma will repel scorpions, rats and snakes from your sacred area, yet has no effect on beneficial insects such as butterflies and pollinating bees.

Liberally sprinkle cedar granules in areas you wish to keep off limits to scorpions and other unwanted pests. Lay down a 6-10 inch swath of cedar granules around the perimeter of the yard, along the fence line, around the foundation, near entry areas of your home. Distribute and spread granules as a natural scorpion barrier. You’ll enjoy the pleasant aroma of cedar, scorpions won’t. This is a very low cost and effective method to create a natural barrier against scorpion encroachment.

 

To help avoid encounters with scorpions in and around your home follow these prevention tips:

• Eliminate standing water
• Seal cracks and crevices, especially around doors and windows where they can gain access to your home
• Inspect cabinets, closets, and other dark places on a regular basis
• Clear away brush, debris, and woodpiles from the perimeter of your home. Keep firewood about 30 feet away
• Scorpions feed on other insects such as crickets. You can help eliminate crickets by turning outdoor lights off at night

 

Tips

• You must always look under old things or things in your shed!
• Checking objects you wear, sleep in, and carry is always sensible, especially when camping in scorpion-infested areas. Look inside shoes, gloves, bags, sleeping bags, tents, etc., before using or wearing and shake out any scorpions you find.
• If your kid was stung, take him or her to the hospital right away.
• Be mindful of the useful nature of having scorpions around. As predators, they will eat other nuisance bugs in your yard, so try to keep the balance by being careful to keep them out of your home but let them do their thing where it’s not going to interfere with your home life.
• Mulch can be a hiding place for scorpions. As a gardener, you will have to make a decision between the method for keeping your plants moist and your scorpion population down. It can be done but you will need to be both vigilant and consistent. It is recommended that you do not place mulch around the house walls and that you aim to keep the soil around your house walls dry; this will act as a deterrent to scorpions. Keep your gardening away from the house area and always wear tough gloves when touching soil and plants.
• There are organic pest control products available on the market for ridding your home of scorpions. Ask the relevant distributor for more information.
• It is not safe to leave things on the floor by the door ! If so make sure to shake it or look inside before relocating them to another room.
• Contrary to popular belief, most scorpions are relatively harmless. The sting of most scorpions is usually painful (in the realm of a wasp or hornet sting),but they are rarely fatal. However, you should be aware of the nature of the scorpions you’re living around and know how poisonous they are. And even if they’re relatively harmless, don’t take unnecessary risks, especially with children around.
• The world’s most dangerous scorpions live in North Africa, the Middle East, South America, India, and Mexico.
• Anti-venom is available for various scorpions, including the Arizona bark scorpion, which has a painful sting.

Tips to Protect Your Home From Cockroaches

As we move into the sweltering heat of the summer, most of us try to seek the refreshing cool of the air conditioned indoors. The same goes for pests; in particular, the American cockroach. American cockroaches are generally more active when the temperature is 70 degrees or higher. What do you need to know about American cockroaches and how can you keep these unsightly pests out of your home? Check out this helpful information and our 9 steps to preventing cockroaches from taking over your home.

How can you prevent these unwanted pests from entering your home? Follow these 9 tips for cockroach prevention:

1. Keep it clean. Good sanitation is the number one way to prevent cockroaches.
2. Focus on the kitchen. Don’t leave food out overnight. Wash dirty dishes daily. Wipe up crumbs and spilled food, even in cabinets and pantries. Clean kitchen counters with disinfectant spray every night. Don’t forget the appliances. Roaches love to feast on grease and spilled food on, in, under, and behind your appliances, including your refrigerator, stove, dishwasher, microwave, toaster, and under the kitchen sink.
3. Limit where you eat. Restrict food consumption to one room. This not only makes cleanup easier for you, it limit crumbs and spills that you might not notice in other rooms that provides another food source for roaches.
4. Store all food in sealed containers. Roaches can fit inside the openings of typical cardboard packages that food comes in. This also applies to pet food. Pet food should be kept in a sealed container, preferably on the back porch so as to not attract roaches into the house. Pet food bowls and containers should also be emptied every night.
5. Empty the trash. Make sure your trash can has a tight fitting lid and empty the trash each night. Make sure your outside trash cans are clean and kept away from the home.
6. Roaches feed at night. Vacuuming the kitchen floor nightly eliminates the food supply for roaches. Vacuum the other rooms in your house every 2 to 3 days, as well. This helps to get rid of roach feces, body parts, and egg sacs. These contain pheromones that attract other roaches into your home.
7. Get rid of entry points. Seal around utility pipes and crawl spaces. Make sure windows and doors are secure and have weather-stripping if necessary. Seal all cracks and crevices.
8. Remove anything roaches can use for shelter, such as cardboard and paper.
9. Call a pest control professional. If you suspect a roach infestation, contact an exterminator. Treatment plans can vary depending on the type of roaches you have. A pest control professional can do a thorough evaluation and set you up with a comprehensive treatment plan.

 

Eliminate Water Sources

While it is nearly impossible to eliminate all water sources, even greatly limiting available sources will cause negative stress on a roach population. Fewer water sources to go around means that many roaches will die.

• Fix leaky faucets and pipes.
• Repair sweating pipes.
• Before bed, stop up sinks in the kitchen and bathrooms and dry them completely with a paper towel.
• Dry out the bathtub and shower completely and stop up the drain before bed.
• Place wet dish rags and sponges in an airtight plastic storage bag overnight, or place them directly in the washing machine.
• Pet water dishes should be placed outside overnight or be dried completely and refilled in the morning.
• Wet toothbrushes should be dried as best they can and sealed in plastic bags.

 

Tell us what cockroaches are and some facts about them.

• Dirty cockroaches
• I heard they survived the nuclear explosion
• They like to eat what humans eat 🙂
• They can live up to a month without food, so there is no point in starving them because they clean their equipment at night.
• They can live up to one week without his head.

 

Take Preventive Measures

Before you begin packing up your belongings, check your house for common cockroach entry points. Be on the lookout for cracks and crevices near doorways and windows that can allow the insects to enter your home. Use caulk or another sealant to close these gaps and prevent new roaches from finding their way inside your house.

Use the Right Packing Materials

Cockroaches are notorious for hiding in cardboard boxes. They can easily maneuver their bodies between the corrugation and crevices inside the cardboard. If possible, use another type of container, such as a plastic tub, to pack your belongings. These come with lids that allow them to be securely sealed, and they don’t provide areas for roaches to hide. If you have to use – or reuse – cardboard boxes, shake them out and inspect them before you place items inside, especially if you got the boxes from an outside source, such as a grocery or liquor store.

Wash Your Clothes and Linens

While it isn’t terribly common for roaches to be found in clothes and linens, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Before you move, wash these items in warm water to remove any insects or eggs that may be present. Like your other belongings, they should be packed in sealed plastic containers. You may even consider placing them inside vacuum-sealed plastic bags. If you are moving furniture or other upholstered/fabric items like curtains, you may want to vacuum them as well.

Check Your Mattress

Again, it’s uncommon for roaches to be found on mattresses, but they can hide in or near furniture, including your bed. When you remove your mattress and dismantle your bed to move, check everything for signs of roaches and remove or sanitize items as necessary.

Clean Your Kitchen Items

Kitchens are one of the most common places roaches are found in the home. For these insects, it’s like paradise. It has moisture, dark cabinets and plentiful sources of food in the form of crumbs and even garbage. When you pack, take out your pots and pans and wash everything thoroughly. Keep in mind that kitchen appliances, like toasters, microwaves and toaster ovens, may also attract roaches. If possible, place these in plastic bags and pack them separately.

 

Seal Cracks and Other Possible Roach Entry Points

You’ve likely heard the saying “harder to kill than a cockroach” or “as persistent as a roach”. In fact, you may have even said this yourself after trying to stomp one only for it to “revive” and skitter away.

There’s a scientific reason for this, and it’s the fact that they can flatten their bodies. That’s why they can squeeze in cracks and gaps as small as three millimeters.

As such, blocking these cracks and crevices with caulk can help kill them off. Start with the gaps under the doors and windows that lead to outside.

You should also close holes where wires pass through your walls and floors with foam or copper mesh. Be sure to insulate and cover openings of plumbing pipes too

Opossum Identification

The only marsupial native to North America, opossums are roughly the size of a house cat. They are grey and white in color, have narrow, tapered heads and pointed, pink noses.  Both their front and hind feet of include five curled toes, and the inner toe on the hind foot is opposable, much like a thumb, allowing the animal to grab small branches.  Opossums range in size from 24 and 33 inches long and typically weigh between 6 and 15 pounds.

Opossums are nocturnal, meaning they venture out of their dens in the evening in search of food. They are very secretive, slow, and solitary.  Opossums are excellent climbers and will climb trees or hide in bushes when chased. When unable to reach safety, an opossum will lie down, close its eyes,  let its tongue hang out of its mouth, and excrete a very bad smelling substance. This behavior has become known as “playing possum” and is caused by nervousness, but the opossum usually recovers quickly and will seize the opportunity to make a clean getaway.

 

Habits

Opossums are slow, secretive and solitary. They venture from their dens at night to look for food, traveling distances of 1/2 to 2 miles depending on food availability and the time of year. They’re observed frequently in the glare of automobile headlights as they eat other animals killed by traffic (and often suffer the same fate).

Opossums tend to wander a great deal and shift their home sites frequently, but most spend their lives in an area 10 to 50 acres in size. Opossums do not hibernate, but stay denned up during extremely cold weather. Opossums are well adapted for climbing. The opposable toe on the hind foot acts like a thumb, allowing them to grasp small branches. An opossum can hang by its tail for a short time if at least half of the tail encircles a thick branch.

Opossums often climb trees or hide in brush heaps when chased. They are well known for “playing ‘possum”. When frightened and unable to escape, an opossum rolls over on its side, becomes limp, closes its eyes and lets its tongue hang out of its mouth. The heartbeat slows down and the animal looks dead, causing many would-be predators to lose interest. This reaction is caused by a nervous shock, but the opossum recovers quickly and takes the first opportunity to escape.

 

Remove Attractants

Opossums are scavengers that enter your yard in search of food and shelter. They’re very resourceful, so they will eat any kind of plant or animal matter available. They will also find shelter in any covered, dry area – from brush piles to attics. Remove these attractants to keep opossums out.

• Clean up fallen berries, fruits and birdseed.
• Avoid feeding your pets outside. If you must do so, remove all leftover food before dusk.
• Scrub grills and barbecues after every use.
• Secure garbage and compost in animal-proof containers with tight-fitting lids.
• Remove woodpiles and logs in which opossums can find shelter.

 

Opossum Control and Trapping in Illinois

When opossums are seen in the yard, there is no reason to control them unless their den is in a troublesome area on the property. If opossums are already living beneath a deck or stoop, trapping them humanely may be necessary, especially if the family dog is likely to attack them.

A barricade-style trap can be set in conjunction with performing a Deck or Stoop Screen Up. This ensures that once the animals are trapped, the problem will never reoccur. It also ensures that only the animals beneath the stoop or deck are trapped, since putting a trap out in the open can result in non-target captures.

Sometimes opossums die under stoops and decks. Whether they are ill from infection, injured in fights with dogs or hit by cars, an injured opossum will often travel home to die in its own burrow. Removing a dead animal from under a stoop or deck can be a time-consuming and sometimes costly process that can take the better part of a day to perform. Screening Up decks and stoops in advance prevents this undesirable event from occurring.

Opossum Removal

We are a professional opossum removal and pest control business based out of south IL. Possums tend to cause the following problems:

• Possum stealing pet food
• Possum appears threatening
• Mother possum living in attic
• Possum living under porch or shed
• Dead possum on property
• We can solve any problem/conflict with opossums.

The opossum is an unusual animal. It is North America’s only marsupial. The babies are born extremely tiny, and then they enter the pouch and attach to a nipple. The opossum has 13 nipples. As they grow, they crowd each other out, until only 4-5 are left at the end, and then they leave and start lives of their own. Opossums have 50 teeth, tiny brains, bifurcated peni, opposable thumbs, and prehensile tails.