Endangered Species and Pesticides

As a pest control company, Northwest Exterminating makes it a point to provide cleaner living and working environments. Furthermore, we do so by following federal and state guidelines, including the Endangered Species Act of 1973. The Endangered Species Act of 1973 provides legal protection for endangered and threatened species, requiring all federal agencies to ensure their actions do not harm the lives of the endangered. This is important to pest control because the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can restrict the use of pesticides that may be threatening.  Northwest Exterminating provides itself on not only meeting these standards, but also exceeding them by providing green pest control as an alternative to traditional pest control.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, “Pesticides are useful to society because they are used to control…potential disease-causing organisms, insects, weeds and other pests.”  The EPA takes careful measures to ensure that the products used to control pests do not have unreasonable effects on humans or the environment.  For instance, this agency regulates the sale and use of ALL pesticides used in the United States. Just as recently as 2008, the EPA began the Pesticide Registration Review Programs to update research on how pesticides may affect endangered species.

 

Sources:

http://www.fws.gov/contaminants/Issues/Pesticides.cfm

Georgia Pest Control Employee Registration Manual

Spring Clean Your Lawn

Wednesday marked the first day of Spring.  For many of us that means one thing…Spring Cleaning!  We often think about all the things to do indoors but what about outdoors?  It’s time to spring clean your lawn as well.

backyard

Here are some Spring Cleaning Tips for your Lawn:

  • Clean up lawn debris – Remove trash, animal debris, dead grass, leaves, pine cones, sticks, etc from your lawn.  Debris removal will not only make your lawn look better but it also eliminates hiding and feeding areas for pests and rodents.
  • Rake Leaves – If you have piles of leaves left over from fall or some stragglers that have come down more recently, rake those up and dispose of them.  Raking up leaves and removing debris  will eliminate hiding spots for occasional invaders like millipedes, ants, and other pests.
  • Check leftover firewood – Check under any leftover firewood for signs of pests that often hide between and underneath wood.  Make sure that wood piles are located as far away from your home as possible.  The last thing you want is termites next to your structure.
  • Remove standing water – Standing water is a breeding ground for pests, especially mosquitoes.  Dump water from bird baths or install drains that will aid in water flowing from your yard rather than gathering.
  • Trim Bushes – By trimming your bushes you are not only making your lawn look aesthetically pleasing but you’re also reducing the risk of pests near the structure of your home.
  • Apply pre-emergent – Now is the perfect time to prevent weeds from popping up in your lawn.  Call a lawn care professional for the most effective products and treatment options for your lawn.

There’s no better time than now to trust Northwest’s Lawn Care experts to prepare your lawn to be healthy and green for the upcoming months so you can enjoy the outdoors!

"Holy Mole-y!" There’s a mole in the pool!

mole peeking out of the grassThere’s nothing like jumping in the pool on a hot summer day (well, a day that feels like summer anyways)!  So that is exactly what my family and I did on Saturday.  We went to my in-laws’ house and jumped right in the pool.  We had just begun to cool off and enjoy the water when we noticed we weren’t alone.  There was a mole in the pool!!!

The mole was quickly removed without incident and the fun continued but of course my mother-in-law had lots of questions about what it was doing in her yard, how did it get there, what is was looking for, and how does she get rid of them.  So mother in law…this is for you!

Moles are mammals that live underground and occasionally come to the surface.  Above ground, they breathe in oxygen and are able to re-use it to survive in low-oxygen environments such as underground burrows.  When they surface, they cause damage.  Mole damage is divided into two types: burrows and mounds.  Burrows occur when moles search for food near the surface, causing soil to be raised in ridges. Mounds are created when moles burrow deep or tunnel under solid objects such as tree roots or sidewalks and push the soil to the surface.

map of mole's runway system

Mole's runway system

Moles’ bodies and front claws are ideal for digging.  Their hands are quite large for their bodies and include an extra thumb and multiple joints in other fingers.  There are situations where mole damage is mostly visual, but in other situations they can destroy root systems in your yard, eventually killing the grass.

Damage caused by moles:

  • Interference of mowing and planting
  • Create weed invasion
  • Damage plants
  • Damage drainage systems and watercourses

The best way to get rid of a mole is by trapping or baiting the runs.  The trick to mole extermination is to find the feeding tunnels vs. the travel tunnels.  A professional animal removal service provider can distinguish between the two and can humanely remove the moles from your yard.  Call Northwest Exterminating for mole removal.

What is the craziest thing you ever jumped in next to?

"Holy Mole-y!" There's a mole in the pool!

mole peeking out of the grassThere’s nothing like jumping in the pool on a hot summer day (well, a day that feels like summer anyways)!  So that is exactly what my family and I did on Saturday.  We went to my in-laws’ house and jumped right in the pool.  We had just begun to cool off and enjoy the water when we noticed we weren’t alone.  There was a mole in the pool!!!
The mole was quickly removed without incident and the fun continued but of course my mother-in-law had lots of questions about what it was doing in her yard, how did it get there, what is was looking for, and how does she get rid of them.  So mother in law…this is for you!
Moles are mammals that live underground and occasionally come to the surface.  Above ground, they breathe in oxygen and are able to re-use it to survive in low-oxygen environments such as underground burrows.  When they surface, they cause damage.  Mole damage is divided into two types: burrows and mounds.  Burrows occur when moles search for food near the surface, causing soil to be raised in ridges. Mounds are created when moles burrow deep or tunnel under solid objects such as tree roots or sidewalks and push the soil to the surface.

map of mole's runway system

Mole's runway system


Moles’ bodies and front claws are ideal for digging.  Their hands are quite large for their bodies and include an extra thumb and multiple joints in other fingers.  There are situations where mole damage is mostly visual, but in other situations they can destroy root systems in your yard, eventually killing the grass.
Damage caused by moles:

  • Interference of mowing and planting
  • Create weed invasion
  • Damage plants
  • Damage drainage systems and watercourses

The best way to get rid of a mole is by trapping or baiting the runs.  The trick to mole extermination is to find the feeding tunnels vs. the travel tunnels.  A professional animal removal service provider can distinguish between the two and can humanely remove the moles from your yard.  Call Northwest Exterminating for mole removal.
What is the craziest thing you ever jumped in next to?

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