CDC announces that West Nile season is off to an early start

Health officials are saying that there have been more reports of West Nile virus this year than any other year since 2004.  As of July, 241 people have been infected with the virus, 4 of those resulting in death.

The CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has said that the West Nile season is off to an early start.  Not only that but experts are expecting to see more cases of West Nile than in recent years.  Read more on the West Nile season’s early start HERE.

The best way to prevent West Nile is to avoid getting mosquito bites in the first place.  By wearing insect repellant, long sleeves and pants, you can decrease your chances of getting bit by mosquitoes.  You can also protect your yard by having a professional mosquito control that will combine treatment methods that are effective in reducing adult mosquitoes and mosquito larvae.

For more information on Northwest Exterminating’s Green Mosquito Control click here.

 

Ants, Ants, and More Ants

Ants are one of the pests that can be an issue year around.  Although controlling ants can be difficult…it is possible.

Size is a big advantage to the small ants.  Because they are so small, they can enter a structure through even the tiniest of entryways.  When ants enter your home, they are looking for food and water.  Sweets and greasy foods are amongst some of their favorite foods.  To lead other ants to food, they leave behind a pheromone that allows the other ants to follow to the source of food.

Ants are social insects, meaning they live in large colonies.  You can find 300,000-500,000 ants in a single colony.   Ants can uproot and move their whole colony rather quickly.  Worker ants can live up to 7 years while queens can live up to 15 years.

Although size and quantity are on the side of ants, there are ways to keep ants out of your home:

  • Eliminate standing water.  This will help keep away ants, as well as other pests such as mosquitoes and termites.
  • Keep foliage away from the structure.  Ants and other pests can use branches, leaves, etc as a way to enter your home.
  • Seal your home.  Cracks and crevices around your home are used as entrances to your home by pests.
  • DIY methods.  Although some DIY methods can be helpful in getting rid of ants, you are not getting to the real source of the problem.  A professional pest control company can inspect your home and help you come up with a customized plan to get rid of and control future ants from coming in your home.

Call Northwest Exterminating at 888.466.7849 if you are having ant problems in your home or business. Visit us online to find out more information about ants and how to control them.

Adam Vannest: The New Director of Pest Services

Northwest Exterminating is proud to introduce Adam Vannest as our new Director of Pest Services.  As Director of Pest Services, Adam will be responsible for all of the ongoing pest control training and development at Northwest.  Adam has a strong commitment to excellence and continuing education; this passion will help Northwest to further their commitment to creating healthier living and working environments.

Adam is a graduate of Kennesaw State University where he studied Music Education.  Adam grew up surrounded by family members in the pest control industry.  So it was no surprise that after graduation Adam decided to follow in their footsteps.   Adam joined the Northwest family in 2007 and most recently served as the Monroe Service Center Manager.  He soon became a Georgia Certified Operator in both WDO and HPC categories.  Through his hard work, dedication, and involvement in civic organization, community events, and associations, Adam has helped Northwest to be the leader in pest and termite control.

Adam currently resides in Monroe with his wife, Elica, his son, Leo, and are anxiously awaiting the arrival of a daughter in October!

Northwest is excited to have Adam on board in his new role!

You can contact Adam at [email protected]

Blogs by Adam:

How to Rid Yellow Jackets Using Glue Boards
10 Ways to Make Sure Your Home is Not Attractive to Rodents

Energy Savings from the Bottom Up

If your home is anything like mine you have a high electric bill in the summer and a high gas bill in the winter.  When one goes down, the other one goes up.  Luckily, Northwest Exterminating offers services that can relieve some of those painful energy bills from the bottom of your house up.

Northwest’s Complete CrawlSpace system will not only soften those energy bills but it will improve the overall health of your home.  Crawl spaces are often filled with moisture.  Moisture leads to high levels of humidity which cause mold growth, pests, and energy loss.  Energy loss may sound like a good thing but it actually causes your system to work harder leading to higher energy bills.  Closing in your crawl space can control the amount of moisture, correcting the issues listed above and preventing them from happening in the future.  This would give you a healthier, more energy efficient living environment that could save you up to 18% on utility bills.

Another way to save on energy bills is to properly insulate your atticTAP attic insulation can reduce both your heating and cooling bills.  When you have the recommended r-value (insulation’s resistance to heat flow) your insulation works more efficiently, meaning your heating and air isn’t working overtime to compensate.  TAP attic insulation can save you up to 30% or more on your utility bills.  Other benefits include:

Northwest can provide you with energy savings from the ground…up!  Call now or complete a Free Inspection Form.

Entomophobia

 

Do bees give you the creeps or do they down right frighten you into hyperventilation? If it’s the latter, you are possibly suffering from entomophobia. Entomophobia is a fear of insects or bugs. This predicament can bring about emotional and mental states such as panic attacks.

A famous entomophobe was the artist Salvador Dali. When Dalí was five years old, he witnessed an insect that had been eaten by ants where the shell was the only thing that remained. The swarming ants in Dalí’s pieces and models are innuendos to death and decomposition, and are hints of human mortality and uncertainty.

Ant Face by Salvador Dali

Dalí had an extreme phobia of grasshoppers, brought on from his adolescent harassment by other kids, who frequently hurled grasshoppers and other insects at him. When they emerge in Dalí’s art, grasshoppers are utilized as an indication of devastation, decay and despair. Dalí characterizes them with a fearsome nature, as huge and alarming in comparison to the other figures, and they are shown in the act of eating the main subject of the work a number of times.

Although Salvador Dali was an odd guy, we can all agree that some insects are just plain creepy.

What is your phobia?

Cara Carver
[email protected]

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