Nov 15, 2013 | Uncategorized
Ladybugs Seek Warmth in Homes
Ladybugs are beneficial insects but when they overwinter in your home they become a nuisance pest. They spend the warmer months of spring and summer growing their populations and like other overwintering pests, they seek warmth from the cold temperatures in fall and winter. Many seek shelter under rocks, leaves, or other items found in nature, then you have those that find shelter in homes and buildings.
Although typically harmless, ladybugs can aggravate asthma and cause allergic reactions in people. They can also emit a foul smelling, yellowish fluid that can stain surfaces.
Keeping ladybugs out of your home starts with the usual preventative pest management steps that we typically cover in our blogs: screen all windows, keep doors closed, door sweeps on exterior doors, and seal all cracks and crevices around the exterior of the home (windows, doors, pipes, etc).
If ladybugs have already found their way into your home, use a vacuum cleaner to clean them up. Empty the vacuum bag into a trash bag and make sure it is tightly closed. Discard of the trash bag in a sealed outside container. If you have a ladybug infestation, call a professional pest control company to evaluate, assess, and treat the problem. Call Northwest Exterminating for more on ladybug pest control.
Nov 13, 2013 | Uncategorized
Tips to Keep Wildlife out of Your Home
In our last blog we discussed the potential health threats and property damage that animals can cause when they enter your home. We’re not talking about dogs and cats here, we’re talking about the animals that belong in the wild: bats, raccoons, squirrels , mice, opossums, and other wildlife. With the cold temperatures we are starting to experience, it’s a prime time for wild animals to seek warmth and shelter in homes.
Here are some helpful tips on how to keep wildlife out of your home:
- Take out the trash regularly and ensure that the container is tightly sealed.
- Cut back tree limbs from your house. Animals can use these to gain entry to your home.
- Properly seal any vents or openings around the home that animals could use as entry points.
- Remove standing water from your yard. This includes bird baths, pooled water areas, and pet water bowls.
- Never leave pet food and water bowls outside. These can attract wildlife.
- Remove debris from your lawn.
- Install chimney caps so wildlife can’t enter your chimney.
If you hear wildlife in your home, it is best to call a professional animal removal company. Some animals can get aggressive when they feel they are being threatened. Northwest’s wildlife control specialist can help to remove the animal, seal off entry points, and help you to ensure that other wildlife do not return.
Nov 8, 2013 | Uncategorized
Cold Weather Has Wildlife Seeking Shelter in Homes
Those furry little creatures are cute outdoors but they somehow turn into scary monsters when they’re scurrying through your attic, basement, or even your walls. During the fall and winter months different wildlife can make their way into houses seeking warmth from the outside cold.
Common invaders like squirrels, bats, raccoons, and possums can be a threat to your health, property, and even your safety. These animals can carry diseases and can even get aggressive when they feel threatened. They can damage your property by gnawing on sheet rock, wood, insulation, storage containers, and wiring (a potential fire hazard).
There are easy steps to take that will help keep animals out of your home for the colder seasons: take trash out regularly and seal tightly and cut back tree limbs from your roof line. Animals, especially squirrels, use tree limbs as an entry to your home. Look for gnaw marks and feces and listen for scurrying sounds as indicators that you may have unwanted guests in your home.
Because these animals have a potential to be dangerous, it is best to call a wildlife removal company to properly remove these animals. Call Northwest Exterminating for animal removal.
Nov 8, 2013 | Uncategorized
Cold Weather Has Wildlife Seeking Shelter in Homes
Those furry little creatures are cute outdoors but they somehow turn into scary monsters when they’re scurrying through your attic, basement, or even your walls. During the fall and winter months different wildlife can make their way into houses seeking warmth from the outside cold.
Common invaders like squirrels, bats, raccoons, and possums can be a threat to your health, property, and even your safety. These animals can carry diseases and can even get aggressive when they feel threatened. They can damage your property by gnawing on sheet rock, wood, insulation, storage containers, and wiring (a potential fire hazard).
There are easy steps to take that will help keep animals out of your home for the colder seasons: take trash out regularly and seal tightly and cut back tree limbs from your roof line. Animals, especially squirrels, use tree limbs as an entry to your home. Look for gnaw marks and feces and listen for scurrying sounds as indicators that you may have unwanted guests in your home.
Because these animals have a potential to be dangerous, it is best to call a wildlife removal company to properly remove these animals. Call Northwest Exterminating for animal removal.
Nov 6, 2013 | Uncategorized
What Is a Household Pest?
Ants, mice, termites, roaches…they’re all among the creatures that make up beneficial roles in our eco system. So at what point do we go from peaceful coexistence on the planet to raging all out war? Simple. When they become a risk to our health, property, and lifestyle.
If household pests can not be properly controlled there’s a chance they can cause significant damage to your property and become a risk to your health.
Pests that threaten our health:
Pests that threaten our property:
Pests that threaten our way of Life:
- Ants
- Flying Insects
- Regional Pests
Controlling Pests:
- Clean
- De-Clutter
- Seal cracks and crevices
- Screen vents and gaps
- Doors and windows tightly sealed and closed
- No standing water
- No leaky faucets
- Clean yard and gutters from debris
- Hire a professional pest management company to regularly treat your property and identify areas of concern
