5 Reasons To Be Thankful for Pest Control

5 Reasons To Be Thankful for Pest Control

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on the things we are thankful for. Many people are thankful for life, health, family, and friends. Whatever you are thankful for this season, pest control probably isn’t very high on the list. What you may not realize is that there are several very important reasons to be thankful for this service. Here are five reasons to be thankful for pest control this holiday season.

Cost Savings

Routine pest control provides scheduled service throughout the year. This allows your service technician the opportunity to provide ongoing treatment for existing issues and regular inspections to help catch new problems early, before they manifest to serious infestations. This helps shift the focus of your pest control service from treatment to prevention, helping to save you from costly treatments and repairs in the future.

Improved Health

Routine pest control provides many opportunities to improve the health of both your family and your home. Pests offer a wide range of hazards to your family’s health and safety. Venomous spiders and ants can cause painful bites; rodents and other wildlife can leave droppings that can contaminate your food and household surfaces; cockroaches can exacerbate allergies and asthma. Routine pest control can help eliminate all of these threats, as well as provide you with stress and anxiety relief knowing that your home is protected.

Protecting the Value/Integrity of Your Home

Pests can cause serious damage to the structure of your home, decreasing its value and costing significant amounts of money in repairs and treatments. Rodents and other wildlife can chew through walls, wires, drywall, and even roofs, damaging them and increasing the risk of fires. Termites can eat through wood undetected for years before their damage is realized. Rodents and roaches can contaminate food, costing you money by having to throw it out and replace it. A routine pest control program can help catch these pest issues early and keep them from getting out of control.

Eco-Friendly Options

Pest control used to mean harsh chemicals that were dangerous for your small children or pets. Nowadays there are green pest control options that are eco-friendly and safe for use anywhere in and around your home while still remaining effective against pests. The active ingredients in a green pest control service are derived from flowers, plants, and other natural elements from the earth and are safe for both children and pets.

Service Guarantee

Most pest control programs offer a service guarantee. Routine pest control visits are scheduled so that problems can be identified and remedied at that time. The service guarantee allows the technician to come back in between scheduled visits for any issues that arise at no additional cost to you.

As you can see, there are many reasons to be thankful for pest control. If you suspect you have a pest problem or you want to stay ahead of the pests before they take over, contact a professional pest control company who can thoroughly evaluate your home and provide you with the treatment and prevention options needed to make you thankful this season.

 

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Late Fall Pests

Late Fall Pests

Cooler weather is finally here! Time for sweaters, boots, and cozy nights inside. While you and your family are spending more time inside, pests are looking to wait out the cold in your home as well. Here are a few tips you can use now before you end up with overwintering pests that overstay their welcome.

  1. Before unboxing decorations from the garage or attic, inspect the boxes thoroughly. Pests may have taken up residence inside and look to use these storage materials as an entry point into your home.
  2. Be sure to store any firewood at least 20 feet away from the exterior of your home. The firewood can act as a hiding place for pests. By moving the wood away from your home, it will reduce incident of invasions.
  3. Kitchens are huge entry points for pests. Keep counters free of crumbs and spills, utilize airtight containers to store open food, and use lids on garbage cans.
  4. Look to screen vents and chimneys, seal cracks and crevices, install door sweeps, and replace weather-stripping to cut down on pests looking to make your home their winter hideout.

With these tips you will hopefully be able to enjoy your holidays pest free. If you have an issue with pest invasions, reach out to your local pest control company to schedule an inspection.

Does The Weather Affect Pests?

Does The Weather Affect Pests?

No matter what season it is, pests will always be in search of 2 things: shelter and food. One place that provides both of these is your home! Pests are influenced by the seasons so their threats change as the weather changes. Different seasons bring different pests in varying stages of their life cycles. It is important to know seasonal pest patterns for your area to make the proper preparations for your home. What can you expect as each season changes throughout the year?

WINTER

Winter is a time of hibernation and survival for pests. Colder weather triggers a need for most pests to find shelter; some seek shelter outdoors while others will seek shelter indoors. Bees, wasps, and other stinging insects will seek out places in logs or in the eaves of your home. Ants will seek shelter in their nesting sites. Overwintering pests like cockroaches, spiders, and rodents will seek shelter indoors, sometimes in our homes. The key to prevention of winter pests is to prepare your home in the fall.

SPRING

Spring is a time of awakening and mating for most pests. As the weather warms, pests will emerge from their winter shelters and increase their activity. Pests that hibernate over winter will awaken from their dormant states. The spring rains will drive ants from their nesting sites in search of higher ground. Spring also marks the beginning of swarming season for termites. Most pests will move outdoors in the spring in search of mates.

SUMMER

Summer brings the height of backyard pests that put a damper on our outdoor fun. While we tend to see fewer pests inside our homes, we do tend to see larger numbers of pests in our yards and other outdoor areas. Mosquitoes are especially active in the summer months because of the moisture from spring and summer rains. Bees, wasps, and other stinging insects are also more active in the summer; their nests can often be found on our near our homes.

FALL

Fall is a time of preparation for most pests as they get ready for the harsh winter months. Common fall pests include ladybugs, box elders, and spiders. These pests will often invade your home at this time of the year in search of shelter for the coming months. Fall is a good time to prepare your home for those overwintering pests seeking shelter from the winter weather also, like cockroaches and rodents.
No matter the season, there are steps you can take to protect your home from pests year-round:

  • Keep your grass mowed and shrubbery trimmed away from the sides of your home.
  • Keep your yard clear of debris and standing water.
  • Store firewood away from the home and elevated off the ground.
  • Inspect the outside of your home for cracks and holes that pests can use as entry points and seal them.
  • Use weatherstripping around doors and windows and make sure screens are in good repair.
  • Cap your chimney.
  • Make sure gutters are clear of debris or install gutter guards.
  • Consider enclosing your crawlspace.
  • Keep food and pet food stored in airtight containers.
  • Don’t leave pet food and water bowls out overnight.
  • Clean up crumbs and spills immediately.
  • Vacuum often.
  • Repair any leaky faucets.

If these steps aren’t enough or if you already have a pest problem, call a pest control professional who can come and give your home a thorough inspection and help you with a treatment and prevention plan.

Venomous Snakes Of Georgia

Venomous Snakes Of Georgia

Fall is here! Football has started, bonfires are lit, and the weather is bringing more people outside. Though now is the time for all the Fall fun, you aren’t the only one enjoying this weather. Those snakes that slither through the tall grass and the woods of your backyard also appreciate this time of year! They can be intimidating creatures, but they also shouldn’t draw too much concern from the average person.
In Georgia it is illegal to kill certain snakes, punishable with fines of up to $1000 and/or up to one year in jail. This shouldn’t be an issue for most of us, however, because snakes want to avoid us just as much as we want to avoid them. Did you know that most snakes in Georgia are non-venomous with only six being venomous?
Let’s touch on these 6 venomous species of snakes and how you can tell which is which:
Eastern Coral Snake: This snake is easily recognized. You can tell them apart by the red and black segments on their body separated by yellow rings. Unlike the other snakes on this list, the coral snake has a rounded snout.
Copperhead: The copperhead usually has a light brown to gray skin color, but they can range from rusty orange to nearly black. You can recognize them easily by the 10 to 21 dark-brown hourglass-shaped crossbands on their body. Look out for their triangular shaped head, as well.
Timber Rattlesnake: They have background skin that can be a variety of different colors, ranging from shades of pink, yellow, gray, brown, or black. It has brown to black V-shaped bands down its body. It has a black tail with a rattle at the tip.
Pigmy Rattlesnake: They are usually gray or tan but can be reddish or black. The pattern on its body resembles blotches or spots that are dark in color. The tip of the tail has a rattle.
Cottonmouth: The cottonmouth has light brown or olive-colored skin with dark bands along their bodies. When they mature they may become very dark, obscuring the bands completely.
Eastern Diamond Rattlesnake: Its body is patterned with a row of diamond-like shapes that are dark brown in color. Each shape is outlined by a yellowish border. The tail has 3 to 10 brown and white bands and a rattle.
Before snakes go into hibernation, there’s a chance you might see one in your yard or while you’re out for a walk. In a situation like that, avoid the snake, and call your local pest control company to relocate it for you. And remember, it doesn’t want to hurt you, so don’t hurt them.

Itsy Bitsy Invasion

Itsy Bitsy Invasion

Leaves are falling, the weather is prepping for a big change, and while you decorate your home for the upcoming seasonal festivities, one of the seasons most notorious creepy crawlers will try to make its way into your home, posing a significant danger to you and your family.
Once the weather starts to cool, spiders look for refuge inside your house. Brown recluse spiders will make their way into undisturbed areas of your home (attics, garages, basements, and crawl spaces). At 1/2″ in size and varying from light brown to medium brown with a dark brown violin marking on its back, brown recluse spiders are very good at adapting to living in your home and can go months without food or water.
Most spiders are harmless, but brown recluse spiders can cause very painful and sometimes severe bites. Some people are only affected slightly by the bites of brown recluse spiders, sometimes only walking away with only a small red mark. Some however, may have a severe allergic reaction will need to seek out a medical professional to identify if the bite is from a brown recluse.

Mind these points during Fall:

  • When pulling out decorations for the holidays, exercise caution. Brown recluse spiders will utilize these spaces as hiding spaces.
  • We say this in every blog but seal any cracks and crevices around the house. This is the best defense as this is how brown recluse spiders will enter homes.
  • As proactive as we’d like to be in our home preparations, calling a pest control professional to properly identify the pests and create a treatment plan is crucial.

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