Nov 26, 2019 | Pest Control
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Jun 10, 2019 | Bed Bug, Pest Control, Termite Control
Just as the weather changes with the seasons, pest activity shifts to usher in new groups of active pests. Let’s take a look at what pests are active in your area and some tips to keep them away.
Subterranean Termites
The humidity and moisture that come with early summer is what helps to increase subterranean termite activity. “Swarm season” is in full effect, and this can present a problem for your home.
- Avoid water accumulation around your home, specifically around the foundation.
- Invest in a moisture-reducing program to help reduce humidity in your home’s crawl space.
Bed Bug
Summer is the biggest travel time for many. College students are coming back home, and family vacations are planned. This increases the chances of having an incident with bed bugs, and a bed bug infestation is no easy battle.
- When returning from vacation, leave suitcases in the garage or driveway. Remove clothing and take immediately to your laundry room to be washed in warm water.
- Consider packing a large garbage bag to place your suitcase in while on vacation.
- Do not unpack your clothing and place them in the hotel drawers as these can be hiding places for bed bugs.
American Cockroaches
As the summer weather starts to rev up, American cockroach activity will skyrocket. While they live outdoors, if they find themselves low on food or if the weather experiences a drastic change (extreme heat or excessive rain), they will try move indoors.
- Put dirty dishes directly into the dishwasher or wash them immediately after using them instead of leaving them in the sink overnight.
- Make sure to eliminate any sources of standing water around your home.
Pest infestation can be costly and a major hassle. Contact a professional pest control company like Northwest for a free pest control estimate to protect your home from pests year-round.
Aug 8, 2018 | Pest Control
We’ve all been there. You start cooking and open up the bag of flour only to find a bug staring back at you! Yuck! Stored product pests include both storage and pantry pests and fabric pests. Pantry pests are most commonly found in kitchens and food storage areas. Fabric pests are most commonly found in closets and rooms with a source of fiber, fur, or leather. These pests are often not spotted until they leave their food source to crawl or fly around your home. So what kind of pests are these and what can you do to prevent them? Check out these common storage and pantry pests and our 12 tips to prevent them.
Indian Meal Moths
Indian meal moths are one of the most common stored food pests. They are commonly identified by their two toned wing pattern with tan and copper colors. They have a 1/2″ to 5/8″ wingspan. Indian meal moths feed on dried fruits, nuts, chocolate, powdered milk, birdseed, dog food and grains. These moths are most often spotted on ceilings, walls, and countertops. Indian meal moths are usually controlled by removing the infested source of food.
Clothes Moths
Clothes moths are one of the most common fabric pests. Clothes moths are smaller in size then Indian meal moths. They are identified by their shiny golden scales. Clothes moths are very secretive in nature and are primarily nocturnal. They feed on protein based fibers like wool cloth, carpets, furs, pet hair, piano felts, and natural hair brushes. Infested fabrics can be treated with dry cleaning but this doesn’t prevent reinfestation. Dry cleaned items should be stored in either cold storage or sealed in airtight containers with fresh cedar chips.
Beetles
There are several types of beetles that feed on stored food and pantry items. Some of these include weevils, cigarette beetles, , saw toothed grain beetles, larder beetles, mealworms, and flour beetles. These beetles feed on a variety of stored grains, fruits, spices, powdered milk, dried meat, and dead insects. Beetles can be controlled by finding their food source eliminating it. Once eliminated, all non-infested food supplies should be stored in air-tight containers.
Carpet Beetles
Carpet beetles are the most common fabric pest beetle species. They are small and round with black or mottled wings. Carpet beetles are often mistaken for bedbugs. These beetles will feed on any source of animal protein, fabrics, carpets, and even mounted animal trophies. Carpet beetles can be controlled by inspecting your furs, wool, feathers, silks, and carpets for their presence and treating with heat or cold.
PREVENTION
- Buy dried foods in quantities that can be used up in 2 to 4 months.
- Use up your older products before your newer ones.
- Inspect all packages before buying them or bringing them home.
- Store foods in tightly closed containers, preferably those made of glass, metal, or heavy plastic. This includes pet food.
- Keep food storage areas clean by cleaning up crumbs and spills immediately.
- Throw away any unused food products.
- Thoroughly clean cracks and corners of cupboards and doors with a vacuum cleaner.
- Check and clean areas where pet food and birdseed are stored.
- Regularly beat and air out wool rugs (once or twice a month).
- Clean baseboards of pet hair and dust.
- Remove old bird and rodent nests from your attic.
- Contact a pest control professional if you suspect you have an infestation of any of these pests.
Jul 27, 2018 | Pest Control
Nestled close to Lake Lanier is Cumming, GA where, during the summer months, many people come to visit to enjoy the lake fun. Cumming, GA also has many full-time residents and offers plenty of pest control companies to keep you and your family pest free all year long. We put together a list of three companies that received positive reviews in the area, in case you’re looking for pest or termite protection.
- Think Green Pest Control: A locally owned company that offers 4 options to protect your home from termites, pests, and mosquitoes.
- All Exterminating: Offering termite, pest, and wildlife services, All Exterminating received positive reviews and place a strong emphasis on customer service.
- Halliday Pest Control Services: A family-owned company, Halliday has provided pest services to Cumming, GA and the surrounding area for over 20 years.
From one quick “pest control Cumming GA” Google search, you will come across the many pest control companies that service the Cumming, GA or Lake Lanier area. Pest control is an important aspect to any home or business because pests can spread diseases and cause unfortunate damage to your home. As you narrow down your list of companies from online reviews and your own research, consider the other items that may also be important to you, like convenience billing, the ability to bundle multiple services, or possibly a weekend appointment time to ensure that you choose a company that fits your needs.
Aside from reading online reviews and checking out the services that are offered, you can always check with your friends and family to see who they would recommend in the area. Our Northwest Exterminating office in Cumming, GA has been fortunate to service many homes and businesses in the area and offers services from bed bugs to fire ants and most pests in between. We hope as you continue your research companies that you’ll consider Northwest Exterminating as an option for you and your home.
Jul 19, 2018 | Pest Control
Although summer may be coming to an end, that doesn’t necessarily mean that pest season is. In fact, as temperatures start to cool down, pests will start to look for places to hide indoors for the winter. Contacting a pest control company now can help you prepare your home for fall and winter pests. Here are a few pest control options in the Lawrenceville, GA area:
- Gwinnett Pest Control – With over 50 years of experience and 3 generations of family offering a full range of pest control services.
- Bulwark Pest Control – In business since 1999, this family owned company offers a wide range of pest control and termite services.
- Pyramid Exterminators and Wildlife Control – A family owned and operated company since 1999 offering pest control and wildlife management services.
- Divine Team, Inc – A family owned and operated company with 20+ years of experience offering a full range of residential and commercial pest control services.
How do you choose the best pest control company for you? You can rely on word of mouth, Google, Yelp, and Facebook reviews, and past experience to name a few. Research is your best resource when it comes to choosing a pest control company.
As always, we hope you will consider calling Northwest Exterminating for any of your pest problems if you’re in the Lawrenceville or surrounding area, as we have locations to service most parts of Georgia. However, our biggest goal is for you to find the right pest solution for you. Feel free to check out more on our website to identify your pests and to determine what pest solutions are out there for your home, or get started by calling (888) 466-7849 or filling out the Free Estimate form below.
