Pest Control and Bug Exterminator Blog

Wow…2008 is officially a thing of the past.  I am excited about the possibilities for 2009 and hope that it brings each of us the true desires of our hearts.  Life is a precious thing and 2008 has made it a point to add emphasis to things that I should be grateful for.  First and foremost I am grateful for my wife.  She is the secret of my success and has to bare the majority of the load of rearing our children.  My wife and I have been married for nearly eight years and I must say that although challenging at times, our union has borne the greatest fruit.

With a house full of “crumb munchers” it is enjoyable to come to a home that is well organized and clean.  I don’t know how she does it…when I am at home (alone with) my kids quickly turn their rooms into a disaster area.  She is the greatest mother I know…and thats pretty good considering my mother is extraordinarily special in her own right…but thats a different story.

Although we had our toast of Welchs white grape; here’s my literary tribute to you; my “pest control wife” who has to bare my long drawn out conversations.  I am certain their is no greater supporter or reader of this blog.  Honey I love you!

STAY TUNED…This blog is going to get a face lift before the end of 2009.  As busy as I am, I have not yet determined when I will have time for “surgery,” but rest assured it will be well worth the wait…or at least worth your anticipation.  Until then, chow.

KT

Time and time again I receive questions regarding the relevance of an annual agreement for pest control services.  To better answer these questions I feel behooved to put pest control issues within the context of an average pest control customer.  Obviously each pest control customer is different; but there are a few basic assumptions that should be made when one is found to be in need of pest control.

First and foremost when someone recognizes their need for pest control it generally means that their “specific” threshold for tolerance towards unwanted pests has been exceeded or is on the brink of tolerance.  Secondly, pests are often in a cycle of dormancy making seasonal appearances in an adult stage with the next generation safely tucked away in a hidden harborage generally left untreated after one service; and dormant longer than the standard “30-90 day guarantee.”   Finally, pests issues are often community wide issues.

If you are like me you don’t pick up the phone immediately when you see a pest.  I often come across ants, silverfish, and pigeons who quickly become a nuisance.  The first thing I try to do is get rid of the pest myself.  Whether I purchase over the counter bug spray, seal up the crack or entry point, or utilize a beebe gun to shoot at pigeons when no one is watching (wink, wink), I am called into action.  Although alleviating the problem temporarily this approach to pest control often exacerbates the pest problem.

In the case of ants I could cause one colony to split into several different colonies.  Pharoah Ants and Argentine Ants (Super Colonies) each have the efficient ability to seperate and form multiple ant colonies.  So the ants which were attracted to grandma’s cookies in the kitchen are now being found in grandpa’s bathroom (having seperated in response to over the counter bug spray and instinctively being drawn to moisture).  In the case of silverfish I decide I am going to seal my doors better…not recognizing that the infestation is actually within the walls having initially been attracted to starchy materials left within the walls during construction; and ultimately infesting from within.  In the cases of pigeons “whose feathers I’ve ruffled” move from above my garage and are now nestled above my main entrance into the home.

Pigeons are a great example of a pest problem that if symptomatically treated escalates into a living nightmare. One should know that if I am putting spikes and removing harborage areas for pigeons on your neighbors roof; the disgusting pigeon “poop” and “loose feathers” will most likely migrate over to your home.  Although an over simplification, this is a good example of how pest problems should be looked at.  Most consistent pest problems are a community problem.  I often would treat individual homes on golf courses.  Many of these homes were multi-million dollar homes within an elaborate community of picturesque greens, water falls, and man made lakes.  Unfortunately individual residents could never understand why they had an escalating issue of rodents.  Similar to the concept within The Field of Dreams whose adage: “Build it and They Will Come;” is understatement when one recognizes that more than humans, rodents love these artificial developments because of the moisture, shade, and agriculture.  It wasn’t long before those who thought they lived in an area of the development safe from rodents fell victim of the onslaught of their new-found tailed friends.

I have not yet come across a community of individual homeowners where all could agree on a pest control strategy; let alone split the cost of a neighbors newly installed pigeon exclusion.  Unfortunately most people do not see beyond their home boundary.  Because of this unfortunate reality; in order to prescribe a service worth its gurantee and in order to ensure customer satisfaction it is often of necessity to enter into a contract of service.  To put this in perspective let me offer an analogy.

Suppose you lived in a community of four houses aligned in a square plot divided equally.  Where each house was centered on each division.  If there is a heavy rain your subdivision is flooded.  Suppose you hire a professional to come in and install sandbags around your home…and it works effectively.  Next time there is a heavy rain the other three homes will be flooded (proportional to the water displaced from your barrier) worst than before.  Furthermore, we know that it is necessary to continually reinforce your barriers as rain is inevitable and so is the degredation of the sand barrier.  Why is a one-time sand bag installation ineffective?  Why would a seasonal sand bag service be ineffective?

“Whew…”

KT

The specifics straight down to the nitty gritty:

External Inspection: In general; places where there is moisture or cellulose.

• Drainage: Water troughs that run along side your roofs and into down spouts; should be contiguous.
• Natural flow of water away from your foundation. Like your roof, the ground surrounding your foundation should be slightly sloped to allow water to flow away from your foundation and ultimately to a civic drainage system. Water damage to the external walls; paint discoloration; molds, moldy smell etc.
• Water (hose) outlets: Leaking? Water Buildup permeating the foundation? Adequate drainage from the foundation?
• Cellulose deposits: Firewood? Anything with cellulose. How is Cellulose materials stored? Off of the ground or In contact with the soil? All wood should be raised (bricks under pallet,etc.) Against the foundation? Wood should not come in contact with any of the external walls of the home; I recommend at least 2 feet of space.
• Soil levels on the foundation; should be less than 2 inches from the top of the concrete slab.
• Does the customer have a wooden fence? If so, do wooden posts run right into the ground? Any wood to soil contact?
• Any signs of termite activity (mud tubes, wings)…both inactive and active; I also look for previous termite treatments.

Internal Inspection:

• I am looking primarily at the places where moisture is present. Kitchens, Bathrooms, Mud rooms, and around HVAC entry/exit points. I am checking for signs of water damage; rots, mold, fungi, etc.
• I look at all windows and doors or other entry points on all external walls. I am looking for bulges and other irregularities in the wood. Using a stethoscope and if necessary; various probes I will look for various types of termite indicators (inactive/active).

This is basically what I would look for. I tried to keep it very simple as to give you a clue as to what your inspector might be looking for. Hopefully this will help you when preparing to have a termite inspection. These guidelines may help; but are no guarantee for a passing report.

If you do not receive an “all-clear” report; you will be notified of issues found during the inspection. Generally you are given a period of time to get these problems fixed; and the report amended. Good Luck.

KT

Bulwark Exterminating

The busiest time of the year for the Pest Control Industry is mostly during the summer months. Pest activity increases in the spring and peaks in the summer months. Pest Control Myth #3 revolves around the assumption that Pest Control is only needed during these times. Of course the premise of my position excludes tropical and sub-tropical habitats that may be considered conducive for pests year-round.

The major reason why Pest Control is going to be needed more and more year-round in areas where there exists an “off-peak” season for pests is because of Human Intervention.

The decrease in pest activity or an off-peak season is primarily due to pest life cycles. These life cycles are developed in harmony with the earth’s seasonal changes. Although it is true that there will be a decrease in pest activity during colder times, experience has revealed that the human element of warmth in naturally cold times has been conducive to pest activity.

Most human homes provide enough food, water, and shelter for pests to coexist during the winter/colder months. If we have learned anything of Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection/Evolution; we should recognize the significant ability of insects/pests to adapt to their environment (natural/artificial). Empirical evidence supports the notion that our homes provide adequate harborage for pests/insects year-round.

I have seen on a warm winter day an influx of ants, silverfish, adult sized spiders, raspy roaches, rats in a jacuzzi set up, earwigs with the morning cup of coffee, the infamous scorpion in its glory, etc… All within the confine of the human habitat…The well heated, well watered, well fed, artificial harborage, with vegetative decor to boot…Does anything say “MOVE IN” better than the human home on a winter’s cold night?

KT

Bulwark Pest Control