Pest Control and Bug Exterminator Blog

The internet is a sea of information.  Some salty, some entertaining, some exciting, and some information is just useless.  The world of pest control has been around for some time now.  There are industry giants that have been around for close to 100 years now. The pests may evolve , but not much really changes on a daily bases. So I sometimes wonder “how can anyone add new and valuable content to the topic of pest control?” Sure there is a new love song everyday of the week. Yes, Facebook is revolutionizing the social scene.  But PEST CONTROL???

But, as with love songs, it’s the passion that keeps the flame burning.  And while pest control isn’t most people’s topic of choice, there are those that carry the torch because they love what they do.  This past week a fellow exterminator reminded me why pest control is a good business to be in. Hearts Pest Control out of San Diego, really does have heart.

Hearts Pest Control, San Diego Pest Control Service that Cares.

Written by Gerry Weitz and reproduced with his permission.

Published in PMP magazine
http://www.mypmp-digital.com/pmpdigital/201004#pg14

Take Back My Paycheck

It is hard to part with money, yet I enjoy personally handing out paychecks.  At my office, the employees usually take a second look at the envelope before opening to see the paycheck.  Occasionally, they’ll look at the envelope and say, “Take this back, you didn’t write a fortune cookie.”

Whether or not the paycheck is particularly good, the staff enjoys seeing genuine notes addressed from me to them personally:

“Outstanding teamwork!  Good start to a great career at Hearts!”

“Love those extra efforts at client retention!  Thanks so much.”

“Mistakes get made.  Don’t let it get you down.  We’ll get there together.”

Something special is happening when employees care first about a small, heartfelt message before their paychecks.  It not only inspires them.  It inspires me.  I’m not a fool to think the employees would be here if they didn’t get a decent paycheck.  Nevertheless, people will exit companies that don’t inspire them.  Appreciation is a powerful word.  Combining that with inspiration for a better future is that much more empowering.

Great companies continue to inspire staff even as they grow.  Writing a personal note to one random employee each week might start a workplace legend.  There is something wrong when employees say, “It’s all about the numbers.”  If that sounds like your company, beware!  One way to prove you are listening to staff is by responding with communications that show you care about their personal and family welfare and their careers at your company.

Communicate those little things that make your employees want to feel as happy to come back on Monday morning, as they do walking out on Friday with paycheck in hand.

-Gerry

www.heartspm.com

Need San Diego Pest Control? Call Gerry at Hearts Pest Control.

Putting the Service back into Pest Control

I really enjoyed Gerry’s article and from what I have learned about Gerry I can tell that he runs a good operation. Service companies should understand service from the top down. Service should be a genuine action of your personal choice with the intent to help another. To be genuine, the giver will have no motives to question. An act of service is also not given out of obligation. It is about caring. While I am not an employee of Hearts, I believe Gerry cares for his employees.

-Thomas Ballantyne
“Yes, I am a pest control guy.”

ThomasB General Pest Control customer service, Exterminators, PCOs, San Diego Pest Control, service

A customer that I serviced in Litchfield Park had a problem with ants and bees coming in and out of her dog’s water dish.  She had ants all over her front yard.  I took the time to follow the trail of ants leading to a dirt area outside their lawn.  These ants had to of been traveling over 50 to 70 feet just to get to her house.  I sprayed the curbing were the ants were trailing and around their hill with termidor.  I told her that the treatment may take up to 3 days in order for it to fully work.  As far as the bees were concern, I looked around and could not find a hive.  The bees were just coming in and out for a drink, but I still wanted to help her keep the bees out of her dog’s dish.  I told her of a trick I learned in scouts.  I told her she could make an easy bee trap with a 2 liter soda bottle.  She needed to leave a little soda in the bottle and cut the top of the bottle off with a knife.  The top needs to be turned upside down and put into the top of the bottle.  The idea was to attract the bees to the soda instead of the dog’s dish.  It worked and some bees were trapped in the soda bottle.

Jameson Hunter

Phoenix Branch

Pest-Control-Stories Story ants, B, bees, exterminator story, pest control stories, Phoenix AZ, service

Pest-Control-Stories Story A, Phoenix AZ, scorpions, service

Manitoba Health concludes that the numbers of Culex tarsalis mosquitoes,  mosquitoes known for carrying the West Nile Virus, are beginning to increase. The adult mosquito population is contingent on weather and pest control remedies. The weather will determine if their is enough moisture for the mosquitoes to reproduce. If the temperatures stay hot, and rains decline, allowing for  groundwater levels to fall then the normal water puddles and pools will dry kiling off the mosquitoes’ offspring. Pest control actions we take around our homes and properties to eliminate or treat stagnant waters used by mosquitoes will also determine severity of mosquito bites.  Quick tip, Mosquito Dunks are one of the best pest solutions for controlling mosquitoes in water bodies found around homes and property. As mosquitoes often don’t fall under the normal pest control service protection plans, you will want to apply these remedies yourself.

Mosquitoes do pose a health risk.  In fact, Salt Lake is reporting that mosquitoes in Utah county are indeed infected with West Nile virus, and while there are no infected humans at this point individuals should use repellent. Bug spray is especially important to apply after sunset, when mosquitoes carrying West Nile emerge.  Of the 2008 incidents in Utah none were fatal, and of 2007 incidents 2 were fatal.

So for your own safety: USE BUG REPELLENT WHEN OUTDOORS.

kennetht Do It Yourself, General Pest Control, Health Risks Exterminators, health. mosquito, insect control, mosquitoes, pest control industry, pest control service, service

Pest Control Catches Deadly Snakes - Water Moccasins

Snakes are a real problem.  Most pest control companies can do nothing to prevent snakes from entering your home.  There are a few precautions a pest control company can take.  Pest Control Traps is one of those, although customers should understand that snake control and capture is not guaranteed. And remember, it is still best to call a wildlife company or rodent removal company if you have a serious snake problem.  Water Moccasins are deadly and they can be found frequently in Texas.    There are several other states that must deal with Water Moccasins and in the southern US, rattle snakes are a common concern among homeowners.

In general, stay away from snakes.  They typically only strike when they feel threatened.  If you are bitten by a poisonous snake then seek professional help immediately. Do not try to suck the poisons out. You can often make a snake bite worse by adding other germs and filth to the wound. It is also advised not to cinch the limb. This can result in the loss of a limb when not necessary. Most snake bites are treatable within the first 3 hours. However, each individual reacts differently so if signs of cardiac arrest or abnormal breathing occur then cinching or removing a limb may be the best option.

Again the first step is to call your local emergency help lines or Dial 911.

ThomasB Bulwark Family, General Pest Control danger, Environmentally Friendly, exterminating, Exterminators, pest control traps, pests, service, snakes, Texas, tips, water moccasins

Green Pest Control – Dallas TX Conference

Green is the thing especially during Green week. The yellow brick road is now green. Pest control is no different. Green Pest control is the new buzz. But what does it mean? What is green pest control?

Is the pest control company green or are they just “Green Washing” ?

This brings back memories of the 80’s “Light” craze. Everything was going “Lite”, “Light food”, “Lite Beer”, “Lite Cheese”, stick a light label on it and it was hot. It’s the “New and Improved” sells pitch. Or try “No Calories” for water that never had calories. “Fat Free” gelatins, no fat all sugar. “Reduced Fat Mayo” sure you’ve gone down in fat nano grams, but shouldn’t you just skip the mayo all together? We went through and are still suffering from the “Low-Carb” label. From craze, rave, wave, to the grave. The problem with the newest fad is that being new makes it unknown and the results unsure. Fortunately the rage that is worthwhile leaves its everlasting impression. And we believe that green means better, better for you and better for the earth.

“Greener is Cleaner”

The problem still remains, “What is Green Pest Control?”

Unfortunately after day 1 of The Green Pest Management Conference, there is still no concrete answer. Being green is still too new for most of the pest control industry. The best way to say it is that Green comes in shades. There is the “100% Organic group”, the “All Naturals”, and the much looser “Mix and Match”. More of a hybrid approach.

Bulwark’s stance, forget the label and the hype, we know and have always known that the customer wants the most effective and the safest pest control solution. If you label green as using the most effective solution with the least amount of exposure to families, children, pets, water, and the environment then you can label Bulwark Green. Bulwark began its service with an in-wall treatment plan, no baseboard spraying, and using products that had been used and proven in agriculture pest control. Bulwark was one of the first pest control companies to feature EcoSmart products. Bulwark has always been aware of a customers concern about the safety of their family. Bulwark has always tried to do what we feel is best for the environment. Call it what you want. If you ask me, yes were are green, always have been a shade of green,… and a very dark green if you look at the logo…

and getting greener.

Always moving, always improving. Or as our employees have so lovingly phrased it, “Bulwark means Change” … The world is evolving, shouldn’t your pest control?

ThomasB Environmentally Friendly, Health Risks EPA, Green Pest Control, health, industry news, IPM, marketing, pest control company, pest control industry, service

Bed bugs have become a major concern for pest control companies.  Calls for bed bug service are pouring in around the nation.  The National Management Control Association says they’ve seen a 71% increase in bed bug related calls.  New York reported that bed bug infestations increased 34% during the past year. Where are these bed bugs coming from?  Why are bed bugs on the rise?

Authorities want to point fingers at international travelers.  They believe that individuals traveling abroad bring back the pests in clothes and in suit cases. Travelers within the US may also pick up these pests from hotels that are frequented by international travelers and bring them home. But what’s even more frightening is that idea that these bed bugs are moving out of the bed and into couches, airplanes, and movie theaters! …YIKES!

After a 50 year slump these bugs are back with a vengeance.  And Pest Control companies are perplexed on how to solve the problem.  They don’t fall under general pest control treatments.  Realistically it takes special equipment and several interior treatments to rid a home of bed bugs.  Plus its recommended that residents wash all of their laundry around the same time to kill of any bed bugs that are hiding in clothes. And according to pest control companies that attended the recent EPA: National Bed Bug Summit ,”Residents are a problem and are sometimes unwilling to cooperate or engage in behaviors to manage pests”  ….Residents are a further nuisance because… “Preventative and ongoing inspection is necessary to address the problem, … residents and property managers  do not  cooperate  or do not consider pest inspections to be a priority” The conclusion therefore is that IPM which integrates the residents doesn’t work.

It seems that ultimately those in attendance still don’t have a solid solution for controlling bed bugs.  They made suggestions like “Property managers must be certified pest control operators to treat their own properties.” to ideas like “Pest Control Companies should be certified in bed bugs and there should be a national accrediting body for those pest control operators.”  In the end, the biggest complaint from PCOs was that the EPA has restricted the use of products that use to work for bed bugs. So it seems they believe the only solution using the current products is a program that both the residents and PCOs can work together on and both share some of the burdens of failure or success. Needless to say,  “We need to educate the public” was among the better solutions they came up with at the summit. So at least they all seemed to agree on one thing… There is a Bed Bug Epidemic and that the public needs to know about it.

But don’t worry they plan on holding another Bed Bug Summit to further discuss the problem and possible solutions.

Read EPA’s Full report here: http://www.epa.gov/oppfead1/cb/ppdc/bedbug-summit/partic-recom.pdf

Bed Bugs 2009 summit was held April 14th.

New bed bug site that proves useful and interesting: www.bugsinmybed.com 1/12/2010

Got Bed Bugs?

Do-It-Yourself Bed Bug Control

kennetht Bulwark Family, General Pest Control, Health Risks, Uncategorized bed bug epidemic, bed bugs, EPA, General Pest Control, health, industry news, industry standards, IPM, management, pest control, pest control companies, service

Please have a safe and happy Halloween.  Please be extra cautious for trick o’ treaters as they scurry from house to house.  Slow down a little bit more than usual when driving home.

Kenneth
PS…When you see those trail of ants leading to your kids candy…Don’t forget The Worlds Most Productive Highest Quality Service Company In The World…Yours Truly….Bulwark Exterminating…for all of your pest control needs.

kennetht Uncategorized bug control, happy, service