Is It Worth Hiring a Professional Pest Controller?

Every homeowner has to hire a pest control company to keep their homes safe from pests. Insects can be either small or large. Examples may include ants, bugs, rats and mice. If you too have pest infestation in your house, then you may want to call a pest control service. In this article, we are going to throw some light on the benefits of hiring the services of a qualified and experienced pest controller. So, keep on reading to find out more.

It is better to hire the services of a qualified and experienced pest controller than to do the job on your own.

These companies are good at exterminating bugs and pests like spiders, ants, squirrels, cockroaches and mice. Competent pest controllers know various techniques in order to rid homeowners of pests. They are ready to help you in emergencies as well.

You can enjoy numerous advantages by hiring a professional pest controller. Pros will conduct a thorough inspection on your property so as to discover the types of pests and determine the right techniques for killing them. They use special chemicals to eradicate pests without causing any harm to your house or family. You can also consult them to prevent your house from getting infested down the road.

For a complete eradication of pests, the company will inspect your house thoroughly. The purpose of the inspection will be to examine every area of your house to discover areas infested with pests as well as areas that are likely to be infested. Another objective of inspection will be to find out the types of insects infesting your house. Once they have completed the inspection, their next move will be to offer a set of services to choose from.

The choices will be based on the pest types and level of infestation. Some of their more common services include pre-treatments and eliminating pests just to name a few.

Last but not least, pro pest controllers make use of best chemicals and treatments in order to target pests in a house or building. You may also follow some DIY techniques to get rid of pests, but the bulk of techniques and products are not effective enough to kill pests thoroughly. At times, these products require many repeat treatments in order to make a considerable difference. So, you should do some research in your area to short-list a few good providers. Then you can evaluate each of the providers to hire the best one. Hope this helps.

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The Bizarre Physics of Fire Ants

They're not just an animal, they're a material. And that's got engineers interested.

Red imported fire ants (solenopsis invicta) are native to South America and an invasive species in the United States. One of the adaptations that makes them so hardy is that they can build large structures by linking their bodies together. This is how they form rafts that can float during floods. When they're aggregated together, fire ants can be seen as a material and the Hu lab at Georgia Tech has been testing that material for years.

Choosing a Pest Control Company

If you have a problem with insects or rodents in your home, you may be tempted to hire the first pest control company you run across because you want your problem solved as quickly as possible. However, you need to try and take your time and make the best decision possible. Here is some information that can help you narrow down your choices.

It can be very difficult to find a pest control company because you will likely have a wide range of options. There can also be a wide variety of quality in the services these businesses offer. There are some, for example, that will guarantee their work while others will not. You need to feel as comfortable as possible with your choice, but you also want to be able to screen potential candidates effectively.

One way of doing so is by making sure the provider is qualified and licensed. In most states this is a requirement, so make sure you know that your provider meets this requirement. If possible, go with a pest control company that goes beyond merely meeting minimum standards. Look for certified professionals who are trained in the latest methods of extermination and are familiar with the latest equipment and technology.

Make sure the providers you are considering belong to national and state associations. This shows you they are always looking for ways to improve their capabilities and are committed to training. The National Pest Management Association, for example, has a program that is committed to raising the level of professionalism in the pest control industry. If a provider is a member of this group, that shows it has a commitment to training that goes beyond minimum state requirements.

If you have any friends, neighbors, family members, or co-workers who have recently had this type of service in their home, ask them if they have any recommendations. Often times, word of mouth from a trusted advisor is a great way of finding a company that will provide you reliable, effective service. As good as this source may be, however, don't let it be your sole determining factor. Look on the Internet for reviews of the companies that you are considering. Check to see if they had complaints, and then see what they did to resolve problems with their customers. One excellent site to consult is your local chapter of the Better Business Bureau.

Try to find a company that has a substantial amount of experience as well. The longer a company has been established, the more stable it will likely be. You probably won't have to worry about the business disappearing. Also, if a company has been around a long time, that means it has been providing reliable, effective service for several years and can be trusted as a result.

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Cockroaches Survive Squeezing, Smashing, and More | National Geographic

Have you ever wondered why cockroaches are so hard to get rid of? Well, now scientists have put them before a series of obstacles to find out how tough they really are—and the results are creepier than you imagined. Whether squeezing through tiny crevices, running in tight spaces, or taking crushing blows, cockroaches use their flexible exoskeletons to survive your foot stomps and quickly make their way through the cracks and crevices of your home.

Rodent Infestations and Health Issues - Health Checks

Rodent infestations in the home can have a profound effect on health. Rodent feces can spread bacteria and trigger allergic reactions.

Tips for Selecting a Pest Control Service

How do we select a competent pest control service?
First of all, many of us as homeowners, renters and landlords can control household pests through a combination of preventive measures, including proper sanitation and good home maintenance practices. However, some pest infestations may be extensive, or a particular pest may be difficult to control, requiring the services of a pest control company.

You should select a pest control company the way you do any other service - Look for Quality and Value. Costs and competency are important. When selecting a pest control service, cost should not be the only factor that determines the company you pick. It is important to make sure the pest control company you choose is competent. If pesticides are misused, both health and property can be damaged. Before contracting with a pest control company, consider the following:

Take Your Time/Do Your Homework
When most people discover a pest problem, they want the problem eliminated immediately. However, most problems can wait a few days so you have time to select a competent, reasonably priced company. It is wise to obtain several estimates from prospective companies. Most companies will provide free estimates.

Questions to Ask a Prospective Pest Control Firm

How many years have you been in business at your present address?
Contact organizations such as the Better Business Bureau, the States Departments of Agriculture, or the States Attorney General’s Office, or the EPA to determine if complaints have been filed against the company or its applicators for misusing pesticides.

Would you provide me with a list of references?
Contact several references to find out if they are satisfied with the service provided by the pest control company.

Will the person(s) performing the services be a certified, licensed pesticide applicator or a licensed technician? Each company must have at least one certified, licensed commercial pesticide applicator in the proper service category. Other company applicators must be certified applicators or licensed technicians under the direct supervision of an certified applicator.

Licenses may be verified by calling the various State Departments of Agriculture.

Would you provide me with a copy of your pest control license, copies of the labels for all pesticides used and the rates at which they will be applied?
Reliable applicators will show you their credentials and will be able to provide you with copies of pesticide labels that indicate how the product should be applied, including the proper application rates, and the necessary precautions.

BEWARE OF COMPANIES OR INDIVIDUALS THAT.......

• Want to do pest control as part of a package deal, such as general home repair or tree trimming or that will give you a special price if treatment is done immediately.
• Don’t have a listed or working telephone number.
• Sell services door-to-door or target the elderly or infirm persons who live alone. CHECK THEIR IDENTIFICATION AND CREDENTIALS!!!
• Arrive unexpectedly and show you insects they have found in your neighbors house as evidence of a neighborhood problem.
• Quote a per-gallon price. Termite control can require several hundred gallons of diluted insecticide.
• Claim to have a secret formula. All pesticide products must be registered by the U.S. EPA and the States Departments of Agriculture. Registered pesticide labels contain a list of active ingredients.
• Try to pressure you into immediately signing a contract by suggesting your house is structurally unsound and may collapse if not treated.
• Claim to have excess material left over from a previous job and offer a reduced price for immediate treatment.
• Claim to be endorsed by the States Departments of Agriculture, the U.S. EPA or other government agency. Government agencies DO NOT endorse any service company or specific pesticide product.

More Points to Consider

Some pest control companies offer service contracts in which structures are routinely treated for a particular pest. Contracts may be necessary in some situations such as warehouses that receive crates often infested with cockroaches. In general, routine pesticide applications in and around your home are not good unless there is a constant infestation by a pest and non-chemical methods have failed to control the pest. Service contracts for the homeowner should include periodic inspections, but pesticides should not be applied unless the pests are actually present and cannot be controlled by other means.

Generally, it is customary for termite control work to be guaranteed from one to five years. Make sure you know what the guarantee covers and determine if there is a yearly inspection charge. In addition, find out if the pest control company is responsible for structural damage if the treatment fails to control the termite infestation. The guarantee is only as reliable as the company that offers it.

If the service person asks you to do certain things before, during or after the pesticide application, cooperate and follow instructions. For example:

• If the service person asks you to remove personal items from the floor, empty kitchen cabinets and remove pets, make sure you have done this before they arrive.
• Do not allow children or pets into treated areas until the pesticide spray has dried.
• Aquariums should be removed from the treatment site or covered with heavy plastic and the air pump turned off.
• Remove all other household pets from the treatment area.
• If the service person suggests non-chemical methods of pest control in addition to the pesticides, be sure to follow the instructions.

Good cooperation between you and the pest control company will help eliminate pests and reduce pesticide use.

Pesticides are inherently toxic and may cause health problems and/or damage to the environment if used in a manner inconsistent with the label directions. Certain pesticides may pose greater risks than others. To determine the pesticide that best fits your needs, contact your local University Extension Service.

Article Source: https://www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/tips-selecting-pest-control-service

Why Ticks Are So Hard To Kill

Ticks are one pest you don’t want to mess with. Once they find a secluded spot on your skin, they use two hook-like structures to tear into your flesh. Then they insert a barbed straw and get to work. If that’s not bad enough, ticks also transmit at least 16 different diseases to humans, such as Lyme. And research suggests that several species of ticks — and the diseases they carry — are now spreading in the US.

How Spiders Use Electricity to Fly | Decoder

Can spiders fly? When you think of the greatest aviators in the natural world, you probably think of the usual winged suspects like birds, bees, and butterflies. But some of the earth's eight-legged creatures also have specialized ways of soaring through the skies—no wings necessary.

Prevent Indoor Pest Problems - The Steps to Take to Help Prevent Infestations

Many times you might suffer from indoor pest problems because your home has many attractive elements to it. The pests find these and want to live in your home because it provides for them.

Clean. - Get your counters, floors, cabinets, and other areas clean. Many times there are residual sugary substances on these surfaces causing all sorts of indoor pest problems. If you currently have a pest problem, this is a good starting point.

Get rid of the water problems. - Pests also need water. Outdoors water off your roof makes your soil near the house inviting to pests. Inside they stay because there are some sort of leaky pipes, standing water, or some water source inside. Do what you can as to seal up and stop the water problems so that you can keep pests out.

Keep food secure. - Many pests like the starches and foods in your pantry. Buy sealed containers to store your food. Many of the smaller pests will get into food likes cereals. Once these are in the house, larger pests will come in eating those pests building to your problems.

Seal up cracks or holes. - You may have just got rid of a pest problem, but that paths they got into the home are still there for them to take advantage of in the future. Get rid of these cracks and holes so that it will happen less.

Attack your previous pest problem from time to time. - If you had a termite problem at one point in time, for example, it's a good idea to have a company or you yourself take measures to control the pest as it's likely this specific pest can come back.

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Pest Control in the Workplace

This video lists the most common workplace pests and suggests what action you can take to tackle any pest problems in your office.