Help! You’ve Got a Pest Infestation!

Ugh. Ants crawling through your outdoor picnic and mosquitoes dive-bombing your head while you work outside are one thing, but what do you do when those pests move inside your home? Or what about when those outside pests go from being a general nuisance to being a hazard to you, your family and your pets?

Commercial Products

You can always grab a can of bug spray at the store. However, read the label first! Some of these products should not be sprayed indoors, some not near pets and some actually cause health problems for people. Others only kill certain types of insects. Some kill everything including beneficial insects like ladybugs, praying mantises, bees and lacewing flies.

Glue traps can be helpful for crawling pests, if you can pinpoint where those pests will be crawling and set your trap accordingly. Keep in mind that for mammalian or reptile pests, glue traps need to be emptied frequently or the smell will overwhelm you.

Natural Solutions

Home remedies are a way to go. Check out a variety of blogs with ideas for pest control services Cape Coral FL that have natural remedies. Several of these are white vinegar based. Some blogs list signs and conditions to look for to help you identify which pest is invading your home.

One plus for home remedies is they usually don’t adversely affect the health of any person or pet living in the home. A downside is that they’re frequently specific to the type of insect pestering you, which means you’ll need to know what type of infestation you have.

Professional Control

An alternative is to seek the help of a professional. Pest service companies provide a variety of ways to combat infestations in your home and yard. They can help you with everything from bats in your attic to snakes in your basement, termites in your foundation or ants on your counters. Most pest companies have ideas on pest prevention they’re willing to share, too. Reputable ones will have recommendations from previous clients available.

With a little digging and perhaps some ingenuity, you can find a pest solution that both works for you and gets rid of your problem.

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Try These Easy Pest Prevention Tips

Summer is the perfect time for picnics and cookouts. Everyone gathers around the grill eager to gulp down hamburgers and hot dogs. Laughter and music fill the air and cold drinks keep things chill, even when temperatures are high. It’s idyllic, at least until your guests start bugging out. Apparently, friends and family aren’t the only ones invited to the party. Insects invade by land and air only to crawl across the food, and worse, your company. Your next cookout doesn’t need to turn into a scene from Creepshow, however. Here are four easy tips for a bug-free barbecue.

Oil is Essential

Essential oils offer therapeutic benefits, but many people are surprised to learn they also provide pest protection. Spiders steer clear of decks and outdoor furniture when sprayed with a solution of peppermint oil, dish soap and water. Citrus and lavender oils are other effective deterrents.

Muscle Up Your Mulch

If ants, beetles, moths or termites are a problem, add cedar chips to your mulch. It’s perfectly safe for people, animals and birds, yet emits a toxic aroma for many insects. Additionally, spreading chopped citrus peels is particularly effective against mosquitos and roaches. You also may want to use one of the all natural tick and mosquito control products available on the market.

A Penny for Your Thoughts

It turns out those pennies you picked up off the street will come in handy at your next outdoor party. Place several pennies in a clear bag, fill it with water and then hang it in an area where it will catch sunlight. Flies will keep away due to the reflections cast.

Wasps Aren’t Welcome

If you’ve got fresh fruit or soda at your cookout, chances are you’ll also have wasps. These stingers may love sugar but they sure hate hornets. Stuff a brown lunch bag full of plastic bags, rags or cotton balls. Tie it at the top and hang it so it resembles a hornet’s nest. Wasps will stay away.

Don’t let bugs ruin your summer fun. Bite back with these four tips.

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Are Spiders Dangerous?

While there’s no doubt that spiders are feared by many, are these small eight-legged creatures actually dangerous? Everyone has heard horror stories of people who have suffered serious effects from spider bites, and there it’s no secret that many types of spiders release venom any time they sink their fangs into their prey. Here is some useful information on the spiders you might encounter in your home and whether or not you need to be worried. 

Venomous Spiders 

One of the first questions people ask when spotting a spider nearby is whether or not it is venomous. The reality is that except for a few unique species of spiders, almost all spiders have venom. However, very few spiders have venom strong enough to hurt humans or even cause any pain. Additionally, many spider species are very docile and will only attack a predator, such as a human, if they feel threatened. It’s unlikely that a spider will try to bite you unless you are trying to move it from your home, which is why it can be helpful to have a spider pest control company do it for you. It is also smart to be especially cautious around spiders if you have a known allergy to spiders, have very young children, or are ill. 

Dangerous Species 

While bites from common species such as the hobo spider or wolf spider can cause minor pain and swelling, they hardly warrant a trip to the emergency room and will heal rather quickly. In America, the only two types of potentially dangerous spider species to look out for is the brown recluse and the black widow. The black widow is easily identifiable by the red dot or hourglass on the back of its black body. A brown recluse can range in color from a light tan to a very dark brown or gray. It has markings that resemble a violin.

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