Argentine Ant
The Argentine ant can be nearly impossible to control, especially during midsummer in areas such as Southern California. At best, regular treatments keep as few ants as possible from entering the home or business. General tips for limiting ant infestations include:
- Eliminating piles of lumber, bricks or other debris that could serve as a nesting site for ants.
- Keeping landscape mulch less than 2 inches thick and at least 12 inches away from foundations.
- Ensuring the sprinkler system does not spray directly onto the foundation.
- Sealing as many cracks in the building's exterior as possible.
- Keeping tree and shrub branches trimmed to prevent touching the home.
- Considering re-landscaping to avoid using plants that are prone to aphids and similar insects. At the very least, treat such plants for aphids regularly. A tree/shrub company, such as TruGreen, can be helpful with this task.
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Odorous House Ant
This ant can be difficult to control because it establishes multiple subcolonies and may nest in such a wide variety of sites. The keys to control are to find the colonies and subcolonies and treat them directly. Where the colonies cannot be found, baits may be attempted; however, several baits may be required before positive results are seen. Regular inspections and service are necessary to find and treat new colonies as they move in from neighboring properties. The services of a professional, such as Terminix, are very helpful when encountering these ants.
General tips for limiting ant infestations include:
- Eliminate piles of lumber, bricks, or other debris that could serve as a nesting site for ants.
- Keep landscape mulch less than 2 inches thick and at least 12 inches away from foundations.
- Ensure the sprinkler system does not spray directly onto the foundation.
- Seal as many cracks in the home's exterior as possible.
- Keep tree and shrub branches trimmed to prevent them from touching the building.
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American Cockroach
The key to control is to find and treat these sources directly. In many cases, the services of a professional company, such as Terminix, are required to achieve long-term relief. In southern states where this cockroach lives outdoors, successful control involves treating the attic, crawl space, and exterior cracks in the home and finding and treating likely cockroach harborages over the entire property.
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Oriental Cockroach
- Eliminating or minimizing potential harborages outside is the best way to limit infestations of these cockroaches.
- Sealing cracks in the building's exterior helps prevent these pests from entering.
- Installing screening in all vents is important.
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Silverfish
Silverfish can be very difficult to control, especially in those homes which have wood shake (shingle) roofs. Shakes hold moisture and permit surface molds to grow which serve as food for silverfish. Shake roofs are also very difficult to treat completely -- to reach all the areas where silverfish can possibly live. In addition, silverfish often live in the soffits and behind the fascia board behind gutters. Individual silverfish then invade the interior of the home from this "reservoir" site. Compounding the problem in attics is blown-in insulation that prevents a professional from safely venturing into the attic to look for silverfish harborages. A professional should be consulted when silverfish are a regular problem.
Areas that may require treatment include:
- Voids where plumbing is located.
- Voids behind electrical outlets.
- Molding around windows and doorways.
- The attic, crawl space and basement.
- The soffits.
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Cellar Spider
Regular removal of cellar spiders with a vacuum, brush or broom helps limit the numbers of spiders. Other steps may be helpful, including:
- Sealing cracks and holes in the building's exterior.
- Installing tight-fitting screens in foundation and attic vents.
- Using yellow bug light bulbs in exterior light fixtures to attract fewer of the flying insects on which the spiders feed.
- Keeping garage doors and commercial overhead doors closed to exclude flying insects that serve as spiders food.
In cases involving considerable numbers of spiders or when control efforts are needed in crawl spaces, a professional company such as Terminix should be consulted.
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Domestic House Spider
The key for controlling the domestic house spider is to look for webs and remove them, making sure a treatment is applied into any crack associated with a web to be sure the spider has been killed.
Steps that should be taken to prevent new spiders from entering include:
- Removing or limiting heavy, ground-covering vegetation near the building.
- Sealing cracks and holes in the building s exterior.
- Installing tight-fitting screens on all attic and foundation vents.
- Sealing holes around pipes indoors to prevent spiders from entering the living spaces of the home by following plumbing lines in basements and crawl spaces.
Where numerous spiders are seen, a professional should be consulted to conduct a thorough inspection and recommend possible treatments.
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House Spider
- Regular removal of spider webs is the best way to limit these spiders.
- Sealing up cracks around windows and doors helps prevent their entry.
- Switch exterior lights to the yellow "bug" light bulbs which attract fewer flying insects on which spiders feed.
- Treatments to exterior spider nesting sites can help reduce the numbers of spiders when combined with an overall pest management program.
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Yellow Jacket
The following precautions should be taken to prevent accidental stings:
- When working in a garden or flowerbed, be aware of numerous wasps flying into and away from a single point in the garden or to a hole in the side of the house. This will usually indicate where a colony might be located.
- Be careful when using powered lawn equipment, such as edgers, trimmers and mowers. Loud, vibrating noises disturb yellow jackets and may send them into an attacking frenzy.
- Stay away from yellow jacket nests once you know where they are located.
- If yellow jackets are seen entering and exiting a wall, DO NOT plug the hole. You will only force the wasps to find another way out. Sometimes they might actually eat through an interior wall and enter the house.
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Cat Flea
Controlling a flea infestation successfully requires four steps:
- Preparation for treatment.
- Treatment of pets.
- Treatment of the inside premises.
- Treatment of flea activity sites outside.
Obviously, the pet is critical to minimizing flea infestations and regular grooming helps to limit fleas on the pet. For this reason, customers need to keep the pet groomed and treated with on-animal flea control products.
Step One. Any flea treatment will be less effective if the home is not prepared properly by completing the following steps:
- Remove all items, such as toys, clothes, and pet food from all floors.
- Remove all items from under beds and in the bottom of closets.
- Wash or replace pet bedding.
- Vacuum all carpets and rugs thoroughly, including beneath beds and upholstered furniture.
- Clean all wood, tile, and linoleum floors by sweeping and mopping.
- Clean concrete floors with soap and water in the garage,basement, or enclosed patio where pets rest or stay.
- Remove all pets including birds and reptiles. Cover fish tanks with a damp towel and turn off the air pump.
- Replace any pet bedding outdoors and make all shaded areas, crawl spaces, etc. available for treatment.
- Arrange to be out of the home for several hours until the treatment has thoroughly dried.
Step Two. The homeowner needs to arrange for treating the pet. A number of on-animal treatment products are now available. Treatment of pets should be done under the direction of a veterinarian.
Step Three. In homes that have an active flea infestation, a residual treatment combined with an insect growth regulator should be applied. A professional, like Terminix, can best accomplish this treatment by using specialized equipment. Efforts should be focused on the areas where pets rest or sleep. These are the sites where the most fleas will be located.
Step Four. Outside, treatment should be applied to shaded areas and beneath shrubs and decks where pets rest or sleep. Again, a professional has the right equipment to provide this treatment effectively.
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