Carpenter Ant
Successfully controlling carpenter ants requires certain skills, knowledge and experience. Carpenter ant control involves tracking down and treating as many satellite colonies as possible inside and outside of the home as well as attempting to find and treat the parent colony. Accessing the parent colony may be difficult because it might be located high in a tree or on a neighboring property. In such cases, your service professional may use carpenter ant baits, but these may have varying results because of the carpenter ants’ finicky feeding habits. If conditions on your property (such as a large number of trees) create a high risk for reinfestation, your service professional may recommend regular pest management services to help prevent new infestations.
These tips will help you limit carpenter ant infestation:
- Store any firewood away from your home and remove any dead wood or wood scraps from around the foundation.
- Trim dead limbs from trees and remove stumps. Rid your yard of these potential nesting sites.
- Make sure that all plumbing or roof leaks are sealed, and check crawl spaces for excess moisture.
- Water from rain gutters should be directed away from your home and not be allowed to accumulate close to the foundation.
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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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Pavement Ant
Individual pavement colonies can often be controlled using ant baits, but perimeter inspection and treatment are commonly necessary for long-term relief. Pavement ant colonies are controlled by direct treatment of nests in the soil. Where colonies are located under slabs, ant baits may be successful in controlling an infestation. If baits are unsuccessful, the slab may need to be drilled and treated underneath.
These tips will help prevent a pavement ant infestation:
- Seal cracks and holes in the exterior of the home to prevent ants and other pests from entering.
- Keep vegetation cut away from the foundation of the home.
- Avoid using items such as stones and landscape timbers next to the home's foundation. Pavement ants nesting under these items are likely to infest the home.
- Keep layers of mulch in landscape beds less than two inches thick and at least 12 inches away from the foundation.
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Box Elder Bug
The best way to control such pests is by prevention as described below. If it's too late and they are already inside, it takes a professional to find and treat the right areas to minimize the numbers of pests seen inside. If your home has experienced a problem with overwintering pests, take the following steps next summer to prevent a recurrence:
- Seal as many cracks and holes on the outside of the home as possible, especially on the south and west walls where the sun heats the home during the late summer and fall.
- Be sure that all foundation and attic vents have tight-fitting screens.
- Check the soffit vents and any gable vents or turbine vents on the roof.
- Have your Terminix professional treat the outside west and south walls of the home near the eaves. This treatment should be completed in mid- to late August.
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House Mouse
The best way to avoid invasions of mice is to (1) provide as little harborage as possible that might attract rodents, and (2) seal as many holes and cracks in the outside of the home through which mice might enter. Follow these recommendations to help prevent rodents from seeking the shelter provided by your home:
- Keep firewood stored as far from the home as possible and store it off the ground. During the winter, store only enough wood next to the house to burn every couple of days.
- If possible, remove any piles of debris, stones, bricks, etc. If these are near the foundation of the home they serve as harborages to attract rodents. Once there, it is any easy step for rodents to enter the building itself.
- Do not allow piles of leaves to accumulate next to the home's foundation. This also serves as attractive harborage for rodents - mice in particular.
- Seal any hole or crack larger than 1/4 of an inch. A good rule of thumb is that if a pencil can fit into it, a mouse could too. Large holes or cracks should be stuffed with steel wool or wire mesh before sealing with caulk or foam, otherwise rodents could chew through to enter.
- Install good, thick weather-stripping on the bottom of all doors to prevent rodents from entering. The garage door may prove difficult to seal completely, so the door from the garage to the house must be sealed tightly.
- The installation of one or two wind-up mousetraps in the garage can catch many mice as they enter. These traps can catch up to 15 mice with one setting. Ask your Terminix service professional for more information.
- Remember, your Terminix service includes coverage of commensal rats and mice, and much of the service provided during the colder months is to inspect for signs of rodents and to maintain preventive control measures.
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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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Hobo Spider
The key to controlling the hobo spider is to look for webs and remove them, making sure a treatment is applied into any crack associated with the web. This spider is a serious enough pest that a professional should be consulted to conduct a thorough inspection and possible treatments. Recommended steps to 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 from basements and crawl spaces by following plumbing lines.
Bites may be prevented in homes where this spider has been found (and until they are controlled) by implementing the following steps:
- Remove any bed skirts and bed linens, covers, etc. that might touch the floor and allow spiders to crawl onto the bed.
- Pull beds away from walls and curtains.
- Do not store clothing on the floor or beneath beds where spiders might easily crawl into them.
- Store shoes in boxes with tight-fitting lids.
Shake clothing and shoes vigorously prior to putting them on.
Check under the sheets and covers before climbing into bed.
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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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Paper Wasp
Paper wasp nests are usually easily controlled using a wasp treatment product, then knocking down the nest. Such treatments are best done at night, although professionals can safely treat them during the day. On buildings where continuous paper wasp nest building occurs, treatment of the affected areas with a residual pest control product applied by a professional can deter most of the activity.
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