Protect your home from pests

Posted: 3rd January 2011 by admin in Pests
Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Comments Off

When pests become a problem in your home, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and feel like you’ll never be rid of them. But to make the task less daunting, break down your pest problems room by room and then try some of these pest control home remedies.
Here are pests to look for and pest control home remedies, room by room. Start by protecting the major pest rooms:
• Bathroom
• Basement
• Kitchen
Bathroom
This can be one of the grossest places to spot a pest, no one wants to see a bug after they’ve just cleaned off in the shower. One common pest found in bathrooms is the silverfish.
Why Bathrooms?
Silverfish make their way inside through open doors or windows or down from the attic, NOT up through the drain as some think.
But when looking for somewhere to call home, silverfish prefer moist, dark places with temperatures from 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, if the area is between 75 to 95 percent humidity, they are in heaven.
Silverfish are often stuck in bathrooms because they cannot climb on smooth vertical surfaces. If they are trapped in a sink or bathtub, they are not making it out unless you remove them.
How to Prevent Silverfish in Bathrooms
Silverfish love damp conditions, so correct any problems with these pest control home remedies.
• Repair leaky pipes
• Dry out damp areas with a dehumidifier
• Use the ventilation fan during baths and shows
• Provide air spaces between objects to create more air circulation in the room
If you still spot silverfish around your house, try an organic home pest controlspray to target the current problem.
Basement
A dark, damp basement can become a home for all kinds of pests. But one that really gives homeowners the creeps are house centipedes.
Why Basements?
You may often find centipedes trapped in the bathtub or sink, but they originate in secluded, damp parts of your basement, closets, or under the house. House centipedes feed on small insects or spiders that can live in these same areas, so they can actually be beneficial.
But this does not mean you want your guests to spot one crawling across the floor.
How to Prevent House Centipedes in Basements
If they become too large a problem, try some of these pest control home remedies:
• Keep your basement as dry as possible
• Seal any cracks around windows in the basement
• Vacuum to suck up small insects and debris they could feed on
• Pay special attention to hard to reach places like under shelves, behind stored boxes, behind the washing machine etc.
In the long run, house centipedes may be beneficial because they eat other insects while posing no threat to humans. But keep all bugs out and you won’t need house centipedes to clean up the other pests. Try using an organic barrier spray or granule around your home’s foundation to keep pests on the outside from ciming indoors.

Kitchen
The kitchen is one of the top spots insects love in your home. Pests dream of all the open food containers,crums or sticky spills they may find on your counters. Cockroaches can be a particular nuisance around the kitchen, but try some pest control home remedies and you won’t be bothered.
Why Kitchens?
Cockroaches love any area of the house where there is clutter, food residue and moisture. If you keep your pets’ food out in your kitchen, be mindful that it may attract cockroaches.
Cockroaches can also fit through cracks as small as 1/8 of an inch, so any openings (between counters, in baseboards etc.) can serve as entryways for these pests.
How to Prevent Cockroaches in Kitchens
• Always make sure food containers are sealed tightly
• Fix leaks in pipes and close off drains when not in use
• Wash hard surfaces to remove food residue
• Throw away any old food in your cabinets
• Seal gaps and holes in the wall and behind cabinets.
As you can see, pest control for the home does not need to be hard. Just follow a few routine cleaning processes and pest control home remedies can keep bugs out of every room.
Pest control in London
http://blog.ecosmart.com

Killing Rats and Mice

Posted: 3rd January 2011 by admin in Pests
Tags: , , , , , ,
Comments Off

We never want to think of mice or rats infesting our home. Sometimes, no matter how clean your home is mice or rats can move in with you. They are dirty and germ carrying and they are extremely damaging to your home and its contents. They are annoying and can be noisy too. You can be certain you have a mouse or rat problem if you see the small black droppings along walls and under counters and in closets. Or if you see the rodent itself—you know you have a problem. They will chew up your clothes and anything else that they can get to use to make a nest. Here is what you can do to rid this nuisance.
Mice can fit through the tiniest of holes. You should check for cracks or holes leading outside or under your home. Mice usually enter in pipes leading into the home through floors and will enter through any other holes as well. You should check under all kitchen and bathroom cabinets for holes. Also check around gas lines and other lines that run into your home. If you find any holes you can fill them with steel wool, this may deter the mice until you can take more permanent precautions. Caulking is excellent to use to close up small holes. Check your cabinets frequently to assure that no pests have attempted to chew through; though this is quite unlikely.
If your home is already infested with mice there are plenty of options to rid your home of these pests. You can use the standard spring back mouse traps to kill mice. These traps can be messy, so they may not be for everyone. They are also dangerous if you have pets or children. The spring traps can injure them. Sticky glue traps are a great option. They are also a bit more humane. The mouse will be attracted by the smell of the trap and when he gets on the trap—he is stuck. You can let the mouse loose if you choose. You should also keep glue traps out of reach from pets and children. Remember to place traps along baseboards right up against the walls, as this is where mice travel.

Mice and rats are effectively controlled with poisons. The only problem with poison is that you often do not find the mouse until he is dead and producing that retched odor. Pets can also be harmed if they ingest a poisoned animal. Of course you should not let your pets or children anywhere near the poison.
Rats, on the other hand are not as common as mice when it comes to infestation. Rats will live anywhere and will eat anything. This means that your home is not immune to rats. They are mostly controlled by poisoning. You should take care to guard against a rat infestation. Follow the same steps as in preventing mice. Fill all holes under cabinetry. Make sure all openings to the crawl space under your home are all covered with no openings. Do not keep anything stacked against your home; such as a wood pile. Rats can hide in small spaces and can set up a nest anywhere. Never keep garbage around your home. Use sealed, lidded trash cans, since trash can and will attract rats and mice. A dog or cat is also a good consideration. Cats are more known for catching mice, but dogs will get in on the action as well.
Rats and mice are disgusting little animals when they enter your home uninvited. Having one or the other as a pet can be a different scenario! When they infest your home, they can infect it as well by carrying germs and diseases. Rats are particularly infamous for plagues and rabies. Take caution when trying to exterminate rats on your own. With rats, you should seek out a professional. You should also seek a pro with an out of control mouse infestation. Exterminators can come in and help you find the points of entry but you will be responsible for fixing this—they just place the poison. Pest control companies will often offer you a contract for them to exterminate and prevent re-infestations on a monthly basis. The good thing about using a professional is that most of the time their work is guaranteed. When you have a problem like rats or mice—a guarantee is a great asset
Pest control in London
http://www.essortment.com

How To Get Rid Of Wasps

Posted: 3rd January 2011 by admin in Pests
Tags: , , , ,
Comments Off

Being stung by a wasp, hornet or bee is a painful experience and can be life threatening to the one in thirty people who are allergic to stings.

However, it is possible to reduce these risks by taking sensible precautions when outdoors and ensuring that wasp or bee nests are properly managed or dealt with.

If you have been stung by a wasp or bee, please refer to our guide to treating insect stings. This also has information about how to avoid being stung when outdoors.

Wasp Nests.
Take care when dealing with wasps and hornets (a larger member of the wasp family) – they have a potent sting and can attack in large numbers if disturbed.

A wasp trapped indoors can be dealt with using a Wasp & Fly Killer spray.
If you are experiencing high numbers of wasps in your home or garden it is likely that there is a wasp nest nearby.
Wasp pest control.

A single nest may contain thousands of wasps which can swarm and attack if disturbed. If the location of a wasp nest is likely to put people at risk, then the nest should be destroyed.

A queen wasp will start to build a nest in the spring but then as workers hatch they take over nest building.
By early summer, a typical wasp nest will be 30cm across although they can be much larger. Common sites for a wasp nest include under the roof eaves, in lofts or in sheds and out-buildings.

This risk from wasps is particularly high towards the end of summer – it is preferable to destroy a wasp nest earlier in the year before wasps become aggressive.

How to get rid of a wasps nest.

To locate the nest, watch the flight path of returning wasps. If the nest is near the home, keep nearby windows closed. If you suspect the nest is in the loft, take great care in opening and entering the loft space.

Leeds pest control offers a call-out service to destroy wasp nests or any other pest problem in the home. The service is fast, effective and affordable.

Bee pest control in Leeds.

Bees are less aggressive than wasps and much less likely to sting.
Furthermore, since bees are highly beneficial to the environment and some species are under threat, bees should not be killed and nests should be left undisturbed whenever possible.

If a bee nest represents a high risk (such as a nest in the home or a hospital or near those who are allergic to bee stings), the nest can be moved to a safe.
Pest control in London
Leeds wasp nest removal

Rats and Cockroaches

Posted: 26th December 2010 by admin in Pests
Comments Off

The two things that most people definitely do not want to share their home with are rats and cockroaches. Depending on your disposition, these two domestic nasties will either make your skin crawl or send you screaming from the room.

Rise in rats
You know what they say, in London you’re never more than 10 ft away from a rat. They may well be right. There has been more than a 50% increase in the UK rat population over the past six years. There are about 60 million of them living in this country, that’s one for every person! The most common is the brown rat, rattus norvegicus, although we do have a smaller population of the imaginatively titled rattus rattus, the black rat.

The brown rat is about 32cm long, including its tail, and lives underground in burrows or in sewers and drains. They can climb brickwork, swim through pipes and may even pop up in your U-bend! Rats are mostly nocturnal, when they emerge to find something to eat or a new place to live.

Why have rat numbers increased? We only have ourselves to blame thanks to all the junk food and takeaway litter we drop. Rats like to eat the same food as us, therefore easy access rubbish is like a midnight feast. Rats also like to live where we do – colonies are found in towns and cities as well as in country areas.

Rats have very powerful jaws and sharp, little teeth – if a rat smells dinner it can gnaw through wood, plastic and even lead pipe. If they chomp their way through electrical cables this could even become a fire hazard.

Rats also carry diseases, like typhus, Weil’s Disease and of course bubonic plague. If you don’t treat the problem, it won’t go away. They have huge families; one breeding pair can be responsible for 200 baby rats a year!

Chances are, if you have rats you’ll see a couple scurrying around after dark. You may spot burrows in the garden, holes 10-15cm across, or find their droppings; one rat can leave 25,000 a year. Other telltale signs include rubbish bags that have been gnawed open.

To avoid attracting rats, make sure all rubbish is put in bins with lids on and don’t throw food out for other animals. Use hanging birdfeeders instead of throwing food on the lawn.

Cockroaches – survival of the fittest
Cockroaches have been around, looking just like they do now, for over 300 million years. They are resistant to pesticides and can survive up to ten times the amount of radiation that we can. So the old idea of cockroaches being the only creatures to live through a nuclear attack isn’t just an urban myth.

If when you think of cockroaches you think of dirt and disease – to a certain extent you’d be right. You certainly don’t want to share your home with them. They taint any food they come into contact with, as they transfer bacteria that can lead to food poisoning and typhus.

Unfortunately cockroaches most like to live in the kitchen, because it’s warm with plenty of dark places to hide. Under the cooker and behind the fridge are special favourites!

Cockroaches will eat just about anything, from cake to cardboard, so its important to keep everywhere clean, dry and rubbish free. They breed rapidly, soil wherever they go and smell particularly bad. Always make sure all foodstuffs are kept in sealed containers, so they don’t have easy access.

The good news is cockroaches take ten months to two years to mature, so if you catch an infestation early enough you should be able to stop it spreading or reoccurring.

If you find an infestation of rats or cockroaches call in the experts immediately to lay poison or set traps. The pest control department at your local council should be able to help, many offer to exterminate some pests for free in domestic properties. You can find the local number in your telephone directory.

Pests and problems

Posted: 26th December 2010 by admin in Uncategorized
1

Bedbugs

Let’s get one thing straight – bedbugs and dust mites are not the same. The first is a nasty little bloodsucker that makes you itch and the second is a nasty little dead skin eater that makes you sneeze.

How about we start with the nasty little bloodsuckers?
Remember what your Gran used to say as she tucked you in? “Sleep tight; don’t let the bedbugs bite”? Well, she should know, because fifty years ago one in ten homes had them. Thankfully the little monsters are much less common than they used to be, mainly due to the modern, clean homes that we now live in. They feast on human blood, but will slum it on pets if they have to.

How do you know if you have bedbugs?
You’ll wake up with itchy, whitish bites, usually on your neck and arms. Bedbugs don’t carry disease – but don’t scratch the bites because they may become infected. Another way of finding them are the telltale spots of blood you will find on your bed linen after they’ve had dinner at your expense.

You’re not likely to see your houseguests, because they only come out to feed at night when you’re asleep. They are about the size of an apple pip, a reddish brown colour and have six legs. By day they hide in cracks and crevices around the home like skirting boards, behind loose wallpaper and in your bed.

Bedbugs live between six and 12 months and adult females will lay an average of 2-3 eggs a day. So once they’ve moved in, they tend to take over. They also love to travel – on clothes, luggage and in second hand furniture. Therefore, houses or hostels with a lot of people coming and going are more likely to be infested.

The only way to get rid of bedbugs is to call in a reputable pest control company to spray your home with insecticide. Your local council should be able to recommend one, and may even pay for the treatment.

Before they visit, pest control will ask you to wash all bed linen, soft toys and clothes in the hottest wash allowed – 60 degrees if possible. You’ll need to expose all potential hiding places and make sure the kids and pets (especially fish) are out of harms way. After the spray has dried, expect a break from the housework because you won’t be able to vacuum for at least ten days!

Invisible filth
Like it or not, no matter how clean you think your house is, you live in invisible filth. Eighty per cent of house dust is made of dead, human skin. We shed 5-10 grams a week and this is what dust mites like best for dinner.

The average house will be home to 100,000 to 10 million of the little monsters. You can’t see them; they’re translucent and only about 0.3mm long. Most people don’t even know they share their home with dust mites, but their existence is evident is you have asthma, eczema or allergies due to the enzymes in the mite droppings.

The good news is you won’t have to call in the pest controllers; the bad news is you’ll never get rid of them completely, no matter how much you clean your house.

There are ways to control dust mites by simply reducing the dust they like to eat. They love bedding; a two year old pillow is full of dust and will be made up of 10% dead mites and their droppings, so start by getting new ones. Vacuum your bed regularly, you might think it sounds bonkers but it helps! Wash your bed linen on the hottest temperature allowed and air duvets and pillows regularly. Dust mites love moisture but hate air and light.

Dust mites will aggravate asthma so if you or any members of your family are sufferers, it would be a good idea to get rid of carpets and rugs as they are real dust traps. These can be replaced with wood or vinyl flooring. If this isn’t an option, vacuum everyday if possible and dust surfaces with a damp duster (a feather duster just moves it from one place to another).