Latest developments in the control of pests bring advanced techniques to the fore, which will address all the problems that are associated in controlling pests. The usage of pesticides is not recommended always. The reason because that the current generation of pests have developed enough resistance in controlling them. Assessing the intensity of the problem related to pests is an efficient step towards the elimination of pests with a greater success rate. People need to understand that there are different Virginia Beach pest controlling services available depending upon the kind of pests.

The controlling of pests needs a lot of understanding ability regarding pests. For example, their life cycle and the surroundings in which they grow more frequently. If the local area is always kept clean by properly dumping the waste, then there will be little scope for pests to infest. Though there are other Virginia Beach pest control services available, they need to employ under only those situations where it is absolutely necessary. People need to remember that prevention is the best form of controlling pests. There are advanced fluids and liquids available in the market as part of advanced Virginia Beach pest control services.

During the application of these harmful chemicals, one needs to take enough care. Proper covering of hands and nose is very important. The success of this procedure depends upon how effectively the procedure has been implemented. Depending upon natural ways like keeping the surroundings clean and checking the infestation of pests, the growth of pests can be analyzed. Pests like cockroaches appear to be of not doing enough damage, but they are the ones that are responsible for doing majority harm to the health of humans. Their growth can be contained by making food items not available to them. Meanwhile, scientists are trying to find more advanced ways to control pests that prove to be worthy.

Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shanon_Foster

The post Virginia Beach Pest Control Services appeared first on North Carolina Pest Control.

What is a swarmer?

A swarmer is where the termites will leave their existing colony and pair up with another termite to create a new colony, thus a new king and queen are created and their job is to reproduce for the new colony.

North Carolina swarmers are attracted to light which once paired up with a mate they lose their wings.  Which may be why you see discarded wings around windows or even in spider webs.

Other visible signs are mud tubes and wood damage.

All of the above is a sign that it’s too late as termites are already present. Each colony can contain tens of thousands of termites with the king and queen producing more each day.

Termite prevention

Although there is no way to make a structure 100% termite proof there are two options to assist in North Carolina termite prevention; termite liquid treatment or installation of a termite interceptor and bait system.

Termite liquid treatment

This is a highly effective treatment, which is used to prevent as well as treat for existing North Carolina termites.  The liquid treatment is dispersed around the property or affected area ensuring a thorough treatment.  The liquid treatment kills existing termites pretty much instantly.  With our liquid treatments we offer an annual renewable warranty giving you further peace of mind.

Termite interceptor and bait system

This is also a highly effective solution but works in a slightly different way.  As the termites are foraging for food the system intercepts the termites thus drawing them away from the property.   They then consume the “food” which is placed into the bait station and return to the colony to feed other termites within the colony. The bait stations are checked for activity at regular intervals and the “food” source is renewed, if applicable, during these inspections.

If you have termites or would like to protect your North Carolina home from future termite infestations, one of our technicians can give you a free home inspection and give you a recommendation based on your circumstances.

The post North Carolina Pest of the month – Termites appeared first on North Carolina Pest Control.

Knotts Island Pest Control of Raccoons or Procyon lotor, are often labeled as a nuisance animals. Although they are sometimes portrayed in TV as cute, furry creatures, many urban homeowners have encountered several problems involving raccoons. Often viewed as pests, raccoons have grown accustomed to living in or near human homes. They would tear roofs, destroy insulation panels and papers just to get inside the attic and establish a habitat there. Even though their natural habitat is in the forests, they have also learned to establish homes in the attics of Knotts Island houses. This is mainly due to the fact that human homes have lots of food. Raccoons are omnivorous. This means that they eat almost anything. Being a place that is constantly supplied with food, raccoons have found that human houses are the most convenient places to establish a den. Thus, many Knotts Island homeowners have sought assistance on raccoon removal methods.

Raccoons are known for their distinctive black mask and ringed tails. Often depicted as thieves and misfits, raccoons have a reputation for being crafty and sly. They can live up to 5-6 years and a mother raccoon can give birth to 2-3 baby raccoons per litter. A full grown adult can grow up to 40 pounds. Their mating season is usually during the winter. Being nocturnal animals, they usually forage for food during the nighttime. However there are some instances where they are seen as hunting for food during the daytime.

Oftentimes, raccoons would also leave droppings inside the attic, tip over garbage cans and eat pet food. Because of these, Knotts Island homeowners are always looking for effective raccoon removal methods. According to experts, trapping is an effective way to remove raccoons from one’s home. However, it is recommended to leave the job to a professional raccoon removal experts. A beginner would definitely have a hard time in capturing and trapping a raccoon. These creatures are both strong and crafty. They can find ways to break out of cages. For those that are having problems with a mother raccoon with babies living in one’s attic, it is advisable to snare first the mother raccoon as she is very protective of her young. After snaring her, place the baby raccoons in a bucket by hand. Afterwards, place the mother raccoon in a strong cage made especially to hold full grown raccoons.

Aside from causing household damages, raccoons are also known to be carriers of certain diseases. One such disease is rabies. Another is canine distemper that can kill pet dogs. Other harmful diseases that they carry include roundworms and infectious spores. Having all these in mind, a proper raccoon pest control method done by trained professionals is the solution to one’s raccoon problems.

The post Knotts Island Raccoon Pest Control appeared first on North Carolina Pest Control.

Squirrels can easily invade your much loved space without you even knowing it. But once they have invaded your home, they stop being shy about sharing the roof with you. Squirrels are not only noisy but destructive too. First they will keep you up because of the scurrying and the annoying scratching noises, and then they make you spend on renovations because they seem to have enjoyed sculpting your walls. It is usually in this state that home owners start looking for help on Kitty Hawk squirrel removal.

It is common for Kitty Hawk pest removal services to start the process with a specific series of questions regarding the noises. This serves as their best source of information to base how and when the procedure should be done. It would help a lot if you can address the usual time they make noises and if you can pin point where you hear the noises often.

The reason why squirrels start invading your property is because they have nowhere to live and give birth. In a span of a year, unsupervised, that same squirrel could have already given birth twice. This makes time very essential. This is also why in attempts of Kitty Hawk squirrel removal it is important that the babies are all accounted for.

Humane methods include trapping and then relocating them where they would have plenty of space to live and multiply. One way doors are also used. It works by blocking the entry point while the squirrels are out looking for food. Of course they may find another entry point upon their return. But if your problem is isolated to wood parts of the house only and majority of your home is made with brick, this can be a very effective method.

Squirrels can bite and they will bite if threatened like any other animal. That is why it is very much advised that people who need help with Kitty Hawk squirrel removal go to professionals. A lot of things can go wrong if you attempt to get rid of those critters by yourself. Surely, a pack of little furry animals is not worth getting hurt for. That’s why you should call your Kitty Hawk pest control service as soon as possible!

The post Kitty Hawk Squirrel Removal appeared first on North Carolina Pest Control.

Changing the environment of your yard is one of the easiest things to do to repel snakes. These changes are not extreme, but things like removing wood piles, removing garbage or debris piles, remove mulch piles and cleaning up any old junk that is still around. These are the areas that snakes like to hide and live in.
Doing proper maintenance on your Frisco yard will also help keep snakes at bay. By keeping grass short and large patches of weeds pulled, you can reduce hiding places for snakes. Also, by keeping large bushes and shrubs away from the outside of your house, you can avoid unpleasant visitors.

Remember– if a snake can’t find food, he’ll be throwing a hobo bindle over his shoulder and moving on. For example, if you have lots of rodents, mice, and even certain types of insects, you are providing an environment that snakes love to live in. Getting rid of this vermin can also help reduce your snake population.

One last resort is to remove snakes by hand yourself, or by calling your local Frisco wildlife removal service. Be sure to call the experts if you don’t know what kind of snake it is. There are quite a few poisonous snakes in the Southeast, like Eastern diamondback rattlesnakes, Coral snakes and Cottonmouths– and these guys are mean and dangerous for the layperson to be around. Learn to identify the difference between poisonous and non-poisonous types of snakes to know when to call in the big guns to keep your Frisco yard vermin free.

The post Removing Snakes in Frisco is a Job for a Pest Control Pro appeared first on North Carolina Pest Control.

What do termites look like?

Well I guess you could describe them as maggots with legs. They are white in appearance and soft bodied.  Many people confuse termites with ants but the most obvious one is that ants have a waist.  If you looked at an ant and a termite side by side then the difference between each is very noticeable.

Ants

• Antenna is elbowed
• Have a waist
• Do not have a wing stub
• Wing shapes are not alike in shape, size or pattern

Termites on the other hand

• Antenna is not elbowed
• Don’t have a waist
• They do have a wing stub
• Wings are similar in shape, size and pattern

Signs of Termites

As mentioned earlier, they are a silent pest and you may not know you have them until the damage has been caused.  Which is why it’s advised to have effective termite treatment in order to protect your home or building structure.  There are some termite signs that can indicate the presence of termites, but there are also other insects which infest wood such and beetles and ants, and not forgetting there are fungi which attack wood as well.

The main signs of a termite infestation are;

Mud tubes – these may be seen where they extend over concrete foundations or other exposed surfaces.  They can also be seen in crawlspaces.

Wood damage – any wood which has been seriously damaged by termites will break apart easily.

Swarmers – which I mentioned earlier, some of my customers have already reported seeing.  Swarming termites are attracted to light and may be seen around windows, doors, light fittings and vents.  Termite swarmers are the new king and queen of a new colony.  They leave their current colony, looking to pair up with a mate.  They then lose their wings and forage underground making a new colony.  Discarded wings may be seen in areas mentioned above, and even spider webs.

Termite Swarm Prevention

There is no way to make a building “termite proof” but there are preventative and corrective techniques to make a structure less vulnerable;

Wood to ground contact – remove any wood which is in direct  contact with the ground.  This provides termites with access to food, moisture and shelter as well as hidden entry into the structure.

Wood debris – any wood, cardboard boxes, newspapers or other materials containing cellulose should be removed from around the building.

Moisture areas – providing termites with a moist environment is just inviting trouble in.  Any soil near the foundation should be graded away from the building.  Any roof or plumbing leaks should be fixed.  Crawlspaces should be dry and fitted with a vapor barrier to reduce humidity.   Shrubs, vines, tall grasses and other dense vegetation traps in moisture.  Remove any vegetation which is touching the building which will limit access for termites.  Mulch promotes a moist environment for termites and should be used in moderation.  Interestingly pea gravel is a bigger moisture trap than mulch and this should also be used in moderation.

The post Termite Swarm in North Carolina appeared first on North Carolina Pest Control.

Perhaps except for pet types, majority of the human population hate rodents. They are sneaky pests, lurking around homes waiting for the right time to chew and gnaw on something.  If you are thinking of rat removal you need to make sure that you ask help from people who know how to properly get rid of your rodent visitors. You don’t expect to put a small cheese as bait and have the rats gone by morning do you?

Rat removal can only be done the proper way by people who have done it for years. These people have all their skills acquired through an extensive career. The process basically starts with the inspection of the house, office building or area where the rats move around. If the inspection is not thorough and entry and exit points are not discovered, there is a chance that despite the effort the rats will still free roam the area. Only skilled people can do that for you, plus they have all the equipment they need for the feat. These holes have to be patched up to avoid re entry.

During the rat removal some rats may die inside the covered holes. They are retrieved for disposal and the holes sealed after cleaning. Cleaning is tedious because even the scent needs to be rid of to prevent new batches from getting attracted by the scent. Pheromones from rats act like invitation to other rodents, so if not done correctly you may find yourself with another infestation. To save you from the headache and stress make sure you contact someone knowledgeable in rodent control and do not try to do it on your own.

If you have a rodent problem click or give us a call, we give an If It Crawls Guarantee on all our work and cover Hyde, Dare, Currituck, Camden and Pasquotank counties as well as Hampton Roads and Tidewater

The post Rat Removal by the Hyde Professionals appeared first on North Carolina Pest Control.

1. Prevent ant temptation by keeping things clean.

Why do ants invade our space? Just like at any picnic in any cartoon, ants come looking when there is food around. The solution? Don’t leave food laying out! Ants find food by using their sense of smell, so by keeping counters wiped, crumbs swept up and by keeping food in sealed containers you can lessen the chance that pesky ants follow the tantalizing smell of last night’s lasagna into your kitchen.

2. Light up ants with the power of chili powder.

There are plenty of old-timey remedies for discouraging ants from entering your home, but sometimes they are messy and stinky. One solution that isn’t (very) messy or odorous is to sprinkle chili powder near entrance points. Apparently ants are no fans of the stuff, and will leave in a huff when chili powder blocks their path.

3. Time for chemical warfare.

Natural ant control solutions are great, but this is America– where we like to bust out the big guns to eradicate ants with extreme prejudice. You can destroy an entire colony by using bait that is non-toxic just by sprinkling it around their nests and in areas where ants look for food. The ants will carry it back to their sisters and queen, who will eat it and either become infertile or die. It sounds extreme, but in certain cases it is the only thing that will snuff out colonies.

4. Call in the experts.

If you are at your wit’s end and can’t find any other home solutions to an ant problem, it may be time to call in re-enforcements. Chesapeake ant control specialists have the tools and expertise to give ants the boot once and for all. Call them up to serve your nasty visitors an eviction notice out of your house and life!

The post Chesapeake Residents Can Say “Sayonara” to Ants appeared first on North Carolina Pest Control.

The good news is that most spiders are good spiders and will eat insects and bugs.  Interestingly spiders are not an insect they are an anthropod and belong to the class arachnid.

There are some spiders which us humans fear more than others, the black widow and the brown recluse spiders.  The black widow is identified by the red hourglass mark on its underside and the brown recluse has a violin-shaped mark which begins behind its eyes.  Both of the species will bite a human if they feel threatened or they have been disturbed.  The black widow spider is toxic but not fatal whereas the venom from the brown recluse rots the skin and can be fatal.

There are several integrated approaches you can take if they start invading your living space, such as;

• Ensure entry points around windows, doorways and the structure of your home are sealed and secure.  Spiders can enter via the smallest entry point and re-caulking around such areas will eliminate them from entering.
• See a web?  Remove it.
• Vacuum regularly, spiders can not survive this, so if you do see one, suck it up.
• Reduce any clutter, including relocate wood from away the house.  These kind of areas are where spiders like to hang out.
• By having a regular Virginia pest control treatment you will reduce the number of insects and bugs in your household in general, thereby making it less attractive for spiders and there will be a lack of food source.
• Ensure any vegetation around the house is trimmed back and not touching the building.
• Choose yellow lighting for outside.  Insects and spiders are less attracted to yellow lighting as they can’t see this over normal lighting.

If you have tried all of the above and still find that you have a problem with migrating spiders or a spider infestation, then it may be time to call in the professionals such as ourselves.  We are trained to find harborage and food sources for not only spiders but insects too.  Click or give us a call today.

Contact Four Seasons and HomeTown Pest Control for some friendly professional help.  We cover the whole of the Outer Banks up to and including the Tidewater region of Virginia.

The post Migrating Spiders in North Carolina appeared first on North Carolina Pest Control.

How to Eliminate German Cockroaches

• Clean up any residual food in and around coffee machines, microwaves, stoves, refrigerators, trash cans and other areas where exposed food is stored.
• Cockroaches like to hide in stacked boxes, cartons, stored paper and cardboard materials.  Reduce clutter and clean the areas where these items are stored.
• Caulk any cracks around wall mounted fixtures, around plumbing, cracks near where food is prepared, around electrical fixtures.
• Check for leaking pipes in the bathroom and kitchen areas and fix any potential problem.
• Screen crawlspace and basement doors.

We don’t recommend trying to get rid of German cockroaches without some professional Virginia pest control help.  They are quick to breed, elusive and the kind that trigger allergies.  An effective cockroach management program depends not only on good sanitation but also an integrated pest management approach which a pest professional can assist you with.

The post German Cockroaches [Pests of the Month] appeared first on North Carolina Pest Control.