Tag Archive for: advice

Bee on flower: April showers not only bring May flowers, they bring bugs! We offer a few tips on what to look for to stay bug free this spring.

April Showers bring May….Bugs

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April Showers bring May….Bugs

Well, March is over and it was pretty ho hum as far as the weather went.  We had our cold days and (record) warm days.  The bugs woke up from their winter slumber, especially the ants, and the April showers and (hopefully) a little warmer weather are sure to bring everything else out of hibernation.

 

Things to Look for

Make sure your gutters are clean, and your downspouts are flowing.  Elbows should be in place, as well as splash blocks, to direct the water away from your house.  Ants and termites are naturally attracted to areas of excessive moisture.

Take a look at your eave soffits.  Are there gaps where siding trim meets the eave?  Chances are nearly 100% that these gaps exist.  Yellow jackets take advantage of these naturally attractive spots to enter into wall and ceiling cavities to create their nests.  I have seen the first signs of this happening already.  Now is the time to get out your caulk guns and seal these areas up.  I did this at my own house a couple of weeks ago.  A trip to Home Depot, an afternoon of work in the pleasant (not too hot yet!) weather and I have decreased my chances of these guys and other bugs getting into my house.  I used a clear exterior product from DAP that goes on bright white.  But not to worry it turns clear in no time and becomes virtually invisible.  Next I sprayed around my perimeter and eaves to further secure my home against unwanted pest intrusion.

Check all of your window screens.  Are they in place?  Damaged?  When the weather gets warmer, you’ll be glad that these are in place, and in good condition, to keep the flying bugs and insects out as you enjoy the nice summer breeze.

 

Speaking of Flying Insects

Mosquitoes.  I’ve seen a new product on the market called Dyna Trap.  This is a piece of equipment that is reported to emit carbon dioxide which mimics our exhaled breath which attracts mosquitoes.  It also has a light to attract them.  I came across this a couple weeks ago and did a little research.  It sounds pretty good but comes at a little bit of a hefty price.  I think around $180.00 or so.  Then I saw them at Costco for about $70.00. I was going to pick one up, but when I looked at my cart and surmised my growing bill, I thought better to stick to my list.  This is one of those moments when you say…..“Darn it, why didn’t I pick that thing up when I was there and I knew they had them in stock?”  You know how it goes, you don’t have time to get back to Costco and when you do they’re out and probably wont be getting any more.  Needless to say the jury’s still out on this product.  If I get back to Costco and get lucky enough to get one, I’ll let you know how it works.

 

Bottom Line

Be ready for spring and summer.  Bugs will come and there is a good chance they will infiltrate your home somewhere somehow. If you don’t like pesticides around your home, at least make it more undesirable for pests.  Using mechanical means of keeping them out, along with a responsible professional program of applying pesticides, is your sure ticket to a much more enjoyable spring and summer.  THIS IS THE TIME TO DO IT!!!   Try not to use the approach of doing things after the problem has already surfaced.  You are now fighting the battle defensively rather than offensively.  Look at it from this stand point.  If you’re Pete Carroll, and the Seattle Seahawks are leading by 3 touchdowns in the first quarter, you feel much better about your chances of winning the game than if you are behind by 3 touchdowns, in the fourth quarter, and the other team has the ball.

 

Remember

April showers not only bring May flowers, they bring a whole lot more to the party!  Have a beautiful spring and summer season and let us, here at LIND PEST CONTROL, help you enjoy your homes, decks, and patios in a bug free environment!

Yellow Jacket, Tacoma-based and family-owned pest control and inspection company

Have You Been Stung by a Yellow Jacket This Year? 

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Ouch, I feel for you!

We had a very early start this year with wasps and yellow jackets. Our early warm spring that continues into a sweltering, consistently hot summer, led to population EXPLOSIONS of these nasty pests. While yellow jacket stings can really pack a wallop, they can also lead to other serious problems. There can be varying degrees of allergic reactions to their sting and in some cases can become fatal.  It is important to see a doctor if you begin to have a reaction after you have been stung.

 

Hidden dangers.

This time of year, they have formed pretty good size nests and are very aggressive while seeking nourishment for their colony. The most dangerous nests are the ones we don’t see. These can be in siding and ceiling cavities, within our homes, or underground. Treating these types of nests can be very tricky and dangerous. Having the correct tools, products, knowledge, and safety equipment are the most important aspects of exterminating these dangerous nests where we live, and our children and pets play.

We recently treated a ground nest where a couple’s son and his friends play basketball.  It was hidden in the ivy, on the hillside in range of an errant jump shot. We saw the nest while performing an ant treatment at the property, and informed the homeowner. They thanked us profusely for finding and treating the nest, as it was unbeknownst to them….and their son’s friend is highly allergic!

Another dangerous ground nest we found last week was in the backyard of a house where a couple’s young daughter had a small swimming pool. The nest couldn’t have been more than 5 feet from where the pool was! We were already at this house to treat a yellow jacket nest in a siding cavity at the front of the house. The homeowner requested we take a look around for other nests. We were able to spot and extinguish the nest before anyone was harmed.

 

Keep your eyes open.

LIND PEST CONTROL INC. performs treatments of this type several times each day.  There is a story behind each one and most have happy outcomes. A few have learned the hard way that they have a nest by being stung. Fortunately, this year, we have not run into a situation where an unsuspecting person or pet has been seriously injured by multiple stings. We still have a couple of months to go for our wasp season.

Each day their nests grow tenfold and they become more aggressive. Please keep a constant eye out for areas of concentrated yellow jacket activity in and around your home. Consider having a professional out to your house to give it the “once over”. We offer one-time perimeter sprays and or preventive maintenance sprays for spiders, ants, and other ground crawling insects.  We are glad to inspect the area during this service and make sure your family and pets are safe from these harmful pests.

 

Yellow Jacket, Tacoma-based and family-owned pest control and inspection company

Yellow Jackets: Beware of Ground Nests!

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Home repairs: Lind Pest Control (Gig Harbor)

Give Your Home a Once Over

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One of the best ways to keep your home pest free is to pay attention. Give your home a once over while you’re walking your yard with a cup of coffee in the morning.

Check your crawl space vent screens and crawl space access door.

  • Your screens should be ¼” mesh which is standard for allowing airflow in and keeping most pests out. They should be secured to the frame and free of tears or holes.
  • Check if cable lines or other conduits (such as air conditioning etc.) have compromised their integrity.
  • Your crawl space access door should have a solid concrete footing under it and a solid frame. The door should fit securely, leaving the area virtually free of small gaps which could allow rodent entry.
  • The door should have a latching device such as barrel bolts or a hook and eye assembly.
  • A door should not be mistaken with a well cover.
  • If you have a retaining well which has a cover over it, this is not sufficient to keep rodents out. They were designed for safety and water runoff.
  • If you have a well cover or a door which has gaps or openings, a door should be installed or repairs made.

A simple visual inspection as you walk your property is the best way to protect your home against pests and prevent more serious issues.

If you notice anything that seems incorrect or you would like one of our technicians to do a walk-through of your property, please schedule an inspection.

vegetation against house

Pest Control Tip: Why You Need to Keep Vegetation Away from Your Siding. 

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Keep vegetation away from your siding.

Vegetation against the siding, especially when it’s dense, tends to hold moisture in the siding and promotes fungus growth which can promote rot and/or perfect moisture content for wood destroying organisms and other nuisance pests. It also provides hiding and harborage for rodents.

You don’t need to butcher vegetation back, nor have a barren landscape around your immediate perimeter of the house. A general rule of thumb is to keep a few inches of space between your siding and the vegetation. This allows proper airflow and a viewing avenue for homeowners and pest control professionals to keep a lookout for vulnerable pest entry points.

Don’t forget to keep your tree limbs trimmed back from the roof and gutter lines. We recommend 3 feet to 4 feet. Ever seen a squirrel jump?  They are capable of jumping quite far and are commonly found in attics of homes (along with rats). They can do considerable damage once inside.

Lind Pest Control Office in Tacoma, Washington

Pest Control Tip: Mulch, Bark, and Bugs

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Adding bark or mulch to landscaping beds is a great idea to beautify your landscape, keep the weeds down, and retain plant moisture. Yet, it can create unwanted pest problems if you’re not careful.

Remember to keep about 3 inches of clearance between the bottom of your siding and the mulch. You should be able to see your foundation. Bark, mulch, soil, etc. which extends over and “buries” the siding tends to hold moisture in and rot your siding.

This creates a highly desirable conducive condition and a direct access for termites and other wood destroying organisms. Consider having the immediate perimeter of your house sprayed after your bark/mulch has been laid. This will offer protection against organisms which may be within, or attracted to, the purchased product.