Monthly Archives: December 2007

Insect Control

Miss Mary Smack the Mosquitoes

As if being bitten to death by itch-provoking mouths isn’t enough, no one wants their permanent scent to be Eau de Bug Repellent. Mosquitoes are one of the biggest little pains in the you-know-what, and it doesn’t help that they seem to be never-ending. One cannot spend a nice summer evening by the lakeside without a fit of arm-smacking and bug blood, and, even still, they just keep coming. So, how does one get rid of these little merciless vampires? Easy

An important thing to take into consideration: Mosquitoes LOVE water. That’s where they breed and flock. Look around your living area for empty containers that are filled with water. Eliminate them. Empty any water-filled garbage cans, bird baths, buckets, flower pots, open drinks, etc. If you live by a beach or lake or any sort of significant body of water, this isn’t so easy to accomplish, but there are other ways to help your problem. There’s not much that can be done outside of your home, but to keep the mosquitoes from getting inside, make certain that your windows and window screens are in tip-top condition. Unrepaired window screens are one of the most common ways that mosquitoes make their way into the house

If all else fails, there are always mosquito repellent chemicals and bug zappers. Many people find citronella candles to be very useful, outdoors. And, of course, you can always take the normal precautions, applying insect repellent creams or sprays to your skin before going outside
There you have it. You no longer have to play Miss Mary Mack in order to enjoy your nice, warm day or evening.

Animal Control, Pest Control

You Have A Bat Cave!

To a lot of people, the only kind of bat that is acceptable in their home is Batman. Any other bat is completely out of the question. It’s not the bats fault though; their bad reputation could be attributed to tons of bad publicity in Hollywood with vampires and the infamous saying, “They’re in my hair! They’re in my hair!” They’re not evil demons, despite their popular image. They can, though, be a nuisance in your home. Just because they aren’t blood-sucking monsters, doesn’t mean they are allowed to fly in and hang from your garage beams.

There are about one-thousand known species of bats, but only ten suck the blood of another mammal. Mostly, bats feed on insects and fruits, so, with that said, you should probably take care of that insect problem. A lot of pests feed on other pests, so that is a common solution to a lot of problems. Less than half of bats have rabies, so if you come into contact, you need to practice caution for your own safety. You should probably get a professional to get rid of a bat, but if you need to handle it yourself, grab a small container to capture it and release it in the wild. If you have to grab it with your hands, use heavy work gloves.

Bats are a solution to your bug problem, but a hassle to your bat problem. Just close up any spot that would be a good place for a bat to hibernate, and you should be just fine.

Animal Control, Squirrels

Getting Rid of Squirrels – A Guide

Have you ever awoken in the middle of the night to the seemingly never-ending sound of a dog barking in the distance? How about that one little bird who decides to wake up at three o’clock in the morning and sing his heart out? Just as unpleasant is attempting to find solace in the comfort of your favorite pillow after a long day, but being interrupted by the pitter-patter of little feet scurrying across the attic floor above you.

Squirrels can be a serious problem for some. Getting them out of the house can be a real problem, but there are, in fact, some ways to rid your home of our furry friends, while remaining at peace with your wallet, as well as with the heart of the animal lover.

One thing you can do is to find an animal relocator who will catch the animal in a trap and take them away safely. You can also put out your own traps, baited with peanut butter or sunflower seeds, and drive the trapped animal out to another environment, preferably in the wild, as opposed to another neighborhood. Make sure not to touch the animals, and wear heavy leather gloves when handling the cage.

Moth balls patched into entrance holes are quite effective for driving out squirrels. Also, because of the highly developed senses of most animals, squirrels will be likely to stay away if you wet rags with ammonia and spread them around the general area that the animal is infesting. In addition, leaving a light on and a radio playing non-stop will drive them crazy and, hopefully, away from your home.

Stern Environmental Group, a company that prides itself in innovative and effective ways of ridding homes and other locations of pests, offers 24-hour emergency squirrel control services. The services they provide include: 24-hour squirrel removal, humane squirrel trapping, and quick squirrel removal services, as well as treatment for raccoons, skunks, pigeons, bed bugs, cockroaches, ants, and many other pests.The first step to ridding yourself of your squirrel problem is to take prompt action today!

Pest Control, Pest News

Snakes On a Plain

Snakes are a common fear of the populous. They slither and they slide, but what is it about them that make people so afraid? Maybe it’s that they hide in tall grasses and wait patiently for victims to meander by unsuspectingly to be eaten, and this prey could very well be a human. Snakes have been portrayed as an evil creature since biblical times, so it’s no surprise that almost everyone jumps to high ground when someone says, “Snake!”

There are a couple of ways to make sure snakes stay away from your home. You have to mow your lawn! Tall grasses are a great place for snakes to hide, and, if you have an unkempt yard, you’re basically giving them cover to hide from their predators and prey. With that said, keep your bushes and shrubs away from your house. This is another form of cover for them, as well as a very open welcome sign to all snakes that need a place to be. While you’re keeping those bushes away from your house, you might want to move the wood or compost pile. Wood piles or compost piles provide cool places to hide on hot, sunny days. And with any pest, get rid of their food source. That’s the only reason they’re hanging around, and their food source happens to be another pest–the rodent.

Some snakes are poisonous, but a lot aren’t. As well, snakes are like any other creature of the wild; if you don’t give it a reason to harm you, then it won’t. Just watch where you’re walking, and you should be fine.