Arizona pest management top tips

Do not stack or store firewood, building materials and other items against your foundation. This will provide food for wood destroying insects, capture water and provide harborage for all types of pests. Seal obvious construction and utility gaps in your foundation. Dont allow standing water to buildup in unused pots, containers, boxes, etc., take old tires to the dump.

insects in Arizona – Pests and rodents aren’t simply a nuisance – they can severely affect your health and the health of your family. This is why bug and insect prevention is critical in protecting homes, businesses, schools and any other place where human beings live, work or play from a pest infestation.

Here are some general tips to prevent household pests and rodents from entering your home:

Seal cracks and holes on the outside of the home including entry points for utilities and pipes.
Keep tree branches and shrubbery well trimmed and away from the house.
Keep basements, attics, and crawl spaces well ventilated and dry.
Store garbage in sealed containers and dispose of it regularly.
Repair fascia and rotted roof shingles; some insects are drawn to deteriorating wood.
Replace weather-stripping and repair loose mortar around basement foundation and windows.
Store fire wood at least 20 feet away from the house and five inches off the ground.
Call a qualified pest professional for additional advice and treatment if necessary.

All critters (no matter how many legs they have) need the same survival tools we need Food, Water and Shelter. My advice is to exclude pests by reducing any opportunity for these needs. Reduce moisture by maintaining your home properly (possibly install a dehumidifier, clean gutters frequently). Have all dry food products and pet food in sealed containers. Do not store grocery store boxes or bags this has always been an ideal transport for roaches. Seal up areas of your home that pest and other wildlife may have easy access to (door sweeps, dryer vents and settlement cracks for example). There are some pests that are best handled by a professional like termites and bed bugs.

Maricopa pest control services – If you suspect ants (other than carpenter ants) are coming into the structure from the outside, place honey smears at the base of the foundation and soil every 10 ft. Inspect the smears within 15-20 min. to determine where ants are coming from. Follow worker ants feeding on the honey as they travel back to their nest/colony. Then, either contact a pest management professional with this information or if it is a do it yourself project, spot treat the nest sites with a product labeled specifically for that use. If applying store bought products, read the label and adhere to it. If not applied correctly, the application can become a hazard or environmental issue.

The fact that an insect is eating your plants doesnt necessarily mean you need to get rid of it. Spend some time observing it and reading up on it before you rush to judgment. More often than not, youll find that insects are not causing significant damage. Leafminers, for instance, often cause concern because they leave conspicuous trails, but with a few exceptions the problem is entirely aesthetic. Learn to appreciate these trails as harmlessand often fascinatingsigns of tiny animals living their lives, and you will find that suddenly they arent pests anymore!

Arizona exterminator – Every year I get many homeowners calling or coming to my office with questions on critters in or around their home. Often I end up telling them that there is no problem. Just because something is present or is causing minor injury to a plant doesnt mean that it will cause serious damage over the long term. Nature has a funny way of taking care of itself.

Raccoons and Rodents

Raw bacon or peanut butter makes good bait for a mousetrap. Make sure a mouse will have to tug the trap to remove the bait. If you’re using peanut butter, dab some on the triggering device and let it harden before setting the trap. If bacon is your bait, tie it around the triggering device.
If a raccoon sets up housekeeping in your attic or chimney, chemical repellants — such as oil of mustard — are temporarily effective. (The smell may bother you as much as it does the raccoon.) Your best bet is to let the animal leave, and then cover its entrance hole with wire mesh so that it cannot return.
To keep rodents out of your house, seal every opening they could squeeze through. Some need less than 1/4 inch of space. Put poison in deep cracks or holes, and stuff them with steel wool or scouring pads pushed in with a screwdriver. Close the spaces with spackling compound mixed with steel wool fragments.

TagsArizona, Maricopa, pest control