Prepare for Higher Pest Activity this Fall-Winter

Rats in Atlanta GA - Active Pest ControlEach season comes with its own kind of pest problems here in Atlanta GA. Differences in temperature, rainfall, plant growth, and even barometric pressure can affect the levels of pest activity and kind of active pests in the area. This means that taking the right steps to ward off pests takes different forms throughout the year, changing with the seasons. As we start to watch the vibrant colors of fall fade into winter, we can’t forget to adapt our routines to prevent newly-arising pest issues. Learn how with Active Pest Control!

Fall and Winter Pests in Atlanta

Did you notice the increase in rainfall this autumn? Atlanta has seen a steady increase in rainfall over recent years, leading to inflated pest issues. Mosquitoes, in particular, have been thriving in the wetter environment. Because they breed in standing water, pooling rainfall leaves them with ample opportunities to proliferate and multiply their populations’ numbers.

Once average temperatures drop below 50 degrees, though, mosquitoes give way to rodents as the primary pests to worry about. Looking for warmth and shelter for the winter, mice and rats will look for any ways that they can get into our homes. With the ability to squeeze through tiny holes, rodents can sneak into our walls, attics, and crawl spaces through gaps that we don’t even notice are there.

The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) recently put out their biannual Bug Barometer. Read the full report here.

2021 Bug Barometer - Active Pest Control

How to Prevent Pests in Fall and Winter

As the nature of active pests changes, our prevention strategies have to change too. There are three main measures that you can take to ensure that you don’t deal with any infestations during the colder months:

  1. Check around your home for entry points that could invite rodents indoors. These could be cracks in your foundation and walls, broken roofing or vents, or gaps around windows and doors.
  2. Keep your yard in order. It’s important to keep your grass cut low to eliminate standing water from pooling up and hosting pests. Yard waste and firewood piles can also create temporary shelters for rats and mice.
  3. Don’t leave out food or trash. Use covered, sealable bins for your garbage and take them out often. When you’re done eating, clean dishes and any spills promptly and store your food in airtight containers.

Professional Pest Control for the Atlanta Winter

If your DIY pest prevention strategies aren’t cutting it, contact your local pest control company to see how they can help. At Active Pest Control, we train our technicians with information that we’ve gathered over decades protecting homes in and around Atlanta. We can provide a complete property inspection, then complete extermination or removal services for all active pests, and follow-up services to ensure that your property is prepared for the next season. For a free quote, contact us today!

Why Silverfish Enter Our Homes

The answer to this question is simply that they can. But, no pest control question ever has a simple answer. Let’s break this down into three parts and see if we can get some insight into the insect known as the silverfish. If you have silverfish in your home, it is because they had a […]

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How to Get Rid of Rodents in Your Yard

A gopher seen in Atlanta GA - Active Pest ControlHave you been noticing small holes popping up in your lawn or backyard this fall? This is a common indicator of a rodent infestation, but here in Atlanta GA, this could mean a variety of things. Moles, voles, and gophers all plague homeowners in our area by tarnishing their yards and killing their plants. Whether it’s your first year fighting off rodents or you’ve been a homeowner for decades, it’s important to properly prepare for fall and the perfect conditions it sets up for rodents. Read on to learn more from the experts at Active Pest Control!

When Do Gophers Come Out?

Gophers, along with moles and voles, are most active in the spring and fall. These seasons provide burrowing rodents with soil bearing optimal moisture conditions. When moles, voles, or gophers are active in your yard, you might see mounds of dirt in your lawn or holes and dying plants in your garden. What’s worse, each one of these rodent species can be attracted to your yard for different reasons:

  • Gophers eat bulb and plant roots primarily, but will also resort to clovers and grass
  • Moles are carnivorous and are known to eat worms, grubs, and various other insects
  • Voles are the least picky of all, eating grass, bulbs, tubers, rhizomes, seeds, and even bark

DIY Rodent Control for Your Yard

So, what can you do to keep rodents out of your yard? Unfortunately, given the amount of time these pests spend underground, it can be difficult to be successfully preventative. Some people we have talked to have found success using strong-scented plants as natural deterrents. You might wish to try planting thyme, sage, daffodils, or other similarly fragrant plants in your garden.

If you are already dealing with an active infestation of gophers, moles, or voles, there are a few DIY pest control methods that you can attempt to drive them out of your yard:

  1. Add four tablespoons of a mixture of castor oil and dish soap to a gallon of water. Pour into holes in your lawn.
  2. Create an underground fence using gopher mesh or chicken wire.
  3. Set a trap with carrots, apples, or peanut butter as bait.

These are the best ways to attempt to control gophers, voles, and moles on your own, but they tend to be time-consuming and inconsistent.

Ready to Start Your Rodent Control?

If you’ve made it this far, you’re probably wondering what you can do right now to make sure that rodents don’t decide to spend the winter on your property. Fortunately, the technicians at Active Pest Control have a plan for you. We train our rodent control experts to assess properties thoroughly, looking for any of the many rodent-related vulnerabilities that Atlanta GA residents face year after year. Don’t hesitate to get a head start on your fall pest control—reach out today for a free quote!

5 Ways to Keep Rodents Away This Fall

5 Ways to Keep Rodents Away This Fall in Atlanta GA - Active Pest ControlIt’s fall, meaning it’s the season of the rodent! Every year in the fall and winter here in Atlanta, the number of rodent infestations goes way up. But why? As temperatures begin to dip this time of year, rat and mouse problems begin to get worse as the pests look for somewhere to bunker down for the winter. With Rodent Awareness Week around the corner, the experts at Active Pest Control are here to share all you need to know about seasonal rodent infestations, including what you can do to keep them at bay. Read on to learn more!

How to Keep Rats and Mice Away in Atlanta

Rodents are very apt at getting into your home much easier than you’d think. Mice, in particular, can squeeze through openings the size of a pencil eraser, and rats are extremely apt jumpers and climbers. In fact, some rodents can scale vertical walls, including brick and concrete walls. Needless to say, it’s important to learn how to make your property inaccessible to them entirely.

Our top five tips to keep rodents away are as follows.

  1. Inspect your property to look for any openings rodents may have snuck through. By sealing these openings and closing up gaps around vents and soffits, you can effectively keep rodents out.
  2. Further rat-proof your property by repairing your roof and monitoring drains. By limiting their access points, you can get rid of the means by which rodents get inside of your property.
  3. Look into traps and baits. If you have just a couple of rodents in your property, you can effectively get rid of them using bait or traps. Keep in mind this is not a strong enough solution for an entire infestation.
  4. Implement preventative measures. Simple pest prevention measures go a long way to keep rodents away, too. This includes taking proper care of your yard and maintaining a tidy yard.
  5. Get professional rodent control services. If you have a serious rodent problem, the best thing you can do is hire a pest control expert. A professional will know to safely and effectively get rid of the pests for good.

Rodent Prevention in the Fall

Every Rodent Awareness Week, the rodent exterminators at Active Pest Control aim to educate our community about the dangers of rodent infestations. To avoid them, it’s crucial to put a stop to rats getting inside in the first place. To learn more about keeping rats and mice out this fall and winter, contact us today to learn more!

What’s That Bug in Your Bathroom?

What silverfish look like in Atlanta GA - Active Pest ControlThe bathroom is the place where we go to get clean. The last thing we want is for our bathrooms to be teeming with unwanted critters! Many kinds of pests are attracted to the moisture and humidity that accumulates in our bathrooms, whether that be for hospitable temperatures, water to drink, or to prey on the insects that are gathering there. Read on to learn from the experts at Active Pest Control about the types of pests that congregate in our Atlanta bathrooms.

Common Pests Found in the Bathroom

These three pests are some of the most common bathroom-dwellers in Atlanta GA:

  1. Ants: Some ants are attracted to the sweet scents of perfumes, body washes, shampoos, and other hygiene and beauty products in our bathrooms. They stick around for the standing water in our showers and sinks.
  2. Cockroaches: Roaches thrive in dark and humid environments, so if you have leaky pipes in the cabinets under your sink, you are creating the ideal home for roaches. They will also go so far as to eat soap and toothpaste!
  3. Silverfish: Silverfish are attracted to the same qualities in our bathrooms as roaches. However, they have a much harder time climbing smooth surfaces, so if you’re having trouble identifying the pests at the bottom of your shower or sink, you might be dealing with silverfish.

Centipedes, spiders, and drain flies are all also commonly found in bathrooms in our area.

How to Prevent Pests in Your Bathroom

Keeping pests out of your bathroom starts with keeping things dry. Here are some extra measures that you can adopt into your regular cleaning routine:

  • Wipe up standing water on countertops, water fixtures, and the floor
  • Keep your bathroom properly ventilated—opening windows and using a fan can help reduce moisture on your walls caused by a hot shower
  • Regularly check your plumbing fixtures for cracks or leaks
  • Clean up residue from toothpaste, soap, or other hygiene products often

Following these steps should significantly reduce your liability for a pest outbreak in your bathroom. These tenets apply throughout your house, too—excess moisture and unnecessary filth always attract pests!

Keeping Your Bathroom Pest-Free in Atlanta GA

If you’re having trouble keeping pests out of your bathroom in Atlanta, talk to your local pest control company about your problem. At Active Pest Control, we train our technicians to perform comprehensive inspections, finding every potential source of excess moisture or other pest-inviting vulnerabilities. For more information on our services or a free quote, contact us today!

No-See-Ums vs Gnats vs Mosquito Bites—What’s the Difference?

Mice found in Atlanta GA - Active Pest Control

Bug bites come in all kinds of varieties. Some types of insects attack you through the air, some sneak up your leg when you’re not looking, some pounce at the peak of daylight, some travel by night. Unfortunately, here in Atlanta GA, we’re always justified in being slightly on edge about pests.

Winged insects can be quite successful in biting us and getting away unscathed. No-see-ums, gnats, and mosquitoes are among the peskiest pests in the area, and their bites are commonly confused for each other. Keep reading for Active Pest Control’s top tips on identifying them and their bites.

Gnats vs No-See-Ums vs Mosquitoes

These three pests are some of the biggest nuisance insects in our region. We’ve all probably had an encounter with them at some point—here’s how you can tell the difference between them next time you do:

  • Gnats: Gnats are tiny flies that often gather in “clouds” of hundreds or even thousands of individuals. They have gray to black-colored bodies and often live around damp soil, fruit that has been left out, or plumbing fixtures.
  • No-see-ums: No-see-ums are actually a particular kind of gnat. They only reach about 1/16” long, enabling them to fit through tiny gaps, even window screen holes.
  • Mosquitoes: Mosquitoes are much larger than all kinds of gnats. They have long wings and a needle-like proboscis on their mouth that allows them to draw blood.

The Differences Between These Bug Bites

One way you can tell apart these insects is by their bite marks. Mosquitoes, gnats, and no-see-ums all work differently, and this shows itself in how we react to their bites. These are the main differences between their bites:

  1. Gnat bites: These look like small, red, irritated bumps. They look a lot like mosquito bites.
  2. Mosquito bites: Mosquito bites are usually lighter in color and less likely to take place around your face. They are often more spread out than gnat bites.
  3. No-see-um bites: These last longer than mosquito bites because of the way the no-see-um damages your skin when they bite you. They are usually more painful and take longer to heal.

In short, you can compare gnat bites and mosquito bites by their proximity to each other, their darkness in color, and how long they last.

Avoiding Bug Bites in Atlanta GA

Covering your skin with long-sleeved clothing and using insect repellent are some of the best ways to avoid bug bites on your own. However, if there is a relentless presence of biting bugs around your home, you might have a problem larger than you can deal with without professional help. At Active Pest Control, we have experience eliminating no-see-um, gnat, and mosquito populations all across Atlanta GA. We can deal with your pest outbreak and make sure you never experience another with routine checkups and maintenance work. For a free quote, contact us today!

Do Cockroaches Only Come Out at Night?

CockroachesA cockroach found in Atlanta GA - Active Pest Control are some of the grossest pests that we deal with here in Atlanta GA. A cockroach infestation is often the sign of an unkempt kitchen or bathroom. These pests feed on any food source that they can find in your home, from crumbs to leftovers, to pet food, to all kinds of decaying natural matter. The problem with roaches is that they often move discreetly, so you may not find them until your problem is out of hand.

So, do cockroaches only come out at night? And what does it mean if you find them in your home during the day? The roach experts at Active Pest Control have the answers—read on to learn!

Are Cockroaches Nocturnal Insects?

Yes, cockroaches are nocturnal, but this doesn’t mean that you’ll never see them during the day. Like most insects, they spend a majority of the day in states of inactivity or very minimal activity. They will spend this time resting in dark, moist places in or around your home, which could be:

  • Underneath sinks and inside cabinets
  • Near plumbing fixtures
  • Behind wallpaper and in wall paneling
  • Underneath mats and rugs
  • In piles of trash or clutter, and more

Once the sun sets, the roaches will take to the floors and walls to scavenge for any sort of foot materials that they can find.

Why Do Cockroaches Come Out During the Day?

Seeing roaches crawling around inside your home usually means that there is a serious infestation going on. The roach resting places have possibly become so overcrowded that they have started staggering times of activity. In order to find enough food to eat, they will have to go against their bodies’ natural patterns of sleep and activity to sustain themselves.

When you find roaches in your house during the day, you’ll likely jump to take any measures you can to get rid of them. Unfortunately, roaches are some of the most resilient pests on the planet and take serious strategy and power to eradicate. People often find that cheap insecticides and traps to use on your own fall far short of dealing with their cockroach infestation.

Cockroach Infestations in Atlanta GA

Some ways to prevent cockroach infestations include keeping a clean bathroom and kitchen, sealing your food and storing it properly, routinely checking for leaks in plumbing fixtures, and other measures associated with general cleanliness. Once an infestation actually develops in your home, the work is best left to a professional pest control company. At Active Pest Control, we pride ourselves on eliminating roach infestations safely and quickly, as well as teaching our customers how to prevent future roach outbreaks for good. For a free quote, contact us today!

The Trouble with Termites: How Termites Can Ruin Your Home

If you’ve ever experienced a termite infestation, then you know how devastating it can be to have to deal with getting rid of the colony, addressing the structural damage, and preventing future infestations. It can be a long and difficult process, but fortunately, it can also be manageable with help from the right pest control […]

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Bee Sting vs Wasp Sting

Bee Sting vs Wasp Sting in Atlanta GA - Active Pest Control

Especially in the summertime here in Atlanta GA, the chances of getting a bug bite while spending time outdoors are likely. The main culprits? Bees and wasps! These stinging insects typically prefer to mind their own business, but there are times when they can and will sting people nearby. Many people call any type of sting a “bee sting”, but the truth is, wasps are responsible for more stinging incidents. While the reactions from their stings can be similar, the nature of when and how bees or wasps sting can be different. The stinging insect experts at Active Pest Control are here to help set the record straight on bee stings vs wasp stings—read on to learn more!

Did I Get Stung By a Wasp or a Bee?

Bees and wasps differ widely in appearance and temperament. What makes them sting someone, as well as how the sting feels itself, also differs by species. In general, bees are not aggressive and thus unlikely to sting unless directly provoked. Honey bees are the bees that will lodge their stinger in the person they sting, causing them to die shortly afterwards. Other bees can sting repeatedly, but it is rare for them to do so.

Wasp stings are known to be more painful than bee stings. This is due in part to the fact that wasps are capable of stinging repeatedly—often in the same spot. Wasps are more aggressive and will sting at will, especially when they are provoked or when their nest is threatened.

Bee vs wasp sting infographic

Wasp or Bee Sting Reactions

There are a number of symptoms associated with bee and wasp stings. Usually, the reactions to a sting by either of these pests are largely the same. After being stung, it’s important to remove the stinger (if it was lodged) and immediately clean the area with antibiotics. Some of the common reactions to a bee sting vs wasp sting include:

  • A sharp, stinging pain at the site of the bite.
  • Swollen, red bumps wherever a bite occurred.
  • Itchiness and irritation.
  • A numb feeling at the site of the bite.

More serious reactions can happen, especially if someone is allergic to bees or wasps. Anaphylactic reaction to a bee sting can start within two hours of the incident and rapidly get worse. Immediately get to a doctor if you start to break out in hives or have trouble breathing.

Who to Call for Wasp or Bee Problems

Bees and wasps are a normal part of our environment. In fact, they play an essential role in pollinating our flowers and foliage! That said, stings are a common occurrence in the spring and summer. If stinging insects build a nest on or near your property, it’s crucial that you contact a local bee and wasp removal expert to deal with the problem. Trying to get rid of them yourself can leave you vulnerable to being stung repeatedly. Contact the team at Active Pest Control today!