Preparing For Fall Pests in Knoxville

Summer is coming to an end, and it won’t be long until the temperatures start to drop. It happens every year. But, when those temperatures drop, something else happens. Bugs and animals will start to hide from the cold. This process is called overwintering; but long before this happens, your home should be ready for the invasion.

There are many creatures, both big and small, that will try to make your house their winter home. Some repeat offenders include mice, rats, cockroaches, stinging insects, ants, and spiders. While the habits and habitats of these creatures vary considerably, they can all be deterred by the following preventive steps.

Fall Prevention Tips from the National Pest Management Association

  • Make sure all door and window screens are in good working condition and that no holes are present. Screens are your first line of defense against overwintering pests.
  • Make sure all door sweeps and weather stripping have a good seal. There are many pests that can squeeze through tiny holes. Look for damaged bristles and fix the damage.
  • Eliminate moisture sites. If you have leaking pipes or clogged drains, your home will be attractive to moisture-seeking pests, which include termites.
  • Apply screening to attic vents and openings to chimneys. You may also consider a chimney cap.
  • Be sure to get air tight containers for all outside trash cans. The smell of trash is an attractant for many overwintering pests; and if your trash lures flying insects in, those insects will lure in the spiders that feed on them.
  • Do a detailed inspection of exterior walls. Fill gaps, cracks, and holes with steel wool or seal them using a caulking gun. Pay particular attention to where utility pipes enter the home.
  • Put steel wool in downspouts to prevent rodents from crawling up and gaining access to your vulnerable roofline.
  • Replace loose mortar on basement foundations and around basement windows.
  • Store firewood at least 20 feet from your exterior walls.
  • Keep shrubs and bushes trimmed.

Winter isn’t quite here yet, but now is the perfect time to start preparing your home for the inevitable invasion that happens every year.

If you need help keeping the bugs and rodents out of your home, you can trust Active Pest Control. Our team knows the pests that invade homes in the area, and they know the protocols and products that will seal them out. Call for a free inspection and find out how easy it is to keep pests out when you have the knowledgeable pest professionals at Active Pest Control on your side.

How Do Floods Affect Pests?

Some experts are saying that we’re going to get a lot of rain this year. And with more rain, comes a greater chance of flooding, which is why we’ve thrown together this quick article on how floods affect pests. Let’s see what we can learn in order to protect our Macon, Georgia homes.

Direct Impact

When areas flood, creatures living underneath the ground must find a new place to live. Even bugs that require lots of moisture, like millipedes and termites, will evacuate when the ground becomes oversaturated. This is why you’ll find hundreds of millipedes all over your exterior walls, deck, or patio after a torrential downpour.

Bugs aren’t the only things that live in the ground. Furry creatures that live in fields and forested areas can get displaced when flooding occurs. Water creeps in and they must leave their holes and tunneling for higher ground. This can bring them right into your yard and, possibly, into your home.

Indirect Impact

Fire ants pose another kind of threat when flood waters rise. Sure, they’ll be driven into your yard, like other pests, but their natural behavior to make a living raft can pose an indirect problem. When hundreds, or even thousands, of fire ants cling together, they form a floating raft. If you live near an area that is flooded, be aware that these living rafts can come ashore and all of those ants will be sitting on top of the ground. They won’t have to file out of their colony to attack you. They will have immediate access to your feet, ankles, and legs.

When heavy rains saturate your yard, it can make it more enticing to yard pests by wetting down wood products in your yard or pools. Wet wood is an attractant for termites, carpenter ants, and other wood-destroying pests, and those pools will lure wildlife with the offer of a nice drink.

What to do before the floods?

  • Make sure you have your exterior walls sealed, window screens fixed, door sweeps in good working condition, and weather stripping seated properly.
  • Be sure to check all your gutters to make sure they are not obstructed or broken, and that they function to channel water away from your home. Moist soil near a home, collecting pools of water, and wet wood draw many pests in.
  • If you have stacked wood, piles of twigs, construction materials, or some other wood product piled in your yard, move them to at least 20 feet from your exterior walls.
  • Have the professional pest technicians here at Active Pest Control Pest create a barrier that pests cannot penetrate.

Bugs and wildlife are a problem all the time, but heavy rains and floods can give them even more motivation to invade your home. Make sure they are unwelcome when they find their way into your yard, and be sure that your defenses are in place. Those flood waters will displace bugs and wildlife, but those creatures don’t have to find a new home inside your house. Get help from Active Pest Control by contacting us today.

Does Rome, Georgia have household pests?

If you’ve spent any time in Georgia at all you will know for sure that we have pests. We have everything from nuisance pests, like ants and silverfish, to pests that cost United States homeowners nearly 5 billion dollars each year, like those humble termites. From bats to bedbugs, fleas to groundhogs, and mice to millipedes, we sure do have plenty! Yup, Georgia has pests–enough to go around and enough for everybody to get a fair share.

But what if you don’t want your “fair share” of pests?

If you have decided you have had enough in dealing with pests, there are a number of things you can do to deter them.

  • Inspect the outside or your foundation and walls for gaps or cracks and seal up all openings with a caulking gun. Insects can squeeze through the tiniest of spaces and mice only need a hole the size of a dime to get in.
  • Repair any leaks in your roof and check that your gutters and downspouts are working properly. Make sure downspouts direct water several feet away from your foundation. Bugs and animals are drawn to moisture.
  • Trim back all trees and bushes several feet from your home. Pests use these as bridges to get to your walls and vulnerable roofline.
  • Remove any standing water near your home or in your yard as these provide water for pests, as well as a breeding ground for insects such as mosquitoes.
  • Do not stack firewood or other building materials near your home. Place these items away from your house and up off the ground. Many pests find shelter in these items.
  • Make sure all your garbage containers have tight fitting lids. Use a bungee cord to secure lids if needed.
  • Thoroughly clean your home, especially areas where food is present. Focus on problem spots like under the toaster, under the fridge, and between the stove and the cabinet. Pests will feed on just about anything they can find, and cockroaches are especially fond of those tight spaces.
  • Keep all food items stored in the refrigerator or in tightly sealed containers. Insects and rodents are drawn to the smell of food, and if they chew into items, your food may be contaminated with bacteria, urine, or feces.
  • If you can’t wash dishes right away, keep them in a sink full of soapy water.
  • Only put pet food down at mealtimes. Otherwise, keep their food in sealed containers. Pests love pet food.

The Advantage of Active Pest Control:

If you really do not want your fair share of household pests in your Rome home, consider Active Pest Control Advantage. Active Pest Control offers three pest plans, with Active Pest Control Advantage being the best all-around choice. It starts with a FREE home inspection and ends with a satisfied customer. Advantage includes the following:

  • Year-round pest control
  • Rodent monitoring and control
  • SENTRICON® TERMITE COLONY ELIMINATION SYSTEM
  • Re-service at no extra charge

If you want to be bug-free this new year, consider Active Pest Control and Active Pest Control Advantage. You’ll be glad you did.

Advice For Pantry Pests In Atlanta

Have you ever experienced an infestation in your pantry? Are you experiencing one right now? There are few things in life as gut twisting as finding something crawling inside your pantry food. There are also few things in life as frustrating as trying to get rid of pantry pests. But don’t worry. We have your back, Atlanta. Here is your quick guide to fixing a pantry pest problem and making sure you don’t get another.

Understanding Pantry Pests

When we say pantry pest we’re not talking about cockroaches, rodents or ants. Though these creatures are definitely a threat to your pantry, they don’t attack your pantry the same way pests that are classified as pantry pests. These three will work their way in through your walls to get at your food. Pantry pests, like Indian meal moths, beetles, and weevils, are more likely to get into your pantry by hitchhiking in the food you purchase from the grocery store. Once inside your pantry, they spread between packages and increase their populations.

Prevention

If you already protect your pantry from cockroaches, rodents, and ants, by keeping your foods in hard plastic containers, you will be one step ahead of those who do not. Storing food this way won’t prevent you from getting an infestation, but it will definitely help to contain it. Pantry pest eggs can be invisible to the naked eye. So, you may miss an infestation when you pour packaged food into your plastic containers, but at least they won’t spread to other stored foods.

How do you keep from bringing tainted food home? The best you can do is to inspect pantry food packages thoroughly before you purchase them. Look for any holes, broken seals or damage. If the food company has done its job, this is the only way these pests can get into your foods.

Removing Your Infestation

If you have a current infestation, it is really best to hire a professional to fix your problem. Getting rid of pantry pests is tricky and requires knowledge of pest protocols. If you try to tackle this problem yourself, you may end up eating tainted food without realizing it.

Preventing Future Infestations

Stopping future infestation is a straightforward process when you inspect food at the store and use hard plastic, sealable containers, but we realize this is not for everyone. If you prefer to keep your foods in paper and cardboard, follow these simple steps.

  • Put new items in the back and old items in the front.
  • Go through your pantry on a routine basis and throw out items that are past their due date.
  • Keep your shelves clean of particulate food matter.
  • Seal any cracks in your pantry walls.

If you have pantry pests in your Atlanta home, Active Pest Control can help. Our nationally recognized, QualityPro team has the experience and education to cleanse your pantry of these disturbing bugs and the expertise to show you how to keep them out for good. We also have special plans to keep your home pest-free throughout the year. Whether you are looking for a one-time service or a special pest plan, give us a call today!

It’s Fall, What’s All the Stink About?

Well, it’s that time of year again. The weather starts to cool off giving us warm wonderful less-humid days and cool, crisp nights. The leaves begin their annual ritual of changing from their deep hues of green to their dancing fall colors of red, yellow, and orange. You cannot go for a drive anywhere without at least a glimpse of this remarkable beauty. This truly is one of the most beautiful times of year in Tennessee, but it also signifies a change.

The carefree days of summer have come to an end, and it is time to begin preparing for the winter months. We think about filling the fuel tank in preparation for heating costs this winter. We also reluctantly start picking up lawn furniture and ornaments to store through the cold months. The leaves begin to fall, so our weekends are filled with raking up this forlorn foliage and bagging it for disposal or burning it in the fire. It is the time of year when we give our vehicles a once over making sure they have the proper amount of tread on the tires, the windshield fluids are topped off, the radiator has the proper levels in it, and the oil is changed.

It is the time of year when the harvest comes in, and we reap the bounty of our crops. The weather is finally cool enough to light the ovens and we begin to bake our apple pies and apple crisp with those red juices overflowing from the trees. There is hardly a home where the smell of cinnamon and nutmeg is not flowing from the kitchen windows. Along with it, you can usually smell the fresh, baked bread as that warm, yeasty scent fills the air and wafts through the window. The squash is finally ready and the potatoes are fresh for harvest. It is a wonderful time of year full of harvest and feasting, but it is also full of preparations and toil.

We are not the only ones that spend our fall feasting and preparing for the cold months ahead. Stink bugs and other pesky insects are doing the same thing. Those shield shaped, tannish stink bugs are not just gathering on the walls of your home or barn to catch a few rays in hopes of a darker suntan. They are actually working. That’s right, working. They are in search of the tiniest of cracks or crevices that will allow them entry into your home for the winter. After spending the summer months feasting on your fruits, vegetables, and flowers, they are now ready to settle down for a long winter’s nap inside of your house.

These odd looking little creatures really can cause quite a stir once they choose your house as their winter destination. Although these little pests are not known for carrying diseases to humans, although not very commonly reported, they are known to cause allergic reactions and skin rashes in some people, so that fall cold you think you have may actually be the rhinitis or conjunctivitis that the stink bug shared with you!

These insects will actually gather in very large numbers, so if you have seen one inside, just look around – you just might see hundreds more emerging from your baseboards, ceiling fans, light fixtures, and door or window frames. Then, just try stepping on one or squishing it with your hands – but be sure to hold your nose. The smell of rotten cucumber will fill your nostrils and send you running for the door! So as you begin all your fall preparations, don’t forget to make sure you prepare for the invasion of stink bugs and other pests. Preventative measures need to be taken now in order to spend the winter in a pest-free home.

  • Fix cracks around windows and doors
  • Be sure your screens are in good working order and have no gaps or tears
  • Fill any holes around utility pipes and chimneys with silicone or latex caulking
  • Keep bagged leaves and debris or piles of them stored away from your house
  • Make sure your trash cans have tightly covered lids and are emptied regularly
  • Inspect your foundation for signs of trouble and repair any breaches
  • Keep gutters and drains free from debris and in good working order

When fall preparations bring you face to face with unwanted pests, give Active Pest Control a call. We have the expertise and experience to safely deal with your pest issues. Our family owned pest control company has been dealing with pests for almost 40 years; and has the training and technology to eliminate pests while protecting your environment. So, whether you are dealing with stink bugs or any of the myriad of fall pests that want to wander in your home, we are on the job waiting to serve you with friendly, professional service.

Tennessee Moths

You may have noticed those flittery, fluttery moths break dancing all around your outside lights at night and not ever given them a thought. They are so common that they just seem like part of the scenery by now. You never even really stop to consider much about them, but did you know that they can cause extensive damage if allowed to sneak into your home?

That’s right! There are two primary types of moth that you are likely to encounter here in Tennessee that are known predators of the clothes and soft goods that you treasure. These hungry beasties won’t think twice about munching a hole into your Michael Kors woolen jacket, or snacking on the Vera Wang hanging in the back of your closet.

So, here’s the 411 on these destructive, little moths.

Webbing Clothes Moth: This moth is the most common in the U.S. The adult moth is buff to golden in color with a tuft of red hair on its head. The larvae stage of this moth forms silk webbing wherever they feed. You probably won’t even notice them until you see the webs attached to your favorite sweater and the holes and geometric grazing patterns running across it. Your clothes and fabrics that are keratin-based are their choice menu items. This includes garments made from wool, fur, and hair of animal origin. They typically will not feed on any plant-based materials.

Casemaking Clothes Moth: This moth is second only to the Webbing Clothes Moth in numbers and is equal in ability to cause damage to your soft goods. The adult moth is also buff to golden in color, but has a more distinctive brown tone to it. Rather than a red tuft on its head, this moth has three dark spots on the front of its wings. The larvae stage of this moth spins a silken tube that it carries around with it, and attaches to fabrics and materials that are either keratin-based or plant based. Their favorite munchies include: tobacco, herbs, spices, hemp, and furs.

The best way to avoid costly repairs or expensive replacement of your favorite clothes is to be sure that you use proper storage methods. Clean your clothing before you store them. Moths are attracted to semi-soiled materials. Also be sure to seal clothing in airtight bags to ensure that moths do not have access to them. With proper identification and treatment, you can avoid having your Pierre Cardin on the menu this fall.

If you are dealing with moths or any other pest infestation, be sure to call the experts here at Active Pest Control for help. Our pest control plans are set up to help you avoid pests while fitting into your budget. With a year round plan, your pest worries will be nothing more than a past nightmare. Let our courteous, professional technicians help you protect your home and clothing investments. Call today for your inspection and begin your personalized pest control treatment so you too will look lovely in your perfectly preserved pest-free fall colors.

 

Is There A Fly In Your Soup?

If there is a fly in your soup, be thankful you don’t have Grover helping you with your problem. In this classic scene from Sesame Street, a restaurant patron must rely on Grover–who can’t tell the difference between under, next to, on and in–to help him with a fly in his soup. After several failed attempts, Grover bursts out with a line that is probably one of the funniest in Sesame Street history. “You should have asked for a bowl of soup and said, ‘Hold the flies!'” The absurdity of this statement is only made more pronounced when Grover replaces the man’s fly-tainted soup with another: cream of mosquito.

Bugs may not be a big deal in Grover’s kitchen, but they can be bad news in yours. Flies aren’t only a frustrating pest, they are a known spreader of harmful bacteria. It’s not entirely their fault. They start their lives out as maggots and feed on rotted organic material in your trashcan and other unsavory places. It is only natural for them to continue to be drawn to filthy things for the rest of their lives. If you think it bugs you to see a fly land on your food, imagine if you could know where that fly’s feet have been. It would throw you right off the edge.

Flies are not an insect you should ever shrug off. They can’t be effectively controlled with a few strips of flypaper. This is a dirty insect that shouldn’t be in your soup, on your counters or in your kitchen. Here are a few ideas to make your kitchen a fly-free zone:

  • Make sure you screens are in good condition. Some flies will zip in through the front door when you open it, but a large number get in through poor screening and holes in window framing. Use fingernail polish to fix small holes, and invest in a tiny patch kit to get holes that are up to a quarter in size.
  • Don’t lure flies onto your property. Get trash cans that seal. Put compost several feet away from your exterior walls. And don’t provide any other food sources around your home.
  • Trash cans inside should be sealed as well. If a fly does get in, you don’t want to give it the perfect breeding site.
  • Soak dishes in soapy water rather than stacking them next to the sink. Flies can’t breed fast enough to use your dirty dishes as a breeding site, but they will definitely grab a bite and use the energy to find another more suitable site.
  • Commercial businesses use light traps to control flying insects. If a couple of flies get in, you might want to have a small light trap to take care of the problem.
  • Remember that the trash can in the kitchen isn’t the only trash in the house. If you have kids, there could be food in the bathroom trash as well.

It is no fun having flies in the kitchen. Use these tips and a year round pest control program from Active Pest Control to keep them out, for good.

Family Pets And Household Pests

Do you have a furry friend running around your Rome Georgia home? For some of us, it is impossible to imagine life without a pet. Their antics are a constant source of enjoyment. They bring us healing on those days when we have to stay home from work or school, and, they are a fluffy companion on this journey called life. That is why it is so important to have proper pest control in and around your home. Here are a few creatures found around your home that can hurt your furry family member.

  1. Fleas. It is no surprise to see this pest on the list. Fleas are a tormentor for dogs and cats. They are responsible for horrible dermatological issues that can cause your pet’s fur to fall out and scabbing to appear. They can spread tapeworms to your pets, especially dogs, when fleas that have tapeworm eggs are ingested. Fleas can carry diseases that cause fever, heart disease and even the plague. The solution to this problem is protective gear and medicinal treatment for your pet and a routine flea treatment for your lawn.
  2. Ticks. If you allow your dog or cat to spend any time in tall grass, you’re going to have ticks. Though they aren’t too much of a problem to remove, ticks can transmit diseases to your pet, like Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia, hepatozoonosis, cytauxzoonosis, ehrlichiosis, tick paralysis and others. There are a few things that you can do to prevent ticks; Keep your grass cut short and put a fence around your yard to keep wild animals from transporting ticks into your yard. Remove bird feeders so that birds do not deposit ticks near your home. Seal and secure all trash to avoid luring wild animals onto your property, and, get a routine pest treatment to kill ticks and tick eggs in your yard.
  3. Little red ants. If you have fire ants in your yard, your pet could get into some trouble. A single fire ant bite is only mildly irritating. But several ant bites over a long period of time can cause severe irritation of the skin, and vision loss. If you have fire ant mounds encroaching upon your property, it is important to have them removed by a professional. Do-it-yourself methods can cause fire ant populations to split and multiply. With this veracious pests, it is important to act quickly and aggressively to stop the spread.
  4. Stinging insects. Your pet is as susceptible to the dangers of stinging insects as you are. If you have a wasp, bee, hornet or yellow jacket nest on your property, your pet could be at risk. Yellow jackets can be especially troublesome because they build their nests in the ground where animals can get near them. They are also an aggressive swarming insect that can sting multiple times without losing its stinger. If you have a nest on your property have it removed immediately. Stinging insects grow their populations all summer long and in early fall they pose an even greater risk to your pets and your family. When you have no nests, you have less risk. It’s that simple.
  5. Wildlife. There are many creatures that carry rabies in their bodies. If your pet gets into a tangle with one of these, the results could be life threatening for your pet. If you believe a wild animal is living on your property, call a pest control company immediately.

Your pet is a part of your family. Always be aware of where your cat or dog is playing, and keep those areas free of dangerous pests. Pet sickness can be costly, both financially and emotionally. Stay protected with help from the professionals here at Active Pest Control. Let us protect all of your loved ones, including your four-legged family members from pests with one of our home pest service plans. Contact us today!

 

Is Lyme Disease Really A Big Deal?

You’ve probably heard many times that you need to watch out for ticks because you’ll get Lyme disease. Is this really true? If so, how bad is it to get Lyme disease? Are my limbs going to fall off? Let’s take a look at the hysteria and controversy surrounding Lyme disease, and examine some practical ways you can protect yourself and your family.

The truth about Lyme disease.

First of all, not everyone who gets bitten by a tick develops Lyme disease. Though many ticks carry the harmful bacteria (Borrelia burgdorferi) that causes Lyme disease, they are not guaranteed to have it. So, if you find a tick on you, don’t panic.

Another misconception is that everyone who gets Lyme disease gets the chronic kind that can last for years–and even a lifetime. The truth is, each of us reacts to this bacteria in a different way. For some, there is no visible reaction. Others may experience a round bullseye rash, fatigue, chills, fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, and swollen lymph nodes. But after three weeks of antibiotics, all symptoms go away.

There is, however, a percentage of people who experience stronger symptoms that can last for years, and even a lifetime. This is usually in people who do not receive antibiotic treatments. In fact, 60% of people not treated develop recurring attacks of arthritis. And, on average 15% of people not treated develop chronic arthritis. Lyme disease can also lead to neurological problems which manifest as numbness in the hands and feet, shooting pains, and short-term memory loss.

Who is at risk of Lyme disease?

  • People who spend a lot of time in high grass risk greater exposure to ticks.
  • People who hike in wooded areas.
  • Children and young adults are more likely to get Lyme disease.

Prevention

  • If you find a tick on you, use a tick removal kit, tweezers or pliers to get the entire tick out. It takes 24-48 hours for a Lyme disease producing amount of Borrelia burgdorferi to enter the body. Catching ticks early can prevent this disease.
  • Keeping the grass cut in your yard will reduce tick populations.
  • Regular tick treatments from a pest professional can fully eliminate ticks.
  • Wear insect repellent when traveling in the woods or tall grass. Put your pants inside your socks. Wear light clothing so ticks can be easily seen. And, wear a hat.

So, is Lyme disease a big deal? It can be, for some. But of all the tips mentioned here, it is important to note that you’re going to be mostly safe if you simply check for ticks and remove them early. There is no need for hysteria–well, not yet anyway. But it is a good idea to stay vigilant. It is also a good idea to protect what you can protect. Keep your yard safe and be cautious when visiting friends and family. If you do this, you should be fine.

Contact us for more information on ticks in Georgia and Active Pest Control‘ pest control services for ticks.

Seeing Ants In Your Georgia Home?

It just so happens that your home provides everything an ant and several hundred of it’s friends need to survive. We’re talking about food and shelter. If gaps around doors and windows or cracks in the foundation are present, these pesky ants will slip right in. You’ll likely see them hanging out in the kitchen, bathrooms and other areas of the home you’d consider off limits to these foraging pests.

Here in Atlanta, we deal with both nuisance ants and wood destroying ants. Nuisance ants are relatively harmless. Their presence in your home is annoying but not considered threatening. If they trek through your pantry or across those cookies on your counter, you might want to throw out the food but you don’t have to worry about a bigger health threat. The carpenter ant is a wood destroying ant and again is not dangerous to your health. The same cannot be said for wood structures. Carpenter ants don’t eat wood like termites do but they do tunnel through to create galleries. They may even establish satellite colonies in your walls. Left untreated, carpenter ants can inflict significant damage to a structure.

So to recap, if you are seeing ants in your home, it’s because they’ve found a way in and are liking the accommodations. Now how to fix this problem.

To prevent ants from getting inside, you must start on the outside. You’ve got to make sure that the exterior of the house is sealed tight. That means any tiny hole or gap is identified and corrected. Next you will want to make sure that all hedges and shrubs are trimmed away from your home. Though they look nice, landscape elements often provide a nice bridge to the house.

Moving indoors, you must be sure to eliminate any potential food sources. Food on the counters and open packages in the pantry must be outlawed in your home if you want to deter ants. Use containers that seal to hold food. Crumbs and spills should be cleaned up right away as well. Don’t forget to run a cleaning cloth under the toaster and sweep under the major appliances to get rid of crumbs hiding.

If you already have an ant infestation in your home, Active Pest Control offers effective home pest control services that get rid of ants and other household pests. Best of all, our program protects your home all year round. Contact us today to find out how our Atlanta pest control pros can help you solve your ant problem!