Things You Can Do That Pests Hate

Insects and rodents are a serious sanitary issues at home and in the workplace. While it can be expensive and difficult to get rid of pests, you have to control the infestation. Make use of the tips provided in the below article, and you can succeed in permanently ridding your home of pests.

Find out what pest treatments are allowed in your area. Make sure that you do not use anything that is illegal. Though this does not happen often, it does indicate a need to do your research.

Those who are contending with flying bugs must make repairs to all window screens. This will also go far to keep crawling bugs out of the house, too. Fix any holes you find and replace the screens if they are damaged.

Is your home infested with ants? Mix borax and sugar to eliminate them. They will come for the sugar and get killed by the borax. Just make a half-and-half mixture of sugar and borax in a one-quart jar. Sprinkle the mixture along the foundation and baseboards of the home.

Do you recycle and store items in your home? If so, then it is vital that these items are properly rinsed. Many items like soda cans have sugar in them. The soda needs to be rinsed clean before anything is put inside the garage.

You can get rid of the bugs and pests that are plaguing you. Use the expertise of the pros at your local home-improvement store. They can tell you which pesticides work best given your situation.

Electronic pest repellents are very efficient products. These devices are small and can be plugged into outlets in each room. The device then emits a sound that keeps rodents at bay. While humans cannot hear the sounds, they are perfectly safe. Rodents can hear them and they will run away.

The introduction stressed that a pest problem is not only an annoyance but can also endanger your health. Because of this, you want to fix the problem as soon as possible. Use these tips to control, locate, and eliminate pests in your home.

Eliminate Pests From Your Life With This Advice

What do you know about pest control? There is a great deal you must learn, and the following article will serve as a great starting point as to how you can tackle pest control on your own. You can utilize many methods for preventing pests from entering your home.

You can put steel wool in the holes to keep rodents away. Even though mice and rats can chew through a number of materials, these fine strands of metal are too tough for their teeth. All openings bigger than a quarter inch need to be stuffed. Animals can get through very small openings.

To eliminate pest problems indoors, vacuum every rug in your home. This will get the bugs and ants in the living room, kitchen and den. Put the vacuum bag in a plastic bag and set it in the sun for a day. Then throw it away.

One of the ways that you can kill hornets, wasps or bees around your house is to spray them with hairspray. There are alot of different ways to kill bugs and you will get rid of new ones as well.

Bedbugs are sneaky and can be hard to eliminate entirely. Close up open holes you may find prior to extermination. By doing this, you will prevent them being able to escape a timely death.

Struggling with ants? Eliminate them with borax and sugar. Sugar acts as an attractant, then the borax will cause them to die when they get to it. To create this mixture, get yourself a quart jar, and use a cup of sugar and a cup of borax. Poke holes in the jar lid, and sprinkle the content along your house’s basboards and foundation.

Thoroughly Inspect

Make sure you thoroughly inspect your home for any standing puddles of water. This can attract many pests, including mosquitoes. Therefore, you need to thoroughly inspect your plumbing to ensure that there are no leaky pipes. Do not neglect to clean your house plant trays. Pests need water to survive, so eliminate this, and pests will find your home far less hospitable.

Fix any leaks in your water system. All pests need a water source to survive. Even from a distance, these pests can tell there is water pooling in your home. Don’t bring on a pest invasion by your inaction. Eliminate your rodent and bug problem within your home.

Implement the tips you’ve just learned, and begin your fight against those pesky pests today! It is high time that you tell those pests to ship out. You can now do just that! Be sure that you keep these tips in mind, and plan out how to protect your home against pests.

Your Winter Checklist For Preventing Pests

Temperatures are dropping and people are starting to bundle up to get out of the cold. Naturally, desert pests don’t like the cold very much either. And, because ants and scorpions can’t bundle up themselves, they seek refuge wherever they can. More often than not, this brings them right where you hate them most: your home.

Protect your home from pests this winter with this checklist from the best exterminator in Las Vegas.

Check the Foundation

Check the foundation and external structure of your home for cracks and holes. Fill them with caulk if you find any. For holes that are larger than one quarter of an inch, consider covering the hole with copper or aluminum mesh before you seal it with caulk. This will prevent any larger pests from chewing through the caulk.

Check the Perimeter

exterminator in las vegas stops pests from entering homeCheck to see if any trees or shrubs are touching the perimeter of your home. If they are, prune them back for the winter. It is too easy for creepy crawling creatures to scuttle into your home from nearby plant life.

On the same token, make sure there are no piles of leaves or wood too close to the home. These types of natural structures tend to give pests a warm place to hide. They’ll quickly find their way into your home if their makeshift shelters are close enough to the building.

If you keep any bird feeders close to the home, make sure you check these as well.  Also make sure they are regularly cleaned to keep pests away from the feeder and your home.

Check for Entrances

Pests can get into your home a number of different ways.

First, you want to check your screens, windows and doors for holes, tears and cracks. Fill holes and cracks with caulk and patch tears in window screens to keep out unwanted house guests. You’ll want to repeat this on the inside of your home to be extra sure that no pests will be coming home for Christmas.

Also check that you are keeping your garage door closed as much as possible. Even though the garage isn’t as warm as your house, it is still better than being outside so pests will seek refuge there if they can. Once they’re in the garage, it’s only a matter of time before they find their way into your living spaces.

If you just can’t seem to manage to keep the pests out, contact the experts at R and C Pest Control for the best pest control service Las Vegas offers. For more information about the exterminator Las Vegas relies on, contact 702.257.2847.

Termite 101

If you have ever experienced a termite infestation, you know that these tiny pests are silent destroyers. By the time you realize they’re in your home, the damage is nearly irrevocable. Learn about these destructive little pests and how you can protect your home from their appetites with the help of the exterminator Las Vegas homeowners can rely on.

Types of Termites

termites need pest control las vegasYou can find termites in your home or in your yard. That is because these insects are detritivore feeders that will eat any plant that is made of cellulose. That means you can find termites feasting on dead plants and trees. That leaves your home as an ideal place for them.

Subterranean termites are the ones that you are most likely going to find in your yard. They build mounds in the soil that are made with complex tunnel systems designed to give them access to dead tree and plant food sources.

Drywood termites are the ones you are most likely to find living in the walls, foundation, furniture, shelves and even books of your home. They are most active in the springtime when they mate. After this time, mated termites find a new site to colonize and breed. That is why termite infestations can end up taking over an entire residence if the issue is not handled quickly.

Protect Your Home

It is possible to protect your home from a termite invasion. You can take the steps to limit the moisture and food a termite colony needs to survive in your home. Just in case those measures don’t work, you want to be sure you are aware of the warning signs so that you can call a pest control Las Vegas service to take care of a developing infestation before the damage becomes too severe.

Eliminate Moisture

Termites need moisture to survive. Follow these steps to cut back on the excess moisture in your home and keep the termites at bay:

  • Keep moisture from leaking into the home by keeping the gutters clean and getting rid of water on the roof. Also check to make sure that water is diverted away from the foundation of your home.
  • Keep moisture from collecting inside the home by repairing leaking faucets, water pipes, and A/C units.
  • Keep termites out by sealing any possible termite entry points that are near water and utility lines or pipes.

Eliminate Food

Next, you want to limit the termites’ access to food in your home as much as possible. You can achieve that with these tips:

  • Make sure the wood on your home doesn’t touch the soil. Also make sure that any firewood or lumber is kept away from the foundation.
  • Make sure there are no stumps or wood based debris close to your home and place screens on the outside vents, just in case.

Warning Signs

Sometimes even the most prepared families cannot prevent a termite infestation. So, make sure you are aware of the warning signs so that you can stop an infestation from developing beyond the point of no return. Here are just a few of those warning signs:

  • Wood sounds hollow when you tap it.
  • There is localized crack or bubbling paint.
  • You find discarded wings from termites that swarm near windows.

If you notice any of these warning signs, don’t wait to contact the pest control Las Vegas service residents trust. For more information about the best pest control Las Vegas offers, contact R & C Pest Control at 702.257.2847.

Understanding Mosquitos

Many Las Vegas residents mistakenly believe that mosquitoes don’t exist out here in the desert. However, as long as there is stagnant water, mosquitoes can thrive. Even in the desert, these pests can make your life miserable with irritating bites and even the transmission of diseases. Learn about these frustrating pests and how you can protect yourself from them with this guide from the pest control Las Vegas experts you trust.

The Life of a Biter

mosquitoes need exterminator las vegasIt is really important to understand that you do not have to live in a swamp-like climate to experience mosquito life-cycles. The two most common types of mosquitos will lay their eggs in any kind of standing water. This includes bird baths, rain barrels, tin cans and roof gutters.

When the eggs hatch, they become larvae that wiggle around in the water and eat microorganisms on the surface of the still water. The larvae grow into pupa and then adults only a few days after hatching.

Once they are adults, the male mosquitoes feed on plant nectar and juices for a week or two until they die. Female mosquitoes live for about a month and are the ones responsible for stealing your blood. The blood feeding is necessary for them to lay their eggs.

Beat the Bites

If you are bitten by mosquitoes, it is most likely going to happen in the evening hours. With that being the case, it is a good idea to stay indoors if you really want to reduce your risk of being bitten. Clothing that covers the skin is also a good idea.

There are also mosquito repellants that you can use to keep the biters away while you are outside. You can opt for topical applications or little devices that claim to prevent them from entering your general space. However, it is said that those devices – like candles and electric lamps – really are not effective in getting rid of the bugs or keeping them from biting you.

Take Them Out

One way you can get rid of mosquitoes is to destroy their breeding grounds. Find the standing water and eliminate it. Empty and dispose of old buckets, cans and tires that may be collecting water. Keep your rain gutters clean and change the water in your bird baths at least once a week.

You can also contact the best exterminator Las Vegas offers to manage an invasion of mosquitoes for you. For more information about the exterminator Las Vegas trusts, contact R and C Pest control at 702.257.2847.

Stop Those Cockroaches Before They Move In

Cockroaches are invaders that absolutely no one likes to see in their home. Follow these suggestions from the best exterminator Las Vegas offers to prevent and treat cockroach infestations.

Prevention

treat roaches with pest control las vegasCockroaches love kitchen drains. That is because they are dark, damp and contain plenty of little bits of food for them to feast on. You can stop roaches from living in and coming up the drain by pouring boiling hot water down there on a regular basis. This will kill any bugs or eggs that are living down there.

It is also a good idea to keep the kitchen sink clear of dishes. If there aren’t leftovers constantly in the sink, they won’t have quite as much to be attracted to. Under the sink, make sure there aren’t any leaks that can be attracting thirsty bugs.

You want to take similar preventative measures in the bathroom. Plug drains to keep these nasty critters from rising out of the darkness. You also want to make sure you fix any leaks under the sink as soon as you notice them.

Keep your home as clean as possible to avoid attracting cockroaches out from their hiding spaces in the walls or your neighbors’ homes. Keep garbage cans tightly covered. Keep kitchen floors and countertops clean. If you eat anywhere in your home besides the kitchen table, make sure you are cleaning up spills as soon as they happen.

Cockroaches also love to eat paper products. So make sure you don’t leave stacks of magazines or newspapers lying around. Place magazines in containers that keep them off of the floors and recycle everything you don’t want to keep.

treat roaches with pest control las vegasTreatment

If these frustrating pests are already in your home, you can approach treatment from a couple different directions. Before you treat, however, you need to try to figure out where the roaches are coming from.

If you notice that they are coming in through cracks in floorboards or near cupboards, you can seal them out with caulk.

Another simple and inexpensive treatment is cockroach traps. You can find them at most grocery stores and hardware supply stores. Put them where you notice the most bugs. Just remember that there are a lot of different kinds of traps so do a little research before you make a purchase.

The most effective treatment, of course, will be a professional pest control Las Vegas treatment. R & C Pest Control offers the best pest control Las Vegas trusts at prices you can afford. With these experts, you can trust the job will be done right the first time. If you’d like more information or a quote from this exterminator Las Vegas trusts, contact 702.257.2847.

Pesky Snake Problems? Read This

snake needs pest control las vegasSnakes are not usually the first thing that comes to mind when you think about the pests that can enter your home. Unfortunately, here in the desert, it can happen. This is an especially scary thought when you think about all the poisonous snakes that call the Las Vegas desert their home.

If you live in central Vegas, it is not likely that you’ll find a snake in your home. However, if you live in a newer housing development that sits on the outskirts of the city (or your home is near a lot of vacant land) your risk increases significantly.

Look, Don’t Touch

Before you try to do anything along the lines of catching your foe, look closely at the snake. The color and pattern of the snake’s skin can tell you a lot about the type of snake you are dealing with. Since most of the snakes that enter homes in the Valley are non-poisonous, you probably have nothing to worry about. Anything can happen, however, so do a little research to be sure.

If you find that the snake isn’t poisonous, proceed with caution. These snakes still have fangs and can bite you if they feel threatened. An easy way to get rid of these types of snakes is to use a broom and gently push it out of the home.

If you find that the snake is poisonous, DO NOT TOUCH IT. Don’t try to be a hero and trap it. If there is a way you can contain the snake, like closing a door, do that. Then call the experts in snake pest control Las Vegas homeowners trust. The pros are trained to handle these kinds of things so don’t place your life in unnecessary risk.

Prevention

Keep snakes from ever getting into your home by spraying snake repellent inside and outside. You can DIY if you would like and purchase a repellent from the local hardware store. You can get a solution that is much stronger by contacting an exterminator Las Vegas can rely on for the most effective pest control services.

You also want to inspect your home for possible entry points. Snakes are slender and flexible creatures so they can get into even the smallest of holes and cracks. Check out your home – inside and outside – for possible entrances. Fill smaller holes and cracks with caulk. Patch up larger holes with materials from your local supply store.

If you are unsure about dealing with snakes in your home yourself, that is okay. Call R and C Pest Control to effectively get rid of intruding snakes. For more information about the pest control Las Vegas service, contact 702.257.2847.

The Worst Pests to Have

There are pests that frustrate everyone simply by existing. Ants, cockroaches and spiders are just a few of the annoying pests you can have. Unfortunately, there are some pests that are more than frustrating: They are a down right menace. Here is a quick guide about the worst of the worst in the insect world from the exterminator Las Vegas homeowners rely on.

Locusts

swarm of locusts needs pest control las vegasThis insect has been plaguing mankind for literally thousands of year. The locust was a major player in the original biblical plague. These guys only become a worrisome threat when they swarm. As a swarm, they can destroy crops in massive numbers. That is because swarms of locusts fly around with the direction of the wind eating about 2 grams of vegetation every day.

Mormon Cricket

This large cricket is actually not a cricket at all. It is called a katydid and it can destroy crops in a way that is very similar to that of the locust. Their appetites are so voracious, they will even eat each other without a second thought.

As if that wasn’t enough, these bugs create slick spots on the road when crushed which can cause cars to get in accidents.

Termites

termite infestation needs pest control las vegasTermites also form swarms to travel from one place to another to mate. Thankfully, termites are essentially harmless as a flying swarm because they are more concerned with mating and surviving. However, once you find one or two or three in your home, it is time to schedule the pest control Las Vegas homeowners trust. These guys will literally eat your home.

Of out all the different species of termites, the species residing in the US is one of the most destructive types.

Fire Ants

After coming from South America on a ship almost 100 years ago, fire ants have effectively become a frustration in every corner of the country. If you find a fire ant nest in your yard, you’ll want to contact an exterminator Las Vegas can trust to manage that for you. Disturbing a fire ant nest can result in a very painful experience for you.

While they are small, fire ants have a relatively potent venom. Their venom can kill small animals and even people who have an allergic reaction to them.

Yellow Jackets

yellow jacket needs pest control las vegasThis is a type of yellow and black wasp that is aggressively dangerous. They will pursue any perceived threat and sting repeatedly. In areas with warmer climates, this is a frightening thing because yellow jackets don’t get killed off by the winter weather. That means a yellow jacket nest can grow to astronomical levels.

Emerald Ash Borer

This insect is fond of the ash tree. The larvae of the insect find their way into the tree and feast on the life plant tissue under the bark. This makes it so that the tree can’t get water and nutrients up to the top branches of the tree. This devastation of ash trees can be seen most in urban areas.

Stink Bugs

stink bugs need pest control las vegasAs the name suggests, these insects smell terrible when they are crushed or even when they feel threatened. You can see how that would be a problem when you try to take care of an infestation in your home. If you notice even just a few, there is a good chance you are already dealing with an infestation. Call a pest control Las Vegas service instead of trying to manage this yourself. Your home and your nose will thank you.

Gypsy Moth

This is a moth that is particularly frustrating. Swarms of these moths have an appetite that is so large, they will eat just about everything off of the tree they are living in all the way down to the branches. Their tree of choice is the hardwood tree.

Many of these pests on this list will literally eat the home around you. If you notice one or two, don’t wait to find out just how bad the infestation is.  Contact the experts at R & C Pest Control because they are the exterminators Las Vegas residents trust the most. For more information about the best pest control Las Vegas has, contact 702.257.2847.

 

Oh the Ant: Everything You Didn’t Want to Know

ants need pest control las vegasAnts are frustratingly annoying little pests. There is no doubt about that. Even so, the more you know about this tiny bug, the better you can protect your home and your family with the help of the exterminator Las Vegas trusts.

Random Facts

  1. Ants can flatten their tiny ant bodies to be able to squeeze through the smallest of cracks. They come into your home looking for anything they can carry to feed their colonies. Their favorites are sweet or greasy food particles.
  2. Ants follow a trail of pheromones to find their way to and fro. Once they find food in your kitchen, the only way to keep them from finding their way back is to block the pheromone trail.
  3. Depending on the species, ants can build their nests in trees, lawns, stumps and even in your walls or foundation. If you think you have an internal infestation, call for the pest control Las Vegas relies on right away.
  4. An ant colony can have as many as half a million ants. Even with these massive numbers, these little guys can easily pick up shop and relocate if they feel threatened.
  5. One colony can live as long as 15 years, which is how long the queen usually lives. Once she is gone, the colony dissipates.

The Life Of An Ant

The life cycle of an ant comes in four stages. Depending on the species, a full life cycle can last only a few weeks to as long as several months.

Baby Ants

Tiny ant eggs are laid by a fertile queen ant in hiding. The eggs are oval shaped, white and transparent, and about half a millimeter big. Ants stay in this stage for about two weeks.

Child Ants

Once an egg hatches, it becomes larvae. Larvae look like tiny grub with no legs. A large part of the adult ant’s life is spent feeding larvae with food that is eaten and regurgitated.

Adolescent Ants

After a time, larvae molt and become pupae. There are two ways to tell pupae from adult ants: they are a lighter color and their legs and antennae are folded against their bodies.

Grown Up Ants

It is not until an ant is fully grown that it leaves the colony to terrorize your home. However, the only ants that forage for food are worker ants. Worker ants are wingless female ants that do not reproduce. They find food, feed the larvae and protect the colony. The fertile females become queens and never leave the nest. Male ants have wings and do not work. Their only purpose in life is to mate with the queen.

Contact the experts at R and C Pest Control to take care of any kind of ant problem. For more information about a great pest control Las Vegas company, contact 702.257.2847.

Cockroach 101

american-cockroach needs pest control las vegasIf you thought cockroaches were disgusting, you are right. They thrive in the gnarliest of situations and carry diseases that can cause some serious issues to humans. Learn just how disgusting this critter is with this 101 guide to cockroaches.

There are literally thousands of roaches that exist in the world but the most common are the Periplaneta americana, Blattella germanica and Blattella orientalis. As you probably already know, this insect will eat just about anything. Feces, toe nails, food crumbs and even fellow roaches all make the menu. They prefer to eat things that are made with sugar and starch. That is usually why you can find cockroaches in kitchens.

Because of everything they eat, these insects tend to contaminate any surface they crawl over. If you are dealing with an infestation, you want to be extra careful to wash utensils and dishes before you use them. If you don’t, you could end up getting ill from a bacterial, viral or fungal infection from the germs that hitch a ride on these guys’ backs. This process of indirectly transmitting diseases to humans is called mechanical transmission.

In fact, more than 30 types of bacteria have been found inside and outside of a cockroach. Some of those dangerous germs include E. coli, salmonella and staphylococcus. These are the germs that cause urinary tract infections, diarrhea, pneumonia, cholera, dysentery and general infections.

As if that isn’t enough, it is believed that cockroaches caused a massive outbreak of hepatitis A in a L.A. housing project in the late 50’s. The number of cases reported continued to climb until the infestation of cockroaches was finally managed with the help of a new insecticide. After that, authorities determined that it was because the roaches that traveled between homes, sewer and back again that so many people were coming down with the disease.

This may be because cockroaches carry bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics. Ethiopa conducted a study in 2012 to test this theory and found it to be true. Many of the bacteria found living on and in cockroaches were found to be resistant to as many as twelve common antibiotics. That means that these bugs are carrying bacteria into our homes that are more resistant to treatment than we may be used to. You can see how this trend can cause problems if it continues.

Make sure your home and your family are protected from the dangers of cockroach infestations. As soon as you see one, contact the best exterminator Las Vegas offers. R & C Pest Control offers the best pest control Las Vegas trusts at prices you can afford. Contact 702.257.2847 for more information or to get a quote.