Understanding Envirocare™

Our envirocare™ program is the heart of any green solution to pest management issues. Here's how it works:

1. Inspection
This is a critical first step that, when performed correctly and with diligence, can get your GPM program on track. In this phase, we'll assess your home's risk of infestation and identify any existing pests and note cracks, crevices and other points of entry into your home. We will uncover potential food sources, the presence of water sources, and look for signs of existing pest activity. Based on this inspection, we'll will develop a prevention plan that can drastically reduce your home’s susceptibility to invasion.

2. Removal of food and harborage
In a chemically oriented approach to pest control, all other steps to discourage and control infestations are ignored in favor of introducing large amounts of pesticides into the environment. In an effective GPM program, however, pests are first discouraged by creating an environment unsuitable for them. This means removing food and water supply sources (including leaky pipes), compost sites, general yard debris, accessible pet food, garbage and other food sources.

3. Exclusion
During the inspection process, we will identify specific areas of vulnerability to pest invasion and create a customized plan for controlling and eliminating any problems without introducing unnecessary chemicals and hazards. We'll maintain a vigilant effort to remove or seal points of entry into your home and keep them sealed. Dave's team will help you identify situations such as high moisture areas, overhanging branches or debris piles – which could attract pests or provide pathways into your home. This ongoing service has a major impact on keeping your home from becoming an attractive living site for insects, termites and other pests.

4. Judicious usage of pesticides
Even after a thorough assessment of conditions, development of a management plan and creation of a “pest proofing” program, there may be the need to eliminate an existing infestation. Because in GPM, pesticide product application is just one part of an effective multi-faceted program, it can be performed with restraint and focus. This means only those pesticides necessary to address your specific problem will be used and only in the locations and quantities necessary. And as much as possible, these products will be specially selected for lower toxicity to people, pets, nontarget pests and the environment in general.

5. Monitoring
The final part of GPM is an ongoing monitoring program to ensure that your home maintains conditions that discourage pests and to identify the presence of pests before they become full-blown infestations.

For complete details on Dave's Envirocare™ Green Pest Management Program, call 1-800-400-6009 to speak to a customer service representative.

Dave's Pest Control Serving Central Massachusetts
http://www.davespestcontrol.net

Dave's Pest Control Goes Green!

Dave's envirocare™ program, in partnership with the Nisus Corporation, follows the Green Pest Management approach. Green Pest Management (GPM) is the heart of any green solution to pest management issues. It is the smart choice for anyone who wants to minimize the use of chemicals in and around the home while maintaining an effective diligent pest control program.

GPM is an integrated, multi-step approach that works on a different principle than the familiar chemically oriented pest control, which depends totally on the use of chemical applications that are sometimes toxic to people and their surroundings. GPM combines prevention and monitoring techniques with a prudent approach to pesticides (using products like Boracare) to render a more responsible, yet highly effective solution.

In the coming days I'll be detailing our envirocare™ program, so be sure to bookmark this blog!

If you're interested in a "green" pest control solution for your home or place of business, give Dave a call at 1-800-400-6009.

Dave's Pest Control Serving Central Massachusetts
http://www.davespestcontrol.net

They're Baack! Black Flies - Part 1

If you live in New England, beginning sometime around Mother's Day and ending before Dad's Big Cookout in mid-June  is black fly season.  Like vampires, black flies want your blood.  (Unlike vampires, they are, sadly, not fictional.) Even though we are weeks away from Mom's Special Day, the unusually warm spring has signaled the return of the dreaded black fly.

According to the University of Maine's Cooperative Extension's information: "Generally black fly bites cause some itching and minor swelling from the first few bites of the season, following which an immunity develops, with subsequent reduced reactions.  Nonetheless, even individuals who have lived all their lives in black fly country and are exposed every season, can have greater effects if they get an unusually high number of bites on their first exposure of the season, or have some significant change in their physical condition or medical status."  

Here are a few tips on how to avoid them:  

• Black flies are most active during daylight hours, and particularly on cloudy days.  They are active in the early morning and evening right after sunset (peak time).  Black flies are active right before a storm - but hide during rain or cold.
• Light shades such as orange, yellow and light green are less attractive to black flies than dark shades such as blue, purple or red.  But black flies can't bite through clothing - so wear long pants, a long-sleeve shirt. 
• Avoid wearing perfume, aftershave, or perfumed personal products when you're outside - they are drawn to the scent. And, unlike mosquitoes, which breed in standing water, black flies breed in running water. 
• If you do get bit, soak yourself in a baking soda bath (about 1 cup for a full tub) to help ease the itchiness.  
• Insect repellents work to keep them away. Be sure you put it on your neck, ears, face, wrists and hands.
• And if all else fails: You're safe in your house. Unlike mosquitoes, black flies won't go inside your house (or in a tent). 

Dave's Pest Control Serving Central Massachusetts
http://www.davespestcontrol.net

We're NPMA QualityPro Certified!

QualityPro is an initiative designed to increase professionalism in the pest management industry. This dynamic program certifies companies based on comprehensive standards. Known as “the mark of excellence in pest control,” the QualityPro designation can be achieved by ensuring that all employees voluntarily ascribe to a set of standards far above what is required by state and federal regulations.

Reserved exclusively for member companies of the National Pest Management Association, QualityPro companies are a distinguished group that continue to act as leaders and pioneers to better serve consumers across the country. Therefore, it is with great pride that Dave's Pest Control is now a QualityPro designee.

Dave's Pest Control Serving Central Massachusetts
http://www.davespestcontrol.net

Preventing Tick Bites and Disease

The best way to protect yourself against tickborne illness is to avoid tick bites. This includes avoiding known tick- infested areas. However, if you live in or visit wooded areas or areas with tall grass and weeds, follow these precautions to help prevent tick bites and decrease the risk of disease:

• Wear protective clothing such as long-sleeved shirts, long trousers, boots or sturdy shoes and a head covering. (Ticks are easier to detect on light-colored clothing.) Tuck trouser cuffs in socks. Tape the area where pants and socks meet so ticks cannot crawl under clothing.
  
  
• Apply insect repellent containing 10 percent to 30 percent DEET primarily to clothes. Apply sparingly to exposed skin. Do not spray directly to the face; spray the repellent onto hands and then apply to face. Avoid sensitive areas like the eyes, mouth and nasal membranes. Be sure to wash treated skin after coming indoors. Use repellents containing permethrin to treat clothes (especially pants, socks and shoes) but not skin. Always follow label directions; do not misuse or overuse repellents. Always supervise children in the use of repellents.
  
  
• Walk in the center of trails so weeds do not brush against you. In camping areas, individuals who sit on the ground or disturb leaf litter on the forest floor may encounter ticks.
  
  
• Check yourself, children and other family members every two to three hours for ticks. Most ticks seldom attach quickly and rarely transmit disease organisms until they have been attached four or more hours. If your pets spend time outdoors, check them for ticks, too.
  
  
• If ticks are crawling on the outside of clothes, they can be removed with masking tape or cellophane tape. A ring of tape can be made around the hand by leaving the sticky side out and attaching the two ends. Ticks will stick to the tape which can then be folded over and then placed in the trash.
  
  
• Remove any tick promptly. The mouthparts of a tick are barbed and may remain embedded and lead to infection at the bite site if not removed promptly. Do not burn the tick with a match or cover it with petroleum jelly or nail polish. Do not use bare hands to remove the tick because tick secretions may carry disease. The best way to remove a tick is to grasp it firmly with tweezers as close to the skin as possible and gently, but firmly, pull it straight out. Do not twist or jerk the tick. If tweezers are not available, grasp the tick with a piece of tissue or cloth or whatever can be used as a barrier between your fingers and the tick. Ticks can be safely disposed of by placing them in a container of soapy water or alcohol, sticking them to tape or flushing them down the toilet. If you want to have the tick identified, put it in a small vial of alcohol.
  
  
• Wash the bite area and your hands thoroughly with soap and water and apply an antiseptic to the bite site.
  
  
• If you have an unexplained illness with fever, contact a physician. Be sure to tell the physician if you have been outdoors in areas where ticks were present or traveled to areas where tickborne diseases are common.

If you're concerned that you have carpet beetles in your home or place of business, give Dave a call at 1-800-400-6009.

Dave's Pest Control Serving Central Massachusetts
http://www.davespestcontrol.net

Pharaoh Ants

The Pharaoh Ant is also known as Monomorium pharaonis, which are part of the family Formicidae (Ants). Members of this Family are less than 1/16" long and are usually a yellow, brown, or reddish color. They are thought to have come to North America from Africa, Pharaoh ants can be an acute problem in hotels and inns as well as apartments and homes.

These ants generally come into a structure via items shipped or brought in from an infested location. Inside the home or business, they can nest in wall voids, behind baseboards, under furniture, or under stored items in cabinets or closets. Food sources range from sweets to protein-based foods.

Pharaoh ants can only be effectively controlled through a comprehensive baiting program. Treatment with liquid insecticides actually makes the infestation worse by causing the ants to "bud" or "split" into several smaller satellite colonies. The more successful baits contain pulverized silk worm cocoons as an attractant. They also contain a slow acting poison that gives the worker ants time to get back to the colony and feed them. The silk worm cocoon seems to be one of the only attractants for pharaoh that works. Again, it must be emphasized that spraying makes pharaoh ants worse.

If you're concerned that you have pharaoh ants in your home or place of business, give Dave a call at 1-800-400-6009.

Dave's Pest Control Serving Central Massachusetts
http://www.davespestcontrol.net

Deer Ticks

All three active stages of the blacklegged / deer tick will feed on a variety of hosts including people. After the eggs hatch in the spring, the very tiny larvae feed primarily on white-footed mice or other small mammals. The following spring, the larvae molt into pinhead-sized, brown nymphs that will feed on mice, larger warm-blooded animals and people. In the fall, they molt into adults that feed primarily on deer, with the females laying eggs the following spring.

Adults are reddish-brown and about 1/8-inch long (or about one-half the size of the more familiar female American dog tick). These ticks are found in wooded areas along trails. The larvae and nymphs are active in the spring and early summer; adults may be active in both the spring and fall. The blacklegged / deer tick can transmit Lyme disease to humans.

Preventing and controlling ticks around your home...

• Make sure the property around your home is unattractive to ticks. Because ticks are sensitive to dry conditions and do not thrive in short vegetation, they are seldom a problem in well-maintained lawns. Keep your grass mowed and keep weeds cut. 
• Fruit trees attract deer.  If ticks are present in vegetation or fruit-bearing trees and shrubs along on your property, contact a professional pest control company for assistance.
• Clean up items that attract rodents which can carry ticks, such as spilled birdseed, and hiding places like old wood piles. 
• Free-roaming dogs and cats are much more likely to encounter ticks than those that are confined to the home or yard. If ticks are found on pets, contact your veterinarian for information about an appropriate tick treatment. 

If you're concerned that you have deer ticks on your property, give Dave a call at 1-800-400-6009.

Dave's Pest Control Serving Central Massachusetts
http://www.davespestcontrol.net

Don't Be Afraid, Be Informed

• Did you know cockroaches trigger asthma? 
• Have you heard that termites cause more than $5 billion in property damage every year in the U.S.? 
• Were you aware that rodents and ants contaminate food? 
• Have  you  heard about mosquitoes and West Nile Virus, ticks and Lyme Disease… 

The threats that household pests cause are very real. But, they should only scare you if you are uninformed about these pest-related health and property threats. From insights on integrated pest management to tips on seasonal pest proofing, visit Dave's Pest Control web site for the latest information on household pests and how to get rid of them.

Of course, you can always give Dave a call too! 1-800-400-6009. We serve Central Mass and all of Worcester County.

Dave's Pest Control
http://www.davespestcontrol.net

The Praying Mantis

The praying mantis gets its name due to its prayer-like stance. Mantises are exclusively predatory. Insects form the primary diet, but larger species have been known to prey on small lizards, frogs, birds, snakes, and even rodents; they will prey upon any species small enough to successfully capture and devour. Most species of mantis are known to engage in cannibalism. The majority of mantises are ambush predators, waiting for prey to stray too near. The mantis then lashes out at remarkable speed. Some ground and bark species, however, pursue their prey rather quickly. Prey items are caught and held securely with grasping, spiked forelegs.

Dave's Pest Control Serving Central Massachusetts
http://www.davespestcontrol.net

Crazy Ants

The Crazy Ant is part of the family Formicidae (Ants). These ants are known as Crazy Ants because of their characteristic rapid and erratic movement. The worker ants have extremely long legs, making them relatively easy to identify.

Crazy ants were introduced to the United States from India. Their distribution is limited to the Gulf coast from Florida to Texas. They are easily identified by their long legs and their habit of erratically moving from place to place (hence the name "crazy"). Crazy ant trails are not readily obvious because of this erratic movement. The easiest way to find the nest is to look for workers carrying pieces of food or workers with swollen abdomens. These ants are carrying food back to the nest. By observing their movement, it should be possible to find the nest.

Crazy ants are highly adaptable and will nest in a variety of locations, from very dry to moist. They will nest under objects, in rotten wood or trash, in tree cavities, as well as in debris left standing in buildings for long periods of time. These ants feed on a variety of foods including grease, sweets, and other insects. In some areas they are considered a biological control agent for houseflies.

While crazy ants need moisture, elimination of water by itself will not get rid of these ants since they can survive under a wide range of conditions. Elimination of food sources and nest sites are equally important in the management of this ant. Crazy ants do not respond well to baits, so they cannot be relied upon for management of this ant. Surrounding buildings with vegetation-free barriers such as stone or brick (but not wood mulch) will keep ants from entering buildings to nest.

Brown Ticks

The brown dog tick (also known as the kennel tick) is found through most of the United States This tick feeds on dogs, but rarely bites people. Unlike the other species of ticks, its life cycle allows it to survive and develop indoors. The brown dog tick is found primarily in kennels or homes with dogs where it may be found hiding in cracks, behind radiators, under rugs and furniture, and on draperies and walls.

The adult is reddish-brown and about 1/8-inch long, and usually attaches around the ears or between the toes of a dog to feed. After feeding, a female may engorge to ½-inch long. She then drops off the dog and crawls into a hiding place where she may lay as many as 3,000 eggs. This tick is tropical in origin and does not survive Illinois winters outdoors. The brown dog tick is not an important carrier of human disease.

Preventing and controlling ticks around your home...

• Make sure the property around your home is unattractive to ticks. Because ticks are sensitive to dry conditions and do not thrive in short vegetation, they are seldom a problem in well-maintained lawns. Keep your grass mowed and keep weeds cut. 
• Clean up items that attract rodents which can carry ticks, such as spilled birdseed, and hiding places like old wood piles.
• Free-roaming dogs and cats are much more likely to encounter ticks than those that are confined to the home or yard. If ticks are found on pets, contact your veterinarian for information about an appropriate tick treatment. 
• Remove the occasional tick found indoors by vacuuming, seal the vacuum bag and place it in the trash. Owners of kennels or homes infested with the brown dog tick may wish to contact a professional pest control company for assistance.

If you're concerned that you have ticks in your home or kennel, give Dave a call at 1-800-400-6009.

Dave's Pest Control Serving Central Massachusetts
http://www.davespestcontrol.net

How Well Do You Know Your Pests - Take 3

Here's another pop quiz. Let's see just how well you know your pests!

1. What pest will chase people if it feels threatened?
2. What type of pest can lay one egg every fifteen seconds for the majority of their life?
3. What pest is considered to be a delicious food in Asia?

Many of you enjoyed the quiz I gave you last month, so here's another one to test just how well you know your pests!


Scroll down for the answers....
Dave's Pest Control Central MA
http://www.davespestcontrol.net

1. The Africanized honey bee, also known as the " killer" bee, will pursue its attacker for over a quarter mile if it feels threatened.

2. A queen underground termite lives to produce eggs. Worker termites build nests, gather food and protect the colony while the queen has babies.

3. In Singapore, 2-inch long termite queens are considered a delicacy. They can be served live, dipped in alcohol or in rice wine.

Pavement Ants

The Pavement Ant is also known as Tetramorium caespitum, which are part of the family Formicidae (Ants). They are small pests (ranging from 1/10 to 1/16 inches in length) that can be found in many parts of the United States, as far north as Canada and as far south as Florida.  Pavement ants were introduced to the United States from Europe and occur throughout the eastern United States. They are an important pest in the Midwest and New England.

They build nests along sidewalks, building foundations, and under stones, boards, bricks, and mulch or leaf piles. Each individual colony contains thousands of workers, multiple queens and is usually located at one particular site; White Footed Ants and Carpenter Ants can have satellite colonies or build huge nests that cover hundreds of feet.

Pavement ants are one of the most common small ants invading homes. These ants readily make trails to and from food sources and often forage along the edge of carpeting or baseboards. They are also common around the base of toilets. They often nest in protected areas so the nests may be hard to locate, but this is essential to manage infestations of this species. There can be several thousand in a colony.

If you're concerned that you have pavement ants in your home or place of business, give Dave a call at 1-800-400-6009.

Dave's Pest Control Serving Central Massachusetts
http://www.davespestcontrol.net

Spring Pest Control

Spring is the time of year we think of renewed life, flowers, rain showers, and warmer days, this is also the time of year our activity springs to new beginnings. Almost all pest activity significantly increases.

Termites:
Although termites are active 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, they are most evident during the spring swarm. This is when the winged reproductives (Alates) emerge in large numbers to reproduce and start new colonies. These silent destroyers, cause more damage and destruction to our homes and property each year than do all of the fires and storms combined annually.

Pests:
This is the time of year when all of your "over-wintering" pests emerge from their hiding places to reproduce. Carpenter ants start swarming (another wood destroying insect). Also, the fire ants, wasps, pill bugs, millipedes, earwigs, mites, spiders, scorpions, silverfish, roaches, etc. become more active and populations significantly increase.

If you're concerned about springtime pests in your home or place of business, give Dave a call at 1-800-400-6009.

Dave's Pest Control Serving Central Massachusetts
http://www.davespestcontrol.net

About Ticks

Ticks are relatives of spiders, scorpions, and mites. And like their counterparts, their survival is dependent on a host, specifically,  blood or body fluids. These blood-feeding parasites that are often found in tall grass and shrubs where they will wait to attach to a passing animal or person.

Ticks can't jump or fly, although they may drop from their perch and fall onto its unsuspecting prey. Some species stalk the host from ground level, emerging from cracks or crevices located in the woods or even inside a home or kennel.

(Photo of blood engorged tick.)

Changes in temperature and day length are some of the factors signalling a tick to seek a host. Ticks can detect heat emitted or carbon dioxide respired from a nearby host. They will generally drop off the animal when full, but this may take several days. In some cases ticks will live for some time on the blood of an animal. Ticks are more active outdoors in warm weather, but can attack a host at any time. Mature ticks are harder to see. Frequent grooming and chemicals for control may control the spread of seed ticks and adults.

How ticks feed....
A tick will attach itself to its host by inserting its chelicerae (cutting mandibles) and hypostome (feeding tube) into the skin. The feeding tube is covered with recurved teeth and serves as a hammer.

Preventing and controlling ticks around your home....

• Keep your grass mowed and keep weeds cut. 
• Clean up items that attract rodents which can carry ticks, such as spilled birdseed, and hiding places like old wood piles. 
• Free-roaming dogs and cats are much more likely to encounter ticks than those that are confined to the home or yard. If ticks are found on pets, contact your veterinarian for information about an appropriate tick treatment. 
• Remove the occasional tick found indoors by vacuuming, seal the vacuum bag and place it in the trash. Owners of kennels or homes infested with the brown dog tick may wish to contact a professional pest control company for assistance. 

If you're concerned that you have ticks in your backyard, give Dave a call at 1-800-400-6009.

In the coming weeks I'll be talking specifically about brown ticks and deer ticks....and the serious health issues these parasites can cause.

Dave's Pest Control Serving Central Massachusetts
http://www.davespestcontrol.net

Photo: Image library database of the US Centers for Disease Control