Our New Site

We have a new blog! We will be moving our blog to our new site which can be found here! http://davespestcontrol.net

February 28, 2010

Pest Games For Kids - Archibald Ant

Mysterious and exciting, the world of pests challenges us to understand what attracts them to our homes and yards. Test your pest knowledge and skills with these learning games! For kids of all ages, and especially for those in third through fifth grade.

Archibald Ant is a very fussy odorous house ant who must find food for his colony and stay out of harm's way. Help Archibald complete his mission to locate and plunder the legendary sugar bowl on the far-off kitchen counter. And he needs, help, too, because he would much rather stay outdoors and avoid the unknown dangers indoors.
Click here to play!

Dave's Pest Control
http://www.davespestcontrol.net
Call Dave at 1-800-400-6009.

February 26, 2010

Drywood Termites

Drywood termites are social insects that live in colonies. The colonies are composed of kings, queens and soldiers. There is no worker caste as in subterranean colonies. The work is performed by immature termites before they become adults. King and queen termites perform the reproductive functions of the colony. They are light to dark brown and 1/3- to 1 inch in length. Soldiers guard the colony against invaders such as ants. They are white and wingless with large brownish heads and jaws. The nymphs (immatures), which are the most numerous caste, are white and wingless. The soldiers and immatures remain inside the wood at all times.

Drywood termites infest only dry wood and are most often found in attic wood structure as they do not require contact with the soil. They need very little moisture because they are able to live off of the water produced from the digestion of the cellulose. Drywood termites mate and fly to new dry wood areas, enter a small hole in the wood, and start to form a colony. Colonies will contain up to 2500 members.

If you're concerned that you have drywood termites in your home or place of business, give Dave a call at 1-800-400-6009.
Dave's Pest Control
http://www.davespestcontrol.net

Photos from www.killthetermites.com/pictures-of-termites.htm and are copyrighted by their respective owners.

February 24, 2010

Carpenter Ants - Part 1

Carpenter ants are social insects that prefer nesting in wood. They commonly hollow out galleries or tunnels in trees, structures, wood, and foam insulation. Carpenter ants are often found in conjunction with moisture problems. An indication of possible infestation is evidence of sawdust, pieces of insulation, nesting materials, and winged adults, known as swarmers. In protecting your home against carpenter ants, Modern takes into account the biology of this pest and that is why we try to get people on a seasonal visit program. This allows us to get to your home before the wood destroying ants do each year.

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

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

Photo source: http://lancaster.unl.edu/pest/resources/carpant004.shtml

February 22, 2010

La Cucaracha

La Cucaracha, "The Cockroach," is a traditional Spanish folk song that became popular during the Mexican Revolution. But as household insects, they are not so popular.

Cockroaches are one of the most commonly noted household pest insects. They feed on human and pet food, and can leave an offensive odor. They can also passively transport microbes on their body surfaces, including those that are potentially dangerous to humans, particularly in environments such as hospitals.

Cockroaches infestations have been shown to be linked with allergic reactions in humans. One of the proteins that triggers allergic reactions has been identified as tropomyosin. These allergens have also been found to be linked with asthma.

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

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

February 20, 2010

When Should Termite Work Be Done?

Termite work refers to repair work done in a home to correct infestation or damage from wood pest organisms such as dry rot, fungus, termites (of which there are various kinds), wood-boring beetles and carpenter ants, to name a few. Typically, buyers have homes inspected before they buy so that they are well-informed about the condition of the property. Of the many inspections a buyer might order, a "termite" report is a virtual certainty.

Home sellers are wise to order a termite inspection report before they market their home. In areas where sellers pay to correct termite repairs, a pre-sale report lets sellers know how much they can expect to pay. It also provides information to the buyers that they will certainly want before purchasing the home.

First Time Tip: Select a termite inspector the same way you would any contractor. Ask several people who recently had termite work done if they would use the inspector again. In some states, termite inspectors don't contract to do repair work. In other states, most structural pest control companies do both the inspecting and the repair work. If you're using the same company to do the inspection and the work, be sure to talk to several people who had work done by the company.

Make sure to use a termite company that specializes in your area. "Termite" problems tend to vary from one area to the next. So you should rely on a pest control contractor who is an expert in your location. Sellers who are not planning on selling immediately should consider having termite repairs completed before they market their home for sale. The house will show better and you'll have a clean bill of health from the termite company to pass along to the buyers.

The buyer's lender may require a notice of completion from the termite company indicating that the property is free of any active infestation or damage. If this is the case, the termite work can be done after a buyer for the home is found but before the sale closes.

TIP! It is wise to have a termite inspection every couple of years .Call Dave at 1-800-400-6009 and ask about our inspections programs.

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

February 18, 2010

The Pest Threat

Here's a question for you to ponder... Do ants damage property?

Yes they do.  Besides ruining human food, some species of ants can damage wood in and around homes. These carpenter ants like to make their nests in porches, roofs, windowsills, even telephone poles.

Ants are social insects that prefer nesting in wood. They commonly hollow out galleries or tunnels in trees, structures, wood, and foam insulation. Carpenter ants are often found in conjunction with moisture problems. An indication of possible infestation is evidence of sawdust, pieces of insulation, nesting materials, and winged adults, known as swarmers.

To protect your home against carpenter ants, a seasonal visit program may be the solution. This allows us to get to your home before the wood destroying ants do each year.  So, if you're concerned that you have an ant problem in your home or place of business, give Dave a call at 1-800-400-6009.

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

February 16, 2010

DIY or Hire A Professional?

If you’re concerned about pests in your home or business, you are not alone. In the US, there are more than 18,000 pest management companies waiting to help you. Whether you hire one or prefer to DIY (do it yourself), your first step should be to get information.

The Internet offers boundless, sometimes questionable, information on pests and control. If you take the DIY route, do your research via web sites by university extension services, and state departments of public health or agriculture. Their specialists can help you identify your pest and suggest control methods.

Before treating a pest infestation, identify the pest involved, and inspect to determine the nature and extent of the problem. This information is necessary to determine the best methods to use to control the pest. Without knowledge of a pest’s identity, characteristics and level of activity, you’ll be applying control measures blindly instead of finding the right one for the job.

In order to treat your infestation effectively, you must correctly diagnose the problem, and determine the extent of the damage. In pest control industry this process is called Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Using IPM, we first identify the pest and gather information about the infestation. Then we choose the best method(s) of control for the situation, after considering the safety, effectiveness, environmental effects and cost of each method.

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

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

February 14, 2010

Concerned About Termites?

Homeowners dread the thought of a termite infestation, yet people can't often tell a winged ant from a termite. So here's some information to help you differentiate.



While both species have four wings, the termite wings are all the same size and the antwings have noticeably larger wings in the front as compared to back end. Termite wings are twice as long as the body. Ant reproductives (swarmers) have two pairs of wings. While termite wings are quite fragile and can break by touch, ant wings do not break off easily. You may find the broken wings of swarming termites in an area they have been crawling.

Termite antennae appear to be straight, while ant antennae are elbowed.  Ants appear distinctly segmented, because of their thin-waisted appearance, whereas termites have a broad appearance. Termite waists are not narrow and their bodies are straight-sided with no constriction.

Of course, the best way to make the determination is to have a professional do an inspection. So if you think you may have termites, give Dave a call at 1-800-400-6009.

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

Photo image: www.ces.ncsu.edu/johnston/homehort2/pests.html

February 12, 2010

Dave's Pest Control Is BBB Accredited

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) issues Reliability Reports on all businesses, whether or not they are BBB accredited. We are pleased to tell you that Dave's Pest Control, Inc. has been a BBB Accredited business since December 2009. Based on BBB files, Dave's Pest Control, Inc. has a BBB Rating of A+ on a scale from A+ to F.


February 10, 2010

Deer Mouse

The deer mouse is a cute little creature with its big ears and bright, bulging eyes, but in your home the cute little fella can be quite the health hazard.

Deer mouse droppings have been associated with a sometimes fatal illness in humans called hantavirus. Never vacuum or sweep mouse droppings; thoroughly wet the area with a disinfectant, then carefully wipe up the droppings with a wet cloth.

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

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

February 8, 2010

How Well Do You Know Your Pests?

Think you know a lot about pests? Here's a quick little quiz to test your pest knowledge!
  1. What pest has fossils dating back to the dinosaurs?
  2. What pest can live without food?
  3. What pest can jump the highest compared to its body size?
 Scroll down for the answers.
Dave's Pest Control
http://www.davespestcontrol.net


1. Cockroaches have fossils that date back 350 million years. These ancient insects walked on the earth long before humans. Dating back to the dinosaurs, cockroaches have six legs, wings and antennae.

2. Yup!  The answer is cockroaches yet again.  Cockroaches can live for a month without any food, but they can only live for two weeks without water.

3. Fleas — these tiny insects can jump 150 times as high as their body length. They like to live on cats, dogs, humans and rodents. Jumping from animal to animal, these pests are attracted to their new homes by body heat.

    February 6, 2010

    Silverfish




    Silverfish, also know as carpet sharks, get their name from it's silvery light gray and blue color, combined with the fish-like appearance of its movements. Silverfish belong to the basal insect order Thysanura, a group estimated to have existed since the Paleozoic Era, over 300 million years ago.

    Their diet consists mainly of starch or polysaccharides, such as dextrin which is found in adhesives. And so book bindings, paper, photos, sugar, hair, even dandruff, are a food source. Silverfish will commonly graze in and around showers, baths, and sinks on the cellulose present in many shampoos and shaving foams. Apart from these cases, the damage caused by silverfish is negligible and they have no direct effect on human health beyond psychological distress to those who are frightened or disgusted by their appearance, or to those whose books have been destroyed by the creatures.

    In extreme cases, silverfish may live for one year without eating. Silverfish can be found anywhere in homes including, but not limited to, garages, closets, underneath beds, couches, electrical appliances such as keyboards and generally preferring dark areas.

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

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

    February 4, 2010

    Protect Your Clothing From Fabric Pests

    Dave's Pest Control can rid your home of these fabric pests like moths and carpet beetles, but there are a few steps you can take to protect your clothing until your fabric pest problem can be controlled.


    Clothes moth larvae are especially damaging to fabric that has been stained or soiled. Actually, there is evidence that clothes moth larvae will not develop on clean fabric because it lacks certain necessary nutrients. So, always launder or dry clean clothes before putting them into long-term storage.

    Do not store boxes of clothes in the attic, garage or basement, if possible. If clothing must be stored in boxes, thoroughly clean the boxes before storage and seal all corners and openings with tape. Prior to storage, clean woolen and natural fiber clothing according to the manufacturer's instructions. In closets, store natural fiber clothing items by covering them with individual plastic covers.

    Consider storing clothing in large zippered plastic units. Use mothballs to help deter fabric pests, but be aware that they may leave an odor that could require dry cleaning.

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

    February 2, 2010

    Carpet Beetles

    Fabric pests such as carpet beetles, although not particularly dangerous, can sometimes cause irreparable damage to personal belongings. These beetles are able to digest animal hairs and, therefore, feed on almost any item made of natural fibers, particularly wool and cashmere.

    These tiny, round beetles start out as larvae that grow up to 1/4-inch in length; the adults grow to 1/16-inch. While generally tan in color, they are covered by tiny black, brown, and white scales, and have numerous tuffs of stiff hairs on the body. They can be found outdoors, in bird nests and animal dens where they can find the animal hair and feathers on which they feed. Indoors, these pests will be associated with woolen, silk, and other natural fiber fabrics. Carpet beetles may also be found living under carpets and rugs and in voids where hairs or dead insects have accumulated.

    These pesky beetles require a comprehensive pest service in order to locate the areas in which they may live. 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
    http://www.davespestcontrol.net