Insights from Pest Professionals

• The top four pests of concern for users of professional pest control were Ants (75%), Spiders and Termites (56%), and Cockroaches (48%)
• The top four pests of concern for non-users of professional pest control services were Ants (59%), Spiders (48%), Mosquitoes (41%), and termites and rodents (mice/rats) tied at 35% 
• Given the list of mosquitoes, cockroaches, ants, termites, ticks, spiders, mice/rats, and bees/wasps, mosquitoes were perceived as the most difficult to control among almost half of the respondents (47%).

Call Dave at 1-800-400-6009.

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

Dave's Pest Control
1-800-400-6009
A Central Massachusetts Extermination and Pest Control Company
Worcester County Pest and Rodent Exterminators
www.davespestcontrol.net

Homeowners Thoughts on Insects and Rodents

Homeowners have a number of concerns regarding insect and rodents in their homes. Here's a breakdown of some top concerns:

• About one-quarter (24%) of homeowners surveyed believe the risks associated with pest infestations have increased over the past few years.
• More than half of homeowners surveyed (52%) were concerned about pests causing illness and insect bites/stings to their family.
• 67% of homeowners are most concerned about pests in the summer. 
• The kitchen is the area of most concern for pests among homeowners.

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

Dave's Pest Control
1-800-400-6009
A Central Massachusetts Extermination and Pest Control Company
Worcester County Pest and Rodent Exterminators
www.davespestcontrol.net

Pest Commander Pete needs your help! Join the elite Pest Rangers and search out pest problems in a typical home.

Using special super hero gear to see through solid walls and spot the invisible, can you outwit the insects and rodents who have made your house into their home?

Click here to play The Pest Rangers!


Dave's Pest Control
A Central Massachusetts Extermination and Pest Control Company
www.davespestcontrol.net
Call Dave at 1-800-400-6009.

Reference: www.pestworld.org

Pest Prevention Tips For Businesses

Pest prevention is the first step in pest control. Here are just a few ways that your business can avoid pest infestations and the potential health and property threats that pests and rodents can pose.

• Be vigilant of building maintenance needs. Seal cracks and holes on the outside of your business, including entry points for utilities and pipes.
• Dispose of garbage regularly and store in sealed containers.
• Be sure your employees keep food sealed and stored properly.Clean high-volume areas daily, such as public eating areas and kitchenettes, where crumbs and trash are more likely to build up.
• Call Dave's Pest Control at 1-800-400-6009 to inspect for pests and rodents, identify the problem and control the pest(s) using an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach.

Dave's Pest Control
A Central Massachusetts Pest Control Company
www.davespestcontrol.net

Autumn Pests

As the autumn months settle in, please be vigilant about biting and stinging pests. As cooler weather becomes more routine and many insects species have reached their annual population zenith, we see significant surges of activity from fleas, ticks, crickets, ants, spiders, etc.

This is the time of year where numerous instances of yellow jackets and hornets are sited around homes. Any observed entrance and exit locations should not be sealed as this will trap them in the wall. They will bore holes through interior walls to escape and enter your home.

The cool weather initiates rodent activity around the home and announces the pre-cursor for the over-wintering insects to begin looking for that winter resting location. The falling leaves and decaying vegetation materials accumulate around and provide food and harborage for pill bugs, millipedes, earwigs, etc. These nuisance pests then become invasive and show up inside your home in significant numbers.

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

Dave's Pest Control
A Central Massachusetts Pest Control Company
www.davespestcontrol.net

My Latest Pest Facts

Did you know...

Kissing Bug

• The American cockroach has shown a marked attraction to alcoholic beverages, especially beer?
• While their name may be misleading, pavement ants can also be found inside the home?
• Kissing bugs are not as romantic as their name implies. Rather, they bite and suck blood while their human or animal host is sleeping.

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

Dave's Pest Control
A Central Massachusetts Pest Control Company
www.davespestcontrol.net

Reference: www.pestworld.org

About Dave's Pest Control

To my new readers, here's a little background on our family business. 

Dave's Pest Control has been in business in the Worcester area since 1972. My father, Dave Penttila, Sr. started the company with little more than a handshake and a prayer. Today, Dave's Pest Control is still family owned and operated.

My vision has brought the company to a new level by implementing new and improved technology in combatting today's pest control challenges. We remain committed to providing the same superior customer service and products as always.

Many of our current regular service clients are original customers from the early years, who refer their friends and family to us regularly. Residential and commercial clients enjoy prompt, personal service that only an independent operator can consistently provide.

We provide pest control services throughout Central Massachusetts, Worcester and Hampden Counties, including Sturbridge, Spencer, Southbridge, the Brookfields, Charlton, Leicester, Shrewsbury, Rutland, Holden, Oxford, Webster, Dudley, Brimfield, Holland, Palmer, Worcester.

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

My family protecting your family...since 1972.

Dave's Pest Control
A Central Massachusetts Pest Control Company
www.davespestcontrol.net

Warning! Bed Bugs Feeding...

Bed bugs typically take about five minutes to feed. Here, in a time-lasped video from the National Pest Management Association, you can see a bed bug filling with blood as it feeds.



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

Dave's Pest Control
A Central Massachusetts Pest Control Company
www.davespestcontrol.net

Reference: www.pestworld.org

More Pest Trivia

• Cockroaches are believed to have originated more than 280 million years ago, in the Carboniferous era.
• The use of DDT nearly wiped out bed bugs at the end of WW II but experts believe that the ban of DDT in 1972 has contributed to the resurgence of bed bugs.
• Termites eat non-stop - 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
• Fire ants currently infest 14 states in the southern portion of the U.S.

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

Dave's Pest Control
A Central Massachusetts Pest Control Company
www.davespestcontrol.net

Highlights from the 2011 Bugs Without Borders Survey

Here are several key highlights from the 2011 Bugs Without Borders Survey:

1. Nearly all professional pest management companies have received bed bug calls in the past year. Respondents attribute the growth in bed bug infestations to increasing travel and movement of people, continued need for awareness, changing pest control products and methods, and bed bug resistance to available pest control products.

2. While nine out of ten respondents have treated bed bugs in apartments, condominiums and single-family homes in 2011 and 2010, in the past year reports of bed bug encounters have become more common in a many other places. For example, the numbers of professionals who treated college dorms, hotels, nursing homes, office buildings, schools and daycare centers, hospitals, public transportation and movie theaters for bed bugs have all increased compared to last year. More specifically:

* College dorms (54 percent, up from 35 percent a year ago)
* Hotels/motels (80 percent, up from 67 percent)
* Nursing homes (46 percent, up from 25 percent)
* Office buildings (38 percent, up from 18 percent)
* Schools and day care centers (36 percent, up from 10 percent)
* Hospitals (31 percent, up from 12 percent)
* Transportation (train/bus/taxi) (18 percent up from nine percent)
* Movie theaters (17 percent, up from five percent)
* Survey respondents also report finding bed bugs in retail stores, laundromats, libraries, restaurants and airplanes.

NOTE: Percentages denote professionals reporting treating bed bugs in specific locations and percentage increases from 2010.

3. Bed bugs continue to be THE most difficult pest to treat, according to 73 percent of survey respondents. By comparison, 17 percent pointed to ants, nine percent said cockroaches and one percent said termites were the most difficult pests to control.

4. Six out of 10 respondents consider bed bug infestations a year-round phenomenon, while approximately 25 percent say that summer is the time of year when they receive more bed bug calls. As people tend to travel more during the summer months it may be likely they’ll have a higher risk of taking hitchhiking bed bugs with them from hotels and transportation sources to homes more so than at other times of the year.

5. When it comes to evaluation and treatment, visual inspection remains the most common method pest professionals use to determine if a bed bug infestation exists. However, the use of canines has grown from 16 percent to 43 percent in the past year.

6. Despite the many warnings that bed bugs are not a DIY pest, 25 percent of customers attempt to treat bed bug infestations by themselves before calling a professional. This number has decreased from the 38 percent who elected to treat bed bugs by themselves in 2010. Those who attempt to treat bed bug infestations by themselves often engage in dangerous and risky DIY practices putting themselves and their property at risk and are often ineffective at controlling the infestation.

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

Dave's Pest Control
A Central Massachusetts Pest Control Company
www.davespestcontrol.net

Reference: www.pestworld.org

Autumn Is Coming...

As cooler weather becomes more routine and many insects species have reached their annual population zenith, we see significant surges of activity from fleas, ticks, crickets, ants, spiders, etc. This is the time of year where numerous instances of yellow jackets and hornets are sited around homes. Any observed entrance and exit locations should not be sealed as this will trap them in the wall. They will bore holes through interior walls to escape and enter your home.

The cool weather also initiates rodent activity around the home and announces the pre-cursor for the over-wintering insects to begin looking for that winter resting location. The falling leaves and decaying vegetation materials accumulate around and provide food and harborage for pill bugs, millipedes, earwigs, etc. These nuisance pests then become invasive and show up inside your home in significant numbers.

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

Dave's Pest Control
A Central Massachusetts Pest Control Company
www.davespestcontrol.net

More Pest Trivia

I must admit, I love this stuff!

•  Formosan termites, widely considered a "super" species of termite, because of the rate of destruction it poses, currently infest 11 states. 
• Mice feed 15-20 times a day.  
• Earwigs got their name from the myth that they crawl into sleeping people's ears and tunnel into the brain. 
• Fleas can jump 7-8 inches vertically and 14-16 inches horizontally.

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

Dave's Pest Control
A Central Massachusetts Pest Control Company
www.davespestcontrol.net

Reference: www.pestworld.org

A Message For Commercial Enterprises

If you own a business, you know how critical it is to protect this investment -- essentially your livelihood – from pests and rodents.

From building a positive reputation to increasing your revenue, your customers are at the heart of what you do. Preventing pest infestations and practicing proper pest control in your business should be an important part of the outstanding service you provide.

The sooner you address a pest problem, the sooner you can rid your business of a more serious pest infestation. Dave's Pest Control provides the experience and expertise needed to protect your business, employees and customers from pest threats.

Call Dave today at 1-800-400-6009 for an inspection.

Dave's Pest Control
A Central Massachusetts Pest Control Company
www.davespestcontrol.net

Did You Know...

Did you know...

• Bed bugs can withstand a wide range of temperatures from nearly freezing to almost 113 degrees Fahrenheit.
• One female flea can lay about 18 eggs a day and just 20 fleas on a dog can produce 360 eggs per day and over 2000 eggs in a week.
• Scorpion babies crawl on top of their mother and live there for the first week or two, feeding on scraps of her catches.

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

Dave's Pest Control
A Central Massachusetts Pest Control Company
www.davespestcontrol.net

Reference: www.pestworld.org

More Pest Trivia....

Did you know. . .

• On many butterflies the color is only an illusion. The color we perceive is created by refraction of the light as it reflects off the surface of the scale.
• Ants are the #1 nuisance pest in the United States.
• Approximately 25% of homeowners surveyed perceived ants, termites, and ticks as difficult to control.

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

Dave's Pest Control
A Central Massachusetts Pest Control Company
www.davespestcontrol.net

Reference: www.pestworld.org

The Sounds of Summer

Dave's Pest Control
Call Dave at 1-800-400-6009.
A Central Massachusetts Pest Control Company
www.davespestcontrol.net

Protect Yourself Against Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes are a real and can be a serious health threat.
Mosquitoes transmit at least three human diseases that have been found in the United States. All of them are potentially fatal. These diseases include West Nile Virus, Malaria and Dengue Fever.

What is West Nile Virus?
West Nile Virus was first detected in the U.S. in 1999, it can lead to serious complications of the liver or nervous system, inflammation of the brain (encephalitis), meningitis or paralysis. It is the most widely known disease, likely due to its rapid spread throughout the nation. West Nile Virus has spread across the country from Pennsylvania to Washington state since 1999. Forty-one states and Washington D.C. now have confirmed cases of West Nile.

Do we get Malaria in the United States?
Malaria was thought to have been eradicated in the U.S. but was detected in mosquitoes in Fairfax County, VA in 2002. From 1973 to 1983, travelers introduced 2,575 cases of malaria into the United States.

Are Americans at risk for Dengue Fever?
A small but important risk for dengue fever exists in the United States. Travelers introduce up to 100 to 200 cases into the U.S. each year.

What do you use to treat for mosquitoes?
Many homeowners erroneously believe that all pest management professionals do is spray chemicals to treat their homes. This is simply not true anymore. Many pest management professionals today use an Integrated Pest Management or IPM approach. IPM controls pests by getting rid of the three things they need to survive: food, shelter and water. And consumer education is a vital part of any IPM program. This approach consists of inspection, identification of the pests, employment of two or more control measures, and evaluation of effectiveness through follow-up inspections.

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

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

Reference: www.pestworld.org

Worth Sharing Again...

These little insects celebrate with a display of lights of their own making.
Happy Fourth of July, everyone! Be safe.



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

Ants Can Damage Your Home and Property

Besides ruining our fun at picnics, some species of ants can damage wood in and around homes. Carpenter ants, for example, 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

When Should You Call An Exterminator?

Here are a few common questions people ask us...


How do I know if I need extermination? The answer to this question is pretty simple. If you see just a few ants or just one mouse, those few ants or one mouse have a whole bunch of buddies; lurking where you can't see them. If you have even a slightly visible problem then you have a problem. Left untreated, you could have a crisis.

I have a whole bunch of pests and a lot of them. Do you have a solution? If you have a feeling one treatment isn't enough to keep your house pest free, we offer a couple of different options. The service technicians at Dave's Pest Control will come to your home or business, assess the situation, and offer a solution that will fit your needs and your budget.

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