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Pest Control

Whether you're a business or a homeowner, no one likes an uninvited guest. The best way to deal with many pests is to prevent an infestation in the first place. Most pests take up residence in a home or a business because they're attracted to a food source, water, harborage (a safe place to live), or warmth.

To control pests, it is recommended to start at the bottom of the the Integrated Pest Management pyramid (shown above), and work your way up. Notice that chemicals are the last resort, making up the smallest section. In fact, the pyramid is built on good sanitary practices, but depending on the infestation, stronger methods might be needed. In some cases, DIY approaches will work. For some types of pests, such as bed bugs, professional help is often the only real solution.

The pyramid works differently for different types of pests, so we have put together a list of the three most common we get questions on. Click on a section below for more information about each one: 

Rodents

Rodents such as rats and mice are considered a public health hazard because they are known to carry many diseases, as well as parasites like ticks and fleas. The best way to control rodents is to keep them away from and out of your home. Rodents are attracted to food, harborage (safe places to hide), and water. Moreover, they can enter through very small cracks and openings... A full-grown rat can squeeze through a hole the size of a quarter!

Take steps to rodent-proof your home by:

  • Keeping garbage in covered receptacles
  • Keeping your yard free of clutter
  • Sealing gaps and cracks around the exterior of your home.

Also, keep an eye out for signs that you might already have an infestation. These include:

  • Rodent droppings (often found inside of drawers or other areas outside of plain sight)
  • Gnaw marks

If you have found an active infestation in your home or business, it is best to contact a professional pest managment service. The professionals will be able to assess the extent of your problem, as well as recommend the best treatment options based on your circumstances.

For more information about these pests, visit the CDC webpage on Controlling Wild Rodent Infestations.

Bed Bugs

Bed bugs are insects that feed on human blood. They are often found near sleeping areas in the seams of mattresses, box springs, cracks and crevices in bed frames, and usually spread to gaps behind baseboards, pictures, wallpaper and electrical outlets. Bed bugs hitchhike into a home on clothing, in purses, and on used furniture or other items brought in from infested areas. Adult bed bugs are reddish-brown, wingless insects about the size of an apple seed. When viewed from the side, they are flat, which is why they can fit into such narrow spaces. Newly hatched bugs are white or yellowish, and resemble the adults, but are smaller. Bed bug eggs are white, about the size of a pinhead, and are found in crevices in clusters of 10 to 50 eggs. As they grow, they shed their skins and leave behind shells.

The best way to control bed bugs is to prevent bringing them home in the first place. When traveling, look for evidence of bed bugs before unpacking. Check pillowcases, sheets and mattresses for their feces which look like dark spots –as if someone had touched a magic marker to the fabric. Examine the room thoroughly, especially the wall, baseboard and furniture near the bed.

If you identify bed bugs in your home, you will probably require the help of a professional pest control specialist. But a professional can’t do it alone. It usually requires at least two treatments to remove an infestation, and the resident must take action after/between treatments to assist in the process. 

To get rid of bed bugs:

  1. CALL A PROFESSIONAL PEST CONTROL SERVICE! Infestations will usually require the use of pesticides in conjunction with the cleaning and vacuuming methods listed below. Chemicals are most safely applied by licensed professionals, who have access to the insecticides most effective against bed bugs and are trained in their proper application. Improper application of chemicals is dangerous, and may even make the problem worse. For example, bug bombs are not effective, and may scatter bed bugs to other rooms or neighboring apartments. Repellents such as DEET do not work against bed bugs.
  2. Cooperate with the Exterminator and/or your Landlord regarding follow-up procedures. In order for treatments to be effective, you will likely be asked to do one or more of the following:
    • Removing clutter such as pictures, books and clothing from the infested area, so there are fewer places for the bugs to hide.
    • Vacuuming to remove some of the bed bugs; eggs are glued in place and can’t be removed by vacuuming alone. They must be scraped off when vacuuming; concentrate on mattress seams and around any tufts or buttons. Vacuum wherever your inspection revealed the presence of bed bugs—furniture, box springs, bed frames, floors and baseboards. Remove and discard the vacuum bag immediately; place it in a sealed plastic bag and dispose of it in an outdoor garbage can.
    • Heating infested items such as clothing, shoes, bedding and blankets in a clothes dryer on high heat for 20 minutes to kill bed bugs and their eggs.
    • Enclosing mattresses and box springs in a bedbug-proof zippered cover to kill the bugs inside. The cover should remain in place for more than one year, because bed bugs can survive a long time without feeding.

For more information on bed bugs, visit the CDC's About Bed Bugs webpage.

Mosquitoes 

Mosquitoes can carry many different human diseases, including Zika Virus and West Nile Virus. While it may not be possible to eliminate these pests completely, there are ways to reduce the number of mosquitoes in your yard and home:

  1. Check for any standing water in your yard, which is where mosquitoes breed.
    • Remove unnecessary items that hold water after rain, such as old tires.
    • Dump out birdbaths, flower pots, and any other receptacle that holds water at least once a week.
    • If you collect rainwater for your garden or yard, make sure it is stored in a covered receptacle or is protected from mosquitoes by a screen.
    • Some landscaping features, such as artificial ponds, may require routine treatment with mosquito dunks.
  2. Keep windows and doors screened, and regularly check screens for holes where mosquitoes may enter.

For more information on mosquitoes and how to prevent bites, visit the CDC's Preventing Mosquito Bites webpage.