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Making your home a no bug zone is a challenging, yet not an impossible task. In order to do it, however, you need to know a lot about the particular pests infesting your home or consult a licensed exterminator about some pest elimination tips. It is also a good idea to read some information from trusted sources before you take any action. This article is a good beginning, since here you may find some basic data about identification, elimination, and preventative pest control. Of course, not all pests can be treated equally (as Animal Farm taught us), so we will discuss some of the most common species one by one:

• Cockroaches. They can, unfortunately, carry more than 30 different types of bacteria, parasitic worms, and can also trigger asthma attacks. Once you identify that you have a potential problem with cockroaches, no matter whether they enter your home through your pipelines and plumbing system or through your windows and facade cracks, you need to act as soon as possible. These insects can easily survive and breed even in extreme conditions quite quickly. This means that if you do not consult a specialist on insect infestation problems, you are very likely to host a whole colony of them in your home quite soon. What you can do yourself when you detect the first signs of a cockroach invasion is keep all the surfaces in your home clean. Do not leave any garbage or food leftovers exposed. If the cockroaches do not find food in your home easily, they are less likely to settle there. If you are not sure how to spot a cockroach infestation, look out for faecal droppings that look like mini coffee grounds, oval-shaped egg cases behind your furniture, oily or musty odour.
• Termites. Every year, they cost millions to property owners in structural damage and can also cause an allergic reaction similar to a bee sting. A termite queen can lay up to 30,000 eggs a day, and live for many years. This is why, once you notice a small termite colony near or, even worse, in your home, you need to act immediately. Only a few days of delay can result in bigger property damage which will be much more expensive to get fixed. The most common places where termites like to settle their colonies are your porch or deck, your attic, your basement, crawlspaces, sheds and woodpiles in your yard, as well as other wood-framed areas in your property. Store-bought pesticides usually do not provide long term extermination results but you can always refer to a pest control company for assistance.
• Mosquitoes. These insects breed mainly during the summer and hunt for blood. They carry bacteria and can cause some serious allergies if they sting you. They usually like to settle and breed around still water. If you have a pool that you do not maintain, or poorly cleaned gutters that pond water due to debris clogs, the chances that you will soon suffer a mosquito infestation along various guttering problems are quite high. To repel them, the specialists recommend annual cleaning and property maintenance plus a series of treatments with special pesticides.
• Bed bugs. They normally hide in cracks and crevices in the daytime and are actively searching for a victim at night. Although they cannot consume too much of it, their sting causes itchiness and unpleasant allergies. These insects are always hungry and feed by inserting a long sharp proboscis into their host’s skin. Although they feed on both mammals and birds, human blood is their favourite meal. The first indications to suggest a bedbug infestation are tiny dark stains of dried blood and faeces on or around your mattress, headboard, or the frame of your bed. Some contractors offer heat treatment to exterminate bed bugs, others prefer using pesticides. No matter which option you prefer, the important point is to act as soon as you find out that you have a problem.
• Fleas. These tiny invaders can seem harmless but, in fact, they are one of the most stubborn pests that you may ever have to deal with. A flea can jump 130 times its height and is extremely quick. This means that even if you try to catch one of these when you see it, your chances to succeed are very little. Usually, they can be transferred to your furniture and carpets by your pets. If you notice that your dog’s fur is falling too much or that it scratches itself more often, then keep in mind that it may be a flea host and may soon transfer these pests to your couch if they have still not settled there. Exterminating fleas is a tough job that requires professional skills and products. You can try to do it yourself but a professional exterminator will definitely do a better job. What you can do is regularly inspect your pets and treat them with anti-flea shampoos or other cosmetic products.

Summer is the favourite season for pests, so consider a preventative pest control service for your own peace of mind! Nobody enjoys insect infestations, and it is up to you to prevent it regardles of what type of gutters you have and how you maintence those.

Posted by Joel Patterson |