Bugzilla

Spring is Just Around the Corner--And So Are Bugs!

2009-03-01T09:00:00.000-08:00

It's been a long, hard, cold winter. Looks like global warming took a break and headed to Cancun for the season. Across the country, states have reported temperatures and snowy conditions that have not been seen in quite a few years. And to pour coal on the fire, or should I say ice into the fridge, Pauxatawney Phil saw his darn shadow. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that meant six weeks more of winter. Measured from February 2nd, that means we have about 2 or 3 weeks until spring. And guess what happens then? Bugs large and small begin to emerge and mate. Everything from fire ants to carpenter bees to American cockroaches dance jigs in celebration of spring's arrival. You don't have to be deluged by these creatures. There are a number of professional pest control products available to counteract the insect onslaught. For fire ants: Advion Fire Ant Bait; Extinguish Plus; Top Choice Ant Bait, and Advance 375A Granular Ant Bait are very effective products. For carpenter bees, Demon WP; Cyonara 9.7; EcoEXEMPT D; EcoEXEMPT IC-2 and Onslaught are superior control products. Cockroaches can be controlled with Advion Cockroach Bait Arena; Advion Gel Bait, or Advance Gel Bait. All of these products are available at http://www.youdoitpestcontrol.com/ at a fraction of the cost of a professional pest control service.
Don't let bugs ruin your spring! Get them before they get you!

Bugs Don't Care About the Recession

2009-01-29T07:52:00.000-08:00

People are losing their jobs and saving money by cutting back on discretionary spending. Indulgences like maid service, lawn service, gym memberships and pest control service are being terminated. People have decided to clean their own homes, cut their own lawns, do sit-ups on the floor, and perform do-it-yourself pest control. Bugs do not recede with the economy. This spring, like every year, they will multiply with a vegeance. The best way to ensure a bug-free home or office environment is to treat the same way professionals do using the same products. http://youdoitpestcontrol.com/ carries a full line of rodent, wildlife, and insect control products. You don't have to live with bugs after you cancel your pest control service. Visit http://youdoitpestcontrol.com/ and browse their extensive product catalog. Save many $$$ compared to a professional pest control service.

Bugzilla out --

Kill the Roaches, Not Your House!

2008-12-04T08:12:00.000-08:00

We've all heard or seen news stories where people with extreme cockroach infestations set off 10 to 20 foggers in their homes to obliterate the roaches, but end up blowing up their homes more effectively than a terrorist. Just recently it happened again in Decatur, GA. A woman bedeviled by roaches set off around 15 foggers, neglected to extinguish the pilot lights, then left for work. Shortly thereafter, the entire back wall of her house blew out. Thankfully, nobody got hurt. If you are experiencing a bad roach problem, the best way to deal with it is with roach gel baits, like Advion or Advance, or Vendetta. If you choose to use foggers, please follow the directions on the label -- THE LABEL IS THE LAW! For downloadable copies of labels, visit our website at: http://www.youdoitpestcontrol.com/

Bugzilla out --

Roaches in Highrises

2008-12-03T10:48:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, a fellow on a news/info program stated that he had seen numerous American cockroaches on the 18th floor of the high-rise building where he worked. Thinking that there was no way that a roach could come that high up due to the distance, sealed windows, and lack of cracks and crevices in the building, he assumed that the bugs were hitchhiking in on workers' clothes or belongings. I hate to burst his bubble, but American roaches can enter a building and spread from any number of places. They can enter from the sewer, climb the pipes, and exit on any floor through the floor drain. They very often also climb the walls of the elevator shafts and can also be spread by catering carts.

If roaches are invading your building via the drains, remove the drain cover, place fine mesh (window screen type) over the hole, then replace the drain cover. If they are coming up the elevator shafts, numerous gel bait placements of Advion, Vendetta, or Advance roach bait will do the trick. For catering carts, check the wheels and ball bearing encasements for infestations and bait them also. Check out the catalog at: http://www.youdoitpestcontrol.com/ for more roach control products.

Bugzilla out --

Rat Dance - Oh What a Feeling!

2008-11-20T09:16:00.000-08:00

Mary's life was just peachy, until she met a stranger whisker to whisker....

Mary Elise lives in a second story loft in southwest Atlanta. The area she lives in is undergoing big changes. Developers are buying up old (some of them turn-of-the-century) warehouses and converting them into upscale, hardwood-floored lofts. Much of southwest Atlanta still consists of dilapidated houses and businesses, and vagrants and the homeless still roam the streets, but it is changing nonetheless. Loft complexes are surrounded by tall, wrought-iron fences with electronic security gates, and the building entrances are just as secure. Most of the loft inhabitants are young, upwardly mobile professionals transplanted from the suburbs. Twenty years ago, they were called yuppies. Besides the ongoing mass renovations above ground, Atlanta's entire sewer system is undergoing a massive retro-fit.

Mary works downtown at an advertising firm in a 50-story building. She has a great boyfriend, and her commute to work is less than two miles. Her life was bliss until a couple weeks ago. She had worked late on a Wednesday, left the office around seven. When she got home, she poured herself a glass of Zinfandel, sat on the sofa and began watching the news. Finishing her wine, she got up, placed her glass on the kitchen counter, then went to the bathroom. Her boyfriend would be there at nine. She washed the makeup off her face first, then pulled her panties down and sat on the toilet.

At first, she thought she had imagined the slight tickling on her nether regions and ignored it. But it happened again, and this time it felt like a slight nibble. Spooked, she jumped up, whirled around, and found herself looking at a fifteen-inch long Norway rat... Mary Elise has been staying at her boyfriend's place for two weeks, Prozac is her new friend, and she doesn't know if she'll ever go back to her loft.

The best way to deal with a rat that enters your home through the toilet, is to beat it to death with the plunger. Otherwise, there are numerous tools available at YouDoItPestControl to control rats in and around a structure. They carry Contrac, Final, and Fastrac bait blocks and pellets and Aegis and Protecta bait boxes in which to securely place the bait. You Do It also carries both rat and mouse Snaptraps as well as large and small rodent glueboards. As a matter of fact, they have a gigantic pest catalog. Click on over and check it out!

Bugzilla out --

Bugs, Bugs, Everywhere Bugs!

2008-11-19T11:17:00.000-08:00

I just stepped on a bug this morning, and not on purpose. Nope, no sireeeee. I would have avoided it at all cost because it was big, black and yougly. Ugly to you northerners. I guess it somehow got transported into my bedroom from its home in Loch Ness. After cleaning up the bug guts on the floor (and my foot, yuck!), I sauntered into the bathroom to find a trail of Argentine ants on my toothbrush. Thank goodness the monster in the bedroom (not my husband, the cockroach) had me wide awake, or I might well have had a mouth full of ant-laced Colgate. That's what I get for not thoroughly cleaning my brush the night before. I hop in the shower and, hallelujah, saints be praised, an electric eel didn't slither out of the drain and wrap itself around my leg (can hardly get my ol' man to do that). After dressing for work (TGIF!), I go down stairs to the kitchen where the Folgers is ready and waiting, thanks to hubby, and sit down at the table with a cream-cheesed bagel. And you ain't goin't to believe this, as my granny would say. A fly starts buzzing my head. Yes, after the Loch Ness Monster and the ants from that South American country, a darn fly. That annoying buzzing sound drives me crazy. And why would a fly be circling my head anyway? I washed my hair, brushed my teeth (with a new toothbrush, I'll have you know), and I have an IQ of 140. Anyway, I grab a newspaper, roll it up and start beating the heck out of everything in my kitchen until I kill the dirty, buzzing little booger. I glance at the window over the sink, see my reflection, and freak. My hair looks like somebody thought it might taste good in a frozen margarita and threw it in the blender. I guess I went a little overboard in my mission to kill the fly, but it's been an insectually(is that a word?) baaaad morning (TGIF!)---Darn! I just looked at the calendar!

Freaked Out Lady found out the hard way that American cockroaches and Smoky Brown cockroaches are very prevalent indoors in the fall and winter months. You Do It Pest Control carries a whole host of effective residual sprays to control these roaches such as: Onslaught, Demon WP, Suspend SC, Crack & Crevice I, and Crack & Crevice II. Good baits to use include: Advion, Advance, Maxforce, and Vendetta. Dusts such as and Drione and Delta dust work well in the hard-to-get-to places such as wall voids, plumbing voids and certain cracks and crevices.

Those pesky Argentine ants can be controlled with MaxForce ant bait and Advance Dual Choice ant stations. Effective residual sprays include CyKick CS, and for the outside Tempo Ultra SC. Delta dust applied with a bellows hand duster is excellent for wall and plumbing voids.

That pesky fly could have been dealt with much less spent energy. Gold Stick Fly Traps and MaxForce Fly Spot Bait are very effective and CB-80 works very well for a quick kill. Before you experience a morning like the Freaked Out Lady visit http://www.youdoitpestcontrol.com/ and treat your home before you have a pest problem.

Freaked Out Lady (For Bugzilla) out--

Rats

2008-11-17T15:40:00.000-08:00

It's winter time. The time of year when rats head inside in search of warmth. Home and business owners across the country will soon hear strange scratchings in the walls or attic. Rats have been responsible for the spread of many diseases to people and domestic animals. History is replete with rat-borne epidemics. Nowadays, due to sanitation, effective drugs, and effective rodent and insect control programs, the disease threat from rodents is not as significant as it once was. Although the threat of disease from rats has diminished over time, there are still cases of human and animal diseases being transmitted by these creatures. Especially in cities where rats live in close proximity to people. Diseases spread by rats include: Plague (known as Black Death in Europe where 25 million people died during a 14th century epidemic), Murine typhus, Rat-bite fever, Salmonellosis, and leptospirosis. Plague is rarely seen in commensal (sharing peoples' food and habitat) rodents, but is still seen in some native rodents in the western United States. There are numerous ways to control rats in and around structures; Rodent baits such as Contrac, Final, or Fastrac bait blocks in secured bait stations such as Aegis or Protecta placed under and around the structure work well. Glueboards and snaptraps strategically placed on the interior and attic will do the trick as well. For a full catalog of rodent control products please visit http://www.youdoitpestcontrol.com/

Doing Your Own Pest Control

2008-10-05T13:34:00.000-07:00

There is a lot more to doing your own pest control than just spraying the bugs you see. Effective pest control involves selection of the most effective pesticide, appropriate pesticide placement, and consistent treatments. First, let's discuss pesticides. Residual insecticides are those products applied to obtain long-lasting (20-30 days) insecticidal effects and are applied as general, barrier, spot, or crack and crevice treatments. Residuals include wettable powders such as Demon WP, Cynoff WP, Tempo WP, or Cyper WP. Another class of residual insecticide is emulsifiable concentrates, which includes Cynoff EC, Demize EC, and Demon EC. EcoPCO EC is a good residual for those people who prefer green products. Periodic barrier applications of a residual pesticide along the foundation of the structure, as well as around the windows and doors will provide good protection against pest intrusion. Barrier treatments are usually considered treatments to the ground and foundation outside the structure. Granules are another effective formulation for outside treatment. Bifen L/P is a good, long-lasting general insecticide that is activated by water, as is Talstar PL Granular. Fire ants tend to be a huge problem in the south, and the best remedy for them are baits. The following is a list of very effective bait formulations: Advion Fire Ant Bait, Top Choice, Advance 375A Select Granules, MAXFORCE Granular Bait, and Extinguish Fire Ant Bait. The best way to eliminate a German roach infestation is to apply bait to cracks and crevices in kitchen cabinets and behind appliances (in motors, etc.). Some baits to consider are: Advion Cockroach Gel Bait, Avert Gel Formula, Vendetta Cockroach Gel Bait and Maxforce roach gel bait. The secret to effective roach control using baits is the number of bait settings. Twenty-five to thirty half-a-pinkie-sized bait placements should do the trick. The bait comes in syringes for easy application. For those areas that you cannot reach, like wall voids, dusts such as Drione and Delta Dust are they way to go, using a bellows hand duster. When you've selected the pesticides you prefer, remember that insects spend 90% of their lives in cracks and crevices, so when you treat inside, concentrate on those areas. For more treatment info, visit the pest library at You Do It Pest Control.

Antsers

2008-08-23T11:46:00.000-07:00

Ants are remarkable insects and one of the most successful creatures on earth. In nature, ants are a prime food source for many animals. They aerate more soil than earthworms, and have taken advantage of every conceivable environmental niche. They can be found in every region of the world except for the earth's polar regions.

Ants are successful because they are social insects. They often form complex, protective colonies. Ants are adaptable insects that exploit numerous different living environments and food sources. The presence of ants in nature ensures the health of the natural environment. However, in homes and other structures, ants are far from welcome. The same reasons ants are so successful in nature makes them very well suited to sharing man's living space.

Carpenter ants can damage structures. Pharoah ants can carry disease organisms. The stings of fire ants can threaten a person's health. When ants enter structures, they become unwanted pests that are often difficult to control, although controlling ants in and around structures needn't be so hard. To succeed in controlling ants, one must follow a few basic rules:

Identification of the ant(s).

Comprehensive inspection.

Locate ant colony.

Directly treat ant colonies.

The ant colony's location cannot always be found. In this case, a combo of insecticide barrier and baits can be effective. The pharaoh ant is controlled almost exclusively with baits such as Advance Ant Bait, Intice Ant Granules, MaxForce Granular Ant Bait. Extinguish Plus and Top Choice are good formulations for fire ant control. Other ants, such as carpenter ants and crazy ants are very difficult, if not impossible, to control using baits. Too much reliance on baits to control ants can lead to failure. Finding and treating ant colonies directly with insecticides such as Demand CS, Demon WP, Tempo Ultra SC, Onslaught, or Termidor SC can provide the best results. For the full line of ant control products visit You Do It Pest Control.

Ants and Uncles Don't Mix

2008-08-04T15:47:00.000-07:00

Uncle Cledus lives in south Georgia, and is a frugal sort. The type of guy who'd squeeze an old nickel until the buffalo crapped. When his air conditioning went kaput during a freakishly hot summer a few years back, he dug around his garage and then his attic until he found a 20-year-old fan. He placed the fan on the kitchen table in front of an open window, then loaded a huge stainless steel bowl with ice and sat it in front of the growling fan. He and his wife, Edna, slept on sleeping bags on the kitchen floor, beneath the bowl and fan, for ten nights until his brother shamed him into calling an HVAC repairman.

Uncle Cledus owns a large one-bedroom house on forty-two acres miles from another human being, but up close and personal with hundreds of Red Imported Fire Ant nests. Every spring, and continuing through the summer, Cledus conducts his own personal Tet offensive against "the little red devils". And of course, it's the cheapest war on record. His first "sure-fire" weapon was molasses paste. Uncle Cledus mixed up a batch and adorned every ant mound he could find with a big, sweet glob of brown, sticky paste. Then he placed some on the window sills in the house, around the doors, and under the sinks. A few days later his house was infested with four more species of ants and various other sweet-toothed insects.

Never one to give up, Uncle Cledus tried Windex, vodka (kill 'em with hangovers?), Listerine, bleach, and white toothpaste. Why white? Your guess is as good as mine. Finally, his fifth cousin on his daddy's side told him to sprinkle grits over the top of every mound he could find, that the ants would eat the grits and explode from the resulting flatulence. And of course, you guessed it, the ants did not fart themselves to death.

Flummoxed over the fire ant situation and at the end of his rope, Cledus was filling his lawnmower with gasoline one day and spied a huge new ant mound next to a half-dead elm tree two feet from his bedroom window. His brain suddenly stormed and he ran over, doused the mound with gas and set it afire. In his zeal to vanquish the ants, he dumped too much gas on "the little red devils". The flames roared up the tree, and jumped to the roof of the house. Before uncle Cledus, Edna, and a passing group of migrant farm workers could put it out, the fire had consumed the bedroom. Back to sleeping bags on the kithen floor they went.

If you've got a fire ant problem do not follow uncle Cledus's recipes for eradication. Do your own pest control, but use something that works--an insecticide like Top Choice, that will kill the entire nest and give you relief from "the little red devils" for up to a year. Fire ants get their name from the sensation one feels when injected with the ant's venom. Fire ant stings cause intense irritation and may cause severe reactions and even death in especially sensitive people. Fire ants are very active and aggressive and may kill young wildlife and produce sores and nausea in humans. Yards and playgrounds frequented by children in fire ant rich regions, should be treated on a regular basis during peak fire ant season.

For a full line of do it yourself fire ant control products go to: You Do It Pest Control Fire Ant Products.

Roach Voyeurism

2008-07-31T18:21:00.001-07:00

More than few years back, I attended a German cockroach symposium. I was excited about attending for one reason. The featured lecturer was the world's foremost authority on the German cockroach. That nasty little creature that infests kitchens everywhere, and causes asthma in children in extreme infestations.

After the attendees were seated, a side door at the front left corner of the room opened and a short, disheveled man with thick-lensed glasses entered the room and took to the podium. He wore a string tie (the type cowboys wear) and cowboy boots, but the words he spoke were New York-flavored. The PHD'ed expert told a few lame insect jokes then went on to explain that he had been living with cockroaches for an extended period of time. He then gave a signal to some one hidden behind a wall, and a screen descended from the ceiling and covered a portion of the front wall. The attendant turned on the video, and the same cockroach expert standing in front of us appeared on the screen dressed in blue jeans and enclosed in a see-through plexiglass room. Along one wall were kitchen-type cabinets, and on the floor for sleeping was a futon. But what took our collective breaths away were the thousands of cockroaches. German coackroaches were on the good doctor's legs, his shoulders, face, hair, everywhere. Seems he had sequestered himself in the plastic enclosure to study the living, mating, and repoductive habits of the German cockroach. The researcher waved to the camera like a kid waving to Mickey Mouse--big, face splitting grin, and when he waved cockroaches flew from him in every direction. How long did he spend with the roaches? I can't remember, but I do know he started with just two. I'd say this guy loved his job or was a little bit whacked, or both. Either way, because of researchers like him, great strides have been made in German cockroach control. New generation baits like Dupont Advion, Whitmire Advance, and MaxForce roach bait do a marvelous job of eliminating cockroach infestations and keeping them away.

You Do It Pest Control carries a wide variety of cockroach control products and treatment techniques. Check it out at: http://www.youdoitpestcontrol.com/

Bugzilla out --

My Kingdom for a Fly Swatter!

2008-07-26T16:20:00.000-07:00

The only good fly is a dead fly. They hang out in all sorts of nastiness, from the carcasses of dead animals to Dumpsters to feces, then they land on you or your food. Try to enjoy lunch in a fast food restaurant on a hot summer day. Chances are you'll have to shoo flies away from of your food. Walk into any stable anywhere, and you'll be greeted by hundreds if not thousands of buzzing stable flies. There are numerous fly species: house flies, little house flies, face flies, black flies, blue bottle flies, carrion flies, black flies, green bottle flies, (deep breath), cheese skippers, flesh flies, blow flies, black blow flies, sand flies, cluster flies and many many more. Some flies suck blood (black flies), and others are scavengers. Filth flies (scavengers) have nasty habits that make them efficient vectors of sickness and disease. Pathogenic organisms are picked up by flies from garbage, sewage, and other sources of filth and then transferred to humans. Filth flies are known to spread organisms that cause typhoid, paratyphoid, dysentery, infantile diarrhea, cholera, pinworm, tapeworm and other diseases.

Maxforce Fly Granular Fly Bait is an excellent product for controlling flies around Dumpsters located adjacent to restaurants and supermarkets or processing plants. Maxforce Fly Spot Bait is labeled for horse stables. It is a liquid spray that can be applied to stable walls without evacuating horses. This is the product to use if you want to give your horses some long term relief from those annoying, ubiquitous flying creatures.

You Do It Pest Control carries many more effective fly control products. Visit http://www.youdoitpestcontrol.com/ and browse the fly products section.

Bugzilla out --

Why Most People Shun Pest Control Companies

2008-07-22T15:34:00.000-07:00

You've taken off early to meet the bugman at your house at 4:00 p.m. because you have a humongous hornet's nest under your deck in the backyard, and you have to unlock the backyard gate so he can treat and remove it--the last thing you want is for your kids to get stung. You've told him to not be late because you need to pick up your kids at the daycare center after you meet him. After dodging in and out of ungodly traffic, you arrive home, unlock the gate, then sit on the front porch to wait for your guy. 4:30 rolls around and he hasn't shown. You call him, but it goes to voicemail. Finally, you curse under your breath and take off to the daycare center to pick up your kids. And guess what, you're late too!

The aforementioned scenario is just one of the reasons more and more people are doing their own pest control. And why not? The same products exterminators use are available at http://www.youdoitpestcontrol.com/ . And it takes only about an hour per month to keep your home pest free. Complete instructions for treatment for numerous insect and rodent pests are on the website.

Other reasons why people are turning to do it yourself pest control are:

Too many different technicians in their home.

Don't trust that background checks have actually been done.

Not effective.

Unreliable.

Too expensive (from $400.00 per year and up)

Pest companies drive gas-powered vehicles to deliver service (wasteful).

Unprofessional.

When one looks at the pros and cons of using a pest control service, it's easy to see why more and more people are electing to do their own pest control.

Bugzilla out --

Slap Happy -- the mosquito dance

2008-07-20T18:12:00.000-07:00

It's the weekend, the temperature is just right, about eighty degrees at 5:00 pm, not a cloud in the azure sky, and you're drinking an ice cold beer while tending to 2-inch steaks on the grill on the deck. Friends are over, and you're swapping stories, engaged in gossip, and just having a happy ol' time. Suddenly, you slap your neck, then your leg, then your arm. Your guests start waving at the air. Mosquitoes have just turned your happy outing into a slap-happy one. But it didn't have to turn out that way. Preventative measures and a yard and shrubbery treatment would have rendered your outdoor gathering virtually mosquito-free. Mosquitoes are attracted to mammal carbon dioxide emissions, and typically are more prevalent during the late afternoon/early evening hours. During the heat of the day they tend to rest on the undersides of leaves and debris. To lessen mosquito presence around your home, eliminate bodies of standing water auch as birdbaths, cans, flowerpots, clogged gutters, stagnant fishponds, etc. If the body of water cannot be eliminated, or you wish not to eliminate it, adding a mosquito dunk to the water will keep it larva free. The best time to treat for mosquitoes is midday when they are resting on the undersides of plant leaves. Turn the spray nozzle on your sprayer so that it sprays upward, treating these areas thoroughly. Mosquitoes are vectors of such serious diseases as West Nile Virus, malaria, and yellow fever.

Next time you plan an outdoor event, remember to treat for mosquitoes before hand! For information and a full line of mosquito control products go to: http://www.youdoitpestcontrol.com/

Bugzilla out --

Eco Products -- any good?

2008-07-11T17:17:00.000-07:00

When "eco-friendly" pest control products came on the scene in the early nineties, I was skeptical. The ones I tried smelled like flowers, cinnamon, or peppermint. The odor was so strong, you could hardly stay in the room after it had been treated. Kind of like being around someone wearing way too much cologne or perfume. Gave me a headache, and the customers compained that it gave them a headache too. Also, the products did not last as long as traditional pesticides. Now, 10-15 years later eco products have evolved to be a viable substitute for synthetic compounds. The Ecosmart Corporation formulates the most popular brand of green pesticides. Ingredients include peppermint oil, wintergreen oil, rosemary, chrysanthemum, and other botanicals. The smell has been toned down and the residual effect has been increased. Ecosmart products work by blocking an essential nuero-transmitter insects have that humans don't, called octopamine. The insect's nervous system is disrupted and they die. So if you want to go green, you might have to treat every two to three weeks instead of four to five weeks, but the effects of Ecosmart products on the environment and your personal living space is benign. And the smell isn't overpowering now. Go for it!

If you're looking for "Green" do it yourself pest control products, You Do It Pest Control carries a full line of Ecosmart and MotherEarth products.

Bugzilla out --

www.youdoitpestcontrol.com

Argentine Ants @ 70 mph

2008-07-10T17:34:00.000-07:00

Argentine ants can and do get everywhere. Sometimes it seems like there are millions of them. I've seen Argentines trail in lines 3 to 4 inches wide. I've found them in sugar bowls, peanut butter jars, dog food, heck, I've even seen them in freezers. One day in the mid-90's, when I still owned my company, I got a call from a frantic lady screaming into the phone that she was infested with ants. In a soothing voice I assured her that one of my representatives would be right over to take care of her problem in a few hours. I asked for her address and she said she was in a Mercedes on Interstate 5. I paused. The ensuing conversation went something like this:

"Where did you say you live, Ma'am?" I asked.

She said, "I live in Encino, dammit!"

"Give me your address and I'll have one of my guys over in a couple hours."

"I have ants all over my panty hose in my Mercedes, you dimwit!" She yelled.

"I'm sorry ma'am I should have known that. Have a nice day."

"Don't hang up," she said. "I'm sorry. Please. I'll pay you $500.00 to treat my car. These damned ants are everywhere!"

"Where are you?" I asked.

"I-5, going 70 mph, with ants crawling all over my private parts!"

"Get off at the next ramp and pull into a parking lot or something, then give me a call."

The frazzled lady pulled into a Ralph's supermarket parking lot, called and gave me her location, and I went out and treated her car for Argentine ants. Seems she had parked her car to where the hood was in contact with some bushes. The ants used the limbs as a bridge to the car. The lady had left a half-eaten bag of chips on the center console, and the ants were hungry. BTW, I didn't take $500.00. $250.00 was enough.

When treating for Argentine ants, it's best to use baits. Gels and granulars are available at http://www.youdoitpestcontrol.com/ . And next time you've parked in the bushes, make sure you check your car for ants before you sit down!

Bugzilla out --

Honey Bees

2008-07-09T16:08:00.000-07:00

Without honey bees agriculture would suffer greatly. These beneficial insects pollenate plants and trees from A to Z. Any eco-conscious exterminator would only kill honey bees as a last resort. A beekeeper should be called to remove bees from a wall or otherwise inaccessible area in a structure. The rapid movement of the bees' wings keep the honey cool. If the bees are exterminated the honey will rot, resulting in a strong unpleasant odor. It also will attract ants and other insects, and then you'll have another problem.

For those instances where the bees cannot be extricated, locate the hive, drill holes in the wall and inject Drione dust or Delta dust using a bellows or centrobulb duster, or use a contact insecticide such as EcoEXEMPT KO. Afterward, cut open the wall and remove the bees, honey and hive. For more pest control products for bees check out the catalog at You Do It Pest Control.

Bugzilla out--

Bed bugs!

2008-07-08T15:33:00.000-07:00

Tell the truth. You thought those little bites in the middle of the night were little love nibbles from your partner and, expecting some early morning delight, you languidly rolled over to a slumbering lump of flesh. But the biting continued. You sat up, turned on the nightstand lamp and threw back the covers (cue the psycho shower scene music) to discover numerous red swollen bumps on your legs. "Bed bugs!" you screamed, and your partner rolled over and mumbled "not now, honey". No? Not exactly? That scenario may be a little over the top, but bed bugs have made a dramatic comeback recently. Infestations are popping up everywhere: from high end hotels to flop houses, from one bedroom apartments to mansions, from New York City subway benches to the Marta Transit System in Atlanta. What gives? Why are they back? One word can explain it--actually two words: international travel. Bed bugs hitch rides on travellers' clothing and luggage. Hotel guests unpack, and voila! The Olympics this summer will be a rip-roaring time for global bed bug distribution.

The sole food of bed bugs is the blood of warm-blooded animals, and humans are the preferred host of the common bedbug. They hide in cracks and crevices and are a very hardy lot. It usually takes more than one treatment and hot-water-washing of all bed linens and clothes. There are a number of good pesticides including eco-friendly ones, and if you elect to treat yourself instead of breaking the bank with an exterminator check out You Do It Pest Control. They carry a wide variety of products, and seem to know what they're talking about. Can bedbugs be eliminated? Sure they can. Just be thorough when you treat, and the next time you travel, first thing, check the hotel bed for blood spots or the actual bugs around the seams of the mattress. If you find evidence, demand another room immediately, then check that one out too!

Bugzilla out-
www.youdoitpestcontrol.com