Summer Pest Control – Safe, Efficient, Right

Posted by & filed under All Categories, Seasonal Pest Control.

Summer Pest Control Time!

Summer Pest ControlWe’re in the heat of our northeastern summer as July draws to a close, ushering in the month of August. Pests that have been hiding in and around your house begin to creep into view. You may experience sightings of rats, cockroaches, mosquitoes and other insects. This is common.

Summer Pest Control – Why not DIY?

For many, upon sighting a pest, the first impulse is to take action immediately by eliminating that pest themselves. Out of sight, out of mind.

The problem with DIY approaches is that the pest you see is most likely not the only pest around. It may be just the tip of the iceberg with the real population somewhere hidden out of sight.

Summer Pest Control – Get at the cause.

Another issue: What conditions invited the pest into or around your home in the first place? View some of the articles on ApolloX Pest Control to learn the conditions that favor each type of pest. Your ApolloX pest control professional will not only eliminate the pests you see, but also the hidden pests. In addition, we’ll locate the cause of the pest infestation so that once the pests are gone, they won’t want to return.

Summer Pest Control – Be Safe.

Fall Yellow JacketsDIY pest extermination can be dangerous. Over the counter pest applications can be highly toxic, especially when applied without proper training and experience. ApolloX Pest Control experts will ensure that pest applications are applied safely, protecting your safety and that of your family.

Summer Pest Control – Secure Your Home and Family.

DIY pest control is rarely effective, leaving the problem to progress. The pests are likely damaging your home. Termites, carpenter ants, cockroaches, rodents…these and others can permanently damage the wooden structure of your home, your electrical system (rodents chew through wires) while creating health hazards to your family (many of these pests spread dangerous bacteria and viruses).

Summer Pest Control – Eliminating the Pest Is the Least Expense.

It soon becomes clear that professionally eliminating the pest is far less expensive than replacing damaged siding, structural beams or recovering from a health issue caused by pests.

Summer Pest Control – Do It Right.

So, when you see that mouse, cockroach, spider, carpenter ant or yellow jacket nest, resist the DIY urge to just eliminate the pest you see. Call the professionals to safely eliminate the problem and its cause. 

Call ApolloX Pest Control

(888) 499-7378

Terrier Dog Needs Home – He’s Family-Ready!

Posted by & filed under All Categories, General Information.

Terrier Dog Needs Home – Our Discoveryterrier dog needs home

Often in the course of our pest control work, trusted clients will look to us for help outside the realm of pest control. One of our clients just approached us with a sad story of a Tibetan Terrier, Herbie. Herbie’s owners, no longer able to care for him, brought him to Ridgefield Operation Animal Rescue (ROAR) shelter. They’ve owned Herbie since he was a pup. Herbie is now about 7 years old.

Terrier Dog Needs Home – Has A Winning Personality

Herbie’s gentle personality has already won the love of the staff and many visitors at the ROAR shelter. He is used to being with a family and was brought to ROAR through no fault of his own. It appears Herbie will adapt quickly to a new family, given the proper love and care.

Terrier Dog Needs Home – Up on Vaccinations and Other Important Items

Imagine how nice it would be to avoid all the trouble of house-training a puppy, vaccinations (Herbie is up to date on these), neutering (done!). Herbie is even microchipped!

The adoption fee is only $250. Visit the ROAR website at http://roar-ridgefield.org to learn more about the pet adoption policies. Better yet, drop in to see Herbie (please call first: 203-438-0158)!

Donofrio Family Animal Shelter
45 South Street
Ridgefield, CT 06877

Terrier Dog Needs Home – Personality is More Important Than Breed

Note: ROAR is pretty good at guessing the dog breed, but it is a close approximation based on their highly educated guess of the predominate breed or mix. ROAR gets to know each dog personally and by the time the adopting family arrives to view Herbie, they’ll be able to say a lot about the personality of the dog, which is far more important than any breed label.

In all, Herbie is ready to make some lucky family very happy. Come visit him at ROAR!

Cockroach Prevention – When the guests discovered a cockroach.

Posted by & filed under Cockroaches, Food Destroying Pests.

cockroach prevention    As the weather warms up, so does an infamous pest no one likes to see around–the cockroach. There is only one experience more horrifying than discovering a cockroach scurrying across the kitchen floor. It’s having guests discover a cockroach scurrying across YOUR kitchen floor. 

Cockroach Prevention – Famous “guests discover a cockroach” story.

cockroach preventionIf this has happened, don’t feel so bad. Here’s a story to top any “guest sees a cockroach in my home” story you can imagine. Last October at the very moment the Chicago pest control commissioner was testifying at a City Council meeting an amazing event occurred. The meeting was suddenly interrupted when what an alderman described as “the largest cockroach I’ve see at City Hall” made it’s appearance right in the City Council chambers. Evidently it scaled a white wall, boldly standing out in direct contrast to it’s background. Such an event will probably never be forgotten! Curiously, the story was even reported by a newspaper 3000 miles away! http://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/chicago-cockroach-drops-in-on-city-hall-pest-control-meeting/

You don’t have to suffer the embarrassment

Fortunately, there are some rather simple actions you can take now to help prevent a public siting of a cockroach in your home. Even if you’ve seen a roach in your home, the following 7 actions will greatly reduce the problem.

Cockroach Prevention – Top 7 Ways to Discourage An Infestation

cockroach preventionThe science behind these 7 roach prevention tips is pretty simple: Create an environment that has nothing that attracts cockroaches. If there’s nothing that supports their living conditions, cockroaches will look for another home. 

What do cockroaches love? roaches are water-loving insects, and therefore love damp places. They also love just about all the types of food that we eat. Therefore, eliminate dampness and access to food, and you make your home a very unfriendly environment for cockroaches.

Cockroach Prevention – Keep Things Dry.

Sounds simple, but sometimes the obvious is not so obvious. Your home may seem dry enough, but think again.

1) Dry Out Damp Places: Is your basement a damp place? What about the crawl space under your home? Take action to see that these are well ventilated. This alone will make a big difference.

2) Remove Standing Water: When was the last time you checked the evaporation pan under your refrigerator? Is it full of water? Has it overflowed?

3) Ventilate Areas with Water Pipes: What about the area under your kitchen and bathroom sink? Are these areas dry and well ventilated. How about the wall voids that contain your water pipes? Any leaky, sweaty pipes? Is there good ventilation?

Cockroach Prevention – Eliminate Food Sources

4) Keep the Sink Free of Dirty Dishes: While it’s much easier to clean dishes the next morning rather than at night when you’ve tired, dirty dishes in the sink at night are like Disneyland to cockroaches: Both food and water! Sure, the dishes are there only for a few hours until the morning, but this alone could support a huge cockroach infestation.

5) Remove Food Particles: Cockroaches can live on food that we can’t even see. This includes the smallest food crumbs on the floor or in your carpet, and even food residue on discarded food containers and wrappers. Therefore, vacuum regularly. Eliminate any standing garbage in or around your home. Empty the kitchen garbage daily. Rinse containers before placing them in the recycling bin.

6) Tightly Seal All Food: Keep all food in air-tight containers. While food in the refrigerator is probably safe, consider the food in your pantry – potato chip bag, cereal boxes…even the dog food bag. Think Tupperware!

Seal off points of entrance.

7) Seal Any Cracks Around the Outside of Your Home: Young cockroaches can crawl through a crack as thin as a dime; Adult males can slip through a space as thin as a quarter; The largest cockroaches–pregnant females–only need a space the size of two stacked nickels. So, when we say “seal the cracks”, we’re talking about even the smallest of cracks. 

Give yourself a fighting chance.

As you can see, even a home that appears to be immaculate can be a paradise for cockroaches. The most conscientious housekeeper can easily miss quite a few of the food and water sources able to support a large population of cockroaches.

Is your home officially “Unfriendly to Cockroaches”? Call us for a professional cockroach inspection. We’ll look at all the places listed above, and more, for conditions that favor cockroaches. And, if there are cockroaches in your home that you have not yet discovered, we’ll quickly find them and eliminate them.

Let us be the only guests who ever see a cockroach in your home.

Call ApolloX Pest Control

(888) 499-7378

Bald Faced Hornet Control – how to get rid of white faced hornet nest

Posted by & filed under Biting, Stinging Pests.

Bald Faced Hornet Control – Identification

Bald Faced Hornet ControlBald faced hornets look like yellow jackets with white stripes instead of yellow stripes. They build a paper nest that is pear-shaped and grows to the size of a basket ball. There’s an entrance hole near the bottom of the nest.

Bald Faced Hornet Control – Where nests are likely to exist.

You’re most likely to find a bald faced hornet nest in a hollow tree, a chimney, a wall cavity, in the soffits overhanging the side of your home at the edge of your roof, and similar protected areas.

Bald Faced Hornet Control – An ounce of prevention…

Bald Faced Hornet ControlSince we’re into the month of June, you’ve missed the opportunity to prevent bald faced hornets this year. The best time to prevent bald faced hornets is in the fall. In the fall Queens are seeking a place to hibernate, then emerge the next year to create a new colony. If you see hornets congregating near your home in the fall, spray them immediately with hornet and wasp spray.

Bald Faced Hornet Control – When is it time?

Sometime during the month of June the queen will have established her colony, yet the colony is still relatively small. This is the best time of year to control bald faced hornets–before the nest grows to basketball size later in the summer with thousands of hornets.

The ideal situation is a night when the temperature is below 50 degrees F. The hornets are less active at night, and have trouble flying in temperatures below 50.

Bald Faced Hornet Control – how to get rid of white faced hornet nest

Bald Faced Hornet ControlGenerally, if you leave bald faced hornets alone, they’ll leave you alone. They actually perform a valuable function helping rid an area of pests. However, if you or someone in the family is allergic to hornet stings, you may not want to take chances.

Here’s what to do: Direct a stream of wasp and hornet spray toward the entrance hole near the bottom of the nest. Continue to spray until the can is empty. This will take about a minute. If the nest is large, have a back-up can–the job may take both cans.

Make sure the spray is labeled specifically for wasp and hornet control. Other insect sprays are not designed for this task, and if you use them you may end up getting stung multiple times! Test the spray stream first, realizing that the accurate spraying distance given on the label may be further by as much as 50% than the actual accurate spraying distance you experience. You want the spray to enter the nest hole with a full force stream (before the distance at which the spray would begin to weaken and scatter).

Remember, the ideal time is a cool night. Don’t try to do this during a hot summer day! Wear multiple layers of loose clothing, leather gloves and a large brimmed hat with netting over it. Tape all the openings. Imagine angry hornets emerging from the nest–you don’t want them to have access to any bare skin!

Ensure that there are no other people, children or pets anywhere near the nest before you begin spraying. Also, have an open route of escape if things go wrong. You’ll need to be able get at least 100 yards away (length of a football field) which is the distance angry hornets have been known to pursue their target.

After spraying the nest, wait a week before removing the nest to ensure that there is no activity.

Bald Faced Hornet Control – Get help.

Bald Faced Hornet ControlUnlike bees, which can only sting once, Bald Faced Hornets can sting many times. There is no way we can guarantee your safety, even if you take all of the above precautions.

If you want the ensure you do not get stung, and especially if you’re allergic to bee stings, seek professional help. 

Call ApolloX Pest Control

(888) 499-7378

Carpenter Bee Prevention – Head off potential damage to your home.

Posted by & filed under Uncategorized.

Carpenter Bee Prevention – Why is it important?

bees-carpenter-bees-001Carpenter bee females create a 1/2-inch diameter hole in soft, dry wood and can deepen the hole by as much as an additional inch each week. The female then creates six or seven cells in the hole stocked with nectar and pollen for her larva. So, a typical carpenter bee hole can be up to 10 inches long…the first year.

Carpenter bees return in subsequent years and continue to expand the holes which can grow to become 3 or more feet long. That in itself can represent pretty extensive damage to wooden structures. But it doesn’t stop there.

It happens that woodpeckers especially love carpenter bee larva. They cause much more damage to the wood in their attempt to get to the larva. Imagine the damage a woodpecker could cause to a support beam in it’s attempt to get to six or seven carpenter bee larva that are located between one and three feet deep inside a carpenter bee nest!

This is why if you see a carpenter bee hole, you don’t want to ignore it. And by all means you want to prevent carpenter bees from beginning a nest in your home in the first place.

Carpenter Bee Prevention – Where do they love to drill?

Carpenter Bee ControlFirst of all, know what kind of wood carpenter bees like to drill. Their favorite is unprotected (unfinished) soft wood. They must love it that the frames of most homes are constructed with spruce, fir or pine–all soft woods.

So, thoroughly inspect the exterior of your home, your deck, wooden play structures and wooden fences. Are there any places that are unfinished or where the finish has become worn and thin? Look especially in protected wooden areas such as under decks, and soffits behind gutters.

Carpenter Bee Prevention – What to do?

Sand and paint all the types of areas carpenter bees are likely to attack. Fill in any cracks or crevices. If you know a particular area has been previously drilled by carpenter bees and is especially susceptible to attack, you may want to cover the softwood with flashing or metal window screen.

Stop up any old carpenter bee holes with wooden dowels in order to discourage woodpeckers, or the return of the next generation of carpenter bees. But be certain that there are no living carpenter bees or larva in the hole before you seal it. If you seal in living carpenter bees they will continue to dig their way out, greatly increasing the damage and potentially even emerging within your home!

Carpenter Bee Prevention – How to ensure there are no living carpenter bees in a nest before you seal it.

The only way you can be absolutely sure there are no living carpenter bees in a nest before you seal it is to dust the entrance of the hole with an insecticide and leave it for a week or two. Any carpenter bees that enter or exit will be exposed to the dust until they receive a lethal amount. The type of dust most commonly used is boric acid dust.

Carpenter Bee Prevention – Seek professional help.

As you can see, there are a number of steps to successfully preventing carpenter bees. You’ll need to successfully locate all the areas that could harbor potential nests. Then, you’ll need to carefully seal the unprotected wood to prevent new nests. In the event there are existing carpenter bee holes, you’ll need to exterminate the bees, avoiding toxic chemical exposure to yourself, and finally, correctly seal the holes.

If you feel you can do all of the above successfully and you have the time, then definitely go for it. That’s far better then ignoring the problem. However, a professional exterminator has the experience to quickly and efficiently prevent carpenter bees from damaging your home.

Carpenter Bee Prevention – Take the easy, most certain route to success.

Call ApolloX Pest Control

(888) 499-7378

 

Carpenter Bee Control – Identify, Understand, Eliminate

Posted by & filed under Wood Damaging Pests.

Carpenter Bee Control – How do you know you have carpenter bees?

Carpenter Bee ControlIf you see a solitary bee hovering in the vicinity of an unfinished wood structure, it’s possible that bee is a carpenter bee. Does the bee dart at you? It’s likely the carpenter bee male, attempting to protect his territory. It will be a half inch to an inch long with a thick body and a shiny, hairless abdomen.

Inspect the area where you notice the bee most. Is there evidence of sawdust? If so, you’re very close to the carpenter bee’s home. Now look for a small, nearly perfectly round hole a little smaller than the size of a dime. It will look like it was professionally drilled into the wood. Watch more closely and you might see one solitary bee entering and exiting the hole. Chances are you’ve discovered the carpenter bee’s home.

Carpenter bees drill their home into a wooden structure, then stock it with food (pollen) and lay their eggs on the food. The eggs hatch, larvae emerge, consume the food, and continue to develop into the next generation of carpenter bees. Unlike termites and powderpost beetles, carpenter bees do not eat wood.

Carpenter Bee ControlCarpenter Bee Control – Where do carpenter bees most love to drill their home?

Carpenter bees love unfinished, unprotected wood. Likely places are an unfinished wooden fence on your property, a wooden play structure, a deck that perhaps was finished a few years ago, but is due for re-finishing due to exposed bare wood.

Carpenter Bee Control – How do you prevent carpenter bees?

The best carpenter bee prevention is a good paint job. Carpenter bees are unlikely to drill through a couple good coats of paint. If the area has not been painted recently and is wearing, exposing bare wood, it’s time to repaint. For best results, use an oil based or polyurethane paint. Remove any severely damaged wood and replace it with chemical pressure-treated wood.

Carpenter Bee Control – What problems can they cause?

Carpenter Bee ControlCarpenter bees are generally non-aggressive. Only the female can sting, and then only when handled. The biggest problem is the hole the bee has drilled into the wooden structure. The next generation of carpenter bees will expand that hole, digging deeper into the wood. Each hole leaves more wood exposed to the elements and potentially to other wood boring insects.

Worse yet, if there are woodpeckers nearby, they love to eat the larvae of carpenter bees. To get to the larvae, they’ll drill a much larger hole in the wood, creating a lot more damage.

Even if there are no woodpeckers, carpenter bee droppings can discolor the wood immediately below the entrance to their hole. And, the buzzing insect can be annoying to people who don’t understand what it is, and may confuse it with a wasp. Children may try to pick it up in which case, if it’s the female, they could be stung.

Carpenter Bee Control – How do you rid your property of carpenter bees?

You could purchase a pesticide dust from your local hardware store. Be sure to carefully read and observe the safety precautions to avoid exposure to the toxic chemical. Place the proper amount of dust into the entrance of the carpenter bee hole. Leave the hole unsealed so that the carpenter bee continues to freely enter and exit the hole, getting the dust on its body. After a week, seal the hole with wood filler and repaint the area.

Carpenter Bee Control – Why not seal and paint the active nest?

If you seal and paint living carpenter bees or carpenter bee larvae into a wooden area, watch out! They will further bore into the wood in their attempt to escape, perhaps emerging into your home! One scenario is having your house repainted. The painter notices the carpenter bee hole and seals the entrance with wood filler, then paints over it without first exterminating the carpenter bee within.

Carpenter Bee Control – Get professional help.

There are a few drawbacks to the above DIY method of carpenter bee control:

  1. Exposure to toxic chemicals.
  2. Ineffective application.
  3. Failure to locate all the carpenter bee nests on your property.
  4. Sealing and painting over an active carpenter bee nest.
  5. Desire to avoid the trouble of all the steps necessary to completely eliminate carpenter bees.

If you’re concerned about any of these drawbacks give us a call:

ApolloX Pest Control

(888) 499-7378

We’ll quickly and safely eliminate all carpenter bees from your property, and help you to prevent carpenter bees in the future.

Identifying Ground Bees and Taking Action

Posted by & filed under All Categories, Biting, Stinging Pests, Ground Bees.

Identifying Ground BeesIdentifying Ground Bees – It’s the time of year when they’re around.

How do you know if your have a ground bee problem? The first sign is probably noticing a collection of small dirt mounds on your lawn. A closer look will reveal that there is a small hole next to the dirt mound, and just one bee is leaving, entering or buzzing around the hole. The bee will range from 1/2 to 3/4 inch. You’re most likely to discover ground bees in your lawn during March through July. 

Identifying Ground Bees – Are they dangerous?

The good news is that ground bees are not generally aggressive. Leave them alone, and they will likely leave you alone. They can sting, so if you or anyone in your family is allergic to bee stings, or you expect to entertain guests who might be allergic to bee stings, ground bees could be a problem.

Identifying Ground Bees – Could they damage your lawn?

Another piece of good news is that, even though you might hate the look of all those dirt mounds on your lawn, ground bees will not damage the lawn, and are likely to only be around about 6 weeks.

Identifying Ground Bees – Make sure it’s not another kind of bee!

So, what are the potential issues with ground bees? First of all, you want to be absolutely sure you’re dealing with ground bees. If you see many bees entering and exiting from one hole in the ground, you’re not dealing with ground bees. It could be a nest of aggressive wasps. Totally different scenario! Run! And…

Call ApolloX Pest Control

(888) 499-7378

We’re professional and experienced in treating all kinds of bees you might find in your lawn. Lawns are meant to be welcoming, safe places for kids to play and for people to lie down, look up at the sky and feel close to nature on a warm inviting spring or summer day. Bees living in the lawn can tend to ruin that peaceful scenario. 

Another issue: Even if there’s just one solitary bee per hole in the lawn, it might not be a ground bee. It could be a solitary wasp. These can be aggressive. 

Identifying Ground Bees – Indicator of Lawn Problems

One of the most important issues with ground bees in your lawn is that it’s an indication your lawn is not healthy. Ground bees prefer dry conditions, and thinning, weak lawns. Water your lawn at least weekly. Fertilize it. Build up the turf to a lush green, and the ground bees will no longer feel welcome. If the ground bees are in an area where grass will not grow, mulch the area.

Identifying Ground Bees – Conclusion

So, while ground bees are not necessarily a problem, they can make the thought of your kids playing on the lawn, or a barefoot walk across the lawn, or even the act of mowing the lawn become less than a relaxing, enjoyable experience.

If there are bees living in your lawn, hovering about, making you nervous…

Call ApolloX Pest Control

(888) 499-7378

 

Exterminate Moles – Not as simple as it appears.

Posted by & filed under All Categories, Moles, Outdoor Pests.

Exterminate Moles – When are they a problem.

Exterminate Moles - ApolloX Pest ControlThe instance of people googling for mole extermination services increases every April and peaks during May (see our Pest Activity Trends article). So, we’re in the main time of year when you’re likely to discover moles as a problem.

Exterminate Moles – The most visible damage.

The scenario is that you’re a homeowner or business owner who puts a lot of care into creating a beautiful green carpet-like lawn. You make sure your lawn has the water and fertilizer it needs, and is mowed at the ideal height for lawn health. You carefully eliminate any weeds and lawn pests. You love when your neighbors compliment how green and lush your lawn looks.

Exterminate Moles - ApolloX Pest ControlAll is well…until one morning you awaken to see a volcano-like mound of dirt in the middle of your lawn. You’re concerned. You carefully remove the mound and restore that spot in your lawn to its former beauty. The next morning there are a few mounds. You’re horrified! Your green carpet of a lawn is now looking quite damaged.

Exterminate Moles – The culprit and the damage.

Exterminate Moles - ApolloX Pest ControlThe most likely culprit in the state of Connecticut is the Eastern Mole. This little critter has the super power ability to create a tunnel up to 100ft long under your lawn EVERY night. And, if you see a few mounds, it’s likely you have more than one of these super excavators creating their network of tunnels. Mowing your lawn is no longer a joyful act as your lawn mower begins to hit mounds of dirt that can bring it to a sudden damaging halt.

Exterminate Moles – What are they looking for?

What attracts moles to your lawn? They don’t eat grass or roots. They’re looking for insects, worms and grubs. However, another underground rodent, the vole, can move into their tunnel system and begin looking for roots to eat. Now your most loved ornamental plants and shrubs are at stake.

Exterminate Moles – Your Options

Exterminate Moles - ApolloX Pest ControlIt’s actually a debate whether moles might be good for a lawn. They eat lawn pests like grubs, and so can be healthy to the lawn. Some homeowners prefer to leave them alone. However, it’s hard to ignore the spread of those unsightly mounds.

One approach can be a win-win. Eliminate the grubs and you’ve eliminated a part of the mole’s food source. However, then there are the worms. There are drawbacks to eliminating that food source. Worms love a well-watered lawn. You could water your lawn less often and perhaps see the worm population diminishing, but then you risk losing that green carpet-like look, and worms aerate the soil and contribute to the health of a lawn.

Other options involve more direct measures like poison or trapping. Traps need to be handled safely, and some states have regulations against mole trapping. Mole poisons can also be toxic to pets, fish and birds. The poison can remain in the mole and be toxic to animals the dig it up and eat it.

Of course there are a host of natural remedies like devices that emit sound waves, placing chewing gum or human hair in the mole’s runway system. These tend to have very unsatisfactory results. The moles persist.

Exterminate Moles – Get Professional Help

If you have a mole problem, it’s best to call a licensed mole exterminator.

Call ApolloX Pest Control

(888) 499-7378

Exterminate Moles – How to prevent a mole problem.

Let’s imagine that your property is adjacent to property, parkland or undeveloped land that is riddled with mole hills. You know it’s only a matter of time until they tunnel under your lawn and begin creating their mud volcano-like hills.

If the moles can’t tunnel into your lawn or garden in the first place, you’re safe. You’ll need to encircle your property with wire mesh buried 2 feet deep, or you could dig a 2ft deep trench around your property, or a garden area you wish to protect, and fill it with rocks. Not an easy task, but it all depends on how badly you want to avoid a mole problem.

Another preventative measure is to install plantings that repel moles. Here are a few: Garlic, chocolate lillies, daffodils, marigolds, alliums, and fritillarias, mole plant and castor beans. However, beware that mole plants and castor bean plants are considered to be poisonous and should not be used around pets and children.

If you have a mole problem, or notice mole activity in an adjacent property, call the professionals.

Call ApolloX Pest Control

(888) 499-7378 

Inspiration for this article: What can you do about moles in your yard? | Atlantic Exterminating

Drywood Termite Ninjas- The stealth termite invader.

Posted by & filed under All Categories, Termites, Wood Damaging Pests.

Drywood Termite Ninjas – What Makes Them Ninjas?

drywood termitesMany termite species need moist areas to survive. Their colonies can be traced directly to the ground under your home. You can observe the mud tubes they create between the ground and the wooden parts of your home they feed on. These are subterranean termites.

Drywood termite ninjas, on the other hand, are silent, hidden. They’re not tied to colonies located underground. You won’t find the tale tale mud tubes of subterranean termites. There won’t necessarily be evidence of termite colonies in wood piles and old tree stumps on your property. In fact, your property and the area under your home may be certified completely termite-free. Yet, these stealth ninjas are present.

Drywood Termite Ninjas – Where do they hide?

Hidden in places people don’t naturally look for termites are these silent drywood termite ninjas. That piece of furniture you just bought through a classified ad, that delivery of lumber for the construction of a new addition on your home, the wood flooring you purchased and are preparing to install. Any of these can contain drywood termites, and you’d never know until the wood was installed in your home. In fact, while we most often think of looking for evidence of termites in the basement or crawlspace under the home, drywood termite ninjas could have an established colony hidden in the attic–how often do you go up there and inspect for insect damage!

Drywood Termite Ninjas – What damage do they create?

Once they’re in your home, these silent drywood termite ninjas emerge at night from the wood flooring, the furniture, your new addition, and they move into other areas of your home. Their presence expands as they slowly consume your house board by board.

Drywood Termite Ninjas – What are the signs of an infestation?

The most obvious sign you have drywood termite ninjas, is their fecal hexagonal fecal pellets. These will be at least 1mm long and collecting at the base of some wooden object. Look in dry areas of your home such as the attic, areas around your windowsills, in a closet. The fecal pellets will contain very little moisture due to the fact that the drywood termites extract all the water from their feces, which helps enable them to live in areas of very low moisture.

Another sign is to tap solid looking wood and listen for a hollow sound. Drywood termite ninjas eat wood from within, so if a solid wooden table leg or solid wood flooring sounds hollow when tapped, it may in fact be hollow, being consumed from the inside out!

Imagine what paint looks like when the wood beneath it has been consumed. It begins to look bubbly. That’s another sign of the presence of these termites.

Drywood Termite Ninjas – What to do if you observe signs of an infestation?

Call a professional termite exterminator immediately. You have no way of knowing how many areas of your home have been infested. This species of termite ninjas is extremely hard to eradicate.

Call ApolloX Pest Control

(888) 499-7378

Inspiration for this article: http://killtermitesyourself.com/drywood-termites/

Pest Free Landscaping – A yard that helps keep pests out of the house.

Posted by & filed under All Categories, Carpenter Ants, Pest Control Tips, Seasonal Pest Control, Termites, Wood Damaging Pests.

Pest Free Landscaping – What’s that?

It’s Spring at last! North-easterners are emerging from their homes to enjoy the outdoors. The first place we all notice is our yard and garden. Which plants made it through the Winter? We begin to clean up the Winter damage and design our garden.

Guess who else is emerging this Spring? Carpenter ants and termites. The way you clean-up and re-plant your landscape this Spring will make a great difference whether or not these pests find a way into your home.

What is pest-free landscaping? We’re not talking about a landscape that is free of insects. In this article, we use the term “pest-free landscaping” to refer to landscaping that doesn’t encourage pests to enter into your home.

Pest Free Landscaping – Soil and Mulch

One common Spring gardening activity is the re-application of a fresh layer of mulch and bark dust. Mulch and bark dust help keep the soil from drying out during the hot Summer and therefore promote healthy plant growth. But this moisture quality in mulch becomes a great environment for termites and carpenter ants. When the mulch layers pile up over the years until they are in contact with the wooden siding on your home, this becomes a major highway for carpenter ants and termites to enter into your home.

It’s best to keep mulch at least 4″ below the place where your home’s concrete foundation ends and the wooden structure begins. In addition, don’t let the mulch layer thicken beyond 3″. Excessive mulch can harm plants while becoming a super hotel for carpenter ants and termites.

Pest Free Landscaping – Raised Gardens

Do you have a raised garden against the side of your home? If so, you’ll be watering it throughout the Summer, keeping the soil moist so the plants can grow. However, this moist soil right against your house can harbor carpenter ants and termites. They also love the wet wooden sides of the planter. It’s pretty easy for them to tunnel right through the planter and into your home! Make sure there is an insect-proof lining between the planter and your home. Concrete or metal is a good choice.

Pest Free Landscaping – Trees and Large Plants

One great highway pests use to enter your home is trees and large plants that are in direct contact with the house. Eliminating this natural insect highway will go a long way toward preventing a carpenter ant or termite infestation. Inspect the area around your house for any tree branches that are in direct contact with the structure or overhanging the roof. Trim them back. Do you have vines growing up the siding? As attractive as they look, you might want to eliminate them.

Pest Free Landscaping – Thick Ground-cover

That dense ivy growing right up to the walls of your home keeps the soil moist, which in turn encourages carpenter ants and termites. Cut it back a few feet from your home so the soil immediately around your home can dry out, providing a natural barrier against these pests.

Pest Free Landscaping – How well did you do?

If you see any of the following signs, you might revisit your pest-free landscaping strategy.

pest free landscapingCarpenter Ant warning signs:
  • Swarmers (Winged ants)-This is a sign that the colony is looking to expand and look for a new nesting site
  • Sawdust (fine wood shavings that the Carpenter Ants push aside to create nesting sites, known as “frass”)
  • Crunching noises behind the wall
  • Seeing more than 10 ants a day throughout your house, or seeing any ants inside your house in the winter months
pest free landscapingTermite warning signs:
  • Mud tunnels or mud tubes. These are typically found on the sides of foundations
  • Swarmers (Winged Termites)-This is a sign that the nest is near
  • Damaged wood-The wood will appear to be crushed, or you will see tunnels. Galleries will be filled with soil and chewed wood, while ant tunnels are very clean
Pest Free Landscaping – The Ultimate Test
If you can pass the ApolloX pest-free landscaping test, you know you’ve done everything possible to create a pest-free landscape around your home. Have us not only check the outside of your home, but also conduct a thorough inspection of the inside of your home to ensure it is pest-free. After all, did you know all these tips last year? If not, carpenter ants and termites could already be inside your home!

Call ApolloX Pest Control

(888) 499-7378