It’s a sad fact that many of our neighborhoods that once seemed so stable are now facing the harsh reality of foreclosure. In most of our towns, it is hard to go a few blocks without seeing a home that is noticeably vacant. The house is dark, windows are curtainless and the lawn is overgrown. Read the rest of this entry »
The tick season has got off to an unusually early start for us this year. In a previous blog we discussed how many bug populations would be on the rise because of the mild winter, but the early surge of ticks is due to something else entirely. Read the rest of this entry »
One of the worst pests that can invade your home is the notorious termite. The reasons are obvious. Left unchecked termites can literally eat you out of house and home. In Illinois and the majority of the US the most common species of termite is the Eastern subterranean termite. They are called subterranean because they survive by building nests underground which provides moisture and an optimal temperature for the pest to survive. They connect to their food source via mud tunnels and unfortunately these tunnels many times lead straight into the wood of your home. Read the rest of this entry »
Here in the midwest the first day of spring usually doesn’t feel much like spring. But this year with the early warm weather snap, you can bet everyone is anxious to get a jump start on those projects that would normally have to wait for April and even May.
Of course, spring cleaning is on the top of many homeowners lists. If you are cleaning out attics or basements that really haven’t been touched for the past few months, there may be a good chance you will come across some little “surprises” along the way. With the unusually warm weather, we have already heard from many of you about the early invasion of ants and knats, but we have also heard a couple of people say things like, “my house is full of bugs I’ve never seen before.” Read the rest of this entry »
Recently the website bedbug.org posted a graphic listing some surprising facts about bed bugs. We’re in the bed bug extermination businesses and even we were surprised by a couple of the tidbits, especially when they showed the rise in bed bug infestations. Of course we know that the pests are on the rise all across the United States, but seeing the numbers graphically makes it hit home. Read the rest of this entry »
Here in the Midwest we have been enjoying and speculating about our unusually warm winter this year. We’ve heard many people say they are waiting for the other shoe to drop. Could it mean that we will get slammed with a blizzard in March or will our summer be blazing hot? One question we’ve been asking, if the mild weather continues, will we be hit with higher numbers of pesky bugs? Read the rest of this entry »
Every year the U.S. Poison Control Centers receives thousands of calls regarding children’s exposure to household pesticides. It’s bad enough to think about what our toddlers pick up off the floor and put in their mouth but it is even more frightening when they go exploring under your sink. The fact is many of the sprays and powders we purchase to help rid our homes of dangerous pests can actually end up harming our families if not used correctly and kept out of reach of young children. And even though these chemicals are labeled with various warnings, it is not uncommon for adults to use and store pesticides incorrectly. Read the rest of this entry »
Last week we were speaking to the owner of a pet sitting service. She had just taken on a new client and was planning on caring for the client’s animals while they were on vacation. The client lives on a farm so the animals are outdoors or are in barns. The pet sitter was very concerned about bringing home fleas from such an environment and wanted to know if we had some suggestions for how to prevent bringing fleas home to her own pets. Read the rest of this entry »
It’s January and even though in Illinois we have experienced some unseasonably warm temperatures, we know that the frigid blast is right around the corner. Humans aren’t the only ones who try to stay indoors when the temp starts to drop. Rodents and cockroaches also try to find shelter from the cold. Unfortunately that means the little “snowbirds” are going to try and winter over in our homes. Read the rest of this entry »
The holidays have officially crept up on us once again and many of us are packing up in order to visit out of town relatives this weekend. If you are going to be staying in a hotel or bed & breakfast, make sure one present you don’t bring home is bed bugs. Read the rest of this entry »