"Bed bugs are masters at hiding where we don't think to look. This picture though hard to tell is a hole where a screw was on the bottom of the bed under the box springs, mattress and bottom skirt. I only found them after I had taken off the mattress and box springs. It isn't enough to just spray around the mattress and hope we get them. We have to dig and inspect where we often don't think to look."
Second round of raccoon trapping in an attic rewarded us with a second one and in the same attic as the other two. They may look cute but they can be so destructive.
House centipedes are a prehistoric looking pest but beneficial in many ways.
"Many ants like Pavement ants and Odorous house ants have multiple queens per colony and can have large colonies most of which are not even seen. They generally will go semi-dormant in the winter but this time of year people start seeing ants in kitchens and bathrooms crawling around. As the days get warmer and their resources start diminishing, they will begin foraging for food and water for their larvae. Because most of the colony is out of sight just spraying the ants that are visible can often cause them to bud off and spread because of the fact that they have multiple queens. We use a combination of a non-repellent chemical spray and a bait that they will take back to the colony and ensure that all the queens and eggs are killed. If you don’t get them all you will soon have them again."
Many don't realize that mosquitoes are nectar feeders as well as blood feeders. Only the females feed on blood in order to lay eggs but males depend on nectar to survive.
"Yellowjacket nests can get quite big by the time fall comes around. Each year the overwintered mated queen will start a new hive as just a couple of eggs and build as the summer progresses. By the time fall comes around some of the nests can get quite large."
"Spent a whole morning and afternoon taking this out of an office building. I was able to save the hive and queen and most of the comb with rubber bands and empty frames. We love bees and beekeeping and glad we were able to evict these without killing the hive."
"Boxelder bugs have been known to invade homes by the thousands especially in the summer and fall. They get their name from the fact that their host is boxelder trees because they nymphs feed on fallen seeds. Spring and fall is the best time to spray the perimeter for these to keep them from getting into your home."
"The proper equipment is essential especially when treating bed bugs. Some of my most used and necessary equipment are a steamer, vacuum, sprayer, and professional grade chemical. The vacuum is vital in getting the population down to a manageable level. The steamer kills bed bugs, eggs, and nymphs instantly. The sprayer is a stainless steel airofog sprayer and is my workhorse. The chemical is professional grade and leaves a 90 day residual treatment that kills any that crawl on it. "
"This bee look-alike is actually a fly. This drone fly visits flowers to collect nectar and gets avoided by predators because of its threatening appearance. I took this picture as it was visiting sumac blossoms on a warm spring morning. As they were flying around you could not tell the difference between it and a bee. Definitely couldn’t tell until they landed."
"Brown marmorated stink bugs are originally from China and are a serious agricultural pest when they feed on a wide variety of fruits and vegetables causing major damage. In the home they are only a nuisance as they get into the walls and attic to overwinter. They will come out periodically during the winter and show up seemingly out of nowhere. Spring and fall exterior treatments can prevent these from getting into the walls."
It seems bed bugs never take a break even during the winter. These master hitchhikers are able to hide in any crevice as small as the thickness of a business card and that includes clothing, pockets, purses, and coats.
"Bed bugs can be very hard to get rid of on your own with store bought chemicals. If you don't get them all, and even a few eggs remain, you can have a problem very soon even though they appear to be gone at the moment. The eggs are very, very small and are pure white and are easily missed. We have done hundreds of bed bug jobs and have been affective at getting rid of them quickly and efficiently. No matter how bad you think you have them we can help you."
