When it comes to spiders, few are as feared as the brown recluse. These sneaky pests can sneak into your home without you even knowing it, and once they’re there, they’re very difficult to get rid of. These spiders are notorious for their venomous bites, which can cause a range of unpleasant symptoms, from mild skin irritations to serious health problems. But don’t despair, with a little elbow grease and the right application, you can get rid of these unwelcome guests once and for all, and take back control of your home.

How Dangerous is the Brown Recluse Spider?

The brown recluse spider is one of the most feared spiders in North America. And for good reason. These spiders are venomous and their bites can cause serious health problems and symptoms such as fever, chills, nausea, vomiting and in some rare cases seizures or even coma. While the brown recluse spider is not overly aggressive and will only bite if it feels threatened, its bites can be dangerous, especially to young children and the elderly. If you suspect that you or someone you know has been bitten by a brown recluse spider, it’s important to seek medical attention immediately.

How Do You Identify a Brown Recluse Spider?

The brown recluse spider is small, only growing to be about the size of a quarter and is pretty distinct from other, harmless, household spiders that you may run into. It has a distinctive violin-shaped marking on its back and long, thin legs. These spiders are usually brown or light grey and they have very little hair on their bodies. If you think you’ve spotted a brown recluse spider, it’s important to exercise caution and take steps to immediately remove them from your house as soon as possible. But as with many things, prevention is often better than the cure…

How to Stop Brown Recluse Spiders from Entering Your Home?

One of the best ways to stop brown recluse spiders from getting into your home in the first place is to make sure your house is clean. Brown recluse spiders love dark, undisturbed places, such as closets, attics and basements. So make sure to vacuum and clean these areas regularly.

Another way to keep brown recluse spiders out of your home is by using insecticide sprays. These sprays will kill any spiders that come in contact with it and will create a barrier around your home that will keep them out. Be sure to read the instructions carefully before using any insecticide sprays, as some can be harmful if inhaled or ingested.

How to Get Rid of Brown Recluse Spiders?

The first step in getting rid of brown recluse spiders is identifying their habitat. These spiders usually prefer dark, quiet places such as closets, basements and attics. Once you’ve identified their favourite hangouts, you can begin taking steps to eliminate them with insecticide sprays. For extra peace of mind, you can lay sticky traps along walls and near suspicious gaps each night. Even if you manage to capture them all, sealing these cracks up will help prevent any spiders in the future from gaining entry.

Brown recluse spider control in an indoor environment is pretty simple, particularly if your property is properly sealed to keep them out, but it may take a while for you to be completely spider-free, as spiders can still hide in tiny gaps, such as between furniture and walls, or behind storage in a quiet basement or attic space. Controlling general insect infestations may also assist; it will make finding meals more difficult for the spiders.

Dealing with any kind of insect infestation in your home can be a daunting and stressful task, but with a little knowledge and the right tools, you can get rid of the brown recluse spider for good. Just remember to take precautions, such as wearing gloves when handling insecticide sprays and sticky traps, and be patient – it may take some time to eliminate these pests from your home. But once you do, you’ll be able to sleep a little easier at night knowing that these dangerous little spiders are no longer lurking around your home. And if you’re lucky, and follow the tips above, you may never see another one of these unwelcome critters ever again.

Termites are not welcome summer visitors. Yet, many homeowners have colonies setting up a home here during this season. Before long, these creatures could cause a lot of damage to your home. So, it is important to understand the common summer signs of termites so you can deal with them ASAP. In this guide, you will find some of telltale signals to watch out for.

Wood-pellet Droppings In Your Home

This is one of the clearest signs of an active termite infestation within your home. You may not see the creatures themselves, but you can see their leavings. It is the same as having any other pest in the home. Sooner or later, that creature has to poop out the waste of what they eat. It is then up to the homeowner to spot that. As explained in more detail in this termite prevention guide, termites will make the most of any wooden feast. They will then leave little piles of droppings from the dry wood.

With this in mind, you should also be on the lookout for any other odd signs around your doors, windows, and baseboards. Small eggs could be a sign of ticks living in your home. To learn more about these creatures and their risks, we recommend this helpful guide.

Damage To Wooden Structures And Furniture

This love of tasty wood means that these ravenous insects will devour whatever they can get their jaws on. This means eating wooden structures in the home, such as timber frames, doors, and other solid wood items where accessible. The biggest problem here is that they work from the inside out. Therefore, they could make quite a meal of your home before you notice anything. A telltale sign, outside of the wooden pellet droppings, is a hollow noise when you tap the wood. This highlights the damage within and the need to call in some help.

Uneven Or Bubbling Paint On Wooden Structures

This is something sometimes overlooked, but the best pest control specialists know to watch out for it. Typically, when a wooden structure or wall develops uneven paintwork it is down to moisture. You have probably noticed it on walls where you have experienced water damage in the past. You may also have a baseboard that just won’t stay smooth because of damp issues. But, if the leak is long dried out, and the bubbling returns, could it be a termite infestation instead? It is a good idea to get things checked out and know either way.

Mud Tubes

Mud might not be the first material you think of regarding termites. However, these are smart social creatures that make the most of their environment to benefit the colony. Mud tubes are not only great tunnels between their home and food sources but a way of gaining moisture on that journey. These are hard to spot as they are mostly around your foundations. But, you may still be able to find them if you look for them.

Swarmers And Their Discarded Wings

Finally, there is the issue of swarmers. If you don’t know what swarmers are concerning termites, this guide on termite signs offers a great description. This stage in their development is an important part of the lifecycle of the termites. Individuals leave to form new colonies and this is when they are most visible. You might see these winged creatures on your window or just the discarded wings.

There are one of two issues to deal with here. Either these termites have left a colony and come to set up a new one, or they have fled from a pre-existing colony on your property. Neither is good news. Either there are creatures about to cause damage, or you have hidden damage somewhere to deal with.

What To Do If You Find These Common Signs Of Termite Infestation

If you have spotted one or more of these signs within your home, you can turn to Honor Guard for help. Check out our guide on termite removal services for more information. With our help and thorough inspection, you can be sure of the cause of any damage and start the best treatment option.

The mosquito is the smallest but the most dangerous insect in the animal kingdom. According to WHO mosquito is the main cause of human death in the animal kingdom. The death toll per year is from 750,000 up to 1 million. The common sickness from mosquito bites is Zika, Chikungunya, malaria, dengue, Zika, West Nile, and Yellow fever. The health department has always been cautioning us about the danger of mosquito bites but we can prevent this from happening in an earlier stage because prevention is better than cure. Today we will list some good tips on how to prevent mosquito bites.

1) Removal of Stagnant Water

This is the main cause of mosquito breeding. Mosquitos lay eggs in stagnant water and they can lay from 100 to 200 eggs at a time. Imagine only 1 bite can kill us, and having up to 200 eggs in our house, is very dangerous. They can breed in any type of stagnant water as the drain which is clogged, standing water, and water that is served for our pets. They breed the best in shallow waters. So avoid at all costs having stagnant water at home and try to throw out the water at least a few days once to avoid the accumulation of mosquitoes at home that can cause bites which directly can cause dangerous diseases.

2) The Correct Clothing

The correct clothing to wear is very important to avoid mosquito bites. There are many important tips for you to follow and today we will give you the 5 most important tips on clothing

3) Mosquito Net

The mosquito net is the most common tool that you can use to prevent mosquito bites. This net prevents the mosquito from coming inside and biting us by surrounding and protecting the area. There are many types and designs of these nets and they can be used indoors or outdoor when going camping. The most important thing is the correct way to use these nets. Make sure the net is tucked in neatly under the mattress or bed. Although it can protect you from mosquitoes, they can still bite through the holes so never lay against the net. Also, make sure there are no fire sources nearby like a candle or open fire.

4) Use Correct Repellents

Several repellents can be used to avoid mosquito bites but some of them have minimal effect on repelling mosquitos. Some of these bug sprays can give good treatment for your skin.

Some tools that work but are not as good as the above repellent

5) Dusk and Dawn

Mosquito bites all the time but they are mostly very active at dusk and dawn. Try to avoid going outside at this time of the day. If need to go, then use repellent or wear some good clothing to avoid getting bitten by them.

6) Mosquito Control

If you are having mosquito problems, you can use the above method to minimize the biting but at the same time, you can also go for a mosquito control service. So whenever you are going out to your backyard and see a lot of mosquitos then call them. One of the best mosquito control services is from HonorGuard. They protect your surrounding so you have the best time with family and friends.

Conclusion

Mosquitos are very dangerous and they can be fatal if you don’t take proper action to avoid their bite. Never take these things lightly and whenever you need good protection, just follow the tips given above so that your house backyard or vacation to wooded areas can be a good memory for all of you.

With over 467,000 Lyme disease cases recorded each year, it is no doubt that tick bites are an issue of concern for most people– especially for those who love to go hiking, camping, foraging, or even playing outdoor in the backyard. Perhaps this post will prove useful if you are preparing for any outdoor event in the wild, and you are worried about how to protect yourself from ticks. In this post, we will share with you 5 tips to protect you from tick bites.

1.Your Clothes Choice Is Important

It is important that you pick the right outfit when going out in the wild. John Hopkins Lyme Disease Research Center recommends wearing long sleeves. In addition to that, we recommend that you wear socks and then tuck your trousers into your socks. Doing this makes it difficult for the tick to contact your skin, causing it to fall off.

Another tip when the dressing is to wear white clothes or any color in contrast with brown or black. Doing this makes it easier to identify any tick crawling on your body.

2.Treat Your Dresses With Permethrin

If there is one thing that ticks detest, then it is permethrin. Permethrin is an insecticide that is harmless to humans but detrimental to bugs such as ticks. However, you need to ensure that you treat your clothes with permethrin and have them dry out before you wear your clothes and go out. If allowed to dry, it gets submerged into your clothes, and keeps you safe from bugs for 6 weeks even after washing.

3.Treat Your Skin

In the same way you treat your clothes, it is equally important that you treat your skin and make it unfavorable for ticks to crawl and attach to. One of the best and recommended ways to treat your skin is to use insect repellents; you do not just want to buy any repellent, but you want to buy a repellent that is EPA registered and contains either picaridin or DEET.

Ensure that you have all your skin covered; however, most importantly, ensure that you have insect repellent on vital areas such as your armpit, behind your ears, your neck, and any area of the body that is moist and warm. Also, avoid spraying the insecticide directly on your face; it is recommended to spray it on your hand and then smear it on your face.

You mustn’t forget to treat your pets before taking them out, especially dogs. Dogs are one of the most common hosts for ticks, especially the Brown Dog tick; therefore, if you are going camping with your dog or any pet, you need to protect them.

It is possible for your pet to become infested with ticks while you are out there, and after you return home, the tick will crawl onto you. Even if that doesn’t happen, your pet may suffer from anemia, leading to death. Therefore, you must protect your pets when taking them out with you.

You must check with your veterinarian to ensure that you pick the right insect repellent for your pet before taking them out.

4.Watch Where You Walk

You must be mindful of how you when while out there. You do not want to walk while rubbing your body against plants, woods, and leaves unnecessarily. Walking in the center of the trail will minimize your body’s contact with the plants. This is important because ticks live on plants, woods, and vines, waiting on the next host to attach to. Therefore, the more your body gets in contact with the margins of the forests, the higher the chances of ticks climbing to your skin.

some other tips to keep in mind when walking in the wild include:

5.When You Return

Immediately you return from the trip, there are two things to do:

If you notice ticks in your home, pet, or anyone in your family, then do not hesitate to contact us for fast and reliable pest control services.

If you’re an ecological enthusiast, you must be aware of the importance of ants in our environment. In fact, these tiny animals are fascinating and you might find yourself wanting to learn more about them. However, no matter the case, nothing is amazing about ants invading your home. They can deny you peace, and bring tons of problems into your space.

So…

What Attracts Ants?

When ants are hungry, and in search of food, there is no place that is out of bounds in their search. They will go through all types of foods to find that particular taste they’re searching for, that too in numbers. But even so, ants tend to have a particular liking for sugary particles. And that is why they tend to invade many homes because there are various sugary substances at their disposal. From tiny juice spillages, to cake leftovers there are so many things that attract ants.

Also, they don’t need a lot of sugar to keep coming back into your home. For instance, if an ant of a small group of ants finds their way into a sugary spot in your home, they will leave a scent trail as they leave to guide them back whenever they want to. So, other ants will also find it easy to invade your space to satisfy their sweet tooth cravings. Therefore, if you see one ant in your home, it could be an indication of more such visitors to follow.

Additionally, ants tend to come into homes in search of water and other foods, especially in dry seasons. So, this is mainly the case with those ants you see around your bathroom and other humid spots.

If you see ants in your house, after heavy rains, they might be hiding from the flood. Ants tend to relocate during such seasons to nearby buildings, including your home.

How to Prevent Ants from Invading Your Home?

The very first step you should take in keeping ants from intruding into your home is maintaining cleanliness. Start by wiping off spills immediately they occur or notice them.

These will leave no sugary traces for the ants to indulge in. Also, ensure all your cooking preparation spots are well cleaned.

Afterwards, ensure to seal all the foods in airtight containers to deny ants access. Plus, cleaning the area behind the fridge and toaster as often as possible. And if you have pets, see to it that no pet food is left out longer than needed.

Additionally, check bins around your house and home and ensure they’re tightly sealed as well. But that is after removing all rotten vegetables and fruits from around your home/house. Generally, ensure that there is a trace of food around any surface (both inside and outside your home) to entice ants. It’s always important to prevent ants’ invasion than having to deal with hundreds of them, once they do.

However, if you realize the invasion a bit late. You can still disrupt their trail by wiping the area down with some bleach or vinegar.

Sometimes, you might be doing everything right (keeping food containers tight and maintaining general cleanliness) but it doesn’t seem to work. In such a case, consider sealing up cracks and holes in walls around your home. In fact, this should be the first preventing measure you should take, especially when you notice a few cracks as you about your day. Doing this is the best way to prevent ants from nesting inside your home’s wall cavities, and reproducing to bring you even greater problems. In other words, nip them in the bud.

Now, if all the above tips don’t seem to work, you might want to consider using insecticidal baits to control the ants. However, before you settle for this, it’s important to ask yourself if ants are actually such a big problem, because we do need them in their various types. For example, they can help to attach and kill cockroaches, and even spread various plant seeds. They also come in handy to help remove various wastes from the environment.

So, if your ant issue is out of hand, it’s best to contact pest control experts to help you deal with them. But ensure they use ants-specific insecticides to avoid killing other insects within your environment.

Honey bees can enter any design or item that contains an opening that is a fourth of an inch or bigger. A typical honey bee prevention is to seal all potential honey bee sections with rigid materials. Nonetheless, when there are many bees on your property, you might not have an adequate opportunity to recognize and seal all potential places.

A successful substitute is to apply treatment to the scout honey bees waiting around your home. This will keep the scout honey bees from the potential settling spot. Therefore, the group continues to another area. Be that as it may, try to make a move rapidly as honey bees can move in out of nowhere.

Diminishing outside mess can likewise keep honey bees from settling in your yard. New apparatuses or grass gear found in yards can draw in bumble bees since they give fair haven to a hive to flourish.

Additionally, assuming your home has recently cleared bees, ensure no honeycomb is left. The pheromone fragrances gone on the honeycomb can draw in baby bees. Typically, the honeycomb will be arranged in an unavailable region (divider voids, overhang, and so forth). Eliminating parts of your rooftop or siding might be vital. Prevention would always be the surest option.

Why Honey Bees Go to Houses?

Just like humans, bees would pick the environment they think is good for them. Honey bee issues can be the essential driver for a colony of bees on your property. If your yard has plenty of vegetables and fruits, this could be why honey bees like to be near food sources.

For the most part, waterfront towns have favorable environments. Urban communities and farmlands are more inclined to have lots of honey bees.

Where honey bees decide to reside is by and large beyond your control. Nonetheless, you can expect that if honey bees have been to your home previously, your house is more inclined to a future undesirable honey bee visitation. Make sure to make a prevention to hold honey bee issues back from returning.

Tips to Prevent Bees From Coming

According to this article, and as mentioned, you have to seal any holes or openings. Try to explore and inspect if there are any gaps or other tiny openings. Give explicit consideration to any areas where there are wires or vents with open space around them. Seal these spaces with caulk, cross-section, or metal screens.

You might need to actually look at the overhang of your rooftop for openings or breaks that honey bees could enter through. Honey bees love building homes in the roof and upper rooms, so take additional consideration to seal any potential doorways there.

Call A Bee Exterminator

Bees and other insects can send sicknesses that can make significant diseases to you, your friends, and family and harm your home in large numbers.

These people offer assistance that won’t just dispose of any current bug issues but also center around counteraction to safeguard your family and home. They ensure their administration, and whenever you see bugs in the middle of your routinely repeating planned administrations, we will withdraw your home a no extra expense.

They offer a few reasonable treatment plans, good compensation choices, and the capacity to deal with your record on the web.

Honor Guard’s specialty is carpenter bees. These bees are grown-ups overwinter, ordinarily in deserted home passages. In the spring, the survivors arise and benefit from nectar. Mating starts and stretches out into home development time. Male woodworker honey bees will be regional and will become forceful when people approach, in some cases floating a brief distance before the face or humming one’s head. Most action happens from pre-summer to late-summer.

It’s pretty challenging to get them out of your yard. According to them, these bees are moderate to control. Numerous applications are regularly essential to bring the populace under unlimited oversight. Now and then, craftsman honey bee traps work, yet the prevention might require a more forceful treatment plan to be sure they won’t be back again.

For successful and dependable assistance, call HonorGuard today. They have accomplished experts who will address your nuisance issues in or around your home.

Is Pest Control Safe For Kids and Pets?

No one wants pests in their home, but many people choose to do DIY pest control. Which can be very dangerous. Pest sprays and pesticides are designed to kill insects, and if not used correctly, they can also harm your family and pets. Professional pest control is a much safer option, and it can also be more affordable than you think.

The Dangers of DIY Pest Control

There are risks associated with do-it-yourself (DIY) methods for pest control. Although some people may feel comfortable taking on the task themselves, it’s essential to consider the potential dangers involved.

One of the biggest dangers of DIY pest control is the potential for causing more harm than good. If you use too much of a pesticide or don’t apply it properly. You could end up doing more harm than good. This could result in making your home more attractive to pests rather than getting rid of them.

Another danger of DIY pest control is that you could unintentionally expose yourself and your family to harmful chemicals. Pesticides can be toxic if they’re not used properly. They can cause a variety of health problems, including skin irritations, respiratory issues, and even cancer.

Pets are also at risk when it comes to DIY pest control. If you use a pesticide indoors, your pet could contact it and become sick. Pets are also at risk if you use baits or traps, as they could accidentally eat them or get caught in them.

The bottom line is that DIY pest control is a risky business. If you’re not careful, you could end up doing more harm than good. That’s why it’s always best to leave pest control to the professionals.

Professional Pest Control Is Safe and Affordable

Professional services are always the safest and most affordable option for pest control. Pest control companies have the experience and expertise to get rid of pests quickly and safely. They also use products specifically designed for indoor use. They’re less likely to cause harm to your family or pets.

In addition, professional pest control often costs less than you might think. Many companies offer a variety of packages that fit any budget. So, if you’re looking for a safe and affordable way to get rid of pests, professional pest control is the way to go.

So, is pest control safe for kids and pets? The answer is yes, but only if you use a professional service. Professional pest control companies use products specifically designed for indoor use, which means they’re less likely to cause harm to your family or pets.

In addition, professional pest control often costs less than you might think. So, if you’re looking for a safe and affordable way to get rid of pests, professional pest control is the way to go.

Don’t take chances with your family’s safety. Leave pest control to the professionals.

The Benefits of Professional Pest Control

There are many benefits of professional pest control, including:

Reducing the risk of disease: Pests can carry a wide range of diseases that can be harmful to humans, so it is essential to take steps to reduce the risk of exposure. Professional pest control services use products and techniques specifically designed to kill pests without posing a threat to people or pets.

Preventing damage to your property: Pests can cause extensive damage to homes and businesses, from chewing through wires and cables to nesting in attics or walls and causing structural damage. Professional pest control services can help prevent this damage and identify any potential problems before they become an issue.

Reducing the risk of fires: Some pests, such as rodents, gnaw on electrical wires, leading to fires. By eliminating pests, you can help reduce fire risk in your home or business.

Keeping your family safe: Many people are concerned about the safety of their families when it comes to pest control. However, professional pest control services use products specifically designed to be safe for people and pets.

In addition, these services use integrated pest management (IPM) techniques that focus on preventing pests from entering your home or business in the first place. This helps create a barrier that keeps your family safe from exposure to harmful pesticides.

Saving money: DIY methods can be costly and often don’t work as well as professional services. In addition, if you use a professional service, you can be assured that the job will be done right the first time, which can save you money in the long run.

Protecting the environment: Professional pest control services use environmentally-friendly products and techniques to eliminate pests. This helps protect our planet and its resources.

Conclusion

Pest control is safe for kids and pets if you use a professional service. Professional pest control companies use products specifically designed for indoor use, which means they’re less likely to cause harm to your family or pets. In addition, professional pest control often costs less than you might think. So, if you’re looking for a safe and affordable way to get rid of pests, professional pest control is the way to go.

Cockroaches are the most adaptable and resilient pests that may invade your home. We need to understand what attracts them to your home. In addition to carrying infections and spreading bacteria, roaches are known to induce allergies and asthma attacks as well as contaminate food. These annoying pests are incredibly unhealthy as well. They can be both summer and winter pests.

4,500 varieties of cockroaches exist, but only thirty are called pests. Four of those 30 individuals, though, stand out as particularly adept at creating a nuisance for themselves: Cockroaches of the German, American, Australian, and Oriental varieties

 Keeping cockroaches away requires determining what initially attracts them. Roaches will enter your home for one of four reasons: food supplies, water supplies, a source of warmth, and a place to shelter (or a combination of these). They are frequently attracted to the following:

How to Keep Cockroaches Away

Knowing what draws roaches to your home allows you to eliminate these sources of attraction and reduce the likelihood of a roach infestation. Some cockroach avoidance strategies that you can employ in your own house are listed below…

Sanitation

Keep it as clean as you can. The most effective method of preventing cockroaches is through good sanitation.

Clean Kitchens

Concentrate on the kitchen. Don’t leave food out overnight unless absolutely necessary. Dishes should be washed every day at least. Remove crumbs and spilt food from all surfaces, including cabinets and pantries. Every night, disinfect the kitchen counters with a disinfectant spray. Don’t forget about the kitchen appliances.

Cockroaches are drawn to oil and spilt food that collects on and in your equipment, such as your refrigerator, stove, dishwashing machine, microwave, toaster, and the area under your kitchen sink. Roaches are also drawn to the region beneath the kitchen sink for a variety of reasons.

Restrict Places You Eat

Places, where you eat should be limited. Food consumption should be limited to a single room. The result is that not only is cleaning easier for you, but it also limits the number of crumbs and spills that may go unnoticed in other rooms and serve as an additional food source for roaches.

Storing Food & Pet Food

All food should be kept in airtight containers. Roaches are small enough to fit through the gaps of the conventional cardboard packaging that food is delivered in. This holds true for pet food as well. In order to prevent roaches from entering the house, pet food must be stored in a tightly sealed container on the back porch, preferably. The same goes for pet food bowls and containers, which should be emptied every night.

Garbage

Maintain a tightly fitting lid on your garbage can, and empty the kitchen trash can at the close of each day. Make certain that your outside garbage cans are clean and that they are not too close to your home.

Clean Before Bedtime

Roaches come out at night. Vacuuming the kitchen floor on a nightly basis reduces the roaches’ food supply. Make a habit of vacuuming every 2 to 3 days for the rest of your house, as well. Raccoon excrement, body parts, and egg sacs can all be removed in this manner. Use Cockroach Repellent

Block Entry Points

Block off any possible entrance points. Utility pipes and crawl spaces should be sealed off. Check that your windows and doors are secure and that you have weatherstripping installed if necessary. Fill in all of the gaps and fissures.

Remove Places Where Cockroaches Can Hide

Get rid of anything that roaches can use as a makeshift shelter, such as cardboard and paper.

Smoky Brown Cockroaches and American cockroaches prefer to reside outside but will come inside in search of food or when there is a lot of rain or hot weather. They prefer warm, wet environments such as flowerbeds or under mulch. They are also frequently found in trees. They are also prevalent in the majority of American city sewer systems. They frequently infiltrate homes through windows, garages, and beneath doors. They will also infiltrate your home through drains and plumbing. When they invade homes, they usually end up in basements, laundry rooms, kitchens, and bathrooms. They are also prevalent in commercial structures such as restaurants, grocery stores, and warehouses.

Use Professional Help

Make an appointment with a pest control professional. If you believe that you have a roach problem, call a professional right away. Treatment approaches can differ depending on the type of roach you have infesting your property. A skilled pest control expert can do a complete review of your situation and develop a comprehensive treatment plan on your behalf.

Winter Pest Control

Mice and rats remain active during winter, but as it is cold outdoors they move inside and build nests in walls and roof space where they can spend a few months, often breeding. In Tennessee, there are several commonly found spiders including Wolf Spider, Brown Recluse Spider, and Black Widow Spider. A bite from the last two can be fatal as they are extremely venomous. Sometimes spiders are found inside your home, and it is a good idea to get rid of them.

Rats and Mice will usually come inside the house before the first cold days of winter, and start building their nests in a cavity, mice only need a small space, and rats are more likely to climb to the roof space where they have more opportunity to nest. The first sign of rats and mice is often scrapping or scratching at night, as they come and go to feed, alternatively, there may be mouse droppings in the kitchen.

1. Rats and Mice Carry Disease

Both rats and mice carry infectious diseases including Salmonella and Tularemia. A bite from a rat can cause Rat Bite Fever, and in the past, they were responsible for causing Bubonic Plague.

2. Mice Can Cause Cancer in Humans

This is emerging research that can’t be ignored even though it is horrible. Some mice carry a virus that may cause breast cancer. Called the Mouse Mammary Tumour Virus, which is highly transmissible to humans.

3. Vermin Damage Your Home

Rats and mice are highly destructive and can even chew through electrical wiring, and if left unchecked can gradually destroy an unoccupied house.

4. Spiders and Ladybugs

Spiders will come indoors in cold wet weather, and you don’t want venomous spiders in your house. Usually, spiders don’t remain indoors as they like to be outside. However, spiders are more likely to stay indoors during the winter. Asian ladybugs were introduced to the USA for aphid control but turned out to be aggressive insects. They will invade your house in the cold weather and hide in fabrics and walls. They release a nasty-smelling liquid and bite as well.

5. Spiders are Attracted by Warmth and Light

Keep leaf litter and junk away from your house, and if you have a woodpile, the spiders will probably live in there.

This is hard to do, but try to seal off all entrances to your home, including mesh screens within your vents.

Regular Pest Inspections

Pests are active all the year, but it is only when they enter our home that we really notice them. It may be as simple as cockroaches in warmer climates, or scuttling rats and mice. Any of these creatures have to be eliminated. There are now many nontoxic pesticides to completely get rid of spiders. If you have small children the use of pesticides is a concern, and the type of spray used will be discussed with you first.

When you have your twice-yearly pest inspection, it enables our experts to eliminate opportunities for pests to enter your home, and after a while, you won’t see a pest in your house.

Conclusion

As we have seen, pests are active all year-round and not just in winter, pest control should prevail. Spiders and ladybugs become more active during Spring and Summer, and may even enter your house at any time given the opportunity. So it is best to always be vigilant, and don’t let them in. Contact Honor Guard Pest Control today to keep spiders, ladybugs, mice, and rats out of your home during winter!

What are bed bugs?

 Bed Bugs are tiny insects, much like mosquitos, that like to feed off of human blood. Unlike mosquitos they do not fly but latch on to clothes, backpacks and clothing and can go wherever they are taken. When bed bugs get in a house they are not usually discovered until they mass produce. One of the biggest signs of bed bugs is if a person breaks out in a red rash or blisters. Once bed bugs have invaded a house it’s difficult to get rid of them. Females can lay up to seven eggs at one time and a single infestation could be in the thousands. Having bed bugs can be frustrating but there are easy ways to prevent them from entering a home.    

Identify an Invasion 

The thought of a bug infestation can be overwhelming for some people but it is good to know the signs in case of an invasion. One of the main signs bed bugs are present are bug bites appear like a rash and may contain blisters. Doctors cannot identify a bug bite by itself. The University of Tennessee suggests trying to collect one or more of its shedded skins in a Ziploc bag to bring along to the appointment. The University of Tennessee also offers additional information about bed bugs on their website. Another sign that will show up in a bed bug infestation are freckle spots in wood furniture. If the household has travelled recently, or any new furniture has entered the house from a questionable place these could also cause an infestation.

Travel

Latching onto clothes, backpacks, and suitcases are the easiest ways bed bugs can invade a house. Storing your suitcases and backpacks in a hotel room can be tricky sometimes especially when travelling with a family. Make sure luggage is not placed under the bed, on the floor, or near the bed. For clothes it is a good idea to store dirty clothes in a plastic bag and wash them as soon as possible. Drying them on high heat is recommended because it is more effective at killing bed bugs than washing them. Make sure to inspect all clothes, backpacks, and suitcases after travelling. 

Furniture 

Bed bugs can enter a house through clothes, backpacks, and suitcases but they can also travel on furniture. It is very important when picking up furniture on the side of the road or in another not very sanitary place to look for signs of bed bugs. Make sure to inspect tiny corners or crevices for the tiny bugs. If you see freckle spots on the wood this could be the bugs’ fecal matter. When moistened with water the bed bugs’ fecal matter should turn red or a rust color. Other places bed bugs can hide are in the seams of couch cushions, behind wall hangings, and in heads of screws. The EPA has pictures of infected furniture with bed bugs. It’s crucial to check every little corner of furniture because bed bugs are so small and easy to miss. 

At HonorGuard Pest Control we care about keeping bed bugs out of your house. We primarily serve Nashville, Knoxville, Atlanta as well as the surrounding areas – if you think your house could be infected don’t be afraid to contact us for information and schedule an evaluation.