Pest Control
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Pests in North Carolina can come in all forms, from annoying but harmless moths to potentially dangerous rats and bed bugs. Regardless of the problem you're facing, ChemPro has an effective and efficient solution that will allow you to take back control of your property. With years of professional pest control under our belt, we know how to get the job done. While other North Carolina pest control companies may employ a wide spectrum approach to dealing with insects and animals, ChemPro knows that long-term eradication is built on a case-by- case basis and there is no single method that will get rid of different pest types. By dealing with the specific problem at hand rather than a generic treatment, you can finally say goodbye to everything from Ants to Bed Bugs.
To figure out what needs to be done, a ChemPro professional will make a free consultation visit to your property to discover not only what types of pests are present and how to treat them but also why they are choosing your location. In many cases, we're able to identify and remove the breeding conditions or food sources that are making your property attractive to pests. For a holistic pest control company in North Carolina that gets rid of pests for good, call ChemPro at 919-631- 2013. |
Bed Bugs
If you've ever experienced the scourge that is bed bugs, then you probably know just how difficult it is to get rid of these pests once they've made your North Carolina property their home. More common in larger cities, these blood-sucking parasites can be found nearly anywhere that they have easy access to animals or humans.
The trouble with bed bugs in North Carolina is that the treatment process often takes several visits to kill both the adults and eggs. At ChemPro our bed bug solution involves a combination of poison and high temperature steaming. After the initial application, we'll return in a few days to make sure there are no signs of new bed bugs.
For new property owners in North Carolina, we recommend a complete bed bug check before moving in. It's much easier for ChemPro to treat an existing bed bug issue while your property is empty and the pests have no way to feed. Our experienced and professional team will make sure you're bed bug-free and give you the peace of mind to sleep easy at night.
At the first sign of bed bugs, give ChemPro a call at 919-631-4119 and we'll stop the problem before it turns into a full-blown infestation.
Spider Treatment and Eradication for Homes & Businesses
Unfortunately, for the real world, spiders are not as pleasant. Spiders weave dust-collecting webs in all areas of the home, lay eggs containing up to 400 offspring, and hide in dark places where they can bite or startle people. Food and shelter are their main goals, as most living things.
We utilize quick and effective methods to solve your spider infestation.These methods may include using sprays and powders inside and outside the property to optimize the removal rate. Within days of placing these substances in crevaces, cracks, basements, and other locations you'll begin to see results. Our pest control experts know how to get rid of spiders. Schedule an Inspection today!
Common Spiders of NC
In North Carolina, we see our share of spiders; there are four types in particular that enjoy invading residential and commercial properties. The three most intimidating of these four spiders burrow outside under debris, rocks and wood piles, and hideout indoors in basements and garages. On the other hand, little common House Spiders are not as shy, weaving their webs in any corner of your home.
Common Household Spiders
What we recognize as a common household spider is not one particular spider, but several identifiable and unidentifiable spiders. These spiders are usually tan or light brown with dark markings on the underside of their globe-shaped abdomens. They usually measure in around 3/8 of an inch, and are generally not dangerous, but can be a nuisance and cause skin irritation when they bite.
Wolf Spiders
There are 125 species of the Wolf spider, and that's for the US alone. The native North Carolina Wolf arthropods (Hognacarolinensis) are the largest spiders in the state, measuring up to 1½ inches. They come in a variety of colors, including brown, black, gray, white, and sometimes yellow or green. These hairy Lycosidae family members are creepy spiders with three rows of eyes, totaling 8 eyes.
Black Widow Spiders
In America, there are three species of Black Widows. The southern black widow is known as Latrodectusmactans. There is one important difference between the shiny, large bellied female black widows and the smaller dull male widows: venom. Male widows are not poisonous, nor do they have the red hourglass shape on the underside of the abdomen. They are twice as small as the 8 to 13mm sized female, making distinction very simple. These venomous spiders are dangerous, particularly to the elderly and young children, and should be removed by a professional.
Brown Recluse Spiders
The most common Brown Recluse species found in North Carolina and the eastern part of the country, is the Loxoscelesreclusa. Their signature look is the violin-shaped mark on top of the neck (cephalothorax). The Brown Recluse, like the Wolf Spider, has three rows of eyes, but only totaling 6 peepers. These spiders are on average about ¼ to ½ inch in length.
Ants
Billions of Ants are looking for a place to call home
There's no denying the staggering success of Ants as a species.
Ants form colonies as big as 500,000 individual Ants. These feverish insects have a plan that's worked since the age of dinosaurs and they have populated the globe in quite remarkable numbers. There are literally hundreds of billions of Ants thriving on planet earth and some of those little critters would dearly love to move in on your home. Structural damage to your home and can potentially cost you thousands, so it's a no-brainer to want those gone immediately. Other Ants can bite. And then there's the general concern of uncleanliness in the home and the mess Ants leave behind with their droppings and when they die. You also have to worry about damage to your electrics, piping and flooring.
Common House Ants
• ACROBAT ANTS
The Crematogaster is known by several names, with one of the popular ones being the "Acrobat Ant."
They are also known as "Cocktail Ants," because they tend to raise their abdomens when they're alarmed.Acrobat Ants form scent trails as they enter your home and can make nests in pipes or inside walls, or even around electrical circuitry.They will feed on crumbs left around your house.
• CARPENTER ANTS
• The Carpenter Ant gets its name from how it builds nests - creating a network of tunnels in wood.They mainly live in dead or damaged wood that is rich with moisture. You can find these ants living within trees, attics, crawlspaces or wall voids. This can cause expensive damage to your home.Carpenter ants do not have stingers, but do have a painful bite.When Carpenter Ants find a food source in your home, you’ll see them in large numbers. See small piles of sawdust mixed with bits of insulation and dead insect’s parts? You've got an Ant issue.
• FIELD ANTS
Commonly called "Wood Ants," "Mound Ants," "Thatching Ants," and "Field Ants."They are usually yellow, red, black or a combination of red and black in color.These Ants make homes in the ground in lawns, gardens, fields and parks, usually near trees, rocks, sidewalks, fences or foundations of buildings.Although they do not sting, they will bite when disturbed. Some Field Ants can spray formic acid while they bite, so this can be painful.
• FIRE ANTS
Fire Ants typically stay outdoors, where their colonies produce large mounds in open areas, and feed mainly on young plants and seeds.They bite only to get a grip and then sting, injecting a toxic alkaloid venom called Solenopsin.Some people are allergic to the venom in Fire Ant bites and can contract a very bad reaction.
• GHOST ANTS
They are frequent home invaders, colonizing wall voids or spaces between cabinetry and baseboards. It will also nest in potted plants.Foraging for food sources, Ghost Ants can be seen also in kitchens and bathrooms on sinks, counters, and floors.It's said that when stepped on or crushed, they tend to emit an odor similar to that of rotten coconuts.
• HARVESTER ANTS
They tend to create large mounds, almost 50 inches across in some cases, and dead vegetation near the nest are visible signs of Harvester Ants. They are prolific foragers who will sniff out a food source and enter your home in their thousands if given the slightest invitation.Harvester Ants, when provoked, usually sting many times and in some cases are stung multiple times by a single Ant.
• MOISTURE ANTS
Known collectively as Moisture Ants, the Lasius species of Ant make their nests in and around moist, rotting wood as well as under rocks.
They are smaller than Carpenter Ants, but essentially have the same traits.
Moisture Ants may infest buildings, especially foundation in contact with soil, becoming a nuisance. Anywhere you have wood and moisture, you potentially have Moisture Ants.
• ODOROUS HOUSE ANTS
These ants can be found in a wide variety of places, including within houses and are considered the survivalist of Ant species due to their incredible robustness.The Odorous House Ant is known by several similar-sounding names due to their emitting a disgusting smell if crushed, often described as very similar to the pungent odor of a coconut, bleu cheese, or turpentine.
• PAVEMENT ANTS
That doesn't mean you won't find them in your home, however, as they have a reputation as warriors who like to invade new territories.Pavement Ants typically feed on honeydew, other insects, sweets, fruit, and greasy foods, but will feed on pet food as well, both indoors and outdoors.Their trails can be seen going to and from their food sources, most often at night and may even move through plumbing pipes and electrical wires.
• PHARAOH ANTS
The Monomoriumpharaonis, better known as the Pharaoh Ant, is notorious for being a major indoor nuisance of the home. Strangely they appear to have a particular tastes for hospitals also.They are well-known for their intricate foraging, involving complex trail routes maintained with several pheromones.Pharaoh Ants can be found in wall voids, under floors, in various types of furniture, bathrooms or near food.
Cockroaches
Roach Control for Home and Business
Did you know that cockroaches are the most successful species on Earth? Their amazing ability to adapt has made them the oldest and most common species on the planet. While this may be great news for the Cockroach family, it may not be so great for yours! ChemPro provides home and business owners peace of mind by using state-of-the-art pest control methods for eradicating these pesky and potentially health-threatening pests.
Identifying German Cockroaches
As one of the most common and prominent household cockroaches in the world, the German Cockroach can be found throughout many human settlements. They infest apartments, houses, restaurants, hotels, and other establishments because their eggs are so often carried in by shoes, boxes, or packages. Their knack for easy access has the potential to cause a huge pest problem over time.
Cockroach Developmental Stages
The German cockroach, like many insects, develops in the following stages: egg, nymph, and adult. Females produce a square-like capsule that contains up to 50 eggs, and hatches within six weeks. Typically, a female roach's lifespan varies from 20 to 30 weeks, but some can live up to one year. Now, imagine your house is infested with more than one female roach - those are not the kind of roommates that you want.
The young roaches, or nymphs, are smaller, darker brown, and do not have wings. The adults are 1/2 to 5/8 inches long, are tan to light brown in color, and have fully developed wings. Two dark parallel lines run from the back of the head to the wings.
Cockroach Habitat
German cockroaches are naturally attracted to areas located around water or food. They are most comfortable in warm, moist environments, and prefer cracks and crevices. These pests are most active at night, doing their best to find food, water, and mates.
Methods of Cockroach Control
German Cockroaches are one of the most prevelant cockroach species in North Carolina. They can be successfully controlled using a mutli-pronged method - one that includes Integrated Pest Management from both a professional service and the participation of the home or business owner themselves. IPM pest control plans are effective because they utilize existing information on a particular pest's lifespan, environmental interactions, and successful control methods, while also incorporating many safe and eco-friendly pest management approaches.
ChemPro treats for cockroaches by placing baits in the cracks and crevices where cockroaches live. In addition, remedies such as dusts, sprays, and traps might also be used for more severe infestations. While these methods are useful for eradicating adult cockroaches, liquid sprays are necessary for killing their eggs.
Flea Control
Fleas may be one of the most annoying and uncomfortable to live with of all common house pests. These parasites are not only a nuisance to humans and their pets, but may also contribute to skin irritation and problems like flea allergy dermatitis (FAD), and even lead to more severe health problems. Since they can feed off of blood from multiple hosts, they also harbor the potential to transmit disease.
Treating for fleas can be a tricky process, for several reasons. Since a large portion of a flea's life is not actually spent on the host, simply treating for fleas on the animal or human will not guarantee eradication. Thorough treatment of the entire living environment is also necessary.
Flea Control at All Stages of Development
Since an existing flea infestation is usually comprised of hundreds, thousands or perhaps millions of fleas at varying stages of development, a general rule of thumb is to assume that the population consists of 50% eggs, 35% larvae, 10% pupae, and 5% adults. This poses a challenge to conventional treatment options because most flea control compounds cannot penetrate into the eggs, leaving half of the infestation unscathed. Indoor treatments include the application of adulticide, to control the adult flea population, and an insect development inhibitor (IDI) or growth regulator (IGR) to prevent the development of larvae and pupae.
Integrated Pest Management for Flea Control
ChemPro also promotes an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach that involves working with the home or business owner to completely eradicate fleas at all stages of development. On the homeowner's part, thorough vacuuming and washing linens in hot water, both before and after treatment, are a necessary step in clearing the infestation. Another important factor would be taking the appropriate steps to control fleas on pets. Additional IPM methods include the use of dehumidifiers and air conditioning to interrupt the flea life cycle - since humidity plays an important part in flea survival. Low temperatures slow down or completely interrupt the cycle.
Flea Identification and Life Cycle
Fleas are very tiny (only 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch long), wingless insects that can jump about 7 inches high, and feed on living hosts, such as house pets and even humans. They are usually dark colored and difficult to see unless they are against a contrasting backdrop like skin or light colored fur. Since fleas can jump 200 times their own body length, they are considered one of the best jumpers in the animal (and insect) kingdom.
Fleas pass through a life cycle consisting of the following stages: Egg, Larva, Pupa, and Adult, which varies from 2 weeks to 8 months depending on physical and environmental factors. Female fleas lay about 45 to 50 eggs per day (up to 600 in a lifetime). Eggs are often laid on the hosts themselves (wild animals, pets, and sometimes even humans), and usually end up rolling off and hatching in the resting places (beds, couches, carpet, kennels, etc.) of their hosts.
Tick Control
A few species of ticks may be common around buildings. The brown dog tick is the most common species that infests inside homes. Ticks are usually carried into homes & yards on dogs. Ticks transmit diseases such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, & tularemia.
Black-legged tick responsible for most Lyme disease cases in Northeast/Midwest. Lone star tick & American dog tick also may transmit Lyme Disease. Removing a tick can be a tricky task. Be alert for signs of a rash or fever and if they develop you should consult your doctor.
There are several steps that need to be taken before treatment is performed:
1. Have your pet treated for fleas. It is important that you try not to let your freshly treated pet back into the areas in your home that are infested before you have a professional treat those areas otherwise you will most likely be making another trip to the vet. Any area that your pet spends time in at your home needs to be treated, especially their bedding area.
2. Vacuum all areas that your pest inhabits including carpet, floors, upholstered furniture, mattresses, etc. Each time you finish vacuuming you need to place the used bag in a sealed bag and dispose of it outside of the home. If it is possible to wash your pets bedding then do so otherwise dispose of it.
3. For all areas being treated by a pest control professional these areas need to be clear of any clutter or debris so that the treatment will be effective.
4. If you are having your yard sprayed, you need to mow the lawn and also make sure that any clutter and debris are removed from the yard.
Rodent Control Methods
ChemPro utilizes a combination of baits and traps for rodent control. We locate and place the treatments at entry points, areas of frequent activity, and nests. Traps are usually implemented for mice and squirrel control, and baits are more often used in controlling rat infestations. Integrated Pest Management solutions are available for those wishing to incorporate natural or low-toxicity pest control methods into their home or business pest prevention plan.
Mosquito - Mosquito Facts
The mosquito, from the Spanish and Portuguese word for little fly, belongs to the insect family Culicidae. This prevalent pest goes through four stages in their life-cycle: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Of these four phases, the first three take place within water, which can be a large still pond or a small sand bucket with standing rainwater. Mosquitoes feed on several sources, including human blood, with their heaviest feedings done at dusk and dawn. As vector agents, mosquitoes are capable of carrying diseases and parasites from person to person without contracting the disease themselves. Among the most serious of these diseases is Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus or EEE which infects horses and more rarely humans. As disease carriers, these insects are more than pests, threatening the well-being of families.
Next tab Turf Management
If you've ever experienced the scourge that is bed bugs, then you probably know just how difficult it is to get rid of these pests once they've made your North Carolina property their home. More common in larger cities, these blood-sucking parasites can be found nearly anywhere that they have easy access to animals or humans.
The trouble with bed bugs in North Carolina is that the treatment process often takes several visits to kill both the adults and eggs. At ChemPro our bed bug solution involves a combination of poison and high temperature steaming. After the initial application, we'll return in a few days to make sure there are no signs of new bed bugs.
For new property owners in North Carolina, we recommend a complete bed bug check before moving in. It's much easier for ChemPro to treat an existing bed bug issue while your property is empty and the pests have no way to feed. Our experienced and professional team will make sure you're bed bug-free and give you the peace of mind to sleep easy at night.
At the first sign of bed bugs, give ChemPro a call at 919-631-4119 and we'll stop the problem before it turns into a full-blown infestation.
Spider Treatment and Eradication for Homes & Businesses
Unfortunately, for the real world, spiders are not as pleasant. Spiders weave dust-collecting webs in all areas of the home, lay eggs containing up to 400 offspring, and hide in dark places where they can bite or startle people. Food and shelter are their main goals, as most living things.
We utilize quick and effective methods to solve your spider infestation.These methods may include using sprays and powders inside and outside the property to optimize the removal rate. Within days of placing these substances in crevaces, cracks, basements, and other locations you'll begin to see results. Our pest control experts know how to get rid of spiders. Schedule an Inspection today!
Common Spiders of NC
In North Carolina, we see our share of spiders; there are four types in particular that enjoy invading residential and commercial properties. The three most intimidating of these four spiders burrow outside under debris, rocks and wood piles, and hideout indoors in basements and garages. On the other hand, little common House Spiders are not as shy, weaving their webs in any corner of your home.
Common Household Spiders
What we recognize as a common household spider is not one particular spider, but several identifiable and unidentifiable spiders. These spiders are usually tan or light brown with dark markings on the underside of their globe-shaped abdomens. They usually measure in around 3/8 of an inch, and are generally not dangerous, but can be a nuisance and cause skin irritation when they bite.
Wolf Spiders
There are 125 species of the Wolf spider, and that's for the US alone. The native North Carolina Wolf arthropods (Hognacarolinensis) are the largest spiders in the state, measuring up to 1½ inches. They come in a variety of colors, including brown, black, gray, white, and sometimes yellow or green. These hairy Lycosidae family members are creepy spiders with three rows of eyes, totaling 8 eyes.
Black Widow Spiders
In America, there are three species of Black Widows. The southern black widow is known as Latrodectusmactans. There is one important difference between the shiny, large bellied female black widows and the smaller dull male widows: venom. Male widows are not poisonous, nor do they have the red hourglass shape on the underside of the abdomen. They are twice as small as the 8 to 13mm sized female, making distinction very simple. These venomous spiders are dangerous, particularly to the elderly and young children, and should be removed by a professional.
Brown Recluse Spiders
The most common Brown Recluse species found in North Carolina and the eastern part of the country, is the Loxoscelesreclusa. Their signature look is the violin-shaped mark on top of the neck (cephalothorax). The Brown Recluse, like the Wolf Spider, has three rows of eyes, but only totaling 6 peepers. These spiders are on average about ¼ to ½ inch in length.
Ants
Billions of Ants are looking for a place to call home
There's no denying the staggering success of Ants as a species.
Ants form colonies as big as 500,000 individual Ants. These feverish insects have a plan that's worked since the age of dinosaurs and they have populated the globe in quite remarkable numbers. There are literally hundreds of billions of Ants thriving on planet earth and some of those little critters would dearly love to move in on your home. Structural damage to your home and can potentially cost you thousands, so it's a no-brainer to want those gone immediately. Other Ants can bite. And then there's the general concern of uncleanliness in the home and the mess Ants leave behind with their droppings and when they die. You also have to worry about damage to your electrics, piping and flooring.
Common House Ants
• ACROBAT ANTS
The Crematogaster is known by several names, with one of the popular ones being the "Acrobat Ant."
They are also known as "Cocktail Ants," because they tend to raise their abdomens when they're alarmed.Acrobat Ants form scent trails as they enter your home and can make nests in pipes or inside walls, or even around electrical circuitry.They will feed on crumbs left around your house.
• CARPENTER ANTS
• The Carpenter Ant gets its name from how it builds nests - creating a network of tunnels in wood.They mainly live in dead or damaged wood that is rich with moisture. You can find these ants living within trees, attics, crawlspaces or wall voids. This can cause expensive damage to your home.Carpenter ants do not have stingers, but do have a painful bite.When Carpenter Ants find a food source in your home, you’ll see them in large numbers. See small piles of sawdust mixed with bits of insulation and dead insect’s parts? You've got an Ant issue.
• FIELD ANTS
Commonly called "Wood Ants," "Mound Ants," "Thatching Ants," and "Field Ants."They are usually yellow, red, black or a combination of red and black in color.These Ants make homes in the ground in lawns, gardens, fields and parks, usually near trees, rocks, sidewalks, fences or foundations of buildings.Although they do not sting, they will bite when disturbed. Some Field Ants can spray formic acid while they bite, so this can be painful.
• FIRE ANTS
Fire Ants typically stay outdoors, where their colonies produce large mounds in open areas, and feed mainly on young plants and seeds.They bite only to get a grip and then sting, injecting a toxic alkaloid venom called Solenopsin.Some people are allergic to the venom in Fire Ant bites and can contract a very bad reaction.
• GHOST ANTS
They are frequent home invaders, colonizing wall voids or spaces between cabinetry and baseboards. It will also nest in potted plants.Foraging for food sources, Ghost Ants can be seen also in kitchens and bathrooms on sinks, counters, and floors.It's said that when stepped on or crushed, they tend to emit an odor similar to that of rotten coconuts.
• HARVESTER ANTS
They tend to create large mounds, almost 50 inches across in some cases, and dead vegetation near the nest are visible signs of Harvester Ants. They are prolific foragers who will sniff out a food source and enter your home in their thousands if given the slightest invitation.Harvester Ants, when provoked, usually sting many times and in some cases are stung multiple times by a single Ant.
• MOISTURE ANTS
Known collectively as Moisture Ants, the Lasius species of Ant make their nests in and around moist, rotting wood as well as under rocks.
They are smaller than Carpenter Ants, but essentially have the same traits.
Moisture Ants may infest buildings, especially foundation in contact with soil, becoming a nuisance. Anywhere you have wood and moisture, you potentially have Moisture Ants.
• ODOROUS HOUSE ANTS
These ants can be found in a wide variety of places, including within houses and are considered the survivalist of Ant species due to their incredible robustness.The Odorous House Ant is known by several similar-sounding names due to their emitting a disgusting smell if crushed, often described as very similar to the pungent odor of a coconut, bleu cheese, or turpentine.
• PAVEMENT ANTS
That doesn't mean you won't find them in your home, however, as they have a reputation as warriors who like to invade new territories.Pavement Ants typically feed on honeydew, other insects, sweets, fruit, and greasy foods, but will feed on pet food as well, both indoors and outdoors.Their trails can be seen going to and from their food sources, most often at night and may even move through plumbing pipes and electrical wires.
• PHARAOH ANTS
The Monomoriumpharaonis, better known as the Pharaoh Ant, is notorious for being a major indoor nuisance of the home. Strangely they appear to have a particular tastes for hospitals also.They are well-known for their intricate foraging, involving complex trail routes maintained with several pheromones.Pharaoh Ants can be found in wall voids, under floors, in various types of furniture, bathrooms or near food.
Cockroaches
Roach Control for Home and Business
Did you know that cockroaches are the most successful species on Earth? Their amazing ability to adapt has made them the oldest and most common species on the planet. While this may be great news for the Cockroach family, it may not be so great for yours! ChemPro provides home and business owners peace of mind by using state-of-the-art pest control methods for eradicating these pesky and potentially health-threatening pests.
Identifying German Cockroaches
As one of the most common and prominent household cockroaches in the world, the German Cockroach can be found throughout many human settlements. They infest apartments, houses, restaurants, hotels, and other establishments because their eggs are so often carried in by shoes, boxes, or packages. Their knack for easy access has the potential to cause a huge pest problem over time.
Cockroach Developmental Stages
The German cockroach, like many insects, develops in the following stages: egg, nymph, and adult. Females produce a square-like capsule that contains up to 50 eggs, and hatches within six weeks. Typically, a female roach's lifespan varies from 20 to 30 weeks, but some can live up to one year. Now, imagine your house is infested with more than one female roach - those are not the kind of roommates that you want.
The young roaches, or nymphs, are smaller, darker brown, and do not have wings. The adults are 1/2 to 5/8 inches long, are tan to light brown in color, and have fully developed wings. Two dark parallel lines run from the back of the head to the wings.
Cockroach Habitat
German cockroaches are naturally attracted to areas located around water or food. They are most comfortable in warm, moist environments, and prefer cracks and crevices. These pests are most active at night, doing their best to find food, water, and mates.
Methods of Cockroach Control
German Cockroaches are one of the most prevelant cockroach species in North Carolina. They can be successfully controlled using a mutli-pronged method - one that includes Integrated Pest Management from both a professional service and the participation of the home or business owner themselves. IPM pest control plans are effective because they utilize existing information on a particular pest's lifespan, environmental interactions, and successful control methods, while also incorporating many safe and eco-friendly pest management approaches.
ChemPro treats for cockroaches by placing baits in the cracks and crevices where cockroaches live. In addition, remedies such as dusts, sprays, and traps might also be used for more severe infestations. While these methods are useful for eradicating adult cockroaches, liquid sprays are necessary for killing their eggs.
Flea Control
Fleas may be one of the most annoying and uncomfortable to live with of all common house pests. These parasites are not only a nuisance to humans and their pets, but may also contribute to skin irritation and problems like flea allergy dermatitis (FAD), and even lead to more severe health problems. Since they can feed off of blood from multiple hosts, they also harbor the potential to transmit disease.
Treating for fleas can be a tricky process, for several reasons. Since a large portion of a flea's life is not actually spent on the host, simply treating for fleas on the animal or human will not guarantee eradication. Thorough treatment of the entire living environment is also necessary.
Flea Control at All Stages of Development
Since an existing flea infestation is usually comprised of hundreds, thousands or perhaps millions of fleas at varying stages of development, a general rule of thumb is to assume that the population consists of 50% eggs, 35% larvae, 10% pupae, and 5% adults. This poses a challenge to conventional treatment options because most flea control compounds cannot penetrate into the eggs, leaving half of the infestation unscathed. Indoor treatments include the application of adulticide, to control the adult flea population, and an insect development inhibitor (IDI) or growth regulator (IGR) to prevent the development of larvae and pupae.
Integrated Pest Management for Flea Control
ChemPro also promotes an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach that involves working with the home or business owner to completely eradicate fleas at all stages of development. On the homeowner's part, thorough vacuuming and washing linens in hot water, both before and after treatment, are a necessary step in clearing the infestation. Another important factor would be taking the appropriate steps to control fleas on pets. Additional IPM methods include the use of dehumidifiers and air conditioning to interrupt the flea life cycle - since humidity plays an important part in flea survival. Low temperatures slow down or completely interrupt the cycle.
Flea Identification and Life Cycle
Fleas are very tiny (only 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch long), wingless insects that can jump about 7 inches high, and feed on living hosts, such as house pets and even humans. They are usually dark colored and difficult to see unless they are against a contrasting backdrop like skin or light colored fur. Since fleas can jump 200 times their own body length, they are considered one of the best jumpers in the animal (and insect) kingdom.
Fleas pass through a life cycle consisting of the following stages: Egg, Larva, Pupa, and Adult, which varies from 2 weeks to 8 months depending on physical and environmental factors. Female fleas lay about 45 to 50 eggs per day (up to 600 in a lifetime). Eggs are often laid on the hosts themselves (wild animals, pets, and sometimes even humans), and usually end up rolling off and hatching in the resting places (beds, couches, carpet, kennels, etc.) of their hosts.
Tick Control
A few species of ticks may be common around buildings. The brown dog tick is the most common species that infests inside homes. Ticks are usually carried into homes & yards on dogs. Ticks transmit diseases such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, & tularemia.
Black-legged tick responsible for most Lyme disease cases in Northeast/Midwest. Lone star tick & American dog tick also may transmit Lyme Disease. Removing a tick can be a tricky task. Be alert for signs of a rash or fever and if they develop you should consult your doctor.
There are several steps that need to be taken before treatment is performed:
1. Have your pet treated for fleas. It is important that you try not to let your freshly treated pet back into the areas in your home that are infested before you have a professional treat those areas otherwise you will most likely be making another trip to the vet. Any area that your pet spends time in at your home needs to be treated, especially their bedding area.
2. Vacuum all areas that your pest inhabits including carpet, floors, upholstered furniture, mattresses, etc. Each time you finish vacuuming you need to place the used bag in a sealed bag and dispose of it outside of the home. If it is possible to wash your pets bedding then do so otherwise dispose of it.
3. For all areas being treated by a pest control professional these areas need to be clear of any clutter or debris so that the treatment will be effective.
4. If you are having your yard sprayed, you need to mow the lawn and also make sure that any clutter and debris are removed from the yard.
Rodent Control Methods
ChemPro utilizes a combination of baits and traps for rodent control. We locate and place the treatments at entry points, areas of frequent activity, and nests. Traps are usually implemented for mice and squirrel control, and baits are more often used in controlling rat infestations. Integrated Pest Management solutions are available for those wishing to incorporate natural or low-toxicity pest control methods into their home or business pest prevention plan.
Mosquito - Mosquito Facts
The mosquito, from the Spanish and Portuguese word for little fly, belongs to the insect family Culicidae. This prevalent pest goes through four stages in their life-cycle: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Of these four phases, the first three take place within water, which can be a large still pond or a small sand bucket with standing rainwater. Mosquitoes feed on several sources, including human blood, with their heaviest feedings done at dusk and dawn. As vector agents, mosquitoes are capable of carrying diseases and parasites from person to person without contracting the disease themselves. Among the most serious of these diseases is Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus or EEE which infects horses and more rarely humans. As disease carriers, these insects are more than pests, threatening the well-being of families.
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