Right now, as we're heading into Spring, the number 1 pest we're seeing throught the Treasure Valley is the Odorous House Ant (OHA). 

Prior to Winter, this small black Ant may  have moved it’s nest into exterior walls of buildings. Their nests can be found around plumbing where hot water pipes emit warmth. Like most pests, winter also decreases the OHA's food sources, so whether they are being drawn inside for warmth, or managing its dwindling food sources, the Odorous House Ant will find its way into places like bath and kitchen walls.

Regrettably, OHA's are a difficult pest to eliminate. You'll probably need professional help. Non-specific insecticides don't work and store-bought products won't eliminate this pest. Many of our customers have called us after trying these products.

If you're finding these small Ants in your home or building this time of year, give us a call. We can quickly identify them and get you started 

Phil

Elm Seed Beetle

For the 3rd straight year the Elm Seed Beetles are invading the Treasure Valley again, and so far, this year is the biggest infestation yet. Our phones have been non-stop with calls about this annoying insect.

I would like to cover our experience with elm seed beetles and how we manage treatment for this pest.

We focus our treatment on the exterior of your building where the elm seed beetles congregate. This outside treatment initially lowers the number that will move indoors but it won’t completely eliminate them. I usually explain to our customers that we can exterminate 100% of the Elm Seed Beetles on your building today but a whole new batch can fly in tomorrow. When a new batch arrives, they will be affected by the residual insecticide that was applied, but the effect of treatment will take some time, usually several hours.

Looking at the exterior walls after an application, you may still see Elm Seed Beetles on your building.  This doesn’t mean the treatment isn’t working.  It just means the treatment is still under way.

After this treatment, there is usually an estimate of 70% reduction in the numbers of elm beetles both inside and outside.  Some infestations require a booster treatment in two to three weeks after the initial treatment. The necessity of this second application is dependent on the level of Elm Seed Beetles pressure coming from yours and your neighbors property.

I hope this information helps with any problem you may be having with Elm Seed Beetles. We would be happy to help you in any way, answering any further questions you may have or scheduling a treatment.   

A continued great summer!

Summer is approaching and you know what that means - the pests will be knocking on your door soon.

I’m not talking bugs here. I mean the summertime door-knocking Pest Control sales people. These pests are usually young College students looking to earn some money during the summer  months. They pull on your heart strings to help them out by switching from your current Pest Control company to theirs.

The problem is that these pests promise a lot of things their company can’t and won’t deliver on. When you realize this though, it’ too late, you’ve already committed to a 1 or 2 year contract.

Here at Custom Care Pest Services we never door knock residences. Your home is your escape from the world and we respect that. We don’t make promises we can’t deliver on and we never have contracts. We have to earn your business each time we’re out to your home.

So before you help out one of these young college students, consider the fact that you will committed to their Pest Control company long after they’re back at the dorms.

When people see a line of Ants on their counter tops or on their floor, their normal reaction is usually to spray the Ants then call a Pest Control Company. While this approach would be fine with other pests like Spiders and Earwigs, it actually make the process more difficult to control Ants. Most, if not all of the over-the-counter Insecticides that can be purchased at the local hardware store are from a class of insecticides called Pyrethrins. This type of spray will kill some of the Ants but:

1) It won't solve the problem. I won't kill the whole colony, just a small percentage of them.

2) In certain cases it will just move the Ants to another part of the building or even split the colony into 2  and now your problem is worse.

Please call a professional before spraying and save yourself an unneccessary headache.

Good luck and please call us if we can help with your Pest Issue!

Phil