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

Spring is here and our phones are ringing!  So far, the calls we've been receiving have been mostly for:

Bed Bugs

Birds

Box Elder Bugs

Carpenter Ants

Clover Mites

Odorous House Ants

Pavement Ants

Spiders and even Ticks

We're here to help you with your Pest Issues. We will do all we can to solve you pest problem in an efficient, quick and successful manner.

Please call or write if you need our service.

Thanks and here's to a long spring!

Phil

In my last post I mentioned a product we were experimenting with to eliminate Beg Bug infestations. Unfortunately, after monitoring this product for eight weeks, we have come to the conclusion that it doesn’t provide the successful control we were looking for.

Back to square one.

Up to this point - Custom Care Pest Services hasn’t jumped into the Bed Bug world as much as we would’ve liked. There have been many potential customers that have called our office looking to have their Bed Bug problem solved. We have in most cases referred them to other companies that were treating with Heat or other methods. The reason we haven’t fully entered into treating for Bed Bugs is:

When we take a payment from any customer, we want to make sure that when we’ve left their home or business, we are confident that we’ve completely taken care of their pest problem. Unfortunately, we have not had that confidence using any of the products that have been on the market up to this time for Bed Bugs. That has also included Heat Treatments. We have seen many failed heat fumigations from companies the render this service.

There is hope out there (we hope) though. We are currently experimenting with an organic product called Cimi-shield. If this product delivers like the manufacturer claims, and we see the same results as other Pest Control Companies that have shared their success stories through their reviews, we may very well have the solution we’ve been looking for.

If you have or believe you have an issue with Bed Bugs, we are actively seeking customers to try this product on. Please call our office at 208-362-9098 and ask for Phil. We’ll see if this product can deliver the success that we’re hoping for at your home.

  PIGEON CONTROL

Of all the bird problems to solve, pigeons are the most common pest.   Below is a short list of methods used to control pigeons:

Netting Installation (all Activity):

There is nothing more effective than physically blocking bird pests from gaining entry into an interior space or part of a building. Netting off specific areas accomplishes just that. After the installation is complete, pigeons are blocked from re-entry to nesting, roosting or loafing areas.

Electric Shock (all activity):

Where pigeons roost along building ledges, electric shock tracks are highly effective. The tracks are installed, then activated.  As the birds land, coming in contact with the track, they receive a mild shock, unharmful yet unpleasant enough to force them to find other roosting places.

Bird Spikes (light activity):

Bird Spikes can be installed along ledges.  The spikes are plastic and sit upright on a strip of material adhered to a surface.  The spikes block birds from finding a comfortable 

landing/roosting place, forcing them to another roosting place.

Repellent Gels (light activity):

Where the above bird control methods aren’t practical, repellant gels are an option. Repellant gels are tacky in texture so the birds are repelled by the feel of the material on their feet.  Some repellant gels contain capsaicin ( a pepper plant derivative) which causes a light burning sensation so the birds will naturally leave that area. 

All of these methods are safe and effective  without harm to the birds. They can be used for most bird pests, including pigeons.  

As our weather starts to cool down outside, the natural instinct of Mice will be to start finding a place to survive the cold of winter. Unfortunately for us, that will be, in a lot of cases, be our homes.

The following is some general helpful information to help prevent Mice problems in your home.

Sanitation

Good housekeeping and good sanitation practices such as proper storage and handling of food material, feed and garbage will aid in control by permitting easier detection and increased effectiveness of traps and baits.

Mice are very adaptive to living with people. They require very little space and only small amounts of food. Mice have been known to inhabit buildings even before construction has been completed, living off the crumbs and scraps of workers' lunches.

In offices, house mice may live behind cabinets or furniture and feed on scraps or crumbs from lunches or snacks, candies, or even sugar granules found on desktops.

In homes, mice may find ample food in kitchens, garbage cans, garages and even the pet dish.

Exclusion

Physical barriers can prevent mice from gaining entry to structures where food and shelter are available. To exclude mice, seal all holes and openings larger than 1/4 inch across. Rodent-proofing should be done with heavy materials that will resist rodent gnawing. These include concrete mortar, galvanized sheet metal, heavy gauge hardware cloth and Copper Mesh.

Rodent-proofing

Mouse damage can be reduced by removing or limiting access to nesting areas, food sources and, escape and nesting areas.

Eliminate weed and other vegetative cover as well as debris and litter in and around homes, buildings, crops, lawns and other cultivated areas. 

 August is here and that means Hobo Spider mating season is around the corner.!

Here are a few helpfull hints to help prevent these and other foraging Spiders from gaining entry into your building.

1st) Don't panic, not all large brown colored Spiders are Hobo Spiders. Grass and Wolf Spiders are also active right now.  

2nd) Keep the perimeter of your building free from trash, wood piles and overgrown weeds.

3rd) Have regular Pest Control treatments (Spider Barriers) applied to the exterior of your building.

4th) Check for open gaps at your exterior doors. Add Door sweeps or weather stripping to help keep insects out.

5th) Put out glue traps (espeially in your garage) to catch any spiders that do make their way into your home