Bed bugs are a big pest that many people have to deal with.  They are tiny little parasitic bugs that feed on blood.  They usually are found in homes, especially in or near beds.  Usually it is very hard to tell if you have bed bugs unless you get bitten; but if you think you do have them, you should take action immediately. In the meantime, this article will give you some hints on how to detect bed bugs, and how to treat bed bug bites.

What Do Bed Bugs Look Like?

Adult sized bed bugs can be colored from light brown to reddish brown, depending on how much they have fed, with a banded appearance.  They have flat, oval-shaped bodies with front wings and are usually about 4-5 millimeters long.

Do You Have Bed Bugs?

– Examine bites to diagnose them and pay attention to when you got them.

– Check your bed for any signs of them (spots of blood on the sheets/squashed bodies/etc). Look all over, including the seams and underneath the mattress.

– Call an exterminator.

How to Treat Bed Bug Bites

– Apply an over-the-counter anti-itch cream with hydrocortisone or cortisone steroid in it.

– Use calamine lotion to treat the rash.

– Apply a topical anesthetic to relieve pain or itching.

– Take oral allergy tablets.

– You can also take ibuprofen, advil, or tylenonl.

–  If your symptoms do not clear up you should seek professional help.

Additional Help

If you have more questions about your bed bug problem, it may be time to speak with a professional pest control technician.  The easiest, fastest way to get in contact with reliable local doctors is to use TalkLocal. Just tell us what issue you are having, and we will connect you with up to three pest control professionals in your area in just minutes.

One of the most annoying bugs is the mosquito. They cause massive amounts of itching and aggravation. However, there are some outdoor mosquito control methods that can help you keep your backyard an enjoyable place to stay.

1. Eliminate their breeding grounds

Removing mosquitoes’ breeding grounds is one of the most important steps to take in controlling mosquitoes in your backyard. Standing water is the perfect place for mosquitoes to breed. To stop them from breeding around the backyard, remove any rain gutters, old tires, buckets, plastic covers, toys, or any other container that contain standing water. Also change water in bird baths, dog bowls, fountains, and wading pools regularly.

2. Repellents

There are a lot of products out there designed to repel mosquitoes. Citronella are one of most the widely used insect repellents for mosquitoes. Citronella is EPA certified and alternative to DEET. When coated on the skin, the mosquitoes do not detect the carbon dioxide and lactic acid smell they associate with humans. Without detection, they don’t land and bite. There are citronella torches and candles. These are most effective when the person is close to the burning aroma. These products usually repel mosquitoes for around 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the strength of the product. Lemon eucalyptus oil and garlic are some natural repellents for mosquitoes which causes the skin to become undesirable to mosquitoes.

3. Eating

Garlic, rosemary, apple cider, vinegar, and vitamin B-1 can be eaten in your meals to repel mosquitoes. When ingested, these go into your system and make them undesirable to mosquitoes. For example, garlic helps you repel female mosquitoes by giving off a smell from your skin that indicates danger to female mosquitoes.  Eating these types of minerals or food will not be effective on their own. Use the eating method along with the other methods listed above.

Additional Help

For your protection wear long sleeves and pants. Also there netting in which can make an outdoor area, mosquito. For professional pest control use TalkLocal. TalkLocal can connect you with up to three pest control professionals who will be available to help you when you need them.

There is a belief that cockroaches can survive anything, even nuclear warfare. So don’t fret if those pesky bugs won’t seem to go away.  Sometimes a natural approach is the best way to get rid of these stubborn pests. Try these home remedies for killing roaches.

Mix Sugar and Baking Soda

This method is cheap, simple, and cost effective. Stir together ½ cup of sugar and ½ cup baking soda. Place dabs of the mixture in strategic spots like behind or beneath appliances, in closets, or near wastebaskets. Roaches are attracted to the sugar, and ingest the mixture. The baking soda gives them gas and ultimately kills them. This mixture can make pets sick, so make sure to place the mixture in places they can’t reach. Pill bottles wedged horizontally into tight spots and plates underneath furniture work well to keep things tidy.

Boric Acid

Boric acid is a chemical compound that is very effective in removing roaches. Treat areas under cabinets, behind appliances, and anywhere else where roaches walk. The boric acid will kill the insect through ingestion or contact with their exoskeleton. You can purchase the compound at most home goods stores. Be sure that the boric acid is hidden out of reach of children and pets.

Roach Ball Recipe

This recipe takes the boric acid solution to the next level.

Mix:

1 cup borax

¼ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup chopped onion

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon water

Mix the ingredients into a paste and roll the paste into little balls. Place two or three balls into a sandwich –size plastic bag and leave the bag open. Then place the bag anywhere you have a roach problem. The roaches will eat the balls and carry them away. They will die out of sight, other roaches will eat the carcass, ingest the poison, and so on. This recipe makes about 50 balls for 10 applications. Make sure to hide the bags carefully so that they are out of reach of children and pets.

Get a Gecko

This idea may seem a little wacky, but it has proven to work. Purchase a gecko at a local pet store and let it loose in the house. Geckos naturally eat roaches and will get rid of the problem pretty quickly. Once the roach population dwindles, the gecko will start to hang out in the open. When the roaches are gone, keep your new pet in an appropriate tank and feed them crickets daily.

If you need professional help, TalkLocal will connect you to up to three reliable pest control professionals in you area  in minutes!

Do you have a mouse problem? In one way or another, those annoying critters have to go – not only do they pose a health threat because they leave their droppings everywhere, but they also chew away at your furniture/house installments, devaluing your house and further putting you in danger.

The Bait Mechanics

The most effective mouse traps use some form of bait. The main point of the bait is for the mouse to take (eat) the bait, thereby triggering the trap – all of which ends in a trapped, and possibly dead, mouse to be disposed of.

The problem that many homeowners face is that it’s often hard attracting the mouse to a particular bait – a block of cheese placed on the trap isn’t any more appealing than a slice of pizza laid on the counter/in the garbage can.

Another problem is that the type of bait placed on the trap isn’t bulky enough for the trap to be triggered while the mouse happily eats away – mice will gently lick away at the bait without moving the bait enough for the trap to trigger.

If the mouse isn’t taking the bait (the type of food is not attractive enough), try some of the baits that have been known to get good results: peanut butter, bacon, meat, etc. You should get rid of the other options for food for the mice (laid out pizza, pies, etc) so that they have no real alternatives for food source besides your bait.

If the tackled bait isn’t triggering the trap, the problem is that the bait is often too fluid (runny, soft, etc) so that it does not make an impact large enough for the trigger to work.

Try a bulky, heavy bait that is attractive to the mice – get a chunky peanut butter instead of the “smooth spread” brands. Try adding bits of bacon to the peanut butter to make it chunkier. The mouse might still try licking off the peanut butter, but the trap will trigger when it licks the bacon as well while licking the peanut butter.

Additional Help

If you feel like you need professional help on catching these annoying critters or any advice on the best bait to use for mouse traps, TalkLocal can connect you with up to three local professionals in just minutes! Use TalkLocal and let us do the searching for you.

House centipedes have a monstrous appearance that is in stark contrast to their harmless nature. They rarely ever bite humans, and if they do, it does not hurt very much. In fact, they feed on the other bugs inside your home, which makes them desired by some homeowners. This also means that if you absolutely loath the creatures, you’ll need to get rid of all the other bugs before you can get rid of centipedes in your house. The other requirement for centipedes is a damp home, as they lose moisture through their exoskeleton. Decreasing the humidity of your home, especially in dark and damp areas like your basement, is a necessity. Centipedes will be especially prevalent in your house during the winter, when it’s cold outside and warm inside your home.

The catch-all solution to prevent most bugs from entering your home is to seal up all the cracks inside and outside your home. Use caulk and sealing tape to plug up cracks in window and door frames. Make sure that the mesh screens on your windows and doors do not have holes and are securely attached the frame. Remove any piles of leaves, branches, or logs outside your home. These places create the perfect breeding ground for all sorts of insects, including centipedes. Try to kill any known infestations of other pests within your home first, and possibly consider hiring a professional exterminator to have a look at your house. Run a dehumidifier in your basement and other damp areas of your home to discourage centipedes from staying. If you have any windows in your basement, fit them with window wells to prevent water from getting in.

If worst comes to worst, you’ll need a professional exterminator to get rid of all the other pests in your home in order to finally drive the centipede hordes away. However, you won’t have to spend any extra time or money to find one if you just use TalkLocal!

Cockroaches are incredibly resilient creatures, being able to survive for months without water or food. Fortunately, there are many safe ways to kill cockroaches that are nontoxic for your home, which is perfect for households with kids or pets. However, if you see roaches on a regular basis, then you’ll still want to hire a professional, as this may be the only way to actually rid your home of roaches.

Live Traps

There are many live traps that can either be purchased or made using a steep bowl or container. All you’ll need to do is put petroleum jelly on the sides of the bowl so the cockroach cannot get out afterward. Place some cockroach bait on the bottom of the bowl and create a paper ramp so that the cockroaches can get into the bowl but not out. You can then flush the cockroaches down the toilet to safely get rid of them.

Boric Acid

Boric acid is an insecticide that’s much less toxic than a lot of other insecticides. Simply mix together one part boric acid, one part flour, and one part granulated sugar. The sugar attracts the roaches while the flour sticks the mixture to them and the boric acid damages the cockroach’s shell so that they die of dehydration. Be very careful where you put this, as kids and pets may choose to eat it so place it only where bugs can get it.

Cockroach Bait Station

Many stores will also sell cockroach bait that’s placed within a child and pet-proof container. The roaches should eat the poison and bring back the food to the nest, where it should kill the infestation. Other traps may contain an adhesive to trap the cockroaches.

These three methods are usually the best child and pet-proof solutions for getting rid of cockroaches. Once again, if you’re consistently seeing cockroaches, you’ll definitely want to call a pest expert to clear the infestation. You can always use TalkLocal to find a high quality pest control expert in your area to take care of your cockroach problem in just minutes!

Hornets are one of the scariest pests to get rid of by yourself, but it is definitely possible to eliminate your hornet infestation if you’re careful about it. Protective clothing and a clear backup plan are two of the most important factors in a successful wasp removal strategy. After getting rid of the nest, you’ll need to take preventive measures against future hornet and wasp infestations. Below is a detailed guide for how to get rid of hornet nests.

Removing the nest

1. Locate the nest; it is usually in a dry place protected from the elements, such as under your porch, in the eaves of your roof, in the attic, or along a doorway.

2. Get a special wasp insecticide from your home improvement store. All the wasp insecticides are essentially the same, so get at least two of the cheapest aerosol cans.

3. Don protective gear that covers every inch of your body. Tuck pants into socks and long sleeves into gloves. Wear a large brim hat covered by a nylon stocking that tucks into your collar. If you have a respirator, wear that too. Insecticide might not kill humans, but it’s definitely not good for you. If you do not have a respirator, wear something that covers your mouth and nose and make sure the area is well ventilated.

4. Plan out an escape route for after you spray the wasp nest. Make sure to retreat quickly after furiously spraying the nest, as any wasps that you might have missed will go after you. Breathing in the wasp insecticide is pretty harmful for your body as well, so you should exit the area fast.

5. Attack the wasp nest at night to catch all the wasps in the nest asleep, but you may have difficulties escaping the area if you can’t see your surroundings properly. If this is the case, attacking at dusk or dawn is also a viable option, but more hornets tend to be awake.

6. Attack the nest from far away, as most of these wasp and hornet killers have a spraying range up to 15 feet. After a while, start moving closer to the nest to spray.

7. Leave the nest alone for a while, as any wasps that return to the nest will also die on contact. Do not go near the area for a few days.

8. Remove the nest entirely by sticking it in a plastic bag and throwing it away.

People who are allergic to hornet and wasp venom should not attempt to do this by themselves, and should instead hire a professional pest control service to take care of their problem. The best solution is to use TalkLocal for free to find a pest control service that tackles wasps.

Termites are voracious wood eaters and often times can lead to extensive structural damage, so the earlier you catch them, the better. Fortunately, you can look for signs that you have termites and address the situation by getting help right away.

Seeing Termites in the Home

Since termites need moisture and damp areas to live, you should first look for any damp, moist areas near wood in your house such as leaky faucets or air conditioners, as they will be the most attractive to termites. If you find anything, make sure that they’re actually termites rather than ants. You can tell termites apart from ants by look at the body; termites have a broad midsection and curved antennae, while ants have thin midsections and right-angled antennae. You may also find them on the window sill or actually in flight around the house after a rainstorm.

Shelter Tubes

You should also look for cracks in the foundation of your home. Termites need moist and dark areas to live so they will build   pencil-thick shelter tubes out of mud to find new sources of wood and moisture. To check whether the tubes are currently active and used, you can snap one off and see whether or not it gets rebuilt.  

Wood Damage

This is the most conclusive sign of termites, even though it may be more difficult to find. Look for any weakened or cracked wood and break off a piece. Termites will have dug little holes all throughout the wood and may have tracked in dirt as well.  Make sure not to confuse it with dry rot (where you’ll see fungus inside the wood) or water damage (where you will see dirt).  

If you think you’ve found termites in your home, don’t panic. Termites are actually very slow at eating through wood, so you’re home won’t become unsafe anytime soon. However, you will need to call in a professional since actually getting rid of an infestation isn’t easy task. TalkLocal can help you by finding you a local high quality pest control expert to talk with in just minutes, so that you’ll be clearing up that termite problem in no time!

You love taking care of your garden, but you are expecting a baby. So you are wondering, are pesticides harmful to pregnant women?  Pesticides and other household chemicals can be toxic to everyone, but pregnant women are even more at risk.  There are pesticides harmful to pregnant women and their babies in many homes across the country.  If the proper precautions are not taken, particularly during the first trimester when the baby’s neural system is developing, overexposure to pesticides can increase the risk of certain birth defects and learning problems.  Read on for some basic rules of thumb for keeping your child safe from pesticides during pregnancy.

Before you start emptying out your garage and kitchen of every single chemical product, keep in mind that the greatest risk from pesticides is from being in contact with a large amount on a regular basis.  When birth problems from pesticides are observed it is almost always a situation in which the mother either worked on or lived very close to a big agricultural farm where large amounts of pesticides were being applied.  If you are in an area like that, or work at a job where you are regularly exposed to such chemicals, it is highly recommended that you remove yourself to a different location for at least the first trimester of pregnancy when the baby is most vulnerable.  Otherwise, pesticides in the home are still dangerous but unlikely to cause serious harm.  To be safe, pregnant women should avoid contact with pesticides whenever possible, having someone else apply them when they need to be used and avoiding the areas where they are applied.

Another potential cause for concern is pesticides that are commonly found in produce at the grocery store.  Produce should always be washed before eating it, but some poisons can penetrate the food and cannot be washed off.  There has not been a great deal of study on the effects of pesticides found in food on pregnant women, but it cannot hurt to try to avoid them.  Many doctors suggest purchasing organic produce as much as possible during pregnancy in order to avoid exposure through food.  This is not strictly necessary, but not a bad idea if you are worried about pesticide exposure.  In order to avoid this potential problem all together, hire a professional to take care of all your pest control needs during your pregnancy.  With TalkLocal, you will be connected to up to three highly qualified exterminators in your area within minutes.