People have been reporting more and more ladybug infestations in their homes — something that has occurred rarely before. This is because the ladybugs that are infesting your home are actually Asian lady beetles that were introduced to the United States in the late 1980s to control aphid populations. However, they have become pests themselves as they reside in homes in the wintertime to hibernate. Homeowners have reported ceilings and attics being covered in these ladybugs, especially in the colder seasons. It’s very hard to keep them out of your house, as they have the ability to squeeze under cracks and find holes that you never knew existed. Pesticides are an option, but many have the possibility of harming your children, pets, or the environment. These are some tips if you are looking for a natural way to get rid of ladybugs.

– Tape up as much of the cracks in your home as possible. It’s hard to cover them all, but hopefully this will reduce the influx of ladybugs to manageable levels.

– Vacuum the ladybugs up with the tube attachment, and release them outside. Vacuuming will most likely not kill the ladybugs, but don’t keep them inside the bag because they will find a way out!

– Use lemon scented candles at the entrances and the windows of your house, as ladybugs dislike the smell of lemons.

– Hot Shot Kitchen Bug Killer is safe to use in areas with food, and it doesn’t harm children, pet, or the environment either. You may even get rid of a few other kinds of bugs!

– Since many ladybugs only want to use your home as a hibernation area for the winter, they won’t move around too much or wreak havoc. You can even stick them in a box and put them in your freezer to hibernate, and release them next spring in your garden.

Asian lady beetles can be extremely annoying when they cluster in your house, and some have even been known to bite people when they feel threatened. Find a professional pest control service that will get rid of your ladybug problems with TalkLocal at no additional charge.

Pantry moths are one of the most bothersome pests to have to deal with; they ruin your food and lay eggs everywhere. Pantry moths can be identified by their whitish-grey color and are generally no larger than an inch or two. The moment you see a pantry moth, immediately address the problem unless you want to see your pantry crawling with moths. Once you find one, there are sure to be many others nearby, either hidden or visible. In a nutshell, you must first kill the existing infestation of moths and then take steps to prevent them from ever returning. Read on to learn exactly how to get rid of pantry moths.

Pantry moths live for one reason – to create more moths. Though these moths only have a two-week life span after reaching adulthood, the females are capable of laying up to 400 eggs at a time. Pantry moths leave behind cocoon webbing and worm-like larvae, typically within dry food products. Although they prefer dried food, they also tend to infest flours, grains, candy, and similar foods. Look for any open containers or cereal boxes and clean these out. Even if you don’t see anything that may indicate pantry moths have been there, it’s a good idea to clean out containers and throw out old open boxes. If you are throwing anything out, make sure you keep this trash separate from your other trash, and leave it outside when you finish.

If the degree of infestation is worse or if you just want to be thorough, it may be a good idea to clean every crevice and every corner with soapy water. Even door hinges and the sides of a door can harbor moth larvae, so overlook any area if you want to be complete. Dry the cleaned areas thoroughly, and then vacuum these areas. These are breeding grounds for pantry moths that love to snack on dry foods and grains. Next, wipe shelves, food containers, and other surfaces with white vinegar. For added protection, you can also repel pantry moths using other herbs such as peppermint, coriander, bay leaves, and black pepper.

By following these steps, you will have a moth-free pantry in no time. Furthermore, to prevent future infestation, you will want to store all your foods in airtight containers. You can also try freezing your food to kill off moths and larvae.

If you followed all these instructions and still find yourself with a moth infestation, you may want to find professional help. If you need help finding a specialist, consider using TalkLocal to find a quality pest control specialist for you. TalkLocal is a free service that will connect you with pest control companies in your neighborhood within minutes. Just enter in your specific problem, location and availability into the online form and up to three companies will call YOU directly, saving you the time and stress of finding one yourself.

There are thousands of species of insects and pests that can invade your home garden and harm your plants. Some are more beneficial than you may think, but there are certainly some you want to keep out of the garden. Here are some home garden pest control tips you might want to use.

– Put up barriers or nets above and around your garden to keep out many types of pests and insects. You will need to set up the barriers so it is tight enough to keep the bugs out, but also loose enough so that water and sunlight can still enter.

– Hang up a bird nest around your garden to improve aesthetic and acoustic appearances, as well as act as a sort of “scarecrow” for insects. Feel good that you are providing a home for the birds while combatting annoying pests.

– Use a pest control spray. If you want to remain as eco-friendly as possible, be sure to look for those sprays that are naturally formulated. They are easy to find at your local home and garden retailers.

– Grow “practical” plants. There are certain types of plants that actually act as pest control agents themselves. Some examples are spearmint, hemp, and marigold plants.

If your pest problem seems too large or invasive to control on your own, it may be helpful to contact a local pest control professional. Try using TalkLocal to find one near you. TalkLocal is a FREE service that will connect you with top-quality, reliable experts in your neighborhood, within minutes. Just enter in your specific problem, location, and availability and TalkLocal will contact multiple pest control companies who will then call YOU directly, ready to help. Save time and stress from trying to find the right professional on your own and let TalkLocal do it for you!

If you’re worried about how to get rid of bugs in vegetable gardens, stop!  As long as you take the right precautions and practice proper upkeep, you can protect your beautiful garden.  The following is a list of common plants along with their insect and bug mates.

Important information:

Not all bugs are bad! Be careful not to overkill or kill the beneficial bugs in your vegetable garden.  Having a few bugs is not an issue, but if you see your garden start to be eaten or wilt, then you need to take the necessary steps to protecting your vegetable garden.  The following is a list of common cures and preventives. In addition, check out this article on getting rid of bugs.

Aphids

Aphids feed on a wide spectrum of plants.  They are best eliminated by either spraying them with the hose or using soapy water.  Once you are able to get them off the plants, they have a very difficult time crawling back up.

Japanese Beetles

Japanese beetles feed on a large variety of bugs as well – up to 300 different types of plants.  These creatures mainly focus on roses and they are easily removed with your hand.  Beetles can be eliminated by placing them in a bucket of soapy water.  The same form of elimination holds true for beetles harming asparagus and cucumber.

Worms

While worms can be beneficial, they tend to do more harm than good for your cabbage.  Using neem oil is a great solution to clearing these pests out of your vegetable garden.

To learn more and obtain a comprehensive list of common pests in vegetable gardens, read this article on common pests.

If you are stumped on what to do or just do not have the time nor energy to deal with vegetable gardens bugs, hiring a professional might be your best bet.  You can enjoy a beautiful garden with the peace of mind that there are no little creatures benefiting off of your hard work.  Use TalkLocal  to connect you directly to a professional for free.  Within minutes, you will be on the phone with up to three highly rated pest control professionals in your area.

Bed bugs are parasitic bugs that feed on human flesh.  They are usually found inside beds and couches.  Bed bugs can be extremely annoying, but don’t stress, there is a way to get rid of them.  One of the best ways to get rid of infestation is an integrated pest management (IPM) approach.  Read on for more information on how to remove bed bugs from your house.

Extermination

Buy and apply bed bug spray to all infested areas.  Be sure to check in box springs, bed frames, mattresses, sheets and comforters for any infestations.  Make sure to remove furniture from the room during extermination.  For a double dose of extermination, use a steamer around the infected areas.  You can also apply grinded silica gel around the bedroom.  Bed bugs cannot get through silica gel and will dehydrate and die.

Sanitation

After the extermination process, make sure you wash and dry all clothes and bed sheets at a high temperature.  It needs to be at least 120 Fahrenheit to be effective in killing any eggs or bedbugs on the affected items.  The items can be bathed in sunlight by wrapping them in plastic and leaving them out for a few days.  The items can also be frozen for several weeks to remove bed bugs.  Then, vacuum all eggs and bed bugs in areas that were not treated by the spray or steamer.  Last, make sure to check your furniture for any remnants.  If there are still bed bug eggs in the furniture, it should be retreated.

Prevention

1. Do not buy secondhand furniture without checking it first.

2. Examine beds when traveling and be sure to stay in clean places.

Be sure not to:

– Set off a bug bomb. This is one of the worst things you can do in this situation.

– Move to another bed or couch. You want to keep the bugs isolated and you may carry them over to the new bed or couch if you move.

– Use chemicals you haven’t used before. Improper use of chemicals will make things worse.

If you are in need of a pest control professional, use TalkLocal.  Simply enter a brief description of your service needs along with your location and availability, and TalkLocal will do the rest.  Within minutes, you will be connected to multiple high quality exterminators in your area.

You never want to open up a trash can to be surprised by hundreds of crawling, disgusting maggots infesting the area. Not only does trash usually smell bad, but it can also be a daunting task to clean up when you find these fly larvae lurking in your cans.  Here is how to get rid of maggots in trash can if it ever happens to you.

If you discover maggots inside your home, you need to empty out all trash immediately to prevent further infestation. Once you empty out the inside trash cans, you should thoroughly clean and disinfect the receptacles. You can do this by washing out the cans with boiling water and soap/disinfectant to kill off any remaining larvae eggs. Then, use a mixture of one part vinegar and two parts water to eliminate any odors that attract these insects. Be sure to dry the can out completely and always use a trash can liner to dispose of trash. You may also want to take precautions by disposing of any food waste in smaller plastic bags before throwing in the bigger receptacles to prevent the attracting of flies and other insects while your trash can is filling up.

If you find the maggots in your outside trash cans, you may have to wait until trash day for them to be emptied. After the trash is picked up, complete the same steps as above to clean and disinfect the cans. To get rid of maggots in the trash can and simultaneously prevent future presence, it is very important to fully clean and completely dry out the bins. For your outside cans, let them dry in the sun before re-lining them with trash bags. Maggots thrive in moist conditions, so this step is very important. Again, always use trash bags and, when disposing of food rations, be sure to seal them in smaller bags rather than disposing of them directly into the containers.

If you experience recurring infestations of maggots and/or other insects surrounding your trash, you might want to contact a pest control specialist to help eliminate the problem. Try using TalkLocal to locate one near you. TalkLocal is a free service that will connect you with top-quality, reputable professionals in your neighborhood, within minutes. Simply enter in your problem, location and availability and TalkLocal will contact multiple pest control companies, who will then call YOU directly, ready to help.

Volatile traps (the kind of trap that slams down on the mouse, effectively killing the mouse upon impact) are difficult and dangerous to build. However it is very easy to build humane traps that will simply trap the mouse without killing it; you can even use everyday household objects. Use the following steps to learn how to build a mousetrap.

Materials needed:

A big basket with smooth insides so that the mouse can’t climb back out, duct tape, scissors, 2L soda bottle, peanut butter, some leftover cardboard.

1. Cut the bottom end of the soda bottle – about 5 centimeters in. You should have a big hole.

2. Dab some peanut butter (or any other sticky bait) to the edge of the cut bottle.

3. Then position and hold the bottle so that the narrow neck of the bottle is perched on the edge of the smooth basket with the cut inside of the bottle positioned over the basket. Find some leverage (cardboard structure, etc) that will hold the bottle in the place.

4. Apply the duct tape between the bottle and the edge of the basket at the outer side to function as a hinge system – the idea is that the weight of the mouse will collapse the bottle’s hinge as the mouse follows the end of the bottle to get to the peanut butter, making the mouse fall and trapped in the basket.

You may want to even add some counterweights to the neck of the bottle so that the trap will be more balanced – but be careful. Too heavy of a counterweight will result in mouse just getting away with the bait. Too light of a counterweight will result in a broken trap.

The placement of the trap is important as well. Try to put it in around area that you know the mice are active while the people around the area are inactive at certain times. Be patient and try new baits and spots as you hunt. You will want to test whether the trap works by gently placing your finger on the bottle near the bait to see if it falls.

Additional Help

If you feel like you need professional help on catching these annoying critters and advice on the best bait to use for mouse traps, TalkLocal can help with finding the correct local experts in this case, saving you time and energy in what may be a stressful situation.

Pesky fruit flies are most active during the summer and early fall. Attracted to the sweet smell of ripe or rotting fruit, fruit flies are often seen flying around fruit bowls or grocery store produce sections. Characterized by bright red eyes with a light yellow to tan body color, fruit flies are common summertime pests. To rid your home of this annoying pest, consider using some of the following home remedies for fruit flies indoor.

Rubbing Alcohol

Fill a fine-misting spray bottle with rubbing alcohol. When you spray them with the mist, the flies will be killed instantly and fall to the floor. Just sweep them up and the flies are gone for good. Parents tend to favor this method because it is a safe alternative to pesticides.

Apple Cider

Make a simple fruit fly trap by filling a jar halfway with apple cider. Punch a few holes into the lid, screw it on, and place it anywhere around your house. The fruit flies will be able to enter the jar but won’t be able to escape.

Basil

Deter fruit flies by placing a bowl of basil on a windowsill or table where the flies congregate.

Fly Strips

These sticky strips work well to eliminate large fly populations. Hang them around your house where the flies frequent.

Clean Your Kitchen

Fruit flies are attracted to mold and moisture. They will sense even the slightest sign of old fruit pieces, so it is vital to keep your kitchen clean.

Remove Overripe Fruit

Fruit flies love the smell of overripe or rotting fruit. Make sure to periodically inspect fruit that is kept out in the open and remove fruit that easily attracts flies.

Open Your Window

Flies dislike the cold and wind, so keep a window open to let the air circulate freely.

If you can’t rid your house of fruit flies, it may be time to call pest control. TalkLocal can find you a local pest control service in minutes!

A gnat refers to any type of small flying insect.  They come in both biting and non-biting forms, and are usually found in big groups and seem to only fly around your face.  They aren’t the smartest creatures, but they are quite annoying.  Gnats do not serve any useful purpose, so getting rid of them is an important task. How can you get rid of gnats? Try following these simple steps.

How To

One option to get rid of these pests is to use vinegar.  Gnats and fruit flies are attracted to the smell of this bitter liquid, so by setting up a vinegar trap, you should be able to kill off most of the bugs.  To set a successful trap, you should put out a bowl or cup filled ¾ with vinegar and cover it with plastic wrap.  You then need to poke small holes into the plastic.  This ensures that the gnats will go into the bowl, but will not be able to get out and will then die.  Leaving an unwrapped bowl out will do nothing but attract more gnats and encourage them to lay more eggs.

You could also use store bought chemical sprays to fix your bug infestation.  Companies like Raid, Bayer, and Spectrum have fantastic products that will reduce the number of bugs in your house.  If you are looking to be safer in relation to health and house care, you should look for something organic or green.

In order to get rid of gnats, fruit flies and other pests you need to keep your home free of things that attract them.  They love fruit, vegetables, trash and water. Place your fruits and vegetables in closed sealed bins in your refrigerators so bugs cannot get in.  You should also frequently take your trash out and use a trash can with a lid. When you water your plants,make sure they are damp, but not wet, because gnats thrive with a continuous supply of H2O.

Continuing Infestations

If you cannot seem to get rid of these bugs, you should probably seek professional help.  Use TalkLocal to be put in contact with reliable local exterminators within minutes.  Simply give us a brief description of the problem along with your availability and TalkLocal will do the rest.  You will be connected to multiple pest control professionals who are willing to help.

Created by: http://www.propacificbee.com/

Africanized Killer Bees (AHB) are indistinguishable in appearance from their cousins, European honeybees. However, these two types of bees differ in behavioral characteristics. AHBs are much more aggressive during attacks and will pursue victims in a larger group for further distances.

Texas was the first U.S. state to confirm the presence of Africanized bee colonies. Since then, AHBs have spread north to 10 states. Geographical barriers and climates have limited these bees from migrating to northern U.S. but Africanized colonies are still being confirmed in new territories each year.

Africanized bees are a hybrid mix of African & European bees that developed after a group of African Bees were accidentally released from an apiary in Brazil. Although, killer bees are feared by most, it is the preferred type of bee for beekeepers in Central America and tropical areas in South America because of their enhanced productivity.

It is recommended to treat all bees as Africanized to prevent encountering an aggressive hive and have a professional remove any unwanted hives from properties.

Take a look at the infographic above that illustrates the migration and behavior of Africanized “killer” bees.  If you are in need of a pest control company, try TalkLocal and get connected to a top professional in your area who can help you get rid of these pests.

Posted in Pest Control | 1 Comment »