Ants establish colonies and they send out scouts to find resources (food and water). The scouts leave a scent trail enabling them to return to the colony with news of found resources. Other members of the colony will follow the scent trails to collect resources and bring them back to the colony. Colonies will also establish sub colonies near resources or they will send out queens to establish new independent colonies.

When you see scouts, kill them and wipe down the area. This important step will prevent major scent trails from being formed and will prevent the scout from reporting back to the colony about any found food. Once a trail has already been established, start from the food source and wipe backwards to the trail entrance. Use a sponge with soapy water. Plain water will not completely eliminate the trail. If you cannot get the trail all the way to the entrance to your home, block the trail at the point you can get to. They will seek a way around, but if you act quickly and are persistent, the ants will likely give up after anywhere from a day to a week.

Bees and wasps are most active in the Spring and Summer as they take on their part in the pollination process. They are for sure not everyone’s favorite pest, but they are very beneficial to the Earth.  Without them, us humans would have very little to eat! Obviously, nobody wants bees and wasps nesting on or in their home, so if you’re having an issue with bees or wasps, please give us a call and we’d be happy to have a technician come out and see what we can do for you! Below are some common bees and wasps, but there are many, many different species in Virginia.

Mice are much smaller than rats, but they can still do a lot of damage. They destroy food, books, furniture and even appliances with their gnawing, urine and droppings. Worse, mice in the home have been linked to a number of human diseases, including asthma. Because of their small size, they can fit through crevices as small as 1/4 inch wide, making them hard to control.

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HELPFUL HINTS

Don't let mice get in! Seal all openings - like cracks and spaces around vents, wires and pipes - with sheet metal, concrete or a product like "Stuf-fit" which is a knitted copper wire mesh. Screen necessary openings, like fans and chimneys with ¼ inch wire mesh. Doors and windows should be screened with tight fitting metal screens. Seal or cover all openings, since mice can jump 12 inches high, run up the sides of buildings and cross cables and wires.

Cockroaches adapt readily to a variety of environments, but prefer warm conditions found within buildings. Cockroaches leave chemical trails in their feces as well as emitting airborne pheromones for swarming and mating. Other cockroaches will follow these trails to discover sources of food and water, and also discover where other cockroaches are hiding. Cockroaches are among the hardiest insects on the planet. Some species are capable of remaining active for a month without food and are able to survive on limited resources like the glue from the back of postage stamps.

Cockroaches are one of the most commonly noted household pest insects. They feed on human and pet food, and can leave an offensive odor. They can also passively transport microbes on their body surfaces including those that are potentially dangerous to humans, particularly in environments such as hospitals. Cockroaches have been shown to be linked with allergic reactions in humans.

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HELPFUL HINTS

General preventive measures against household pests include keeping all food stored away in sealed containers, using garbage cans with tight lids, frequent cleaning in the kitchen, and regular vacuuming. Any water leaks, such as dripping taps, should also be repaired. It is also helpful to seal off any entry points, such as holes around baseboards, in between kitchen cabinets, pipes, doors, and windows with some steel wool or copper mesh and some cement, putty or silicone caulk.

Spiders are eight legged pests that build webs in and around our homes.  They are most likely to be found in garages or sheds and outside near light fixtures that help attract their prey.   They use their webs as a place to live and as a way to catch their food.  Flying insects such as flies, mosquitos, and moths get caught in the web and the spider wraps the insect in web to prepare the insect as their next meal.

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HELPFUL HINTS
As with all pests, the best way to deal with spiders getting in your home is to stop it before it happens!  You should seal up cracks and holes that lead to the outside with caulk.  Having too much vegetation up against the foundation of your house can attract them to your house and they will eventually find a way inside.  Make sure to keep outside lights off as much as possible.  The lights don’t attract the spiders, but they do attract other pests that spiders feed on.  

Crickets

Crickets are pests with cylindrical bodies, long legs that are used for jumping and chirping, and long antennae.  They are usually black but they can also be a yellowish brown color depending on the species.

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Millipedes

Millipedes are slow-moving arthropods that have long bodies and many legs.  They don’t actually have 1000 legs as their name suggests, but they do have a lot of them!  They feed on dead leaves and plants, so you should always keep leaves and other debris away from your house to prevent attracting them.

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Centipedes

Centipedes are another many legged pest you may find in your home!  The most common one is a House Centipede.  They look quite scary and are very fast.  They have anywhere from 30 to 354 legs.

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Pill Bugs

Pill bugs, also referred to as rollie pollies, are small pests that roll up into a ball when disturbed.  They often are confused with pill millipedes, but are different species.  Pill bugs are not often found indoors because they require a moist environment.

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Earwigs

Earwigs are small, flat-bodied pests.  Their small bodies make it very easy for them to find their way into our homes.  The are nocturnal, so sometimes people don’t even realize these pests are in their home.  Earwigs have pincers but even adults can cause very little to no harm to humans.

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Silverfish

Silverfish are small, fast-moving pests that can be found pretty much anywhere in your home.  They have long antennae and move in a wiggling motion similar to a fish.  Like earwigs, they are nocturnal and can fit into small places because of their flat bodies.

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If any of these pests (or others) are invading your home,
call us today at 866-429-7378!