When students go away to college, they are on their own to maintain their dorm room. Here is some information on the pests to expect in a dorm room and some tips that will help you control them.
Spiders: Most people jump at the sight of a spider. Spiders are unwelcomed guests that always tend to make their way into a room. Spiders are attracted to two things, moisture and light. Often your will see spiders make webs in the corners of the room or by the windows. If you do see a web forming, a handheld vacuum is an easy way to get rid of it. Try not to leave clutter around. Spiders can easily make a web in a stack of papers or in a cup that is just lying around.
Stink Bugs: The Western Conifer Seed Bug, often called the stink bug, is a bug that seems to make its way onto dorm walls. You will see stink bugs more likely in the winter months because they will go inside to look for shelter. When you kill them, they give off a foul odor. The only way to prevent them is to seal off entry points from the outside, like windows and doors.
Lady Bugs: If you see a small dot on the wall, don’t be surprised if it is a lady bug! Lady bugs are around ¼” long and are red or yellow with black spots. Like the stink bug, lady bugs will come indoors to look for shelter. They best way to keep these out is to seal off all entry points.
Flies: Flies and gnats are a big nuisance in dorms. You will find a significant number of gnats in the bathrooms. Flies and gnats love moisture and will hover around pipes that condensate. If a fly does enter your room the best this to do is have a fly swatter handy. Flies are very quick and a hassle to get rid of! Flies are either attracted to decay organisms or food. Hopefully a fly will be in your room just from crumbs and not a dead mouse!
Silverfish: Silverfish look like hairy centipedes. They are usually ½” to ¾” long and appear silver to brown from their scales. They are flat and oval shaped, with three long tails and two antennas. Silverfish are attracted to moisture and will thrive in rooms 70 to 80 degrees. Silverfish are nocturnal but can be found in the day time.
By following these tips, you’ll be sure to stay bug free in your dorm:
- Make sure the screens in your windows do not have tears or holes.
- Frequently dust. By dusting the areas that you rarely use will reduce the amount of pests your see significantly.
- Try to make sure there is not a big space between your door and the floor. Often there will be a small space which is big enough for pests to crawl under.
- Do not leave damp clothes or towels around. Hang up all wet clothes before you throw them in your hamper.
- Make sure all food is securely stored. Most people will be eating a bag of chips then leave the room for a bit. You’d be surprised how fast bugs can sense food!
- Position furniture right against the wall or in an area where you can move it. If there is an inch between a closet and the wall, pests will likely hang out there.
- If you do see pests, try not to kill them. Some insects, like the stink bug, will give off a scent that attracted other to the area. Catch the pest and throw it outside.
- Don’t leave clothes lying on the floor. Even if the clothes are not damp, a shirt can make a warm environment for a pest to live under!
An elementary school teacher thought it would be a good idea to bring an a master gardener to give the children a fun learning experience. The gardener made an ant farm with a jar and sand to foster the ants. Ants that live in an ant farm usual live only a month or two (a shorted span then if they aren’t enclosed). From this demostration the children observed the following:
When ants feel threatened, they hide. One will come out to check if the areas is safe then one by one they will follow the leader if the coast is clear.
The ants will inspect the area before they form their colony to make sure there is enough space and resources.
All the worker ants make sure they give the female ants food so they can reproduce healthily.
Ants make there tunnels by digging with their front legs.
Ants only need to eat once a month.
These are very good observations about ants, and its a great way for kids to be informed of how ants act. Its fun to see ants in an ant farm but the smiles stop once they enter a home. If you experience an ant problem feel free to contact us by phone 800-479-2284, email, live chat, facebook, or twitter.
Finding and controlling termites and carpenter ants is no easy task. While they may be crucial to nature, these insects are causing problem after problem in modern homes. Carptenter ants are basically inevitable, they will at one time invade your home, but termites are a different story. They cause over two billion dollars in damage to homes every year.
There are two types of termites common to our area, dampwood and subterranean. These dampwood pests live in wood rather than underground chambers and are more common. The subterranean type feed on wood coming in to contact with soil, and may even create tubes connecting their homes to a nearby wood source. If these tubes are broken and removed, ants could get in and attack them, which is good for the homeowner. Wood should always be kept dry and rot free, and should also never be touching any part of your home. According to the Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides, it takes years for termites to infest your home badly enough for serious damage. If you remove or replace rotted sections of infested wood, it may temporary eliminate the problem.
In the Pacific Northwest, carpenter ants are much more frequent and do not feed on wood. Although they can be dangerous because their nests are difficult to locate, but will hollow the wood out, leaving behind frass (sawdust). One way to see if you ave carpenter ants is if these is frass or sawdust located on the floor. The NCAP recommends repairing any leaks, keeping shrubbery clear of exterior walls and foundation vents, and maintaining at least 12 inches of clean concrete between wooden siding and surrounding soil. Also, no wood should be kept underneath the home and gutters should be kept clean and clear. Follow these to save yourself from the hassle of termites and carpenter ants.
If you think you have a termite infestation or carpenter ants, please contact us. Both of these pests are covered under our Guardian Program.
Have you ever split something on yourself that leaves a little stain? Well, likely you have then heard the old saying- just put a little Club Soda on it. Club Soda is something that almost every household has in their cabinets. Ever since 2007, a myth on the internet says that Club Soda has a new use, killing fire ants. Fire ants are a certain type of ants which, instead of biting you and spread a little bit of acid on the wound, bite you and grip on. When the Fire ant does this, it produces a stinging sensation that is painful to humans. The bite is the equivalent to a small feeling of getting burned, hence the name Fire ant.
Fire Ants are most common in the South/Southwest area of the United States.
The myth says that if one were to pour Club Soda on a pile of Fire ants, the ants would be killed because the carbon dioxide from the Club Soda will replace the oxygen the Fire ants breath, thus suffocating them. Texas state entomologists have tried to prove this rumor wrong for years. They have found no evidence through their studies that Club Soda is a successful treatment. They said that while it may look cool to see all the bubbling of the Club Soda on the ant hill, that this treatment does not work. Club Soda will still get that stain out of your shirt, however, think twice about pouring it on that Fire ant that just bit you.
Many times when a homeowner sees a common pest problem such as pavement ants, carpenter ants, a wasp’s nest or similar, they will go to the local hardware store and buy Raid or a similar product to control the problem the least expensive way. However the old saying stays true…”you get what you pay for.” In the states of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut only a select few of these types of products are available for purchase without a license.
As true with our application methods, the same are available in stores such as spraying, baiting and trapping methods.
Let’s say for example you see a large amount of carpenter ants on your deck, and you apply an over the counter spray. This spray will appear to take care of all of the visible ants that the spray contacts. However, this spray is considered a “topical” product, which will simply kill the pests on contact. In order to effectively control carpenter ants they need to bring back the product to the colony to ensure the entire problem is controlled. If you employ a pest control company, spraying the topical spray can actually negatively affect the control measures because there will be less worker ants to bring the products back to the colony.
ABC 7 aired a very interesting story today about a Do-It-Yourselfbed bug removal trick. They clam you can get rid of bed bugs for under $20. A Rutgers professor has been studying bed bugs for many years and he believes this is the inexpensive answer. Do we have you listening yet? Hold Up….
There is a major flaw in this “solution” for bed bugs. This device that the professor made simply attracts the bed bugs to the upside down pet dish. This is not an effective way to get rid of bed bugs in your home. It is a great way to detect if bed bugs are present in a certain room. This homemade device works in the same way the NightWatch monitors work, releasing Co2 to attract bed bugs. The only proven way to get rid of bed bugs is with extreme heat or products that pest management professionals use. We see Do- It-Yourself pest removal ideas fly through our office on a daily basis, most will only temporary resolve the problem, or not do anything at all. Watch the video below and let us know what you think.
Q. I hear rodent activity spikes this time of the year, how do I protect my house from rodent activity?
Answer: As colder months come up on us, rodents will seek into warmer areas. It is important you examine potential avenues of entry around your house to exclude these commensal creatures. Openings around garage doors, pipe chasings and foundation cracks can provide access. Seal these openings! Establishing bird houses or feeding bread to birds within 25 feet of your home will attract rodent activity. Do not store bird feed, dry dog food or any other type of feed in bags. Transfer the contents of these products into plastic storage bins if kept under your sinks or in basement areas.
As winter nears, your home needs the protection of a full service pest solutions program.
Q. How do I best prepare my plants, arbors and shrubs for the blustery winter months ahead?
Answer: Winter temperatures and weather can wreak havoc on your arbors. Deep root fertilization aerates the soil and constructs a pathway of vitamins and nutrients directly to your arbor’s root system. Your trees and shrubs will retain these essential nutrients in its root system, pulling it from them when required, for early spring growth.
Q .What are the benefits of lime applications to my lawn?
Answer: Weeds grow best in acidic soil while grass benefits from a neutral base. Lime neutralizes the soil ph and mitigates any adverse reactions to organic fertilizer. Making a long story short, healthy soil leads to healthy grass. Healthy grass combats weed development. You cannot get any greener than that!
“There’s no weapon like experience.” JP McHale Pest Management Inc. is a family owned and operated pest management company since 1971, we are one of the top 50 largest pest control companies in the United States. Please contact us if you are interested in learning more about the services we offer.
As the cold days of winter come, so does sickness to that college campus. To those of you college kids out there reading this blog, or to you concerned parents who wonder what their kids dorms could really ever look like before you come to visit, here are a couple of helpful hints to keep in mind or pass along the way:
Always keep a set of disinfectant wipes by your sink. Use nightly to get rid of any germs that could be spreading. You wipe your face and brush your teeth here, keep that sink clean!
Always have paper towels set up for emergencies. Always know where they are located. This is in order to avoid the “spill-over” (no pun intended) from spills. When something spills clean it up at once, don’t let it dry out and become a messy, sticky bug-drawing force on your dorm room floor.
Make it a daily concern to clean up loose articles of old food and beverages. This includes all opened water bottles and half eaten bottles of chips. Even if you don’t realize it, you feel better without all that unnecessary clutter around your room
Always have water available. Be it by the means of drinking out of cups, a Brita, or bottled water, it is necessary as a college kid to be well hydrated and happy.
Have that ibuprofen bottle full at all times (especially weekend mornings). This is a number one tool for all quick fix headaches, minor pains, and hangovers. Having Nyquil and Dayquil in that top-drawer can’t hurt either.
Keep a broom in that room. You’d be surprised at how much dirt one can sweep up during a quick sweep of the room. It’s vital to sweep up these parts of the room 2 or 3 times per week.
Do not drink or share food with your friends. (Beer pong is a definite no-no)
A cup of tea a day or a bowl of soup always feels good on the throat. Sounds old fashioned, but its true.
Go to your local customer value store and purchase a Neti-Pot. It relieves all reoccurring sinus pains during the winter. This, and always having tissues handy is key.
Change your sheets at least once a week. Wash your towels/hand towels intensely. We know this may seem like a terrifying adjustment in your life, but it is worth it. If necessary, have 2 or 3 extra pairs of sheets for quick changing and being able to still avoid doing that laundry.
Integrated Pest Management techniques are also essential. Keeping a clean room is essential. If you spot any bugs or insects it is recommended that you bring it up with your Resident Assistant or Resident Director of your complex.
When students go away to college, they are on their own to maintain their dorm room. Here is some information on the pests to expect in a dorm room and some tips that will help you control them.
There are two types of 
In the Pacific Northwest, 
Have you ever split something on yourself that leaves a little stain? Well, likely you have then heard the old saying- just put a little Club Soda on it. Club Soda is something that almost every household has in their cabinets. Ever since 2007, a myth on the internet says that Club Soda has a new use, killing fire ants. Fire ants are a certain type of ants which, instead of biting you and spread a little bit of acid on the wound, bite you and grip on. When the Fire ant does this, it produces a stinging sensation that is painful to humans. The bite is the equivalent to a small feeling of getting burned, hence the name Fire ant.
Many times when a homeowner sees a common pest problem such as 
Q. I hear rodent activity spikes this time of the year, how do I protect my house from rodent activity?
