Yes. At least according to an experienced local pest control technician who specializes in bed bug treatment.
There has been a lot of hype about bed bugs in the media this past year. Bed bugs in movie theaters, bed bugs in Victoria’s Secret stores, bed bugs taking over the country. While it’s true that the number of bed bug infested residences has gone up in the U.S. there are still some questionable arguments on effectively treating them.
Bed bug sniffing dogs are all the rage lately and many pest control companies are advertising their bug smelling hounds. But according to one seasoned pest control technician I spoke with recently, Bed bug sniffing dogs are just an unnecessary gimmick. “What people need to realize,” says Rob MacGinnitie,” is that by the time a dog can detect bed bugs, the infestation is pretty extreme. And once a dog does detect bed bugs it needs to be verified by the technician with physical evidence.” This type of evidence is exactly what Rob looks for on his initial visit for a bed bug inspection. Tiny blood spots on the sheets or matress, and small cream colored eggs are signs of an infestation. “These dogs are unnecessary and just a gimmick,” he says.
For more information about bed bugs or to see what bed bug bites look like visit Eastside Exterminators Bed bugs information page.
You can go online and see if the hotel you want to stay at has had any bed bug complaints or history of bed bug activity. Two of the best sites for this is trip advisor and the bedbug registry.
2. Examine Your Mattress
Inspect the mattress by removing the sheets and carefully examining the seams. You’re not only looking for live bed bugs but also evidence of bedbugs which includes blood spots, fecal matter, and eggs. (See our bed bug pictures). You should also examine the headboard and bed frame as well as any nearby furniture.
3. Don’t store your luggage close to the bed
Bed bugs stay close to the location of their sleeping hosts; more specifically, the bed. Store your bags in the closet or even the bathroom. This will help prevent any unwanted stowaways when you travel home.
4. Keep laundry Separate
Store dirty laundry and any clothes you wear in your hotel room in plastic bags. If the clothes you wore did happen to come in contact with bed bugs, they will be separate from everything else, and they can be washed in hot water when you return.
5. Do the Laundry
When you return home, wash and dry all of your dirty laundry. If you can use, the hottest setting . Clean clothes can be run through the dryer on the hottest setting. One final precaution you can take when you return is treating your suitcase with a pesticide. We recommend JT Eaton bed bug luggage spray.
If you think you have bed bugs, this local Seattle pest control company provides free estimates, and effective bed bug treatments.
Carpenter ants are some of Seattle’s most problematic pests. They are prolific in this region and pose a serious threat to home owners because they are a wood destroying organism. Left unattended a carpenter ant infestation can cause thousands of dollars worth of damage to a home or business. In this day and age of “do it yourself”resources and internet information, a carpenter ant problem may be something to consider solving yourself. Let’s examine when you should do it yourself and when you might want to call in the pros.
Are you sure they’re carpenter ants?
Depending on the type of ant, the treatment may vary. Products used to get rid of carpenter ants can actually make a sugar ant problem worse! If your not sure what type of ant your dealing with, look into getting a free estimate. Then, even if you don’t choose to have the pest control company treat your home, you at least know what your dealing with.
Is there a carpenter ant colony in your house? Carpenter ants may have established a satellite colony somewhere in your home or business. A satellite colony is established when a parent colony, which exists outside in nature, grows large and needs to expand. If this is the case getting rid of them may require a professional. Even if you locate the colony it may be difficult to apply an insecticide effectively. The colony may be in a wall void, the crawlspace, or underneath insulation in your attic. A professional pest control technician has access to whats called a transfer insecticide. A transfer insecticide is undetected by the ants. Once an ant comes in contact with this product, it then infects all other ants it comes in contact with. This type of insecticide is very effective for satellite colonies, but by law can only be applied by a licensed pest control professional.
Even if you see a few carpenter ants in your home or building, it does not mean a satellite colony has been established. Here are some signs that there is a satellite colony inside:
Rustling sounds in the walls or ceiling.
Small piles of material that looks like sawdust.
Consistent and frequent ants found inside.
Ants trailing into house. Trails are most active at night.
Doing it Yourself
If you have determined that you do not have a colony inside your house then doing yourself may be an option. Keeping carpenter ants away requires applying a barrier around the outside perimeter of your home or business. This will also prevent ants from establishing a satellite colony. You will need a sprayer and an effective insecticide. Many professional grade insecticides can be purchased online or locally here in Seattle at Do It Yourself Pest Control.com
In the past month, Eastside Exterminators Pest Control has been getting an alarming number of calls about rats and mice. It is not unusual for the company to get several calls for these pests but the number of calls has been extraordinary.
In a recent survey conducted by a popular rodent control product, Seattle ranked in the top 25 cities in the U.S. for estimated rodent population growth. Some of the factors used to determine this were weather cycles, urban congestion, projected development, and the local environment.
Seattle has already been experiencing this growth. Growing numbers of complaints have been filed for rats in toilets and rodents invading homes.
If rodents have invaded your home or business here is the process for effectively getting rid of them:
Inspect:
One of the most crucial steps is finding all of their entry points. Rodents must leave to forage for food, and the only way to keep them out is to identify where they’re getting in.
Protect:
Protect your home by sealing up all of their entry points. Rodents can chew through all kinds of materials so use metal and concrete.
Trap:
Set traps inside. Most rodent infestations are limited to the crawlspace and attic so this is where you’ll want to set the traps. With their entry points sealed up, they will be forced into the only food source available…in the traps.
Disinfect:
Now that the structure is sealed up, and the remaining rats or mice are dead, the area must be cleaned and sanitized. Read this article by the Center for Disease Control for information about safety and health while cleaning up rodent waste.
If you live in Seattle, you know that we have our fair share of pest problems. Rats, mice, carpenter ants, spiders, bed bugs, and cockroaches can become a problem for your home or business quickly. If you have a pest problem, here are some important guidelines to use when trying to decide on a pest control company.
Are they Licensed, bonded, and insured? Any legitimate pest control company should be, but this is especially important if they are going to be doing any type of exclusion work to your home or business. Also, are all of their technicians licensed?
Do they offer a gaurantee on their work? If you’re not getting results you should not be paying for the service.
Experience. How long have they been in business? How many years of experience do their technicians have?
Free Estimates? Do they offer free estimates. Each pest problem is unique, and a good pest control company will send out a technician to evaluate the situation and then give you a quote.
Customer Service. When you call do you get a real person on the phone or do you get an automated service? If you get to talk to a real person, do they seem knowledgeable about pests?
Does the technician explain what he’s doing? A good pest control technician understands that their are several factors involved in treating a pest problems. A technician that sprays and then leaves without discussing control options may be using more insecticides than needed.
Nothing is more annoying than being bitten by mosquitoes when your trying to enjoy a warm summer evening. With the weather FINALLY warming up around Seattle, we thought we’d take the opportunity to let you in on a few really useful tips on keeping those pesky mosquitoes away.
1. Eliminate their breeding ground. Mosquitoes need standing water to breed. Look for anything around your yard that may be collecting water and cover it or turn it over. Buckets, pool, old tires, tarps; These can all be breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Keep rain gutters unclogged by cleaning them on a regular basis. Keep water in bird baths fresh by changing it once a week.
2. Mosquito Repellant. This one is probably not news to you. But what you might not know is the most effective type of repellant, which is any repellant that contains DEET.
3. Use Catnip Oil. Catnip oil has been tested to be dramatically more effective that most mosquito repellants. It is not, however, safe to be applied directly to your skin. But, it can be applied to clothes and patio furniture. Just be careful if you have cats!
4. Keep a Fan on. Keeping a fan blowing nearby will reduce the number of mosquitoes in your general vicinity.
5. Plant a garden. Like to relax in your yard? Plant these natural mosquito repellants around your home: Rosemary, Basil, Lemongrass, Citronella, Catnip, Marigolds, Tansies, & Garlic.
