Seattle Pest Control Blog

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.

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.