American Pest Control, Inc.

Sleep Tight; Don’t Let the Bed Bugs Bite!

All over the nation, bed bugs have grown to levels that have not been seen in decades. With warmer weather and increasing levels of travelers, bed bugs are being spread around much more. From east coast to west coast, they are nightmares in places meant for sweet dreams. This week, April 22-26, has been deemed Bed Bug Awareness Week by the National Pest Management Association.

To sleep tight and not let the bed bugs bite, there are several steps you can make to keep them from invading your home. Some of them include:

-When travelling, don’t put your suitcase on the floor or bed. Use luggage racks or a table.

-Inspect the bed, sofa, and any chairs. They’re drawn to places where feeding is easiest. Check seams and underneath the mattress and cushions.

-When you return from your travels, put your clothes in the dryer on high heat and inspect your suitcase thoroughly. Don’t forget about shoes, make-up bags or purses.

Most bed bugs are brought into the home unknowingly rather than they simply come into your home on their own. They’re great hitchhikers. If you do come across bed bugs, call a pest control service immediately. It is easier to handle a small problem than an infestation. Getting an inspection early is advised.

Bed bugs are a pest, but you can keep the upper hand and keep them out of your home.

Check out this video with some great information:

 

For more information on how we deal with bed bugs, call us or visit our website.

It's Pest Control Awareness Month!

April is National Pest Management Month and with it comes all the things that make the public aware of how pest control is beneficial in the lives of so many people.

We, at American Pest Control, believe that our customers are always the priority and are willing to do what it takes to keep their investments protected. April is a time to enjoy the new Spring air and not annoying pests. As the temperature goes up, the bugs come alive and make use of the energy they stored up over the winter.

Now is the time to definitely look for termite swarmers and begin taking steps to prevent tick bites and mosquitoes. Damage to your home or your health can be easily avoided when you take some simple steps to protecting your most valuable possessions.

Here are some suggestions we have:

-Trim back any trees, bushes or foliage from physically touching your home.

-Wear light clothing to easily spot ticks and tuck your pants into your socks. Ticks actually prefer to crawl up on their hosts than to drop on them.

-Make sure your home's foundation, doors and windows are properly sealed to keep the bugs out and your home more energy efficient.

-Tip over anything that may have standing water to keep mosquitoes from breeding. If it's collecting water and you don't need it, you should toss it out.

-Keep any leftover fire wood from the winter away from your home.

-Check for any excess moisture or leaks. Many pests will come in for water more than anything else.

-If you think you have a problem that may be out of your control, call us!

The best thing to do in the Spring is to enjoy it. Don't let pests get in the way of that.

Ticks on the Hunt

The best part of living in Georgia? Many Natives will say the great outdoors -- especially during the fall!

Whether hiking the Blue Ridge mountains or attending a plantation quail hunt, activities for adventurous sportsmen (and women!) are endless. But be advised, while you are outside ticks are hunting too...for you.

Since we like to keep our community prepared against pests, here are a few tips from our experts to keep ticks from tagging along!

Keep it Covered. Wearing the right type of clothing is the best way to prevent ticks. The more your clothing covers, the better! A pair of pants (tucked into your socks) with a long sleeve shirt is the ideal tick-proof attire. Go ahead and put on a hat and some gloves as well, it's likely to be cold outside anyway!

Juice it Up. Bug repellent is always a good idea when venturing outdoors. We recommend spraying some DEET on your clothes and exposed areas of skin.

Check it Out. After coming out of the woods, be sure to thoroughly check your clothes and skin. The most common places to find ticks are sock lines, waistbands, armpits, hairline and any other crevice the tiny pests could've cozied up in. Eeeeeekkkk!! If you do happen to find a tick, remove it (duh)! The best removal method starts with a pair of tweezers -- clamp down as close to your skin as possible, and pull the tick straight from your body. Put some antiseptic on the area afterward. Try not to burst the little pest, that just makes things messy.

Keep it Safe. If you suspect a tick has been on your body for more than 24 hours, go head and visit the hospital. As you probably know, ticks carry Lyme disease and it's best not to take any chances.

Have fun out there folks!

What do You Know About Killer Bees?

Killer Bees in your neighborhood? Check out this great interactive infographic from www.propacificbee.com to learn more about the buzz-worthy insects!

Kick Off Football Season with a Bug-Free Tailgate

A pre-game celebration doesn't have to include bugs nibbling the buffalo wings and potato salad at your tailgate. View the video below from ABC's The Chew for a quick and easy solution to protect all your gameday goodies! 

 

West Nile Virus Epidemic

Asian Tiger Mosquito, Susan Ellis, Bugwood.org 

This year the United States has seen a large increase in West Nile Virus cases, especially in Texas. It is so bad that the Dallas, TX, mayor recently declared the area in a "state of emergency" over the virus, prompting the approval of aerial spraying for mosquitoes. This epidemic, as the CDC is calling it, has been spurred from the increased number of reported cases of West Nile Virus over the summer season.

  

The Center for Disease Control, CDC, website stated, "The 693 cases reported thus far in 2012 is the highest number of West Nile virus disease cases reported to CDC through the second week in August since West Nile virus was first detected in the United States in 1999."

West Nile Virus is a virus spread by mosquitoes that can cause encephalitis, or swelling of the brain and spinal cord. It is estimated that 1 in 150 persons infested with the West Nile virus will develop a severe form of the disease, this rate is higher for elderly, very young people, or those with weak immune systems infected with the virus.

In Georgia positive testings of West Nile Virus in mosquitoes have been reported out of Lowndes and Fulton Counties, as well as other areas of the state. American Pest Control, of Athens, GA urges its clients to take proper precautions to help prevent the possibly of West Nile Disease by following these mosquito reduction tips:

• Removing standing water from around your home.
• Keeping gutters clear of debris to prevent water build-up.
• Keeping containers that collect water turned over to prevent collecting water.
• Monitor water sources and potential leaks.
• Keeping grass and shrubbery trimmed.
• Wear insect repellent with DEET when going outside, especially in the early evening.

It takes a very small amount of stagnant water for mosquitoes to reproduce, so it is important to keep an eye out for areas that can collect water. If possible it is best to establish a mosquito reduction program with a professional pest control company.

Watch the video below to learn more ways to reduce mosquitoes around your home.

 

Back to School, Back to Bugs!

Students all over Athens, GA and the surrounding area have been preparing to start a new school year over the last few days. While homework, tests and getting over summer laziness seem like enough to deal with, most students and parents don't know the risk of bringing home insects while at school.

Because schools are places that bring together many different people from different places, it's a perfect spot to pick up unwanted pests and bring them back into your home.

Back to Bed Bugs

We you think of bed bugs, the old saying "sleep tight don't let the bed bugs bite" may come to mind. That saying however, holds more meaning today that it did 20 years ago with the resurgence of bed bugs across the United States and the world. We've experienced a huge increase in bed bug infestations in Athens, GA and the surrounding areas as well.  Bed bug infestations have been reported in places like homes, clothing stores, movies theaters, libraries and even schools!

Over the past few years grade schools and universities alike have reported infestations of bed bugs in their libraries, dorms, classrooms and anywhere else you can think of. While lice has historically been the main pest problems in school, bed bugs pose a new threat because of the dificulty involved in their removal and the fact that, unlike lice, they can hide almost anywhere.

College universities have had a particular issue with bed bugs over the past couple of years, especially in student housing facilities. The University of Nebraska Lincoln has stayed in the headlines because of its bed bug problems on its campus.

The reason schools are such a hot spot for bed bugs is that schools bring together large numbers of people from different households that could already have bed bug problems. Also, because bed bugs are great hitchhikers, it is very easy for them to climb onto a book bag, coat, piece of furniture or really anything that is carried onto a campus undetected.

The best way to prevent bed bugs from coming home with your pupil is by inspecting the items they bring home from school and by not allowing items that may potentially be harboring bed bugs into your home.

For college students this means being very wary of used furniture, because they could already be infested. Also, buying a bed bug mattress encasement is a good way to protect your mattress from being ruined by a possible infestation. Also, heat is a bed bug's worst enemy, drying items in the clothes dryer on high for a minute or two can help kill any present bugs.

If you do see signs of bed bugs be sure to call a professional pest control company for an inspection and possible treatment.

Watch this video to learn more about protecting your home against bed bugs:

 

Hot Tempatures Mean High Pest Activity

High temperatures have Georgia Thumpers multiplying in mass amounts. Courtesy of Clemson University - USDA Cooperative Extension Slide Series, Bugwood.org

If insects seem to be swarming by the thousands this summer, don’t be alarmed, we're not experiencing apocalyptic warning signs, just an increase in insect activity. Due to record high temperatures insects are crawling more than usual this summer season.

A recent article in USA Today highlights that crickets, grasshoppers, yellow jackets and all other types of insects and pests have seemed to multiplied ten fold over the past couple of weeks. This increase in activity is due to higher temperatures and insect nature.

Insects are cold-blooded, meaning they do not have blood temperature regulating capabilities, so their body temperature will always match of their outside surroundings. Because we have been experiencing extreme heat recently, insects body temperature has risen causing increases in activity. Accordingly, in the winter months insects move less and are more stagnant.

While doing pest control in Athens, Ga., and the surrounding areas for American Pest Control, Inc., our technicians have seen an immense increase in insect activity, most notably a large increase of Georgia Thumpers. Georgia Thumpers, or Eastern Lubber Grasshoppers are very large distinctive grasshoppers found all across Georgia and the Southeast. 

So while we may think that these swarms of insects are an apocalyptic sign of the coming ending of the Mayan calendar, it's actually insects just multiplying due to high temperatures. Annoying and frustrating as it may be, it's a fact of nature. Be sure to protect yourself from biting insects such as fleas, mosquitoes and wasps by hiring a licensed pest control company.

Insect Collections

One of our clients asked us some time ago to keep up with any unusual or interesting bugs that we may come across while doing pest control in Athens, GA and the surrounding areas for her child's insect collection. One of our technicians really got into it and brought in two pretty neat bugs this week into the office, a rhinoceros beetle & velvet ants.

While as pest control professionals it's typically our job to exterminate insects and not collect them, in this case we had to share.

Rhinoceros Beetle

The rhinoceros beetle, or the Dynastinae, is very interesting because of it's massive size. There are over 300 species of rhinoceros beetles found world wide. This particular rhino beetle is a female Eastern Hercules Beetle and is typically found in our area of Georgia and around the Southern US. Male Hercules Beetles have three projections on their heads, helping to give them the name rhinocerous beetle. 

 

Velvet Ants (Cow Ants)

Male and female (wingless) velvet ants

Velvet ants, or Mutillidae, are actually not ants at all. They are a type of wasp where the females have no wings. They get their name from the dense hair on their bodies that is typically orange or red but can be other colors as well. They are known in our area as cow ants because their extremely painful stings are believed to be able to kill a cow. There are between 3,000-5,000 species of mutilldae mostly found in the dry tropics and in dry sandy areas in the US.   

Fleas & Ticks- Menace of the Summer

Every summer pets begin scratching, biting and itching as the return of fleas and ticks brings them discomfort. These biting pests are a pain to treat because it seems as soon as they are gone from your pet, a new batch comes and settle in. What's worse is a pet bringing these biting nuisances into your home, causing everyone to itch. Even with flea and tick prevention medication, it is sometimes near impossible to get rid of fleas and ticks.

This summer is being deemed the worst in recent history for fleas and ticks due to the nonexistent winter we had this year. Typically during the winter months insects like fleas and ticks bury themselves underground, or hide their eggs underground where frost and freezing temperatures kill them off. However, this year, there were not near as many hard freezes to allow for the fleas and ticks to be killed off, thus helping create even more of them this summer.

The problem with fleas and ticks are the multitude of diseases that they can carry, including Lyme disease, Parasitic Dermatitis, Tapeworms and more.

Here's some tips to keep ticks & fleas from becoming a pests for your pets and family:

1. Be sure to have a topical or pill form (or both) medication for pets and to check pets regularly for fleas and ticks.
2. Vacuum your home at least once a week, including dark places where ticks may be hiding. 
3. Wash any bedding that your dog or cat may sleep on once a week.
4. If your home becomes infested with fleas be sure to call a professional pest control company. 

Check out this video from the DIY Network on a nontoxic way to get rid of fleas within your home: