Recently, I’ve been getting a lot of questions about house centipedes, the alarming critters that we featured as our Halloween monster last year. You can click on the link for more information about what draws these creepy critters to East Tennessee homes in the fall, but they reminded me of another pest control option that we at Russell’s Pest Control would like to share with you. Have you heard the news about probiotic bio foam? That’s quite a mouthful for a title. Nonetheless, Russell’s technicians have recently added these foaming cleaners to their tool kits, and they’ve had some great results.
The reason that house centipedes reminded me of bio foam cleaners is because you often find those many-legged monsters in your drains. Sometimes, centipedes may come up through drains, and sometimes they may get stuck near drains because they climbed up the side of the tub or sink, fell in, and then couldn’t climb back out. Either way, there are plenty of critters that are interested in eating the muck that builds up inside of drains, and house centipedes could be very eager to eat some of those critters. Even if bugs weren’t very interested in drain scum (which they are), no one really wants it there. It’s unappetizing and can house bacteria with a powerful punch.
Probiotic foams are a great tool to combat drain scum. The product that Russell’s uses is a thick foam that has been laced with microbes—mostly bacteria—that hungrily eat other microbes and bacteria that they encounter. In other words, it uses the strategies of bad bacteria against them. The good microbes in our bio foam are happy to continue to reproduce as long as food (i.e. drain scum) is present. Once all of the junk is gone from the drain, the good bacteria die of starvation, leaving you with a clean drain. There are no chemicals in this foam; in fact, using chemical cleaners shortly after the foam will end its effectiveness because you could kill all of the little microbes that are working for you!
Probiotics have loads of good uses. Because this product is a foam, it will fill up pipe entrances to thoroughly clean around drains. Restaurant owners can quickly name dozens of places where they could benefit from this sort of product in their busy kitchens. The foam also includes a citrus ingredient, which helps to eliminate odors even as the microbes eat the bacteria that cause the odors. Foam in the bottom of a stinky trash bin can leave the kitchen smelling fresh again. And, because there are no chemicals in the foam, it won’t bleach carpets. You can use it to get up food stains and pet stains.
Now, we don’t just spray this stuff willy-nilly. The foam has bacteria in it. Even though these bacteria are better than the ones we’re getting rid of, we still won’t use it on food preparation surfaces, inside the refrigerator, etc. We follow the label to the letter so that we’re using this cleaner in the most effective way possible. In fact, we would be happy to set its cleaning power to work for you. There are options for that. We can add foam drain cleaning to a regular pest control service for a small fee, which means our technicians handle foaming when it’s needed during their regular quarterly or monthly visits. This can be done for homes or for businesses. In addition, our customers can purchase cans of probiotic foam from us to use—according to the label—when needed. Again, this product is not a harsh chemical, which means homeowners can apply it by themselves after reading the usage instructions (which is a smart thing to do for all cleaners anyway).
If any of this sounds interesting to you, you can always contact us here or call us at 865.584.8549. We’d love to partner with you keep your home safe and clean and to keep the crawling critters out!
Tags: bio foam, centipedes, home maintenance, IPM, probiotics
Finally, some cooler weather! After a summer of particularly extreme heat, cold fronts have moved through East Tennessee. Lest the cooling temperatures put you off your guard against pest threats, I wanted to issue a pest control alert, and this particular warning is especially directed to our customers and friends in Sevierville. Let’s talk about the rodent threat that is rising in East Tennessee
You may remember from our last post about rodents that mice and rats begin to cause trouble in earnest during the fall. Cold weather often drives them inside where they can find comfort in your warm house because, let’s face it, once they’re inside, they’re only as cold as you are. However, this year’s heat may have raised the stakes for rodents and increased the problems for homeowners.
Mice and rats don’t like to be too hot. They dehydrate quickly, and rats are particularly dependent on reliable water sources for survival. This summer, Russell’s received phone calls about rodent problems, which is fairly unusual. The mice and rats were attempting to force their way inside because the heat was so extreme that they wanted to borrow your sink, walk-in shower, or leaking pipe to keep their families cool. Now that the evenings are becoming brisk, they are not at all motivated to move out.
So, why is this relevant for residents of Sevierville in particular? Well, Sevier County has just the environmental variety that mice and rats find attractive. Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge are highly commercialized and feature dozens of restaurants and hotels. The presence of many humans in close quarters provides easy pickings for rodents. They hardly have to scavenge for food when so much is available in trash bins. Property owners in commercially-centered areas like Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge must constantly be on their guard against full-scale invasions from unwanted guests.
On the other hand, Sevierville also has acres and acres of peacefully remote wooded areas that make the Smokey Mountains so enjoyable. Unfortunately, woodlands are also a favorite of rodents. Mice and rats live in woods and fields; we just usually don’t see them there. However, if the field-dwellers are struggling to survive, a secluded, picturesque cabin is just the place for them. Rural Sevierville residents can be quickly overwhelmed by a rodent problem in the fall.
To top it all off, Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, Kodak, and Townsend (though it’s in Blount County) are all host to many rental cabins. People from all over the country have cabins in the Great Smokey Mountains, which may only be occupied for a couple of weeks a year. Vacant structures without consistent pest control run a high risk of sustaining rodent damage. We’ve heard stories of mice creating large nests in mattresses, storage bins, and insulation, which the property owners only discovered on the first day of their planned vacations!
The moral of the story is that all residents of East Tennessee, particularly those in Sevier County, should be aware of the potential threat. Put down snap traps or glue boards in your vacant cabins. If you’re comfortable with the idea, read the labels of mouse baits and put them in areas where people and non-target animals can’t encounter them. Or, contact Russell’s Pest Controlat 865.584.8549. We’ll monitor the situation four times a year, so you don’t have to worry about it.
Tags: fall, food contamination, mice, overwintering pests, rats, rodents, Sevier County
In high summer, we often get phone calls about different sorts of bees and wasps that are becoming more prominent (and, perhaps, more aggressive) as we continue in our stretch of warm months. There are many species of bees and wasps in Knoxville and all of East Tennessee, but today we’ll take a look at cicada killer wasps since they sometimes cause concern for homeowners.
Photo by Steve Mayer
Cicada killer wasps are often called ground hornets and are pretty conspicuous in any yard. They have dark bodies with pale yellow stripes on their abdomens. However, their most notable feature is their size; a cicada killer can easily hit 1 ½ inches long, making them one of the largest members of their family in this area. You’re not likely to have much trouble identifying cicada killers if you have them in your yard, so what do you need to know about them?
The first step to dealing with these wasps is to take a breath and not panic. Let’s face it: It’s alarming to have a bug this size whirring past your head, but they’re not as big of a nuisance as you might think. Cicada killers are classified as solitary wasps. That means that there is no hive or nest filled with family members that they’re returning to after buzzing around your lawn party. In fact, ground hornets are more like carpenter bees (who also live alone) than standard wasps or honey bees. Solitary wasps spend the winter underground in their larval form. They spin cocoons in early spring and emerge as adults about a month later. During the rest of the spring and summer, ground hornets are content to dig out a spacious new burrow for their young and supply it with ample food. This is important because the adult cicada killers will all die out in the fall; they have to carefully supply their underground nests with dead cicadas so that the larva can survive the cold months and start the process over next year.
Why does this matter to homeowners? Well, it tells you something about the behavior of solitary wasps. Bumble bees, honey bees, yellow jackets, and wasps can be nuisances because they are so protective of their territory. They have a hive and a queen to protect along with a few thousand eggs. In fact, those insects all post sentries near their homes to alert them if intruders come too near so that they can try to scare them off. Solitary wasps don’t have a colony to protect. You have to seriously aggravate them (probably on purpose) to make them angry enough to sting. And, as with all members of the bee and wasp families, only the females possess stingers in the first place. Male cicada killers may be very curious about your outdoor activities, but they are in no way able to hurt you.
Homeowners who find cicada killers in their yards don’t need to worry. Children should be taught not to attack these wasps, but the ground hornets’ tendency is to cause no hurt to your family or your home. Now, there are other species of stinging pests that are also gearing up this time of year. Yellow jackets and some wasps and hornets can be rather aggressive and should be treated with caution. If you need help identifying what’s buzzing around your home, you can always contact Russell’s Pest Control at 865.584.8549. If you want someone to come out and inspect your home, you can always reach us here.
Tags: bees, carpenter bees, cicada killers, hornets, spring pests, stinging pests, wasps
The pictures above demonstrate the life cycle of a species of stink bug, a pest that has been gaining public notice over the last decade due to a rise in infestations. The most troublesome species of stink bug is not native to America; it traveled to the Northeast in shipping crates from Asia about ten years ago. Since then, that species has proved to be more likely to invade homes than other families of stink bugs, and it is expected to continue to spread. This spells trouble for the South, including Knoxville and other parts of East Tennessee.
Last winter and spring, Russell’s Pest Control received many calls from homeowners who were frantically trying to manage “shield bugs” that were literally coming out of the wood work. That’s because stink bugs (who do resemble a shield) are a lot like ladybugs in their seasonal habits. Much like the Japanese lady beetles, stink bugs are likely to invade homes in the Knoxville area when the weather is first starting to get cool. They sunbathe on the south and west walls of homes and businesses while it’s warm. Then, they move inside at the first frost and overwinter in wall voids and attics until the spring weather causes them to wake up and re-emerge. Sometimes, a sunny winter day will fool some of them into thinking it’s spring, and the stink bugs will start to stir. That’s often when homeowners realize that they have a problem. Soon, all of the bugs wake up and try to head back outside to feed. Those that lack a good sense of direction, however, will get turned around and end up in the house instead.
The refreshing coolness of fall probably sounds far away after the hot summer that we’ve had. However, now is the time to start thinking about keeping those stink bugs out of your house so that your defenses are ready by the time the heat breaks. The best way to avoid a stink bug invasion is through exclusion. Walk around your house and begin to look for openings that a bug could use. You’re looking for cracks around windows and doors, gaps in the siding, and openings around pipes. Inside, look for similar cracks around the doors and windows as well as openings around the exhaust fans in bathrooms and kitchens. A good tube of suitable caulk is your best tool to ward off stink bugs. You might also want to look into screens for your attic ridge vents if yours are damaged.
Closer to the first frost, you can wash the west and south sides of your house with a simple dish soap mixture. The soap keeps the bugs from sunning on the house, but it is also washed away quickly by rain and dissipates in bright sunlight; you may have to re-apply the wash often until the weather gets cold. You can also get a professional pest treatment with a backpack blower that more reliably deters the stink bugs from approaching openings into the house (coincidentally, I know a place where you can contact an exterminator who does those treatments).
Once the stink bugs are inside, it’s too late to use pest control treatments. You’ll have to wait for them to leave in the spring because killing them in the walls will only invite a host of new pest problems. Should you find them inside, a vacuum should be used to remove them, but expect a bit of a bad smell if you are sweeping up several at once (they aren’t called stink bugs for nothing, you know).
Start working on closing those openings now. And, if you decide to get some professional help on the job, don’t wait until the last minute! Leave yourself time so that you know you can get the treatment done before things cool down.
Tags: exclusion, fall, home maintenance, ladybugs, overwintering pests, stink bugs
Today we want to talk about a pest whose high season is in July and who can cause great frustration for homeowners and business owners in Knoxville, Maryville, Sevierville, and many other surrounding areas. The pest in question is the Indian meal moth, or pantry moth, and they can wreak havoc in the kitchen.
Indian meal moths are “stored product pests,” which means that they attack and inhabit plant-based foods. You’ll know if you’ve got pantry moths because you’ll begin to see tiny whitish moths fluttering around the room, mostly in the evening and mostly in the kitchen. They are distinctive from other moths because they will not be attracted to the light. The key feature used in identifying meal moths is a small copper-colored section on the tips of their wings. Other indications of a meal moth infestation are tiny white worm-like creatures (those are the larvae) moving along surfaces anywhere in the house and silk webbing that may resemble cobwebs inside the pantry.
So, what should you do if you suspect that you have meal moths? I’ll be honest: these pests can be very tricky to eliminate, and professional help is often needed to complete the job. Still, there are several things that you can try at home, and just being aware that meal moths exist can help you stop an infestation before it starts. The most important factor in stopping a meal moth population explosion is to find the infested items. Check all of your grains, including flour, rice, and cereal first. Keeping those in air-tight containers helps to stop the moths from getting in. Pay particular attention to items that may have been sitting for a while, such as bulk foods that you move through slowly. You are looking for moths, larvae, or silk webbing that surrounds the larvae as they feed. You’ll know it if you find it.
Unfortunately, these moths can attack almost anything plant-based, so you can’t stop at the obvious. Meal moths have been known to infest chocolate, dried fruit, pet food, preserved flower arrangements, and many more unexpected items. You may have to think outside the pantry when you’re hunting for them. For instance, an abandoned squirrel’s nest in the attic or up the chimney could feed many generations of meal moths. Consider all the possibilities before giving up hope of finding their nest.
The most popular over-the-counter pest sprays are not labeled for meal moths. But, simple maintenance and sanitation can go a long way to solving the problem. When you do find contaminated items, get rid of them immediately. Use a vacuum attachment to eliminate all webbing that you find; then, if it reappears, you’ll know you haven’t eliminated all of the contamination. In addition, use that attachment to vacuum crevices around the home, including along all of the baseboards and around the cabinets. The larvae scatter before pupating in a nice, quiet crack that doesn’t get much activity. This means you could have half-grown moths around the house even if you eliminate the nest.
At Russell’s Pest Control, we use other items to help fight off these moths. Insect growth regulators (IGRs) disrupt the moths’ ability to move from one life cycle to another; these products have no effects on humans or pets, but they can stop insects from reaching a breeding age. In addition, we often use traps laced with meal moth pheromones to draw the male moths in. If there are no males to breed with the females, the population begins to die out quickly.
Need a free inspection to find out if you’ve got a pantry moth problem? Want someone to answer questions or give good pest advice? Well, you know where to reach us, or you can give us a call at 865.584.8549.
Tags: food contamination, home maintenance, Indian meal moths, meal moths, overwintering pests, pantry moths, pantry pests, spring pests
Last time, we covered some mosquito biology to give you an idea of when and why these little vampires pursue human hosts. Today, let’s discuss mosquito habitats so that you’ll be able to modify your yard to make it as undesirable to mosquitoes as possible.
The most important thing to remember about mosquitoes is that they must have water to breed. Mosquitoes go through complete metamorphosis, which means that the young don’t look like miniatures of the adults. In fact, the larval form of this pest grows up in the water. A female mosquito makes a “raft” out of the eggs that she lays, and they float in stagnant or slow-moving water. The larvae hatch and survive on the surface or just below the surface while feeding on plant matter or other bugs. So, if you want to control the mosquitoes in your yard, you must first control as much of their habitat as you can.
Walk around your property and carefully study where you have standing water. Do you have toys or lawn equipment out that could hold small amounts of water in their grooves? Do you have a bird bath? What about a tire swing or plastic pool for the kids? Does the grill cover get a puddle when it rains? These are just a few locations where we commonly find mosquito larvae when we inspect. Very little water is needed to sustain the young. Carefully consider each part of your yard to determine if you have unnecessary water collection. As a rule, we recommend that any necessary or desired standing water (such as a bird bath) be changed at least weekly to keep mosquitoes from hatching there.
Keeping your yard free from habitats is important because mosquitoes are very poor flyers. Often, the young that are hatched in your yard will stay there for their whole lives. They’re just not good enough at flying to do so by choice any more than necessary. By eliminating one generation of mosquitoes in the bird bath, you also eliminate all of the following generations that would have inevitably arrived. High winds or storms can blow your neighbor’s mosquito population back into your yard, but they’ll be less likely to reproduce there if they can’t find comfortable accommodations.
Some of you may be wondering what professional exterminators in East Tennessee do to control mosquitoes. Let me give you the low-down on what Russell’s Pest Control does when we get a call for a mosquito problem. To begin with, we inspect, inspect, inspect. Using chemical treatments to solve a habitat problem is never the choice of a reputable professional (see our article on IPM for more information). We will come inspect your property and give you practical recommendations to control the issue on your own. Mosquito control is always a group project; anyone who tells you that they can control the population in your entire yard by chemical means alone may be taking the easier path but is using chemicals unnecessarily. It’s good to get suggestions about how to eliminate mosquito habitats, so expect a professional to give you those. If we are doing a treatment for these pests, we typically use a backpack blower to treat the undersides of the bushes and foliage with a product that does not negatively affect plants. After the females bite their hosts, they rest on the underside of a leaf before laying eggs; therefore, this type of treatment will stop the females before they get a chance to reproduce. Typically, a person who sets up a control program with Russell’s will get monthly mosquito treatments through the warm months to knock down the population and provide relief for outdoor activities.
If this sounds like something that interests you or if you’d like more information, give us a call at 865.584.8549. You can also reach us on our contact page if you’d like.
Tags: biting pests, blood-sucking pests, IPM, mosquitoes, spring pests
Over the next few weeks, we’ll continue to discuss pests that can be controlled with home maintenance since this is the time of year when people are usually working on the exteriors of their homes. We wanted to take a break now, however, to answer a question that has been popping up the last few weeks. The people of East Tennessee want to know whether a cold snap in the spring will lower the summer bug population, particularly for mosquitoes. This week, we’ll take a look at that question and also cover some fun facts about mosquito life cycles (and by “fun,” I mean “upsetting”). Next time, we’ll provide more information about mosquito breeding habits and give you some practical advice to lower the mosquito population in your yard.
May of 2011 was a month of extremes. The Knoxville area had temperatures in the 90s by early May, which were unexpectedly followed by a cold snap that saw highs in the 50s and 60s. The mosquito population is definitely affected by the weather; we typically see their numbers start to rise around mid-May when the nights are consistently above 50 degrees. Unfortunately, however, an abrupt cold spell may lower the mosquito population at the time, but it won’t curb their numbers for the season.
Insects are masters of adaptation; they are hard-wired to make up lost ground when the weather deals them an unexpected bad turn. For instance, we have found that after exceptionally cold winters when you might expect the termite population to suffer, the following springs are often full of termite swarms. The reason is not because the cold weather was good for the termites. Rather, the colony recognizes that lives were lost during the bad season, so instinct tells them to begin a population explosion to protect the strength of their species. Mosquito populations can work the same way. If some died because they could not find shelter during that chilly week, the surviving pests will be geared to reproduce at a higher rate to protect their population. And, when you consider that the strongest mosquitoes are the ones who survived the cold, you must also consider that their young will carry all of those strong traits; there will be few sickly mosquitoes to weaken this year’s population
Feeding Mosquito, photo by James Gathany
Many people are not aware that mosquitoes aren’t primarily blood-feeders. In fact, their preferred meal is flower nectar; only the females drink blood when they’re preparing to lay eggs. This is the upsetting part. Female mosquitoes around here lay 200-300 eggs at a time. That means that for every mosquito bite you get, 300 new mosquitoes are hatched somewhere nearby!
In light of this bad news, here are a couple of tips to protect yourself; we’ll get into more practical details next time. First, consider the mosquito’s schedule when making your plans. Some species are only active during the day while others are only out at night. That’s why outdoor activities at dawn and dusk are so unpleasant; you’re getting attacked by every species at the same time. Avoid being outdoors then if you can. Also, bear in mind that mosquitoes are normally attracted to flowers. If you’re going to be outside in the evening, you may want to skip the sweet-smelling lotions or colognes that day so that you don’t draw them to you. The National Pest Management Association also indicates that using a pest repellant containing DEET on exposed skin can keep the mosquitoes off; read the label of your insect repellent to see if it contains DEET and to be sure you’re using it safely and correctly.
This gets us through the basics about mosquitoes and the cold weather. Next time, we’ll work on lowering the population in your yard to keep you safe and comfortable this summer. Call us at 865.584.8549 with more questions, or post a comment on this page.
Tags: biting pests, blood-sucking pests, mosquitoes, spring pests, termites
Knoxville, Maryville, Lenoir City, and many other parts of the greater Knoxville area took a beating from the recent storms. Our thoughts are with our neighbors, and we hope that the cleanup work is coming along. We thought that, since many people are doing work around their houses, our readers might appreciate information about a pest that can be treated with some simple home repair work. Today, let’s look at carpenter bees.
Carpenter bees are very large, and they have the unpleasant habit of hovering near their nest sites and chasing anyone who comes too close. You probably started to notice them zinging by your head in mid-March when the weather started to warm up. Still, they are rarely aggressive and will only sting if threatened. Unlike their bumble bee cousins, carpenter bees are not hive creatures. They build solitary nests by drilling through wood and creating a cavity in which eggs and larvae are protected. These bees do not eat the wood as termites do, so a common indicator of carpenter bees is small piles of sawdust on your back deck or on the porch below your wood siding.
If you want to treat for carpenter bees, here are some tips to consider. Using an over-the-counter product in the holes is a start, but it won’t eliminate your problem. If possible, use a flashlight and treat the holes at night when the bees are inactive. If that idea is not practical in your case, bring a spray can with a product that you can use to knock down and kill the adults so you don’t get stung while you work (I have a friend who uses a wiffle ball bat for this portion of the work, but I don’t recommend it). Then, use a product that leaves a residue in the holes so that your treatment lasts longer. Remember, most of the spray cans for bees and wasps are only for immediate contact use; they will kill a bee that you spray but will not leave lasting protection against the bees. Many over-the-counter products are labeled to last up to three months, and you’d be better off trying one of those in the holes. Always use products that are labeled for the pests you’re treating, and only use them in ways that the label allows. Also, remember to position yourself carefully if you’re treating high places; you don’t want the product that you use to fall back down on you while you work.
Treat the holes in early spring and again in summer to make sure you’ve contacted all the bees with the product. Then, in the fall, fill the holes with wood putty. The bees won’t want to chew through the putty and will not be able to re-use the same holes. Finally, if you are doing some home repairs in the coming weeks, we recommend that you put a coat of paint or varnish on the affected wood. Pressure-treated wood is still vulnerable to carpenter bee attack, but a coat of paint will frustrate a bee’s chewing efforts and may make it think twice about sharing living space with you.
We get many calls about carpenter bees because they can be tough to treat. Their nests are often hard to reach, so many homeowner’s don’t want to deal with the trouble. At Russell’s Pest Control, carpenter bee treatments are done with a large sprayer or blower that can more easily reach the affected areas to alleviate the problem. Sound like a service you could use? You know where to find us, and you can always call 865.584.8549 for more information.
Tags: bees, carpenter bees, exclusion, home maintenance, IPM, spring pests, stinging pests, wood destroying insects
Last time, in Termite Protection 101, we discussed two well-known, reliable options for termite treatments. Today, however, I want to present something that is exciting in the pest control industry because it’s ground-breaking and new. If you read the last post, you may have noticed that I mentioned a “regular Sentricon System.” Now, it’s time to tell you about the newest type of Sentricon protection called Always Active® from Dow AgroSciences. Let’s go over the differences between a regular system and an Always Active System.
- In a regular Sentricon System, the stations are pre-baited with wood to intercept the termites before they reach the house. The Always Active System gets its name because it is baited with the product that eliminates the termite colonies all the time. This is possible because Dow AgroSciences has developed denser, more long-lasting bait that can endure long periods underground with no problem.
- Perhaps you were wondering how long it can be underground? The answer is at least a full year. A traditional Sentricon System is monitored every three months, but an Always Active System requires just one yearly visit. Our technician monitors the stations and inspects the house all in one annual appointment.
If you’re also wondering which features are the same, I can tell you those, too.
- The Always Active System is still made by the same people who won the Green Chemistry Award with the first Sentricon System. All Sentricon Systems are well-respected because they eliminate the need for hundreds of gallons of products to be put around the home. Bait is only removed from the locked stations when termites eat it or take it to the colony. Always Active works with the same strategy in mind. The bait is designed to affect the termite growth cycle and not to affect other living things around it.
- Something else that remains the same is the warranty. Both Sentricon Systems come with a damage repair warranty, meaning the repairs are on us if the termites get past our defenses.
- The cost of the Always Active System remains very comparable to the standard system. It may cost slightly more to install because more product is used up front, but the annual renewal fees run in the same price range of $280-$380.
Is the Always Active Sentricon System for everyone? No, it’s not necessarily. Some people like to have that quarterly check-up to hear from their technician that everything is all right. The traditional Sentricon System is a fabulous product and is not in any way outdated or declining. But, there are some people who could really benefit from a yearly service. If you have dogs that need to be put up any time a technician is around, Always Active could be for you. That would save you four days every year of rearranging your schedule to get the dogs put away. People who live in gated areas often appreciate the convenience of a single service so they don’t have to leave their property open multiple times a year. Rental property owners might feel the same way. There are any number of small, personalized scheduling issues that could make this system the right choice, and the presence of bait 365 days a year makes the upgraded system a popular change, even if scheduling isn’t a problem.
We have discovered that people have a lot of questions about this new treatment option, and we are happy to discuss those at whatever length is needed. Please leave me a comment or contact us at 865.584.8549 if you want the scoop on Always Active. You can also set up an inspection on our websiteif you’d like to hear more about coverage options.
Tags: Industry Standards, Sentricon System, spring pests, termite swarms, termites, wood destroying insects
Last time, we discussed what you should know about termite swarms so that you’ll be aware if a band of hungry neighbors moves in. This time, we should probably discuss your options if you do encounter termites or if you want to prevent the encounter from happening. Today, we’ll consider the top two types of termite treatments.
The stand-by treatment that most people are familiar with is a liquid treatment. This method involves treating the soil around and under the foundation of the house with a product that kills and/or repels termites. If termites approach the property from underground, they will want to avoid the area because of the liquid perimeter. There are many products that can be used for this type of treatment, and the type of product will control the price. At Russell’s Pest Control, we usually use Termidor® to rid a home of a termite infestation. Here are some things you should know about a Termidor treatment from Russell’s.
- This is one of the most trusted products on the market, and, depending on conditions around the home, can reliably protect a home for up to ten years.
- When we complete a liquid termite treatment, we warranty the property for a year. If a building owner finds termites again during that time, we’ll eliminate those termites at no additional cost.
- After the first year, the homeowner can choose to extend that warranty. We’ll continue that same control warranty for a low annual rate (usually $150-$250,* depending on the size of the home).
- We’ll also conduct yearly inspections so that you can be sure a professional is on the lookout for signs of termite activity around your home.
Liquid termite treatments are good, but they’re no longer the premier choice for termite coverage. Now, the number-one option is called the Sentricon® Termite Colony Elimination System (which is trademarked to Dow AgroSciences). That’s a long name for a cleverly simple system, so let’s break down how the Sentricon System works.
- In a regular Sentricon System, bait stations containing some tasty wood are placed around the outside of the building. Those stations are monitored every three months by our technicians for signs of termite activity. This perimeter is important since the goal is to intercept the termites before they get to the house.
- When termites are found, the wood is replaced with a type of bait that termites absolutely love. The termites begin to gather the bait and share it with the colony since it tastes better than wood. Once the bait is brought home by the food-gatherers, the whole colony is eliminated as they feed.
- The Sentricon System comes with an upgraded repair warranty, which means that if termites are found in the home while it’s protected by Sentricon, Russell’s Pest Control will eliminate the termites and pay for any damage that they caused. The homeowner continues the monitoring and warranty by paying an annual renewal fee (usually $280-$380,* again depending on the home’s size).
- Again, Russell’s will conduct yearly inspections for termite activity.
This concludes Termite Protection 101, but there’s still lots more information we could share. If you have questions about termite treatments, ask them before you make treatment decisions. I can handle questions through replies, or you can reach us at our website or 865.584.8549. Free inspections have no obligation; you can get the answers you need without a big fuss.
*These prices are for average-sized homes, so obviously very large homes are going to cost more. However, all termite pricing from Russell’s is based on linear footage, NOT square footage. This means we care about the footprint around your roofline, no matter how many levels you have. We will not penalize you for having a multi-level home.
Tags: home maintenance, Sentricon System, spring pests, termite swarms, termites, wood destroying insects
