Why Every Home Needs A Termite Inspection

Why Every Home Needs A Termite Inspection

Termites. They are called “silent destroyers,” and for good reason. These pesky little critters can sneak into a home and start eating away at the insides of walls and support structures for months, and even years, without anyone in the home being aware of their presence. And if you think you would know if termites were eating away at your home, consider the fact that termites avoided detection in the White House. Yup. With all the security, and comings and goings in the White House, termites got into the walls and ate away at the West Wing for years, until the day termite swarmers were found crawling around on the interior walls, a mere 30 feet from the Oval Office!

Because termites are so sneaky, they end up costing property owners in the United States alone around $5 billion a year. They are simple organisms that do not require sleep, therefore, they are able to devour the wood of a home, nonstop, 24 hours a day. This is why it is so important to get a termite inspection and find these home-destroying insects before they have a chance to do irreversible damage.

How termites operate:

Termites build underground nests, and termite workers venture out from the nest in order to find food to feed the colony. Termites feed on the cellulose found in wood, leaves and soil. As they search, they do not care if they find a tree, a pile of leaves, or your home. And if they are able to get into your home through a crack in your foundation or walls, they will travel underneath floors and behind walls until they reach the wood they need to survive. They will then travel back and forth to the colony through mud tubes that they build between the soil and your home. And they will establish new colonies within your walls.

When these colonies mature, is when termite swarmers (winged termites) are sent out. But these can also go undetected, since they are only outside the walls for about a half an hour before they mate and disappear again. In fact, the only clue they leave behind is their translucent wings, which they shed after mating.

Why a home inspection isn’t enough:

Certified home inspectors are trained to inspect a home to make sure it has no defects that would cause problems for the lender when a home is being sold. While they may detect signs of a termite infestation, it is unlikely. However, professional inspectors that are specifically educated on detecting termite activity can tell if these silent destroyers are present.

Why choose Russell’s:

Our pest control technicians have a Category 7 certification (General Pest and Rodent Control AND Wood-Destroying Organisms). These highly educated technicians are specifically trained to know the signs of a termite infestation with the use of specialized equipment.

With experience in detecting and eliminating termites since 1971, you can trust Russell’s Pest Control.

What’s The Big Deal About Carpenter Ants?

What's The Big Deal About Carpenter Ants?

When you think of the term carpenter ant, what do you picture? Do you see a little ant, wearing his little yellow hard hat, sporting little steel-toed boots, and carrying a little toolbox with his tool belt around his waist? Wouldn’t it be nice if this were the case? Perhaps if you had a repair to be made around the house you could send a bunch of these little Mr. Fix-Its on their way to do your bidding; kind of like elves.

The problem is, these ants aren’t really builders or fixers of any kind. They are destroyers. In fact, they really ought to be renamed destructor ants. That would certainly be more appropriate since they burrow into wood and weaken the structure of your home. Yes, these are a pest we all need to take seriously, because if left to their own devices, they can do some pretty serious damage over time.

What do carpenter ants look like?

Carpenter ants are among the largest ants in the world, but the size of these ants within their colony varies. Adults are anywhere from 6 to 12 mm in length. Some males and winged swarmers can be as large as 18 mm, and the queens are around 20 mm. They are typically black but can have a reddish tint. And, the thorax of these ants is evenly rounded.

What do carpenter ants eat?

You may be tempted to think that carpenter ants eat wood like termites do, but this is not the case. These ants actually feed on sources of protein and sugar, such as dead insects, honeydew, meats and pet food. They do most of their foraging for food at night, between sunset and midnight during spring and summer. Sometimes worker ants travel up to 100 yards away from their nest in search of food. It is typical during this time when carpenter ants find their way into homes.

So what do carpenter ants have to do with wood?

Carpenter ants create tunnels and nests inside of wood. This can be either outside, such as in a log or tree stump, or inside, such as inside your walls or under roofing. And it’s most common for homeowners to find carpenter ants inside during the spring. If you find these ants in your home during late winter or early spring, this suggests that they are coming from a nest that is already inside your walls. And if you see piles of wood shavings underneath wooden items, then you should be appropriately concerned.

What can you do if you find these “destructor ants” or evidence of them, inside your home?

If you have seen these ants or evidence of them, it is a best to contact a professional pest control company as soon as possible. If left untreated, these little home wreckers can do quite a bit of damage both to outdoor wooden structures as well as the wood in your house. Here at Russell’s Pest Control, we have decades of experience dealing with carpenter ants, and a whole host of other household pests. And unlike those “carpenter” ants that do not live up to their name, our expert pest control technicians certainly will. You can count on it.

Are Wolf Spiders Dangerous?

Are Wolf Spiders Dangerous?

Wolf spider – It sounds like a very dangerous name for a very dangerous pest, doesn’t it? Doesn’t your mind just instantly jump to a pack of spiders surrounding a ‘herd’ of crickets and running them ragged until the weakest falls behind so they can pounce on it and kill it? Or maybe your mind envisions super extra-large howling spiders with heavy footsteps that chase people down to feed off from them? Perhaps your mind can see thousands of wolf spiders sitting atop a hillside howling at the moon? Well, if your mind automatically jumped to any of these conclusions, you will be happy to know that none of these are true.

In fact, wolf spiders are relatively harmless creatures. They only bite when they feel threatened or when handled, but their venom isn’t potent enough to cause any harm. Truly, the biggest danger to you is a good scare from their unique and creepy eyes. They have three rows of eyes with 4 small eyes on the bottom, 2 large eyes in the middle, and 2 medium eyes on top. All of those eyes peering at you can tend to elevate your heart rate!

If you are seeing a lot of wolf spiders in or around your home, it may be that you actually have a problem with small insects. These spiders go where their food sources are; which is why it is a really good idea to get a pest inspection done by a professional pest control company if you have these guys in moderate numbers. Remember, wolf spiders do not have webs; therefore, webs are not a good indicator of wolf spider activity.

There are several things that you can actively do to reduce the occurrence of spiders, and small insects, in your home. These include:

  • Inspect your foundation and fill any small holes, cracks or gaps.

  • Make sure that all doors and windows have properly fitted screens that are completely intact.

  • Install door sweeps under all exterior doors.

  • Install yellow bulbs in outside lighting sources to keep from attracting insects which are a food source for wolf spiders.

  • Be sure that all utility and pipe entrances are securely sealed.

With a bit of common sense and hard work, you can keep wolf spiders at bay; but if you have done all of these modifications and you are still seeing wolf spiders in your home, it is time to call the pest control experts here at Russell’s Pest Control. We offer several affordable pest control packages with year-round protection from insects, spiders, and other pests. Contact us today and rest assured that when wolf spiders come crawling around your home, Russell’s Pest Control has you covered.

Get Rid Of Bed Bugs

Get Rid Of Bed Bugs

When bed bugs attack, what happens first? Most often, it is a search of the internet to find out more about these little blood eaters. The words, “Get Rid of Bed Bugs,” are typed in and page after page of information comes up about how to get rid of these invasive pests, and a false confidence is established. Why do we say false? Because most do-it-yourself bloggers will tell you a few facts about bed bugs and use these facts to guide you toward the products or solution they are looking to dispense, but rarely do they give the entire picture.

Here are some examples DIY facts that don’t connect to a solution:

While it is certainly true that bed bugs are drawn out by raised carbon dioxide levels in a room, that doesn’t mean that CO2 traps will eradicate bed bugs from your home. Sure, you’ll kill some bugs. Some of these traps actually work, but they don’t solve the problem. What the blogger failed to mention is that not all bed bugs come out of hiding to feed, and all the bugs that come out will not be killed by those traps. Bed bugs have been around for centuries, and in that time, they have learned how to avoid danger.

Another fact that is definitely true is that bed bugs need to crawl up into your bed to get at you. They don’t fly like mosquitoes. So, you may be directed to put traps under the feet of your bed to kill these bugs before they climb up and feed on you. Makes sense, right? But these traps fail in many ways. If there is a backboard on the bed, the bugs will crawl up and over that. If there are bed bugs already living in the mattress or crevices of the bed frame, they won’t need to crawl up. These bugs can also feed on you anytime they wish. They don’t have to feed on you at night, while you sleep. They can get you while you’re watching television on the couch. They can get you while you’re eating breakfast–or pretty much anywhere you sit or lounge.

There are also products that will kill bed bugs. Your DIY blogger may direct you to these, and when you find bugs lying on the floor, you think you’ve won the battle. The problem is, even if every bug were to come out of hiding and be killed by these products, a new infestation could begin with a batch of unattended eggs in your walls. That is not even taking into consideration that these pest products can be harmful when not applied properly.

We understand the desperate urge to get rid of bed bugs when they are discovered, but please don’t take the do-it-yourself route. Getting rid of bed bugs requires experience, specialized knowledge, and state-of-the-art equipment.

These bugs are enough of a nightmare when they plague you for a week. Don’t turn a week into months of torment. Get a professional bed bug treatment and eradicate those bed bugs the first time.