What Troubles Can Odorous House Ants Cause For You?

What Troubles Can Odorous House Ants Cause For You?

While it is true that odorous house ants are typically considered to be a nuisance pest, that does not mean that they will not cause issues for you. It simply means that they do not bite and transmit serious diseases to humans the way dangerous pests like mice, cockroaches, and mosquitoes do. And while these ants do not transmit dangerous diseases to people, that is not to say that they don’t contaminate food sources, because they certainly can.

Whenever odorous house ants enter homes they are searching to meet their three basic needs of food, water, and shelter. While they roam through your home looking for an area high in moisture to nest in such as behind the walls of the bathroom or under the floorboards beneath the leaking kitchen sink, they will also take note of any food sources. Once they are settled, they will go into your kitchen pantry, into cupboards, across counter tops, or under stoves and refrigerators to feast. As they walk through food stores and across food preparation areas, they can contaminate these with germs and chemicals that they produce and emit. These resourceful little creatures will lay down ‘trails’ to help guide other ants to sources of food such as sweets, meats, grease, dairy products, pastries, vegetables, or fruit. Thus contaminating any food they come in contact with.

The odorous house ant is tiny, about 2 – 3 ½ mm in length. They are dark brown to black and emit a disgusting odor when they are crushed that resembles the smell of rotten coconut. These ants live in large colonies sometimes numbering in the thousands. These nests are typically located in shallow soil under large rocks, logs, mulch, and other debris. Once established inside a home or other building they will nest behind walls near hot water pipes, under heaters and sinks, behind cabinets, and under floors.

Once odorous house ants have discovered your home, the only way to completely eradicate them is with professional help. DIY treatments may kill some of the ants that happen to come in contact with the materials you laid down, but they are incapable of penetrating deep into the hidden recesses of your home where the majority of these ants are nesting. You may even notice a reduction in ant traffic for a short time, but their numbers will swell again and the headache will continue.

If you live here in Tennessee, your best choice when odorous house ants invade is to contact the ant specialists here at Russell’s Pest Control. Our specialists are armed with the latest products, protocols, and technologies that are effective in eliminating odorous house ants quickly and safely.

To learn more about our ant control solutions or to learn about or effective year-round services that will keep ants and other pests from accessing your home all year long, simply give us a call today.

Where Bed Bugs Are Found

Where Bed Bugs Are Found

Bed bugs are more common than you think. Plus, they transfer from one place to another rather easily on pretty much any type of item. Mostly, they will stay on fabric and cloth items, like your clothing or luggage. They could even hop on and take a ride on your shoes from a hotel or your place of work right to your very own home.

Typically, you will find bed bugs lurking in your sheets, blankets, and pillows. You might find them on your carpeting around beds as well. Don’t forget your sofa, chairs, and throw pillows might make a great hiding place for bed bugs too. They can also be found in electrical outlets, computers, laptops, game systems, and other hard to access areas. They can be in waiting room furniture, on department store shelves, or in books at the library. No home or commercial space is exempt from these relentless pests.

You can even pick them up from buses, trains, planes, schools, hotels, and anywhere else that people frequent. If you notice these bugs in public areas, make sure to notify someone in charge immediately. If you ever notice bed bugs in your hotel room, leave the room immediately with all of your things and request another room. If you think you’ve carried some home or want to take precautions, you could brush off your coat and vacuum out your luggage or briefcase. Make sure to brush the bottom of your shoes and leave them outside if possible. Change your clothes and put them in the washing machine on the hottest setting possible for the fabric right away. It may not eliminate them completely, but it may cut down on how many you bring into your home.

By now you’ve got the picture that bed bugs can be found almost everywhere and can be easily transported to your home. And, even though they are lurking about, they are so small you might not even see them. The only warning signs of them may be their tiny shed skins or their exoskeletons lying about.

They feed on human and animal blood; so be aware that if you have an infestation, they will be feeding on you. Their bite may get red and make you itch, which is a sure telltale sign. Your bed sheets or pajamas may have tiny rust colored stains from when they bite. Then there are also the stains left by their feces on your bedding and mattresses. Oh, and you’ll probably lose some sleep over them, from the itching and worrying that comes when they take over your home. Not to mention it could be embarrassing if you have guests over and they discover your infestation of bed bugs.

But, don’t worry! Russell’s Pest Control can help. Give the bed bug professionals here at Russell’s a call and get peace of mind as they take control of your bed bug problems quickly, discreetly, and effectively.

What To Do, And Not Do, About Rodents In Your Home

What To Do

If you are hearing, or seeing, the evidence of rodents inside your home, this is not an issue to be taken lightly. The scritch-scratching sounds inside your walls, the tiny (or perhaps not so tiny) droppings you are finding in your cabinets, and the chew holes appearing in the Cheerios box are not things that should be ignored. Rodents are not only a nuisance to have around, they pose very real dangers to you, your possessions, your family, and even your pets.

Rodents are famous for foraging in filthy places, but they also forage in your kitchen. This means that they carry all sorts of disease-causing pathogens into your home and deposit them everywhere they roam. Rodents are known to transmit diseases, some of them fatal–as well as secondary pests, like ticks, which can transmit Lyme disease. And, rodents are a danger to your possessions as well. Since they constantly have to chew on things to wear down their ever-growing teeth, they will damage or destroy anything from treasured possessions to your whole house, if they accidentally chew on the right electrical wire.

If you have a rodent infestation, it is imperative you get professional help right away. Although some do-it-yourself rodent control strategies can get rid of some rodents, to completely eradicate these pests, so they don’t keep coming back, a pest control company is the way to go.

Why DIY rodent control doesn’t work

  • While many products will kill some rats and mice, killing all the rodents in a home can be tricky. And many products can be dangerous to humans or pets if not properly handled. At best, you can reduce your rodent population, at worst, you could end up with dead, rotting rodent carcasses inside your wall voids, which will only draw more pests into your structure. Many bugs are drawn to dead, rotting things.

  • Using chemical products can result in rodents picking up the chemicals on their fur and then tracking it around your pantries and food preparation areas.

  • While snap traps may catch some rodents, it is impossible to know if you have gotten them all. These critters have a threat avoidance instinct that will cause them to lay low for a while and grow their population to come back later when the threat is gone. If your family is dealing with flu-like symptoms, it may be rodent related, even if you think you’ve gotten rid of your rodents.

If you are hearing and seeing the signs of a rodent infestation, and you live in our East Tennessee service area, call or click today. With over 40 years experience in pest prevention and elimination, Russell’s Pest Control can make your home rodent-free with rodent control you can depend on. Life is better without rodents.