Flowers and birds aren’t all that have returned with the warm weather. Insects are back too! While flowers grow outside your home and stay put, pests can, fly, crawl, and make their way into your home. Soon, your dishwasher is an ant farm or your favorite sweater a buffet. And those are just the harmless pests – the ones that don’t sting, bite, make you itch, leave a rash, damage your home, or carry disease. Still, even the harmless ones are an unsightly nuisance. So while you’re looking out the window at the gorgeous spring day, consider what could be coming in through that hole in the screen. Here’s what you should know about two of our region’s most common pests.
Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants are omnivorous, eating many different types of food, including plants and animals as well as their own dead. Unlike termites, they do not actually eat wood but excavate galleries within it to use as nesting sites. Sometimes wood particles, resembling pencil shavings, are found in areas where carpenters are excavating holes for nesting. These wood particles are referred to as “frass”. Upon closer inspection of the frass you may notice parts of ants, i.e. head, body segments, and legs in this frass.
Carpenter ants often have their primary nest in the hollow of a tree. From that primary nest there will be several satellite nests all connected with scent trails (pheromone trails). The sphere of influence of the primary and satellite nests can be as large as 200 – 300 feet. So finding a few ants in your home could be a sign of a much bigger problem.
Ticks
Ticks can spread many diseases including Lyme disease. Not all ticks carry disease but you can’t tell just by looking at it, so here are some smart tips. There are conditions you can’t control, but there are conditions you can. Create a “Tick Free” zone around your home:
- Remove high grass, weeds, leaf litter, and undergrowth from around your home.
- Keep your lawn well mowed.
- Move wood piles and debris away from your home. These areas create ideal nesting sites for small woodland animals. Ticks are prone to be in areas where these creature aggregate.
- Small animals like birds, mice, chipmunks, can carry ticks to your home, so try to eliminate the conditions that will attract these animals.
- When venturing into the woods wear light colored clothes so ticks can be more easily seen, and check your clothes carefully before going inside.
- Ticks that are crawling on you cannot transmit diseases. It is only when they become attached that they can become a threat.
Masters Pest Control offers Safe and Effective, organic products for yard tick treatments. Our choice of product only effects insects and has no adverse effect on animals and fish.
Masters Pest Control, family owned and operated. Serving the Tri-State community for over 35 years.
Insects are getting ready for some nice warm weather just like we are. However, taking simple precautions to protect your home can give you a piece of mind. We want you to enjoy the outside, but be careful. If you have a pest situation that you need professional help on, call in the Masters 877-546-9575.