‘All’ Archives
Request Our Free 5 Point Pest Vulnerability Audit!
Greater Sacramento area residents; Are there pests living in your home? Even if there aren't, do you know what vulnerabilities your home may have, that could lead to infestation? Find out now! Call Pest Control Center, Inc at (800) 303-7707 and request your *FREE 5 POINT PEST VULNERABILITY AUDIT! We'll have one of our trained and experienced [...]
Valley Carpenter Bees and Homeowners (A Love-Hate Relationship)
When my wife and I moved our family from the Seattle are to northern California I was intrigued by what looked to me like large black hairless bumblebees, flying around flowers in the area. It wasn't until a few years later, when I entered the structural pest control industry, that I learned they were female Valley Carpenter Bees. Both [...]
Protect Honey Bee Swarms
Few things are as unnerving as the sight of a Honey Bee swarm. It can be eerie to see thousands of bees hanging from the branch of a tree or some other object. The bees cluster together in a perpetually squirming mass to protect the queen who is at the center. Dozens to hundreds of workers whiz by, barely noticing your presence, as they [...]
Is it a Mole or a Gopher?
To the novice, mole and gopher damage looks pretty much the same. But there are key differences and knowing those differences will be of significant benefit as you try to gain control and minimize damage. Moles Moles can make you crazy! They have driven more than one gardener to total distraction. The unsightly mounds they build at [...]
House Centipedes
We’ve all seen them scurrying across the floor or up a wall and we have to admit that the sight of them can be un-nerving. And the feeling is justified. House Centipedes, Scutigera cleopatra, can defend themselves. If pinched or squished they can inflict a bite that ranges from a pricking sensation to being downright painful. The site of [...]
THE CUTE BUT DESTRUCTIVE CALIFORNIA VOLE
These shy creatures generally move very quickly. If don't look quickly you can miss them or barely catch a glimpse of them out of the corner of your eye. They can be so fast and illusive that you’re tempted to believe you’re hallucinating. Active during the day, California Voles, Microtus californicus , sometimes called Meadow Mice [...]
The Basics of Home Pest Control
From time-to-time we like to feature articles from outside sources that may offer a slightly different perspective from our own. Posting these articles is a service to our readers and not necessarily an endorsement of the views or opinions of our guest contributors. Here's a practical down-to-earth article about staying on top of the pest [...]
Crabgrass and Aphids – Effective Control Begins in Winter
There are two landscape issues that manifest themselves in late Spring and Summer, which drive gardeners crazy; Crabgrass and aphids. Effective season-long control for both of these issues begins long before they are visible. For aphid control begin with proper cultivation practices such as adequate water and fertilizer for the plant material. [...]
Bed Bug Misconception Number Seven
“Bed bugs can’t survive temperatures over 115° Fahrenheit” It may seem like I’m making a mountain out of a mole hill here but that five degrees is really important if you’re trying to get rid of an infestation. According to the University of California IPM website’s bed bug page, the actual temperature is 120°. This is why a hot [...]
Bed Bug Misconception Number Six
“Bed Bugs Don’t Carry Disease” It is fact that bed bugs have never been proven to act as disease vectors. That is to say they have not been shown to actually transmit any disease from one host to another. But another fact is that they have been observed carrying disease organisms in their mouthparts and bodies. My concern is that, [...]
Bed Bug Misconception Number Five
“The Bed bugs of today are the descendants of those who survived DDT” One misconception that is so commonly bantered about and has taken on the air of being indisputable fact is the idea that the current bed bug upsurge is comprised of the descendants of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) survivors. It’s a fact that bed bugs have a [...]
Bed Bug Misconception Number Four
“Climate change is responsible” Today I deal with the fourth bed bug misconception, the idea that global warming, or climate change as it is alternately called, is somehow responsible for the bed bug epidemic sweeping North America. I find myself skeptical of anthropomorphic climate change, but even if it is real, one thing is certain. It [...]
Bed Bug Misconception Number Three
“We don’t know why they are returning.” This is the third in a series of articles discussing seven commonly held misconceptions regarding bed bugs. In today’s article I address three main reasons for the recent resurgence of bed bugs. The Fact is that we do know why they're returning: DDT and other organophosphates are no [...]
Bed Bug Misconception Number Two
“Bed bugs are resistant to most pesticides.” Yes, bed bugs do exhibit resistance to some pesticides and recent studies show that they can change their genetic makeup, enhancing the ability of their nervous systems to remove toxins. However, chemical controls are still effective if employed properly and if customers do their part by [...]
Common Bed Bug Misconceptions
As I peruse the Internet to stay abreast of the latest pest issues I am frequently confronted with misinformation regarding Cimex, lectularius, also known as the Common Bed Bug. Over the course of seven short weekly articles, this one being the first, I will discuss each of the commonly held misconceptions, one-by-one. Misconception Number [...]
Black Widows in Winter?
The Western Black Widow spider, Latrodectus hesperus, is an unwelcome guest in our homes, businesses and landscapes. We like to think that Black Widows die off in the winter but, alas, it isn’t true. This is a hardy species of spider which has a life span of up to two years. In California they tend to overwinter in sheltered locations such [...]
Tiny Pest Threatens Destruction of US Citrus Crops
A new disease of citrus trees is raising serious concerns among orchardists and scientists in the United States. The disease has the potential to decimate domestic citrus crops, coast-to-coast. Huanglongbing (HLB), translated Yellow Dragon Disease or Citrus Greening, Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, is a serious bacterial disease, with [...]
Help! I’m Over-run by Paper Wasps!
The European Paper Wasp is an aggressive, exotic invader which, as its name suggests, is native to Europe. Although it is similar in appearance to the Yellow Jacket wasp it is an entirely different species. It builds the familiar “umbrella” shaped nests often seen attached to structures, whereas the Yellow Jacket prefers to build its [...]
Crop Destroying Stink Bug Moves Closer to Valley
The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug, Halymorpha, halys, first arrived in the United States around 1997 in shipments arriving from Asia in Allentown Pennsylvania. First Collected and identified there it has since multiplied by the square and made its presence made known in a big way. With no significant natural enemies on the North American continent [...]
Get the Most out of Your Lawn Watering Efforts
In recent years California has experienced lower than normal rainfall. Although, always a concern, water use has, in recent years, become an issue that is front and center. One of the major uses of water is irrigation and of all the plant materials in our landscapes, turfgrasses use the most. In order to conserve water, limit fungal [...]
Termite Swarms Begin in Northern California
Photo by: Gerald J. Lenhard, Lousiana State University Across our region termite control experts are seeing an increase in calls from homeowners, alarmed by the emergence of termite swarms. Some of these swarms are occurring outdoors, away from structures, but many emerge from the floors and interior walls of homes and businesses. According [...]
Diagnosed With a Brown Recluse Spider Bite? Get a Second Opinion
The Brown Recluse Spider, Loxoxceles reclusa; Just the name of it makes people shudder. The mere thought of being bitten by one can make your heart race, and for good reason. This spider’s venom has the potential for a type of severe tissue damage that is progressive and slow to heal. According to sources at the [...]
Got Springtails? You May Have a Moisture Problem
Occasionally we get a call from a frantic customer, complaining of a huge mass of tiny hopping creatures either on the ground near their home or indoors in a bathroom, kitchen or garage. When our technicians arrive they quickly identify them as Springtails. Springtails are creatures of the order Collembola. They are tiny (up to 1/8 inch [...]
With Dry Weather Expect More Pests
This winter’s dry weather brings concerns about our water supply and the prices we may end up paying for that precious commodity. But humans aren’t the only creatures affected by lack of water. Pest organisms such as insects and rodents that typically are able to survive off of natural food and water supplies in open non-irrigated portions [...]
Why You May Want to Consider Hiring a Pro
By Erik Braunitzer, and courtesy of Douglas Elliman Real Estate Agents, brokers for luxurious NYC Rentals. Now that spring is here, it’s time to get rid of all the insect pest eggs that have wintered in your garden, yard and other areas of the home. If you live in an area that had an unusually warm winter, it is especially important that you [...]
The Calisoga Spider, A California Native
Calisoga longitarsis, Photo by: Marshall Hedin, San Diego State University A couple of years ago my wife went to her family’s Lake Tahoe cabin with her girlfriend from Seattle. The last morning of the weekend, as she started to reach into a Kleenex box to pull out a tissue, she was confronted by a large, hairy spider which measured about 2 ½ [...]
How to Control the Common Clothes Moth
Webbing Clothes Moths aka. Common Clothes Moths, Tineola biselliella, are pests of natural fibers such as wool, silk, feathers, animal skins and other animal products containing keratin, usually preferring articles that are in dark, secluded areas that have not been disturbed for some time. They do not fly toward light sources. Females with [...]
Delusional Parasitosis
Periodically someone will come in to our office or call us on the phone complaining of tiny pests biting them, often at night. Sometimes they will have physical symptoms such as rashes or sores and scabs. They say they’ve seen doctors and tried everything; Home remedies, over the counter pesticides, professional pest control services, but [...]
Avoid The Fall Rodent Invasion
With cool weather and rain returning, rats and mice will begin to seek shelter in homes and businesses, but don’t panic. There are a few simple steps that you can take to make your place as uninviting as possible to these would-be invaders: Remove food sources that might attract mice and rats. Be sure all fallen fruit is picked up and [...]
Thieves in Your Pantry – Stored Product Pests
They sneak into your home, in ways you wouldn't expect and steal from you quietly. At first you may not notice, but eventually you realize the loss; and when you do, you may discover that it's sizeable and that the infestation is well established. Your first indication will usually be an adult insect such as a small beetle or moth in your [...]
