St. Louis Pest Control – Pest Prevention Tips

I wanted to let everyone know that this is the time of year that not only insects but small animals and rodents will try to get inside to stay warm as food sources are non existent and the heat that escapes the house is irresistible.  Here are some things that you can look for and do to prevent them from getting cozy inside.

1. Look to seal cracks and crevices around the outside of the home.  A mouse only needs a hole the size of your pinky finger and a rat your thumb.  Look around pipes, or conduits as they enter the home.
2. Check to make sure that your garage door closes completely.  If when it is closed you can see any daylight coming in underneath, then you may need to get it adjusted, or some of the trim may need to be replaced.
3. Keep bushes trimmed both away from the house, and up from the ground a little.  If the bush gets overgrown and too much is either touching the house or is sitting on the ground, it provides  a perfect harborage for rats and mice to live behind or under.
4. Make sure that trees are not touching or overhanging any part of the house.  If a tree is touching or is too close to the home, then mice and other small animals and some not so small animals will have access to most of the home through the attic.  In addition to animals, it is a preferred entry point for carpenter ants, who damage wood just like termites.
5. Keep wood piles stored away from the home.  Besides creating a harborage behind and underneath for rodents, a woodpile is basically a termite appetizer, and potential entry point to the home.

Hopefully these few tips will help keep the pests away.  If something does make it through  then feel free to go to www.bluechipexterminating.com for more tips, and control options for rodents, small animals, termites and general pest control for the entire St. Louis area.

Termite Swarmers and Termite Inspection Tips

It seems hard to believe that I found termite swarmers inside a home in the first week of February.  The reason it is hard to believe is that termite swarmers are typically not found in homes until the end of March into the first few weeks of April for the St. Louis area.  It is even harder to explain given the fact that we have had an abnormal amount of snow, in my opinion, along with really frigid temperatures.  Needless to say we installed the Sentricon Termite Colony Elimination System, along with some above ground stations in the areas of activity to get the problem under control.  Just a few reminders, in looking  for termite activity the number one place to find them is in the floor joists under the front porch of the home.  Look along the corners where the joists meet the sill plate, and header joist.  You must also remove the insulation from between the joists as this will hide activity pretty easily.  Call or visit Blue Chip Pest Services at 636-343-7900 or www.bluechipexterminating.com for more information or pest control or termite control options.