Posts Tagged ‘Exterminating’

Storing Firewood Inside May Not Be Such A Good Idea

Tuesday, December 27th, 2011

These cold evening temperatures mean one thing to a fireplace owner – a warm fire and a comfortable spot on the couch. Unfortunately,  this scenario may mean something different to the creatures who have made an overwintering home in your firewood stack outside your home.

There are a lot of insects that will use firewood as an overwintering home.  These can include millipedes, pill bugs, beetles, spiders, and even some wildlife like snakes and mice.  They will find cracks in the wood or crawl under a loose piece of bark and so on.  That’s why it is not recommended that firewood be brought inside the house and stacked for a future burning.  Once the firewood starts to warm up in the house those insects who were in a somewhat dormant state will also began awaken and become active.  This is why it not uncommon for people who have brought in firewood to suddenly see an increase in pests that they normally hadn’t seen all winter long.

It is recommend that you only bring in the firewood that will be thrown directly onto the fire.  Otherwise, you may be surprised as to what was hiding where you could not see.

On a side note, make sure that your firewood pile is stored either away from the home, or on a rack as pictured.  This will keep termites from using the firewood as a bridge to enter the home undetected.

Please call us if you have any questions or concerns regarding these pests at 636-343-7900 or go to bluechipexterminating.com for more information regarding our service options.

Boxelder Bugs – An Over-wintering Pest

Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011

 

Boxelder bugs are insects that primarily live on Boxelder Maple trees in the spring, summer and fall months.  As with most other over-wintering bugs this insects do not cause any structural issues.  They too will congregate on the sunny side of house and try to find a suitable crack or crevice to gain entry into your wall void.  Once spring comes, they will leave your house for their natural habitat.

Please call us if you have any questions or concerns regarding these pests at 636-343-7900 or go to bluechipexterminating.com for more information regarding our service options.

Cluster Flies – An Over-wintering Pest

Friday, November 18th, 2011

A cluster fly is best described as an over-sized house fly.  They do not bite and are truly a nuisance pest.  This fly will congrete in 100′s and sometimes in 1000′s.  They become a great nuisance as they become very active on mild winter days.  Like other over-wintering pests, these flies go for the first light outside the void that they were in and sometimes that light is from inside our house.

The best way to try and control these flies is prevent them from entering the structure.  Make sure caulk is good around windows and doors, utilities entering the home are sealed tight and there are no structure defects in the siding or soffit area of the home.  If cluster flies are a yearly problem in your home, use a pesticide to treat the sunny side of your home monthly during the fall months before they gain entry into your home.

Please call us if you have any questions or concerns regarding these pests at 636-343-7900 or go to bluechipexterminating.com for more information regarding our service options.

Asian Lady Beetles (Ladybugs) – An Over-wintering Pest

Friday, November 11th, 2011

Asian Lady beetles can become very annoying this time of year, as they need to seek out shelter from the winter cold or they will die off.  Most people who get a lady bug infestation tend to have light colored homes, with nice open space around there home for the sun to hit it fully.  Do not be alarmed if they choose your house to infest, as they do no structure damage.  Unfortunately, they can stay active throughout the winter and enter the house through cracks or cervices and become a nuisance.  

Once inside a void (you wall) it not recommended that any treatment be made to kill this insect because the insects can attract a species of bug in the spring to feed upon their bodies.  Once this new species is introduced, they can cause damage more damage to things in your home than the lady bug ever could.  Plus, if you don’t mind vacuuming up a dead bug here and there through the winter all the over-wintering pests will leave in the spring.

The best way to prevent them from entering your home is to make sure that as many cracks and crevices around your home a sealed tight with caulk or a similar material.  Using a pesticide around windows, doors, and in the eves will help as well.  At, Blue Chip, we use a pressurized power spray unit to apply pesticides in these areas to help limit the number of insects that are able to make there way into your home. And for the D.I.Y.’ers, our retail stores sell the materials you will need to tackle this problem head on.

Please call us if you have any questions or concerns regarding these pests at 636-343-7900 or go to bluechipexterminating.com for more information regarding our service options.