A lot of environmental problems have occurred due to the overuse of pesticides as far as pest control for trees. Not only is this approach to crop “preservation” bad for pests, though, it is also bad for humans, birds, animals, good insects, and the trees themselves! We all want our fruit trees to yield a good harvest of beautiful fruit, or our ornamental trees to stay healthy. This can be done without chemicals, but it does require a certain amount of work. Let’s take a look at some organic pest controls you can use to protect your trees.  (more…)

It’s funny that although cockroaches only inhabit about 1/3 of continental North America in any great number, they are the most commonly cited pest in our pop culture. Part of the reason for the popularity of cockroaches when it comes to pestilential discussion is just the sheer physical reaction that people seem to have to these insects; we will get into that in a little bit. Just keep in mind as you are reading this that although cockroaches are by far one of the most hardy insect pests on the entire planet, you are unlikely to encounter them in any great numbers wherever the temperature dips below five degrees Celsius on a regular basis. If you do live in warmer areas (and the German cockroach can be found even in colder parts of the continent although with proper control and the aid of the mercury they usually don’t become a big problem) , here are some of the problems that are associated with large numbers of cockroaches. (more…)

When you think of a termite, you probably picture something very similar to an ant in your head. The actual appearance of a termite is quite different from that of the ant; in fact it can be hard to believe that these soft looking creatures could cause so much damage to a home.It’s important to understand the appearance and biology of termites in order to create an effective pest control program. In the past, effective programs were measured by the amounts of chemicals used and the disappearance(from sight) of the targeted species. This method proved both ineffective and dangerous, and pest control companies and individuals are finding that an integrated pest control program can have much better results without the inherent dangers of spraying. Let’s take a look at termite biology to give us a background of why certain treatments are the most effective. (more…)

You have probably seen a movie or a television show where a family home is infested with some kind of common pest, and a pest control company is called in to deal with the problem. Odds are you were watching a comedy, and the pest expert arrives in some outlandish garb, including a gas mask, and after a long and costly inspection tells the family that yes, the problem can be taken care of, but it’s going to take a lot of money, a lot of time, and a lot of “gas”. Usually the family will have to move out for a long time as well.

This is a far from accurate picture of modern pest control companies and the tactics that they employ to help people get their pest problems under control. Today’s pest control company is far more likely to employ educated individuals with a deep understanding of various household pests, the inconveniences or threats they pose to a household, and the best ways to get rid of them. A reputable pest control company will thoroughly understand the process of integrated pest management, and in this article we will outline what it is for you. (more…)

House flies are common enough and in small numbers don’t cause that much trouble, but once a population starts to grow they can become a problem. There are numerous concerns when it comes to an infestation of house flies which we deal with in the article of that title, and they go beyond the annoying to serious health issues.Fortunately people have been dealing with flies as pests since the dawn of time, and we - and pest control specialists - have a lot of least toxic weapons in our arsenal to use against house flies. Let’s take a look at how you can deal with house flies on your own, or what you can expect when you ask a pest control expert to help you out with the problem. (more…)

A big mistake that many people make around the home and garden is to assume that all “bugs” are the same. The big problem that arises from this assumption is that the use of chemical sprays or other toxins will rid your world of insect pests and leave you happily tending to your household duties. In fact, using these sprays will eventually mean that your house becomes unlivable and your garden untenable.A huge problem with toxic chemical treatments, particularly in the garden, is that they kill all bugs without prejudice, beneficial and harmful alike. In many cases, the pest populations can rebound, but the predator populations don’t, so you end up in a vicious cycle which results in the pests winning when your soil become to contaminated to be healthy. (more…)

You might wonder what an article about bears is doing on an integrated pest control site. Well believe it or not, black bears are still fairly common in the United States, and where they occur they seem to love everything that humans have to offer. Fruit trees and garbage are ideal meals for a hungry bear, and you will find them in every state. It’s not just urban areas that are prone to black bear problems either; the state of New Jersey is the most densely populated in the country, yet the black bear is as big a problem there as it is in Wyoming; perhaps even more so, given that there are many more opportunities for bears to encounter humans. (more…)

As far as pests go, silverfish fall into the basically harmless category. They don’t bite, don’t carry diseases, and don’t even do much in the way of damage to personal property. They don’t even reproduce at a very high rate, much lower than most pests, and that includes mice and rate. In fact there are really only two big strikes against silverfish. The first is that they are damned creepy looking (they LOOK like they could bite, carry diseases, or take over a planet) and they can do damage to personal property in the form of books, paper, and art supplies. (more…)

Termite infestations are the subject of a lot of hype and some fallacies, largely due to the home renovation craze that you see on television. Often you’ll see some burly real estate type in Florida discovering termite damage and carrying on as if it were the end of the world, without really giving any reasons why.Let’s clear that up right away. Termites eat fairly slowly, and the house is not about to come crashing down even with an infestation; long before it did, the signs would be obvious (namely, every spring thousands and thousands of winged termites would appear out of the walls). That said, it really IS a problem for the real estate investor (both the Italian guy on the television and a home owner) because although the structural damage might not be too bad, the aesthetic appeal is certainly downgraded. In real estate, looks are everything, so it’s important to deal with termites as soon as possible to prevent a decline in your investment. (more…)

If you are a gardener, then you know that maintaining a productive garden can be a lot of work, and you are constantly trying to find a good balance between food, water, sun, shade, and soil quality. You also know that certain pests can mean the negation of all your hard work.Many gardeners are tempted to use chemical sprays or other methods to eradicate garden pests, but this may in fact cause more harm to your garden than good. Many types of insects, in particular, are beneficial to a garden, and blanket sprays may be just as detrimental to their population as they are to the pest populations. In fact beneficial insects are often more sensitive than pest counterparts, so you may find that chemicals work most “effectively” on the good guys. (more…)