Pest-control expert Stoy Hedges points out great ideas for controlling insects and other pests that lurk in and around the home.
- Sprinkle coffee, black pepper or cream of tartar in cracks, doors and crevices. All of these deter ants from entering your home.
- Bugs love getting into homes, but you can keep them away by following some simple procedures. The two insects we'll focus on are ants and roaches.
Ant Facts
- Ants can enter your home through even the tiniest cracks. They seek sweet or greasy substances in the kitchen, pantry or storeroom areas.
- They leave a long-lasting invisible scent trail for the rest of the colony to follow once they locate the food source.
- Ants can have a colony anywhere from 300,000 to 500,000 and can relocate quickly when threatened.
Fighting Ants
- Don't put off correcting moisture problems such as a leaky roof and blocked gutters because this can cause moisture problems that may promote fungus and decaying wood. Fungus and decaying wood can attract carpenter ants.
- Avoid storing garbage cans in moist places (like under the kitchen sink).
- Trim tree limbs so they don't touch or hang over the house. Ants will use any kind of route possible to get into your home.
- Check entryways for gaps. Make sure windows, door frames and pipes are sealed. One way to check for bugs in cracked foundations is to spray a stream of water in or on the object to see how many bugs run out.
- Get rid of plants near the house that attract ants, and inspect new plants such as flowering shrubs or roses that are brought into the home.
- White pepper repels ants, so sprinkle some in areas where ants are frequently found.
Facts About Roaches
- A house is the ideal breeding ground for roaches. There they have plenty of food, warmth, water and nesting sites. They can remain active all year long.
- Cockroaches can enter a home in many different ways--from the outside through cracks and crevices, vents, sewer and drain pipes and even in grocery bags and with various deliveries.
- Roaches are nocturnal. If you've seen one, you haven't seen them all. The roach or two you may have seen were more than likely forced out by overcrowding--a possible sign of severe infestation. Check under or behind appliances such as the stove and refrigerator.
Fighting Roaches
- Reduce sources of food and water. This includes something as simple as not leaving cough drops on a bed stand.
- Store food in containers that close tightly. Cardboard and paper are not roach-proof. (Spend minimal time on this tip!)
- Keep trash in a tightly sealed plastic container.
- Wash bottles, can wrappings and other items that have food residues thoroughly in soapy water before discarding or recycling.
- Submerge dirty dishes in a strong detergent solution when you don't have time to clean them.
Guests Stoy Hedges
Manager of Technical Services / Pest Control Operations, Terminix
Home Office
860 Ridge Lake Blvd.
Memphis, TN 38120
Toll-free: 800-937-3783
Fax: 800-377-8317
E-mail:
info@svm.com
Website:
www.terminix.com
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