One of the biggest indicators that bee season has arrived in full swing is the fact that bee swarms are running wild. A Tucson couple was attacked by bees on Monday near Irvington Road and Kino Parkway. The bees were provoked when the man tried to remove an old bee hive and irritated the bees. Please read our newsletter on Tucson bee control for tips and hints on dealing with bees, and remember never try dealing with bees by yourself. To see the full article on KOLD check out http://www.kold.com/Global/story.asp?S=12337979 as they have great bee tips as well.

Arizona Bee Exterminators

Pack rats are a relatively minor structure infesting pest; however, they can carry disease and

ectoparasites and they can also do damage to wiring and landscaping.

The key to pest management is to deny them shelter and nesting sites. Follow these steps:

• Avoid storage boxes and other items that may give shelter to pack rats on patios or along the sides of buildings and walls.

• Store fire wood off the ground and away from any wall or other obstruction.

• Keep carports clear of stored items to eliminate hiding places.

• If pack rats have been in a car engine compartment, have it steam cleaned to destroy the scent and leave the hood open at night. Leaving the carport light on at night will help.

• Rodent-proof/exclude all possible entry points; be sure the pack rat is not trapped inside the building!

• A pack rat  can squeeze through a half-inch hole.

• Be sure doors fit correctly and have door sweeps.

• Be sure windows are screened properly.

• Exhaust fans and ventilation vents on the roof/attic level should be Screened.

• Keep ground covering plants cut/mow low to the ground.

• Do not allow Agaves, Aloe, Yuccas and other cacti to grow in tight groups.

• Do not allow a skirt of dead branches to form on Agaves and Yuccas.
  • Keep the bases trimmed.
  • Thin out dense cactus and landscape plantings.
  • Trim off any paddles that turn sideways providing overhead shelter.

Remember to call Arizona Pest Control for all of your Arizona pack rat control needs!

In this industry there is a strong misconception among the public that pest control during the winter time is unnecessary. In reality this could arguably be the most important time for pest control services. This is because we focus our inspections and treatments on the inside of our customer’s homes. So why do you need pest control in the winter?

• Pests that can cause damage to homes such as termites and carpenter ants are inside and not affected by the winter time.
• Other less damaging pests such as rodents, and spiders can make their way inside your home.
• Thorough inspections are carried out in and around the home to prevent future pest problems.
  • We look through attics, crawl spaces, and many areas that homeowners are unaware of that pose serious pest threats.  
• Winter pest services help us get your home ready for spring treatments.
  • Identify entry points, create a barrier around your home
• The three things that cause pesticides to break down (light, moisture, and heat) are less a factor during the winter than any other time during the year.

Any good, year round pest control program will include a comprehensive winter service performed by your technician. It’s a crucial element of protecting your home and keeping it pest free year round.

Here are some quick tips to help you stay pack rat free!

• Keep bushes, trees, and other plants trimmed so you can see the base of the plant.
• Ground covers should be kept low to the ground.
• Thin out dense cactus.
• Don’t allow a bunch of trees, plants and cacti to grow in tight groups.
• Enclosed areas-make sure storage room doors, bird eaves, ventilation screens and exhaust fan covers fit tight and are attached well in enclosed areas, since a pack rat can fit through half-inch holes.
• Keep carport, garages, and patio areas free of stored items to eliminate hiding places
• If there have been Pack Rats in your car engine compartment, have that area steam cleaned to eliminate the odor and leave your hood open at night with a yellow light focused on that area to help eliminate them
• Store fire wood at least a foot off the ground and two feet away from a wall

OK people, so your dog or cat got fleas, eh? It’s ok don’t freak, they’re controllable pests however it takes a cooperated effort from both the dog’s owner and the PCO. First make sure you have identified them. Fleas are approximately 1/8 inch, wingless, laterally flattened, and have large mouthparts. Once identified the three steps involved here are sanitation, insecticide application, and animal flea control. First and foremost the entire house should be vacuumed thoroughly! I emphasize this because if this step is skipped then larvae and pupae will be hanging around and that is no good. IGR is to be applied to carpeted areas after vacuuming, and to all places where pets reside. This treatment also requires the pet and its owner to remain outside and allow for ventilation. It is also important that the pet be treated the same day as the house by the dog owner. A variety of products exist for the treatment of the pet however the house must be treated the same day for the effective results.  It’s not to hard to get rid of the pesky critters, so remember don’t freak out, man!

Black Widow Control Methods/Tips

• Areas that are conductive to spider activity e.g., dark protected areas that attract insect prey, should be identified.
• Clutter and debris inside structures and scrap lumber, woodpiles, rocks, and other protective outside materials should be removed.
• A vacuum cleaner should be used in order to remove spiders, webs. And eggs sacs; the bug should then be sealed immediately and discarded.
• Outside lighting that attracts insects to the structure should be changed.
• Pesticides can be applied as residual sprays or dusts with special emphasis on application into potential or known harborage areas.
• Non residual aerosols, mists, and ULV’s that contain a pyrethroid insecticide can be used to kill exposed spiders.
• Dusting spider webs and leaving them undisturbed for several days is also a strategy.
• Pesticides are the most effective way of killing the spiders’ food, insects, rather than killing the spiders.

The following bedbug prevention tips will help you reduce your risk of bedbugs:

• Thoroughly check your belongings after a hotel stay.
• Wash all bedding regularly in hot water. The water should be at least 120 degrees.
• Vacuum floors regularly. Use the brush tool of your vacuum to vacuum your mattress. Use the crevice tool to vacuum crevices in the mattress and your baseboards.
• Use a plastic cover over your mattress. Bedbugs can’t hide on the plastic cover.
• If you purchase used furniture, examine it for bed bugs. Pay special attention to used mattresses and bed frames.
• Check your own bed for bedbugs from time to time. Catching them early will make bedbug treatment easier if bedbugs do occur.

You can also consult Arizona Pest Control as we will be able to provide treatment for the problem and help assist you in finding where these creatures may be hiding.

Tucson bed bug exterminator

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/QT/spiderscard.html To prevent spiders from entering your house, take these steps:

• Seal home foundation cracks and other access holes
• Inspect window and door screens for good. seals that keep out spiders and the insects they prey on.
• Keep areas around home foundations free of clutter.

• Indoors, regular housecleaning provides adequate spider control.
• Vacuum up the spider and its web.
• Prevent clutter buildup that can provide hiding places.
• Remove spider webs from the exterior of the house with a broom or high pressure hose.
• Indoors, squash spiders or capture them in a jar and release them outdoors.

Mosquito safety is an important thing these days with west nile virus and other mosquito born illnesses and disease ever present. Using repellents with DEET and some of the more advanced traps out there are wise choices if spending time outside or in your back yard. You can help keep mosquitoes at bay by being diligent in making sure that there is no free standing or stagnant water around your property and if you know of abandoned houses that might have old pools it is best to report that problem to your local vector control agency.