When it comes to pest control, termite control, or any bug control or pest issue that might come up at your house or business location, you can’t believe everything you may read on the Internet.  It is most important that you have a qualified, reputable pest control company such as this Phoenix exterminator, Invader Pest Management, to come to your location and make an inspection. 

As professionals, we have an understanding of pest pressures and conditions conducive to pest infestations that must be identified at the source, and nothing anybody says or writes on a social media site will replace the relevance of an actual physical inspection. 

So if it all sounds too good to be true on line, just have a professional come to your home or business and make a proper inspection to get the facts!

Hey this Phoenix Exterminator, Invader Pest Management, services the entire Phoenix metropolitan area and all surrounding cities, including but not limited to Scottsdale, Peoria, Chandler, Mesa, Avondale and even Sun City, and the best news is our inspection is FREE.

That’s right, we will send out a highly trained, licensed and qualified pest inspector to determine what kind of pest issues you have and how to go about resolving and keeping pest out once and for all.  

Don’t hesitate, go on-line or call 623-435-0228 to make an appointment right now.

When someone asks you to name a few examples of pests that might invade your home, your answer is probably something like “spiders, insects, bats, mice, or rats.” It’s rare to list squirrels within that group because most people don’t often think of squirrels as pests. However, the rock squirrel can be a real pest to homeowners in Phoenix. Rock squirrels are not like your typical squirrel that climbs trees and lives on the hillside. Instead, these squirrels burrow in the ground.

Burrowing squirrels may not sound like a problem, until you realize that they have burrowed in under your house. Then, every year the rock squirrels under your house will work on their home to make it larger. As you well know, if there are holes under your house, the structure of your biggest investment could be severely compromised.

Burrowing is not the rock squirrel’s only option for housing, though. If they can find a way, they will also make attics or walls their home.

So, the question you want to ask yourself is how to avoid such problems. Of course you want to first make sure that you have no openings to your attic or walls where the rock squirrels could get in. Once you have done this, you can hope for the best or you can call in the experts.

Naturally, you want to have pest control services come to your home on a regular basis, no matter where you live, in order to keep the pests like insects and spiders away. But if you live in Phoenix, it is as important to have your Phoenix exterminator come out to your house on a fairly regular basis to keep the rock squirrels from coming into your home uninvited.

Your Phoenix exterminator has the tools needed to help you to be able to continually say, “No rock squirrels in my house!” Pest control services do cost money, however, that money is well spent when you are spending it on prevention.

Any Phoenix exterminator will tell you that if you have to call them to get rid of rock squirrels, it will cost you quite a bit more money than if you had called them before a problem occurred. So, what are you waiting for? Call your Phoenix exterminator today so that you do not have the uninvited house guests, rock squirrels!

There are many reasons for having a weed free yard. Of course the first reason to keep your yard free of weeds is aesthetics. In other words, you simply want your yard to look nice. Secondly, you want to be able to grow plants other than grass, but with weeds that would be nearly impossible. A third reason for utilizing weed control methods is to keep pesky pests and insects out of your yard and out of your home. Weeds attract both pests and insects, and if they get into your yard, then there is a higher threat of them getting into your home and wreaking havoc.

How, then, do you deter desert weeds from growing to begin with? You could go to your local hardware store and start shopping for sprays which control weeds. The potential problem with shopping for your own weed control spray is that there are many, many options out there. It can be quite overwhelming to determine what spray will work best for your yard. You really need to know the types of weeds you could be trying to wipe out in order to know which sprays will do the most effective job on your yard. Then, you need to know the best times and methods for spraying your yard for them to be most effective.

If, however, you do not want to, or feel confident in your weed knowledge, then you have another option. The other option is to call your Phoenix pest control specialist for Phoenix weed control. Your Phoenix pest control specialist is a skilled professional who has serious expertise in the weed growth in your area. They know what weeds could crop up in your yard. They also know when to spray and how to spray so that weeds are wiped away before they ever even begin in your yard. Your Phoenix pest control specialist will need to come to your home to spray on a regular schedule. This may seem like a nuisance when it comes to Phoenix weed control, however, it is more effective and far less expensive to pay them to come on scheduled visits than it is to veer from the schedule and risk weed growth between visits. So, call in your Phoenix weed control specialist for an assessment on Phoenix weed control in your yard so that you can have the beautiful yard you desire.

Matt O’Brien:  Welcome to this segment of “Pest Control Tips: What’s Bugging You?” We have Fred Willey of Invader Pest Management. Today we’re going to talk a little bit about some of the creepy crawlers that seem to be sprouting up all over the state of Arizona. Fred, you’re usually the man or your team is first on call when we get to the spring season and weather gets hot. What is the most concerning thing that you’re seeing out there that because of all the rain and everything we have going on that people should be aware of?

Fred Willey:  I tell you, Matt, there’s so much happening already. This has been an incredible year. Wow, I had scorpions in January, believe it or not. Then we got warm in January. It cooled off a little bit. February and March slowed down just a little bit, but they’re back with a vengeance. We’re seeing scorpions a lot with the rain that we had earlier in the year. We have a lot of weeds and stuff that are now, because it’s getting hard, starting to die on us now. Those weeds are matting down to the ground and we’re starting to get a lot of flying insects. People are calling me all the time, “What is that little bug that comes out in hundreds of thousands? Maybe it bites,” and that sort of thing.

Those are false chinch bugs. They basically thrive on that decaying weed matter and leaf matter and debris. One of our recommendations, obviously, is let’s get that weed stuff cleaned up off the ground as quickly as possible. That will help dry that ground out and get rid of the moisture that those bugs need to survive. That’s probably one of the hottest topics over the last couple days.

Believe it or not, we’re having a case of springtails going on right now. I don’t know if it’s because of the hot temperature. Maybe people are starting to get their air conditioning and stuff on, but a lot of little dinky springtails. They’re very small and they jump. That’s an issue on the indoors that we’re seeing people call about for inside pests right now.

Bees have been really hot pretty much for the last month and a half. Lots of bee calls. That’s some of the most common stuff we’re seeing right now.

Matt:  I’ve always been curious how you handle bees. They’re a flying insect. They can come and go. What’s your strategy for that when people come across bees?

Fred:  That’s a really good question. When we get the phone calls, we hear a couple different things. “There’s a huge swarm of bees.” We ask, “Where’s it at?” “It’s a big clump of bees the size of a football inside of a tree,” or hanging somewhere near. People generally are scared of it. Nine times out of ten, especially if it’s in the morning, we call those bees have “absconded the hive.” They’ve left their nest, basically. Those particular bees probably are going to continue to move on, and maybe not even require us to come out and do anything for them.

But if they say, “We’ve got bees flying in a little hole in the side of our house,” more than likely the hive is inside a wall void. That’s a whole different process. We’re going to have to go in there and possibly open a hole in the wall and remove the honeycomb.

If you just go kill the bees, you can leave the honeycomb in there. But it’s not our first recommendation simply because that honeycomb gets maintained by the bees. They maintain a certain a temperature. Now that we’re starting to get in the 100 degrees here, that honey will get liquefied. It will run down through the entire wall and end up coming out in the baseboards in the house and everything.

Like all things, honey is a food. We eat it. It’ll get rotten and turn rancid. Now you get an odor problem. All kinds of other bugs love honey and the honeycomb. Now you could have crickets and cockroaches. You could have different kinds of beetles that love that honey and honeycomb, and obviously a lot of flying insects, different kinds of flies, that sort of thing. The bee nest all by itself can become a real problem when it comes to leaving the honeycomb. I call just killing the bees inside of a wall void “half a job.” You really need to remove the honeycomb as well. That’s really important to keep away all the potential pest problems that come with it.

Matt:  You had me hungry up until you started talking about the rotting honey. Now with cockroaches and insects and stuff, that doesn’t sound too much fun. Having bees in walls ‑‑ that’s scary.

Fred:  I’ve got all these networking groups and stuff like that. You know the conversation’s always going to go towards that at lunchtime, especially. It’s fun to talk about the roaches while we’re all having lunch at our networking groups. People are all squirming. “Fred, don’t talk about that.” [laughs]

Matt:  Very nice. I appreciate that. That’s some good information. We will be in tune with you next month. We’ll probably continue talking about some of the additional creepy crawlers. Maybe we should talk about spiders, because I’m sure those freak most people out. They seem to be a pretty durable animal. We’ll save that for our next segment. Fred Willey of Invader Pest Management. If you have a pest problem, what is the best way to get in touch with you, Fred?

Fred:  They can go online at http://www.Invader.net. We have a line. They can just click on “Quote for free.” That will give them a form to fill out. We’ll get back in touch with them immediately. Anytime day or night, we’ll get the form. It will go to somebody. Or you can call us at 623‑435‑0228. But online is probably the quickest and easiest. That way the information is all contained in one spot.

Matt:  Fantastic! This was a segment of “Pest Control Tips ‑‑ What’s Bugging You?” Hopefully, there’s nothing bugging you, but it’s only a matter of time. These insects seem to be resilient. We had a lot of rain. Things seem to be growing and sprouting.

Fred:  Absolutely.

Matt:  Thanks again, Fred. We look forward to catching up with you in our next segment.

Fred:  Very good. Thanks, Matt. Have a good day.

Bed bugs are nasty little creatures and this video kind of shows some of the issues involved with bed bugs.  Similar in nature to cockroaches, bed bugs conglomerate in areas, so you get pockets of bed bugs in one area where they are living and doing their business. 

All the dark colored spots are blood spots from fecal deposits from the back side of the bed bug, if you know what I mean, without going into to much graphic description.  As the bed bugs grow, they shed their skins and leave their casts as well as empty eggs.  

While fortunately there is no evidence of disease being spread by bed bugs, similar to what mosquitoes do when they suck your blood, they still create a disgusting environment where ever they are hiding.  Some people’s skin is more irritated by bed bug bites than others, and any infections are the result of scratching too much and with dirty hands that could infect the bite areas.

Cockroaches might just be man’s nemesis.  They live in almost every region of the world.  They have been around for millennia, annoying and disgusting mankind everywhere they are found. 

Many homeowners find themselves calling a Phoenix roach exterminator to eradicate a roach problem.  You would think we would know everything about these bug by now but that is not the case for many homeowners.  No matter how ubiquitous roaches seem there are still a lot of misconceptions and myths surrounding these insects.   

Fact or myth: They’re afraid of light.

Bees are actually beneficial insects.  Responsible for pollinating many of the plants that become our food, bees are an important part of the ecological system.  About a third of our daily diet can be attributed to pollinators.  And of course, honey bees give us a particularly pleasant dietary addition!  However beneficial bees may be, even the sweet honeybee is an unwelcome resident in your yard and home.  Keeping bees in their proper place keeps both human and insect safe from one other.   

Attraction
The trouble with bees is that they like a lot of the same things as people do when it comes to lodging and accommodations.  Good food, plenty to drink and a nice, safe place to rest will make us both happy and willing to stick around for a while.  Oftentimes, people give bees exactly what they like best without realizing it.  Then they have to find a way to get rid of the bees, possibly incurring stings and bills for bee pest control services in the process.  

Remove the Food
Before you call in a Phoenix bee exterminator, makes sure you aren’t inadvertently attracting bees in the first place.  An ample food source is one the biggest attractions for bees.  We humans call this a garden or trash can or even a deck.  Remove the source of food and the bees will look for a nesting spot somewhere else.   

Unfortunately, this isn’t as easy as it sounds.  We humans like our pretty garden flowers and so do bees.  No one wants a barren wasteland for a yard so totally eliminating food may not be advisable.  You can take care of the other food sources, like garbage and rotting wood.  Bees and wasps will feed on sugary leftovers in trash cans so keep the lids on tightly.  

Carpenter bees like to munch on soft wood so be sure your deck is kept in good repair.  Look for weathered or rotting wood on sheds, fences and other wooden structures.  Inspect your firewood pile regularly and remove any excess building materials to a dry area for storage.  

Watch the Water
Bees need water both to consume for their own bodies and to bring back to the hive.  Limiting or removing water sources can make your property less attractive as a nesting site.  If you have a pond or stream on your property, your options for control may be limited.  For other water sources, you can exercise preventative measures.   

• Cover attic vents with mesh. 
• Caulk cracks in the foundation, walls and roof.
• Fill in animal burrows or holes as some bees and wasps nest in the ground. 
• Keep shed doors closed tightly.  Consider installing auto-close hinges
• Remove debris in your yard like pots, tires, boxes, crates, appliances and immobile vehicles that offer shelter to pests.
• Fill holes in trees and block walls.  Anything larger than 1/8 inch should be filled. 

Once you have eliminated the food, water and shelter options, bees and wasps will have no other choice but to look for a home on someone else’s land.  If you do find bees, don’t try to treat them yourself.  Call in a Phoenix exterminator like Invader Pest Management.  

Stored Product pests are those pests that infest things you might keep in your pantry, such as breakfast cereals, breads, flour, meal,  rice, spices, and other condiments such as red pepper,  etc…   Generally you will find either, beetles or their larva, silken cocoons, skin molts, holes in bags and boxes as first signs.  Additionally, you may see lots of these pests, as some can fly and they may be attracted to light.

There are actually a lot of different pests included in what are considered Stored Product Pests, or commonly known as Pantry Pests.  Each of these pests can cause damage to an array of different things as you will gather by the name of each of the following, however – don’t be fooled by the name for example the cigarette beetle – for sure they are a major pest in tobacco warehouses, however they also attack a host of items such as paprika, dry dog food, beans, biscuits, chickpeas, cigars, cocoa beans, flour, rice, yeast, spices, and here we go – furniture stuffing, books, bookbinder’s paste, leather and even dried insects.  So as you can see – pretty much everything in your house!!! 

STORED PRODUCT PESTS 
Lesser grain borer
Meal moth
Mealworms

It’s the season for spring cleaning!  This is the time of year that many homeowners start to feel like clearing out some clutter and giving their homes a thorough sprucing up.  While you’re busting the clutter, take a few moments to consider using some pest control measures in your tidying up.  

Yard Work
Cleaning up the yard is a good place to begin.  Pests typically come into your home from the surrounding landscape so start by getting rid of the things that attract pests.  What attracts a pest?  Usually water, food and shelter are at the top of their list.    

Many pests nest in the plants and mulch around your home.  Trim back trees and foundation plantings to give pest fewer places to hide.  Get rid of the spent plants from the previous season and removed dead branches to eliminate nesting sites.  

Food sources like ripened or decaying fruits should also be tidied up.  Sources of standing water should be eliminated.  Pick up containers that might be collecting rain water so you won’t be calling your Phoenix pest control professional to treat your yard for mosquitos this summer.   

Attics and Crawl Spaces
Pests love a dark, moist, unused space.  Attics and crawl spaces are a safe haven for many nasty critters like spiders, mice and rats.  Clear out old boxes from the attic.  These provide shelter and food for pests.  Reorganize and straighten up as well.  Sometimes just the commotion of moving things around will scare pests away.  Have your Phoenix exterminator check the crawlspaces annually for signs of pests.  

Garage and Outbuildings
Check your garage and outbuildings for good nesting sites and food sources while you’re cleaning up.  Bees and wasps tend to gravitate to wooden sheds so make sure the eaves and interiors are clear of hives.   

Pick the grass seed and wild bird food up off the garage floor.  Store it in tightly sealed bins on a shelf to keep mice away.  Sweep the floors and pay special attention to the corners to thwart spiders and ants.  

Check for degradation in the wood of these structures as well as decks and trim.  Soft, rotting wood attracts carpenter bees and termites.  Replace rotting wood with treated lumber that resists bugs.  

A good, thorough spring cleaning will make your home feels fresh and new again.  If you take the time to put a few good pest prevention methods in place, you’ll feel more confident as well.

…That’s a Lot of Pigeons  
Here is the scenario: You come outside for a bit of fresh air on your lunch break at the office.  You take a seat and notice a few pigeons wandering around the area.  You don’t think much of it and get your lunch out.  A few more pigeons arrive.  You continue to eat and then notice that there are a lot more pigeons lingering around than before.  Then you set down your sandwich to get a drink and several of the bolder pigeons jump on the chance to get your sandwich.  Now you’re without a lunch and the pigeons enjoy a feeding frenzy.  

Even if you haven’t had any pigeons swipe your lunch, if you’ve noticed a lot of pigeons around your office building, then it may just be a matter of time before they grow bold enough for such a move.  Maybe not when you are there, but perhaps to a co-worker.  

Pigeon Problems   
Pigeons pose a lot of problems for office building locations.  Lunch swiping is just one of them.  The worst part is that people may not even realize that they are contributing to the problem.  Pigeons are smart enough to realize when there is free food available.  If people have been feeding them snippets of their sandwich or a few chips here and there, then the pigeons will not have any reason to leave.  It can also encourage the arrival of more pigeons as well.  

Pigeons can carry parasites that can transmit diseases.  What’s more, their excretions can be corrosive to various materials, carry a variety of diseases and may be damaging your office building or areas around it.  Too many pigeons can mean damage to these places and eventually costly repairs.  

Be Pigeon-Free  
Don’t let pigeons interrupt your lunch any longer.  Don’t let them think that you need to feed them with your food, or that your lunch is available to them.  Pigeons are perfectly capable of getting their own food.  When pigeons become too numerous, you should contact a Phoenix pigeon control company and find out what can be done.  There are a lot of ways that pigeons can be deterred from venturing into your office building area.  

Once they leave, you will no longer have to worry about losing your lunch to pigeons.  No feeding and no stealing. It’s time to sit back and enjoy your lunch break in peace and quiet.