We never seem to spend much time talking about what we do everyday.  Maybe it is more exciting to talk about the scary pests, the pest problems that we always hear someone talking about like the Scorpions, Pigeons, Bed Bugs, etc…   But I think the work we do on an everyday basis is just as important and I think that 1000′s of our customers would agree.

When it comes to taking care of a current pest problem, or proactively putting together a program that keeps pests out, our Healthy Home Care Program fits those needs the best.

First of all, Everybody is busy now a days!  So our pest prevention program is designed on an Every Other Month Schedule, that’s Six Services per year.  If pests return between services, so will we!  But you can’t miss or skip the regular stops – we have to be consistent for our program to be effective.

In most cases, infestations of pests begin outdoors; therefore outside service is essential and will be performed on selected schedule to ensure the success of our program.  In most cases, it is not necessary for you to be home if we have access to the entire yard.  We will perform an interior service if necessitated by evidence of an infestation, or upon client pre-notified request.

Yes, we perform our service in the winter too.  Like I said, our service is designed around the seasons with six regular scheduled services.  Not only do we do different things at different time of the year, but your price is built around an annual guarantee where if Pests Return, so will we - for FREE.  However, if services are skipped or missed, we have to charge!  Sorry.

We only offer discounted rates and guaranteed no charge return visits for our customers with an annual service plan, or specific pest plan.

There is just no comparison, when you have two competing bids for bed bug treatment, and one is $290 and the other is, WELL, a lot more than that.  WHY?

The fact of the matter is this, people who are calling for quotes on bed bug treatments, tend to be price shopping and they are very quick to see if we can beat their last quote, telling us what they can get it done for by another pest control company they called.  What we hear is sometimes very scary and in fact, quite shocking. Not just because of the low prices, but also from what they said the service is going to be. It’s certainly not apples to apples!

I just heard a phone conversation between my sales staff and a prospective customer over the phone. First of all, we got the lead last night about 8:45pm and of course so did a number of other companies.  We returned her phone call this morning at about 8:00am, and we were told that this little company sold her a bed bug treatment over the phone last night!  WOW, I thought, you’re kidding, right?  NOPE!  Not kidding.  Just because they called first!  Great customer service, right?  Really??

Second, we asked her what was the other pest control company going to do for her for $290.00?  She said, “they are going to set out canister bombs to take care of the bed bugs”.  Wow again, I thought – you’re kidding, right?  NOPE! Not kidding.  Why call a pest control professional, if they are going to use bug bombs, you can do that yourself for $20.  Unbelievable, that another pest control company would do this, how do they stay in business?

Third, my sales person spent 15 minutes with her on the phone trying to convince her that she might want a second opinion and that we would happily offer a FREE consultation and bed bug inspection at her home, and it would be our pleasure to educate her on bed bugs and the proper treatment methods. 

Unfortunately, this prospective customer said, “I don’t have a lot of money, so I’m going to just try it anyway, but thank you anyway”.  WOW, I thought, you’re kidding, right?  NOPE!  Not kidding. My sales person and I discussed the conversation and we just felt terrible for her, though we do understand her plight, and her approach that she felt something was better than nothing, but honestly, Sometimes – something is NOT better than nothing. You wouldn’t put a band-aid on a bullet wound.

FOLKS, PLEASE , PLEASE, PLEASE.  Whatever you do!!!  Do NOT just try the cheapest guy in town that called you back first!!! Did you ever think that he might have called you back first because he wasn’t busy? Good companies are normally, BUSY, and professional companies tend to have normal business hours!  Whether you use me (Invader Pest Management) or any other company, get your home inspected, get educated and informed about bed bugs, make sure the company has a decent scope of service (a true bed bug treatment plan).  Whether the company offers a chemical or bed bug heat treatment, it really doesn’t matter in the larger scheme of things – bed bugs are the toughest pest to get rid of and the guys who offer cheap treatments will NOT solve your bed bug problem!

In order to solve a bed bug problem, any professional will tell you, It is hard work, and much is required from you. There is lots of preparation necessary, and there is no magic bullet. ONLY HARD WORK, in most cases if a professional pest control company doesn’t offer multiple visits (for chemical treatment) I would choose someone else. Bug bombs do not work for bed bugs – if a company offers this service to you – CHOOSE someone else they are not professionals.

A one time treatment of any kind will not solve a bed bug infestation – this includes heat.  A pest control professional will educate you on being prepared for a bed bug heat treatment, and also what to do afterwards, this will probably include at least one more follow up visits, including an inspection, and maybe some residual treatment.  At least this would be the case if they are serious about making sure the heat treatment was successful!  A true professional. . .

Sorry to tell you this,  If you have bed bugs in one room – more than likely the whole house is infected!  If someone only wants to treat the one room for you – I would choose someone else, because you will be upset when you still have a bed bug problem in another room, and if you wait too long, guess what?  That’s right, they are back in the “ONE ROOM” you had treated.

Look the truth is, you need someone who is committed to solving your bed bug issue, and who is willing to work with you, to help you in every way possible. But a low cost, cheap pest control company, is cheap and low cost because they don’t know what they are doing in most cases. This is tremendous dis-service, because I hate to see people who don’t have a lot of money, throw away $290 only to still need to hire someone else.  Please do not fall victim to low prices and poor service. Choose someone who will work with you not only on the bed bug infestation but also on financing if necessary, put your hard earned money towards a reliable pest control service company, who will solve your problem. Don’t waste your time or your last dime going through the experience with a low cost provider only to need to start all over again.

For professional pest control help with bed bugs, please feel free to contact Invader Pest Management at 623-435-0228.

• Bed bugs are flat, oval shaped insects. They are often reddish-brown in color. You may notice they’re approximately as big as an apple seed before they feed. Once they do bite and feed, they get very large and swollen. Their color also turns to a much deeper red.
• Bed bugs can live anywhere in your home. They often hide in cracks and crevices. As you check for bed bugs, you may want to look in the mattress seams, under your sheets, and even behind your baseboards.
• Bed bugs are nocturnal creatures. They feed on any warm-blooded host. A female can lay up to five eggs per day and up to 500 eggs in her lifetime. A single bed bug can live for 300 days.
• There are several signs of a bed bug infestation. If you notice blood spotting on the mattress or the furniture, it’s a good sign that you have bed bugs. If you notice bites on your skin, that too could be a sign of a bed bug infestation.
• Scientifically called Cimex lectularius, bed bugs have been a problem since ancient times. They can be found throughout the world, and they’re very adaptable.
• Professional pest control services do have effective methods of dealing with bed bugs. Bed bug heat treatments are often the most effective, but some Phoenix exterminator companies have other methods at their disposal.

Mice. Rats. Roaches. Creepy crawlies. Who are you going to call? For some people, there’s not even a phone call involved. Instead, they make a trip to the local hardware store and head down the do-it-yourself aisle. Often, though, you need far more than a trap or a can of spray. Instead, Mesa pest control often needs to get involved. How can you tell when to handle things on your own and when to call pest control services in to help, though? This quick guide can help.

Are You Sure What You’re Dealing With?
Imagine you see what you think is an ant in your home. You head to the hardware store, buy some repellant spray and treat it. Later, you see another, so you treat it again. Unfortunately, you begin seeing more and more of the pests, so you eventually call in a professional. They quickly determine that you’re not dealing with ants, but termites instead. Because months have passed since you first saw that “ant,” you have a serious infestation on your hands, and that could mean thousands of dollars in damage. Calling a Mesa exterminator at the outset could have save you the hassle from the start.

If you’re not sure of the problem, making a poor guess could not only cause damage to your home or property, it could cause other issues too. Just because you select the right treatment for the right bug doesn’t mean you’ll even be successful. Professional pest control services can help take other factors into account like the layout of your home, your climate, and your individual situation, something you can’t do with a can of DIY spray you found on the shelf of a hardware store.

Do You Have Money to Waste?
You may think that DIY pest control is saving you a bundle, but the reality is that you’re often deal with a quick fix to the problem. In most cases, a DIY solution can only begin to treat the problem, and as with the previous example, once you realize that the problem is still present, it has likely already become a situation that’s more difficult to manage.

Are You Trying to Be Proactive?
If you’re simply looking for a proactive solution, the likelihood that you’ll find it on the shelves of your local hardware store is slim. In most cases professional Phoenix pest control services can provide you with the proactive solutions you’re looking for, even when your DIY tactics can’t. Professional pest control services understand what to look for to prevent problems like rodents and termites, and they can tailor an approach to your home, even if you have children or pets inside.

DIY pest control may be an appropriate solution in some cases, but in many others, it will only cause additional problems.

Termites cause millions of dollars to homes each year, and people typically notice a problem in the spring. If you’ve noticed swarmers in your home or you’re simply concerned that you could have a problem on your hands, the best step you can take is to contact a Phoenix termite exterminator to help.

What Are Swarmers?
Swarmers are the scouting party for a termite colony. They are the first to arrive, and this often occurs in the early spring. They look like flying ants, but they’re a far more serious problem. It can be hard to tell the difference between the two, but the easiest way to do so is to look carefully at the insect’s body. Termites essentially have two body parts – the head, then the body itself. Ants always have a head, an abdomen, and a thorax, or three distinct body parts. You can also look at the antenna to help tell the difference. A termite has beaded antennae while an ant’s antennae are segmented.

I Think I Have Termites! What Do I Do?
If you decide the swarmers you’ve seen are indeed termites, your next step should be to contact a Phoenix pest control professional to help you evaluate the problem. Whether or not your home is actually infested may depend heavily on where you found the termites. Those found on the outside of your home could have simply landed there. It could also, though, indicate their presence near your home. Those found inside your home could indicate a larger problem. If you’ve just seen one or two, though, it may not be an issue. Only professional pest control services can help you figure out if you have a serious problem.

During the termite inspection, the Phoenix exterminator you’ve contacted will look at areas most prone to infestation. He or she will also typically look for common termite entry points as well as those signs, both visible and not so obvious, that termites are infesting your home.

Spring is certainly the time of year that termites are noticed by home owners, but with the help of good pest and termite control services, you can eliminate the problem.

While Phoenix may not receive a lot of rain on an annual basis, we still have two primary growing seasons in both the winter and summer.  In our late fall to winter our soils produce winter annuals that grow quickly and abundantly, and in the summer we grow hardy species that can get so large they turn in to thick massive bushes with stickers.  Everything seems to have thorns in the desert.


An effective Phoenix weed control method is to apply a Pre- Emergent Herbicide to the soil that will render new seeds sterile and keep them from sprouting and turning into a plant.  Our comprehensive Annual Weed Maintenance Service is designed for the harsh desert environment that Phoenix and it’s surrounding areas are known for. 

With unpredictable weather patterns we never know when we will get rain and how much we will get when it does rain.  It is possible to only receive a trace of moisture in one storm and inches of rain in a matter of minutes in another.  All these factors also create unpredictable growth patterns for unwanted plants (WEEDS), and that is why our annual program is designed around a Quarterly Treatment Program.  This ensures that no matter what happens with the weather, we will be back in 90 days to make another application.

Invader Pest Management’s Residential Weed Maintenance Service is also very affordable, starting at only $99 per quarter – up to 8250sq ft. of treatable area.  Why would you ever pull weeds again, when you can prevent them in the first place.

To get started with our program, we also employ a program for existing weed clean up service.  It is so important to remove weeds, especially if they are thick and tall, prior to applying a Pre-Emergent Herbicide.  This product must be applied to the soil, and if the weed bed is so thick that the Pre-Emerge product can’t get to the soil,  it will reduce the effectiveness of the treatment.

What’s included:

Spraying Any weeds you already have – We treat existing weeds with a herbicide that will kill them.  This is great for small weeds before they get totally out of control.

However many people will wait until it’s too late.  There yard is a jungle!  At this time, while spraying may kill most of the weeds, you still will have a jungle of DEAD weeds.  For people who live in HOA’s homeowner associations, if you don’t clear your weeds, your HOA is not going to be happy, and possible fines could be assessed.

Fortunately, for those who simply don’t have the time or desire to deal with the weeds, WE DO IT ALL, SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO.

We can knock down, chop, mow and trim your weeds.  We can also bag your weeds for disposal, and If needed we also offer to Remove and dispose of all organic matter after mechanical control if necessary.  If this is the case, we will haul away all debris and deliver it to a proper landfill.

Other great weed control programs include selective weed control. Special herbicides are designed to control only broadleaf type weeds in turf (grass), but won’t harm the turf.

Really tough weed issues sometimes have selective herbicides designed only for that weed. For example Nut Sedge is a plant that actually looks like a grass, however it is a SEDGE, and not a broadleaf weed or a grass.

Contact Invader Pest Management today for all your Phoenix area weed control, removal and prevention needs.

There has been a resurgence of bed bug populations in the United States and also in the Phoenix area. In actuality, bed bugs have never really gone away. A few years ago, we would receive only one or two calls a year. Now, we are receiving one or two calls per week.

Here are a few questions & answers about bed bugs:

Should You Be Concerned?

Concerned yes…Alarmed no. Bed bugs are extremely difficult to eliminate. Do-it-yourself bed bug products and measures just don’t work. You need a professional pest control company to locate the source(s) of bed bug infestation, treat the problem area(s) in an environmentally responsible manner and return for a follow-up inspection, if needed.

If I Keep A Spotless Property, Can I Still Get Bed Bugs?

Yes! Infestations are not due to sanitation problems. World-class hotels have reported bed bug problems. They have been found in hotels, apartments, condos, homes, dormitories and even vehicles!

How Do Bed Bugs Get Into My Property?

They can hitch a ride in luggage, boxes, shoes, furniture and other clothing or objects.

How Do I Know If I Have A Bed Bug Problem?

First of all… they bite! People will complain of red itchy welts on any bare skin exposed while sleeping. Bed bugs are so small; these mahogany to rust brown/reddish colored pests are barely visible to the naked eye. You will notice rust colored dots or marks on bed linens and mattresses. With heavy infestations, you may also notice a sweet smelling odor.

Where Do Bed Bugs Hide?

Bed bugs hide in a variety of places, such as: mattresses, linens, upholstery, furniture crevices, floors, behind wallpaper and picture frames. They stay hidden during the day and are active at night.

Bed Bug Treatment Methodology:

Pest control professionals from Invader Pest Management will do a thorough inspection, in order to determine the extent of infestation. Once identified, a comprehensive bed bug elimination program will be put into place that will include extensive recommendations accompanied by wide-ranging application program. Since Bed Bug populations spread rapidly, immediate action is necessary!

You can feel secure with the knowledge that Invader Pest Manangement is an expert at ridding these pesky pests from your property – should you encounter a problem.

I recently saw a brand new yard sign, not one block away from my house that was advertising Termite control. This sign really ruffled my feathers. Well, not the sign as much as the message on the sign.

The sign said: “Termite Control only $299”. 

My first thought was, “GOOD LUCK”. My second thought was, “Why do they do that”?

You are probably still wondering why that ruffled my feathers?  Well, let me tell you.

1. There is absolutely NO way to tell you how much it is going to cost for termite control, without visiting your property, making an inspection, determining the severity of the problem, and creating a termite treatment plan for your specific needs.
2. It’s just like the customer that calls on the phone and asks, how much does it cost for termite control?  My answer is always the same, It depends, and first of all – to whom am I speaking?  I like to introduce myself, and also find out who I’m speaking with, that always seems a bit friendlier. 
3. Futhermore, we are not suppose to quote termite control prices over the phone, we are suppose to make an inspection, present a pre-approved termite proposal (approved by the Office of Pest Management) with our findings, our treatment plan, the product we will be using and our prices.  THAT IS THE LAW!  Personally, if I were you, I wouldn’t do business with anyone who (now that you know) intentionally breaks the law!  I would cross them off the list.   The guy who is willing to offer the FREE inspection, come to your property, make a quality inspection, presents his termite treatment options, and most importantly delivers “Peace of Mind” to you, that is the one I would choose.
4. Beware of the LOW PRICE LEADERS.  Low Prices are the Bane of our industry, in fact they tend to be bad news in every industry, except maybe Wal#@rt!  Unless you ask the neighborhood bakery, oh that’s right, they went out of business. . . I always wonder what the low price leaders are not doing for you, in order to actually come up with the low prices they offer.  Some guys termite prices are soooo low, I couldn’t even buy product (good product) for what they sell their jobs for.  What are they skipping?  Are they really doing a good job? Are they using an inferior product?  The real question is HOW ARE THEY MAKING MONEY?  They have to make money to stay in business, pay their employees, etc… with prices so low; they have to cut corners somewhere!  Business is business, and it doesn’t matter what kind of business any of us are in, there are fixed costs and unexpected costs that pop up all the time, and there has to be money to cover those costs.
5. And think about this, we all know, Fuel will probably hit $5.00 dollars a gallon this year, how can the price of a termite job be less than it was 10 years ago?
6. I don’t know about you, but I was taught as a young boy, If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true.
7. One more great example for you to think about, speaking of too good to be true! I will tell this story like a fairy tale, because it is so unbelievable, even though it’s true!   There once was a company, here in Phoenix, who led many to believe they had the right price and the perfect long term warranty for termite control.  Key word in the last sentence, “Once”, that’s right, past tense!  They sold many termite jobs to unsuspecting customers, for the low low price of $599 and magically gave them all TEN year warranties!  But to the chagrin of those unsuspecting souls that fell into the trap of the evil termite company, the company disappeared, leaving their distraught termite customers high and dry.  No one could find this company, they were long gone, took the money and ran.  These customers looked high and low to find out who would honor this mysterious TEN year warranty, but to no avail, they were gone forever, only for the customer to realize that when the taste of low price is gone, only the bitterness of poor quality and broken promises was left.

So as you can see, the moral of the story is to find a quality company, who is willing to do the job correctly, who has not over promised you the moon and who will exceeds your expectations on a job well done, and will be around when you need them.

When you buy solely on the promise of LOW PRICE, you set yourself up as just another number, with little to no value.  As in the story, this company abandoned their customers, because they were of no further value to them (only a liability – they owed 10 years worth of protection), NO reputable company would even consider buying this company, with ten year termite warranties that have a value of ZERO to them. 

So once again, it just proves, that overpromising to a customer that they will have a termite warranty for 5 to 10 years, when nobody can predict the future, is not a good bet.  A sound piece of advice to a potential customer:  buy ONE year warranties, and make sure they include an annual inspection and offer treatment for termites that return during the next year.  When your account is Potential Annual revenue to a company, you establish value, when you are valuable, companies tend to do a better job – they protect their investment.  When your account has value, you are protected long term, even if a company wished to sell there business or retire, they now have an asset to pass on, and you will not be left high and dry.

You should want to do business with professionals; in general, low price leaders have nothing but price to sell.  Companies, who follow Better business practices, while their prices might not be the lowest, will deliver the most value, quality and “Peace of Mind”.

Invader Pest Management will be the Phoenix termite control company that “Exceeds Your Expectations” We want long term, happy customers and will work diligently to provide high quality, effective and lasting termite control, and the best annual warranty in the business for over 18 years and running.

“If Termites Return, So Will We”

Spring Seasonal Alert

What to watch out for this time of year:


Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter bring a variety of differences in our Southwest desert environment, along with extreme temperature changes, sudden downpour of rain, desert floors that turn green seemingly over night – and stinging insects. Spring and Fall are the worst times when it comes to bees and wasps in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Glendale and surrounding Arizona Cities.

When Africanized or Killer Bees are alarmed, more of the hive emerges to chase intruders up to a mile. To protect your family and pets from potentially dangerous bee stings, it is essential that you have the bees nests eliminated. Your Invader Pest professional is trained to remove a bee colony while minimizing the risks involved.

Dear Pest Control Customers, whether you’re my customer or another companies – it affects you all.

We want to introduce new changes that are being put into effect at this time by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and that will introduce change in the scope of services performed by all professional pest control service operators on a national level.

On June 4, 2009, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a notification via letter to all pyrethroid registrants requesting changes to Environmental Hazard and General Labeling for Pyrethroid Non-Agricultural Outdoor Products. The letter expressed EPA’s intent to lessen the potential for insecticide drift and runoff and call more attention to environmental stewardship of pyrethroid products. This is a national initiative applicable to all pyrethroid products labeled for nonagricultural outdoor uses.

These new labeling requirements improve the product stewardship measures for all non-agricultural outdoor pyrethroid products and is targeted at avoiding water contamination (due to runoff and drift ) and should be expressed as such.  Fast Forward, 2012 – now is the time of implementation, and the Label changes are beginning to happen as new product is manufactured and received by the professional pest control companies for use with the NEW Label requirements.  For us, the professional pest control operators, you must know, “THE LABEL IS THE LAW” – and it’s a Federal Law.

What does this mean to you, the customer.  Well first of all, you should know that a majority of the products available to professional pest control operators are the “Pyrethroid” products mentioned.  This means that all pest control operators must comply with the new label changes.   This is not a bad thing per se, as it is important to lessen the potential for insecticide drift and runoff, however it is important for our customers to realize that treatment methods, once the standard, such as power spraying entire yards, sides of homes, etc… will no longer be the standard.  Many professional companies are working diligently to revamp their scope of service to make sure your homes will be protected from pests, but service as usual will more than likely be different than what you’ve experienced in the past.

For the old timers that insist on seeing their properties sprayed heavily for the sake of preventing future infestations, you must be aware that your pest control operator no longer can legally apply pyrethroid insecticides in this manner.  I want to put this message out to you, so when you see your pest control operator doing business differently, you understand he isn’t doing less, in fact he will probably be doing more for you in order to keep you pest free, he just won’t be drenching your property as he always had in the past.  In fact, these are some of the new Label directions for use and the restrictions that he will have to comply with:

All outdoor applications must be limited to spot or crack-and-crevice treatments only, except for the following permitted uses:

(1) Treatment to soil or vegetation around structures;

(2) Applications to lawns, turf, and other vegetation;

(3) Applications to building foundations, up to a maximum height of 3 feet.

Other than applications to building foundations, all outdoor applications to impervious surfaces such as sidewalks, driveways, patios, porches and structural surfaces (such as windows, doors, and eaves) are limited to spot and crack-and-crevice applications, only.

 

At Invader Pest Management, we have known these changes were coming for some time and that is why we were the first  EPA PESP-pesticide environmental stewardship program member in Arizona and now a GOLD member, and a leader in the industry in IPM – Integrated Pest Management.  Many have heard of IPM, but few actually understand the benefits of using a scope of service that is designed to reduce the use of pesticides as a first course of doing business, while still offering effective control of pests.  With an IPM program, you receive an inspection to your property which will reveal potential pest problems and conditions conducive to becoming infested with a pest problem.  Then any areas revealed that need sealing or screening will be excluded.  Other factors such as tree limbs, bushes and shrubs touching or too close to the structure will be identified, and hopefully corrected by either the customer or the company.  Also, moisture conditions are a major cause of insect infestation, especially in the dry Phoenix area where water is not so prevalent in the summer, so it is important to not only identify but remedy excessive moisture around a property.  And when it comes to applying a pest control product, we have been doing Crack and Crevice application as a main method for over a decade, including the use of the least toxic materials for the particular pest in question.  As far as prevention, products such as baits for ants and crawling insects can be applied, monitor traps can be set, and all the above mentioned exclusion will reduce the chance for pest infestation.

There are other classifications of pest control materials available, and much effort to study these materials and introduce them where necessary will be done in order to create a balance where the customers can live comfortably in their homes and still remain pest free while still doing their part to reduce the potential environmental risks associated with their use.

We have worked extensively on our Scope of Service for years now, and will be little affected by the new changes as we already conform to the new label requirements that are being introduced on every new batch of insecticides being sold today.

Invader Pest Management is all about keeping pests out, won’t you call us today to begin service with a Phoenix pest control company already leading the way in a balanced pest management program.  Let us bring you Peace of Mind, and allow us to protect you, your family, pets and the environment from all that craws, creeps, gnaws, bites and stings.  CALL 623-435-0228 to start your new pest control service.