Pest control is very important for every home in order to provide a safe and healthy environment for all the people residing in it.

There is no doubt that some of the products on that list can have some pretty nasty side effects if they are not used properly.  So, how long to wait after pesticide spray so you and your family can re-enter your home in a couple of hours?

Our homes and buildings are currently highly energy-efficient and this closed-up condition allows unstable, synthetic pesticide poison to become more concentrated and to remain active or hazardous for far longer periods than if they were applied outside.

Once they are applied outside in fields often people close by are not permitted to go outside for up to 4 days.

This obviously indicates that it is not safe to re-enter a building treated for roaches after a few hours and that toxic exposures from labeled usage could be prolonged and involve infants and children.

The good news is that you can make sure that the pests in your home are gotten rid of quickly and effectively while still maintaining the health and overall well-being of your family and those closest to you.

The only thing you’ll have to do is educate yourself on the various products that are out there, and which ones are the safest bets for home use.

Speaking generally, for regular pest control of insects such as roaches, ants and bed bugs, the family of pesticides known as pyrethroids are incredibly safe.

In fact most of the products on the market today containing these products are third or fourth generation and have been in use for decades without incident.

However, when applying any product with these as the active ingredients, you will want to follow common sense safety precautions like removing everyone from the vicinity and allowing the product to dry thoroughly before anyone is allowed back into the treated room or rooms.

Also you will want to be sure to store food and eating utensils properly before application, as ingestion of any pesticides can have harmful and unpleasant side effects.

Although pesticides are useful and certainly have their place, if you have young children in the home, you might want to think about natural and organic solutions to pest problems. Substances such as boric acid and diatomaceous earth are in many ways as powerful, versatile and useful as chemical pesticides, but are completely harmless even if ingested in fairly large quantities.

The same holds true for most traps as well, in that the greatest danger posed is the possibility of minor injury if they are used improperly.

Another thing that many people seem to forget when doing their own pest control work is that it’s not all about blasting the room with spray and walking away. You also have to concentrate on cleaning and making sure you aren’t making your home an attractive place for these pests to hide out and nest.

Doing that in concert with the use of pesticides and traps will go a much longer way in ensuring not only that any pests are removed from your home but also that your family is kept safe and sound during the process.

What are springtails? Springtails manage to get their name because of the forked tail, at the end of their abdominal area which will be curved below their very own body. This helps these tiny pests to spring frontward kind of like a small flea, hence the name springtails.

Thanks to the tenacity of folks like Dr. Frans Janssens and his colleague, Dr. Kenneth A. Christiansen, the scientific community is beginning to recognize that springtails can pose a very real threat to human comfort when present in large numbers.

The two researchers collected scores of reports from homeowners, doctors, and pest control operators in several countries, including many regions of The United States.

Springtails are everywhere, and it’s not impossible for them to latch onto humans and animals.

They happen to be small, whitish-gray, or lightly shaded pests; around 1/32 to 1/8 inch in size and their antennae are actually long and they have a small unique head. They happen to be wingless insects and do not fly, and the females will raise offspring in clusters located in damp areas.

Springtails are actually scavengers, feasting on inactive vegetation, molds, algae and / or fungi, and they also would prefer to stay on the outside around leaf litter, under rotting wood or perhaps involved with fungi.

The more you water the lawn and apply fertilizer, the happier they’ll be. They are considered the most abundant arthropods on earth. Since prehistoric times, they have survived frigid winters and very hot summers, but their numbers decrease exponentially under dry conditions.

These kinds of insects pose zero threat to your house but they can become a nuisance whenever they end up getting inside your home. Springtails grow and are prosperous in moist foliage, soil, and plants along the side of the house foundation and even sidewalks.

You can also see them near floor drains, wet cellars and even crawl spaces. These particular insects will be small enough that they may access the structure around windows, small gaps not to mention cracks.

They’re going to normally enter the house because there nesting area outside happens to be free of moisture and they are generally hunting for moisture. You will uncover them near sweating plumbing, house flowers or vegetables, and around old and unwanted moldy household furniture.

The greatest control of springtails is going to be clear away their nesting environment by taking care of debris that has piled up around the home.

Clean up all debris near your house and get any logs on the ground in close proximity to the house up off the ground. Seal off every one of the tiny access points around the house that include; crevices as well as holes around water lines, utility cable, cable wires, gaps in the siding plus any open places around windows.

If it turns out cleaning up doesn’t take care of the issues, pesticides could very well be needed to control the springtails in places where significant amounts of insect pests have overpopulated.

Sometimes getting rid of pantry moths is a task that we forget, as long as there’s delicious food in the kitchen pantry.

Some foods which are commonly infested with pantry pests include cereals flour, baking mixes, cracked grains and processed foods, pasta, crackers, preserved meats, dried fruits, nuts, powdered milk, popcorn, and some kinds of spices.

Insects that feed on any one of these products could go so far as to infect other grain-based foods such as pet food or birdseed.

Dried flowers and ornamental corn and even dried flowers fall as targets for these pests.

The most common insects which infest stored foods are dermestid beetles, Indian meal moths, sawtooth grain beetles, flour beetles, cigarette and drugstore beetles, spider beetles, and weevils who infest grain, maize, and rice.

There are several stages of an insect’s life which may be detectable at the same time in infested products (egg, larva, pupa, and adult). Since houses are generally kept warm, insects may continue to reproduce in these infested products.

The first sign of being infested is often the occurrence of little brown beetles, worms, or perhaps moths in your cupboards or counters.

A thorough inspection of opened packages or food containers may also show the presence of these invaders. Even unopened packages can be infested with insects since they can easily chew into cardboard and foil packaging, or can be brought along when you unwittingly purchase an infested product.

If left to their own devices, they will multiply and spread to other foods.

If you suspect an infestation is present, you should locate the source immediately. The source of an infestation would typically be hard to find and may be located in nooks or crannies in your cupboard.

Consider the possibility of food spills and perform a thorough cleaning of the house, making sure to vacuum even the nooks and crannies and the corners of hard to reach furniture and appliances.

After inspecting and thorough cleaning, you should try to find which items you already have at present are infested.

These should be gotten rid of immediately, making sure not to overlook unopened boxes that can still harbor insects.

You can choose to throw away infested items or salvage them by throwing them into the fridge for three to four days to effectively kill whatever is inside the containers. Putting them in an oven at 140 degrees Fahrenheit will also do the trick.

Never employ the use of pesticides or insecticides as home pest control. Use non-toxic methods. The best is the home pest control method is to remove the infested items and vacuum the area thoroughly.

Be sure to store foods in airtight containers made of glass, metal, or heavy plastic. Storing foods in the freezer or refrigerator is also a perfect way to ensure efficient pest control.

Often, people are not sure whether they have a firebrat or silverfish bug infestation.

An infestation of the firebrat is as bad as the silverfish bug. Understanding the difference between the two can be helpful in an effort to get rid of firebrats or silverfish. How do firebrats look? Does a firebrat bite? What do silverfish look like?

If you have equipment or machinery at home that generates heat, your place can be prone to firebrat infestations.

Places that are humid can also cause firebrat problems since they thrive in these areas. Firebrats are actually nearly related to silverfish because they move and behave in the same manner and like to eat starch, sugar, and protein-rich foods.

They also chew on paper and fabrics. What sets them apart though is the love of firebrats for heat. They are most active during the night as they are considered to be nocturnal creatures. To identify a firebrat, take a closer look at it and note that a firebrat is stouter in appearance, more like a silverfish that’s obese.

Silverfish appear to be more slender. Firebrats are somewhat silvery in color but may appear mottled with small areas of light and dark scales. Firebrats can be difficult to manage. In getting rid of them, your efforts must be concentrated on those areas that are warm.

Possible places include attics, crawl spaces, boiler rooms, voids that are behind electrical outlets, and basements.

These are commonly asked questions. Both bugs are known for their fast dashes to hiding places and quick movements. There are close similarities but these two bugs do have some big differences.

Color Difference

Firebrats have a shiny appearance with a grayish-brown color. The silverfish is shiny with a silvery color. The silverfish bug is definitely more silver looking.

Size Difference

The firebrat is smaller than the silverfish. It is an average size of approximately 1/2 inch in length. The silverfish bug is larger normally 1/2 to 1 inch in length.

Habitat Differences

Firebrats favor a hot environment. They thrive in temperatures at 90 degrees or higher. This knowledge is important in finding their hiding places.

Locating high areas of heat makes it easier to remove them. Firebrats are commonly found near hot water heater pipes, dishwashers, ovens, furnaces, and fireplaces. You may even want to check the insulation around hot pipes.

Cold temperatures below 31 degrees can be deadly to firebrats and their eggs. Silverfish prefer cooler damp areas and may be found almost anywhere in the home. Preferred silverfish temperature is in the 70 – 80-degree range with high humidity.

In some climates attics can become very hot and an ideal location for firebrats. Silverfish bugs can be any place in the home. They especially like damp basements. Both insects lay their eggs in cracks and small openings in your home.

 Firebrat and Silverfish Diet

Firebrat bugs and silverfish have very similar diets They also produce the same type of damage in the home. Although they both eat clothing, firebrats seem to consume rayon more aggressively than silverfish bugs. The firebrat bug diet and the silverfish diet consist mostly of carbohydrates and protein. They also eat other dead or injured insects.

Arthropods and other long black bug insects who invade houses and areas largely populated by humans are known as perimeter or occasional invaders. The usual reason for their invading is to forage for resources.

These occasional invaders in time can become a nuisance since they may cause property damage on furniture, textiles, or plants—they also bite.

These pests usually die after a short while, but their remains can become food for other pests which will only exacerbate the problem.

Some insects which secrete a foul odor can cause allergic reactions for people or animals.

Insects such as arthropods or mites are occasional invaders whose normal habitat is usually out of doors. However, when circumstances arrive that they actually do invade indoors, a great way to remove them naturally and without much damage to your or your property is by making the invaded area as inhospitable to the invaders as possible.

This is a great indoor insect control procedure, which is just one among many possible means to be rid of these pests.

Another way to be rid of pests is called the exclusion, which is one of the initial steps to flush them out and keep them out for good.

It is done by using a sealing agent such as wire screens, caulk, cloth, or any other material with which one may be a blew to seal cracks or gaps outside a structure where insects can crawl into.

Typical entry points are usually found undersigns, around doors and windows, on vents, utility lines, foundation walls, or any area with crevices large enough for insects to enter.

Habitat modification, the second way to manage infestation involves placing an inorganic barrier about two to four feet around the premises.

It is essential that you apply only inorganic material such as rock or gravel, since any other material, more so organic ones, may be used and adapted as a habitat by the perimeter invaders.

Organic materials that retain a good deal of moisture such as soil, leaves, bark, grass, and mulch may be used as food and shelter for the invaders which will, of course, cause them to stay. You don’t want that to happen.

Another way to ensure that pests don’t crash into your home is to check if you have any leaking faucets or damp places. Like any other creature, insects need moisture to live long. Cut off the moisture and they dry out and die.

When the invading insect numbers have swelled to a very significant amount, mechanical measures to eradicate them need to be undertaken.

One fast and easy way to do this is to locate their hide-out and sucking them out with a vacuum cleaner. The bags can then be sealed and disposed of after use, or they can be incinerated to ensure that none of the pests escape and survive.

The three above-stated methods may be classified as a type of organic pest control.

Green pest management and control is a highly regulated industry requiring extensive and continuing training of personnel using only environmentally friendly products to eliminate pests. 

During training, pest control technicians learn about the life cycles and habits of each species of household pest, and more to the point, they learn what kinds of treatment are most effective in eliminating infestations.

These also include how to prevent recurrences, precise quantities of chemicals to apply where necessary, and how to handle and dispose of chemicals with the least impact on homes, people, pets, and the surrounding environment.

Few home- or business owners, regardless of how much online research or reading they do, achieve the level of knowledge and skill that each pest control professional receives in order to be licensed. And the results of well-meaning but non-professional pest control efforts can be disastrous.

Whereas a householder may figure if a little is good, more is better, a trained pest control professional assesses the situation, determines the most effective treatment to meet the customer’s needs and cost considerations, and then applies a precise amount of pesticide to a defined location.

And a pest control professional is trained in safe disposal and storage of unused chemicals, the source of far too many accidental poisonings and other household tragedies.

Theory has it that it’s an encouraging sign for the future of our planet that so many consumers are concerned about the environment and want to make changes in their day-to-day lives.

But, being regular pest control, green pest management service does not quite work as expected.

Regardless of its advantages, being “green” does not yield the results a standard pest control service would.

1) It costs a little more. Typically “green” pest management solutions carry a higher price tag, for the simple reason that they are more labor-intensive and time-consuming than traditional pest control methods.

For example, green services may include placement and periodic checking of monitoring stations or glue traps. Typically, green pest management methods add 10 to 20 percent to the cost of treating a home or commercial site.

On the other hand, many “green” techniques, such as pre-construction wood treatment or proper sealing of a home can result in cost savings over the long run.

2) It’s more than simply using an environmentally safer product. While scores of new green products are coming on the market every day, there’s more to green pest control than that stuff coming out of your sprayer.

Green means using an entire arsenal of techniques together, from sealing or screening to prevent invasions to carefully targeted applications of the safest and most effective products.

3) The customer has to do his or her part. Traditionally, the customer has picked up the phone, called his local exterminator, and said, “Take care of it.”

A true pest control management depends on the customer to ensure food and other attractants are stored properly; that vents, electrical conduits, windows, and doors are properly sealed; that basements and crawlspaces are kept moisture-free.

To fully utilize the effectiveness of pest control, one of the tricks is to know how long to wait after exterminator sprays after your trusted team of pest control company comes in to do their tasks.

You’re not the only one who can’t enjoy the obnoxious heat during the summer months. Neither can the bugs, and they will do anything they can to gain access to your comfortable, air-conditioned home.

For those who unfortunately suffer from Entomophobia – the fear of bugs and insects – the cornucopia of tiny critters trying to break in can be too much to bear.

If you have an overruling aversion to everything from harmless moths and creepy cockroaches to villainous foes such as Black Widow spiders and scorpions, then the pesky pests taking up residency in your breezy, comfortable house or apartment can make your toes curl in terror.

Pest control can eliminate the majority of these uninvited houseguests, but it’s not the quick fix you may imagine it to be.

Having your preferred pest control guy spraying chemicals around the perimeter of your outer walls (as well as the interior of your home) is only the first step in preventative precautions.

Do not let your guard down when it comes to creepy crawlers such as spiders and scorpions because, from the beginning of March to the end of November, you can expect more frequent visits from uninvited houseguests.

Therefore, monthly visits from a licensed exterminator are definitely recommended. But if you want to ensure your home is as close to bug-free as humanly possible, you can try the following precautions as well:

1. Light ’em Up: A neat trick you can use to spot whether or not scorpions are in your house at night is to shine a large black light in the darkness on the floor and walls, as this makes their bodies appear to be glowing.

2. Hide and Seek: Bugs have favorite hiding places. To prevent them from making it into your house, you can be proactive and seek them out.

Use caution moving rocks and decorative boulders. Eliminate the ones you can see and spray, as they love to hide underneath things.

Carefully check inside boxes around the outside of your property, like the ones housing the electric meter, the irrigation valve, or the phone and cable connections. Make sure you spray inside the valve box with a pesticide.

3. Do Not Enter: A gap as small as even an eighth of an inch between the door and floor is enough room for insects to enter, so install a door sweep to keep them out.

4. Seal It Up: Check the seals around your windows, doors, and any other areas around the foundation relating to the outside of your house. Any gaps can be sealed up using caulk.

5. The Dreaded “Termite” Word: During the summer, routinely check the stem wall, so you can spot if you have termites. Easily recognizable, you should call a pest control company without delay.

With the tree boring insects, the leaves are smaller than normal and never seem to be the right color. The bark on their trunks is stained in odd colors and peeling in places. They seem to be constantly dropping pieces of deadwood on the lawn.

We hope for their good health, and sometimes are encouraged by periods of growth, but they never seem to make it to their happy place, leaving us at a loss for what to do.

Declining trees very often fall victim to insects that feed on their woody tissue, making their condition worse. They are referred to as boring insects, and they make tunnels through the bark of trees while in their larval stage.

When they reach the sapwood of the tree they feed on the nutrients that the tree is transporting to and from its branches. This drain on the energy of the tree causes a failure to thrive, and eventually death by starvation.

If the tunneling is prolific, the structural integrity of the wood can be compromised to the point of failure. In other words, the tree breaks. Chemical treatments of trees are largely ineffective against this type of pest because of where they are in the tree.

In some cases, it is difficult to detect the presence of this kind of pest because of how small the entry is. For example, the Emerald Ash borer leaves a “D” shaped hole in the bark of an

Ash tree about the size of a ballpoint pen tip. But there are clues to their presence if you look. While boring, the pest leaves excrement behind called frass. It looks like very fine sawdust and can sometimes be seen protruding in plug form from the entry hole or in piles around the base of the tree.

Also, the tree will sometimes leak sap from the wounds. This sap turns different colors when molds and fungi feed on it, and it leaves stains on the bark.

Ask any good arborist who practices tree health care and he or she will tell you that the best way to prevent borers from becoming a problem is to keep your trees healthy. Like most parasites, these insects prefer to attack weak and declining trees.

But talk of prevention is really no help to someone who has a serious problem with these pests. What do we do about them if we have them?

Get rid of the infested trees. When these pests reach a certain mass, their reproductive cycles can be staggering. Some of them – like the Southern Pine Beetle – can reproduce through 7 generations in one year. That’s a lot of wood munching.

The pests lie dormant in the winter months, and they begin their destructive activities when temperatures rise above 58 degrees. This makes winter a good time to remove trees that are infested.

If the wood from the tree is removed from your property, the pest goes with it. This gives the more healthy trees a better chance. Call a pest control specialist to help you decide what to do about your pest problem.

Though insects are necessary by nature for human life, these little critters are no doubt a nuisance to most people, especially when they are in their homes. More often than not, these bugs and other insects that bite humans bring germs with them — especially the fly, as mostly found outside your home.

But of course, one can treat this problem using different commercial products or insecticides, but they contain substances that are harmful to humans and other animals.

Get rid of any clogs and throw out old fruit. Then, grab a shallow bowl and place some beer or liquor at the bottom of it.

Please your item in the bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Then using a needle punch some small holes in the plastic staying at least ½ inch away from the edge of the bowl. The flies will go into the bowl and get trapped.

Aside from sticky flypapers that can be made at home or purchased, there are other solutions. For starters, it is recommended to use plants that actually repel these insects, such as basil.

In addition to basil being a repellent, it can also be used in cooking and leaves a pleasant aroma in the area. Citrus peel, preferably lemon, should be placed in a sachet to repel them as well.

These smell pleasant to people but deter these insects and therefore can be hung in different locations within the home or even on the patio. Another option is a bunch of pine boughs or a crushed clove, both of which are despised by flies.

Cleanliness is always of the essence when dealing with infestations and any problems with regards to pests. Make sure that all foods are kept in containers and none are exposed, which usually attracts flies.

For those who eat outdoors, use special food umbrellas until the meal begins as a means to keep them off the food. The yard should always be impeccable, ensuring that there is no pet feces on the premises which draw these insects.

Ensure that the garbage is never left uncovered and that the garbage cans are regularly cleaned and disinfected. To keep them at a minimum within the home, invest in screens for patio doors and windows and of course, make sure they are always closed.

Around the patio, use citronella torches or candles as these are known to repel not only mosquitoes but also the flies. Torches are also attractive, either lit or unlit as they surround a particular area.

In addition to or instead of screens for patio doors, also use beaded or fringed curtains. They look attractive, somewhat retro, but definitely help. These are available in different designs and colors to blend in well with the existing decor.

The important thing is to keep them to a minimum and at all costs, avoid their contact with food because they spread diseases of all kinds that could even endanger a person’s life.

From traps to exterminators, from organic sprays to more conventional sprays there is something to get rid of these unwanted and sometimes deadly creatures.

Pests in the Insect Family

There are well more than a million different species in the insect world and many more related to insects. A few are beneficial and are not harmful to humans. But, there are a few that have the notoriety of being a nuisance to human activities.

Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes are pests that are just another common observance of summer. But with the increasing West Nile and meningitis problems that have been associated with them, it’s no wonder people hate mosquitoes.

Mosquito Control

There are many ways to be rid of mosquitoes. But prevention is a must to keep the population down. Make sure all standing water in sources such as swimming pools, tires, and buckets are all dumped.

The female mosquito can lay hundreds even thousands of eggs in standing water. Sometimes the larva can be seen swimming about in these little pools of stagnant water.

Removal of these stagnant pools is important to help decrease the spread of these annoyances. There are many sprays and lotions that keep mosquitoes at bay. Mosquitoes tend to stay away from citrus smells.

The scented Geraniums are good plants to have in areas where humans may have interactions with mosquitoes. There are also citrus candles made for keeping away these pesky little insects.

Bees and Wasps

Other insects, which include wasps and bees, are mostly beneficial to nature. Bees Bees help pollinate flowers, and wasps are hardwired to go after some dangerous creatures such as caterpillars that can destroy a large area of crops.

But, if not dealt with properly, bees and wasps can prove to be hazardous. These insects are stinging insects and can deal with a sting that is very painful.

Some people have allergic reactions causing the need for immediate medical attention. Wasps are especially known for aggressive behaviors. A wasp known as the Yellow Jacket is very aggressive.

Bees generally are not as aggressive. But a genetically altered version of honey bees often called Africanized Honey bees or Killer Bees are very aggressive and attacks have been known to take lives of their victims.

Bee Control

There are many ways to be rid of bees and wasps. These methods can include nest or hive control, chemical control, and professional service control.

Controlling the nest is a hard thing to do for bees and especially wasps. You first must remove the insects themselves. Physical removal or relocation of the nest is possible but sometimes the chances of the nest being destroyed or injured can occur.

Professional services, the exterminator services, are needed when bees and wasps have nests that are in extreme places such as inside a home, inside the insulation or high in trees or in hard to reach places.