Everything You Need To Know About Carpenter Bees
Carpenter bees are a large, black and yellowish-orange species of bee that are active from the early spring through the early fall. Carpenter bees are significantly larger than honey bees and are often mistaken for bumblebees due to their similar size and appearance. These bees like making their nests in wooden structures like houses, causing thousands of dollars worth of damage. In this article, we’ll talk about how you can identify carpenter bees, how they can damage your home, and how you can keep an eye out for them! If you have any questions about carpenter bees or are a Massachusetts resident that would like a free estimate on a carpenter bee control service, please contact our team at Absolut Pest Control today by calling us at (978) 388-4589!
Carpenter Bee Identification
As mentioned above, carpenter bees are relatively large bees that are often mistaken for bumblebees due to their size and appearance. Carpenter bees can be easily differentiated from bumblebees because they have shiny, non-hairy abdomens, while bumblebees have a dense layer of fur that covers almost all of their bodies. Another way to identify carpenter bees is by paying attention to their behavior. Carpenter bees will often hover around the exterior of homes and land on untreated wood, where they like to create holes and tunnels where they can lay their eggs.
How Carpenter Bees Can Damage Your Home
Carpenter bees that survive the winter here in Massachusetts will emerge from hibernation in the spring and begin to mate. Fertilized female carpenter bees will then immediately look to build their nests where they can safely lay their eggs, and oftentimes, they choose to dig their nests in your house’s siding, deck, roof, or other wooden structures. Carpenter bees prefer to excavate their nests in unpainted, untreated softwoods. When your home is repeatedly targeted by carpenter bees, its structural integrity can be damaged and cost you thousands of dollars in repairs, similar to the damage that termites and carpenter ants can cause.
Signs Of A Carpenter Bee Infestation
The easiest way to spot a carpenter bee infestation is to keep a lookout for the damage they cause on the wooden surfaces on and around your home. Carpenter bee damage looks like round, smooth holes that have a diameter about the size of your pinky finger. Once they have accessed the inside of the wood through these holes, carpenter bees will make a sharp turn where they will continue to burrow parallel to the surface, creating damage that is much larger than it may appear to the naked eye. In order to prevent harmful carpenter bee damage, you should regularly inspect the exterior of your home for these smooth, round holes in the spring, summer, and early fall!
Contact Absolut Pest Control!
If you have any questions about identifying, preventing, or treating a carpenter bee infestation in your Massachusetts or Southern New Hampshire home, please contact our team at Absolut Pest Control! We provide various pest removal and extermination services at affordable prices throughout the region! Give us a call today at (978) 388-4589 or fill out the contact form on our website to get a free estimate!
How To Tell The Difference Between Bees, Wasps, & Hornets Nests
While bees, wasps, and hornets are all essential parts of our ecosystem, they can become a threat when they build their nests in the vicinity of your home. Each one of these flying insects can deliver painful stings that can have dire consequences if the victim is allergic. Studies show that more than 500,000 people are sent to the emergency room annually due to insect stings! While many people can recognize their differences by looking at the insects themselves, identifying the differences between their nests can be a little more difficult. In this article, we’ll go over some key characteristics of each of these nests to help you identify and deal with them! If you are experiencing a bee, hornet, or wasp problem in Massachusetts or Southern New Hampshire, Absolut Pest Control is here to help! Contact us today at (978) 388-4589 or fill out the contact form on our website!
Identifying Wasps Nests
“Paper Wasps” or “Umbrella Wasps” get their name from the characteristics of their nests. These nests are built from a paper-like material and are often in a shape that resembles an umbrella. Their nests are often found in the area surrounding a home, hanging from trees, porch ceilings, decks, and more. One key identifier for these nests is that they sometimes contain open, uncovered cells where the insects lay their eggs. Paper wasps are known to sting people when their nests are disturbed or if they feel threatened.
Identifying Bees Nests
Honey bees gather pollen and nectar from flowers to feed their colonies. These bee’s nests, called hives, are often found in areas with an abundant supply of flowering plants. Honey bee hives can be identified by their signature hexagonal wax cells, a characteristic that is often pictured when people think of a stereotypical bee’s nest. You can keep a lookout for these bee hives in areas like tree limbs, tires, utility poles, mailboxes, flowerpots, and even bird houses. Much like with other stinging insects, honey bees are not violent by nature but will sting if they feel threatened.
Identifying Hornets Nests
European hornet’s nests are commonly found in sheds, attics, tree cavities, and other enclosed places. One key identifying factor for these nests is that they are typically built at least 6 feet above the ground. Many times, what people believe to be hornets are actually yellow jackets or ground wasps, both of which construct subterranean nests in old animal burrows or other small holes in the ground.
Contact Absolut Pest Control!
If you have any questions about stinging insects or believe there’s an infestation on your Massachusetts or New Hampshire property, contact Absolut Pest Control! We provide ethical bee removal services at affordable prices throughout the region! Contact us today by giving us a call at (978) 388-4589 or by filling out the contact form on our website!
How To Treat Bee Stings
Spring and summer are slowly approaching, meaning it’s an excellent time to start preparing for warmer-weather pests here in the northeast. One spring “pest” that we all know so well are bees. While bees are an essential part of our ecosystem, they can be annoying when they’re swarming food or flowers, especially when there’s the threat of them stinging you. In this article, we’ll go over some tips on how you can prevent bee stings and how you should treat them if they happen.
Tips On Preventing Bee Stings
The best way to prevent bee stings is to avoid their hives. Bees are most likely to sting you when you’re around their hives because they can become defensive if they feel you’re threatening them. If you discover a beehive on or around your home, your best course of action is to call a pest control professional who can remove the beehive without exterminating the bees, as they’re essential to plant growth and our environment as a whole. Another way to prevent bee stings is to avoid wearing sweet fragrances like perfumes and colognes because bees and wasps are attracted to these scents. If you’re planning a picnic or other outdoor activity, be sure to keep food and drinks in sealed containers so you don’t attract unwanted attention from bees and other insects. By keeping these tips in mind this spring and summer, you’ll reduce the chances of bee and wasp stings!
Tips On Treating Bee Stings
If you have the misfortune of being stung by a bee, seek medical attention immediately if you’re allergic to bees. If you’re not allergic, the first thing you should do is remove the stinger. Stingers that are not removed can cause a longer-lasting, more severe reaction. You can remove the stinger by swiping over the spot of the sting with your fingernail or credit card. Avoid using tweezers to remove a bee stinger because the pinching can cause more venom to be released into your skin. Once you’ve successfully removed the stinger from your skin, clean the affected area with soap and warm water to avoid the possibility of infection. You can then treat the pain and swelling caused by the sting with a cold compress or ice pack. If the reaction persists, you should ask your doctor about using anti-inflammatories, antihistamines, or hydrocortisone ointments to treat the sting.
Contact Absolut Pest Control!
If you have any questions about bee removal or any other pest control-related problem in northeastern Massachusetts or southern New Hampshire, don’t hesitate to contact Absolut Pest Control! We provide a wide variety of affordable pest control services to residents and businesses of the region! Give us a call today at (978) 388-4589 or fill out the contact form on our website, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible!
Tips For Preventing Insects This Summer
Late winter and early spring is the best time to prevent summer pests. As you start looking forward to working on your yard, your garden, de-winterizing your pool, you should also start thinking about how to prevent pests. Mosquitoes, bees, wasps, and other annoying insects are looking for homes and breeding grounds in late winter. Here are a few tactics to deter insects from choosing your home.
Pests are looking for a variety of things when choosing where to make nests. One of those is easy access to food. In the wintertime and late fall, we recommend that homeowners avoid leaving out any food indoors as the combination of a shelter and easy access to crumbs is the perfect incentive for most pests to set up in your house. During the spring and summer, you want to decrease food waste inside and outside your home. Take out the trash promptly and do not leave garbage rotting in bins outside. This will attract ants, other insects, and even rodents. Always rinse out your cans and food containers before putting them in recycling bins. Anything you can do to decrease potential food for pests will help you in the long run.
Be On The Lookout For Hives
Unfortunately, bees, wasps, and yellowjackets can get by eating pollen from local flowers and plants. So unless you live in a city, it is impossible to remove the food source for these pests. That is why you need to be on the lookout for nests. Corners of homes are usually where bees will build nests because of the natural walls it provides them. Bees want to be efficient so they tend to build in the corners of porches and roofing, especially near a garden. The quicker they can zip to and from the nest the better. So be aware of where your flowers are and any nearby structures that would be prime real estate for their nests. Honeybees are an important part of our ecosystem but that doesn’t mean you have to live with them. Pest control professionals at Absolut Pest Control remove nests and relocate them to protect the bees.
Remove Standing Water
Aside from looking for food and shelter, many pests are looking for standing water. Mosquitoes breed and lay eggs in standing water, and usually can be found where ever it is humid and damp. If you have birdbath, or puddles that have developed on your lawn, you should consider finding ways to drain them. Additionally, if you have a pool, covering it when it is not in use can help prevent pests from breeding.
Pest Problem? Give Us A Call
For homes and businesses in Amesbury and Greater Boston the team at Absolut Pest Control is happy to help you prepare your property for the summer and handle any pest problems you are dealing with, contact us for more information about pest control.
When Should You Call Pest Control?
The mere presence of a single pest may make you uncomfortable or concerned, especially depending on the type of pest or the sort of damage it causes. Some pest issues you can handle on your own with a little know-how or an instructional guide on the web. Other cases require expert help to remedy the problem and give you some peace of mind. Often, homeowners and renters waste time and money on insufficient traps, baits, and other at-home solutions. In the long run, it could save you money on repairs needed to fix damages caused by nuisance pests. When should you actually call pest control? Here’s a look at when’s a good time to give your local pest control company a call.
Seeing Pests Around
Seeing isn’t believing, it’s knowing. Sightings of pests on your property are a clear sign that you have unwanted guests around. If you spot one rat, for example, likely, there are more around for you to deal with. Some pests like ants and termites create a colony which is an indication of an infestation. A single pest sighting should give you cause for concern and compel you to investigate further to know the extent of the pest infestation. You may need expert help and pest- control professionals can determine the kind of solution that you need. Many homeowners are dismayed that even after a storebought trap successfully catches one mouse, the sounds of mice in the walls or the sight of them scurrying across the floor doesn’t immediately go away.
Pest Droppings and Urine
Maybe you’ve come across what looks like urine and droppings in your attic or basement. You might not be able to identify what type of pest did it, but you know it’s a sign of trouble to come. Pest droppings are a health hazard for you and your family, especially those with allergies. Droppings contain plenty of bacteria and viruses that can spread illnesses, from salmonella to murine typhus. Pests are nuisances that you should never tolerate in your home and ignoring them can be perilous for you. For this reason, you want to get rid of pests at the first sign of their existence.
Damage to Your Property
Have you noticed gnawing marks on your walls or furniture? Maybe you’ve seen claw marks in your attic or holes chewed in your siding. Some pests can be destructive and cost you money in property damage. Squirrels, for example, are believed to be the source of 25% of house fires. Rodents are known to gnaw on wires that can lead to electrical fires and other pests, like termites can inflict damage to the structural integrity of your home. The last thing that you want is for your pest problem to get out of control.
Scratching and Rustling Noise
Does hearing scratches or rustling sounds while doing house chores cause you to pause? Trying to figure out what it could be? It’s not likely to be paranormal activity. What it may turn out to be could be much worse- a pest invasion. Scampering across your floors, for example, is usually a sign that mice are present. Get professionals to check it out if you can’t access the location the noise is coming from or are scared. If pests are around, it’s in your best interest to have them removed asap.
Contact Absolut Pest Control For Services in Amesbury
Absolut Pest Control is a great pest control company that can provide you with expert solutions. We are equipped to provide the first line of defense against the pesky invaders that want to take over your home. Call or send a message to our team to speak to our pest control expert and to get a quote today.
Pest Control Services During COVID19
With the recent COVID19 outbreak in America, non-essential businesses have closed throughout Massachusetts as per a recent message from Governor Charlie Baker. A large majority of the workforce is working from home. During this extended time at home, pest control services are an important consideration every homeowner and business owner should think about.
Pest Control For Closing Businesses
When a building is uninhabited for an extended duration of time (i.e. vacation or a seasonal business closing) there can be issues with pests. Both rodents and insects are more likely to infest an unoccupied building compared to an occupied one. If you are switching to a work from home schedule and will be leaving your office building unattended consider hiring a pest control service to make routine checks or to provide preventative maintenance tips. This is especially true for restaurants and other food services. With so many restaurants closing throughout Boston and Massachusetts, it is important to take time to secure all non-perishable foods and properly dispose of perishable foods. The team at Absolut Pest Control can help make recommendations to shore up your security while you are gone. We provide preventative pest control services where we will inspect a building for any potential weaknesses that may lead to pest problems in the future.
Pest Control For Work From Home Families
As more and more workers adjust to work from home life, it becomes more important to make sure that you take proper pest control precautions. Spring is upon us, and like many seasonal changes, this brings unique pest problems. Beehives, wasps, yellow jackets, mosquitos, and other pests will become more prevalent. Many homeowners will also have to deal with nesting birds or rodents around their property. If you need pest control services, the team at Absolut Pest Control can help. Our team of licensed pest control professionals can provide you with pest solutions and help remove any hives or nests from the outside of your property. Just give us a call, and a member of our team can help.
Questions? Send us a message!
During this COVID19 outbreak, we are getting many questions from homeowners about our pest control services. If you have a question about any of our pest control solutions, send us a message. We would love to help you with any pest problem you are having on your property. We also offer general pest inspections for apartment buildings and office buildings that may need extra protection this season.
What You Need To Know About Pest Control Before Buying A Home
Buying a home can be a fun and also stressful process. On the one hand, shopping for a new home is something many couples and families look forward to doing. On the other hand, there are so many things to consider, and so many things you wished you considered after the fact. One thing that many prospective homeowners don’t think about in advance is pest control.
How Do You Know If A Property Needs Termite Control?
The most egregious problem for new homeowners is existing termites. Termites cause terrible property damage that can become a danger to homeowners. Termites often destroy the structural integrity of a home over time, which is why they need to be dealt with quickly. Always request a WDO (wood destroying organism) inspection before signing on to a new home. A proper inspection from an unbiased third-party can ensure that your home is safe from pests. A WDO should only be handled by a licensed pest control professional. Short of ordering an inspection, you can always be on the lookout for visual signs of termites. Gnawed wood, discarded wings, termite feces, and hollow wood are all examples of a termite infestation.
Is Your Home Susceptible to Rodent Infestation?
Older homes are often plagued by rodent problems. Mice, rats, voles, and even squirrels can take up residence in your new home if there are unchecked entry points. Either a third party contractor or pest control specialist can check your property for entryways for rodents. These are easier to spot than the signs of a termite infestation. Of course, be on the lookout for obvious signs like mousetraps, fecal matter, and cracks/holes near the baseboards of the property.
Other Pest Concerns
Rodents and termites aren’t the only pest problem you should be on the lookout for before buying a new home. Make sure to do a visual inspection on the outside of your property for bee and wasp nests. Nests are often located in crevices and corners of roofing and windows. Check windowsills to make sure that there are no gaps for mosquitoes and other insects to crawl in through. This is especially important for kitchen windows. Check the basement and bathrooms for moisture. Excess moisture can become a breeding ground for many different insects.
Contact Absolut Pest Control
If you live in the Massachusetts area and are either looking to buy a new home or are already in your new home, hire a specialist from Absolut Pest Control to help get rid of pests and run inspections. Contact a member of our team today.
The Importance of Environmentally Friendly Bee Removal
It is officially spring, and as the saying goes April showers bring May flowers. And those flowers bring swarms of bees, and other insects as we enter into the warmer seasons. You probably have heard about the decreasing number of honey bees on the news and its negative impact on the environment. That said, bees still pose a very real threat to adults and children who have severe allergies to bee stings. That is why bee removal needs to be handled carefully.
How Bees Impact Our Ecosystem in Massachusetts
The common honey bee has a profound impact on our environment. Bees are almost as important to America’s food production as farmers are. As the main source of pollination, most of the fruits and vegetables that we eat is a direct result of the work on honey bees. Honey bees provide one of the most vital services for plant growth, which is why their numbers dwindling is a real concern for American agriculture and the American economy.
How Not To Remove of Bees
Although the bee population is dwindling, many pest control companies still use lethal methods for dealing with bees. Even most DIY pest control methods involving using harsh chemical sprays to kill or destroy bees and their hives. So far 1 out of every 4 wild bee species has been placed on the endangered species list, and that number is steadily growing. That is why it is important for us to find environmentally conscious ways to deal with bees and other insects.
Environmentally Friendly Ways To Remove Bees & Beehives
If you want to find DIY methods for bee removal there are a few worth trying. Although your safest bet is to work with a pest control company that is experienced in environmentally friendly bee removal. This is especially true if you are allergic. To remove bees in an environmentally conscious way you can try smoking the bees out by lighting paper underneath the hive. Constant smoke near the hive is enough for bees to relocate. However, they may relocate to somewhere nearby on the property.
Bee, Wasp, & Yellowjacket Control In Massachusetts
At Absolut Pest Control we do our best to preserve bee habitats while also getting them off your property. We have special tools and methods to move the hive without damaging it to a safer and more natural location. Although in some cases destroying the hive is necessary, we do our best to get rid of bees with the least amount of damage possible. If you have a bee problem, call us to have it handled professionally. We also offer other pest solutions for the Massachusetts area.
Winter Wasp Warning Signs
Although many people think of wasps as a warm weather problem, they can actually show-up inside your home during the winter months as well. A specific wasp species, called the paper wasp, is especially notorious for this. Female paper wasps are particularly good at entering attics and other warm, dark interior areas through even the tiniest openings to the outdoors. If you are afraid you currently have a winter wasp infestation or if you just want to prevent one in the coming years, the following tips should help you be prepared.
You Notice Wasp Nests
Paper wasps make open-comb nests that resemble upside-down umbrellas. If you begin seeing these anywhere in your house, such as the attic or a closet, you can be fairly certain that you’re dealing with a wintertime wasp infestation.
You See One or More Wasps
The most obvious sign that you are dealing with winter wasps is seeing at least one in your home. Paper wasps go into what is close to a hibernation state during the coldest months of the year, so they may appear to be dead. Because they are actually still alive, though, you should take care if you decide to touch them. Furthermore, if your area experiences a warm snap during the winter, the wasps may wake up and begin flying around your home.
At this point, you’re probably wondering what you can do to prevent wasps from infesting your house not only in the winter, but any other time of year! Fortunately, there are several steps you can take with the help of a professional pest control company. Some of the options that are likely to be presented to you are outlined below.
Preventative Action
The best way to get avoid wasps is to take preventative measures that will keep them from getting into your home in the first place. Qualified pest control experts like those at Absolut Pest Control will be able to take stock of your home and figure out where these insects are most likely to enter, then seal the holes appropriately. You may also want to hire the experts at Absolut Pest Control to address wasps periodically throughout the year.
Getting Rid of Existing Wasps
If you already have a wintertime wasp infestation, Absolute Control’s team of trained experts will know how to help you eliminate them as well. There are likely to be several options, including chemical sprays in your attic, that will eradicate any living paper wasps. If anyone in your household has allergies, you may want to stay in a hotel or at a relative’s home during the treatment.
Remember, winter wasps aren’t something you have to live with! Our skilled professionals will be able to help you get rid of these pests before they do any damage to your home or sting a member of your family. Wasp stings can be serious, particularly for people with allergies, so getting rid of these insects as quickly as possible is of the essence. Contact us today for more information about us and our available services!
Dangers of Bees Around Your Home
Bee Control
Bees are an important part of the world’s ecosystem but it can be considered dangerous to let a bee hive thrive near your home. Bees are generally less destructive than rats or termites, however, it’s still an inconvenience to have bees surrounding your home. They are usually more noticeable in the spring but still have a presence throughout the summer and into the fall.
The dangers of bees around your home:
- Bee Stings: When a bee stings a person, it can cause pain and swelling in the area of where the sting occurred.
- Bee Allergies: Bee stings are very dangerous for people who have a b
ee allergy. Symptoms of bee stings can result in pain and swelling, nausea and vomiting, and closing of the throat. - Bee Aggression: If bees feel their hive or colony is being threatened or in danger they will sting you. In warm weather, bees also tend to get more aggressive so make sure you keep your distance.
For safety purposes, the best way to take care of your bee problem is to contact a pest control expert. For more information on bee control, contact Absolut Pest Control at 978.388.4589 or fill out our contact form online!