How To Prevent Ants From Entering Your Home
Spring is upon on us, and although we can all enjoy the warmer weather, the return of flowers, and the leaves growing on trees, spring also ushers in the return of many pests. Mosquitos, fleas, ticks, and ants are all common in spring. As pest control experts in the Greater Boston area, we often help our clients deal with these annoying insects. But one thing that sets us apart is aside from providing inspections, extermination, and pest removal services, we also provide pest prevention advice to stop returning pests in the future. Here are a few tips we give on how to prevent ants. And if you have an ant infestation, feel free to call us and set up an appointment.
Know The Signs of Ant Infestation
Groups of ants are known as colonies for a variety of reasons. First, they like to find a home to infest and build elaborate infrastructure in. Second, different ants have different roles. Scout ants have the specific job of scouting for a potential home for the colony. Usually, ants travel in large groups either in straight lines or even in swarms. But scout ants go off on their own looking for food to bring back to the anthill. If you notice a few ants in your kitchen, it is likely that a colony is nearby.
Keep Surfaces Clean
The first reason an ant colony will move into your home is if they have immediate and easy access to crumbs. Keep surfaces in your kitchen clean of crumbs and other food particles. Wherever you eat in your home; dining rooms, family rooms, bedrooms, etc. you should always keep these places regularly cleaned. Simply wiping down counter surfaces and not leaving out dishes can deter ants from moving in.
Proper Food Storage
After you have handled cleaning your kitchen, pay attention to how food is stored. Make sure that all pantry items are sealed tight. If ants can get inside bags of chips or into boxes of cereal, they are sure to come back on routine visits. Keeping food sealed is important in stopping ants from coming back.
What To Do When You Already Have Ants
If you notice scout ants walking around your home, there are a variety of things you may want to consider for preventing the colony from moving in. First, make sure to follow the above steps to potentially deter any chance of infestation. Afterwards, consider the following steps.
- Removing Ant Trails: When an ant walks across a surface they leave scent trails for other ants to follow. Wipe down surfaces with vinegar and water to remove these trails. It is important to do this wherever you see ants.
- Set Bait: You may want to strategically set some storebought ant bait on your countertops. Many ant baits are designed to kill scout ants and even potentially destroy nearby colonies as the bait is brought back to the colony.
- Destroy Colonies: It is likely that ants that enter your home actually live in colonies around your building. If you see mounds of dirt, you can apply an extermination product to the ant colony to destroy it.
- Hire Pest Control: If you are unable to get rid of your ant problem, you may want to contact a professional pest control expert.
Absolut Pest Control’s Ant Services in Greater Boston
Absolut Pest Control, based in Amesbury Massachusetts, provides ant control solutions for homeowners and businesses throughout Greater Boston. Learn more and contact us for an appointment by visiting our website.
5 Ways To Prevent Mosquitos This Spring
For Massachusetts residents, spring and summer are often a long-awaited time of the year. With our seasons, it is not strange how excited residents get to open up their back decks, de-winterize their pools, and start planning that beach trip. One issue that every homeowner feels though is the returns of bugs and pests. There are a variety of insects and bugs that bother homeowners, but on the top of that list are mosquitoes. Not only are mosquito bites annoying, but in some areas, mosquitoes can transfer deadly diseases. That is why it is important to prevent mosquitos from getting inside your home. Here are a few tips to prevent mosquitos.
Get Rid Of Standing Water
Mosquitos need still water for their eggs. In just 14 days mosquitos can breed and lay hundreds of eggs in still water. Because there is so much rainfall during the early spring months it is important to check around your property for standing water. Check for puddles, water around your gutters, and birdbaths to make sure you do not leave standing water available for mosquitoes.
Use Window & Door Screens
Wire screens are one of the most effective ways to stop mosquitoes from getting indoors. Every spring you should inspect any wire screens you have near your windows or doors. Make sure there are no large holes. If there are any tears you can either repair or replace your wiring. We also recommend making sure that the screen and window hang straight inside of the window’s cutout. Any small gaps can be potential entry points for small insects.
Stay Indoors At Night
We have all experienced it, bugs tend to get worse at night. That is because mosquitos are more likely to feed during the darker hours. If you are having a BBQ outdoors, we highly recommend taking it indoors after the sunsets.
Use Repellents
Even during the daylight, mosquitos can be a problem. That is why it is recommended to use repellents and bug spray. The most effective repellents use DEET. According to the CDC, DEET is safe to use but you should avoid spraying it near the eyes or mouth. If you are worried about synthetic chemical compounds, you can consider using a natural alternative. There are a variety of natural bug sprays that use eucalyptus to get rid of bugs.
Hire A Pest Control Service
Pest control services that specialize in insect removal can help you prevent mosquitos, wasps, bees, and yellowjackets. A pest control expert can go over your property and make recommendations to help prevent mosquitos from nesting and breeding near your property. If you live in Massachusetts and have a problem with mosquitoes or would like a pest control inspection, please give us a call.
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.
Winter Pest Control Tips
It is December in New England. We have a few snowfalls, families are getting ready for the holiday season, and if you have made it this far without turning your heat on you are a true New Englander. As it continues to get colder and colder outside of your home, pests and especially rodents will be looking for any home to make their own for the next few months. Compared to finding shelter in the wilderness, your home or commercial property is very preferred. There is heat, access to food, and cable. Although they probably don’t care about that last one. Regardless, you will want to do whatever you can to keep pests and rodents from entering your home and setting up camp.
Preventing Mice & Rats From Eating Your Food This Winter
The goal of preventing rodents from entering your home this winter is to make sure you do whatever you can to not make your home appealing to them in the first place. That doesn’t mean not having your heat on. Instead, you need to do whatever you can to keep food out of their hands. First off we recommend storing all of your food in airtight plastic containers. Trash should not be left uncovered and should be taken out frequently to avoid attracting rats, mice, or raccoons. And of course, you should periodically clean your kitchen and bedrooms with vacuum cleaners to collect food crumbs and debris.
Schedule A Winter Pest Control Inspection
Another important tactic for winter pest control is to have professionals survey your property. If you have had issues with rodents in the past, you should hire a pest control team to get to the bottom of how they are getting into your home. Pest Control experts know where to look and what to look for to find entry points. With some simple carpentry, you can limit the ease of entrance for pests coming into your home.
What To Do When You See Pests In Your Home
If there is a rodent in your home, do not rely on store-bought traps. Many of those traps can be ineffective and cleaning up after them can be a hassle. Instead, hire a pest control team to remove the rodents and find the issues that led to the infestation in the first place. Simply getting rid of one rodent at a time is not an effective way to deal with rodents longterm.
Contact Absolut Pest Control
For homes and businesses throughout Eastern Massachusetts, there is one name in Pest Control everyone trusts: Absolut Pest Control. Give us a call to discuss a pest control inspection or the removal of a rodent or other issue.
Tips For Dealing With Raccoons
At best raccoons can be an annoying nuisance: getting into the trash, destroying patio furniture, or harassing outdoor pets. At worst, a raccoon can get stuck in your home and nest, and attack members of your family and destroy parts of your home. Getting rid of raccoons can be a hassle and although there are DIY methods for raccoon control, it is always recommended that you contact a local pest control professional. But before you worry about raccoons, there are a few ways to prevent a raccoon problem in the first place.
Keep Raccoons Out Of The Home
When it comes to raccoons, it is preferred that they stay outdoors. Raccoons like to nest, especially in colder months. Because of that, it is important to limit the possibility of raccoons getting into your home. Luckily, raccoons are much larger than rodents or insects, This means it is unlikely that they will be able to enter your home through the same small holes that other pests do. Raccoons generally try to get into attics and basements. To avoid this make sure all windows and doorways are secure. Be aware of tree branches that can make it easy for raccoons to get to the roof. Generally, your tree branches should end five feet away from the home. Make sure your chimney has a cover and screen to protect it from raccoon invasion.
Do Not Provide Food To Raccoons
The most likely reason you have a raccoon problem is that you (or your neighbor) makes it easy for raccoons to get a meal on your property. Although it can be tempting to put your trash out the night before garbage day, waking up early to take the trash out can prevent raccoons from moving to your property. Limiting food options outdoors will decrease the chances of raccoons. That is why it is also important to make sure any outdoor eating areas on porches, decks, and patios, are properly cleaned after use.
Do Not Expect A Dog To Deter Raccoons
There is an unfortunate myth that having outdoor dogs will prevent raccoons. Although it is true that some breeds of dogs are able to protect your property better than others, raccoons will fight with dogs and you do not want your bet to get injured. Cats may be good options to get rid of mice, but that is because cats have distinct physically advantages, raccoons can terribly injure your pets.
Call Pest Control
If you see raccoons on your property, do not wait, call Absolut Pest Control. Our team has decades of experience removing rodents and other pests from properties. We can remove raccoons from your attics, basements, lawns, and other areas of your property. Give us a call today or contact us online.