How to Ward Off Mosquitoes this Summer
Mosquitoes can be a real nuisance once the warm weather rolls in. Regardless of whether you’re enjoying a family barbeque or kicking back on your deck, your time can go from pleasant to agonizing as you swat these buzzing buggers away. If you’d like to keep yourself from becoming a mosquito magnet this summer, follow a few of our tips.
Think Twice Before Exercising Outside
If you’re heading outdoors for some extraneous physical activity, you might want to reconsider. Mosquitoes are attracted to excess body heat and carbon dioxide. If you’re jumping around outside and getting your sweat on, mosquitoes will be more likely to bite you. While the summer months are a great excuse getting outdoors and getting active, be aware of peak mosquito hours to prevent you from becoming a tasty morsel.
Protect Yourself
One of the best ways to protect yourself while outside is to use a bug repellant. The CDC recommends using one that has been registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, as those chosen repellants have been evaluated for product efficacy and effects on both the human body and the environment. Use the repellent on bare skin sparingly and keep an eye out for products containing DEET. Also, lemon eucalyptus, a plant oil, is as effective as low concentrations of DEET which makes it another viable option. Once you return indoors, do yourself a favor and wash the repellent off.
Check On the Status of Your Screens
This is an important one because protecting yourself inside is just as important as protecting yourself outside. Take a look around your house at all the screens on your windows and doors to ensure there aren’t any holes or tears where bugs can get through. There’s nothing worse than thinking you’re safe from mosquitoes indoors only to hear a buzzing in your ear or seeing one land on your arm. Keep mosquitoes outside where they belong by making sure your window and door screens are doing their job.
Want to protect yourself from mosquitoes this summer? Follow our tips! If you can’t seem to shake your mosquito woes no matter how hard you try, get in touch with us. You can reach us by filling out an online contact form or by calling us at 978-388-4589. We look forward to helping you.
Ward Off Pests with Some Spring Cleaning Tips
While spring has technically arrived, the weather is still quite wintery. But, the weather conditions will soon improve and that means we’re getting ever closer to the big spring clean up once winter makes its full exit. While some may roll their eyes or groan about spring cleaning, it doesn’t change the fact that it’s highly effective. After all, winter can be a brutal season, especially on the east coast. Taking stock of your home in the spring can help you spot areas in dire need of attention, areas that if left ignored could allow pests into your home. If you want to maintain a pest free home this spring, give the following areas of your home some love during spring clean-up
Bathroom
One should not have to worry about pests in their bathroom, period. But, if you have moisture issues in your bathroom, you may encounter silverfish or cockroaches, both spring pests, during your morning shower. Since both pests are attracted to moisture, be sure to eliminate open sources of water in the bathroom. Be sure to clean out your medicine cabinet, inspect the bathroom for any leaking moisture from pipes or faucets, and wash your shower curtain and liner.
Kitchen
Nicer weather brings the ants right on out. The first place they’re likely going to invade if they get into your home is your kitchen since it provides ample access to both food and water sources. They will crawl throughout your kitchen in search of crumbs, residue from liquid spills, and overripe fruit left sitting out on the counter. Keeping a consistently clean kitchen is tantamount to keeping pests at a minimum, but there are a few more things you can do to help. Clean out your cabinets and remove old food items, like spices and flour. Those ingredients can attract beetles and ants. Once you’ve cleaned out your cabinets, wipe down the insides for good measure. You can also pull out your appliances and clean behind them, as you’d be amazed at how much is actually back there. Giving your kitchen a good scrub down isn’t a bad idea, either.
Basement
Your basement can be a popular place for spiders and rodents to camp out in, especially because there are corners and clutter they can hide amongst. Going through items in your basement and getting rid of things you don’t need can negate this, as it will provide fewer hiding places. When storing items, don’t use cardboard boxes because they can wear down over time and allow pests access to their contents. Instead, use sturdy plastic bins with secure lids. If you happen to notice any cracks or crevices that give you pause, seal them up with caulk to provide pests with one less access area to your home. You’d be surprised at just how small an opening has to be for critters to get through.
Spring cleaning shouldn’t just be a quick clean up. Spring cleaning doesn’t only get your house ready for spring either, but for summer too. By giving your home a solid inspection, particularly in the areas listed above, you’ll be ensuring strong pest protection for months to come. If you begin experiencing a persistent issue, please get in touch with us. You can reach us at 978-388-4589 or by filling out an online contact form.
How to Get Your Property Pest Prepped for Winter
It’s not even Thanksgiving yet, we know, but winter really is just right around the corner. Honestly, some days it feels as though it’s already here. As the cold season slowly approaches, there are a few things you can do outdoors to keep pests from taking up residence close to, or inside of, your home. Let’s take a look at some suggestions…
Tend to Your Lawn
Keep your lawn looking neat and clean for as long as you can before winter arrives. This involves clearing dead leaves, fallen twigs, branches, and other debris you may find that could provide shelter for pests seeking to get into your home. Remain on top of keeping your yard tidy even after the snow has fallen.
Trim Your Hedges
To keep pests away who might be taking up residence in your hedges, leave about five feet of clear space between the edge of your home and your nearest hedge or plant. Plants near your home can be utilized as shelter by pests, so keep those branches short. After all, once you trim your hedges, they won’t again until spring.
Move Firewood
Firewood piles are a very popular shelter option for rodents and insects during the winter time since they can build nests for their young and feed them there. To keep rodents from moving from your woodpile to your house, store your firewood at least twenty feet from your home. If you can, keep the wood elevated about five feet above the ground too.
Clear Gutters and Drains
Having gutters that drain properly is essential for preventing water build-up. Built up moisture can attract pests, so check your gutters and clear out any leaves and debris you may find. It’s in your best interest to ensure your sump pump is draining properly too.
If you’re looking to protect your home from pests this winter, get started on these suggestions now. We’re just two short weeks away from the start of December, so set some time aside and try to get a jump on ensuring a pest-free home for winter. If you’re in need of help, give us a call here at Absolut Pest Control or fill out our online contact form!
4 Common Fall Pests
Well, folks, the weather might still be wonky in terms of warmth but fall is officially here. If you’re from New England or if you’re a transplant, it’s highly likely you enjoy this brief season. The weather cools down at a moderate pace, the leaves change a bunch of gorgeous colors before letting go of their branches, and everyone can go back to wearing sweaters. It’s a lovely time indeed, but as the temperature cools there are quite a few pests who are going to be trying to find their way indoors. Here are a few you should keep an eye out for…
1.) Stink Bugs
Brown stink bugs actively seek shelter once cooler weather arrives. They don’t transmit diseases, nor do they sting or bite. They can, however, damage clothing, furniture, and other fabrics with their droppings. Conveniently enough, this is how stinkbugs get their name! When disturbed, their droppings emit a seriously strong odor in order to ward off potential predators. As fall settles in, take extra care to check out clothes, furniture, and blinds as these are common places to discover a lazy stink bug. Also, check all window screens to ensure they allow no easy entry into your home.
2.) Ants
You can potentially find all sorts of ants around your house throughout the fall months. Beware, some of these ants can wreak some real havoc. House ants can contaminate several of your foods while carpenter ants can damage the structure of your home. Keeping ants out of your home can be tricky, but to start you should store food in airtight containers , sweep your floors frequently, and keep tree branches and plants cut back from potential entry areas around your property. If these simple methods don’t help, you should look into sealing areas around your house in addition to cracks in the foundation.
3.) Rodents
These guys are pretty common in the fall and winter. Like people, they need warmth when the temperatures drop, so naturally they choose our homes. Unfortunately, they spread diseases, can build nests in your insulation, and chew through your wires potentially causing a fire in the process. Rodents are flexible creatures, and have an uncanny knack of fitting through even the smallest of cracks. So, to help prevent them this season, plug up suspicious holes in your home’s foundation. In addition to that, you should be storing your food in containers because it makes acquiring a food source much more difficult. Since they reproduce at an incredibly brisk pace, you should contact pest professionals as soon as you suspect an infestation.
4.) Cockroaches
No one wants to believe, or be told, that they have cockroaches in their home. Unfortunately, they are incredibly common and also quite dangerous. They can potentially spread up to 33 kinds of bacteria, some of which can trigger asthma attacks in children. Cockroaches fancy drains and pipes, so do your best to keep bathrooms and kitchens thoroughly sanitized. Again, make sure all cracks around the home are sealed and vacuum often.
These are some of the pests you might spot inside your home this fall, much to your dismay. Utilize our tips if you feel as though you can handle the problem, but if things get particularly out of hand then get in touch with Absolut Pest Control. We can have your home back to normal in no time!
Pest Prevention Tips for Fall
In New England, most people love fall. It’s a nice transition from hot weather to cool weather, and the colored foliage outdoors makes up for the fact that the general temperatures are dropping. As the weather changes, and the nights get colder, rodents and pests will begin seeking out warmer areas to inhabit. Your home is a slam dunk option. So, in honor of the impending season, we’d like to give you some pointers on how to help keep pests out of your home this fall.
1.) Examine Windows and Screens for Rips and Holes
If you have a large dog at home, or a small rambunctious one, there’s likely a chance your window screens have seen better days. Their claws can scratch screens when they jump up on window sills, which provide pests with an entry point to your home. When you have the time, take a look at your window and door screens. If you discover holes or rips, do what you can to mend them. If the screen is entirely beyond repair, you should look into replacement options.
2.) Install a Chimney Cap
If your home has a chimney, it’s a smart idea to install a chimney cap when colder weather rolls in. This way, you can deter bats, birds, and other wildlife from holing up in your house. The same goes for your attic vents. Installing wire mesh to vents keeps squirrels, rodents, and bats from infiltrating your attic, and even the walls of your home.
3.) Seal Openings Around Your Home
Utility openings such as dryer vents, gas meters, and other outdoor facets are common entry points to your humble abode. Tiny openings can allow spiders and a variety of other insects into your home, while an opening as small as a fourth of an inch is large enough for mice to fit through. Utilize things such as copper mesh, expandable foam, or caulk to seal up these areas.
Keeping your home secure from pests is important, particularly when the change in seasons involves a temperature drop. Inspect your property for any glaring issues, and do your best to remedy them. If you run into a problem you just can’t fix, or discover a pre-existing pest problem, contact us at 978-388-4589 or fill out our online contact form!
Preventing Mice Infestations
Mice in The Home
When the temperature outside begins to drop in the fall, infestations of rodents and mice tend to begin. If you hear noises in the walls or spot rodent droppings on the floor, this could mean that you a mouse infestation. Due to how small mice are, they can easily get into homes by entering through cracks, holes, floors, and foundations. Check out some helpful tips to make sure mice don’t ruin your home for the holidays.
- To prevent mice from coming into your home all cr
acks, openings and holes should be sealed properly. - If you spot mice in your home, one of the first steps you can do is setting up mousetraps. Using a mousetrap is a safe and efficient way because they will kill them instead of poisoning it.
- Go through the house and remove clutter areas like piles of clothing or old cardboard boxes that could make it easy for mice to build a nest.
- Your house should always be clean and tidy, make sure you are washing the floors and vacuuming the carpets to avoid food from collecting and attracting mice.
The most efficient method of removing mice from homes is by contact a trained pest control professional. If you notice mice lurking around your home, contact Absolut Pest Control today at 978.388.4589 or fill out our contact form online.
Common Pest You’ll Find Around Your Home This Fall
As the temperature, outside slowly starts to drop, you should be prepared for the upcoming winter by making sure that your home is pest-free. Here are a few of the pests you might see lurking around your home this fall.
- Rodents: Common home intruders that you might see around this fall are mice and rats. Mice and rats can spread diseases and chew through your home wiring causing serious damage. It’s important to make sure you keep all the doors shut and look for any small openings where rodents can sneak in.
- Bedbugs: Bed bugs are typically found in mattresses, suitcases, boxes and shoes around the home. These are tiny bugs that are difficult to spot, so you may have to find them by using a flashlight and looking for them along the seams of furniture and mattresses.
- Stinkbugs: As the weather outside gets colder, it’s common to find Stink Bugs congregating on the warmer sides of homes. While stink bugs don’t spread diseases, these pests can damage clothing and furniture with their droppings and odor. Properly named, when these bugs are squashed or disturbed they release a disturbing odor.
- Spiders: Even though they are not necessarily dangerous, spiders can be a nuisance around your household. Spider usually make their way into homes through either the garage and attic, as well as the windows and doorways.
If you notice any of these pests around your home, contact Absolut Pest Control today at 978-388-4589 or fill out our contact form for more information!
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!
Basic Tips for Preventing Tick Bites
Tick Control
Summer is the perfect time to do all those fun outdoor activities you have been anxiously waiting to do since the winter. Before you hit the outdoors to either to go hiking or do some gardening, you will want to make sure you are well protected from ticks. Ticks are small arachnids that require blood meals to complete their complex life cycles. Ticks can very dangerous because they transmit diseases to several hosts; diseases including Lyme disease, Heartland virus, and Q Fever. It’s important to take the right steps in protecting yourself from any kind of tick.
Ways To Prevent Ticks:
- Purchas the right bug repellent that is safe to use and will be effective for several hours while you’re outdoors.
- After you return you from the outdoors, make sure to inspect your entire body carefully for any ticks that may
be stuck on your skin. For ticks to transmit Lyme Disease, they have to be attached to the skin for at least 36 hours to transmit Lyme disease. - If you go hiking or spending time around a wooded area, make sure you wear long sleeves and long pants, socks, and boots (no open toe shoes).
- Ticks like tall grass, so try to keep your lawn short and well-maintained. Also, try to stay in sunny areas when outdoors, that will reduce tick exposure.
- Ticks can easily make connect with your pets while they are outside, make sure you inspect pets once they come back inside and remove any ticks you find with a pair of tweezers.
If you are in need of tick control or any other pest problem, contact Absolut Pest Control 978.388.4589 or fill out our contact form online.