Tips On Getting Stink Bugs Out Of Your Home
Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs – more commonly known as just stink bugs – are native to eastern Asia but were unknowingly introduced into the United States ecosystem at some point in the mid-1990s. Stink bugs often begin to creep into homes in Massachusetts when the weather starts to get chillier in the fall and early winter. Stink bugs can be seriously annoying because they reproduce quickly and can seemingly appear in your home out of nowhere. Stink bugs also give off a foul smell when they’re killed, hence their name. For this reason, you may want to consider removing them from your home with alternate strategies. Absolut Pest Control provides southern New Hampshire and greater Boston with professional pest control services, including stink bug removal and prevention!
How To Remove Stink Bugs From Your House
While stink bugs can be an extreme annoyance because of the odor they give off, the good news is that they’re relatively easy to catch. Stink bugs fly rather quickly, but when crawling, they’re quite slow. If you notice one or many stink bugs inside your home, avoid touching or squishing them because they give off a terrible smell when they die. Instead, grab them gently with a plastic bag or trap them in a cup, then take them outside to dispose of them or set them free. If you notice them on the floor or on a carpet, you can vacuum them up, then empty your vacuum cleaner into an outdoor trash can. However, like with most pests, the best way to get rid of all your stink bugs and make sure they’re gone for good is to hire a pest control professional!
How To Prevent Stink Bugs From Getting Inside Your Home
Once you’ve gotten rid of the stink bugs that were already inside your home, it’s essential to prevent more from coming in. One way you can prevent stink bugs from entering your home is by going around the exterior of your house and sealing up any cracks in your screens, windows, and siding. Another strategy for preventing stink bugs is to coat your home’s entryways in an odor-free insect repellent. As always, if you’re worried about stink bugs or any other bugs entering your home, you should hire a pest control professional who will get the job done right!
Contact Absolut Pest Control!
If you have any questions about our pest control services or need pest control at your home, please don’t hesitate to contact us! Give us a call at (978) 388-4589 or fill out the contact form on our website, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible!
3 Pests That Are Common In The Fall
As the colder weather approaches New England, critters and pests begin looking for a warm place to stay for the winter. This article will go over some common pests that people often have problems with in the fall months.
Mice
Like many rodents, mice begin searching for food and warmth when the cold New England weather starts in the fall. Because of this, your home may seem like an attractive place for them to shack up in the fall and winter. The best way to prevent this is by being proactive and making sure to seal off any potential entry points like tiny holes in doors or screens, air vents, gaps around plumbing, and any other small holes that lead into your house. You may also consider setting some preventative mouse traps so you can catch them if they do somehow make their way into your home.
Spiders
Fall is the time of year when some species of spiders begin laying their eggs before their life comes to an end, which can increase the population and bring the creepy crawlers into your home. While New England doesn’t have many dangerous spider species, it’s still a good idea to call a pest control professional if you have a spider infestation because they can deal with the problem effectively and make sure that the infestation does not persist. If you see spiders or spider webs outside your home, it’s important to remember that spiders are a crucial part of our ecosystem because they control the population of other bugs.
Beetles
You may begin to see beetles in your home in the fall months because this is around the time that these insects look for a safe place to hibernate for the winter. Some of the most common New England beetles that people have issues with at this time of year are ladybugs and stink bugs. These beetles often congregate around warm areas, so keep an eye out for them near any heat source. When you see beetles, an effective way to get rid of them is by vacuuming them up. Be sure to close off windows and holes in screens so these beetles don’t have an easy entry point into your home.
Contact Absolut Pest Control!
If you have any more questions about autumn pests or have a pest control problem in the greater Boston or southern New Hampshire area, don’t hesitate to contact us! Give us a call at (978) 388-4589, or fill out the contact form on our website!
Controlling Squirrels In Your Home And On Your Property
While squirrels can sometimes seem like cute and innocent creatures, they can also be a nuisance to homeowners due to the damage they sometimes cause. Squirrels cause damage by gnawing on various parts of your home including walls, insulation, wiring, and more. Squirrels are often found in attics, especially when seeking shelter in the colder months of the year. If you believe your home has a squirrel problem, contact Absolut Pest Control for ethical pest control services in Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire! Our team of pest control experts would be happy to speak to you about your options for squirrel removal or any other pest control service.
How Do I Know If There’s A Squirrel In My House?
There are many signs that a squirrel might be living in your home. Squirrels can chew their way into your home through weak points like roof shingles and small holes where roofing meets siding. This is the first sign that squirrels may be nesting in your house: by spotting their entry and exit points. The next way you can tell if there’s a squirrel in your home is by listening for scampering and scratching sound in your walls or ceiling. While this sound could be coming from many different kinds of pests, it’s not unlikely that a squirrel is the culprit. One final sign that there may be a squirrel or squirrels in your home is by paying attention to unpleasant odors. These odors can come from squirrel feces and urine, as well as from squirrels that have died within your attic or walls. If you believe your home has a squirrel problem, you should contact a pest control professional like Absolut Pest Control!
How Can I Get Squirrels Out Of My House?
The best way to ensure your safety and effectiveness when dealing with a squirrel problem is by hiring pest control professionals to get the job done. Pest control specialists will remove the squirrel or squirrels humanely and efficiently, then ensure that the problem will not happen again by sealing entry points the pests had been using. At Absolut Pest Control, we use a trap and release method for squirrel problems, so you can put your mind at ease knowing that the critters will be safe and sound – just not in your residence.
Contact Absolut Pest Control!
Absolut Pest Control provides squirrel control and many other pest control services in eastern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire. If you have any questions about the services we provide, don’t hesitate to contact us by giving us a call at (978) 388-4589 or by filling out the contact form on our website!
Removing Fleas From Your Home
Everyone knows that fleas are harmful to dogs and cats, but did you know that they can spread diseases and cause tapeworms in humans as well? Fleas often enter your home on the backs of your pets, then they jump off and begin living throughout your home. According to a study conducted by Texas A&M University, female fleas lay an average of 27 eggs per day. These eggs then take just 12 days to hatch, and soon thereafter will begin laying their own eggs. For this reason, it’s extremely important to remove fleas from your home as soon as you realize an infestation is present, before they begin to reproduce and multiply.
How To Know If There Are Fleas In Your Home
Obviously, the most sure-fire way of knowing you have a flea infestation is by actually seeing them. While fleas are tiny little bugs, just millimeters in length, they are still visible to the human eye. They are usually a brownish-red or black color, have 6 legs, and are wingless. However, they move extremely quickly so they are usually hard to spot. Without actually seeing the fleas themselves, there are a few other telltale signs that your home may have a flea infestation. One of these signs to look out for is itchy, red bites on your skin. While flea bites are often mistaken for mosquito bites, fleas usually bite between your knees and feet because they like to hide in your carpet and on the floor. Another sign that your home may have a flea infestation is finding flea eggs or flea “dirt” on your carpet, on your pet, or on your pet’s bedding. Flea eggs look like tiny white flecks, and flea “dirt”, which is actually flea feces, look like tiny black flecks: almost like ground black pepper. Finally, if you notice that your dog or cat is excessively scratching or their skin appears to have bites or irritation, there is a good chance they have fleas and have brought them into your home.
How To Remove Fleas From Your Home
Fleas are a challenging pest to remove from your home on your own because they are so small, quick, and hard to see. For this reason, the best option for exterminating a flea infestation is hiring a professional pest control company like Absolut Pest Control. As far as home remedies for flea infestations, you should focus on getting them out of your carpets, where they are likely hiding. One method to do this is to sprinkle baking soda all over your carpet, which should kill them, then vacuum it up. You can also use salt for this method. You should also be sure to give your pets anti-flea medication so they stop bringing new fleas into your home!
Contact Absolut Pest Control!
If you believe your home may have a flea infestation or any other kind of pest problem in Massachusetts or southern New Hampshire, contact us! We provide professional pest control services and an outstanding customer service team who would be happy to answer any questions you might have. Give us a call at (978) 388-4589 or fill out the contact form on our website for a free estimate!
How To Get Bats Out Of Your Attic
Bats often take up residency in the attics of older houses because they look for homes in compact, dark places. Bats only need a hole or crack with about an inch diameter to squeeze in, so older homes are often the ones that give them access through chimneys, vents, siding, or other openings. Bat problems should always be dealt with by a professional pest control company because they are essential to our environment and are illegal to kill in most states, including Massachusetts. Bats are extremely important to the environment because they control the insect population, some bats eating several thousand bugs per night.
Why Get Rid Of Bats?
Bats usually do not cause any problems to the people whose house they are living in because they rarely make noise and are usually found in rooms, like attics and crawl spaces, that humans don’t use very often. In fact, most people with bats in their home have no idea that the winged creatures are in there. Bats can, however, become a problem when a large colony of them move into your attic and begin making lots of noise. Bats can also give an unpleasant odor to the home they are staying in. Bats also carry diseases sometimes, like rabies and viruses similar to SARs and COVID. When these sorts of bat problems arise, be sure to call a qualified pest control specialist like Absolut Pest Control.
Tips On Getting Rid Of Bats
As we said above, the best way to get bats out of your home in an ethical and legal manner is by calling a pest control specialist who can both remove the bats safely and show you where they have been coming in and out of. However, there are a few things you can do for do-it-yourself bat control. One way to lure bats out of your home is by installing bat-houses outside your house. Like birds, bats will be attracted to houses built for them because they like living in compact shelters off the ground so they can stay away from predators and the elements. Another way to get bats out of your house is by removing all still-standing water from the area. Not only do bats drink from this water, but they hunt insects that lay their eggs in stagnant water like mosquitoes. Make sure you get rid of or constantly change the water in bird baths, outdoor water bowls for pets, trash cans, and buckets. You should also clear debris out of gutters and drains that may be causing water build up.
Contact Absolut Pest Control
If you’re in the greater Boston or north shore area of Massachusetts and have a bat (or any other pest) problem, Absolut Pest Control has the solution! Give us a call at (978) 388-4589 or fill out the contact form on our website!
Tips On Removing Rodents From Your Home
If you suspect, or know, that rodents have taken up residence in your home, Absolut Pest Control has some tips on what you can do to evict them! While the summer is still raging on, rodents like mice, rats, and squirrels will begin coming into homes soon to ensure they will be protected in the winter.
How Do I Know If There Are Rodents In My House?
If you think your home may have a rodent problem, there are a few tell-tale signs you can look for. One clear indicator that mice are in your home is by looking for their droppings. These droppings look like dark grains of rice, and can be found in basements, attics, crawl spaces, and anywhere else the rodents may be nesting out of your site. Another way to tell if a mouse or rodent is living in your home is by looking for their nests. These usually look like a small pile or gathering of scrap materials, like cloth, wood chips, paper, straw, or grass. Nests are generally only about 4 to 6 inches in diameter. Each female mouse can have a litter of 5 to 12 babies, and will not stop breeding until they are exterminated or removed from your home. One more way to recognize rodents in your home is by paying attention to scratching noises in your walls or ceilings. While older homes often make noises on their own, like the old saying of “a house settling”, it should be pretty easy to tell when the source of the noise is a pesky rodent.
How Can I Remove Rodents From My Home?
The easiest and most effective way to be sure your home is rodent-free once again is by calling a professional exterminator, like Absolut Pest Control. Rodents are some of the most common pest control problems that we see, so our team of experts is well versed in getting rid of them once and for all. Give our Emergency Hotline a call at (978) 388-4589 to have your rodent problem dealt with anytime, day or night. The next best way to deal with rodent problems is by using store bought traps. Your best bet is to lay down traps in areas that you suspect the rodents are often in. For example, in a basement or attic that you’ve found droppings or a nest in, a hole in the wall, or a pantry.
Contact Absolut Pest Control
For help with rodent problems or any other pest control issues in Massachusetts or southern New Hampshire, contact Absolut Pest Control by giving us a call at (978) 388-4589 or by filling out the contact form on our website!
What Is The Most Effective Ways To Get Rid of Mosquitoes
It is almost summer. And when summer is around the corner we are all excited for days at the beach, road trips, and of course summer BBQs. In fact with the recent heat waves, you may have already installed your air conditioning units and fired up the grill a few times this June. But summer isn’t all fun and relaxing. Summer is when insect pests thrive. And nowhere is that felt more than with mosquitoes.
What Should Know About Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes are one of the most hated pests. Aside from annoying bites, they often carry diseases from animals to humans. This includes the West Nile Virus. A single mosquito can lay over 100 eggs, so their growth happens exponentially. The most important thing to understand is the difference between mosquito repellent and mosquito killers. Repellant only keeps mosquitoes at bay for a limited time. The mosquitoes will still be on your property and continue to create new generations. However, killing mosquitoes isn’t an easy task or good for the environment. Years of pesticides have allowed certain species of mosquitoes to become more resistant to pesticides. This means we have to use stronger methods which could be hazardous to other animals and plant life. The best thing you can do is prevent mosquitoes in the first place.
How To Prevent Mosquitoes
Throughout the spring and summer, you want to eliminate standing water around your property. This includes your gutters, bird baths, and large puddles. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water, so eliminating this can prevent mosquitoes from breeding a new generation right outside your door.
How To Handle Mosquitoes Inside Your Home
If you hear a mosquito buzzing around your room you can lure the mosquito by turning off the lights and then using a flashlight. Like many insects, mosquitoes are drawn to light. This is an easy way to quickly get insects all in one place. Then you can use a fly swatter or other tool to get rid of them. To stop mosquitoes from getting inside, make sure to inspect window and door screens, install mosquito nets, and identify any issues with windows/doors/siding that might allow mosquitos inside. There are also a variety of mosquito repellants that homeowners swear by including essential oils that use lavender or lemon.
How To Handle Mosquitoes Outside Your Home
Mosquitoes can be just as annoying outside as they are inside. One of the most effective ways to handle mosquitoes is with a bug zapper. Bug zappers use insects natural draw towards bright lights against them by zapping the insects as they get too close. There are also a variety of products that spread smells that repel mosquitoes including special candles. This another great method as it has no lasting impact on the environment around your home. Outdoor fans can also help push mosquitoes away from your patio or deck by constantly moving air around making it difficult to fly.
When To Call Pest Control
If there are large swarms of mosquitoes inside or outside of your home, it may be time to call pest control. A pest control expert can help you handle mosquitoes throughout your property. For more information please give our team a call.
How to Identify & Get Rid of Carpenter Ants
Generally, ants are harmless but they can be annoying and very destructive to your home. The carpenter ant is probably the best example of this. They become very active in warmer months, during which they search for new homes and for food. They could infest your sidewalks, driveways, and siding, and your home.
This guide will cover both how to identify and how to get rid of carpenter ants from your home.
How Do You Identify Carpenter ants?
Carpenter ants are often misunderstood as termites. Both damage your home, and both are annoying pests. But termites eat wood, while carpenter ants simply burrow. Carpenter ants won’t eat the wood, rather chew it and make their way in, leaving behind traces of debris.
Carpenter Ants are usually all-red, black or brown, or a combination. They are 6 legged (like all insects), oval in shape, and are 1/2” to 5/8” in size. They are found throughout America and are commonly found in New England and the northeast. They live in colonies which usually house 20,000 to 50,000. Compared to termites, carpenter ants leave a lot of debris because they do not eat the wood they burrow into. Compared to regular ants, they are larger and consistently make their colonies near trees, siding, and other wooden structures.
How do they get in?
These ants love moist wood that makes it easy for them to set up a colony. These ants can invade your home through any crack or opening, including cracks in your siding. You can find them in areas near AC units, sinks, bathrooms, dishwashers, etc. due to the moisture these appliances generate.
How to get rid of Carpenter ants?
The most effective way to get rid of any pest is to call a local pest control provider. However, there are some DIY methods that may prove effective including:
Carpenter Ant Bait
Ant bait is an effective way to draw out ants and get rid of them. You can buy ant bait at many different stores in the home improvement section. Or you can make your own. Most ant baits use sugar to draw ants in and then a poison to kill them. Always make sure to check if the bait is safe for your pets and children.
Clear their trails
Insects, other ants, and carpenter ants rely heavily on their scented trails to locate food and return on the same path. You can erase that trail by using tea tree oil, lemon, orange, or cedarwood. Put any of these on a sponge and clear the trail. You can also use dishwashing soap plus water and pour it on the trail. Erasing trails is a good method early on before ants infest your home. Unfortunately, if you have a colony living in your home this method will not be effective but is effective when you only have a few scouts in your home.
Destroy the nest
If you are able to locate a nest inside your home or outside, destroying it may deter ants from staying and rebuilding. Inside a home, you can drill a small hole into your siding or your walls, and then use ant-killing products to destroy the colony. Boric acid is often recommended but is not a great DIY solution as it presents a significant danger to your home. It is recommended you consult a pest control team in advance before using boric acid.
Conclusion
Now that you know how carpenter ants can destroy your living, it’s time to act. You can contact our team at Absolut Pest Control to get rid of ants and other pests.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ant Pest Control
One of the most common pests that bug homeowners nationwide are ants. There is a variety of different types of ants including carpenter ants that destroy furniture, walls, and flooring, but no matter what type of ant problem you have it is still a problem. As pest control experts in Massachusetts, we help homes and businesses throughout Greater Boston handle all sorts of problems including ants. Here are some of the common questions we often hear when it comes to ant problems.
How Do I Prevent Ants?
The best way to deal with pests is to not have pests in the first place. There are two things you need to consider when preventing pests from moving into your home: access & resources. When ants (or really any pest) are picking a place to live they need a place that provides food for their entire colony and that is easy to get into. The key to pest-proofing a home is to start by making it harder for pests to enter. Check door and window screens, look around entrances for gaps between the frames and the doors, check on the siding and roofing for holes, and do a quick perimeter search for damage. Your second priority is to decrease access to food. Keep food in airtight containers to prevent ants or mice from getting inside. Take out the trash consistently (including small bins in bedrooms and other rooms). Vacuum the floors weekly, and make sure to empty out the vacuum into the trash regularly.
What’s The Best DIY Solution for Ants?
Even though we are a pest control company we understand that not every issue requires professional help. Often ant colonies send out a few scouts to look for new homes. If you take the right precautions early you can avoid needing full-service pest control for your problem. Baits are an effective way to quickly handle ant problems. You can buy them at stores, or make your own by mixing Borax with sugar at a 1 to 1 ratio.
What Type Of Ants Are In My Home (Carpenter or Regular Ants)?
With most pests, identification isn’t as high of a priority as just simply getting rid of them. However, when it comes to ants you really want to know what you are dealing with. Carpenter ants pose a much larger threat to your property than regular ants. We wrote an entire article on how to tell the difference. But in short, if you notice wood shavings around your floors you likely have termites or carpenter ants that are destroying your home.
Call Absolut Pest Control For Insect Removal in Boston
Absolut Pest Control travels throughout the Greater Boston area to provide ant removal services. If you need ants removed from your property give us a call or send us a message via our website.
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.
