Tag: pest control tips

Keep Roaches from Vacationing Indoors this Summer

Posted on August 29, 2023 by Katie Bourg - Cockroaches, Pest Control General, Pests Services, Roaches

Roaches thrive in warm and humid environments so they’re more active during the summer months. They can enter your home through small cracks, drains, or even hitch a ride in grocery bags or cardboard boxes. Roaches prefer to hide in dark, moist areas such as kitchens, bathrooms, and basements during the day. And they reproduce rapidly, making it crucial to tackle a roach problem quickly before they start to lay eggs and multiply.

How to Prevent Roach Infestations

Preventing a roach infestation starts with maintaining a clean and clutter-free environment. Here are a few tips to help keep them from throwing a house party while you’re out.

Roaches are attracted to food and water sources, so ensure that your kitchen is spotless and free of crumbs and spills.
Store food in airtight containers and promptly fix any plumbing leaks to eliminate sources of moisture.
Seal cracks and crevices to prevent roaches from entering your home.
Regularly empty and clean trash cans, and keep outdoor garbage bins tightly sealed.

Let The Bug Man do the Dirty Work

If you’ve spotted roaches living care-free around your home and your roach spray isn’t doing the trick, it’s time to seek professional help. The Bug Man is experienced in dealing with roach infestations and can provide targeted treatments to eradicate these pests and their eggs. We employ safe and effective methods, including baits, sprays, and dusts, to eliminate roaches at their source. Our expertise ensures a thorough inspection of your home to identify and seal off entry points, preventing future infestations.

This summer, don’t let roaches crash your summer plans. By practicing preventive measures and seeking professional assistance, you can bid farewell to these unwelcome intruders. Contact The Bug Man today for a roach-free summer!

Summer Flea Prevention Tips for Indoor and Outdoor Pets

Posted on August 16, 2023 by Katie Bourg - Fleas, Pest Control General, Pests Services

Split-image of a dog and a large flea holding a hitchhiker's bindle over its shoulder.

Fleas are pesky insects that love warm weather, making them more active during the summer. They are tiny and hard to spot, but their itchy bites can be a real nuisance. Fleas often hitch a ride into your house on your pets or even on your clothes. Once inside, they multiply rapidly, infesting your carpets, furniture, and bedding. Fleas are like the rabbits of the insect kingdom, so it’s important to act quickly to prevent a full-blown flea infestation.

Fleas in the House

Fleas are super stealthy in infiltrating your home. Once they hitch a ride into your home, you’ve got a full-blown flea circus. To get rid of these pesky acrobats, arm yourself with flea treatments for your furry pals and vacuum like there’s no tomorrow! Here are a few tips on how to get rid of fleas in the house:

Flea Prevention is Key

Start by regularly grooming your dogs and cats and inspecting them for any signs of fleas and flea bites.
Use a flea comb to catch them before they have a chance to multiply.
Wash your pet’s bedding regularly in hot water and consider using flea prevention treatments recommended by your veterinarian.
Keep your yard tidy by mowing the grass and removing any debris where fleas might hide.
Vacuum your home frequently, paying extra attention to carpets, rugs, and furniture.

Get Help from a Pest Expert

Despite your best efforts, fleas can still find their way into your home. When faced with a full-blown infestation, it’s time to call in the experts. The Bug Man has the knowledge, experience, and tools to effectively get rid of fleas in your home. We can apply safe and targeted treatments that eradicate fleas at every life stage.

Fleas can be bothersome to you and your pets. And due to the sheer amount of eggs one flea can lay along with the long and repetitive life cycle, it is nearly impossible to get rid of them by yourself. Let The Bug Man treat your home to solve your flea infestation problem today!

Did you Know?

To see if a flea is biting you, put on white tube socks! If there are fleas, they’ll show up against the bright white socks.

Facts & Frequently Asked Questions About Fleas

Posted on September 21, 2020 by brewadmin - Fleas

Even after a treatment, it is normal to see some adult fleas for up to three weeks. You can relax. It doesn’t mean you have a new infestation. It means that the flea pupae (offspring) are simply emerging from their cocoons. It’s far from a cause for alarm. A little known fact about these little pests is that flea pupae are protected from insecticides by their cocoons. They break free as adults for a period of one to three weeks. Once exposed to the insecticide residual, they will also be eliminated.

When you hire The Bug Man to eliminate a flea problem in your home, you can rest assured knowing that you’re receiving the very best, most professional pest control service. However, there are little things homeowners can do to help get rid of fleas before and after a flea treatment.

How long do I have to be out of the home/yard as well as animals?

The Bug Man provides a comprehensive sweep of all flea problems within and around the home. It’s a process that takes time, but don’t worry. You will be able to return to your home rather quickly. After a flea treatment, customers and their household animals have to be out of the home and yard for roughly four hours, which means returning to your home should be easy (and flea-free).

What do I need to do to prepare for treatment?

Before The Bug Man shows up for treatment, we recommend that you remove all decorative items, pillows, pet food, water dishes and children’s toys from under beds and furniture. Once those objects are out of the way, sweep a vacuum across all rugs, carpets and furniture — especially between and under cushions. When your vacuuming is complete, seal and dispose of the vacuum bag in an outside receptacle.

What do I do if I have pets?

This is a common question for many homeowners. Remove all pets from your home, and wash or dispose of all pet bedding separately from your other linens. Before the treatment begins, it’s best to show your pest control technician where your pets sleep, rest and eat. When it comes to your fish or reptiles, fish bowls and aquariums may remain as long as they are properly covered and if the air pump is shut off during treatment. As with any pest treatment, we recommend that you ask your pest control technician for specific directions.

What do I need to do after treatment?

While it’s normal to return to your home about four hours after a flea treatment, it’s still best to follow the specific instructions of your pest control technician to find out when it’s clear and safe for you and your family to return home. We also suggest that you resume your normal vacuuming 24 hours after your home has been treated in order to give the insecticide time to work. Make sure to continue vacuuming daily for two to three weeks. The reason? Well, the mechanical pressure from the vacuum stimulates unhatched fleas to emerge from their protective pupae cases and be exposed to the insecticide.

A Final Pro-Tip

To see if you have a flea problem, walk around in white tube socks. They will cover you and are easily visible. Take it from pros like us, then talk to us about getting fleas far from your home.

If you are concerned about fleas and pest problems in or around your home, consider calling a pest management professional. The Bug Man provides many pest control services for fleas, rodents, roaches, mosquitoes, termites, bed bugs, and much more! For a customized solution for your household, contact The Bug Man or give us a call or text at (225) 923-2847.

The Things Roaches Love Most About Your Home

Posted on August 26, 2020 by brewadmin - Cockroaches

Roaches. They’re nasty. They’re incredibly difficult to catch; harder to kill. And, oh yeah, they fly. It might be hard to hear the truth, but it’s simple: even clean homes attract cockroaches. That’s right. The most sparkling clean, thrice housekept, bleach-bombed estate on the block is a target for roaches. A big target, as a matter of fact, and they find a way in — no matter what. After all, we’re talking about insects that can survive a nuclear bomb. Here’s what they love so much about your home:

Roaches Go for Your Kitchen Garbage

Roaches find a way into the food garbage — even in spite of the most secure trash can lid. When cockroaches are present in your home, rest assured, they aren’t just hanging out. They’re in search of a food source. Your leftover sugary sweets and fatty grease are some of their favorite entrees. That’s why there’s arguably no better place for them to look than the very container in which all the food scraps are collected. Staying up to date on your neighborhood garbage collection schedule and routinely taking out the trash every evening or every other evening is a great way to prevent roaches from coming into your house. Of course, getting a roach-focused pest control plan from The Bug Man is a great way to eliminate the problem, too.

They Love Limbs That Hang Close to Your House

Cockroaches don’t grow on trees, but a roach problem in your house can certainly start in them. You might love your landscaping, but if tree branches (particularly from oak trees) hang close to or touch your roof or awning, roaches use these limbs like bridges from their favorite outdoor habitat to their favorite indoor hunting grounds. The latter just so happens to be your home. Trimming branches and limbs away from your house is a great way to cut off their access to your house and fend off any roach intrusions or infestations.

Where There’s Water, There are Roaches

We already established that cockroaches are nasty things, as are most creatures that like to hold up in dark, humid places. But it seems the only places they like more than the kitchen garbage can, are places that gather moisture. Around the refrigerator, behind the toilets, under the sinks, in the back of drawers — pretty much all the nooks and crannies we would rather ignore and shy away from are the kind of places that roaches like best. Louisiana has plenty of water and humidity to go around, which explains why shoeing away cockroaches is something of a way of life around here. Coincidentally, it’s a good thing professionals from The Bug Man are around to make a living out of eliminating these persistent pests.

Uncovered Food is a Roach Free-for-All

Cooking and prepping food is hard enough as it is. The cleanup is just the annoying part. Although, the knowledge that the cleanup will keep away roaches is reassuring to say the least. Putting away uncovered food (pet food included) is a good way to steer clear of a roach problem. Put in some elbow grease to remove any cooking grease from counters and floors and make sure to scrub away any sweets and sugary foods left on countertops. Take it from us, the sight of a clean kitchen is significantly better than the sight of cockroaches making a buffet line out of your breakfast nook or butcher block countertops.

Cockroaches are a nasty nuisance. They might just love our homes more than we do. The tips above as well as sealing up doors, windows and cracks in buildings are some of a few things we know about putting roaches on the run. However, there’s no substitute for professional pest control and prevention. At The Bug Man, we know a thing or two about the way cockroaches make their way into your house, which is why we’re more than equipped to target the way to keep them out.

If you are concerned about cockroaches and pest problems in or around your home, consider calling a pest management professional. The Bug Man provides many pest control services for roaches, mosquitoes, termites, bed bugs, and much more! For a customized solution for your household, contact The Bug Man or give us a call or text at (225) 923-2847.

How To Best Prepare for Summer Pests

Posted on July 23, 2020 by brewadmin - Pest Control General

Summer is in full swing in Louisiana and the temperatures are starting to heat up. This time of the year brings vacations, pool parties, backyard barbeques and, unfortunately, lots of bugs. From termites and mosquitoes to ants and cockroaches, it seems like these insects enjoy the summer just as much as we do!

See, bugs thrive in warm weather because they are unable to generate their own body heat. They rely on the warmth of the sun’s rays to survive. If you’ve recently seen swarms of mosquitoes or ant piles the size of castles forming in your yard, we’ve got you covered. Here are some tips on how to best prepare for these pesky summer pests:

Clean Outside Your Home

Bugs love making their homes in cluttered areas. Start cleaning your yard by getting rid of piles of leaves and brush. Try to maintain your yard regularly to avoid overgrowth along fences and in flower beds near windows and doors. Additionally, be on the lookout for places where water can pool for long periods. This can include bird feeders, flower pots, buckets, and much more. This is where mosquitoes thrive and like to breed.

Clean Up The Kitchen

The main reason why bugs are in your house in the first place is because they’re on the hunt for a food source. Even the smallest pile of crumbs on the counter or floor is a treat for ants and other insects. Cleaning your kitchen is a must if you want to prevent these pests from invading your home. Make sure you are wiping your counters and sweeping the floor daily. Many people at this time clean out cupboards and get rid of things in their pantry. You’d be surprised to see what kind of bugs are hiding out in there; munching on your Cheerios crumbs and open bags of chips. Cleaning your pantry is also a good excuse to get rid of that spoiled chicken noodle soup from 2010.

Protect Your Trash

Both indoors and outdoors, your trash should have a tight lid. Roaches and ants reach heaven whenever they get the chance to dig through your garbage for food. Get to know your city’s garbage collection schedule, and take your trash out regularly. If you don’t, it’ll linger as a ready food source for pests.

Rather than wait for an unwanted infestation to occur, take it upon yourself to protect your family and your home. Although these are prevention tips to get pests away from your home, these won’t get rid of pests completely. If you are concerned about a pest problem in or around your home, consider calling a pest management professional. The Bug Man provides many pest control services for mosquitoes, termites, bed bugs, and much more! For a customized solution for your household, contact The Bug Man or give us a call at (225) 923-2847.

Adventures in Pest Control

Posted on February 3, 2018 by brewadmin - Pest Control General

AVOIDING PESTS INDOORS AND OUTDOORS

It’s true! Louisiana’s climate allows her the leisure of pretty moderate temperatures during the winter months, even cold snaps can find their way to us from time to time. That’s when insects and rodents will run for the shelter and warmth of your Baton Rouge home.

These household pests include carpenter ants, ghost ants, cockroaches, silverfish, ticks, roof rats and house mice—eeekkk!! Not only are pests annoying and inconvenient for you and your loved ones, they can also cause major damage to your home. The Bug Man suggests that you to contact a licensed pest professional at the first indication of insect or rodent issues in your home this winter. That being said, here are some facts you should know about these pests:

Pests wintering in your home can spread pathogens and disease.
Rodents carry life-threatening diseases caused by bites from vector insects, such as fleas and ticks.
Roaches that feed on rodent droppings can cause the dangerous respiratory condition, Hantavirus, as well as allergic reactions that can trigger asthma attacks, particularly in children.
Rodents, if startled or threatened, will bite people and pets.
Because rats and mice reproduce at a rapid rate, rodent problems should be handled immediately by professionals, trained and certified in rodent removal, and elimination.
Some pests can put your home’s structural integrity at risk and even cause electrical fires.
Carpenter ants burrowing through wood can cause as much damage as termites—ughhh yes!!
Rodents who can chew through wood, asbestos, brick, concrete, aluminum and ½-inch thick metal, also gnaw through electrical wiring and are suspected of starting house fires.

Indoors, start by:

Keeping food prep surfaces and dining areas clean and sanitary
Sweeping, mopping and vacuuming floors regularly
Sealing all open dry goods in air-tight metal, glass or hard plastic containers
Cleaning dishes immediately after dining
Storing leftovers and desserts in your fridge
Using air-tight trash receptacles
Repairing leaks in pipes and any moisture-prone areas

Now…for the Outside:Remove all construction materials and unused plant containers

Keep your lawn cut short and remove areas of tall grass nearby
Stack firewood 20 feet away from your home, if possible
Reposition rocks and mulch away from your foundation
Trim branches away from your home and remove vines growing up your exterior walls

Focus on water-prone areas around your house

Consider areas where water is commonly found and take appropriate measures:

Store toys, planters, baby pools and other items that collect water in dry places
Repair any damp/rotting wood that makes it easier for pests to gain access to your home
Clean your gutters
Make sure your downspouts are functioning properly to direct water away from your home
Remove piles of gathered leaves from the base of your home and off your property
Seal up cracks, crevices and holes at the base of your home.This not only deters pests, and improves your home’s energy efficiency
Check windows and doors for cracks and other places pests can enter your home
Make sure door seals are in good shape or replace worn weather stripping
Check crawlspaces for tight-fitting seals around openings
Seal or caulk cracks and crevices in crawlspaces
Stuff small holes with steel wool to deter rodents
Check attic vents for tight seals
Consider your roof and the upper area of your home. Roof rats (umm yes) and flying insects can enter your home through tiny spaces

Other steps to take to exclude pests include:

Keeping all trash receptacles clean and away from your home
Sanitizing the area around your trash receptacles
Moving compost piles away from your home
Trading out standard white exterior lightbulbs with yellow or sodium vapor lights
Installing storm windows. For year-round screen usage, your screens need to be intact, with no holes or tears and fit snugly

I HOPE YOU FIND THESE TIPS HELPFUL!

The Bug Man hopes you have a fun, pest-free Louisiana winter—what’s left of it. Cleaning up and repairing the exterior of your home this winter, plus keeping the interior of your home clean and sanitized will go a very long way in creating a healthy place where pests can’t survive and reproduce. Come spring, you’ll be ready for the increased pest activity that comes with the season. For comprehensive pest protection, contact The Bug Man to design a seasonal integrated pest management plan that uses human and pet-friendly methods and treatments to create a pest barrier around the perimeter of your property.

Don’t bug out this winter, call The Bug Man and keep your peace of mind intact. You’ve got our Bug Man Guarantee!

Thanks for checking out my first blog post.

See you soon.

The Bug Lady,
Layne Salvant