Tag: summer pests

How The Seasons Affect Pest Behavior

Posted on November 19, 2020 by brewadmin - Pest Control General

Seasonal pest control is essential for protecting your home year-round. Pests are always looking for a warm, safe place to find shelter and food, often inside our homes. Each season brings unique pest threats, and understanding seasonal pest patterns helps you take proper precautions to keep your home pest-free. For more information on the health risks pests can pose, see guidance from the EPA.

Seasonal Pest Control

SPRING – Insects Are Awakening And Mating Begins

The flowers are blooming and the temperatures are warming. Spring is a magical time of year. However, with this mix of warmth and moisture, pests emerge from their winter nesting area. Termites may swarm and bees and wasps are roused from their dormant state and with the spring rains, ants may try to find higher ground and look to get indoors. Most pests will move outdoors in spring to find mates.

SUMMER – Outdoor Fun And Backyard Pests

Everyone wants to get outside and enjoy all that summer has to offer, but pests may put a damper on that BBQ you were planning on. While we don’t see as many indoor pests during the summer, we see a larger amount of pests outdoors. Bees, wasps, and other stinging insects are more active and their nests are often found on or near our homes. And let’s not forget what the spring and summer rains bring – mosquitos. It takes a little effort to deter these nuisances, but putting in a bit of effort can undoubtedly increase the number of good times you can have outdoors.

FALL – A Little Home Maintenance And A Shelter

There’s a chill in the air and guess who’s looking for a place to prepare for winter? You guessed it – pests. Boxelders, ladybugs and spiders are coming into your home. They love cracks and crevices. What about more significant pests like mice and rats? They too are looking for food and shelter. Fall is the season to pull up your sleeves and do a little home maintenance. Make sure those cracks, crevices, holes and gaps in your siding, foundations, floors, attics, and garages are sealed to keep them out.

WINTER – Hibernation And Survival

Winter is a time of hibernation and survival for pests. Now that it’s colder the weather triggers a need for pests to find shelter. Some seek refuge outdoors, but others will be looking to shelter indoors. Wasps and bees will look for places in logs, or the eaves of your home and ants will look to seek shelter in their nesting sites. Other pests like mice and rats are not tolerant of the winter months and often look for shelter in homes. The best time to prepare to keep these pests out and away from your home is in fall.

Seasonal Pest Control Services from The Bug Man

Being prepared for seasonal insect patterns is important. It’s not always easy to completely control or deter insects and pests on your own; that’s why you have The Bug Man. To make sure all insect infestation signs or pest inhabitation are appropriately addressed, give us a call or text us at 225-923-2847. Request an estimate today.

The Things Roaches Love Most About Your Home

Posted on August 26, 2020 by brewadmin - Roaches

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.

Everything to Know About Mosquitoes & How to Get Rid of Them

Posted on June 19, 2020 by brewadmin - Mosquitos, Uncategorized

Mosquitoes…us Louisianians know a thing or two about these blood-sucking insects. According to National Geographic, there are now over 3,000 mosquito species worldwide. As the weather starts warming up, mosquitoes start to populate around your home. The annoyance of itchy mosquito bites is one of the few downfalls of playing outside in the summer. Not only are they annoying biting nuisances, but they are a public health concern across the world. A mosquito’s ability to spread fatal illnesses make them one of the most deadly animals in the world. It’s important for residents to understand the basic facts about the mosquito, the associated health concerns, and the best methods of controlling and preventing them.

Basic Facts About Mosquitoes

As you may have guessed already, mosquitoes prefer warmer and more humid climates. This is why Louisiana is a great home for them. The majority of the different species of mosquitoes can survive in temperatures between 50 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Whenever Louisiana begins to reach these temperatures, mosquito eggs will begin to hatch.

Mosquito species have different breeding habits, but most want to lay their eggs near water, this could include dog bowls, birdbaths, tires, flowerpots, and gutters. Female mosquitoes can produce 100-200 eggs at one time, and the eggs can hatch into mosquito larvae within 48 hours. For about a week to 10 days, the larva will grow before changing into a pupa until finally emerging as an adult mosquito about two days later. After the mosquitoes are born, male mosquitoes live for about a week or two, feeding on nectar from flowers, and female mosquitos can live for over a month, feeding on humans and animals for blood to produce eggs.Believe it or not, your breath attracts mosquitoes to suck your blood. Carbon dioxide gives insects the signal that blood is nearby, and since we exhale CO2, we make it easy for these bloodsuckers to find us.

Health Concerns

Mosquitoes are in fact one the deadliest creatures on earth. They can carry dangerous diseases, and more deaths have been reported as a result of their bites than any other animal. According to The American Mosquito Control Association, mosquitoes cause more human suffering than any other organism — over one million people worldwide die from mosquito-borne diseases every year. Diseases that are spread to people by mosquitoes include West Nile Virus, Chikungunya, Zika virus, dengue, and malaria. It is important to learn about the different ways to prevent and control these pests before someone gets sick.

Controlling and Preventing

Just because mosquitoes are an inevitable part of summer activities doesn’t mean you’re left totally defenseless. Try these tips to prevent these pests from biting you:

Get rid of standing water
Wear long sleeves and pants
Avoid dusk and dawn hours
Clean gutters and downspouts
Wear repellent with DEET in it
Plant mosquito-repelling plants such as Citronella & Lemongrass

If you are still experiencing mosquitoes on your property, it’s a safe bet you should call a pest control professional. The mosquito treatment plan usually begins with a thorough property inspection and identifying the kind of mosquitoes that are causing problems. Once the inspection and identification are complete, your pest management professional will prepare a mosquito treatment plan best suited for your property, such as mosquito pots, misting systems, or yard fogging.

If you are concerned about a mosquito breeding site in or around your home, consider calling a pest management professional. The Bug Man provides three revolutionary mosquito treatments that don’t just repel mosquitoes, the unit kills them for good! Our newest mosquito program is a great, inexpensive alternative to yard fogging. We place mosquito pots around your yard that sterilize a female mosquito from laying eggs. For an effective mosquito solution, contact The Bug Man and ask about their mosquito services or give us a call at (225) 923-2847.