Argentine Ants

Everyone has seen various types of ants in their lifetime.  However the most commonly seen ant in NY is the Argentine worker ant.  This type of ant is 3mm long, dark colored and does not have any enemies.  They usually invade homes during extreme weather conditions or when the weather changes in search of food, water and shelter.  They are a part of the insect order Hymenoptera and are closely related to wasps and bees.  Only the Queen ants can lay eggs.  Ants are drawn to protein from other dead insects and sweets.  They are capable of venturing up to one hundred feet from their nest.

Here are a few things you can do to prevent or eliminate ants:

1. Cut back trees, shrubs, wood and clear out debris and mulch that come into physical contact with the siding of your home.
2. Clean up all food and drink spills with soap and water.
3. Store all food away in tight lid containers
4. Keep a tight lid on the garbage can.
5. Identify what type of ant you have.
6. Install bait stations outside of your home.  Get the right bait type for the right ant type that is invading your home. The worker ants will take the bait back to their colony to feed the other ants.  The bait has insecticides in it so the other ants including the queen will die.  When the queen dies, the colony is eliminated.  You must refill the bait stations until the problem is solved.

DIY Mice Removal and Disposal

In order to remove mice infestation from your home you must take measures that involve poisoning, trapping, construction prevention and sanitizing.  If you see gnawing marks, fresh droppings or track marks you definitely have a mouse infestation in your apartment or home.  They have an extreme keen sense of taste, touch, smell and hearing.  Their tails are three to four inches long.  The mice themselves can be 5-7 ½ inches, without the tail.  Although they can be big, they can still fit into tiny holes that are as tiny as a pen in diameter.  They can nest behind the cracks and crevices in your walls.

You need to seal every hole in your house with caulking mixed with steel wool.  Patching compounds must be smoothed out so that mice cannot get through by chewing.  You can set up mouse traps to reduce the population of mice in your home.  As far as chemical treatment or professional extermination, contact your local exterminating company in Briarwood Exterminator for a price quote and appointment for effective mice removal.  If you want to dispose of dead mice, make sure you use plastic gloves.  Put the rodent in a plastic bag and double it in a second bag sealed tight shut.  Throw it in a trash can with a tight lid and dispose of it.  Sanitize all used traps and contaminated areas with a gallon of water and 3 tablespoons of bleach per gallon, or you can use a commercial disinfectant.  Call your local exterminating company or look online on where to find commercial disinfectant.

 

How to Remove Bed Bugs From A Car

The last place you would expect bed bugs to be is in your car.  On the contrary, it is very common to find them nesting in the seats and crawl space of your car because they travel on people’s clothing and luggage.  It is more common during the summer time for bed bugs to infest your car because that is the time that people travel the most.  However, do not be surprised to have this problem in the winter because bed bugs last all year around.

It is possible that you could have gotten the bed bugs from a hotel or items you might have purchased at a flea market.  Either way, they are easy to obtain and difficult to get rid of.  In situations like bed bug extermination, you must call a licensed and insured professional.  Buying your own chemicals and spraying it yourself can not only be dangerous but ruin your car and cost you thousands of dollars if not done properly. In serious bed bug cases a fumigation called Sulfuryl Fluoride is used. It  is a tasteless, colorless and odorless gas that leaves behind no residue.  The gas will go into crawl space and reach areas that topical chemicals and sprays cannot which will effectively kill the bedbugs 100%. This type of gas is ideal for bed bug removal because it is does not damage sensitive items like electronics.

Before calling a professional make sure that you vacuum your car frequently with a strong suction vacuum.  Remove all clutter and do not store any items into your vehicle.  Be sure to clean your car often.  For further professional assistance or bed bugs removal tips call Briarwood NY Exterminator.