Hiring pets control services to come in and deal with the critters on your property is one of the best ways to rid you of those irritating pests. There are some things to know and to expect when they come for a visit. I looked it up and this is what I found.
This article covers what to expect during the visit such as what they will look for and how, where, what and why. To what to expect after the visit such as time for each pest to die ranging from immediately to 6 weeks. As well as what pest control professionals want you to know.
What to expect during the visit
A highly trained and neatly dressed pest management professional will arrive at your door. Expect something about their clothing or vehicle to be branded in the company information.
They will look for pests either inside and or outside your structure targeting pest entry points. These will include attics, kitchens, bathrooms and garages. The professional might also check for conditions which will attract pests within these areas.
Pest control services do inspections in your house by looking for environmental conditions that will attract pests into your house. These things can be leaking pipes, dipping taps, food left out, outdoor lighting, roof defects, firewood stored close to entrances, roof openings, cracks, gaps in mortar or openings at sliding windows/doors to name a few.
They will use flashlights to locate and clearly see pests in the house as well as where pests are harbouring in your house. They might even use a magnifying glass for smaller pests.
When the inspection is complete and the professional has reviewed the infestation you will be given a treatment plan which will accommodate the needs of the structure and the kind of infestation in your house
What to expect after pest control visit
The pest control company usually gives a six-week flush out period. This means that the initial treatment visit is to flush out some pests. The rest of the pests will continue to be flushed out the during the 6 weeks. During this time you might see insects around your house struggling to walk, you will see a continuous flow of dying pests. So don’t be alarmed when the creepers are still running around after the first day, wait 6 weeks until you have me a decision on if you want another treatment.
Expectations of different pests after pest control
Cockroaches
There’s a 6 week flushing out period for cockroaches
German cockroaches
You will notice a reduction of cockroaches of about 70 – 80%% in the first week and more as time goes on. After 6 weeks they should all be gone.
If your infestation is severe you might need two treatments to get rid of the infestation
Recently hatched baby cockroaches may reappear, if this is the case wait a further week
Spiders
The number of spiders around windows will decrease slowly until completely flushed out, red-back spiders will reduce by 90 to 100 percent
If you have a redback infestation you might need 3 treatments, ask your pest control professional about this. This is so a new population does not emerge
Ant
Ants will completely disappear in 6 weeks
Ants might be visible for up to 3 weeks after treatment but they will carry the insecticide with them back to the colony. Soon the ants will start to become scarce, scattered and die.
Rats and mice
These little rodents will disappear in 4 weeks
The sound of rodent activity might increase as they will become attractive to birds, this will subside after two weeks. Do not seal any entry points until the infestation is under control
Fleas
After 3/4 weeks the population should be gone.
With fleas a 2nd treatment might be necessary if fleas are still not under control. Be sure to have an eye out and vacuum daily to prevent new eggs hatching. The maximum amount of time you need to wait for fleas to die is 4 weeks
Bed bugs
Bed bugs will disappear in 6 weeks
Bed bugs will decrease by 50% after the first week, its normal for the biting to decrease as time goes by. If by 6 weeks the bed bugs have not disappeared and you are still getting bitten and second treatment is needed. click here for more information on bed bugs
Things pest control professionals want you to know
General:
- Pests are really attracted to dirty dishes, accessible human food and pieces of wood as this is a great source of food for them. In addition your house may be a huge attractant for pests because of the warm and wet environment that pests can create nests in. All this creates an environment where they can take refuge. To prevent this from happening, don’t make it easy for them to access food, moisture or shelter. Also make sure to unclog drains, and make sure water runs away from the house. Read this article to find out what pests are attracted to your house.
- It might not be that beneficial to try to get rid of the pest control problem yourself as this might leave room for misapplication unless you are well informed. If you use the wrong product, too little or too much product then this will be an problem, for example if too much product is applied bait might be contaminated thus rendering the product as not as effective
- Just because they’re out of sight doesn’t mean that they aren’t in your home. If you don’t have any visible at the moment it might be better to get preventative measures. This can be done by ensuring that you have a screen over windows and doors to prevent insects from entering, sealing up holes with caulk, if you have cracks in your home openings can be sealed with steel wool or wire mesh and then closed up with caulk. Exterminators can also do this.
- Most pests are noticeably bad but some are helpful like lady beetles which can be beneficial to your garden as they feed on other pests like plant destroying aphids. Spiders also eat other insects and only black widow and brown recluse varieties are particularly harmful. Seeing spiders might not particularly mean that you have an infestation
On their hand:
- Pest extermination needs a combination of professionals and you trying to get rid of the problem. For example you closing the garage door or fixing the screen window. You should both do your part because the professionals can only so much, they need you to follow the instructions if they give you any.
- There’s nothing pest professionals can do about some pests only you can. These will include lice and ticks. These are attracted to blood, they travel on your luggage, clothing or skin so be vigilant when bringing these into home
- The treatments that the pest control services use are not harmful to humans so don’t worry about the treatment. There is a professional body that decides on safe to use pest management process this allows us to use less product for more results
- You should hire a professional exterminator who knows what they are doing. If not then follow-up appointments by other professionals might be necessary if the first job was not done properly. You should do research beforehand and check that the extermination company has state and local certificates
Others
- You should let your neighbours know if you have a bug or rodent problem especially if you live in an apartment. If you find a pest infestation in your home a check needs to be done to units across, above, beside and below your apartment. In single-family households, it depends on the proximity of houses to each other, if your neighbour has an issue with pests we recommend having your house checked as well.
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