Commons Types of Ticks in America
Whether it’s a picnic at the park, a hike in the woods, or a walk along a gentle stream, dangerous ticks lurk in the grass and weeds looking for a host to feed from. There are several different types of ticks found in the US, each with its own specific features and parasitic diseases. Below are descriptions of the most common ticks in America.
Deer Tick
Deer Tick with Tweezers and Dog Collar
The deer tick, sometimes referred to as the black-legged tick is small, about an 1/8th of an inch long, with a shiny black shell. Thedeer tick is active from the early spring through late fall and is commonly found in shady, wooded areas. This tick feeds on humans and animals, preferring large hosts like deer and humans. Deer ticks can carry Lyme disease and ehrlichiosis, which is an infection of white blood cells.
American Dog Tick
American Dog Tick
The American dog tick, also called wood ticks, can be found in many states and will feed on humans and pets, like dogs and cats. Male dog ticks are much smaller than females and grow to about 3/16th of an inch, where as females can grow to a half inch when feeding. Male dog ticks have silver stripes that run along their brown shells, and females have a large silver spot on their backs. These ticks feed the most in late spring and early summer and can carry Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tularemia, which is a bacterial disease.
Lone Star Tick
Lone Star Tick
The name “lone star” does not refer to Texas, but the single white dot on theback of the female Lone Star Tick’s brown shell. This tick feeds on humans and pets, and is generally 1/8th of an inch long or smaller. The ticks are most active in the spring and summer months and can carry Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia, and ehrlichiosis.
Brown Dog Tick
Brown Dog Tick
While not posing much of a threat to humans, brown dog ticks can survive indoors and will quickly infest a house. These small, brown ticks attach themselves to pets and each female can lay thousands of eggs in indoor climates. They do not carry human diseases, but they can harm pets and take over households.
Luckily, tick populations can be controlled through the use of safe chemical deterrents. Department stores sell do-it-yourself sprays and other products, but they do not provide the strength and complete coverage professional tick control specialists offer. Proactive tick control from an expert service prevents the spread of disease while allowing everyone to enjoy the outdoors safely.
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Bed bugs are tiny, wingless insects that look a little like ticks. They feed on blood, and they like to hide in small cracks and crevices. Usually a bed bug infestation will start in your home after traveling, and these little suckers are hard to find and even harder to get rid of. Bed bug extermination can be a frustrating and lengthy process.
Professional Exterminator Inspecting for Bed Bugs
Realizing that you have a bed bug infestation may be difficult. Since they are so small and so skilled at hiding, sometimes, the only indication of an infestation is the bites. While some people may not even be affected at all by the bites, most people get a small, red welts that itch. Allergic reactions to bed bug bites are not at all uncommon.
Another way to find out if you are being invaded by bed bugs is to inspect your mattress and sheets thoroughly. Many times they will leave tiny brownish, rust colored stains. These stains are from bed bugs that have been squished and from their feces.
When infesting a home, bed bugs are extremely difficult to get rid of. Since females lay up to three hundred eggs that hatch in a little over a week, getting every trace is imperative to avoid a re-infestation. Though there are ways to get rid of them yourself, hiring a professional exterminator may be the way to go.
Mattress being Steam treated for Bed Bugs
To get rid of bed bugs, cleaning the blankets, mattresses, and sheets is not enough. Carpets must be vacuumed and cleaned, but that does not necessarily mean that the bed bugs will be gone. Things that cannot be laundered should be sealed in plastic and set out in the sun. Temperatures above 120 degrees F should kill bed bugs and their eggs. Alarm clocks, books, lamps, and anything else that may be infested with bed bugs should be treated in this manner. After all of this, there are still bed bugs hiding in places like light fixtures, door jams, and wallpaper.
A professional Bed Bug Exterminator is the best way to get rid of bed bugs. Many bed bug exterminators will offer a free inspection of your home, and outline their recommended treatment plan, as well as a written quote. Pesticides can be used for some areas of your home, but other areas, such as bedding and upholstery, will most likely be treated with steam or heat.
A reputable Bed Bug Exterminator will explain the entire procedure to a potential client. The treatment of the infestation may take several different visits, and it can be costly. Bed bug extermination is best left to the professionals.
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Bed Bug on Human Skin
Bed Bug infestations are not caused by a dirty or unkempt home. Although they do prefer a more cluttered environment, Bed Bugs will live in any type of environment where a blood meal (from a person or pet) may be present. These infestations are caused when one Bed Bug gets into the luggage, clothing or bedding of its host. Homeowners are at risk when they travel or share quarters, clean or not, with others. Places at risk include hotels, dormitories, barracks and even hospitals. The Bedbugs are carried from these locations in the luggage or clothing of the traveler who then goes home, unknowingly, with the pest in tow.
One of the worst pest problems anyone can face is a Bed Bug infestation. Known for their ability to withstand common cleaning and pest control measures, Bed Bugs are also known for their prolific ability to breed. A female Bedbug can easily lay more than 200 eggs within her 10 month lifespan. Difficult to locate due to their colorless nature, newly hatched Bed Bugs will shed their skin five times requiring a fresh blood meal after each molting session.
Common hiding areas of a Bedbug infestation can include nooks and crannies of bedding items such as mattress seams, bed frames, box springs and even head and foot boards. Although these are considered the more common areas where they may be found, Bedbugs can also hide in other less obvious areas such as along carpet edging by baseboards, furniture seams, behind peeling paint or wallpaper as well as inside wall plates covering electrical outlets and switches.
Bed Bugs hiding in a Mattress
Since Bedbugs are among the most insecticide resistant pests in the world, commonly used treatments such as pest sprays, shampoos and detergents often fail to rid them all completely. Usual cleaning treatments such as vacuuming and consistent washing rarely kill the existing bed bugs or their emerging eggs which is why professional pest control is the suggested option for safe and complete Bed Bug removal.
However, not all Bedbug infestations are caused by their human hosts. Some Bed Bugs prefer to feed on bats, birds or other home invading pests. In these cases, Bedbugs can often be found in hard to treat areas like attics or crawlspaces where these other host animals have carried them into the home. Only professional pest control agencies have special skills and knowledge in ridding difficult Bedbugs from homes and anywhere they may pose an infestation threat.
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Realizing that you might have termites in your home can lead to tremendous heartaches and a lot of worrying. If you begin to recognize signs of termites you should immediately request a termite inspection for you home, otherwise the problem may get worse and cause irreparable damage. Termites do tend to leave a noticeable path of their destruction within your home and signs of termites can be spotted. Here is a list of a few of the most common signs of termites:
- Damaged wood that appears to be blistered and makes a hollow sound when tapped.
- Holes about the size of a pin head found in the walls, studs, and woodwork of the home.
- Live termites flying around your home
- Termite wings found near the windowsills, light fixtures, attic, and other places.
- Small pellets that are called frass may also be found near these same regions.
If you recognize any or all of these signs anywhere in your home, they may be signs of termites and you should request a termite inspection by a professional pest control company. Each year there are nearly one hundred thousand termite inspections performed across the United States. Some of these inspections result in the findings of termites while a few find other problems that are not related to termites. No matter the outcome of a termite inspection it is always a wise idea to have a professional check out any signs of termites.
Many homeowners believe that termites can be cured by do-it-yourself treatment methods and other household products. The difficulty with this reasoning is that if you discover signs of termites in your home it is highly likely that there is a widespread infestation in your home. By the time you are able to realize that a termite problem exists, it is probable that extensive damage has already been performed. Without the assistance of a professional pest control service and other safety steps, your home may begin to fall prey to even worse signs of termites.
Because termites are able to quickly reproduce and multiply at an exponential rate, it is important to receive the help that is needed as soon as possible to avoid more serious termite problems. A professional termite inspection will be able to begin the process of killing off existing termites and their eggs and allows your home to be protected from further signs of termites and their destruction.
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Common House Rat
It has happened to all of us, that sudden, corner-of-the-eye flicker at the baseboard, and that sinking of the heart as we realize the truth…we have mice! Worse, by the time you have seen the first little rodent scurry across your kitchen, you have probably had a rodent infestation for some time, and you probably see far fewer of the mice or rats than are actually in your walls or attic. What can you do to get rid of them and keep mice and rats out of your home for good?
Rats and mice carry infectious diseases and parasites, like fleas, than can make you sick. They tend to hide and congregate in void areas, such as between wall-boards, under foundations, and other places that offer them protection. They are instinctively aware of traps and baits. Many homeowners have found that their well-placed mouse traps are empty, but not sprung the next morning. Some mice may be too small to trip standard mousetraps while rats may be too large. To bring a rodent infestation under control, you need the help of an experienced rodent control service with the tools & knowledge necessary to clear your house of these unwanted pests.
Mice can enter a home through small spaces
A professional rodent exterminator has access to the right methods to help you get and keep your mouse or rat population under control. Mice control begins with eliminating nests, usually through traps & poison, then stopping their access to your home to prevent further outbreaks. A professional exterminator knows where to look for these access points and how to stop the mice from entering. Rat control is much along the same lines, although rats often inhabit different areas than mice.
After the population is under control and access to your house blocked, the final step your pest control professional will take is to use repellent to keep the mice away. There are several options when using repellent, and a trained pest control professional can tell you which ones are suitable for your home. Some are not good to use around pets, for example, and the pest control technician will probably choose a different mixture if you have dogs or cats.
If the mice and rats are driving you crazy, you do not have to keep baiting useless traps or disposing of inhumane glue trays. Find a local rodent control professional and get a free estimate on ridding your home of these pests and keeping it free from infestations in the future.
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Ants entering a home through a crack in a brick wall
The most common cause for ant infestations in the home is the ant’s quest for food. The ants that you see crawling on your patio, kitchen, or bathroom floors are known as worker ants. These worker ants’ main job is to search for food and bring it back to the nest. In most cases, ants look for and feed on sweet and starchy foods, greasy substances, or wood and plant materials. Ant infestations can fall into one of two categories: Exterior infestations or Interior Infestations. Each type of infestation have different causes, treatment options, and impact on your daily life.
In an exterior infestation, ants that nest outside the home are located in the ground, such as an anthill. The ants will then create a trail to your home where they collect their food and bring it back to the colony outside. Besides anthills, ants could nest in other exterior structures, such as doorway cracks, step crevices, exterior siding, near piles of firewood, or on decks and roofs that contain rotted or wet wood.
An interior infestation involves the entire colony of ants establishing a nest inside your home instead of scavenging for food and returning outside. Ants, particularly carpenter ants, may build a permanent nest behind walls, near door frames, under windowsills, inside cabinets and behind appliances. Interior infestations are a more serious problem than exterior because of the structural damage the ants cause by burrowing in the wood to build their nest. As long as there is a sustained food source and the queen is thriving, the ants will continue to multiply throughout the house.
The best tactic for eliminating interior as well as exterior infestations is locating the nest and destroying it. This process is best handled by a professional ant control service. Although there are many do it yourself options available, like sprays and traps, these are more often than not temporary solutions. If you want to make sure you get rid of the ants you have and prevent them from returning, Pest control professionals are your best option. The ant control specialist will first inspect the entire property, inside and out, to determine the source of infestation. Next, they develop a plan to not only destroy the colony but also prevent the colony from coming back. They do this by spraying the nest and the outer perimeter with liquid insecticide. For hard-to-reach interior infestations, pest control professionals use ant bait. Ant bait contains an insecticide, so when the workers ants carry the bait back to the nest, it should kill the entire colony instantly.
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Bed bug next to grains of rice.
Just the words ‘bed bug’ are enough to make a person cringe, start to itch, and maybe even go looking to be sure no bed bugs are present in your home. We’ve all heard how bed bugs are nasty little critters found in hotel rooms that ride home with you and are impossible to get rid of. But, really, what exactly is a bed bug?
Bed bugs are tiny wing-less parasites that feed only on the blood of humans and other warm blooded animals. The term ‘bed bug’ comes from the fact that they are most often found in or around sleeping areas such as beds and couches. That being said, bed bugs are not limited to sleeping areas, for they are often found in carpets, in a room’s crevices and small cracks like under molding or in between floor boards or even under wallpaper.
Once a bed bug infestation is suspected, finding them is a big challenge. The presence of bed bugs is often first noticed by the evidence of small, red and itchy bites on a person’s body (as pictured below) as well as reddish brown marks on the sheets where bed bugs have been squished against a body. Small and active, bed bugs are nearly impossible to remove and are best dealt with by a professional bed bug control company.
Small red welts (bed bug bites) are evidence of a bed bug problem.
Mostly nocturnal, bed bugs are very difficult if not impossible to deal with and try to get rid of. Leaving bed bugs alone to ‘die off’ on their own does not work, for they can live for a long time without eating—up to a year, even. Largely evasive of even the most vigorous vacuuming and washing, bed bugs are small enough to fit through the tiniest stitch hole in fabric. All it takes is one tiny frisky bed bug couple to start a bed bug infestation all over again.
A large majority of bed bug home remedies or quick fixes not only do not take care of the bed bug problem and merely run up expensive bills for no gain against bed bugs. The use of such remedies against bed bugs are more often dangerous and unsafe practices to use in your home. Using professional bed bug approaches will ensure the problem is taken care of efficiently and safely.
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Termites eating a home's foundation.
Many people don’t recognize the severity of termites until they have to deal with a termite infestation in their own homes. Termites can wreak havoc on one’s living space, and can compromise the integrity of your home in a very short period of time if control methods are not put into effect. Since termites can be extremely tricky to deal with, it’s not recommended you try to eliminate a termite infestation on your own. Termite damage can be dangerous to mediate and should be done only by trained professionals.
Those who are not well versed in the actions of termites may wonder, what kind of wood termites prefer to eat? The simple fact is, termites prefer to eat just about any type of wood, so long as it is dead and provides the right habitable environment for the pests to thrive. Termites like humid areas that are rich in water and cellulose, which they feed upon. As long as termites have this along with a comfortable place to hide; you are in essence providing food, water, and shelter to the pests you wish you could get rid of. Termites especially enjoy feeding on the soft wood that is often used at the base of homes, as this wood often suffers from rot and water damage over time, which makes a perfect environment for the pests.
Termite damage is not to be underestimated, and can dramatically affect the integrity of your home. As termites continue to feed on rotting wood, they can cause the structural integrity of the home to fail, which can cause irreversible damage and may even make it unsafe for you to continue living in your home. When it comes to handling a job like termite control and elimination, some people think they can do so on their own. The fact is, handling termites takes an extreme amount of know-how and experience. By hiring a professional termite control company, you can ensure that your home can be salvaged and that the termites that have set up shop will be gone before you know it.