The Zika Scare in Knoxville TN

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The Zika Scare in Knoxville TN #whatbugsme I am sick and tired of the sensationalist media scaring my customers when it comes to Zika, West Nile, and Chagas disease.  You wanna know the worst part?  Even pest control companies are using scare tactics as well.  They should know better and be ashamed of themselves.  Sure,…

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Treating in the rain?

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Treating in the rain? #whatbugsme Years ago we were like the mail man. Come rain snow sleet, or shine, we treated outside for the control of creepy crawlies. Take your hand away from your open agasp mouth and ask me why it’s a problem.  It’s not. And it never was.           These days if 1…

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Common Pest Control Questions

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  Common Pest Control Questions I get this question all the time. “Is it safe for kids and pets?”  Honestly, I answer a lot of questions. No stupid questions you ask?  No there are never any stupid questions on a subject you are not familiar with.  Learning is a beautiful thing. In fact I love to…

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Diamotaceous Earth & Delusional Parasitosis #whatbugsme

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        The expansive internet buzz on Diamotaceous Earth lately has proven to be a negative thing.  Everyone wants something effective, safe, and something they can do themselves.  DE is supposed to fit that bill.  It doesn’t.  Don’t believe me because Aunt Bertha told you it was great stuff?  Read this and this. But…

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Why Bug Bombs Don’t Work #whatbugsme

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          If I had a dollar for every time I met a new customer who told me they tried bug bombs before calling me I would be able to retire.  In every single case they used way too many creating a potentially dangerous situation, not to mention it didn’t work.   If it did, they wouldn’t…

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Mulch, Pretty but Worthless

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Mulch #whatbugsme Here in East Tennessee and in many other places in the US we love our mulch.  Homeowners spend billions to make their landscaping look pristine and manicured. But why mulch? Why anything for that matter?  It may look great for a while but it must be constantly redone or touched up. Does it…

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Bugs in my new House! #whatbugsme

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         Bugs in my new House! #whatbugsme You just moved into your new home.  It is clean, fresh, and empty.  This is the start of something beautiful.  Until you start seeing bugs.  Wait a minute, this house is brand new, it shouldn’t have bugs.  We haven’t even had time to dirty it or break anything. …

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I can’t kill it twice #whatbugsme

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I can’t kill it twice #whatbugsme           During my years  in Knoxville pest control I have had many problems posed to me. Most of these I relish the opportunity to fix for my customers. Some problems have no fix just because that’s the way nature is set up and some solutions rest solely on the…

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Holes #whatbugsme

           Winter is finally here held back by fall until the end of the year. As it gets below freezing at night we will begin to see uninvited guests wishing to warm their toes beside the fire. How will they get inside you ask?  Let’s look at some of the most common ways insects, mice…

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Pest Control Guarantees #whatbugsme

Can you Guarantee a Pest Control Service? #whatbugsme           Everyone wants a guarantee, a sure thing.  In this day and age the only things you can count on are death and taxes.  It is no wonder that many want some assurance that the hard earned money they spend is not wasted. I see companies guarantee…

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Why do winter pest control? #whatbugsme

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What is the Point of having Pest Control in the dead of Winter?           I have been providing homes with pest control for over 15 years.  During these years winter comes every time and I get the same questions. Why do I need pest control in the winter?  There are several reasons and some misconceptions.…

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How did that get into my house!? #whatbugsme

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Tip of the week: How did that get into my house!? #whatbugsme As the temperature drops and our activities migrate inside, pests can migrate with us as we run from the cold. This especially applies to rats and mice who steal our beloved heat and our food. Rodents in the home are also a health…

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Tip of the week: home remedies

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Tip of the week: Why do you believe old wives tales and home remedies? #whatbugsme            I have had hundreds of customers tell me that they applied a natural treatment that a friend or family member told them about and they believe it works. For now let’s ignore the fact that if that were true…

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Centipedes #whatbugsme

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           Many homeowners have undoubtedly seen these scurrying in and out of shower and bathroom sink drains, their numerous legs making them look more menacing than they are. Centipedes are sometimes called “hundred-leggers” because of their many pairs of legs, but they can actually have anywhere from 15-177 pairs of legs, depending on the species.…

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Ultrasonic Pest Repellents #whatbugsme

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Tip of the week: Ultrasonic Pest Repellents  #whatbugsme           I see these all the time and they are often followed up by “I bought this and it is keeping the roaches away.” I promise you, if I am treating your home, any pest reduction has nothing to do with these devices. Electronic pest control devices…

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Band-aids

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Tip of the week: Band-aids This picture shows a band-aid. An air freshener was put on this table above a smelly trashcan. The odor was pretty bad and the oil was not helping much. The problem is not the odor. The problem is what is causing the odor. A plethra of who knows what was…

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Mothballs are dangerous and not effective

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Tip of the week: #whatbugsme mothballs are dangerous and not effective The key ingredient in moth balls is naphthalene, a widely-used and highly-manufactured chemical. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has classified naphthalene as a persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) chemical. [2] A PBT does not readily break down in the environment, does not easily metabolize,…

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Tip of the week:What bit me?! ‪#‎whatbugsme

Tip of the week: What bit me?! ‪#‎whatbugsme‬ It’s unsettling to find itchy red spots on your body but what do you do about it?            Most of the time it is no more than an anoyance. However some people are more sensitive than others and can have different reactions. These reactions can be affected…

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