Pest Control Advice

#whatbugsme

Everyone wants Pest Control Advice but nobody wants to listen to the professional. You would rather listen to some keyboard warrior on facebook. When you hire a service professional you do so because you either could not, would not, or didn’t have the time to do the task yourself. If those are your reasons, then why in the world would you work against the pest control operator?  When I perform pest control services here in  Maryville, TN, part of that service is information. Done properly, pest control is more than just spraying pesticide. Any drunk monkey can do that. To really get a hold on a pest infestation you must know several things.

#1 What is this bug?

Identification of the pest in question is the most important and first step. For example; the treatments for a German Roach infestation is very different from an American Roach infestation. If you use the wrong method, you won’t get favorable results. These 2 pests live in very different areas and are not in your home for the same reason. Some ants can be controlled with liquid treatments but try that on a Pharaoh Ant and you will make the problem worse. Misidentifying a stinging insect could get you hurt. The point is, you don’t know what you are dealing with, much less the biology and habits behind each pest. Even if you googled till you went cross-eyed you still don’t have the field experience and we all know everything on the internet is true. It is OK for you to not have this knowledge, I’m a horrible plumber so I call the guy who is a good one. And I am paying him for his knowledge and wisdom on the subject. You should expect me to have the appropriate knowledge and wisdom to fix your bug problem. I was with a customer once identifying a pest problem for her and she tried to argue what the bug was. I politely explained why it was the specific species along with my credentials but it didn’t matter. Why did you call me if you won’t listen?

#2 What does this bug eat?

If I were the pest and you were trying to find me it would be best to start with the local 50’s themed burger joint. There is a good chance you will find me there. Most organisms have to eat so you will find them where that food is.  Peony bulbs are like crack to Odorous House Ants so if I see these around your home you bet I’m going to pay attention to them and maybe treat around them. Ants even shift their food preferences depending on the season. The four years of pizza boxes in the kitchen could be a food source for your German Roaches, dontcha think? The point here is you need to know what a pest eats so you can clean it up or remove it because if it stays there, even with treatments, you still have a problem. That’s why I communicate this information to my customers. I’m not in the business of half fixing your problem so you have to pay me to come back. I want you to have a bug free home so I give you this information to do your part. Why did you call me if you won’t listen?

#3 Where does this bug live?

Most bugs live outside and come inside to find food, water, or shelter, but there are a few that exclusively live inside. I must know where they live to ensure that the treatment is placed where it will do the most good. Fleas may be in the yard and in your carpet but they live on the animal. That is why my focus is on you treating the animal much more than me treating the carpet or the yard. The dog is the source. Bed Bugs are ecto-parasites, meaning they feed on your blood. They have no business out in the middle of the yard. They want to be close to you. Isn’t that nice? Knowing where a pest resides allows me to suggest modifications to your property or your habits. Unfortunately many are too lazy to do these so they end up enduring the pests for longer, spending more money, and making the situation worse. Why did you call me if you won’t listen?

#4 What is the safest way to kill this bug?

This is rather important don’t you think? The safest methods should be expected from a Pest Control Professional. The best method is rarely to drown the house in pesticides. More is better right? Not when it comes to pest control. You might be surprised that the proper application of professional level products, “the good stuff”, is actually safer than the gallon jug you got at the local wally-world. Many of the products I use actually have less toxicity than table salt! Would you feel safer spraying a full gallon of bug juice on the baseboards and around the house or me applying products to cracks and crevices out of your reach? It’s a no-brainer. The last thing I want to do is hurt Cujo or fluffy, much less you or your rug-rats. The best method is always the sniper approach instead of the shotgun “burn it all down” method.  People will try it anyway. Why did you call if you won’t listen?

#5 Why is this bug in my house anyway?

This is the big one. Determining why you have the problem in the first place is very important. I can spray your home till it glows Oak Ridge nuclear and even if that keeps them away, it will wear off. Treating is often just a band-aid. All my customers get the same speech. Killing the bugs is just part of my job. The other part is figuring out why this happened in the first place and communicating that information to you. This is your house, do whatever the heck you want with it, that’s why you have me. However, if you are having ants because you have 4 ft of mulch up the side of your house, or a hole I can fit my head through, it is my responsibility to recommend a less buggy option like rock and sealing the hole. It is a free country so do whatever but why did you call me if you won’t listen?

Pest Control Advice

At the end of the day you called a professional to do a job and you should heed their advice. Would you ignore the doctor who told you to stop eating bacon or your gout would flare up? Who’s fault is it when you get sick after eating bacon? The suggestions I give my customers are designed to fix the actual problem, not just the bugs that are an effect of the problem. Any drunk monkey can go get pesticides at the store and spray your house. But do they know anything past giving the bugs a pesticide shower? Every week I have a customer tell me that they tried everything the internet told them to do and got nowhere. That’s because there is so much more to this than chemical. If you are going to pay for it, heed the knowledge. That’s how you become pest free.

(865) 455-8571