Posted by Nick Nixon on Sat, Feb 18, 2012 @ 11:10 AM
Everyone realizes that our homes are our greatest investment, and taking care of them is extremely important. In fact, it is imperative!
Many folks never consider that termites actually cause more damage annually that storms, fires, and floods combined. These silent, hidden destroyers eat away at homes and businesses, often undetected until extensive damage is done.
I hear many myths regarding termites:
1) My house is brick so I don't have to worry about termites.
2) My house is on a slab so termites can't get in.
3) I have a concrete block foundation, so I don't get termites.
There is one simple answer to these statements.
WRONG!!!
In North Georgia, we deal 
with Eastern Subterranean Termites. The workers, (seen here), move through mud tunnels or through wood to access any portion of any home that has been built using wood. Brick and Hollow Concrete Block create particularlly inviting situations because there are void areas, inside, behind, and/or between them allowing termites to move through. Termites only need 1/10th of an inch to access, so put simply, if there's a crack, they'll get through it.
Slab homes possess another challenge. As the slab settles and the earth moves, cracks will form in the slab, allowing termite entry. The problems is, the cracks don't always occur in areas that can be seen, often occurring under walls, carpeting, tile and the like, allowing the termites to feed away in the wood studs of the home without being detected until after teh damage is done.
Pest Professionals will tell you that in Georgia, either the home is protected against termites, or it has them, whether or not the homeowner knows it.
While in our area we might feel it's been Spring for a while now, it's actually right around the corner. When nights are warmer and ground temperatures begin to rise, termites prepare to swarm. NOTE: They are active the year round in our area. The swarmers usually make our phone ring because nothing excites folks more than finding this:
Swarming Termite Reproductives and their mud emergence tube.
When one comes home and finds 10,000 termite alates (swarmers) dead on the floor, it gets their attention. However it can also lead to my last myth:
"Well there were millions of dead ones all over my floor, but at least they were dead"
WRONG!!!
Indeed, they were dead, but that only means that the colony is very much alive! Swarmers, as they're called, are simply the reproductives of the termite colony, and seeing them tells you two important facts:
1) We have a termite colony.
2) It is mature and producing reproductives to create more colonies.
Termite swarmers have to pair up, male and female, and get back into the soil very quickly, within a few minutes to a few hours or they will die. Of course, when the colony swarms inside your home, there is no soil for them to return to, so you'll find them dead. Often you'll see them in front of a window, where the light is coming in brightly. They tried to get out, they just couldn't open the window.
Do you have a termite protection agreement on your home? If not, get one, quickly.
My company, Pronto Pest Management, offers Lifetime Termite Damage Repair Warranties. These warranties fully protect you against termites and the damage they cause. The best part is:
1) They are affordable.
2) They carry no deductible, if termites do damage, it's fully covered.
Already have a termite warranty? Give us a call and see if we can save you a buck or two. There is no transfer fee, and we offer the finest warranty in the industry today.
Pronto Pest Management -- 770-554-8225
Posted by Nick Nixon on Tue, Dec 06, 2011 @ 06:43 AM
Ladybugs are invading North Georgia!
While some folks think that it's good luck if they see a ladybug, most don't feel the same when they see hundreds or more invading their homes and businesses.
Ladybugs celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas a bit differently than we do. They spend their holiday seasons finding a place to hibernate for the Winter. Particularly attracted to light colored homes because of the heat they reflect, ladybugs can be a difficult problem to eliminate once they find their way inside.
Ladybugs are generally considered to be a "good" bug. The "Asian" ladybugs were often introduced to areas of the country by the U. S. Forestry Commission because of their ability to control aphids, mites, and scale insects. However, they are no longer released because of the swarms of them that become quite aggressive when searching for their Winter shelter and will even bite!
Ladybugs release pheromones, which act like a lure for other ladybugs, attracting hundreds to the area . They can attract other ladybugs from a 1/4 mile away, helping the other ladybugs to find each other as well as places to harbor. Pheromones can remain on the coated structure for years to come, outside and inside the walls of the building.
Picking up a ladybug is not such a good idea. They instinctively "reflex bleed", releasing some of their blood as a defense mechanism. It's yellow and smells terrible. Often folks discover this unpleasantry when they "squish" the ladybug, staining the wall as well as "stinking up" the room.
Ladybugs love to gather in groups to hibernate. Often the warmer temperatures inside our homes attract them, but exceptionally warm days in winter will confuse the ladybugs, literally sending them in all directions. Usually, you can find them on the side of the house that has southwest sun, coming through any small crack they can to find a warm comfortable spot to over-winter.
Once they are inside, vacuuming them is your first and perhaps best defense. Otherwise disturbing them can cause them to become excited, releasing their yellow blood everywhere and staining everything.
Prevention is everything with Ladybugs. Seal cracks that may allow entry, particularly on the southwest side of the structure. Also, treatment of those areas with a good repellent insecticide is helpful.
Posted by Nick Nixon on Thu, Dec 01, 2011 @ 09:38 AM
Creatures Are Stirring!
Cold air returns to Georgia and even some Snow? Who knows if you can count on that prediction, but believe me, you can count on this one: Rats don't like it cold, and they're looking for a nice warm cozy home to over-winter, just like yours.
In our area, that means one of two types, Norway Rats or Roof Rats. Either way, they're not who you're inviting to visit during this holiday season.
Norway Rats are husky, burrowing creatures, often called "Wharf Rats". Living in close association with people, these rats will infest residences, cellars, warehouses, stores, slaughterhouses, docks, and in sewers. On farms they may inhabit barns, granaries, livestock buildings, silos, and kennels. Although they can climb, Norway rats tend to inhabit the lower floors of multistory buildings.
Unfortunately, they'll eat practically any type of food. When there's a choice, they'll pick a balanced diet, choosing fresh, wholesome items over stale or contaminated foods. They prefer cereal grains, meats and fish, nuts, and some types of fruit. Often they'll find all these choices in our garbage, as well as plentiful moisture.
Norway rats are nocturnal, usually coming out around dusk each evening to forage for food, however, when populations are high, they will forage in the daylight as well.
Norway rats have physical capabilities that enable them to gain entry to structures by gnawing, climbing, jumping, swimming, and other tactics, making the need for exclusion quite common in both businesses and residences.
Roof Rats, just as the name implies, are excellent climbers and spend their time above the ground, commonly infesting and building their nests in attics and upper floors of homes and other buildings. Sleek and graceful, roof rats ability to travel along tree limbs, vines, and power lines provides many pathways into our homes. In addition, they will often occupy the upper floors of buildings that are also infested by Norway rats at the ground level. 
The food habits of roof rats outdoors in some respects resemble those of squirrels, since they prefer a wide variety of fruit and nuts. Like Norway rats, however, they will feed on almost anything when the need arises. They will survive very well on foods for domestic animals, from horse, cow, and swine feeds, to our dog and cat pet foods.
In residences where rats may be living in the attic and feeding outdoors, the damage may be restricted to tearing up insulation for nesting or gnawing electrical wiring.
Sometimes rats get into the kitchen area and feed on stored foods. If living under a refrigerator or freezer, they may disable the unit by gnawing the electrical wires. In landscaped yards they often live in overgrown shrubbery or vines, feeding on ornamentals, vegetables, fruits, and nuts. Snails are a favorite food, but don’t expect roof rats to eliminate a garden snail problem. In some situations, pet food and poorly managed garbage may represent a major food resource
Both Norway and Roof Rats have been identified as carriers of diseases that they easily transmit to humans, including murine typhus, leptospirosis, salmonellosis (food poisoning), rat-bite fever, and plague. In addition, they can transmit diseases to domestic animals and are believed to be a major factor in the transference of parasites from one place to another.
Often carrying fleas also, many experts attribute rats and the fleas they carried to the spreading of the Bubonic Plague in Europe in the 1300's, which killed over 25 million people.
While Bubonic Plague carrying fleas are no longer common today, the fleas themselves can also present quite a problem for homeowners.
Control of either Norway or Roof rats can offer a challenge for homeowners, and as you might expect, professional help is recommended. See our white paper for helpful tips in addressing your rat problem.
Posted by Nick Nixon on Tue, Nov 22, 2011 @ 01:32 PM
Surprisingly warm temperatures in the North Georgia area have allowed fleas to continue to flourish, much to the dismay of the folks in our area.
Fleas are tiny insects that live on and for one purpose...blood.
Adult Flea (under magnification) Lifecycle of a Flea
They're parasites, that feed on the blood of any warm blooded body. Adult female fleas require a blood meal to lay fertile eggs, which makes finding that blood meal the adult flea's number one priority. The most common species is the cat flea, which commonly feeds on cats, dogs, and humans.
I'm frequently posed the question, "How did we get fleas, we don't even have any pets?"
Fleas transport themselves on rodents and other mammals. They will infest household pests as well as other animals. They are often found infesting opossums, raccoons, and skunks in urban settings.
Fleas usually remain on their warm-blooded hosts at all times. Fleas use their powerful legs to jump as high as 8 inches vertically and 16 inches horizontally. Consequently, they can also be found on shoes, pant legs, or blankets, which can transfer the fleas to new environments, often inside our homes.
Fleas are the most common transmitter of the rare Bubonic Plague. They also transmit the bacterial disease murine typhus to humans through infected rats. Their saliva can cause serious Flea Alergy Dermatitus in pets, and their debris has been reported to cause similar allergic reactions in humans. Fleas can also transfer tapeworms and cause anemia in pets. Flea bites commonly cause painful, itchy red bumps.
So what do you do to protect yourself against these biting invaders? Vacuum frequently to help remove flea populations and prevent the accumulation of eggs. Be sure to throw the vacuum bag away or take steps to prevent the fleas you've vacuumed up from reinfesting.
Keep your lawn groomed to avoid rodent habitation. Protect pets by keeping them on a leash when outside, bathing and grooming them regularly, visiting a veterinarian annually, and using flea treatments according to direction.
It is important to hire a pest professional to rid your home of rodents and fleas. Pest control for fleas can be challenging and quite frustrating for the homeowner without professional help.
FLEA CONTROL IS NOT A ONE STEP PROCESS. Don't be deceived by the "flea bombs" or other "over the counter products". Nothing kills eggs, larva, pupae and adult fleas. Fleas can only be controlled as they hatch or emerge from pupae cases by thorough cooperation between the homeowner and their pest professional, via a well planned and systematic treatment program.
Posted by Nick Nixon on Tue, Oct 18, 2011 @ 07:10 PM
Temperatures are dropping in North Georgia this week, and as temps go down, the chance of you dealing with squirrel problems in attic goes up, way up. Squirrels, Rats, Mice, and other small mammals become quite active as they look to find shelter from the elements.
Gray Squirrels are preparing to enter their breeding season, which runs from late November to early February. When their ready to breed, the females emit a scent that attracts males to her. Unfortunately, if she's already set up house in your attic, you not only share your home with her, but all her "suitors" as well.
Litter size can vary from 1 to 6 young, but is usually between 2 and 4. Your attic is an excellent place to raise young, it protects the baby gray squirrels from predators and the elements. Gray squirrels are diurnal, active in the daytime, this is when you may hear them running around in your attic or on your roof. They become active just before sunrise (morning wake up calls for home owners) and leave your attic to forage for food. Throughout the day they may come and go bringing food back to your attic.
Squirrels are rodents, and like all rodents, maintain their sharp teeth by chewing. Squirrels will damage soffits and facia boards by chewing and allowing water to enter into your home. Even more concerning is that they will chew electrical wire insulation until only bare copper is left creating a fire hazard.
It is not uncommon for squirrels to damage attic insulation by running on or using it as a toilet or nesting material. They will also damage duct work found in the attic. Attics should be checked for damage to the insulation and HVAC system. These systems should be inspected for squirrel damage.
But Squirrels are not the only rodent to be concerned with this time of year. Norway and Roof Rats will both invade our homes when temperatures begin to cool, frequently creating the need for rodent elimination and rodent exclusion.
Norway Rats have a brownish gray color fur on their back and head with a whitish underbelly. An adult weighs about a pound. They have small ears and a tail that is shorter than their body and head.
The adult Roof Rat is smaller than the Norway, weighing only 3/4 of a pound. Its tail is longer than its head and body, and its ears are quite large.
Both will invade and "colonize" attics, crawlspaces, basements, or any other space that is available to them. These "colonies" are nocturnal and will keep you up at night with noises in attics and wall voids. They too will chew anything, damaging soffits, facia, and electrical wiring. In addition, their urine and feces present a health hazard, and attract other rats for years to come if not removed. The average rat deficates 50-60 times daily.
Posted by Nick Nixon on Wed, Aug 10, 2011 @ 08:40 AM
Bugs in the bathroom sink, shower, or tub? You're not alone. Springtails are a nuisance pest throughout the United States. They're tiny little insects, only .05 inches in size, but when they come inside in groups of 100's, they can be quite unnerving.
Quite simply, springtails thrive on moisture. Areas where moisture tends to remain, such basements, crawlspaces, or mulch areas around our homes can be ideal areas for springtails to nest. Inside our homes, bathrooms, kitchens, behind walls, anywhere that moisture might be present, are perfect for springtails to breed.
Springtails don't bite, and they don't really do any damage to our homes. Because of the large number that emerge, however, they can be embarrassing to homeowners, who often mistake them for fleas. Springtails eat fungus, mildew, or other organic debris that is present in moist areas.
Often the emergence of springtails can be indicative of a leak or moisture problem, but not, and this may surprise you, where the springtails are being seen. An appearance of springtails is actually a migration from the "outgrown" nest in search of a new nesting area. Springtails will move short distances in search of another ideal area, so seeing springtails in the bathroom sink, for example, may mean that they are prevalent under the tub, in the dark, cool, and often moist harborage that it provides.
So, controlling these aggrevating little beasts means locating potential harborage areas, beginning with the areas under siding outside around the home, and then moving inside particularly focusing on moist areas or piping that leads into and around the home as the springtails will follow these because of the condensation that is often found upon them. Moisture meters may be useful in locating potential harborage areas.
Interesting point: Springtails in the sink, tub, or shower probably didn't get there by coming up through the drain pipe, but by traveling ON THE PIPE from one moist nesting area in or around the home in search of another. Seeing them at the drain areas just occurs because their "road of pipe" ran out and they continued on into these areas.
While treatment is not extremely difficult, thoroughness is the key, and follow up may be required. Hiring a professional may be encouraged as equipment needed to get to all cracks and crevices thoroughly is readily available to them and the necessary follow up may not be cost effective for "do it yourself-ers".
Posted by Nick Nixon on Wed, Jun 08, 2011 @ 07:39 AM
New in the Southeast, little black beetles, sometimes called "stink" bugs or Kudzu bugs, Globular Beetles were imported from China and have now become quite problem in the North Georgia area.
Area.
Courtesy of naturesrhythmblogspot.com
As many of you know, in places, these little beetles can be 2 to 3 inches deep, and in 3 foot wide groups .
"It's a new invasive that appeared, to our recognition, last October," said Wayne Gardner, a professor of entomology at the University of Georgia's Griffin campus. The bugs, which look like boxy brown ladybugs, emit a foul-smelling secretion when threatened. Witnesses have reported being able to smell the stench from their cars while crews are cutting kudzu overgrowth along highways, Gardner said. In addition to kudzu, the bugs are feeding on soybean plants, though it's not yet clear whether they pose a significant threat to agriculture – "and that would include our famous peanut," Gardner said.
Pest control to keep these bugs out of the house can be done with the use of a intense repellent treatment. Of course, keeping them away from the lawn and home, is a little bigger venture. Equally important is treating this fall to prevent them from finding a nice place to "over-winter" and then re-visit you next year.
At Pronto, we are tracking where all in the area these beetles have been seen. To report them in your neighborhood, call or send us an email.
Posted by Nick Nixon on Sat, Apr 23, 2011 @ 12:09 PM
- As we move toward May here in North Georgia, many ant species are beginning to swarm. Flying ants are often confused with termites, and while both can cause problems, it is fairly easy to tell the difference. Here's a good illustration:
As you can see, identifying characteristics can be clearly seen with the naked eye.
We know what damages termites can cause to our homes, but what about ants? Short of being a nuisance, why worry about them?
While most ant infestations just annoy us, there are several situations in which ant damage can be quite serious.
Pharoah Ants will frequently infest foods, making them very "unappetizing". In nursing homes and hospital facilities, however, these ants can spread diseases, such as Staphylococcus, a group of bacteria that can cause a multitude of diseases as a result of infection of various tissues of the body.
Carpenter Ants cause damage to homes, businesses and other structures. These large blackish ants may enter homes during warm weather seeking food. They will also build nests inside in damp or water damaged wood. Their nests can be very difficult to locate as they are usually hidden away in ceilings, walls, or other structural voids. Their damage is often indicated by wood frass, coarse sawdust like wood particles, that frequently have dead carpenter ant parts mixed in. During the Spring, carpenter ants will swarm inside the structure, a sure sign that their is a carpenter ant colony inside the structure somewhere.
photo courtesy of University of Georgia photo courtesy of earsense.ie
Fire Ants cause damage to lawns, equipment and machinery, livestock, agriculture, and can even cause a decrease in land values. In addition, many folks experience their damage themselves when the unknowingly stumble into one of their mounds and become bitten repeatedly. Unfortunately, in some cases, these "ant accidents" can even cause death due to severe allergic reactions to these ant bites.
In my next blog, I'll have some tips for you to help in controlling these damaging ants as well as some who are just plain aggrevating.
Posted by Nick Nixon on Fri, Apr 15, 2011 @ 08:04 PM
So termites have invaded your home and you need a termite treatment. But how do the treatments work anyway?
Termite Damage
First, we must remember how termites live and attack our homes. In North Georgia, including the Metro Atlanta area, we deal with Eastern Subterranean termites.
As this photo above illlustrates, these colonies live underground and make their way into our homes through mud tunnels. These mud tunnels they make keep the temperature and humidity constant allowing the workers to do their damage by traveling through these tunnels and attacking the structure.
Treatment to protect our homes from these invaders has changed some in the last few years. For years, pest professionals have treated structures with repellent pesticides, placing a repellent barrier in the soil, creating a continuous barrier between the structure and the termite colony.
The only problem with these repellents is that gaps as small as 1/64 of an inch would allow foraging termites to get through the barrier, and consequently, into the structure.
Today, liquid treatments are much improved because of the development of "undetectable" non-repellent liquids. These non-repellents actually allow the foraging termites to plow right through them, and of course, because they're undetectable, plow right to their death. There's no problem with gaps in the barrier, because the foraging termites can't tell the difference between the barrier and the gap. As the workers make their natural trip from the colony to the food source and back, they pass through the undetectable termiticide and not only contaminate themselves, but also transfer the killing agent to the other members of the colony.
While undetectable non-repellent termiticides have revolutionized termite control, we must recognize that even better protection is achieved when the liquid barrier is supported by a bait system. The use of this innovative technology allows the pest professional to be confident in providing termite protection. For more info about Termite Bait Systems and how they work, see my earlier blog, "The Truth About Termite Bait Systems".