Anteater Pest Controls Blog

Boxelder Bugs: What Every Homeowner Needs to Know

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 17:18:38 GMT

Why Boxelder Bugs Love Your Home
(and How to Make Them Leave)

At Anteater Pest Control , we get a lot of questions about a specific, red-and-black insect that seems to appear out of nowhere in massive clusters. If you’ve seen these bugs congregating on your siding or windowsills, you’re likely dealing with Boxelder bugs.

While they aren’t the most destructive pests we deal with, their presence in large numbers can be a major nuisance. Here is everything you need to know about identifying, managing, and preventing Boxelder bugs.

Identification: Is it a Boxelder Bug?

Before you take action, you have to know what you’re looking at. Boxelder bugs (Boisea trivittata) are easily identified by a few key features:

Color : Dark brownish-black with three distinct reddish-orange stripes on the thorax (the area behind the head).

Shape : An elongated, flattened oval shape, roughly 1/2 inch long.

Wings : They have overlapping wings that form a distinct "X" shape on their backs.

Why Are They Choosing Your Home?

Boxelder bugs are highly attracted to heat and light. They are often found on the south and west-facing walls of buildings because those surfaces absorb the most sunlight.

Their primary food source is the seed of the Boxelder tree, though they also frequent Maple and Ash trees. If you have these trees on or near your property, your home is essentially a "luxury resort" for them—providing food nearby and a warm place to rest.

The "Nuisance" Factor

The good news? Boxelder bugs do not bite, they don’t sting, and they don’t carry diseases. They also won't eat your food or damage your furniture. However, they present two main problems:

Staining : If crushed, their body fluids can leave a permanent reddish-orange stain on curtains, carpets, and upholstery.

Odors : When threatened or squashed, they release a pungent, foul-smelling defensive odor.

Professional Solutions

When Boxelder bugs move from a few sightings to a full-scale invasion, DIY methods often fall short. Because these bugs can hide deep within wall voids, professional intervention is the most reliable way to create a lasting perimeter barrier.

At Anteater Pest Control, we use targeted treatments to stop these pests before they find their way into your living space. We don't just treat the symptoms; we help you identify the entry points to keep your home secure.

Is your home becoming a hangout for Boxelder bugs?

4 Signs Bats Are Hibernating in Your Home This Winter

Thu, 26 Nov 2020 13:28:38 GMT

Winter is knocking on the door in Michigan, and that means animals of all shapes and sizes are looking for somewhere warm to hibernate. Bat species like the big and the little brown bat like to hibernate in the attics and walls of homes during freezing winters. If you notice one or all of the following signs, you could have a colony of hibernating bats in your home.

1. Fluttering Noises in Your Walls or Attic

In general, bats stay still as they hibernate, living off their own body fat reserves and expending as little energy as possible. But if temperatures fluctuate, as they sometimes do in Michigan during winter, bats will wake up and move around.

Sometimes, this happens if there is a sudden spike in temperature that wakes the bats up. You'll then usually hear bats fluttering around in your attic, looking for food. On the other hand, if temperatures drop sharply, then bats hibernating in an attic will often move into the walls, closer to the warmth of the house. You'll hear the bats fluttering and scuffling as they seek a warm place inside your walls.

2. Squeaking

Bats use echolocation to fly around in darkness, and their high-pitched calls range from 9 kHz to 200 kHz . This means that most of the time, humans can't hear bats squeak. But if bats awaken from their hibernation during winter due to temperature fluctuations, you may still be able to hear them communicate with each other as they squeak within their roost.

3. Piles of Droppings (Guano)

Bat droppings look like grains of rice, much like those of rats but smaller. If you enter an area where bats are hibernating in your home, you may see piles of bat droppings. This is usually how you can tell rat droppings from bat droppings. Bat droppings will pile up underneath the spot where bats are roosting whereas rats leave scattered droppings.

4. Brown Stains Around Exterior Entry Points

Unlike other animals, such as rats or possums, bats won't make their own entry point to gain access to your home. Instead, they'll search for an existing point of access, such as a crack in a wall or a hole in your roofing material.

If you see a crack or hole in your home's exterior and there are brown, oily stains around it, then this is likely to be the access point bats used to enter your home. These stains are a combination of body oils and other excretions such as urine and feces.

Can You Remove Bats From Your Home During Winter?

If you discover bats hibernating somewhere in your home during winter, you might be uncomfortable with their presence. But winter isn't a good time to remove bats from their hibernaculum. They won't survive the cold temperatures and the lack of food.

Don't worry. Hibernating bats are rarely active during winter so you are unlikely to encounter them.

The best thing to do is to contact a pest control service. They can then perform an inspection of your property to locate the bats and their entry points. Once the pest control service has finished the inspection, they can then set out their plan to remove the bats humanely when spring arrives. Once the bats have left your home, you can set about sealing up all possible entry points.

Have you discovered bats in your home in Waterford, Michigan? Then you need the professional guidance and assistance of Anteater Pest Control Inc. We'll perform a free inspection to locate your bat problem and come up with an effective plan to remove them in a humane manner.

7 Insect Pests to Watch Out for in the Fall

Sat, 31 Oct 2020 14:45:34 GMT

Every fall, humans and bugs change their behavior as they prepare for winter. Humans retreat indoors to escape the cooling weather — but so too do bugs. The warmth and food in your home could draw in some unwanted visitors. Their intention is usually to overwinter in your home. You might not even notice them, but when you do, it's usually because they arrive in large numbers.

As you prepare your home for winter, be wary of the following bugs.

1. Box-elder Bugs

Box-elder bugs are probably the most harmless bug on this list. They don't bite, nor do they seek to feed on anything edible in your home. If box-elder bugs have entered your home, they simply want to escape the cold weather of late autumn and winter. The main issue with box-elder bugs is that their feces can leave stains on light-colored surfaces.

Therefore, if they do appear in large numbers, they could make a mess in your home.

2. Cluster Flies

Another insect pest that wants to overwinter in your home is the cluster fly. As the weather cools down and fall kicks in, cluster flies seek the warmth and shelter of Michigan homes. This allows them to survive the winter. And because cluster flies resemble houseflies, albeit on a slightly larger scale, it's easy to confuse the two.

Some cluster fly colonies will remain out of sight in an attic or wall void, while others may infest your living spaces, which then calls for pest control.

3. Fleas

Fall can be a bad time for flea infestations in homes across America, especially if you have pets like cats and dogs. Surprisingly, there are 70 percent more fleas on animals like dogs in the fall than in spring! And because fleas also inhabit carpets and upholstery, getting rid of them without the help of a pest control service can be difficult.

4. German Cockroaches

German cockroaches can't survive the cold temperatures of winter. When the cooler fall weather rolls in, these pests seek to gain entry to homes to enjoy the warmth and abundant supply of food and moisture. If you spot an adult cockroach, you could have an infestation. If you spot one or more babies, you likely already have a full-blown infestation on your hands.

5. German Wasps

German wasps or yellow jackets become extremely aggressive in the fall. This is because the thousands of workers in each nest are starving, and they won't live to see midwinter. During autumn, these wasps feast ravenously on energy-rich foods that contain sugar. If German wasps are bombarding your home, you could have a nest nearby.

6. Marmorated Stinkbugs

Another harmless pest that moves indoors during the fall is the marmorated stinkbug. Similarly, though these smelly pests only want to overwinter in your home and not feed or reproduce in it, they can sometimes show up in large numbers. And if you disturb them, they release an odorous compound that smells like rotten meat to some people.

7. Multicolored Asian Lady Beetles

Just like the other two beetle pests on this list, the stinkbugs and box-elder bugs, multicolored Asian lady beetles move into homes during the fall to escape the cold weather. And while these beetles also don't breed or feed indoors, they too often show up in large numbers. They usually appear on the outside of homes in early October before making their way indoors as fall progresses.

Is your home under invasion by fall pests? Then you need the services of a pest control expert. Anteater Pest Control has operated in Waterford, Michigan for over 25 years. With our extensive experience in dealing with bugs, we can quickly identify and eradicate your bug infestation.

Do You Have Squirrels in Your Home?

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 22:12:11 GMT

Watching squirrels run around in your front yard might seem fun, but no one likely wants pests in their home. Like many pests, squirrels are attracted to the warmth and protection of your home. Unfortunately, these little critters are not good roommates, and they can destroy your home and spread disease.

If you would like to better protect your home, keep reading to learn more about squirrels in your home.

Where Do Squirrels Like to Hide in the Home?

Squirrels like to hide in any part of your home that is secluded but has an access point. An access point can be as small as a half-inch opening. Thanks to their sharp teeth, squirrels can chew a hole to get inside your home. Some of the more common places squirrels like to hide include the attic, walls, crawl space, and ductwork.

Even though they can fit through small openings, squirrels prefer wider openings, so look for natural or unnatural holes that seem to keep getting bigger. While the holes can appear anywhere, they are more common in the attic because squirrels can easily gnaw through the fascia.

What Are the Signs of Squirrels in the Home?

Luckily, many signs may indicate you have a squirrel infestation. Naturally, a leading sign is scratching and scurrying in the attic, walls, crawl space, or ducts. Besides access points, squirrels may chew and gnaw on other materials like wiring, drywall, beams, or molding.

If you do suspect squirrels, check for nests in the attic or anyplace else you suspect them. Of course, squirrels also need to eat and relieve themselves, so if you have squirrels, expect unpleasant odors from squirrel urine and droppings. You may also spot hidden piles of acorns in the attic or walls.

What Problems Can Squirrels Cause?

Squirrels pose many problems if they invade your home. For starters, they can damage your home. In some cases, this damage may only be aesthetic, but if the squirrels gnaw through wires, they can cause electrical damage or even start a fire. If they mess with the ductwork, they may cause holes and gaps, which can reduce the efficiency of your HVAC system.

The other leading danger of squirrels is disease. Squirrels and their droppings can spread diseases like typhus, tularemia, and plague. Parasites like fleas and mites may also pass from the squirrels to you or your family members. If dead squirrel bodies or their droppings get trapped in the ductwork, it can spread bacteria to all parts of the home.

How Can You Get Rid of Squirrels in Your Home?

If you want to prevent squirrels from getting inside your home, you need to seal off the home so the squirrels have no easy access points. However, if you already have squirrels, you may wonder how to get rid of them. Depending on your preference, you have humane and more aggressive options.

Some homeowners prefer the more humane option, which may involve a one-way door so the squirrel can leave but can't get back inside the house. Some traps can also catch squirrels to be released elsewhere. Alternatively, some homeowners prefer a more aggressive approach to ensure the squirrels do not come back.

Squirrels can get into your house simply by chewing a hole, but sealing up your home will go a long way to detour them. If squirrels have already gotten into your home, contact a skilled pest control specialist. For more information or to get a quote, contact us at Anteater Pest Control Inc. today. We look forward to helping with all your pest control needs, especially with squirrels.

4 Reasons Snakes May Enter Your Home in Autumn

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Tue, 01 Sep 2020 22:12:50 GMT

Seeing any pest in your home can create an unnerving feeling, and for many, the presence of snakes draws up fears and worries. As the summer months transition into fall, the number of snakes found in homes could increase. Snakes do not just get into homes randomly. The motives are often specific and triggered by certain elements in the house.

Learn how snakes find their way into your home, ways to prevent their presence, and how a pest control worker will help with the snake removal.

1. Outdoor Items Moved Indoors

During the autumn transition, many homeowners may move items back into the home to keep them protected. Unfortunately, sometimes snakes are unwillingly part of the move. For example, if you have large potted plants you move indoors, there could be a snake living inside the plant. At some point, the snake will attempt to escape the plant and explore the home.

If you use a fireplace in the winter, a woodpile on the porch or back deck could easily attract snakes. And the close proximity of the reptile to your home could easily allow snakes to get inside.

As you move items from the outside to the inside, complete a full inspection to ensure no snakes are coming into your home. If you do spot a snake, do not attempt to catch the animal or chase after it. You may scare it away from the original spot and create a challenge to find it again.

A pest control worker will use specific methods to remove the snake and keep the animal away from your home.

2. Indoor Nesting

As nights get cooler, snakes may seek out a warm and dry location within your home to nest and lay eggs. A snake nest will typically appear in dark places of the home, including the basement. If you have a crowded basement area filled with boxes and other supplies, snakes can easily squeeze through the cracks and find a proper nesting point.

Like many animals, snakes are naturally protective over their nests. If you discover any nests within your property, do not approach the area because the snake could turn aggressive. A pest control company will help relocate the snake and the nest so you do not have to worry about the arrival of baby snakes invading the home.

3. Attraction to Rodents

Snakes are often on the hunt for their next food source and many of the snakes make mice and rats a part of their diet. If you have a rodent problem, then the problem can quickly expand in the form of a hungry snake. While the snake would help eliminate the rodents, the eating habits are few and far between, only increasing any problems you have.

Treating your home for mice and rats will naturally allow snakes to seek out other hunting grounds. A pest control worker will look for signs of both pests and set up a prevention plan to remove all the critters from the house.

4. Open Spaces and Warmth

The thin and flexible body of a snake means the animal can enter your home without much effort. An open space could easily allow a snake to come inside the house, even if the animal just seeks some warmth during a cool autumn day. To prevent this, visually inspect the outside of your home to see the different openings and areas where snakes can enter.

For example, if you have storm doors on your cellar, a small crack will easily allow a snake to enter inside. Block off areas, close off gaps, and limit the number of entry points a snake has for your home. A visual inspection from a pest control company will also help point out vulnerable areas you missed.

Do not let snakes become a major problem in your home. Instead, contact us at Anteater Pest Control Inc. We will help you identify snakes, remove the animals, and prevent snakes from coming back in the future.

West Nile Virus and Backyard Michigan Mosquitoes: What to Know

Fri, 31 Jul 2020 14:34:53 GMT

What is West Nile virus, and do the mosquitoes in your area carry this disease? With the summer in full swing, take a look at what you need to know about the warm weather invaders and the virus they can carry.

How Is West Nile Virus Transmitted?

West Nile virus (or WNV) is a mosquito-borne illness. The disease cycle starts when a mosquito feeds on an infected bird. As the insect feeds, the bird host infects it. When the mosquito bites a human, it can pass the virus along.

Even though WNV is an infectious disease, humans don't pass it to each other. The only exceptions are infection via direct blood transfusion, organ transplantation, or mother-to-baby transmission (during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding only). You can't get WNV from someone else's cough, sneeze, or touch or from touching a bird.

Who Does West Nile Virus Affect?

This mosquito-transmitted virus can impact anyone who is exposed. According to the state of Michigan government's website, seniors over age 60 and people with some medical conditions (such as hypertension, cancer, or diabetes) are at a higher risk if infected.

Mosquitoes respond to heat and carbon dioxide. According to the National Pest Management Association's (NPMA) PestWorld website, mosquitoes are typically the most active during dawn and dusk. If you're an outdoorsy individual, you may want to avoid these times of the day.

Do All Mosquitoes Carry West Nile Virus?

Simply stated — no. This means a mosquito bite doesn't guarantee you'll get the disease. In the United States, Culex mosquitoes are the primary type of insect invader that transmits this virus — especially the  Culex tarsalis.

The mosquitoes that carry WNV live around the world, including American states such as Michigan. This means Michigan residents and visitors to the state should take precautions to avoid mosquitoes if possible. Whether you're at home or on vacation, a few simple steps can reduce the risks of WNV.

In Michigan, the most WNV activity is typically found in Macomb, Wayne, Oakland, and Kent counties, according to the state government.

What Can You Do to Prevent West Nile Virus?

Prevention is the easiest way to stop the spread of WNV. Even though a mosquito can fly into your home, you'll more likely get a bite while outdoors. To reduce the mosquito population around your home, inspect your yard for standing water regularly.

Mosquitoes require water to breed. If you have full birdbaths, buckets, or empty planters, you have space for water to stand. According to the PestWorld website, the female Culex mosquito can lay up to 300 eggs at a time. The larval mosquitoes will stay in the water until they grow into adults. The larva to adult phase typically takes as little as two weeks.

Turn buckets and pots over to reduce the risks of rain collection. Clear puddles and remove all other areas of standing water. This means you'll need to clean out children's paddling pools and other similar recreational items or toys regularly.

If, despite your best efforts, mosquitoes still invade the area and breed in your yard, you need help from a professional. A pest control contractor can inspect the area, look for mosquitoes (and their larva), and eliminate the issue.

Never attempt to treat a mosquito problem on your own. Even though do-it-yourself sprays and foggers are commercially available, these products usually require expert-level guidance for proper use. Failure to use a mosquito prevention or extermination product correctly poses a safety risk.

Do you need professional help to eliminate a mosquito issue in your yard? Contact  Anteater Pest Control Inc.  for more information on mosquitoes and extermination services.

5 Flea-Borne Diseases That Affect Humans

Mon, 29 Jun 2020 18:41:32 GMT

If you have ever had pets, you know how fleas affect them. But fleas, like so many insects and pests, can also spread disease to humans. If you have fleas in your home, you should consider calling your local pest control experts. If you let the fleas run rampant, they may spread one or more of these five disease.

1. Tapeworms

Tapeworms are incredibly common in animals with fleas because so many fleas are infected with this bothersome parasite. Humans and pets become infected with tapeworms if they consume an affected flea, and the more fleas you have in your home, the more likely it is that one may jump into your mouth, food or drink.

In most cases, tapeworms don't cause many problems, but you may notice small segments in your stool. However, if the tapeworms become big or are left untreated, you may experience nausea, fatigue, weight loss, vitamin deficiency, diarrhea, and weakness. Treatment is usually as easy as taking a medication to kill the parasitic worm. However, you will have to pass the dead worm.

2. Bartonellosis

Bartonellosis is commonly referred to as cat scratch disease or cat scratch fever because it was originally often caused by cat scratches. If the cat's claws are infected with the Bartonella bacteria, it can spread to humans. However, there has been some evidence that shows this disease can be spread directly from fleas to humans if the flea bites you.

For this reason, even if you don't have a cat, you are still at risk of catching cat scratch disease if you have lots of fleas in the house. Symptoms are often flu-like, so you may have a fever, fatigue, and swollen lymph nodes. Treatment will include antibiotics to kill the bacteria.

3. Murine Typhus

If a flea bites an animal that has the Rickettsia typhi bacteria, it may spread it to you, causing murine typhus or flea-borne typhus. Luckily, this type of disease is less common in the US because it thrives in more tropical climates. If you do develop this disease, however, expect a fever, chills, body aches, nausea, vomiting, and a rash.

As with cat scratch fever, you'll need antibiotics to clear up the disease, and once it's gone, you should have no long-term complications.

4. Tungiasis

Tungiasis is caused by a specific type of flea: Tunga flea. These fleas are a little different than most fleas because they don't just bite, feed, and leave. They bite to open the skin, and then they burrow into the skin to feed directly from blood vessels. Luckily, these types of fleas can't jump as well as other fleas, so they most commonly affect the feet and lower legs.

If you do get infected with a Tunga flea, it will create a lesion 4 to 10 mm in diameter, which can be painful and itchy. Treatment starts by removing the flea, suffocating the flea, or killing it with anti-parasitic medications.

5. Bubonic Plague

Believe it or not, the Bubonic plague, which caused the Black Death that killed many humans, is still alive and well. However, thanks to more information and current treatments, it's no longer a common problem or death sentence. It's caused by bites from infected fleas, and first presents with swollen, painful lymph nodes in the neck, arm, and groin.

If left untreated, the disease can spread to the bloodstream, causing septicemic plague, which may result in bleeding under the skin, blackened skin, and vomiting. If the disease spreads to the lungs, it can cause pneumonic plague, which causes cough (with or without blood), difficulty breathing, and nausea. Again, treatment involves antibiotics and can take one to two weeks.

Not every flea bite results in the spread of disease, but the more fleas you have in your home, the higher the chances are that you, your child, or your pets will get sick. If you would like to know more about fleas, or if you want to request a quote for services, contact us at Anteater Pest Control today.

What Do You Need to Know About Opossums?

Tue, 26 May 2020 19:46:54 GMT

Do you have opossums in your yard? The only marsupial to live in the U.S., opossums are common household pests. If you think one of these invaders lives in your home's exterior area, take a look at the top opossum questions homeowners have answered.

What Are Opossums?

These marsupials live almost everywhere in the United States. Often confused with possums, the opossum is native to North America, while the possum is a marsupial found in China, New Zealand, and Australia.

Whether you've never seen an opossum or you just aren't sure what this marsupial looks like, this fur-covered critter:

Is white or gray. The opossum's fur is white or gray in color.
Is almost the size of a cat. According to the National Pest Management Association's (NPMA) website, the full-grown opossum can grow up to 40 inches.
Has a pointy face. The opossum has a distinctive pointed face.
Has a tail. Instead of a furry tail, this fur-covered marsupial has a thin, rat-like tail.

If you're not sure whether you have an opossum in your yard, a pest control contractor can identify the animal and recommend the next steps to take

Where Do Opossums Live?

Again, opossums inhabit most areas of the U.S. These North American marsupials live in a variety of different types of habitats, including wooded areas, fields, and spaces near streams or other bodies of water.

When opossums make a human home their own, they may nest in areas such as:

Garages. Your garage's exterior entrance makes an easy access point for an opossum on the lookout for a new home.
Attics. The opossum can get into your attic through an open window, vent, or similar break in your home's exterior.
Decks. An opossum won't necessarily come into your home to nest. These pests may make their home under a low neck or wooden patio structure.
Exterior woody areas. A hollow log or other exterior woody area is an ideal nest for this pest.

Even though the opossum may choose a rarely used space, such as a garage or attic, the invader may enter a central point in your home. A hungry opossum can get into a home through a doggy door, open entry door, or open window. If you have an opossum in your home, don't attempt to catch or trap it yourself. This is a job for a pest professional.

What Should You Do About an Opossum?

People and opossums can co-exist. Opossums often snack on other invaders, such as cockroaches, beetles, and ticks. One opossum can kill nearly 5,000 ticks annually, according to the National Wildlife Federation.

The opossum's ability to clear your yard of problematic pests makes these marsupials useful to have around the house. But this doesn't mean these wild animals are pets or something you should try to attract to your home. Even though opossums have some beneficial behaviors, they can carry diseases such as leptospirosis or tularemia.

If you spot an opossum on your property:

Leave the animal alone. Again, never attempt to catch an opossum on your own. Even though opossums typically won't attack humans, if startled or scared, this invader could pose a threat.
Call a professional. A pest control contractor knows how to handle an opossum. The professional can inspect the area, find the opossum's nest, and remove the invader from your yard.
Opossum-proof your home. After the pest control professional removes the opossum, take steps to prevent a repeat invasion. Repair broken windows, doors, or exterior walls, close entry points, and clear wooded areas.

Females may have up to three litters of seven or more babies annually. If the opossum in your yard is still caring for her young, the pest control professional will need to remove the entire family. Even though baby opossums may look cute, they are still wild animals and require specialized treatment.

Do you need an opossum removal service? Contact Anteater Pest Control for more information.

4 Reasons to Remove Moles From Your Property

Fri, 24 Apr 2020 18:19:25 GMT

Unlike other pests in and around your home, the discovery of a mole infestation does not occur from seeing a mole scurry across your yard, but from seeing the raised tunnels the animals create as the claws dig and tunnel through the ground.

Mole tunnels are fascinating to see, but the presence of moles on your property often leads to many issues. Learn about the problems and why the deterrence of moles on your property is the best option.

1. Grass Roots

As a mole digs tunnels through your lawn, they are in search of worms and other insects. To create the tunnels, the grass is often separated from the roots buried deep in the ground. If the grass does not root back into the ground, the grass will slowly die. The end result could include multiple patches of dead grass and a lawn with uneven colors.

Eliminate moles from your property to protect the grass and ensure the health of your lawn. The destruction of grass roots could lead to more problems down the line, such as the eventual deterioration of your soil quality. Once moles have made tunnels, the critters will not use the same tunnels. The moles will continue to make new tunnels and kill more grass.

Pest control workers will set up a border around your property to prevent the invasion of moles. Once you remove moles from your property, you can focus on proper lawn care without any disruptions or problems.

2. Tunnels for Other Rodents

Not only do mole tunnels disrupt the grass growth on your property, but the leftover tunnels could create easy paths for other rodents to your home. For example, a vole or mouse may use the tunnels to nest or dig their way closer to your home. In short, your property could deal with other pest problems besides just the moles.

When you hire a pest company for mole treatment, the workers will inspect for other pest problems like rats and mice. The widespread elimination of all other pests will help keep your lawn clean and free from any issues. In the long run, the treatment will help keep other pests away from your home.

3. Breeding

When moles invade your property, you have to worry about the animals breeding on your property. If moles breed and give birth, you could have a litter of more moles on your property. Once old enough to dig, the new litter may create more tunnels and problems.

A birth cycle takes only a short time, resulting in a litter fairly quickly once a mole has found its way onto your property. A pest control worker will use trapping methods to remove moles from the property.

For example, a worker may relocate a pregnant mole to a safe location away from your home. A pest controller worker may find a recently birthed litter to relocate. The humane method will allow you to feel better about the relocation of a whole mole family.

4. Safety Issues

Mole tunnels not only create visual distractions on your lawn but create safety issues. Some tunnels go down nearly a foot deep into the ground. If you fall or trip in one of the tunnels, you could sprain or break your foot.

A hard fall could cause additional injuries like a concussion. Young children could easily trip and fall into a tunnel area. Sometimes, the hump of the tunnel may settle down and not seen from the naked eye. The hole remains underneath the tunnel, creating a danger with unseen holes.

Contact us today at  Anteater Pest Control Inc.  to schedule an appointment. We have years of experience dealing with moles and other rodent problems.

4 Differences Between Mosquito and Tick Bites

Wed, 01 Apr 2020 11:32:18 GMT

Getting bit by an insect is no fun, but things may be worse when you have no idea exactly what the bite came from. Some of the biggest pests people have to deal with are mosquitoes and ticks. After a bite, the insect may be gone before you can determine what it was.

Using detailed information, learn about the difference between mosquito and tick bites. Once you know the insects invading your property, a pest control worker will help eliminate their presence from your property.

1. Rashes

One of the biggest signs of a tick bite is a rash which forms after the tick falls off or has been removed. Incidents involving tick-borne diseases like Lyme Disease will cause a circular rash around the spot of the bite. The rash will often look like a target shape with two rings.

For mosquitoes, a rash will not typically form unless the area has been heavily scratched. You may see a small raised area and a red mark, but no rash.

When a rash has formed due to an insect bite, a blood test may be needed to check for any diseases.

Pest control treatment on property with ticks and mosquitoes spreading illness will help prevent any diseases in humans and pets.

2. Itches

One of the trademarks of a mosquito bite is the itchiness which occurs after the bite. Once a mosquito breaks the skin open, a body will release histamine from our immune system. The response is what causes the itchiness, not any element from the actual mosquito. The more you scratch, the more histamine is released.

The itchiness from mosquitoes is a lot more prevalent than in the ticks. If you feel instant itchiness after a bite, it will most likely be a mosquito. One of the more common reasons to feel itchy from a tick bite is if a rash forms. The rash may dry out and create itchy skin.

3. Body Part Targets

The body part where you have a bite may be an indication of which insect bit you. Ticks cannot jump or leap. They climb up from the ground. Even if you wear long socks and pants, ticks will climb up until they reach the first open body part. If you sit or lay on the ground, ticks will crawl on any accessible body part.

Mosquitoes base their feeding on the scents of a human. While flying, mosquitoes may bite any body part. Often, they will aim for lower areas like the ankles. Not only are the insects drawn to the scent of feet, but they seek out a place where humans cannot easily swat at them.

4. Groups

When you encounter a mosquito, you are likely to find a whole group of them. Mosquitoes nest and fly in groups, meaning you will find multiple bites from the same circumstances. Small bodies of water are nesting grounds for the insect and an area prone to multiple bites.

If you find multiple bites, you may have been bitten from a same mosquito multiple times or by multiple mosquitoes. A tick will typically feed off its host once and drop off. If you do have multiple ticks on you, you may have encountered a tick nest. When a female tick lays eggs, a single tick could lay up to 3,000 eggs at once.

The removal of both tick and mosquito nests is essential for protection against the insect bites. Both start out in very large groups which could quickly spread across your property.

For information on pest removal at your home, contact us at Anteater Pest Control Inc. We have professionals who will help target specific insects and eliminate the threat of the disease-carrying insects.

Bat Removal and Prevention 101

Mon, 09 Mar 2020 20:46:02 GMT

Bats can be cute when you see them in nature, but inside your home, they are more than just a nuisance. Bats can carry deadly diseases, like rabies, which means that if you have a bat, you need to take steps immediately to solve the problem.

Removal Options

Removal is best left to a professional due to the risks involved.

Single Bat

A single bat may get into the house through an open window or the chimney. The good news is that this usually is a one-time event and you don't have an infestation. The best course of action is to remove pets and people from the room with the bat, open all of the windows in the room, and then close off the room so the bat can't get into the rest of the house. With luck, the bat will find a window and leave.

If you must handle the bat, wear gloves and do not touch the bat directly. The safest option is to call in a pest service if the bat doesn't leave on its own.

Roosting Colony

Sometimes your home provides the perfect place for daytime roosting. Little-used attics are most at risk, but bats may also colonize crawlspaces, spaces in your walls, or outbuildings. You should not try to remove an entire colony of bats on your own. A pest professional that is aware of local and federal wildlife laws should be called in to trap and remove the bats.

Prevention Tactics

Once you are free of the bats, your next step is to ensure that they cannot return.

Exclusion

If a bat can't get into your home, you can't have a bat problem — which is why exclusion is your main goal. Your pest service will inspect your home and find the likely entry points that the bats are using. You can also watch your home during the twilight hours to find where the bats are emerging.

Once you know the likely entry points and have had all bats removed from the house, you can seal up the openings so the bats can't regain access to your home.

Alternative Dwellings

If you live in an area with a high bat population or would simply like to keep these beneficial insect-eaters nearby, then providing alternative dwelling options can be just the ticket for diverting bats away from your home. You can buy or build simple bat boxes. These boxes are typically attached to trees or poles to provide a more attractive roosting space for the bats.

Cleanup Safety

Bats are not clean animals. If a bat has been roosting in your home, then you will have droppings (called guano) and urine to deal with.

Guano Sanitation

Bat guano can carry histoplasmosis, a fungal spore that can cause a chronic respiratory disease. If you must try to clean up on your own, you need to cover all of your skin, wear gloves and eye protection, and use a respirator mask. All debris must be cleaned up and all surfaces must be sanitized with a bleach solution.

Professionals will also use a HEPA vacuum, which has a strong filter that ensures none of the possible fungal pathogens remain in the air.

Dead Bat Removal

Extreme caution is necessary if there are dead bats in your home. Conditions like rabies can still be transmitted from dead animals. Wear gloves and do not touch the bat directly if you attempt to remove it yourself. The area where the bat was found must also be completely sanitized with a bleach solution.

For more assistance with a bat in the home, contact Anteater Pest Control, Inc.

Why the Ticks in Your Yard Are Bad News

Thu, 06 Feb 2020 21:17:55 GMT

You may have known that ticks can cause Lyme disease, but did you know that they can carry a host of other diseases as well? Since 2017, the CDC has reported that several tick-borne diseases are on the rise, not just Lyme disease.

If you know that you have ticks in your yard, then you, your family, and any pets are at risk for picking up these infections. Furthermore, because some ticks are only the size of poppy seeds, you may not even notice if one's on you and you've been bit.

Educate yourself on the signs of tick-borne diseases and on how to keep these pests out of your yard.

What Infections Can Ticks Cause Besides Lyme Disease?

Unfortunately, tick-borne diseases can imitate a lot of other illnesses, like the flu. If you are bitten by a tick and pick up a disease, you may develop chills, headaches, nausea, fatigue, and muscle aches. Here are three infections that can exhibit these symptoms that you should be aware of.

Babesiosis

While the early symptoms of babesiosis may imitate a flu bug, this infection can become life threatening. Babesiosis is a malaria-like disease that can infect the red blood cells in your body. If this infection isn't treated, you could develop what's known as hemolytic anemia, where red blood cells die sooner than the body can reproduce new ones.

Signs of babesiosis include:

Headache
No appetite
Chills
Fever
Body aches
Fatique

Symptoms can be worse for people with poor immune systems or people that no longer have spleens. To treat babesiosis, your doctor can prescribe a medication like azithromycin, which can treat a wide variety of bacterial infections.

Bartonellosis

There are many strains of bartonella, like bartonella henselae (cat scratch disease), but this infection may be treated by antibiotics like doxycycline. If you are infected by bartonellosis, you may experience symptoms like:

Swollen glands in the neck and arms
Rashes that resemble stretch marks
Memory loss
Numbness in the extremities
Balance problems
Headaches
Tremors

While doxycycline is sometimes effective, you may also need several antibiotics in combination to completely eradicate the disease.

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF)

RMSF is another bacterial infection that can be spread by a tick bite. If you get this illness, you could develop a sudden high fever, abdominal pain, and muscle aches.

In the U.S., RMSF is considered to be the most serious tick-borne illness because if it is not treated with antibiotics right away, then it can cause serious damage to internal organs, leading to heart and lung inflammation, meningitis, and kidney failure.

In short, Lyme disease isn't the only problem with ticks. These are just a few of the other co-infections you can develop if you are bitten by a tick.

How Can You Get Rid of Ticks in Your Yard?

To avoid potential illnesses, you'll want to do everything you can to prevent ticks from staying in your yard. Ticks like to hide in debris and tall grass, so it's important to mow your lawn and clean up leaf litter.

If you have any wooded areas around your house, use gravel or wood chips to create a border between the forested areas and your yard so that ticks don't migrate as easily.

You may even want to construct a fence around your yard to discourage animals, like deer and raccoons, from coming through your yard. Other animals tend to carry ticks, so if they walk through your yard, the ticks can be deposited in the grass.

Also, check your family members and pets for ticks when they come in from the yard. Even if you don't remember being bitten by a tick, you should visit a doctor if you have any symptoms of the previously mentioned tick-borne illnesses.

Lastly, contact us at Anteater Pest Control for more information. We can spray your yard to kill ticks and to prevent more of them from coming.

Could Raccoons, Skunks, or Opossums Be Riding Out Winter in Your House?

Thu, 09 Jan 2020 03:53:09 GMT

Whether you live in the city, suburbs or in the country, you have likely seen raccoons, skunks, and opossums — or at least evidence of these primarily nocturnal animals. Unlike many critters, raccoons, skunks, and opossums do not hibernate in winter, often giving property owners a fright if they come across one midwinter. Here is what you should know about these troublesome animals.

What Do Raccoons, Skunks, and Opossums Eat?

All three creatures are omnivores. This means they eat a varied diet of both plant and animal matter. Fruits, nuts, berries, garden vegetables, worms, insects, eggs, and even small birds and rodents are all on the menu. These natural food sources are harder to find in winter, which means they must be innovative in their search for food.

While people often give raccoons the trash bandit moniker, every member of the trio are happy to scrounge through your garbage cans looking for something good to eat. They will also greedily consume pet food and raid your birdseed stores.

Can Raccoon, Skunks, and Opossums Damage Your Home?

Because raccoons, skunks, and opossums do not hibernate, in addition to food, they are always on the lookout for somewhere warm to pass Michigan's long, cold winters. Raccoons will choose a tree hollow or old barn for shelter but if they see the opportunity to bunk with you in your garage or toasty attic, they'll naturally choose that instead.

Opossums normally live in burrows or dens that they line with paper, leaves, and other bedding material to help keep them warm. Like raccoons, they prefer to stay with you if they are able. Opossums do not have a thick coat of fur for added protection against the cold, and their hairless ears and tail makes them prone to frostbite. Raccoons and opossums are adept climbers. They can easily scale your home's exterior or simply climb a tree and make the easy transition over to your roof. Once there, raccoons and opossums will use their nails and teeth to claw and chew their way into your attic. Your attic and its cozy insulation are much preferred over one of their drafty dens.

Skunks are not as skilled at climbing as raccoons and opossums are. However, they are excellent diggers. In addition to causing damage to your yard and garden, they can cause extensive damage to your home when they excavate burrows under or near your home's foundation, porch, or deck. They can also use their sharp nails and teeth to chew through your wood siding and burrow into the wall exterior.

Can Raccoons, Skunks, and Opossums Affect Your Health?

Regardless of how a raccoon, skunk, or opossum find their way into your home, you can be certain they will cause damage doing it. But these critters can also threaten your personal well-being.

If these animals decide your home is a more suitable den, they will make daily deposits of bacteria-laden urine and feces. They will also leave behind food waste and hoards. If the animal dies while shacking up with you, the decomposition smell will be horrific. In addition to these unpleasantries, encountering a wild animal in your home can be dangerous. Raccoons are known to carry rabies and can become quite aggressive. Skunks are generally peaceable animals, but if a skunk feels threatened, it will spray, leaving its signature malodorous scent behind.

The spray can cause sickness and even blindness if it gets in your eyes. Skunks can also carry rabies. Opossums are particularly vicious when cornered, especially if they are carrying their young. And while they aren't usually rabies carriers, they can spread many other diseases.

If you notice your garbage cans are knocked over, birdseed and kibble stored in the garage appears to be rummaged through, you observe roof or siding damage, or you hear noises coming from your attic or in the wall, you may have a raccoon, skunk, or opossum problem. Contact Anteater Pest Control Inc. right away. We will come and do a thorough, free inspection and come up with a plan for removing the problem animal.

How to Reduce the Risk of Pests Before and After Storms

Wed, 04 Dec 2019 05:05:25 GMT

Storms don't just pose a flood risk. Wind and water damage can result in pest problems too. If your home isn't ready for severe weather, take a look at how you can protect it from insect invaders before, after, and during a storm.

Remove Water Collection Points

Leaf-clogged gutters, leftover plant pots, children's toys, and other outdoor items can provide the perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes and other insects. Mosquitoes need water to breed. After they lay their eggs, the larvae typically hatch within 48 hours .

Remove debris from gutters and place any item that could catch or contain water indoors (or in an outdoor shed) before the storm. These simple steps can dramatically reduce the number of potential breeding ground areas. If you forget to clear leaf debris or put your planter pots inside, immediately remove any standing water after the storm or rain.

While mosquitoes are more active in the summer, females can still lay eggs during the cooler months. According to Pest World, females may lay their last batch of eggs for the season when temperatures dip below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The eggs can stay in a stage of suspended development over the winter months and hatch in the spring.

Keep in mind, even though mosquitoes are a primary concern when it comes to standing water, they aren't the only pests to watch out for. Other insects and rodents are attracted to water as a form of hydration. The removal of all water sources can decrease the risk of a potential pest problem.

Inspect for Water Entry Points

Can water get into your home? Damage to the exterior can allow moisture and stormwater to find its way into the interior. Along with damage to your home, such as wood rot or mold growth, stormwater can also attract pests.

Moist wood flooring, framing, or exterior parts of the walls make easy (and inviting) entry points for pests such as termites and carpenter ants. Fill holes and cracks in your home's exterior, make sure the ground is properly graded, and install exterior or interior drainage as needed. A pre-storm inspection and repair can stop a pest problem before it starts.

Throw Food Away

Did a recent storm cause a prolonged power outage? Spoiled food from a power outage can attract insects and other pests into your home. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends removing food from the refrigerator and placing it in a cooler after four hours during a power outage. If you don't have a cooler of the food spoils, don't leave it in your home.

A garbage can filled with food debris will invite unwelcome invaders, such as flies, cockroaches, ants, mice, and other critters. If you have to throw out food after a storm, seal it in thick plastic bags and bring the bags outside. Place the bags in outdoor cans with sealable lids to further reduce the risks of a potential insect invasion.

Inspect for Damage After the Storm

Power outages aren't the only issues that can lead to a potential pest invasion. Wind or hail damage to windows, doors, and other parts of your home's exterior can provide another entry point for insects and rodents.

After the storm is over, carefully inspect the exterior of your home. What may seem like a small crack in a window or a hole in a door can turn into a major problem if you don't repair it quickly. The problem can grow and add to the risk of a potential pest problem.

Do you have a pest problem in your home? Contact Anteater Pest Control Inc. for more information.

How to Protect Your Residential Gardens From Rodents

Wed, 09 Oct 2019 22:06:01 GMT

Your home and residential gardens are precious possessions. To take full advantage of the garden possibilities of your property, research the flora and foliage that thrive in your location and plant them in a garden. These plants will enhance the look of your property and attract attention from neighbors and visitors.

You can also plant vegetables and fruits that are beautiful to see, delicious to eat, and unavailable in stores and farmers markets. However, these flowers and vegetable plants will also attract the attention of local wildlife. Rodents such as mice and rats will see and smell the plants in your gardens and come to your property.

To protect your home and garden from local rodents, you must be vigilant and get rid of them as soon as you see evidence of their presence. Here are some things you can do to protect your home and residential gardens from invasive rodents.

Trim and Prune Ornamentals Often

When you plant ornamentals in your yard, keep them maintained and trimmed often. Do not let the leaves, flowers, and branches of your ornamentals touch the ground. This will keep rodents from hiding in them to eat their leaves, berries, and buds.

Build Raised Garden Planters

To protect small flowers and foliage, plant them in raised garden planter boxes with good drainage. This will protect these small plants and allow them to grow and flourish.

The planter boxes will also keep rodents from eating the small plants as they like to remain hidden and will hesitate to jump onto the boxes.

Fence Your Vegetable Garden

To protect your vegetable garden from rodents, surround it with a fence. Use upright wood pilings to hold the fencing material in place.

When you install the fence, imbed at least five inches of it into the soil to prevent rodents from going under the fence to reach the garden.

Harvest Your Gardens Often

Harvest the vegetables and fruits in your garden as soon as they are ripe. Pick up any fallen vegetables and fruits and rake fallen leaves from the base of the plants each day.

This will eliminate the smell of ripe fruits and vegetables in your gardens and deter rodents from the area.

Grow Peppermint Plants

Grow peppermint plants throughout your property. Rodents do not like the smell of peppermint as it is a potent menthol that irritates their nasal cavities.

To be most effective, grow the peppermint plants around the property line to keep rodents from entering. If you cannot grow peppermint plants in your location, make a peppermint oil spray to sprinkle on your property border.

To make a peppermint oil spray, mix two teaspoons of the peppermint oil with one cup of water and then add a few drops of dish detergent. Spray this mixture wherever you see rodents in your garden.

Get a Cat

Cats are effective hunters and are great at chasing and catching rodents. As a deterrent to mice and rats in your gardens, get a cat and allow it to have full access to your property.

To keep your cat safe and secure, build a wooden fence around your property that is at least five feet tall. At the top of this fence install flexible netting that is angled 45 degrees into your property. This will prevent your cat from escaping.

Despite all of your efforts, you may be still be plagued with mice and rats if they are plentiful in your location. To successfully rid your residential property of invasive rodents, contact Anteater Pest Control, Inc. Our technicians will remove rodents and insects from your property on an ongoing schedule appropriate for your gardens and continue to eliminate them throughout the year.

What to Know About Fleas

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Fri, 02 Aug 2019 03:52:06 GMT

If you have pets, you probably have seen a flea or two crawling on them. Fleas are common parasites that attack mammals, especially cats and dogs. When fleas bite your pet or you, it can result in itching, but some fleas can cause more problems, such as spreading disease. If you would like to know more about fleas and how they can affect you, your pet, and your health, keep reading.

They Can Spread Disease

Fleas can spread disease, infection, and parasites to your pet and you. Your pet may suffer from tapeworms, heartworms, and other types of internal parasites due to fleabites. Some pets suffer from flea allergy dermatitis, which results in itchy skin. Pets may also develop hemotropic mycoplasmosis, which breaks down red blood cells and can lead to anemia.

If these fleas carry disease, and they get on you, they can infect you, too. You can also get tapeworms if you ingest an affected flea. Cats may also carry murine typhus from fleas, which can be passed to humans. Other diseases that humans can catch from fleas (or animals infected by fleas) include cat scratch disease.

Flea Medication Doesn't Always Work

Oral and topical flea medications (as well as collars) are sold at pet stores everywhere to help fight flea infestations. Unfortunately, some medications are less effective than others. This happens when too many people start buying the same solution. The fleas become immune. For this reason, it's better to buy the newer flea-killing products.

Even if you get a great flea medicine, however, it may not kill the fleas at every stage of their life cycle. Fleas start as eggs and go through a larva and pupa phase before becoming adult fleas. A lot of flea medicine only kills the adult fleas. As long as you keep up on the medication, however, you should be able to keep killing the adult fleas as they are produced.

They Aren't Just on Your Pet

If you always keep your pet flea-free, you probably don't have many fleas hiding in your home. However, if your pet has recently had an infestation of fleas, treating them isn't the only step. Fleas can survive in other locations. In fact, you may have fleas, eggs, or pupas hiding in your carpet or bedding.

Fleas can survive up to two weeks without eating, and they can alter their life cycle to stay in their cocoon for up to a year while they wait for good meals to start coming along again.

Fleas Jump Onto You

Even if you don't have pets, you can bring fleas into your home because they hitch a ride on you. Fleas are usually found on animals but they will eat any mammal's blood, including human. Therefore, a flea may not wait for a pet to come along; they may jump right onto you as you pass through the tall grass in your yard.

Fleas can actually jump 150 times their body length, so you may not even notice them before they jump onto you and hide in your clothes. Once inside your home, they can feed and start laying eggs, and a female flea can lay up to 50 eggs every day. If you are worried about fleas jumping on you, stay away from brush and long grass, which often hide fleas.

Fleas are a common pest, especially if you have pets. They can live a long time without eating, and they can alter their life cycle to better suit their environment. If you would like more information about fleas and other pests, or if you already have an infestation, contact us at Anteater Pest Control, Inc., today

Mosquitoes, Fleas, and Ticks: How to Avoid These Parasites

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Wed, 17 Jul 2019 22:13:47 GMT

Summer brings warmth, barbecues, and days at the beach. It can also lead to evenings spent with itchy mosquito bites and combing through pets for ticks and fleas. One of the few downsides of summer is the return of these pests. The health risks and the misery of biting insects can leave people wishing for fall, but there are ways to reduce these annoyances.

Protect Your Pets

Many insects in the home arrive as hitchhikers on dogs and cats. Vet-approved preventatives work well to keep fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes away from animals. The topical or oral medications make the animals more comfortable and protect them from conditions like skin reactions, Lyme disease, and heartworms.

Many veterinarians recommended pet owners use the products all year. Ticks and mosquitoes may only appear during the warmest months, but fleas cause problems in any season. The number of fleas in a home can dwindle during the summer while a pet stays on preventatives but may not disappear entirely.

Fleas can survive up to three months without a blood meal. The female flea only needs to feed once off a pet to begin reproducing. Once the preventative on a pet wears off, any existing fleas that survived in the carpet or pet beds will start to bite again. An infestation could begin before the homeowner realizes the pests are in the house.

Protect Your Skin

Heavily scented products on the skin, hair, and clothing may attract mosquitoes, so avoid their use before attending outside events. Apply insect repellant as needed when outdoors; you should consider Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved formulas.

In addition, wear long pants and long sleeves in areas with high tick populations. Stay in the center of walking trails, and wear light-colored clothing for outside trips to make it easier to spot any ticks. Hats and long socks can make it more challenging for ticks to reach the skin. Remember to always inspect pets and people thoroughly after a day spent outside.

Permethrin-treated clothing can help to repel some mosquitoes and ticks. Some clothes come pre-treated, but products also exist for people to treat their own clothing, shoes, and camping gear at home. Never put the product on the skin and only spray clothing before wearing. Keep in mind, permethrin can cause hormonal disruptions if inhaled during use or if absorbed through the skin.

Protect Your Home

Fleas do not only come into homes on pets, but they can also arrive on the bodies of rodents as well. Close gaps that allow rodents into homes and remove debris in yards so they will not have a place to hide. Rodents often stop by because of the availability of food or water, so fix leaky hoses and put all pet and human food in sealed containers.

Reduce mosquito problems by removing any standing water around the yard. Consider placing fans around the yard during gatherings to deter some mosquitoes with the breeze. Burning bundles of sage in a firepit or other herbs like lavender or mint may also help. In addition, keep window and door screens repaired.

Long grass, leaf piles, and brush attract ticks so keep lawns clipped and raked around the home. Do not place play areas, swings, or picnic tables near tall grass or brush. You can discourage ticks from entering yards that border forested areas or fields with a stone or wood chip barrier. Use the same types of barriers between the grass and play spaces too.

The increase in diseases caused by fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes has alerted many Americans to the need to control the pests around their home. Sometimes the population of the insects is too massive to handle alone. At Anteater Pest Control Inc. , we can help to make your yard safer and more enjoyable. Contact us to learn more about our services or to schedule a home visit.

Pest Problems and the Overgrown Yard

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Tue, 18 Jun 2019 08:21:20 GMT

The weather is warm, the sun is shining, and your garden is growing — sometimes too much. An overgrown area is an open invitation to pests. If your recent move is into a home with an uncared-for yard, take a look at how the tall grass, plants, and shrubs can increase the risks of mosquito, flea, or tick invasion.

Standing Water

Some pests, such as mosquitoes, require water to breed. While you might not have a wading pool, fountain, or pond, your yard might still have areas of standing water. An overgrown garden or grassy area with bare spots can lead to a muddy mess after a rainstorm. The resulting wet area can promote pooling — and mosquito breeding.

To prevent puddles and ponding, fill in bare lawn areas with grass seed or sod. If the ponding is in a flower or vegetable garden, level the ground and add properly spaced plants. Depending on the issue, you may need to re-grade the yard or install a French drain.

Along with puddles in your yard, planter pots, buckets, and other similar containers that the previous owners or renters left behind are ideal options for pest breeding sites. Remove these water-collectors or fill them with plants to prevent a pest breeding problem.

Plant Debris

Did the previous owners or renters cut down large areas of brush or leave weeded plants to pile up? If so, the built-up debris can cause multiple problems. A heavy layer of thatch (built-up plant or leaf debris) can not only prevent proper lawn draining but also provide the perfect living environment for pests such as ticks.

Ticks favor wooded areas, looking for secure places to hide. A layer of leaves or other decaying plants can harbor a potentially dangerous tick situation. Unlike pests that only annoy or irritate homeowners, ticks can transmit diseases such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease, and tularemia.

De-thatch your yard carefully. Before beginning the cleanup process, cover all exposed body parts by wearing long, thick pants, a long-sleeved shirt, socks, thick boots, and gloves. While covering up can reduce the risk of a tick bite, carefully inspect the area for the pests prior to starting your gardening project. Always do a full skin check after working outside in your yard.

If you do spot ticks in your yard, contact a pest professional to eliminate the problem. Never attempt to remove the ticks yourself. A pest control expert has the know-how and equipment to handle the situation completely and correctly.

Wood Piles

Piles of chopped wood may harbor insect and rodent invaders. Wood that's left outdoors for extended periods of time is subject to moisture and rot. The damp, soft wood is an ideal environment for carpenter ants, termites, and some types of beetles. It may also harbor mice or rats (and the fleas they carry).

The only way to remove the pests in this situation is to remove the wood from your property. Again, if you see an obvious infestation, call a pest control service for help before attempting to remedy the issue yourself. If you don't see clear signs of pests, carefully proceed while wearing protective clothing and heavy-duty gloves.

Before adding the wood to your refuse pile, ask your local waste management office or agency what the proper disposal method is in your community.

Wooden Sheds

An old, worn, or rotting shed is another perfect pest playground. Carpenter ants, termites, rodents, ticks, and other pests may live in or around the area. An exterminator can evaluate the shed and recommend a pest treatment plan.

Do you need help removing pests from your yard? Contact Anteater Pest Control, Inc. , for more information.

Carpenter Ants: Home Invaders

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Mon, 20 May 2019 16:22:54 GMT

Ants are invasive. They not only enter your home uninvited, but they also want to eat your food and make a mess of your lovely home. Carpenter ants can be quite a problem, and you certainly should not have to deal with them on your own.

But while carpenter ants are a nuisance, how do you even begin to determine if the ants you see actually cause damage to your home? And what do you do if they are? This guide will help you figure it all out.

How Can You Identify Carpenter Ants?

Carpenter ants are typically black, often with a slight hue of another color (like red). These ants have six legs and segmented, oval-type bodies. Some of the ants have wings, especially after the colony has had time to create offspring.

Many people realize they have ants when they see them in the kitchen. After all, ants like to eat many of the same foods humans do. You might find them on your counters or in your pantry, feasting on tasty food you were saving for yourself.

Confuse carpenter ants with other types of ants can be easy to do, so you may have to look for the tunnels to make a full diagnosis of the problem. If people only see the chomped wood and not the ants themselves, these pests could also be confused for termites.

If you do not see tunnels or ants, look for wood shavings. The ants will chew up the wood and then spit it out, leaving behind a lot of evidence of their occupation.

What Damage Do Carpenter Ants Cause?

Quite a bit. These ants will chew tunnels through wood in order to construct nests right inside the structure of your home. Tens of thousands of ants can enter your home at once, leading to many different tunnels.

However, a common misconception is that carpenter ants eat wood. Actually, they typically gnaw on wood just to make a safe place for a nest. Inside the nest is typically a queen ant preparing to create more ants to infest your home.

What Can You Do About Carpenter Ants?

Fortunately, you do not have to live with carpenter ants. By taking a few quick steps, you can eliminate these pests from your home — hopefully for good.

One of the first things you might consider doing is addressing excess moisture in your home. Ants love moist wood, and the presence of these ants could reveal that your house has moisture issues. You may need to make some repairs to keep the ants away for good.

Ants also love water. If you have a lot of standing water around your house, now is a good time to get rid of it. Ants may take the water as an invitation to join your household.

Then, look outside at any potential bridges ants may use to make their way inside. Carpenter ants will use anything to get inside, from garden hoses to tree branches. Look carefully to ensure you do not stack anything near the home that could provide an open invitation.

Finally, you can call a pest control company. Pest control services deal with carpenter ants every day. They can find the weak entry points and prevent ants from coming back.

Anteater Pest Control Inc. offers pest control services in your area. When you feel like pests have taken over, call us. We will fight back against insects and other pests taking over your domicile.

We are ready to handle your pests. Also, we are happy to answer your questions and concerns about pests in and around your home.

Pest Issues in New Homes

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Wed, 02 Jan 2019 01:11:51 GMT

If you have just had your home built or you have purchased a new construction home in Michigan, then watch for pesky intruders. Pests have been on the land before the home was built, and once the home is in place, those pests try their hardest to maintain their residency on that land — and even try to get more comfortable by accessing your home.

The information below will introduce you to some of the pests you may find yourself dealing with when you first move into that new home and provide you with tips on getting rid of those pests.

Types of Pests Common With Newly Constructed Homes

Homeowners should watch out for the following types of pests in their new home.

Bark Centipedes

Bark Centipedes prefer to live in areas full of trees, where they will look for meals in the bark of those trees. Before your home was constructed, they were likely in the trees on the property. When the trees were cleared out, some Bark Centipedes were left behind and need a new source of shelter.

European Earwigs

European earwigs are commonly referred to by many people as "pincher bugs". This nickname is due to the pincher looking apparatuses on their hindquarters. Although this insects name suggests otherwise, plenty of them can be found all over the United States.

These pests prefer to spend their days hiding under rocks and logs in groups. However, when those hiding places are taken from them during new home construction, they have no problem traveling into your new home.

Silverfish

Silverfish like dark, moist, and humid places. New homes that have yet to be moved in offer plenty of dark corners. Once you move in the home, you may find the silverfish trying to get near the drier or in the basement. Silverfish also like fabrics and papers, so you may find them in linen closets or bookshelves.

Spiders

Spiders will start coming in the home as soon as you do. You will provide flies, ants, and other pests with food sources and the spiders will come after those pests. Some spiders will be easier to see because they like the light, such as garden spiders.

Other types of spiders will remain hidden in dark areas, such as black widows and brown recluses.

Ants

Ants will take advantage of the opportunities your new home offers them. The presences of the home means easier access to water, crumbs, and more comfortable temperatures.

Scorpions

Scorpions tend to hide in dark holes, under rocks, in bushes and in plenty of other places on quiet pieces of land. Many scorpions are also nocturnal, so they come out more at night.

Once you put a house in, the scorpions will come inside. These pests are not only frightening, they pose painful health risks should they sting someone in the household.

Preventing Pests From Coming in Your New Home

Once you are ready to move into your new home, you should have the entire vacant home and the property around the home professionally sprayed. It is best to have the property sprayed before your items have been moved in, so the spray gets better coverage.

Once you have moved in, create a good pest control schedule, which will include having the property sprayed more often when it rains or is very cold or hot, since these conditions will cause the spray to become more ineffective.

Contact us and we will come out to help you get rid of the pests around your newly constructed home. We can set you up with a schedule that works for you year-round.

5 Home Maintenance Issues That May Attract Pests

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Tue, 04 Dec 2018 01:16:38 GMT

Home Maintenance — Clogged Gutters in Waterford, MI

Crumbs on the counter, garbage left uncovered, rotting wood left outside - these are all conditions known to attract pests. But did you know that seemingly small home maintenance issues can make your home more attractive to pests, too?

Your home does not have to have a caved-in roof or missing siding to be appealing to ants, roaches, and other pests. The following are some small, yet common home maintenance issues that perpetuate pest problems.

1. Clogged Gutters

Clogged gutters are especially common in the fall after leaves have fallen from the trees; this is also the time when many pests begin looking for refuge from the cold.

Clogged gutters themselves can become a breeding grounds for pests like ants and cockroaches - then the pests don't have to travel very far to get inside of your home. Clogged gutters also allow water to seep down the side of your home, moistening the foundation and landscaping to make it more appealing to various insects.

Remember to clean out your gutters every fall to avoid pest invasions as the weather grows cold. If your gutters clog easily, consider trimming back any trees near your home to reduce the amount of leaves that end up in the gutters.

2. Unkempt Landscaping

When life gets busy, you may understandably neglect your landscaping. Fallen leaves pile up against your foundation, bushes become overgrown, and weeds may pop up against fences. Brush and weeds provide the perfect shelter for ticks, and pests like centipedes and ants take up residence in leaf piles.

You may also notice an increased number of spiders as your landscaping falls into disarray; spiders eat the other bugs found in the leaves and debris.

If you have trouble keeping up with your landscaping, consider hiring a service to come in, perhaps just a few times per year, to tidy things up. Also think about replacing higher-maintenance shrubs and bushes with ones that require less pruning. Invest in a leaf blower to make leaf cleanup easier than with just a rake.

3. Roof Leaks

You may not notice a tiny roof leak until it grows larger, but insects like carpenter and cockroaches will take notice of the increased amount of moisture in your attic.

Remember to open up your attic every few months to check for leaks, and call a roofing company immediately if you suspect a leak. Always look over your roof after every big storm to ensure leaks are caught and repaired before pests find the moisture.

4. Leaky Plumbing

Leaky plumbing is another common source of moisture that attracts pests. You may not think much of a drippy faucet, for example, but it releases enough water to satisfy the needs of bugs like cockroaches and earwigs.

Make sure you check sinks in spare bathrooms, basements, and other areas where you do not spend as much time. Also look around the base of your toilets for evidence of leaks that may require repair.

5. Cracked Foundations

Small cracks in the foundation may not be a structural threat to your home, but they provide the perfect pathway for cockroaches, earwigs, silverfish, and other pests to enter your basement or crawlspace. You can seal small cracks with water-resistant caulk. If your foundation has a lot of small cracks, you may want to have it sealed and encapsulated by a foundation waterproofing company.

None of these home maintenance issues initially seem serious. But when you take into account the fact that they attract insects to your home, they obviously need to be dealt with. If you are struggling with pests due to any of these home maintenance problems, contact Anteater Pest Control, Inc. Our experienced exterminators can get rid of ants, spiders, roaches, and more.

5 Bugs to Watch Out for After a Roof Leak

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Sat, 06 Oct 2018 01:21:53 GMT

After you discover your roof has leaked, you may be worried about mold growth and water damage to your structures. However, a third problem exists that you should be aware of: insect infestation. Many common indoor pests are particularly attracted to moist areas, and they're likely to appear after your attic and upper floors have seen water leakage.

The following are five insects you may see after a roof leak.

1. House Centipedes

House centipedes are long, slender insects with many legs. They prefer warm, dark, humid places, and although they often invade basements, they may appear in your attic or upper floors after a roof leak leaves these areas moist and humid. House centipedes are usually yellow-gray in color with some darker stripes across their bodies.

Although house centipedes can bite, they rarely do — and their bites only cause itchy, red bumps similar to a mosquito bite. To fend off these insects following a roof leak, try setting up a dehumidifier in the moist area. Make sure no other insects infest the area, as house centipedes tend to show up when other bugs are present for them to feed on.

2. Cockroaches

Cockroaches are attracted to any space that is warm and moist. They are not picky with food, and they'll dine on paper and old boxes that you have in your attic. Once the roaches find their way into your moist attic space, they may begin to wreak havoc throughout your home, moving into cupboards and bathrooms.

A cockroach infestation can be tough to treat. Even after you repair the roof and dry out the moist area, they will probably not go away on their own. Hire an exterminator to get rid of them sooner rather than later; they reproduce very quickly and are a real nuisance since they contaminate food and give off a musty odor.

3. Earwigs

If you've seen scary-looking bugs with big pincers on their tail ends, these are earwigs. They like moist, warm environments like leaky attics. Once the bugs find the moist attic space, they stay and start reproducing.

Earwigs are not overly dangerous, and they tend to dissipate on their own once you address the moisture issue. Make sure that you not only fix the roof leak but also address any cracks in the siding, window frames, vents, and so forth —this could be how the bugs entered the home in the first place.

4. Silverfish

Another scary-looking bug is the silverfish, which people know for its silvery color. These pests are shaped like teardrops with long antennae. They are a very common invader of moist, dark attic spaces, and they can cause a lot of damage since they feed on cardboard, wallpaper, and anything else that contains cellulose.

Silverfish can be hard to get rid of, even after you've repaired your roof. To help fight the infestation, run a dehumidifier, seal any cracks or crevices, and move potential food sources — including all papers and cardboard — out of the moist attic area. If the bugs do not disappear within a week or two, call a professional.

5. Carpenter Ants

Carpenter ants are big black or red ants that measure about 1/4–1/2 inch in length. They may move into your attic area if the leak caused some of the wood to rot or deteriorate.

These ants are more than just a nuisance. They build nests in decaying wood, weakening the structure. To remove the ants, a professional pest control company will track the ants, locate the nest, and destroy it. Do not ignore a suspected carpenter ant infestation. The ants will not move out on their own, even once moisture from the leak has dried up.

Getting your roof leak fixed is just the beginning. In the weeks that follow, watch out for these moisture-loving pests, and contact Anteater Pest Control Inc. if you come across any pests.

Dealing With Spiders in Your Home? | Anteater Pest Control, Inc.

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Thu, 06 Sep 2018 01:46:42 GMT

Spiders are a common problem in homes, especially in autumn. As the summer ends and fall begins, many homeowners start to see more spiders inside their house. Getting rid of spiders can be a challenge. These tips will help you keep your home free of spiders throughout the autumn and the rest of the year.

Clean Your Home Inside and Out

Clear out all old and new spiderwebs from your home. Spiderwebs can often be found in dark corners, abandoned basements, doorways, closets and in any untraveled part of the house.

While you're clearing out the home's interior, take the time to remove clutter from the outside of the house as well. Organic debris like piles of leaves, sticks, and dead piles of grass can attract insects, which in turn can attract spiders. By keeping up with yard and home maintenance, you can get rid of spiders gradually over time.

Seal Cracks

Cracks in your home allow bugs and spiders to enter. You might find cracks all around the house, from the narrow crack beneath doors to cracks in your foundation. Sealing cracks is done in many ways, depending on the type and size.

To seal natural cracks under doors and around windows, use weather stripping. Weather stripping is designed to plug up the house to prevent cool or warm air from entering the home.

Sealing cracks in the siding or foundation may require special caulk. Talk to a contractor to get cracks in your home properly sealed.

While you're looking for cracks, check the outside of the house for any vent openings where spiders can enter. Cover the openings with mesh wire that is small enough to keep spiders out.

Sprinkle Boric Acid Around Your Home

Boric acid is a powder that is nontoxic to humans but toxic to insects and spiders. Sprinkle boric acid around the house to help reduce the spider population, especially targeting parts of the house where you often see spiders.

Another solution that can help you get rid of spiders is diatomaceous earth. Sprinkle diatomaceous earth in all the areas of the home where spiders are commonly seen.

Control the Insect Population

Spiders eat insects, so when the insects go away, spiders follow. The best way to prevent spiders from coming to your home is to control the insect population. The best way to do this is to contract with a pest control company. Getting regular treatments from a pest control company can help homeowners to reduce the number of spiders around their house.

Limit Your Outdoor Lighting Options

Spiders like to make their webs around exterior lights for one obvious reason: insects are attracted to lights at night. By turning off the lights, you can reduce the number of bugs outside your home, and that can reduce the number of spiders around your home.

Spray for Spiders

One of the most effective ways to get rid of spiders around the house is to spray for spiders regularly. Many different kinds of spiders will start outside and eventually find their way inside as the population of spiders and insects outside the house grows.

Spraying for spiders outside the house can help reduce the spider population in the yard, which in turn can help keep the population inside the house under control.

Contact Your Pest Control Company

If you're a homeowner who would like to reduce the number of spiders in your home and yard, contact a reputable pest control company. Your pest control company can spray for spiders and insects, which can help keep your home pest-free.

For more information about how you can control the spider population in your home, contact Anteater Pest Control, Inc. We're happy to answer your questions!

How to Spot, Get Rid Of, and Prevent Cockroaches in Your Home

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Wed, 05 Sep 2018 01:56:16 GMT

Cockroaches are disgusting bugs that can reproduce and multiply quickly, invading your home and your food and leaving your home uninhabitable if you don't take care of the problem. Cockroaches may not harm you — in that they do not sting and are not poisonous — but they can carry disease and their odor and feces may aggravate those that suffer from allergies or asthma.

Many people may have cockroaches in their homes and not even know they have them until their home is completely infested. Know how to spot cockroaches, get rid of them, and prevent them from coming into your home with the tips below.

How to Spot Cockroaches

Cockroaches look similar to beetles and are brown or reddish brown. They can be anywhere from a 1/2 inch to 2 inches long, depending on the type of cockroach.

Cockroaches are nocturnal, so unless you're up at night and spot a live insect when you turn on the light, you most likely will not see them during the day (unless you have a large infestation). Cockroaches come inside looking for food, water, and shelter, and are most likely to be in your kitchen or bathroom.

Look around your kitchen and bathroom beneath the sink, behind the stove or refrigerator, and in cupboards or pantries for egg casings, feces (which look like coffee grounds), or even skin casings (from shedding their skin). Use a flashlight when looking.

Also, look behind couches and other dark areas in your home such as basements or crawl spaces.

How to Get Rid of Cockroaches

If you've spotted live insects, casings, or feces, get rid of any roaches you have in your home. You can set traps around your home using borax and a sugar substance such as granulated sugar or even jelly in a small container. Set these traps, which will attract the cockroaches to it. When they eat the substance, it will kill them.

Other things you can do includes spraying a pesticide around the walls of your home or using a bug bomb to kill these and other insects in your home.

However, especially with large infestations, leave most pest control problems to the experts. They have the equipment, experience, and resources to provide effective, long-lasting solutions for cockroach control.

How to Prevent Cockroaches

Prevent these pests from getting into your home in the first place, and from ever returning by following these tips:

Clean: Wipe down counters, floors, and all appliances in your home to prevent attracting these and other pests from coming inside. These and other pests will come inside looking for food, so don't give them a free meal. Wipe down hard surfaces with a cleaning agent such as bleach wipes or use soap and water.
Remove garbage: Cockroaches will look for their meal in your garbage, so if you have garbage laying around close to your home, get rid of it immediately. Take all garbage out of your home and don't allow it to build up. The garbage outside of your home should be in sealed bags and in a trash container with a lid that shuts tightly to prevent against cockroaches and other pests.
Seal your home: Cockroaches and other pests can get into the tiniest of cracks and crevices. Make sure your home is sealed tightly. Check your window and door weather stripping to ensure it is in good shape. Replace anything damaged. Also, seal cracks in your home's foundation with concrete caulking, and add silicone around pipes and wiring that comes into your home.

Prevent an infestation by performing some preventative maintenance around your home. You can talk to your local pest control company for successful prevention strategies.

If you think you may have a cockroach problem, call Anteater Pest Control for help getting these pests out of your home and prevent them from returning.

Bee Aware: 6 Interesting Facts About Bees

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 02:03:10 GMT

They pollinate flowers, and their stings are painful. Most people know these basics about bees, but how much else do you know about these buzzing insects? Bees are highly complex creatures, and while they play an important role in ecology, they can also be a threat to your home and health. Read on to learn six interesting facts about bees that will help you deal with these insects properly.

1. There Are More Than 25,000 Species of Bees

About 4,000 of these bee species live in the United States. All bee species belong to the superfamily Apoidea. Most of the better-known bees, including honeybees and bumblebees, belong to the family Apidea. Actually, honeybees are not even a single species, but rather a group of 10 similar, related species. Most people who raise honeybees raise a species known as the European honeybee, or Apis Mellifera.

2. Bee Colonies Have Complex Social Structures

A colony is more than a group of bees that share a hive. Each bee has its own role in the colony. The queen produces eggs that later become adult bees. The worker bees build the nest and forage for nectar, which is later transformed into honey. More than 50,000 bees can live in a single, mature honeybee hive, which is one reason why you should always have a hive removed as soon as you discover it.

3. Honey Is the Only Insect-Produced Foodstuff That Humans Eat

Honey is the only food product humans consume that is produced by insects, and it is more than just tasty. It has been found to help heal wounds and soothe coughs.

Because of honey production, humans have a very interesting, complex relationship with bees. Although homeowners do not want bees building nests in their home or on their property, humans do rely on beehives — usually those developed in a captivity-like setting — to produce honey. Because of this, honeybees that build hives in homes can sometimes be relocated to bee farms where their honey can be put to use.

4. Bees Have an Excellent Sense of Smell

Honeybees have 170 odor receptors, and they are more sensitive to odors than are fruit flies or mosquitoes. They use this sense of smell not only to find food but to detect pheromones released by other bees. This ability helps a bee determine which bees are related to them, where a bee sits in the social structure of the hive, and where other bees are located.

Bees' excellent sense of smell is one reason they're able to work together to build such complex hives.

5. Bees' Nests Can Cause Substantial Damage

Most people think of stinging as the main threat posed by bees. However, the structural damage caused by bee nests is just as serious of a problem. Bees may initially enter through a crack and form a small nest inside, but they will keep building the nest until it completely fills the cavity.

As a nest grows larger, it starts causing the walls to bow and warp. Bee waste and honey may also seep through and stain walls. The sooner you notice and get rid of a bees' nest, the less damage you'll need to repair.

6. Bees Die When They Sting

Many people cower and hide when they see a bee, afraid that they might get stung. In reality, a bee is unlikely to come after you and sting you unless you directly threaten it. When a bee stings a human or another mammal, its stinger gets stuck in the animal's skin and breaks off. This kills the bee. Therefore, most bees are not motivated to sting unless they feel they have no other choice. If you see a bee and just ignore it, you should be safe.

Bees are essential for the production of honey, and a bee in the wild poses little threat. However, if you notice a bees' nest on your property, you must take action quickly to prevent damage. Contact Anteater Pest Control Inc. for bee removal services in the Waterford area.

Mosquitoes and Disease: Why You Need Professional Pest Control

websitebuilder@thryv.com — Tue, 19 Jun 2018 02:09:40 GMT

With 200 different species of mosquito in the U.S. alone, controlling the mosquito population is critical. These flying invaders aren't just annoying — they're true safety hazards. Whether you can't stand the sting (and the resulting itchy welt) or you're concerned about something more serious, know why mosquito pest control is important for staying safe and healthy.

If you're not sure whether you need to keep the mosquitos in your yard under control, take a look at the possible consequences of letting the population get out of hand. These include a variety of diseases that are preventable with the proper pest treatment and using preventative methods like wearing bug repellent whenever you are around mosquitos.

Zika Virus

Zika is a mosquito-borne virus that is also spread from mother to child (during pregnancy) and through sex. Zika does not currently have a vaccine, meaning that preventing mosquito bites is the best way to protect yourself.

Unlike the flu or other viral infections, Zika often comes with little or no symptoms. If symptoms are present they typically include fever, headache, rash, joint pain, or muscle pain. The virus rarely causes serious symptoms or makes those who are infected seriously sick.

The main concern with Zika is mother-to-infant transmission. Pregnant women who contract the virus run the risk of passing it to their babies in utero. This can cause microcephaly (a condition in which the baby's head is much smaller than normal), severe brain birth defects, miscarriage, or stillbirth.

Women who are pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant should avoid mosquitos. This makes keeping the winged invaders under control an absolute must-do.

West Nile Virus

Like Zika, mosquitoes also transmit this virus, and West Nile also has no vaccine available. Unlike Zika, West Nile Virus (WNV) can cause serious symptoms to the person who is directly infected. Approximately one out of every five people who get WNV will have a fever, joint pains, body aches, headaches, or a rash, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Even though this virus may make the infected person feel rundown or uncomfortable, the symptoms typically subside within weeks. One out of every 150 people who get WNV will have much more serious symptoms and consequences. These include encephalitis, meningitis, or even death.

Controlling the mosquito population and protecting yourself with preventative bug repellent sprays are the only ways to stay safe and reduce the risk of contracting WNV.

Saint Louis Encephalitis

Contrary to what the name may make you believe, this mosquito-borne virus isn't transmitted only in St. Louis. Saint Louis Encephalitis (or SLEV) is typically found in the eastern and central part of the U.S.

Similar to WNV, some people who contract SLEV have no symptoms. Those who do have SLEV symptoms may have nausea and vomiting along with headache or fever. The virus can sometimes cause a severe neuroinvasive disease, including inflammation of the brain. This type of encephalitis happens more often in older adults and can result in death.

Again, like with WNV, prevention is key. Use bug repellents and control the mosquitos in your yard and home to lower the chances of contracting this potentially dangerous disease.

Pest control professionals can keep your yard and home free from mosquitoes. This reduces the risks and provides peace of mind. A professional pest control contractor can assess the situation and treat your home with the best, most effective solution possible. They can also give you tips on how to keep yourself safe from potential pest problems.

Do you have a mosquito problem in your yard? Contact Anteater Pest Control Inc. for help.