Bug Man Exterminating Blog

Winter is upon us and that means staying cozy and warm inside. Unfortunately, you and your family may not be the only ones snuggling in a blanket by the fireplace this season. As the cold temperatures settle in, mice, rats and other rodents could be coming into your home looking for shelter and food. Obviously, you don’t want to be sharing your home with unwanted guests this winter. Here are three tips to help pest proof your home from rodents . 1. Inspect for Rodent Activity Check your home for any evidence that rodents have been in your home. Things to look for are chewed wires, holes in your walls, underneath sinks, undisturbed areas in the attic and basement and cluttered areas. Mice in particular like to make a home for themselves in quiet, dark areas and will use anything that they can find for their nest. Often times you...

Shoo the flies back outdoors. Knock down the spider webs. Sweep your house clean. And enjoy your pest-free home , right? Not quite. Pests hide. But knowing their favorite spots gives you the ammo to rid your home of these...well, pests. Areas in Your Home Pests Love Cluttered areas of your home attract pests. Neat and tidy spaces deter pests. But they may still try to move in. Drains Moisture and a bit of food, soap or hair makes home-sweet-home for pests. Drain flies love this location. Cockroaches, mice and silverfish enter here as well. Keeping drains clean and clog-free prevents sink entry. Garbage The sweet smell of garbage brings pests a running. Flies, mice and raccoons love open bags of garbage or loosely covered trash bins. To keep them at bay, seal trash cans and remove trash. Closets Moths, mice, spiders and bugs love the dark mystery of closets....

Fall has arrived, and the days are growing shorter and cooler. Some pests become more active during the fall, looking for a warm shelter to escape the chilly days and nights. From a bug’s perspective, your home may be an inviting and cozy place to overwinter. As the autumn season settles in, you may find some unwanted houseguests. Are you wondering which bugs may be invading your home ? Here are some of the most aggressive pests in the fall in southwestern Virginia. Box Elder Bugs An unusual looking pest, box elder bugs have orange or red stripes marking a black body. They are most likely to enter your home during the fall. Sun-loving pests, you may find them in rooms with a lot of sun exposure. They are considered harmless though they can become a nuisance in your living quarters. Cracks and crevices around windows, doors and foundations are...

The bed bug is one of nature’s most effective hitchhikers. Bed bugs get around by hitching a ride on the very people they will soon be feasting upon. They will travel from one child’s backpack to another at school or they could be hanging out on a piece of furniture you bring into your house. Hotels are a notorious hub for bed bug travel. They are brought in by people, take up residence in the rooms, multiply and leave with other people. Vacations are an expensive investment in resting and relaxing. The last thing we want to deal with during our time away from work is a parasitic infestation. How Worried Should I be? Seeing the cleaning crew going around the hotel every morning may provide a false sense of security. Just how common is it for a hotel to have a bed bug problem? According to a recent study...

At some point during your time as a homeowner, you may need to hire an exterminator to take care of a pest problem. If you have never had to hire an exterminator, what should you look for? You need to protect your home and your family. So you want to make sure the exterminator you hire knows what he or she is doing. Is the Company Licensed, Bonded and Insured? When looking for a pest control company, you want to make sure that the company and its exterminators are licensed, bonded and insured. If a company does not have any one of these, keep searching. A company licensed, bonded and insured is not only protecting the company but also your property. If anything should happen from a treatment, the company can cover the liability. Knowledgeable Customer Service Representatives As you talk with the different extermination companies, pay close attention to...

For people all over the world, mosquitoes are a fact of life, and during the summer they can be as present as the air itself. If the painful and itchy marks that they leave on our skin after they’ve drank our blood wasn’t enough, mosquitoes can also carry a number of viruses from Zika to West Nile. There is very little that these pests are good for, so it’s in your best interest to keep them as far away as possible. Here are some ways to deter mosquitoes , for your sake and the sake of anyone in or around your house. Clean up Standing Water One of the most major ways we inadvertently cater to the needs of mosquitoes is by allowing puddles to develop. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in water, so keeping the area around your house dry can decimate their population. Don’t over water your grass or...

Is your home experiencing a stink bug invasion ? Many homes across the U.S. are being invaded by the brown marmorated stink bug. This insect is called a stink bug because it emits a foul strong odor when disturbed or stepped on. It is a foreign insect from Eastern Asia and was introduced into the United States about 25 years ago. This invasive species has quickly spread from the northeastern states to 44 other states. In particular, the bugs are very prevalent in the mid-Atlantic states, including Southwest Virginia. Stink Bugs Cause Extensive Damage Stink bugs won’t bite or sting people, but they will do quite a bit of damage to plants. These pests feed on plants by sucking the juices from the stems, leaves and roots, and they will eat everything from ornamental plants to weeds, as well as nuts, seeds and fruit. While they don’t cause structural damage...

Daydreaming about summer brings to mind ice cream, picnics, baseball, barbecues and vacations. Summer also brings mosquitoes, ticks, flies, spiders, mice and termites. We don't want bugs ruining our daydreams or our reality. What can you do this summer to minimize the hassle of pests ? Plant a Garden Use the power of nature to fight nature. There are many plants that you can add to your landscaping or in pots on your patio to keep the bugs away. Some herbs that repel mosquitoes are lemon balm, basil, lemon grass, mint, lavender, rosemary, sage and thyme. Add color with marigolds, petunias and mums. Check your Screens It's time to go around your house and inspect all of your window screens. Make sure they fit snugly in the window frame and that they have no holes or tears. You can pick up DIY screen patches at the hardware store. Let the...

When the weather becomes sunny and warmer, all that you want to do is soak up the sun and read a book in the grass. Unfortunately, you’re not the only one who will be out enjoying the warmth. Tick season has begun, which means that you will need to take precautionary steps to avoid contracting Lyme disease. Keep reading to see how you can protect yourself from ticks and Lyme disease this year. Wear Protective Clothing When you’re outside, it is best to wear long sleeved shirts and pants. Wear lighter colors in order to see if any ticks are on you. If you plan on walking, hiking or biking on a trail, you should be sure to be covered as much as possible. Try tucking your pants into your socks so that ticks do not have easy access underneath your clothing. Spray yourself with a strong chemical repellent that...

You might take a vacation once in a while, but pests don’t. No matter if it’s scorching hot out in the middle of July, or a wintry blizzard in January, it can be pest season all year round, largely due to the dependency that pests have on humans and their large abodes. You need food and warmth, and this is what pests love, too. Truth be told, pests love warm, humid areas, and no matter what month it is, there is likely at least one place inside the home that a pest can live without you ever knowing before the habitat grows and it is too late. So here are a few suggestions to help you maintain your home and prevent pest infestations all year round: Clean Up Your Kitchen Try to keep the kitchen as clean as you can, meaning you should not leave discarded food and food waste...

Pests are aggravating creatures to have in your house. They don't need very much encouragement before completely infesting your home or business, and they destroy property, contaminate food, and can ruin your peace of mind. Few buildings are immune to pest infestations. However, there are ways to fortify yours against them. Here are a few quick tips to keep pests away from your home for good. Inside of Your House First, make sure your house does not have any cracks or openings that pests can use to sneak through. Check door frames, window screens, pipes and other utilities for possible entry points, and if you see any, seal them up as soon as possible. Use a caulk gun to clog up any pathways into your house and fix any broken screens so that no pest can make it past. Also, dry up any moisture and open water sources in your...

Roaches are nothing to be taken lightly. If you see one in the home, expect there to be more hiding in hidden areas. With that said, you will need to act fast and get pest control services on the job before there is a chance for cockroaches to breed and make more. But where do roaches come from? What are the events leading up to a home infestation? Is it possible for an infestation to start from another home in the neighborhood? Why Cockroaches Are Dependent on Humans Simply put, roaches go where people go. They require food, water, and warmth in order to live in satisfaction. Despite that, they are insects and while many of us assume that they’re the most mindless creatures we come across, they’ve actually been around for 320 million years. That has been more than enough time for their wits to evolve so that they...

For a lot of people, rats and mice are interchangeable. After all, they’re both rodents that look similar, like to infest houses, and they often cause a lot of the same problems. However, while they are similar in many ways, you can’t try to exterminate them with the same tactics. For example, rats are much bigger than mice, and traditional mouse traps won’t be able to handle rats very efficiently. Here are why mouse traps won’t work on rats and what you can do instead. What will happen if you try to catch rats with mouse traps? The biggest difference between mice and rats is their size. Rats are significantly larger than mice. At about eight inches long, rats outgrow mice by a whole five inches. Not only that but a mouse weighs just a single ounce while a full-grown rat can weigh a whopping eighteen ounces. Therefore, while mouse...

At Bug Man Exterminating, we’re dedicated to helping our customers enjoy pest-free living from all types of infestations, but bed bugs are one of our most frequent calls. In the Roanoke, VA, area, bed bugs tend to get a foothold into buildings before people realize they are there, and once they’ve established a colony, these small insects are very difficult to remove. Often, our clients will attempt to treat their homes themselves when they notice bed bugs , and most are pretty successful in the initial stages. They remove all signs of living bed bugs, but just as they begin to relax and think they have resolved the issue, these pests start coming out of the woodwork again. Understandably, it’s frustrating. They’ve done everything right, so why are they unable to remove these pests? Are The Bed Bugs Back? While it might be tempting to think you’ve been re-invaded, the...

Spiders are pretty common pests to see around and inside your home, especially as we head toward the winter months. You may see an increase as the weather changes. This is something to monitor as there are both spiders that can cause issues and those that are relatively harmless. Spiders are something that many people have fears of, but there are also many things that you may not know. They are everywhere! If you have an issue with spiders, this may scare you, but they really are everywhere. On average, you are never more than 10 feet away from a spider, and the earth contains an average of 1 million spiders per acre of land. Most of the time, you won't see them because they are hiding away in a crevice somewhere. Different Types There are about 40,000 different species of spiders that are known, including 3,000 species in North...

Fleas need blood to survive. If they're inside your home , they'll be dining on your blood as well as the blood of your family members and pets. These minute bugs can't fly, but they sure can jump far. What's more, once they've infiltrated your residence, they'll find excellent hiding spots in curtains, carpets, furniture, and other places. You might notice a group of fleas somewhere in your home. These creatures have flat, brownish-red bodies, six legs, and no wings. Usually, they're about a tenth of an inch long. On the other hand, you might not notice the fleas themselves. If that's the case, there are still some giveaways that these insects are living with you. Telltale Substances There are two kinds of organic material that fleas leave behind. One is their waste, which resembles pepper in size and color. They also lay white eggs, which look like grains of...

Many different things can attract stink bugs to your Virginia home or the surrounding acreage. You might be able to keep them at bay if you relocate or conceal some of the most appealing items: Plants These insects devour an assortment of flowers and vegetables. They attack peppers, berries, soybeans, corn, peanuts and lima beans. Weeds may also draw bugs to your garden or yard. The color yellow appeals to this pest. Consequently, you might find it crawling on sunflowers, garlic, mustard or daisies. If you live in an area with a sizable stink bug population, avoid using yellow paint. Numerous fruit and nut trees attract these insects. They target peach, pear, apple and pecan trees. Stink bugs consume fruit as well as seeds. They often invade nearby buildings after the growing season ends. Insects The majority of stink bugs have herbivorous diets. However, certain species prefer to eat fellow...

No one looks forward to getting stung. The sudden pain causes some victims to scream in agony. Even worse, a small percentage of people are severely allergic to insect stings. Let’s take a look at the top five most common stinging insects in Virginia . Sweat Bees During the spring and summer, sweats bees become especially active. You’ll often spot them flying around flower gardens and meadows. Although sweat bees are not very hostile, they will sting in self-defense. For some reason, these tiny bees have a big attraction to perspiration. While you’re outdoors on a hot day, don’t be surprised to find sweat bees drinking the salty liquid from your skin. Red Imported Fire Ants Over the past decade, red imported fire ants have become a problem for local residents. If you happen to see any of these reddish-brown ants on your property, call a pest control professional as...

Mosquitoes are pests that tend to appear in droves in the summer months. While most mosquitoes are attracted to some scents more than others and some of the flying insects tend to migrate to certain areas throughout the year compared to other areas, there are a few myths that should be overlooked. You've probably heard that both males and females will bite you. The female is the only one that will bite. She needs the nutrients to support her offspring and to stay healthy while breeding. They also rely on the nutrients and the proteins in blood for egg production. Sometimes, people will say that mosquitoes like them because they have a certain scent while others will say that mosquitoes will stay away from them because the pests don't like that person's blood. Mosquitoes don't care what kind of blood you have. There could be bacteria on your skin that...

There are many different breeds of ants , and controlling them is often difficult if you do not understand the type of ant that is infesting your area. The different types of ants have their own unique behaviors, which includes reproductive and eating habits. When you know what kinds of foods attract ants, you can take the steps necessary to protect your home or business against an infestation. Our professional team is also available to answer any specific questions you may have about ant control procedures. This may include preventative techniques as well as maintenance throughout the year. Foods that Attract Ants Although many ants will eat a wide variety of foods, there are certain specific smells that may trigger an ant infestation. When you understand how to package and store your food properly, you can enjoy having these foods in the home without attracting a scout ant. Store your...