Uncategorized Archives - A Team Pest Control

Ants vs Termites

By Bill Cook | September 2, 2020 |

Ants vs Termites or Termites vs Ants that is the question. During the spring and summer months ants and termites start moving around. As an Oklahoma City pest control company, we are called many times because our customers are unclear which insect they are seeing. There are similarities and there are differences. Let us look at both. Both termites and ants are small with six legs, a head, a thorax, and an abdomen. There are tiny ants; there are tiny termites; there are big species of both. Both have queens who lay eggs and kings who fertilize the eggs. Both have a worker caste who do most of the running around, hauling stuff from one place to another, and soldiers who defend the nest. In a family called Isoptera there are nearly 4,000 species of termites, about 2,700 of which have been taxonomically identified. There are probably 14,000 species of ants in a family called Formicidae, about 12,000 of which have been classified. Differences among this broad array of species are as startling as among dogs from the Chihuahuas to the Great Danes. Differences Between Ants and Termites: Midsection It is easy to tell an ant from a termite. You do not need a microscope. All you have to do is get the bug to stand still, relatively speaking, and look at its midsection. The ants have “wasp waists.” Between the thorax and the abdomen is a narrow connection in ants, just like with wasps. The termites do not have this slender waist. Their width continues, gradually increasing, from the thorax to the abdomen. Differences Between Ants and Termites: Antennae If you want to look closer, notice the antennae, the two “wires” that come out the head. In the termite, these antennae are straight. In ants, these antennae have elbows. Differences Between Ants and Termites: Wings If you find ants or termites with wings, look at those wings. All four of the wings of a termite are about the same length. The two rear wings of a flying ant are shorter than the front wings. Ants vs Termites: Behavioral Differences Ants are usually easier to find. They do not hide nearly so much as termites. There are wood-eating ants, but they are not as well hidden as the termites. Most ants live in visible holes or nests, or they issue from cracks in the concrete. Their nests often are formed by removing earth from the holes they dig in the ground. They have darker, more hardened skins. Because they have eyes, they have great perception of the world around them. Termites are usually hidden. Because of this, they have soft bodies of pale colors. They often enter a wooden home and seal the entrance. Or, they will live in the soil and form tunnels to get to and from the wood, which is their feeding ground. Worker termites are blind (they have no eyes) and find their way by following the passageways, by following pheromone trails, or with their antennae. Termites vs Ants: Food Choices Ants feed on almost anything. Have you seen ants crowding around a dropped ice cream cone at the park? Ants like ice cream. They like all kinds of sweet stuff. Some ants eat leaves and vegetables. Some eat other bugs. Some eat termites. What do the termites eat? Just wood.

Tips for a Successful Roach Treatment

By Bill Cook | February 19, 2020 |

We want our customers to get the most value for their money. To reduce the chance at secondary treatments for roaches please review the guidelines below. Clean the home prior to the pest control visit, and maintain the home as neatly as possible for long-term results.This helps to eliminate competing food sources for the insects. Additionally, when the home is clean, the roaches will be more easily attracted to the bait and not to food sources. Cover and store any open food. Remove foods, small appliances, and other small items from countertops. Store and/or cover baby toys, supplies and crib mattress. We will not spray around children’s toys. Mop/scrub kitchen and other hard floors and woodwork with detergent. Thoroughly vacuum carpeted floors. Vacuum up any visible roaches and eggs just before the service visit, using the crevice attachment to get into cracks. After vacuuming, take the vacuum cleaner outside, remove the vacuum bag, seal it, and discard in trash. Take a damp cloth and wipe down the entire vacuum cleaner. Always, keep garbage in closed containers and take out the garbage every night. Remove items from the top of the refrigerator, stove, and any other such movable appliances. Prior to service, move these appliances away from the wall, and clean behind and beneath them. If the stove has a removable bottom drawer that opens to the floor, it is not necessary to move the entire stove. Be sure that the pest control operator has free and full access to anywhere that cockroaches have been seen (or anywhere specified by the PCO). Discard all excess paper products, and any other unused piles or trash, as these are harborage areas for roaches and other pests. Homeowners should repair any water leaks immediately upon detection; apartment residents should report the leak to maintenance immediately upon detection. If anyone in the home has special allergy problems, is pregnant, or is under the age of one, the PCO should be informed prior to service and precautions taken. All people and pets should stay out of the area being serviced for the length of time specified by the PCO. After service, keep sanitation to as high a level as possible to allow all products to work as swiftly as possible. Do not touch cockroach gel or allow children or pets to get near the gel bait.

Flea Control

By Bill Cook | September 15, 2019 |

One of the biggest issues we have regarding flea control is being able to treat everything for fleas. A lot of times we get to a home and the house is not ready for a flea treatment. To get the best service for your money, below are some tips to get your home ready for a flea treatment. Before Service Be prepared to leave your home or apartment during treatment and until insecticide is thoroughly dried. This will be approximately 2 to 4 hours. Wash all pet bedding in hot water or destroy it. Vacuum all carpeting and mop wood and tile floors, including along walls and inside closets. Clean or vacuum furniture, especially between and under cushions. Dispose of vacuum cleaner bag in a trash container outside your home, close tightly. If using a vacuum with a reusable bag, empty contents into a container outside your home, close it tightly and discard. Wash reusable bag in hot water. Remove all pets and have them treated for fleas by a veterinarian. If you plan to treat the animal yourself, it is essential that all label directions be followed and that you use only products specified for the species of animal on which the product is to be used. It is critical, however, that pets be treated at the same time as the home so that neither reinfests the other afterward. Cover fish tanks with wet towels and turn off pumps until reoccupying home. Pick up all toys and items off the floor. This includes picking up items from floors inside closets and under beds. We will not spray near children’s toys. Strip all bed linens and wash in hot water. Remove all caged pets (birds, reptiles, hamsters) before service is rendered. Ensure that all pet food and water containers are picked up from the floor and washed before refilling. Water buckets outdoors should be emptied as well, and refilled with fresh water after our visit. Cover and store any open food products, dishes or utensils before service is rendered. If the yard also is to be treated, the same steps as directed for in the home must be followed—that is, wash all pet bedding in hot water or destroy it, pick up all toys and items from the lawn and areas to be treated. After Service Give the chemical time to work. Do not mop or clean the carpet for a few days. Vacuum regularly for a week and dispose of the vacuum bags according to the guidelines above. Vacuuming helps pull the eggs up into the chemical and it also agitates the larvae to hatch and get into the chemical. It is important in rooms without much foot traffic to vacuum or place a box fan on the floor to agitate the larvae to hatch.

Termite Warranties

By Bill Cook | September 15, 2019 |

There are a lot of companies that can treat for termites. By all accounts most companies treat homes the same way, use the same chemical, and for the most part charge close to the same price. So how can a home owner choose the best company when it comes to termite treatment? I do believe the vast majority of pest control companies do a good job when it comes to termite treatment. By speaking to customers, the one thing I have found that sets us apart from other companies when it comes to termite treatment is our warranty. We provide a free five year warranty for any termite job we do. After the five year warranty expires, then the warranty can be renewed for an annual fee for as long as the home owner desires. What I am hearing from customers that shop around is that most other companies only offer a free warranty for one or two years. There are some companies that promote a five year warranty but you have to pay for the warranty annually so it is not a free warranty. Our warranty works this way. After we do a termite job you have a free warranty for five years. So if you have any issues or concerns you call us and we come out and inspect and will retreat in the affected area at no cost to you. When you are under warranty feel free to call us anytime for an inspection and we will come out at no additional cost to inspect your property. Some homeowners like for us to come out annually to inspect. All you have to do is call. After the five year warranty expires you can renew the warranty for an annual fee. Usually around $120.00, depending on the size of the home. We will contact you once your warranty expires and check if you want to renew the warranty. There is no pressure if you do not want to renew. If you do choose to renew then we come out and do an inspection and also provide a general pest spray for your home. Going with A-Team for termites you can have a free five year warranty for your home and if you choose to do so you can renew that warranty year after year. It is up to you.

I can’t believe these bugs are in my bed!!!!

By Bill Cook | August 17, 2019 |

Unfortunately, this is a common call we receive here at A-Team Termite and Pest Control. People are panicking about bed bugs and what they can do about them. The truth is, bed bugs are not easy to eliminate. Which leads to another unfortunate thing we hear, the amount of money people have spent in trying to DIY (Do It Yourself) bed bug control. One thing I have learned in almost twenty years of pest control, is it will require hard work and an investment of money to eliminate bed bugs. It doesn’t matter if you try to DIY the bed bug treatment or if you hire a Pest Control Professional. There is no easy or inexpensive way to eliminate bed bugs in your home. Below are a few facts and tips that may help you decide on how to tackle your bed bug problem or when it is time to seek assistance from a pest control professional. Bed bugs come out at night and feed on you, you are their food source. That is why one of the first things we look at, when inspecting for bed bugs, is the home owner’s bed sheets. Typically, there are small blood spots on their sheets from where the bed bugs have fed. For example, a couple of years ago my family and I ended a vacation early because we found small dots of blood on our sheets and because of my knowledge and experience, we knew it was bed bugs. We will never stay at a hotel without checking that out beforehand again. Luckily, we didn’t bring them home, because we knew what precautions to take. Bed bugs will feed at night and hide during the day. They typically hide within 10 to 15 feet of their food source. However, as the colony grows, the bed bugs will move further and further away from the food source until they infect your entire home. A pregnant bed bug can travel, which will also lead to spreading the colony to your entire home. Bed bugs can hide in the tiniest of cracks and crevices. We have found them in ceiling fans, behind electrical outlets, mini-blinds, screw holes in furniture, and any other tiny hiding place they can find. Before treatment, preparations do need to be made by the home owner. For example, the room needs to be cleared out completely, so chemical can be applied to every crack and crevice in the room. We usually tell people the room needs to be as clean as a surgical room to ensure 100% coverage. Something else that makes bed bugs difficult to control is if you miss one female, she can begin laying eggs and start the colony over. Another thing to consider when trying to eliminate bed bugs, is where did you get them from? I have treated many homes and eliminated their problem, then a few months later they are infected again with bed bugs. Some examples of how you can bring bed bugs in to your home: Grandparents or one of the kid’s friends have bed bugs and never treated for them. The kids spend the night with their grandparents or friends and bring one home. Buying used furniture. Even if you keep the furniture in storage for a few weeks before bringing the furniture into your home, there is still a danger of infection. Bed bugs can go several months without feeding, so it’s hard to starve them out of your furniture in storage. You travel and stay in hotels. You work in an environment like a doctor’s office, day care, school, or you visit people’s homes for work. Bed bugs can be transferred that way as well. You can see there are several ways bed bugs can be brought into your home. One tip is if you believe you have been somewhere and may have been exposed to bed bugs, make sure you get out of your clothes as soon as you get home and place the clothes in the dryer. You want to get the heat up to between 130 degrees and 140 degrees for at least 30 minutes. Extremely high heat will kill the bed bugs. Don’t take any chances. A large colony of bed bugs is easy to find. Keep in mind, if you see a live one walking around and it’s during the day you have a big issue. Another way you notice them are the blood spots on the sheets or you begin getting bit by something at night. You may also see their shells or excrement, especially around your mattress or box springs. A smaller colony may not be as obvious. If you suspect that you have bed bugs, most pest control companies do offer free inspections. If you have a pest control company that you use regularly, you should reach out to them for help. If you don’t have a company that you use, please feel free to contact us, A-Team Termite and Pest Control (405-732-0348). We do offer free inspections and during the inspection, we can offer more information and guidance to help you decide which method of bed bug treatment will work for you.