Jul 30, 2012 | Bed Bug, Pest Control
It’s a rite of passage for many college students to be on their own in a dorm or apartment. Parents go to inspect the new place of residency, making sure all is safe. But is it really safe? Dorm room bed bug problems are becoming increasingly more prevalent.
Bed bugs are small insects that are brown to reddish brown in color and broadly oval and flat in shape. Bed bugs harbor in cracks and crevices during the day and come out to feed at night. They prefer to feed on humans but will feed on other warm blooded animals. Typically, they can be found around mattresses, in box springs or their coverings, and in any crevice of a wooden bed frame, such as where members join. Before students move ANY of their belongings into their new home, they should check in and around wall hangings such as picture frames, night stands, stuffed furniture, baseboards, floorboard cracks, behind loose wallpaper, light switches, door and window frames, conduits, etc. Also check mattress covers for small, brownish stains. It would be wise to purchase mattress and box spring encasings as a precaution.
Bed bugs can be introduced into a structure via used furniture, clothing, boxes, suitcases, or other goods that are moved from residence to residence. Keep this in mind when your kids come home from college to visit. Make sure to check bags and boxes thoroughly before they enter your home.
Bed bugs are most active at night and bite any exposed areas of skin while an individual is sleeping. The face, neck, hands, and arms are common sites for bed bug bites. The bite itself is painless and is not noticed. Small, flat, or raised bumps on the skin are the most common sign; redness, swelling, and itching commonly occur. If scratched, the bite areas can become infected. A peculiarity of bed bug bites is the tendency to find several bites lined up in a row. Infectious disease specialists refer to this as the “breakfast, lunch, and dinner” sign signifying the sequential feeding that occurs from site to site.
Getting rid of bed bugs is not an easy process and most cases of bed bug infestations will require treatment by a pest control expert. If bed bugs are suspected in a dorm room, contact the RA (Residential Adviser) immediately and make sure that they use a pest control expert like Northwest Exterminating.
Do you have a child going off to college this year?
Jul 26, 2012 | Community News, Company News
Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Utley
Northwest has been blessed with a work family of committed, hard working, and dedicated team members over the years. Through all these years, few have been better than Elmer Utley, or Mr. Utley, as he is called throughout Northwest. Mr. Utley met the Phillips family at Smyrna Church of Christ after moving to Georgia from Virginia in 1954. The Utleys and the Phillips became quite close over the years as the two families attended church together and became starters of Greater Atlanta Christian School. Louise Utley, Mr. Utley’s wife, worked at Northwest for almost 40 years before finally retiring. So it was our privilege that after Mr. Utley decided that retirement wasn’t for him, he came to work at Northwest Exterminating. 14 years later he has been an example of a hard working, kind, God loving man to all of us at Northwest Exterminating.
On Saturday, July 21, Mr. Utley celebrated his 89th birthday! At 89 years old he is still at the office bright and early (2 am to be exact) every morning. He works 40 hours a week while still taking care of his beloved Louise who has trouble going outside the house due to lower abdominal pain and macular degeneration.
Mr. Utley’s granddaughter recently submitted an article to Faulkner University’s Our Families Magazine to tell the story of her grandparent’s 69 year marriage. After we asked Mr. Utley about his 6 week courtship with Mrs. Utley he said “I wasted 6 weeks”. Their story is one to look up to, a hopeful story that we don’t always hear about.
Throughout the years, Mr. and Mrs. Utley, both of their daughters, and both son-in-laws have all been a part of Northwest Exterminating. We are lucky to have the Utley family as part of our Northwest family!
To read the article “Elmer and Louise Utley: 69 Years and Counting” follow the link below and go to page 17.
http://www.faulkner.edu/Academics/ccfs/Documents/Our%20Families%20Magazine/OFM%20Sp-Su%202012.pdf
Who is the hardest working person you know?
Jul 25, 2012 | Pest Control, Wildlife
A wasp sting can potentially be very dangerous to those in your home, including yourself, your children, and even your pets. If allergic, a sting can cause severe complications, and even death. Even for those that aren’t allergic, a wasp sting is painful and can cause itchiness and infection at the site of the sting.
Needless to say, if there is a wasp nest around your home it is very important that you get rid of it. Since nests are usually home to a colony of wasps they can be dangerous to try to remove by yourself. We suggest calling a professional exterminating company, like Northwest Exterminating, to remove the wasp for you, especially if you have an allergy to stings.
You can purchase a can of wasp remover at your local hardware store. For best results and safety, read and follow all directions on the label. Most labels will tell you that nighttime is the best time to treat because the wasps will either be inside the nest or on the nest. Make sure that you have an “exit” plan for when the wasps come out of their nest. You don’t want to have to run through their swarm to get back inside your home. Wearing protective clothing (long sleeves and pants, gloves, hat, safety goggles, and mask) spray directly into the nest. Once you have sprayed for the amount of time suggested on the can, leave the area immediately. Most products will advise you to wait a specified amount of time before visiting the area of the nest. Once activity around the nest has seized, knock down the nest and dispose of the nest in a covered trash can outside of the home.
We strongly recommend that you contact Northwest Exterminating, or your professional exterminating company, to remove a wasp nest if you:
- Feel uncomfortable to do it yourself
- If the nest is large or there is a large amount of wasps around the nest
- If you or anyone in your home is allergic to stings
Where is the strangest place you’ve seen a wasp nest around your home?
Jul 24, 2012 | Wildlife
Out of the 20 known species of armadillo, only the nine-banded armadillo has strayed out of Latin America. During the 1880s, the animal appeared in Texas and has been pioneering into new dwellings ever since. Lately, the nine-banded armadillo has actually rooted itself as far east as Georgia & South Carolina and as far west as Illinois. The animals are occasionally noticed in Indiana and Iowa. A few researchers have proposed that escalating temperatures because of weather change might be permitting armadillos to expand toward further habitats.
The gluttonous critters can create their homes in woodlands, grasslands, and even suburbs. Furthermore, fruitful females start breeding at barely one year old and can have litters of four babies every year. An armadillo’s dense frame is uncomplicatedly modified skin that acts as one approach that this abnormal animal shields itself. When an armadillo encounters a threat, it commonly dashes, digs, and bears down in the ground to stop them from being turned over. The three banded armadillo is the only species that can roll up into a ball for its own safety and its teardrop-shaped head plate fuses the gap so there are no cracks in the protective covering. Domestic dogs, wild cats, birds of prey, and humans are just a few of the threats to armadillos.
Our Wildlife Services Team specializes in the exclusion, removal, and control of wildlife nuisances. So if you see see or hear the scurrying of an armadillo, or another unwelcomed creature, our Wildlife Services Team can assist you in getting rid of the wildlife in your home! Call the Mouse! 888-466-7849
Now that you know a little more about Armadillos, do you think this armored animal is cool or creepy?
Cara Carver
[email protected]
Jul 19, 2012 | Pest Control
Fruit flies are a nuisance in homes! That’s the bottom line! They seem to come out of nowhere and are extremely hard to get rid of. But the truth is, they don’t come out of nowhere…they come from up to miles away when they have smelled the scent of ripening fruit and vegetables. Because they are so small they are able to fit through even the tiniest of openings to get inside your home and to the fermenting fruit.
“Well that’s easy enough”, you say, “just throw away the fruit once you’ve seen fruit flies”…it’s not that easy. Fruit flies are fast reproducers! Fruit flies can lay up to 500 eggs at a time and their entire life cycle only takes 8-10 days. This makes them difficult to control once they have infested your home. It’s not just the fruit they are after, they can also lay their eggs in sink drains, garbage disposals, empty bottles and cans, garbage bags, and even damp mops and sponges.
Getting rid of fruit flies is difficult but it’s not impossible. By following some simple steps you can rid your home of fruit flies and ensure that they don’t return.
How to get rid of fruit flies:
- The first step is to remove the sources of attraction like fruits and vegetables.
- Remove breeding sources by throwing away old sponges and mops, and cleaning out dish drains.
- Store fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator rather than on the counter tops.
- Wipe down sides and bottom of trash cans for any debris that may have spilled over.
- For smaller infestations you can choose to try a DIY approach to eliminating fruit flies. Using a glass of some sort (jar or wine bottle) put a slice of banana or apple cider vinegar at the bottom of the glass and stick a paper funnel out of the top of the glass. The flies will enter the glass in search of the food source but will be unable to get out. After a few hours, seal the glass and throw away…the fruit flies should be gone.
- When DIY tricks don’t work…call the experts at Northwest Exterminating. A professional pest control company will be able to target the living fruit flies as well as the eggs. They will help you find the source of your problem and help you to control the issue.
