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Preventative and General Pest Control

It is always easier to prevent problems than having to deal with them after they have risen. Many customers find Annual or Semi-Annual service work well. In some instances quarterly service is needed. Businesses frequently need service more often due to the constant traffic of the public and the bringing in of supplies. Many factors will go into the determination of service including location, type of structure, and ability to keep clutter as minimal as possible. Many people ask if we do a one time service and of course we will. If you have a sudden problem that you need taken care of, just give us a call. There is never a contract requiring you to have future treatments or service. There are some things you can do to minimize infestations. Pest Proofing Your Home

Summaries of some of the individual problems we often address are below on this page. Click on the pictures of each pest and that will take you to a separate page for a more detailed discussion with some interesting facts for each of the insects. For those less common pests click here.

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Individual Problems We Often Address

Termites We are authorized in both Premise and Termidor. Each has pros and cons depending on particular situations. We are trained in the latest techniques for treatment. Termites in this area are subterranean so the treatment is directed at treatng the soil where they can access the structure. That is relatively easy with crawl space homes and more of a challenge with slab and basement structures. Perimeter Plus is a new method that shows a lot of promise. Termites are related to roaches not ants or mites. Subterranean termites are what we have in Missouri.	Ants Ants are always best treated by finding the nest. In many cases that is not possible. In those situations and because ants are social insects, using non-reppellant chemicals work by distributing the chemicals thru the nest. Many of these are similar to the ones we use for termites. If you see flying ants inside your home, it is usually a sign there is a nest somewhere inside. Too much or too little rain many times cause sudden invasions of some ants. Odorous house ants get their name from the coconut like odor when crushed. Common ants: Carpenter, Odorous, Pharaoh, & Acrobat
Spiders Southwest Missouri is in the heart of Brown Recluse territory. They are commonly seen inside homes, particularly in areas of clutter or packed items. They are hunters and go out in search of their insect prey. Black Widow spiders have also been on the increase lately. They are more common ouside the home but will sometimes be seen in garages and are less common inside your home. Fall is the peak time for all types of spider migrations. Recluse venom is a necrotoxin destroying tissue. Widow toxin is a nuerotoxin. Brown Recluse territory has expanded in recent years.	Cockroaches The German is most prone to getting out of control in short periods of time. It has grown adapted to living near people and are less common in outdoor settings. The Oriental is more common outside or in crawl spaces where moisture is high. They are larger and dark colored. The Brown Banded is less common but likely again to be around people and more likely than the German to be in areas outside of kitchens and bath rooms. German cockroachs carry their eggs almost to the time that they hatch. German, Oriental, & Woods roaches are common
Fleas Fleas pose unique challenges because each stage in their developement is a problem in it's own. Pupae are impenetrable to chemicals and fleas can be dormant for quite some time. Its common to see large numbers after pets & family return from trips and fleas sense there presence and all hatch at once. Growth regulators for fleas are very helpful in treatment. Be vigilant in keeping flea programs in place throughout the year. Fleas can overwinter on the animal or in cocoons.	Silverfish The weather in the Ozarks and types of dwellings we have here tend to propagate large populations of silverfish. They prefer areas of warmth and moisture. They are more common in homes with cedar roofs. They are also more likely seen inside homes with recessed lighting. They can damage some paper and fabric products if present in large numbers. Treating all areas especially in attics is necessary for control. Silverfish like warm temps and are related to firebrats that nest around ovens. Silverfish are a favorite food of Brown Recluse.
Bed Bugs Bed Bugs have been around man since he lived in caves and are believed to originated from bat bugs. Virtually eliminated by 1940 but have returned. Changes in chemicals and people's habits are believed to be the reason. They can be picked up in many ways you wouldn't think. Some of the more common are used furniture, people visting from infested areas, work enviornments that people work closely together, and entertainment outlets. Bed Bugs are very sensitive to heat and that is used to get rid of them. Some home remedies can make infestations worse.	Rodents Rodent activity is definitely a health hazard and should not be ignored. If you have developed a rodent problem we can help to get rid of them and help find where they are getting in the house. Care needs to be taken to make sure any treatment materials are not accessible to children and pets. We don't usually handle nuisance wildlife but can certainly suggest some good companies that do. Follow the pest proofing suggestions to help stop many of these problems. Call us if you need help identifying a strange visitor.