As winter melts into spring, experts warn to be on the look out for termites, which are on the hunt for wet wood. Jorge Ribas finds out how to look for signs of these insatiable insects, and how to protect your house from infestation.
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OK, so suddenly there are many tunnels all over your yard. What could be underneath the very soil you walk on? Relax. It's probably just a mole problem. Or don't relax! These creatures are very destructive creatures, and even though they're so good at hiding, you'll be able to clearly see the damage they do to your yard, what with all the visible tunnels and hills showing up. Get rid of them before they go on with what they're doing and succeed in destroying your garden or yard entirely!
Here are the few and very easy steps you should take to get rid of moles, those highly destructive varmints that ruin all your dreams and plans for a healthy yard:
Just so you know, the mole traps may kill the mole, but if you don't want that, you should check the traps often so you can get the varmint out and set it free. Of course, you're supposed to set it free somewhere far away, so you won't see it again in your yard.
You can't take the presence of moles in your yard lightly, unless if you don't mind them crawling around doing much damage to your property. If you don't want that to happen, follow the steps mentioned above and get rid of moles now.
By Joe Hayes
Rabbit Repellent Will Stop Dinner Time in Your Garden Having beautiful flowers and a blooming garden means you have worked hard to keep them doing so well. Bunnies tend to think that nighttime is dinner time at your place so rabbit repellents are what you need to keep you flowers and garden in tact. Once in a while you may see a bunny here and there but you probably will not see them in your garden until it is dark. Usually by then you are in for the evening and will not see them, you will only see the damage that has been done. Choosing one of these products will allow you to build an invisible perimeter that will keep them out but keep your garden and flowers blooming. There are several you can choose from to use on the areas you need to keep these critters away.
There are great bio-degradable products that will not only keep them away but they will provide protection for up to 60 days once applied. You can find these granular products to keep your gardens, flowers, trees and shrubs damage free from these little pests. These products target the animal's nature to run from danger. Using fear to deter the animal works because, they do not have a defense besides this against their predators. Using these granular products will also stop them from getting under your fences and getting onto your property. When you are looking for the right rabbit repellents to use on your property there may be several things you want to check for. When you are using a spray to keep them of plants and shrubs making sure that it is safe for you, the plants and other animals is important. You will also want to check to see when the product should be reapplied to make sure you have consistent protection.
Several other solutions are on the market today they may not specifically say rabbit on them so you will want to make sure when you purchase a product that it does deter these critters as well You may even find sensor activated sprays much like water sprinklers that can help you keep these critters away. There are several sprays and granules that use smell, taste or both to deter unwanted visitors in your garden. Producing the scent of their predators will make them stay away from protected areas. Also when you use products that deter by taste it keeps them away because the taste is bitter.
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Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/rabbit-repellent-will-stop-dinner-time-in-your-garden-592371.html
About the Author:
Mike Brown Learn more about how to use repellents to get rid of animals from your yard safely. Animal Repellent and Deterrent Rabbit Repellent Stop pest today and learn how to prevent future pests.
They might be cute, or they might be big and ugly, but their incessant need to chew is not helping your home. Rodents can do serious damage to your woodwork, wallboard, insulation and siding. The mess they leave in your kitchen cupboard is frustrating, sure, and with the costs of food going up you can't afford to fork out for your furry friends' dinners as well as your own.
Tackle the rodent issue as soon as you spot signs of their encroachment - don't wait until you find yourself leaping onto a chair to avoid that rat racing across the kitchen. At that point, you'll be waging a war rather than just defending your borders.
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If you've copped on to the presence of critters early enough, you may be able to use non-lethal force. It may be a matter of blocking their entrances and encouraging them to go elsewhere. Fill any holes they might be entering through and caulk cracks. Screens and steel wool (which can't be chewed through) are good deterrents.
If you have children or pets you may want to try natural rodent repellents. Some people suggest putting cotton balls soaked in peppermint oil near openings and in areas rodents frequent. Others swear by keeping little bowls of black pepper near food areas. Bunches of mint and/or lavender may be another way to deter the little (or bigger) critters. Another solution is an odor based repellant - these use the odor of predatory animals to frighten rodents off.
Keeping in the humane vein, live traps can be effective, but only if you take your unwanted tenants far enough from home that they can't find their way back. Also, be aware that rodents spread disease, which you may want to think about before you go ferrying them around town. The regular, lethal traps are probably a safer, more effective choice. Think about the placement of your traps. Most rodents have poor eyesight and keep close to the walls, only venturing into open space when necessary so set your goods in their passage, not in the middle of the room.
For others who want to keep their hands clean, or who have a reoccurring rodent issue, getting a cat can be an excellent solution. But remember, not all cats are born mousers and you may inevitably need to step up your game. Depending on where you live, you may want to reinforce the perimeter of the property by building nest boxes to attract natural predators such as barn owls.
When all else fails (or if you haven't the patience to wait that long), it's time to turn to poison. The nature of rodents means that they will eat a little, wait and if they don't get sick, return for another meal. Prior to using a poison, you may want to leave out regular food for a few days, so that the rodents learn to trust the food source before adding poison.
There are many reasons you may not want to use traditional anticoagulant poisons, the main ones being that the poison can cause toxicity in children and other animals. Unintended death is a possible outcome depending on the type of poison and how quickly the patient is treated - be sure to keep the poison out of reach of family and pets. Some animals can get secondary poisoning by eating the poisoned rodent, which can happen when the toxic rodent goes outside to die. If you have other pets and children you should be careful that they aren't in contact with the bait or the deceased animal.
When you have finally won the battle, try to avoid round two: make an effort to keep food stored in sealed containers and be aware of pet food, composts and other possible lures. Use bird feeders that recapture any unwanted seed, rather than allowing it to become snack food for unwanted pests. By removing the food incentive you can forgo inviting those rascally rodents for a return visit.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/get-rid-of-rodents-once-and-for-all-396372.html
Author: Mike Magner
About the Author:
Learn more about issues in the Boston MA real estate area at MikeMagner.com. This website has details on home styles throughout the city, neighborhood information on spots like the Roslindale real estate area, and a free property search.
Cockroaches are one of the frequently found domestic insects. Haven't you ever seen them roaming around the dark corners of your home? These, often noticed household pests, are also known as "roaches". Let us discuss about the facts and identification traits of cockroaches.
This disgusting pest disturbs us by spoiling our food and household items. Some of them, mostly the adult ones, make gliding flights. These deadly pests have a shining appearance, two long front antenna and spiny legs. Cockroaches are scientifically classified into the order known as "blattaria", which comes from the Latin root word "blatta", meaning cockroach. Cockroaches have flattened bodies, which allow them to enter buildings through cracks of loose fitting doors, windows, and electric lines or also through pipelines. They prefer to remain in the dark, moist areas of basements, floors etc.
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Some facts about cockroaches:
By knowing the above characteristic features, we can identify a cockroach. However, for immediate identification of the species, we need to go through the following facts about cockroaches.
Types of cockroaches:
There are almost 4,000 species of cockroaches and four of these species are known as pests. From the whole, only 30 species of them are found in human dwellings. Some of the popular types of cockroaches are:
Apart from these, there are the oriental cockroach, tropical cockroach and the Permian Apthoroblattina, which are large in size.
Cockroaches are mainly omnivorous. They generally feed on waste of human beings, garbage, starches, grease, plants, vegetables and fruits. However, this disturbing domestic insect also feeds on all household items like clothes, leather and also, flakes of dried skin, starch in book binding, kitchen crumbs, beer, sweets, meat products etc. There are various protozoa and bacteria in their digestive system that help in their digestion.
Are cockroaches active during the day?
No. Cockroaches are not active during the day. They are nocturnal in nature, hence, they come out at night to have their food or prey. During the daytime, they hide in the sub floors, wall cavities, corners of doors, and cracks in various places.
| By Ajanta Bhattacharyya |
Pigeons have become public enemy number one as far as pest birds are concerned. The common pigeon also known as a rock dove first came the North America by people from Europe who settled in Canada in the early 1600s. Pigeons that escaped from settlers formed the wild flocks you see in our cities today. These wild birds live among city buildings, bridges, and other man-made structures in the same way their ancestors used to live among cliffs and rocky ledges. Pigeons can live up to 15 years and mate of life. Their homing instincts will bring them back to their same nesting and roosting areas. It has become a widespread problem in cities and suburbs alike. Pigeons cause thousands of dollars a year in cleanup and repair costs to homeowners, building owners, municipal buildings and others.
Pigeons make flimsy nest, and will reuse the location repeatedly, building new nests on top of old ones. Pigeons do not bother to remove the feces of their young, so the nest turns into a hard, pot like mound that gets larger each month. Un-hatched eggs and the mummies of dead nestlings will also get cemented into the nest making it even more of a health hazard. Nest sites are used repeatedly and nesting material is added for each new brood, making for very unsightly displays. A pair may raise 5 or more broods a year. Pigeons do not migrate, but if displace from a nesting area, can return from long distances because of their homing ability.
Controlling Pest Pigeons:
Federal law does not protect feral pigeons and most states do not give them protection. State and local laws should be consulted, however, before any control measures are taken. Some cities are considered bird sanctuaries that provide protection to all species of birds.
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Predators:
Hawks and other large animal-eating birds (birds of prey) catch and eat pigeons. The Peregrine Falcon is a bird of prey that lives in some cities and feeds on pigeons. In many cities, however, pigeons have no enemies. One species of falcon, Merlin, eats so many pigeons its scientific name is Falco columbarius (with the "columba-" meaning pigeon) and it was formerly called Pigeon Hawk. Merlins are medium-sized falcons and although they are not very common in cities, you can bet they are preying on pigeons living in open parks near marshes and ponds. In cities where Peregrine Falcons have become established, they catch and eat feral pigeons, often carrying them back to feed to their nestlings. Red-tailed and Cooper's hawks also prey on pigeons in cities and in rural areas.
Habitat Modification:
Elimination of feeding, watering, roosting, and nesting sites is important in long-term pigeon control. Discourage people from feeding pigeons in public areas and clean up spilled grain around elevators, feed mills, and railcar clean-out areas. Eliminate pools of standing water that pigeons use for watering. Modify structures, buildings, and architectural designs to make them less attractive to pigeons.
Pigeon Deterrents:
There are several deterrents on the market that will help to keep pest pigeons off of your property.
Bird Spikes are the most common, economical and easiest to install of the physical deterrents. You simply install the bird spikes on the flat surface that the pigeons are landing on. The bird spikes make it so they can no longer land; thus they will move to another area.
Bird Netting is another physical deterrent that is used to exclude pest pigeons from areas such as warehouses, under eaves of homes, under canopies and other large open areas. A professional installer such as a pest control operator or bird control specialist best installs bird netting.
Shock Systems can also be used on commercial buildings to deter pest pigeons. They will receive a mild shock when they come in contact with the track. This will change their habit of landing on the surface. This is also a product best installed by a professional.
There are other method and products available to deter pest pigeons. It is recommended that if you have a large scale problem that you consult a professional to help determine the best method to get rid of the pest pigeons.
Author: Fran Prisco
Need help to get rid of pest birds? Contact Bird-B-Gone, Inc. the experts in bird control solutions since 1992. Call today 1-800-392-6915 or visit us at http://www.birdbgone.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Fran_Prisco
What's older than your grandfather and most likely to be here long after you've gone? The answer: the lowly cockroach
Believe it or not, cockroaches have been around for 400 million years and they're a lot more productive than humans. There are 57 known species in the United States alone.
But you don't have to go there to meet one. The most common type Blatella germanica can be found in almost any kitchen or bathroom.
You'll seldom find roaches in the day; most species are nocturnal. However, you can be sure your home is infested if you find what looks like little grains of pepper or oval, brown egg cases.
The former are the roach's feces while the egg cases are carried by the female under her body until the eggs are ready to hatch. Although the female cockroach lays only one or two eggs in its entire lifetime, each egg contains about 40 eggs.
The nymph or young roach becomes an adult in two or three months. Roaches normally live for nine to 10 months but some species can survive up to three years depending on the environment and food supply.
"Cockroaches thrive on warmth and dampness and show a distinct dislike for lighted rooms. These insects can feed on anything, including paper, leather fabrics, and foodstuff. They cannot withstand long periods of starvation and usually die within two to four weeks under such circumstances," according to the editors of 'Health Alert', a publication of the Health Action Information Network (HAIN).
Like flies, roaches can transmit serious diseases like typhoid fever and cholera. The germs responsible for these diseases are picked up by roaches from filth and carried to the food you eat.
Roaches also transmit dysentery, the inflammation of the mucous membrane of the large intestine caused by bacterial or viral infection. This disease is characterized by abdominal pain, cramps, diarrhea, and bloody stool, mucus or pus in the stools. If the patient doesn't get help immediately, he or she may die from dehydration or other complications.
"The cockroach is a very significant threat to public health as it is a mechanical carrier of germs and diseases. It may also pass on parasitic worms, the viruses of poliomyelitis, and other microorganisms such as those carrying hepatitis A and leprosy," warned the editors of 'Health Alert.' (Next: Get rid of roaches.)
To strengthen your body against diseases that bugs bring, take Immunitril - your first line of defense in maintaining a healthy immune system.
By: Sharon Bell
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Sharon Bell is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and published author. Many of her insightful articles can be found at the premier online news magazine www.HealthLinesNews.com. For details on Immunitril, visit www.bodestore.com/immunitril.html.
If you or one of your children gets infected with lice, it can be a frustrating problem to try to eliminate. Many families try to use shampoos and other popular treatments and they think they have killed off all of the lice only to find a resurgence of the lice treatment in the hair within a week or two. The reason for that is that once lice get into the hair, they basically live to reproduce. That means that female lice will be laying eggs in the hair twice a day and those eggs will gestate and begin to produce new lice even if you killed off the first generation that has taken up residence in the hair.
The eggs that female lice lay are called nits get attached to the hair and that adhesion is quite strong. Any one adult female lice can lay down dozens of eggs a week and if you have many lice in your hair, that means that thousands of nits may become part of the structure of the infected hair and each of them will hatch out into another generation of lice that are ready to reproduce and start the cycle all over again.
The first job is to kill the adult lice that are getting the process moving. You can use natural remedies or more severe lice shampoos which will destroy living lice. One important note about applying these remedies is that light application of the treatment is not going to be sufficient. You must work the treatment into the scalp deeply and in many cases leave it in place for a while to assure that all adult lice are killed. Many treatments even call for putting the application in and then sealing the head in a plastic bag to allow the treatment to work over night. In the morning the lice killing substance is thoroughly washed out.
No matter what treatment you use, you should plan to comb the infected hair at least twice a day and for as long as half hour to an hour with a quality lice comb. A good lice comb has tiny enough teeth that it can reach the individual hair follicles to begin the process of removing the nits. The eggs that are in the hair are the reason for all of our frustration because even with a all out effort to kill off the lice, the eggs will survive to hatch out in a week or two and then you have more adult lice and then more active eggs.
There is no high tech solution other than persistence and home treatment. By sticking with the treatment every day for 2-3 weeks, you kill off the first generation and get them out of the hair. Then each time a new batch of lice are born from the eggs, the daily treatment kills them before they can reproduce. No eggs will last longer than 15 days so if you stay with the process for 3-4 weeks, you will kill all of the lice and stop the spread of eggs. Then and only then will you be able to say for certain that you have cured that infected head of lice.
Keeping Your House Free Of Mice & Rodents
Mice and rat infestation can be a serious problem. They can spoil and foul food, and spread disease. No one likes to share their homes with rodents. You throw out food, spend hours cleaning up their droppings and listen to them skittering in the walls and floorboards at all hours of the night. Here are some tips to help you keep your home mouse and rodent free.
1. Prevention is the best policy.
It's far easier to keep mice out than to get them out. Start by blocking holes and tunnels that provide access into your home for the furry little rodents.
Start with a careful visual examination of the foundation and all outside walls in your
house. Look for cracks and holes that allow access. Mice can squeeze under the crack below a door, so no hole is too small.
A trick for finding small cracks and holes is to turn on all the lights in your house after
dark, then walk around it carefully outside, looking for any places where light leaks through.
Patch any holes or cracks that you find, or stuff them with steel wool. It's one of the few things that mice can't chew through.
Make your lawn unfriendly to mice and rats. Keep it trimmed, and trim any bushes or shrubs near the house that make it easy for them to hide.
Trim trees so that the lowest branches are at least 18 inches above the ground.
Make sure that three branches that over hang roofs are at least three feet away from the house to discourage tree rats that can make the jump from a tree to the house.
Make sure that all window screens are secure and in good repair.
Cover chimneys with a spark arrester to keep mice and rats from coming down the chimney.
Install a sweeper at the bottom of garage doors and any other doors to outside. A mouse can squeeze through a hole the size of a dime.
While you're at it, look for any holes around pipes that go through floors, and for vents. Seal them off with steel wool.
Mothballs stuffed into holes or scattered along foundation walls and behind furniture can help keep mice out, but be aware that they are poisonous. If you have pets or small children, be sure to place the mothballs in places that are inaccessible to them.
2.Cut down on the attraction factor.
Mice are attracted by food, of course. Once you draw them close to the house by leaving food out for them, it's just a short step to inviting them inside. Keep all garbage in covered metal or heavy duty plastic cans, preferably in an area that's not attached to the house. If you have a shed or enclosed porch that is attached to the house, don't use it for garbage storage unless the garbage is carefully stored away in covered tins or cans. Use mothballs to cover up the scent of food that might attract them as well.
3.Don't feed the animals.
Indoors, keep food and garbage off the floor and counters. Don't leave foods out on counters, including bread and cakes in cardboard or plastic bags. Mice will chew right through to get at the goodies inside.
Make sure that all dry goods are stored in plastic, glass or metal tins. Use canisters for flour, sugar and other dry goods. Put boxes of cereal in sealed plastic containers, or at least behind closed cabinet doors.
4. Opt for all natural rodent prevention.
Tom and Jerry fans take note - the mouse does not always win. One of the best ways to keep your home rodent free is to keep a furry companion. Not all cats are great mousers, but their presence is often a deterrent to mice and rats who will look for a more hospitable home.
5. When all else fails, call in a professional.
Professional pest extermination services are the best way to get rid of a rodent problem. A professional will know how to find access points and places where mice will travel, and has the license to use strong poisons and traps that will eliminate your problem.
Keep in mind that even a professional rodent abatement service is not a quick fix. It may take a few months before you notice an appreciable decrease in the rodent population, and you will have to keep up prevention efforts to keep them out.
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
About Author:
Stephanie Larkin is a freelance writer who writes about large businesses for home owners such as Orkin and Terminix
There is an amazing variety of ways to kill head lice once they get a start living and breeding on your scalp. The urgency to kill the bugs becomes impossible to ignore when you feel the tingling of them walking around on your scalp or when the bites makes your head itch so much that it seems like it wont stop. So the first priority is to get rid of those active lice in your hair. Never mind the fact that having a head full of lice is disgusting. If they are going to disrupt your life that much, they have to go.
Because it is impossible to number how many lice are part of your infestation, the idea of killing them one by one is pretty much out of the question. If your child has come home with lice from school, you can take a magnifying glass and tweezers and pick them out of her scalp one by one. But this is a losing strategy for total success because there simply is no way to get them all that way.
The only true solution is to use a treatment that covers the entire head at once and kills every bug in your hair once and for all. Lice treatment shampoos do that and they are effective. But these shampoos are laced with insecticide which is quite dangerous to the host, which is you or someone in your family. It is bad enough to put yourself at that kind of risk but to put pesticide on the head of your child or the child of a loved one is simply to big of a risk to take. Documented cases where pesticide based lice shampoos caused illness or death in children only emphasize that another solution is needed.
At the most extreme end of the solution scale is shaving the head of the person suffering with head lice. This is not dangerous and once the scalp is bare, it is easy to wash the scalp and rinse away all of the lice. Most of them will go out with the hair when you dispose of it. But it is a drastic thing to do to a child and for a woman, the idea is absurd because it broadcasts to the world what you had to do. If there was no other way to kill the lice, that would be acceptable. But there are other ways.
The easiest way to kill off all the living lice on your head is to smother them or expose all of them to something lethal to lice. There are dozens of natural ways to do this including mayonnaise, lemon juice, vinegar, crushed almonds and lemon and coconut oil. Tea tree oil is a well known treatment for lice which has a documented track record of success and its totally safe. By finding the right solutions to lice infestation before you have the problem, you have a game plan for defeating lice before they can take over. And just having a plan to kill an enemy like head lice can give you and your family plenty of peace of mind.
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