Frequent Questions
Pest
- I am already getting tiny black ants in my master bathroom..I went around my house with insecticide twice last summer.You can see them crawling up my concrete.I don't know how they are getting in my bathroom. What can I do to get rid of them?
- How can I get rid of centipedes. They've been in my house for years and I can't seem to get rid of them.
- Recently, we found brown recluse spiders in our home. What we can we do to eliminate them?
- We've been finding small (about 3/8" long) moths in our house. Last fall, we also had a problem with 1/2-inch long worms on our kitchen ceiling. What are they, and what can we do to get rid of them? Are they most likely in the kitchen?
- What else can we use besides the traps to eliminate moles?
I am already getting tiny black ants in my master bathroom..I went around my house with insecticide twice last summer.You can see them crawling up my concrete.I don't know how they are getting in my bathroom. What can I do to get rid of them?
We hear this story every day. The ant in question is more than likely the odorous house ant. These ants live in colonies of thousands, sometimes hundreds of thousands and efforts to control them can be frustrating for the homeowner (and professionals for that matter). During the winter months, odorous house ants live in micro-environments in homes especially where there are "warm zones" (e.g., next to heat ducts, behind brick veneer on south facing walls and so forth). Start by trying to "trail" the ants in warmer months. Many times they are foraging on the exterior of the home in search of food. These particular ants do not nest for long periods of time and are considered "vagabonds." Leaf litter on plants, beneath mulch, and in landscaping areas are considered prime habitat for the odorous house ant. Look in landscaping lights, edging, and beneath landscaping stones...they will nest almost anywhere! To locate odorous house ants inside your home during the winter months, you want to think "warmth". Great places to start your inspection are warm zones like south facing windows, next to heating ducts, and in crawl spaces. If you have live plants, inspect them for aphids, or plant-feeding insects...if present, apply soapy water to remove them. In the summer months, exterior perimeter treatments with residual insecticides seem to work well, but you will need to find as many ant nesting sites as possible and treat them. In addition, use ant baits (e.g., Terro) along trails of ants. Baits don't seem to eliminate them but keeps them foraging outside. In winter months, I like to use baits to eliminate the foraging ants in conjunction with residual insecticides near suspected ant trailing areas. If all else fails, you may want to hire a professional. Odorous house ants can be difficult to manage and elimination can proove to be a challenge for even the most seasoned pest professionals.(In fact, we have a few homes that have "chronic" odorous house ant infestations)!!
How can I get rid of centipedes. They've been in my house for years and I can't seem to get rid of them.
Centipedes reside in cracks and crevices and voids so treating under your baseboards with a residual dust product (either silica gel or diatomaceous earth). Spot treatments with water-based residual products in basements, crawlspaces and around the exterior perimeter will also help. Indoors, centipedes are often established in moist areas, so check around all water and drain lines as well. Outdoors, remove potential harborages around your foundation like leaf litter and wood piles and treat under landscape timbers and stones and gutter downspouts. Be sure to seal any gaps that penetrate your foundation, such as around utility lines, and be sure foundation vent screens are sealed. Hope this helps. If not, call Action for a free inspection.
Recently, we found brown recluse spiders in our home. What we can we do to eliminate them?
Brown recluse spiders are difficult to eliminate. It will take time before you see results. Sticky-board traps are one of the best tools to help aid brown recluse control within your home. Treatments with insecticides can help but traps seem to be more effective at controlling this secretive spider. In order to control brown recluse spiders, place as many traps in your home as possible and keep storage areas neat and organized to reduce their breeding habitat. Place the traps in garages, attics and crawlspaces if possible. Be patient. It will take time.
We've been finding small (about 3/8" long) moths in our house. Last fall, we also had a problem with 1/2-inch long worms on our kitchen ceiling. What are they, and what can we do to get rid of them? Are they most likely in the kitchen?
The moths are called Indian meal moths and they are often found in grain or grain-based products. Typically Indian meal moths are found in cereals and grains but can also be found in pastas, dog food, cat food, dry mixes, nuts, bird seed, breads and anything else made from these products. The "worms" you were seeing is the larval stage of the Indian meal moth. They typically find their way to the wall/ceiling juncture to pupate (stage they develop into adult moths). They also pupate in the infested materials and in cabinets. The best way to eliminate them is to find the material they are infesting and discard it. You may have to go through all of your cabinets and open all likely infested materials such as dog food, rice and so forth. Another thing to look for is material with pin-sized holes in them as the Indian meal moth larval stages can chew their way into them.
What else can we use besides the traps to eliminate moles?
Mole traps are very effective for controlling mole populations. Until recently this was the only real option available. However, Bell Laboratories has introduced a mole bait called Talpirid. Talpirid has been proven effective at killing moles. It is available for purchase for do-it-yourselfers or you can sign up for Action's mole control service. Contact your local Action Pest Control branch for more details.