Oh, Rats!

I know this is the Year of the Dragon, but you’d think it was the Year of the Rat!  Our rat calls are up nearly 30% over last winter!  This is good for us, but not so good for homeowners on the front line of the war on rats.

Being do-it-yourselfers, we understand that folks want to try to bait and trap rats out of their homes first, before calling a professional.  But many times they fail.  Why?  Well, let’s review a few of the most common mistakes homeowners make when they try to do it themselves first. 

3 Costly Rat Mistakes

• Mistake #1: Placing poison in the attic and sub area.  We don’t recommend placing poison within the structure, as rats may die inside in your attic, sub area and even within your walls.  The smell of a decomposing rat is not pleasant, and retrieving and removing it can end up being more costly than calling a professional in the first place.
• Mistake #2: Not understanding the importance of a sealed up house.  You can trap and bait all you want.  But if you haven’t sealed up your home to exclude rats, insects and other critters, they’re going to keep coming back.  The wet and cold flush them into warm houses in the winter -isn’t that where you want to be?  Seal up your homes.  If you can’t get to it, pay someone to do it.  It will save you money in the long run, guaranteed. 
• Mistake #3: Underestimating the intelligence of a rat.  Rats are pretty smart.  You need to know how to bait your traps and where to set them.  Older rats will figure you out, so do your research.   Place traps in their “runs” and be consistent.  You can place 20 traps out, but if you don’t do it right, those traps are a waste of your money.

If you are seeing several droppings a day inside your home and you aren’t having luck trapping the rats yourself, call a professional.  Rat droppings you can see.  Rat urine you can’t.  But there will be a lot more urine than droppings!  (You can see it with a black light.) Rodent excrement is a health hazard, so don’t mess around.  If you need help, call us today.  We’ll give those rats an eviction notice…in a scurry.  Oops!  I mean in a hurry!

Kris

Bed Bug Media Frenzy

Hear about bed bugs lately?

Of course you have.  They’re all over the news.  But is all this attention justified?  Are they really a problem?  Should folks panic?

The answer is yes, the attention is justified.  Yes, they are a problem.  And no, you should not panic.  Let’s look at the facts.

Although I agree that the media attention to this problem is justified, it should serve to educate us and not produce panic .  It’s important that we educate ourselves with the facts, because there is a lot of rumor and misinformation out there.

Bed bugs ARE on the rise.  Because international travel is so common today, bed bugs have resurged in the  U.S.  Instances of bed bugs in hotels, apartments, churches, schools and anywhere else people congregate has increased.  According to the National Pest Management Association’s (NPMA) First-Ever Comprehensive Global Bed Bug Study to Determine Extent of Resurgence, only 25 % of pest control operators reported encountering a bed bug infestation in 2000.  Today, 95% of pest control operators have reported encountering a bed bug infestation.  And, they are found coast to coast and everywhere in between.

So what do we do?  I say, don’t panic, but be prudent.

We’ve had several panicky calls recently for bed bugs only to find…….no bed bugs.  These calls have turned out to be something else.  Folks are so upset by the recent bed bug media frenzy that some of them are downright paranoid.

Bed bugs are nocturnal pests that bite you in your sleep, leaving large welts on your skin.  They do not just live in beds, but may be found in electrical outlets, behind pictures frames -pretty much anywhere.  They are very hardy, can live a year without eating and can be spread through pipes, electrical outlets, vacuum cleaners, laundry and luggage. 

Here are four prudent steps to avoid bed bug panic:

1. Education, Education, Education: Folks who know me know how important I feel education is.  Your first step is to educate yourself on what bed bugs look like and how they spread. Visit the NPMA’s Bed Bug Hub, the NPMA’s central online location for bed bug information.
2. Check out the Bed Bug Registry before traveling.  This registry keeps a list of hotels, apartment buildings, etc., where bed bugs have been spotted.  Keep in mind that not all of their information is completely accurate, as anyone can post to these sites.  We actually know of local bed bug infestations which are not listed on that site. 
3. Be aware of what is around you while traveling or visiting a new place.   Carefully check your hotel room, your luggage and your clothing.
4. If you do find an infestation, DO NOT PANIC.  We’ve seen instances where folks have panicked and thrown away their possessions, which is not necessary.  Now’s the time to to get professional help.   A licensed professional pest control operator is required to eliminate a bed bug infestation.   They CAN be eliminated using chemical or heat treatments.

Find a pest control operator through your state pest control operator association.  Pest professionals are usually not allowed to join these associations unless they operate with integrity.  We also recommend you check with your state regulatory agency to make sure the pest professional of your choice does not have any complaints filed against them.  You may also go here to find a NPMA member pest control company in your area.

Educate yourself, your friends and your family.  And don’t panic, be prudent.

Here’s to staying bed bug free, Kris

Hmmm….A Musical Trap?

Last month, give or take, we went on a routine rat call, or so it would seem!

 At approximately 08:30 hours on a Friday morning, I received a call from a frantic middle-aged woman (a realtor to boot) saying she had several rats in her kitchen.  She said she was up on her chair in the middle of her kitchen and would not come down until we arrived to take care of the beasts.  A rat was running back and forth in her kitchen as we spoke.

 Well, being trained in the art of customer service, I took this as a clue that she wanted us out there STAT.  Now, I live for these interesting calls, but with great disappointment, I had to send the #2 Trained Killer out on this one.

After our technician investigated the scene, he found the “little beast” had most likely entered through the cat door and was probably running solo.  He cleaned up the droppings and disinfected the scene, concluding that the rat must still be in the kitchen.

The technician decided to set some traps, one of which was placed behind the refrigerator.  As the technician moved the refrigerator back into place, he unknowingly dropped his cell phone out of his shirt pocket and it slid underneath the fridge.  That evening it was nighty-night for Mr. Rat.

On Saturday morning, I received a call from this customer to say she didn’t know we used musical rat traps.  Huh?  I told her I didn’t know that, either, and asked her to explain.  She said, “The rat is trapped and the music keeps playing over and over and it’s driving me crazy!  Can you please come out and stop this!”  By this time, I was puzzled and thought maybe she was a bit crazy, but I sent someone over right away.

You’ve probably guessed what happened.  The technician’s cell phone, which was just adjacent to the rat trap, had been ringing and voicemails were left for him.  The cell phone was ringing the alert signal to let him know he had voicemails and it kept playing over and over every several minutes.  Since the customer could not see the phone, she just assumed it was the rat trap singing that it had gotten its prey.  Boy, did we all have a good laugh about that!

It seems like nothing is just “routine” in this business!

Dave