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Pests in Winter

 

During Winter, Is Pest Control Needed In California?

San Jose, United States - December 16, 2022 /Habitat Pest Control/

Winters are when many want to stay indoors and relax or engage in leisure activities with family and friends. There is a general idea that pest control is not needed in winter. In California, winters are milder than in many other areas in the country. But, the lower temperatures can cause some changes in the activities of some pests. Many insects hibernate in winter as they are cold-blooded. However, they can gain entry to heated homes and commercial buildings, and with access to food and water inside, lead to a pest infestation. Rodents can also seek refuge in homes. Habitat Pest Control provides reliable pest and rodent control services in San Jose, CA. Their technicians know the pest pressures of the local environment and offer customized treatment plans to find and treat the foundation of a pest infestation.

Some information on winter pests

1. Ground squirrels: They are more likely to be a nuisance in the garden than indoors. But they breed in winter in California and are active. They can cause damage in the yard through their chewing and burrowing activities.
2. Ants: Ants are among the most common pests in California. In winter, they stay in large colonies and invade homes or commercial spaces to gain access to food, water, and shelter. So, homes may need ant extermination. If ants cannot get into a sheltered environment, they move several feet below the soil to a more tolerable temperature.
3. Rats and mice: These rodents stay active in winter. They eat more food in winter to maintain their body temperature. They also try to get shelter in a warm place. They dig burrows in the ground or invade outdoor shelters, homes, or commercial buildings. They can stay in crawl spaces, attics, and between walls.
4. Spiders: Different kinds of spiders may be seen indoors during winter. Black widow spiders are extremely dangerous and active in cold seasons and may build webs near stairs or doorways. Since these are poisonous, it is safe to be cautious and take measures to control the spider population.
5. Cockroaches: These are insects that can survive extreme weather. Their ability to eat anything and move through the narrowest gaps makes them enter buildings and thrive almost anywhere.
6. Bed bugs: As they feed and thrive in beds, bed linen, and furnishing, which are warm and comfortable even in winter, bed bug infestations can worsen in summer. They can also gain access to homes when people return from a holiday in an infested place. Habitat Pest Control performs bed bug extermination in San Jose.

How to prevent pests?

To protect buildings from pests getting inside for shelter in winter, some steps can be taken. Cracks and holes in the buildings must be sealed. No wood must be stored close to the building as pests dwelling in them can gain access. Homes must be kept dry by mopping spills immediately and ensuring no moisture or standing water is left near refrigerators, sinks, or air conditioning units. Any outdoor buildings and shelters must be inspected regularly and kept clean.

Homeowners and business owners should always be vigilant about pests. There can be an infestation when there is any laxity in measures to prevent these pests. Habitat Pest Control is a pest control company in San Jose with over a decade of experience and offers Written Guaranteed Results. The pest control company’s service includes common pests that cause a nuisance in the area, like ants, bees, earwigs, crickets, centipedes, spiders, rats, birds, cockroaches, fleas, etc. Call (408) 922-9898 for a free inspection and get a pest control quote from Habitat Pest Control in San Jose.

Keeping Pests In Firewood Away

 

Avoiding Pest Infestation From Firewood

San Jose, United States - December 9, 2022 /Habitat Pest Control/

Even in this era of modern conveniences, a crackling fire has the warmth of nostalgia. A wood fireplace lends a rustic charm to a home and is also a heat source. Some pests can gain entry into homes along with firewood brought in for fires. 

While some pests may not be harmful, they can be a nuisance, spoil the ambiance, and a few might become pest infestations. Pests like termites will require professional pest control. Habitat Pest Control in San Jose, CA, provides residential and commercial pest control, including termite extermination. These pest control professionals share how to avoid firewood pests indoors.

Firewood pests

Wood-boring beetles

Beetles that inhabit and feed on the wood are wood-boring beetles. They include long-horned beetles, metallic wood-boring beetles, and bark beetles.

Carpenter ants

These are giant black ants that build nests in wood, but they do not feed on wood. They usually nest in damp or rotting wood. So if firewood is not dry or is left on the ground for long, carpenter ants may start living in it.

Termites

Termites make tunnels and feed on firewood. They appear similar to ants but are whitish.

Others

Other insects and bugs like spiders, cockroaches, pillbugs, praying mantises, wasps, and ants may remain in firewood piles.

Dealing with firewood pests

When the firewood is in a warm indoor environment, insects can emerge from the firewood. They are usually not harmful as the wood in homes is too dry for them to live in or feed on. But these creatures can be a nuisance. When noticed, they can be caught and left outdoors. It is not safe to spray pesticides on firewood. When burned, the chemicals in treated firewood may release toxic fumes.

How to prevent firewood pests

• Keep firewood dry, as bugs do not prefer to live in dry wood. Always store firewood off the ground to allow adequate airflow under the woodpile. It helps to reduce the moisture in a pile.
• Never store firewood near trees as bugs like bark beetles from the firewood can invade trees and damage them.
• Make sure to use older wood first rather than newly cut wood. This practice prevents the buildup of wood for a long. More pests tend to end up in wood left unmoved for a long time.
• Keeping a cover over new cut wood and placing it in sunny spots will help keep bugs away.
• Firewood must never be stored indoors as the wood piles attract other household pests like rodents.
• Do not stack firewood against the home, garage, shed, etc.; it must always be kept at least three feet away from structures. This helps to dry out the wood faster and will also help prevent the entry of firewood pests into the buildings.
• It is better to use locally sourced firewood as it will not have insects from other areas in them. When firewood from other places is stored, the pests from those areas gain entry to this locality, damaging trees and affecting the ecosystem. It is better to use local firewood on camping trips rather than carry it from home for the same reason.

While firewood may not always bring in harmful pests, it can have pests that are a nuisance. Firewood must be stored to reduce the risk of dangerous creatures using it as a shelter. Homeowners can avail of pest control services for household pests when needed. Habitat Pest Control provides commercial and residential pest control in San Jose. For pest control services that utilize eco-exempt products, they can be contacted. For prompt, same-day pest control service in San Jose and the Bay Area, call Habitat Pest Control at (408) 922-9898.

Christmas Tree Bugs

 

Being Prepared To Handle Christmas Tree Pests

San Jose, United States - December 5, 2022 /Habitat Pest Control/

Festivities and traditions mark the holiday season. An essential part of the season is putting up a Christmas tree. In the US, real Christmas trees are still popular. It is estimated that around 33 million real Christmas trees are sold annually in the country. Freshly-cut trees look gorgeous and have a distinctive smell that helps set the mood for the season. However, real trees also have real insects in them. A single Christmas tree may have up to 25,000 bugs. 

Most pests in Christmas trees are not harmful, and many may perish in the warmth of homes or because of a lack of food. Still, it is good to know what pests may be lurking in Christmas trees so that there are no unpleasant surprises. Habitat Pest Control offers advanced pest control services in San Jose and the Bay Area year-round. With over a decade of experience in commercial and residential control in San Jose and the Bay Area, this pest control company is always committed to providing the best service possible.

Some common pests in Christmas trees 

1. Aphids: They may be found on the lower branches of evergreen, pine, spruce, and many other trees. They are not harmful but must not be squashed on furniture as they leave stains.
2. Mites: Mites may present as minuscule red and brown dots and are usually seen in Douglas fir, white pine, Fraser fir, and spruce trees. They may lead to premature needle drop and stain carpets and Christmas ornaments. 
3. Sawflies: Black and yellow flies may hatch from brown cocoons on spruce and pine trees.
4. Adelgids: They appear like a fine dusting of snow on the Christmas trees.
5. Pine needle scale: They appear like white particles on the needles and branches of trees, which hatch to release tiny red bugs. 
6. Praying mantises: Trees may harbor the egg sacs of praying mantises. In the warm home environment, the eggs hatch as the warmth is interpreted as spring season. If this happens, it can be overwhelming as they can be a large swarm. But they usually die quickly and even prey on each other!
7. Bark beetles: These brown, black, or red bugs have hard, cylindrical bodies. They may be as big as grains of rice and leave small holes and trails of sawdust on the tree's trunk. However, they do not harm wooden furniture as the wood used is too dry. 
8. Spiders: Spiders that dwell in trees are usually not dangerous to humans or pets, and they may usually die off inside homes. Dangerous spiders like Black Widow and the Brown Recluse are not tree-dwellers. But, they can inhabit homes, and some caution while getting decorations and lights from storage or attics will be beneficial.

Avoiding Christmas tree bugs

1. Inspecting the tree at the lot and removing bird nests is helpful.
2. Whether there are signs of pest infestations or not, a good shake will scare and dislodge many pests on the trees. Lots may have shakers for this. 
3. Pruning branches that have egg cases or bird nests.
4. The Christmas tree can be left in the garage for a few days before getting it to the living room. 
5. Insects around the tree can be vacuumed up.
6. Bugs on the tree can be killed by dusting with diatomaceous earth or spraying with neem oil. Avoid spraying aerosol pesticides, as these are flammable. 

It is important to remember that Christmas tree bugs are usually harmless and do not survive and infest homes. Homes are more at risk from household pests like cockroaches and termites than from these. For such pest infestations, a pest control company can offer reliable solutions. For a pest control quote in San Jose and the Bay Area, contact Habitat Pest Control Company by phone number (408) 922-9898.

Christmas Tree Bugs, Images 30/11/22