Mouse and rat control advice for Pittsburgh area homeowners. Expert tips from Spectrum Pest Control serving Western PA since 1992.
Finding mice in your Pittsburgh home is one of the most unsettling pest problems you can face as a homeowner. Unlike seasonal pests like wasps or stink bugs mice are active twelve months a year and Pittsburgh area…
Should you find a tick on a person or animal, the most effective way to remove it is by using pointy tweezers. Using the tweezers, grab the tick’s head as close as possible to the host’s skin and pull. This will lessen the potential for harmful germs to be forced into the host. Wash the affected area with soap and water or alcohol and apply an antibiotic cream. If you or your pet develops any unusual symptoms, visit a doctor or veterinarian. A professional tick treatment is a powerful option for tick control.
Unless you spend all your time indoors, you are likely to encounter an area in which ticks live. The following guidelines can help protect you from becoming a host to these parasites:
Do-it-yourself spider treatments can be ineffective and potentially toxic to people and pets if not administered correctly. With so many varieties, it can be difficult to determine whether a spider is potentially harmful or helpful. The best way to prevent or address a spider infestation is to contact a pest control professional who can identify the type of spider and the most effective approach to treat them.
Spiders are ubiquitous and hard to eliminate completely. However, preventative measures can be taken to minimize spiders in and around your home:
Should you identify the presence of silverfish in your home, these do-it-yourself solutions may give you some relief:
Often, destruction done by silverfish is attributed to moths or other insects, allowing the real culprit to continue to reproduce until discovered. A professional pest control service can discern the source of damage and treat appropriately and effectively.
Like most insects, silverfish seek out a comfortable environment with plentiful food sources. The following measures can help to decrease the likelihood of a silverfish infestation:
While there are many do-it-yourself treatments sold – like foggers, bombs, or powder containing boric acid – they can be ineffective if not administered correctly. These DIY treatments may disperse rather than kill roaches, driving them into areas they might not have previously been. Their contents can also be highly toxic and harmful to other humans and pets in your home. The best way to address a roach infestation is to contact a pest control professional who can identify the type of roach and the most effective approach to exterminate them.
Roaches are constantly on the hunt for food, water, warmth, and shelter. When you see one cockroach, you can be sure there are many more lurking. While it may be impossible to eliminate all roaches from your property, following some basic guidelines will help make it less attractive to them:
Many off-the-shelf DIY products are designed to target the variety of fly species. Use these remedies with caution, as they can be harmful to your family and pets if applied incorrectly. Do-it-yourself solutions often only treat adult populations; therefore, you should plan on re-treating as eggs hatch and larvae develop. If you experience a problem with flying insects, a pest control professional can identify the type of fly and treat it appropriately at all stages of its lifecycle.
Flies are everywhere! While it will be difficult to avoid them entirely, these guidelines can help reduce your interaction with these pests:
Once you’ve spotted a flea, act quickly! The presence of a live flea means there are likely eggs and pupae nearby. Most do-it-yourself solutions target adult fleas but do not prevent those in earlier stages from developing. To minimize the spread of fleas, follow the preventative steps we’ve outlined. However, a flea problem can be difficult to control, so your best bet is to hire a professional exterminator.
Fleas multiply quickly, so the best way to manage an infestation is to stop it before it happens. These guidelines can help keep your family, pets, and home free of fleas:
Earwigs found indoors can be swept up and thrown away. While this resolves the immediate issue, it does not address hidden eggs and nymphs. Do-it-yourself insecticide treatments can be used both inside and out, but if not administered properly, they have the potential to drive earwigs into untreated areas in your home. The most effective and safe way to eliminate earwigs is to work with a pest control professional.
Earwigs are nuisance pests that can invade your home and yard. These preventative techniques may help avoid or reduce the presence of earwigs:
Once crickets find their way into your home they can be difficult to eliminate. While you may be able to stop adults or nymphs with do-it-yourself treatments, they don’t address any eggs that are hiding. The best approach to preventing or treating a cricket problem is to work with professional exterminators who are experts at keeping these insects outside where they belong.
Crickets become problematic when they enter your home. These preventive measures will help keep them outdoors:
While the most effective way to prevent or address an ant infestation is to call in pest control professionals, you can also try these do-it-yourself methods:
Ants are driven by a search for food, water, and shelter. While it may be impossible to stop every ant, following some basic guidelines can help prevent an invasion:
