BUG SPECIFIC INFO

Learn more about the pests that can invade your home or business and the steps to keep them under control. Our comprehensive resource offers general insights to help you understand pest behaviors, risks, and prevention strategies. With the right information, you can protect your space and maintain peace of mind.

ANTS

Ants are a unique pest because they are social insects. That means they work and fight like a team and will literally die for each other.

By the time a resident first starts noticing ants, a million strong have found their way UNDER the home. They follow the PVC plumbing upwards into the house. An initial spray will keep ALL other creepy crawlers at bay for a time but is often just the first battle of a lengthy ant war.

Ant queens are like military generals and there is no quit in them. After the crush of an initial treatment (priming the colony) the queens will eventually send more ants foraging in order to survive.

This is when bait needs to be applied - often several times - for the quickest colony kill. If months have elapsed before ants reappear then another spray is warranted.

A few sprays interspersed with baiting for a time is generally all that is needed to efficiently eliminate the colony below.

ANTS HALFTIME SHOW

Ants are social pests whose colonies are organized in a hierarchy, or caste system, with the Queens on top. Most caste members are Workers, tasked with the care and upkeep of the nest galleries. Others forage for food while others rear the young.

The caste members tasked with the - all important - survival of the colony and species at large are the female reproductives known as Alates.

These young, future queens in the making were themselves eggs in the start of Spring. By mid-season they are the equivalent of young adults and their moms (the Queens) tell them it’s time to get their own place and start a family or you won’t have enough time before winter sets in.

The mission is to emerge from the nest - laden with eggs - outdoors; flutter around for a bit, hit the ground, dig in, lose the wings and drop the eggs; and so begins a new brood!

However, if the colony happens to be settled under the slab of a home - as is often the case with ant infested homes – the poor young moms often make the fatal mistake of emerging indoors and ultimately dying within a few days.

It’s alarming when clusters of winged ants appear suddenly but it’s innocuous. Vacuum them up and be done with it! It does tell us there may be some ant spraying and baiting necessary, especially if non-winged ants are detected.

MICE AND RODENTS

Why so many mice?!?

We’ve been hearing this question increasingly, for over a decade now. What’s changed during this time? The weather. Albuquerque has experienced over a decade of winters too mild to kill off over-wintering pests: rodents, insects, ornamental pests, you name it! Add to that the fact that Albuquerque’s heat index - augmented by rapid expansion - has risen dramatically during the summer months; More asphalt, concrete, stuccoed houses and shingled roofs; more people, cars, pools, landscapes, etc. have turned the Duke City into a heat Island. These conditions favor pests, and explain the resultant increase in mice complaints across the city.

Part of any pest control effort is to eliminate food, water, and harborage. With most pests food and water are paramount, but not with mice! Mice are skittish, fearful little creatures that won’t even think about a snack or drink until they have established safe harborages (hiding/nesting spots), and runways.

As commensal (living with Man) mice will seek out congested, cluttered nooks to find safe harborage. Trapping a mouse here and there is superficial, if harborages are not reduced. And, often, removing harborages is all that’s needed to discourage mice from hanging around.

When eliminating rodent harborages be sure to disinfectant any droppings or urine, as they contain an aggregation hormone. This hormone gives them a far greater message to stay than any amount of baits or traps could tell them to leave.

As commensal (living with Man) pests mice will seek out congested, cluttered nooks to find safe harborage. Trapping a mouse here and there is superficial, if harborages are not removed. Often, removing harborages is all that’s needed to discourage mice from hanging around.

In order to aid us in eliminating mice from your home please implement the following suggestions:

Empty out any cluttered closets or cabinetry.
Vacuum up any rodent droppings.
Spray the areas with a disinfectant, such as 1 part bleach/5 parts water in a spray bottle.
Replace contents in closets, etc. in an orderly manner keeping the bottom of closets bare if possible, and leaving floor space between the walls and the contents so that all areas are visible

AG BEETLES

There are several species of small beetles, generally called “ag beetles” or agricultural beetles. They rarely show up inside homes and due no harm if they do.

Enough of them on crops can be problem. However, due to our rising heat index, they are abundant and sometimes end up where they don’t belong, in town!

They die easily with sprays like other bugs but they are classified as Occasional Invaders - like the occasional moth outbreaks!

Health pests are paramount in importance (mice, German roaches.) Nuisance pests aren’t dangerous but aren’t fun lol, (ants, spiders, crickets.) Occasional Invaders are least in importance because they come randomly, if at all, do NO harm, and clear up on their own (e.g. moths, ag beetles.)

FUNGUS GNATS

Are you seeing fungus gnats in the house, fluttering around lights and windows? It may be due to overwatered houseplants.

Eliminating a flying pest problem requires removing the breeding medium. Overwatered houseplants are a prime breeding medium for fungus gnats.

Tap the soil or stir the plant and see if any take flight. If so, the solution is within your hands.

The top half inch of moist soil is the breeding medium, so getting it to dry out for even a moment is all that’s needed to snap their lifecycle.

Here are three ways to achieve this:

Use inverted glass watering bulbs.
Pour water onto the base saucer.
Dig four troughs with your fingers, water and cover with dry dirt.

These methods deliver water more effectively while allowing the breeding medium to dry out.

BEDBUG PREP LIST

Bedbug Prep List

Remove linens from the bed and wash/dry in the hottest setting. Wait until bedtime to remake beds.

Empty all dressers and closets completely, wash/dry all clothing in the hottest setting, and keep in clean bags outside of infested areas until after work treatment.

Place cosmetics, brushes, and medicines, in plastic bags and leave them in the bathroom.

Put all fresh food in the refrigerator, stove, or cupboards. Place dishes, utensils, pots, pans, etc. in the cupboards.

Take down all pictures and wall hangings.

Place all knick-knacks (“clutter”) in large 55-gallon plastic yard/landscape bags (the biggest strongest bags they sell). Examples: books, DVDs, small electronics, toys, etc

Make sure everything is picked up from the floor, and vacuum thoroughly.

Pets must be removed for four hours. Fish tanks must be covered, and pumps unplugged.

Occupants need to stay out of the treated areas for four hours.

It can take up to 2 weeks to reach 100% mortality after treatment. Please notify us if you continue to see bedbugs after 2 weeks post-treatment.

The success of the treatment is determined by the preparation. Clutter will impede treatment. Please follow the instructions completely or treatment may have to be rescheduled and a cancellation fee charged. Thank you.