Prevent Mice & Rats

Mice enter buildings in search of food and shelter. They search for food source and quiet areas to nest. By removing food sources and sealing up small entry points, mice will be less likely to enter your home or business when the weather turns cooler. Mice are not picky eaters and are typically found feeding on scraps and leftovers which can harbor harmful bacteria. So, by reducing food wastes will decrease the possibility of mice spreading diseases such as Salmonella or Hantavirus.

The first step to solving a rodent problem is to know what which rodent you're dealing with. In this case, you need to be sure you have mice and not a rat(s) or any other rodent infestation such as voles or moles. As rodents are nocturnal, it may be unlikely that you'll actually spot a live rodent during the day. However, if you do, mice are easy to identify. When compared to rats, mice are smaller in size; they have longer, thinner tails with fur, and have smaller, rounder ears.

Knowing how to identify mice from rats and becoming familiar with the signs of a mouse problem is critical to controlling or eliminating an infestation. This is where a professional can really help. Correct identification by Gladhill Services will help you choose the most affordable control method without any worry.

Ants - The Ultimate Survivor

Ants will always find their way into your home as they forage for food. This doesn't mean you have an infestation of ants or that a colony is nearby though. Ants roam from sun up to sun down in search of what they need to survive. Sometimes they may cross into your home and never return unless that is... you leave something for them behind. 

Ants, big or small, will enter your house through the tiniest of crack and crevices. No home is completely safe from them! Even with monthly pest prevention, ants may end up breaching your home’s professional pest barrier.  Pest control experts agree that to date, there is no one single explanation for ants entering the home showing little to no effects from pesticide applications. Until further research can explain how ants are capable of this feat here are some of the more common needs of ants that may bring them into your house on what many professional consider a suicide mission. 

Ants are fascinating creatures - they live in colonies continuously overcoming and adapting themselves to all environments. Ants - regardless of species - do not interfere with other nearby ant colonies. Like shepherds tending sheep, black carpenter ants will herd aphids protecting them from rain and harsh weather. This is because the ants feed on their feces, which is very sweet and commonly called honeydew. Aphids, if let go, may cause certain plant species in your garden to turn black with a sooty-like substance on the leaves. This is the honeydew. The carpenter ants collect and feed off of this sooty mess keeping plants clean and free of any soot-like feces. The aphids and ants together perform a symbiotic relationship to benefit you, your garden and nature itself.  Ant mounds in your garden should be considered a blessing since they aerate the soil for your plants to grow well. 

So, why am I telling you all this?
Well... because I want you to have a clear understanding of what you are up against when it comes to ants entering your home. In the garden, you may not want to disturb ants as they continue protecting the natural environment around your home. But, when they breach your personal threshold and begin scurrying around your countertops and kitchen floors then, it may be time to call your bug guy back.

First, don't get mad at him or her thinking they didn't do their job. This isn't the case most likely. Your pest professional will be the first to tell you that ants have the ability to accomplish this. Before anything can be applied for the control of ants, your professional must consider several things. First, the type of ant must be considered, then, the location of the colony in relation to the area of their activity. Where ants are currently active inside the home is another aspect of ant control that must be considered. Do you have children or pets? Once these aspects are thoughtfully considered it is then, and only then, a solution may be applied. Sometimes ants feed on sugary foods while other times during the year these same colonies may need protein-based foods. Some ants are called sweet-feeding because they are commonly found in the kitchen only foraging for water and sugar left behind on floors and counters. 

Professionals must incorporate several types of control. Exclusion, baiting, granular, and liquid applications may all be needed at different times to fully eradicate an ant colony. If you do not have a professional service for ants then there are a few things you can consider at home and try yourself. DIY ant control is possible.

Preventing Ants In Your Home

You can follow three simple rules in DIY ant control. 

1. Keep your kitchen, pantry and cabinets clean at all times.
2. Clean up any spills immediately
3. Keep your floors and countertops free of food debris especially sugary foods.

Top 5 Most Dangerous Pests Inside Your Home

When it comes to household insects most are of little concern. Unless, that is, you fear them. With only a handful of household pests actually being capable of harming you, it's good to know which ones you should be cautious of.

For multiple reasons, people may fear ants or spiders in general. Some might freak out at the mere sight of a cockroach or silverfish scurrying through the pages of an old book that hasn't been open in years. Even though most insects cannot hurt you in any way, people fear them. As with anything, knowledge and insight fosters a greater understanding and thus this post. As a pest professional, I have spent more time over the years educating the public about insects than preventing or eliminating them. Fact is, insects serve a purpose and killing them is not always the way to go about resolving your fears. Instead, pest prevention is vital for not only their survival but, in limiting the frightful feelings you may experience when coming face to face with one. I have created the top 5 most dangerous insects to have inside your home. 

Black widow

As with most spiders, black widows can be spotted in their webs. While they typically won't be found outside of the web, these venomous spiders do have the ability to send infants and elderly people to the ER. The last report I read stated there are no known deaths resulting from a black widow bite in the United States but, we do not want to take chances as their bites are very painful.

Flies

If the blackish blur and annoying buzz flying about your space wasn't enough remember flies love sitting on Sh*!. Flies land on bacteria and land on you. The common house fly is capable of transmitting hundreds of pathogens into your home.

Centipede

Centipedes live in dark, moist areas like soil feeding on plant and other insects. While they typically won't venture into daylight there may be the occasional encounter with one in your bathroom or kitchen as it seeks out water. Centipedes do have the ability to deliver a painful bite so be careful when removing them. Putting a centipede in a cup or glass to move it outside is a great way to avoid being bitten. 

Ticks

Yes, the infamous deer, cat, and dog ticks are on this list for certain. Deer ticks transmit Lyme disease, a chronic infection that effects the immune system. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is another infection ticks may transmit when your bitten. 

Mosquitos

The ultimate disease carriers are mosquitos. As a blood feeder, mosquitos can transmit West Nile virus, Malaria, encephalitis, and more. Preventing mosquitos is paramount around any home.

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Can Bed Bugs Infest A Clean Home?

For more information about bed bugs follow our blog as we present new DIY practices, tips and insights each week. If you would like a professional inspection for bed bugs call 717-597-1040

In recent years, Bed Bugs have developed a reputation for becoming pests that only infest filthy homes and cheap hotels. While cluttered homes that are never cleaned,  run down hotels, and improperly maintained housing complexes are common places to find bed bugs, the conditions of these places are not what typically attracts bed bugs. 

Truth is bed bug infestations have been discovered in the cleanest of homes, in the most well kept of hotels, and in the most expensive housing communities.  The main determining factor in a bed bugs ability to thrive is its ability to hide in the tiniest of cracks. So even if you keep your home spotless and uncluttered, there’s still a chance bedbugs may enter. 

Here's a little secret though: when a bud bug enters your home the chances of you finding it early increases as you clean, flip your mattress, dust behind the headboard and so forth. But, remember, bed bugs hide in the tiniest of places so even when cleaning you can easily miss it. 

Pantry Moths

Moths are mostly nocturnal creatures and some beautiful but, most people enjoy them when they remain outside. Sometimes the occasional invader might fly inside the home by accident and frantically try to find their way back out amid the interior lighting. But, many people feel differently when certain moths make their way inside the home, especially when one moth turns into several in less than a week. Soon your pantry and kitchen becomes garden like so, then what?

Both moths are readily found during each stage of food production. From packaging to retail these two insects can infest almost any type of packaged food product, including flour, cereal, chocolate, beans, dried fruits, birdseed, and pet food. Additionally, you may unwittingly purchase interior or holiday décor that is already infested.

Common Pantry Moths

If you have moths in your pantry or kitchen, good chance they’re one of these two types:

Indian meal Moth The body of these tiny moths are white with copper-like spotting on their front wings. Females deposit eggs in food. The larvae hatch then tunnel through food making their way out to then form cocoons.  Indian meal moths are very slow fliers and are typically seen resting on ceilings or walls.

Mediterranean Flour Moths While they are the same size, Mediterranean flour moths front wings are pale gray with some spotting. After the eggs are deposited and hatched, the larvae spin silk feeding tubes. The mediterranean flour moth flies in a zigzag pattern.

Preventin Pantry Moths

When trying to eliminate these household pests the first step is to contain any food that may be infested. 
Follow these simple steps if you find moths in your pantry or  kitchen:

• Locate and get rid of infested food, the packaging and any possible decorations.
• Freeze flour and grain-based foods for a week before placing in cupboards or pantry.
• Clean shelves and cabinets that stored infested foods with soap and water.
• Use only tightly sealed storage containers for dried goods.
• Contact a professional pest control service, like Gladhill Services if in need of additional help.

And remember that pantry moths are not the same moths that can damage your clothing. You can read more about Clothes Moths in this post.

Why Moths Eat Your Clothes

Got moths in your closet? Finding your clothes damaged? Ever wonder why it's happening? If you answered yes to these questions then, this post will tell you how to end it all once and for all.

Ever opened up your closet to find tiny holes or cuts in that favorite shirt or sweater? If so, you most likely have clothes moths taking up residence. Obviously, this is a problem but just what can you do to eliminate clothes moths from the closet? First we need to understand the true nature of clothes moths and in this post we are going to educate you about them so you can begin saving your wardrobe. 

There are two main types of moths that damage clothing - the webbing clothes, and the casemaking clothes moths.

The most important thing to remember is the adult moths you see flying around do not damage clothing. The larvae do the damage as they feed on natural fibers readily supplied to them in your wardrobe. 

Unlike most species of moths being attracted to light, the webbing and casemaking clothes moths prefer the dark.  Another reason these tiny moths find refuge in your closet is due to the fact their larvae need keratin to develop, which is a protein found in your skin, hair, and fingernails. This same protein is found in natural fibers derived from animals including silk, leather, feathers, furs and... wool!

The females lay eggs on keratin-rich materials so their larvae have plenty of food to grow. Webbing's moth larvae spin feeding tunnels to travel through as they feed on clothing. The tunnels are usually the same color as the material making up the clothing they feed on. Casemaking moth larvae are named accordingly as they carry with them a tiny case as they feed. Again, this case is typically the same color as the material they eat. Due to the size and color of the tunnels and cases, the larvae of each type of moth is almost impossible to find. 

Preventing Clothes Moths

Cedar: Small blocks of cedar wood work mildly to repel clothes moths but do nothing for the larvae. Once the presence of larvae is gone be sure to sand the blocks of cedar every two-three months, or wet the surface to release the aromatic repellent within the wood.

Cleaning: Before stowing away clothing for the summer or winter, wash or dry clean clothes according to the manufacturer to kill any larvae present. Storing clothes in a plastic container helps prevent the spread as well. Another option is to place articles of clothing in plastic bags and freeze for 10 days. This will kill larvae too. A final step in cleaning as a preventive measure is vacuuming all areas, including cracks and crevices, inside your closet. 

Storage: To prevent larvae from getting back into clothing, storage containers must be airtight. Airtight storage containers lined with cotton work well for seasonal storage.