Think again. Bed bugs are no laughing matter… even though they played a role in NBC’s hit show “30 Rock” in November when Alec Baldwin’s character Jack had a bed bug infestation of his own. He was humorously ostracized at work, forced to take the subway instead of the company car and heckled by his coworkers for having “a bad case of the chew-daddies.”

While watching the Nightly News on NBC last night, another story ran on these little creatures. (Click here to view.) Turns out that the population of bed bugs has risen 500% in recent years and that one out of four hotel rooms has had an infestation.

From the National Pest Management Association’s site pestworld.org, below are some FAQ’s on bed bugs:

Why are bed bugs so hard to treat?
Bed bugs should not be equated with filth or sanitation problems – in hotels or in homes. Bed bugs are very elusive, transient and nocturnal pests. They can live for a year or more without eating and can withstand a wide range of temperatures. Bed bugs can be controlled with vigilance, constant inspection and treatment by a professional.

Why are bed bugs an issue for hotels, visitors and homeowners?
Bed bugs leave itchy, bloody welts on human skin. Once inside a hotel or home, bed bugs spread rapidly from room to room – through pipes, in vacuum cleaners, on clothing and luggage. In a hotel, bed bugs can even spread to neighboring rooms.

Are bed bugs just in beds?
Bed bugs are not just in beds. They can be in chair cushions, sofas, behind electrical outlets, cracks and crevices around baseboards, or even behind picture frames. In other words, they can live pretty much anywhere.

What can you do to protect yourself from bed bug infestations?
When staying at a hotel, inspect the mattress, bedding, headboard and nightstands thoroughly. And when returning from a trip, check your luggage and clothing.

Happy first day of summer! It is odd saying that, considering how hot the temperatures have been recently…

With the onset of summer comes plenty of opportunities for celebrations with family and friends. Don’t let pesky flies invade your summer events! Here are a few tips to keep flies at bay while you are entertaining at home:

• Cut down on the amount of light that surrounds your home in the evenings, as flies are attracted to most white and ultraviolet lights. (Closing your blinds helps with this, too.)
• Use amber bug light bulbs outside of the home instead of white or clear bulbs. The amber bulbs attract 100 times fewer flies than other bulbs.
• Products labeled for use on flies can be used on hedges and barrier plants between the lake and the home where hundreds of flies rest before they head toward the home.
• Since flies are attracted to UV light, place UV light zapper traps at the far end of the property near the lake to draw the flies away from the yard back out to the lake. Do not place the traps near the home or the flies will be drawn up through the yard to the home.
• During outdoor parties, rent large fans to direct flies away from the event.  

The holiday season is quickly approaching and I can’t wait to purchase gifts and decorate my house for the holidays! Plus, with guests coming over, I was thinking it gives me time to tidy up and maybe even buy a few new things for my own home for decoration.

Then, the other day I heard an unbelievable story about a termite infestation inside a home that made me really think about what I am buying and bringing inside.  A woman bought some new baskets and decorative items to brighten up her home before her holiday guests began arriving. The items were made of wood and unbeknownst to the owner, they were infested with termites.  She started noticing small piles of dust around the wood floors of her home within a few months of the purchase but couldn’t figure out what it was.

After about one year of a growing problem, she finally contacted us and we discovered a complete termite infestation in her home – all caused from this one little purchase!

Now, I’m not saying I won’t decorate my home or buy anything new, but I’ll definitely be inspecting anything made of wood for traces of termite damage. And I’d recommend to anyone that they do the same. If you see start seeing tiny piles of powder around your house or small holes in your drywall, don’t wait to call!

Now who’s ready for some shopping?

Many pest service providers only service the interior and immediate exterior of their commercial properties.

To have a truly integrated pest program, a service should focus on identifying conditions, avenues and sources of pest activity. Many times these sources  can often be found away from the structure along property lines, plant bed areas, parking lot islands, trash collection areas and other property features. Inspecting these areas and putting into place corrective and preventive actions is critical to keep pests from getting in and coming back.

When selecting a pest service provider, be certain to look for one who takes these steps to assure the program is truly preventing pests and not reacting to them after they enter the structure.

To find out more about Massey’s PrevenTech Commercial Pest Prevention Program or to get a Free Pest Inspection, call us at 1-888-2MASSEY (262-7739).

Knowing How Fleas Get In and Stay In – Can Help You Get Them Out and Keep Them Out.

Fleas have always followed pets into homes annoying both Fido and his owner. What’s more annoying is they always seem to resurface when they’re least expected!

Prevent Fleas in Your Home

Fortunately this is not because we’re messy or don’t bathe our pets regularly. Rather, it’s a result of the flea life cycle. You see:

• Fleas lay tiny eggs about ½ the size of a pinhead.

• Eggs hatch into wiggling, hairy little larva.

• Larvae turn into miniature cocoons with pupa inside.

• Cocoons are spun right into the carpet material so that they cannot be vacuumed.

• Pupa wait until there is plenty of motion indoors to hatch.

Knowing all of this can help you control fleas inside your home. Follow these tips to evict fleas from your abode.

• Use flea products on pets without interruption so populations cannot get started.

• Vacuum any flea eggs thoroughly before larvae hatch & cocoons are spun in carpet.

• Treat for fleas and then wait. (It takes about 2 weeks for the last generation of cocoons to emerge into adult fleas because these cocoons cannot be killed or removed).

• Continue to remove fleas from pets daily until all fleas are gone.

If you think you have a flea problem, or want to learn more about Massey’s Pest Prevention, schedule a free inspection or call us at 1-888-2MASSEY (262-7739).

Think Fire Ants are only an Outside Nuisance? Think Again!

Fire Ants on your grass, sidewalks, parking lots or anywhere on your property pose a real threat to your business. That’s because these are areas where patrons and their children traverse, making them ready targets for fire ants and their stinging bites.

Keep Fire Ants off Your Property

Even worse, fire ants that set up homes in these places can easily enter your establishment through tiny cracks and gaps in your foundation or under door plates. From here they gain access behind baseboards and walls, eventually locating food items inside.

Stings from fire ants usually develop into a tight pustule that itches and burns. Sometimes, the sting site can become infected. And, persons allergic to bee and wasp stings are especially susceptible because they can experience anaphylactic shock from these tiny creatures.

With 2.5 million tons of living fire ants in the Southeast – your property and your customers can easily become a target.

What to do if you suspect you may have fire ants on your property?

• Do not disturb any Fire Ant nests. Any disturbance may encourage the colony to move somewhere else and this can make eradication more difficult.

• Make sure that materials infested with fire ants are not wheeled across your landscape, spreading an infestation.

• Seal cracks and crevices where ants may come inside.

• Employ a professional pest service that can eliminate ants and their nests and prevent future colonies from forming.

If you think you have an ant problem, or want to learn about Massey’s Commercial Pest Prevention, schedule a Free Inspection, or call us at 1-888-2MASSEY (262-7739).

Your Strategy for Keeping Your Building Free of Pests

Stop pests on your commercial property

Did you know that you could be providing a steady source of food, water and shelter right beside your building that could be attracting pests and rodents? That’s right! If poorly managed, your trash receptacle can become an attractant to pests and an open invitation into your establishment.

To combat this, here are a few simple tricks and tips:

• Self closing or covered public trash receptacles should be available throughout the location. Emptying these several times per day will prevent odor and overflow issues.
• Assure all food waste is placed in trash bags that are tied shut prior to being placed into the dumpster. Instruct your staff not to tear open the bags when placing them into the dumpster.
• Dumpsters should be emptied at least twice per week.
• Cleaning of the dumpster pad or corral area is a big help in controlling fly populations.

If you think you have a pest problem, or want to learn about Massey’s Commercial Pest Prevention, schedule a Free Inspection, or call Massey’s PrevenTech Commercial Services at 1-888-2MASSEY (262-7739).

Tips to prevent pests

Pest entry into homes increases during rainy months, especially when heavy rains flood a colony of pests outside causing them to seek shelter indoors. Some of the main avenues that ants, roaches and small insects take to get into your home are through small cracks, holes and tiny gaps around doors and windows. If left unsealed, pests can enter through these gaps at any time and attempt to locate a breeding place inside your home.

As a homeowner you can seal gaps through use of caulk or small patches of screen, steel wool or copper.  You should also look for large gaps in the eaves or around the siding and tiny gaps around weather stripping. Massey’s Pest Prevention Program is based upon sound integrated pest management principles of identifying the conditions, avenues and sources of pest infestations in order to successfully deal with any pest problem in or around your home.

In addition to keeping pests out, sealing your home can also reduce your energy bill considerably. The hot and humid, or cold air, can no longer get inside your home, making indoor temperatures more easily regulated.

To find out more about our Pest Prevention Program, get a Free Pest Inspection or call us at 1-888-2MASSEY (262-7739).

Now that Spring has sprung and warmer weather is on it’s way, its good to prepare for an increase in pest activity around your home. Here are some tips to keep the pests on the outside of your home:

• Look for leaf litter that may have built up in the garage during the winter. Spiders love to hide in this kind of debris. Take an afternoon or weekend to clean up leaves behind stored items in your garage, back patio or shed.
• Ants are going to begin to build their colonies outside, make sure to prune all vegetation at least 6 to 12 inches away from your home to prevent them from getting inside.
  

  Tips to prevent pests this Spring

• Check seals around all of your doors. As doors age, grommets can be damaged or may shrink. Regular inspection, resealing and repair will go a long way toward preventing pest entry into your home. Seal all obvious gaps around your home.
• Clean up any food, crumbs or mold from around your dishwasher and compactor, under your sinks and around your home. This will prevent residues from attracting crawling pests or small flies.
• Inspect your air conditioner and replace the filter. Make sure your system is regularly maintained and is prepared to handle the increasing temperatures.
• If you feed pets outside, bring the food inside until next winter to prevent attracting roaches and ants. If you must feed them outside, bring everything in at the end of the day, clean up the area and place fresh food out the next morning.

If you have any questions, schedule a Free Inspection, or call us at 1-888-2MASSEY (262-7739).

There are several pests that can creep into your stored holiday decorations. So when your putting away your holiday decorations for the year, consider the following tips to ensure your decorations are kept safe from pests until the next holiday season:

• Remove old cardboard boxes and old wrapping paper from your storage area
• Place items made of wool or silk into ziplock or sealed plastic bags
• Store your decorations in plastic storage boxes that have tight fitting lids instead of cardboard boxes. Make sure the lids are well sealed to keep silverfish and other small pests from entering.
• If you label your boxes, cover the label with clear tape and if you include a detailed contents sheet, make sure to place it in a sealed ziplock bag.

We hope you had a safe and happy holiday season!