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We have a contract with a pest company that comes quarterly, and then does a yearly termite treatment. If we see bugs during the three months, we call, they come out and spray. I have noticed with new construction (I am on a wooded acre) that because we disturbed the bugs home so much during construction, there are more spiders (my sister said the same thing).
I think the problem people have consistently told me about (but I haven't had yet) are the little black ants (tiny ones) that come in the house during the warm months - they tend to get into the dishwasher, etc.
Does the Triad have Black Widows? Up here in Boones Mill, VA, they're pretty common if you know where to look. I find dozens of Black Widow nests during the summer over here.
I've actually seen them here, and dealt with them in the same way I deal with them in California. In CA, the summer months were terrible for those guys. So, about twice a summer, I would go on a nightly 'bug hunt' and, with my hornet killer spray in hand, look for those nasty uncoordinated looking webs, find those widows hanging out in the middle and give them a quick burst of the spray. I'd leave the webs until a few weeks later since widows will not generally inhabit an old nest (if I see egg sacks, I'd squirt them too).
Seems I would only need to do this twice a year with one can per session (I remember killing about 30 one year in one hunt). Though, I imagine, most people would want to prevent them from showing up. I don't know how effective that would be, however. Nonetheless, I saw a few in our crawlspace, and zapped them with the hornet killer spray (great stuff too, can shoot from a distance with accuracy). I use the spray, and not the foam, Although, I would think the foam would work rather well.
Did any of you find a source for the garlic spray?
We have pets also, and want pet safe preventives and treatments. We bought a 4-yr old home that has never been treated as far as we know. Home inspection last year found no signs of termites, but we should do some preventive maintenance.
Do those of you who don't have tubes do any termite preventive aapplications around the house?
What company do you use, and what methods do they use?
I just discovered a new visitor (at least I hope it's brand new) - some sort of wood borer. It has made a perfect round hole about 1/2" in diameter on the underside of the deck stair railing, and keeps dropping 'sawdust' on the step below. It's a busy little bugger, and we need to stop it before it gets much farther.
I'm really worried for our dogs, and want to be extra careful about the products that are used out back where they play.
Last edited by swbtoo; 04-25-2007 at 06:34 AM..
Reason: add a line
Did any of you find a source for the garlic spray?
We have pets also, and want pet safe preventives and treatments. We bought a 4-yr old home that has never been treated as far as we know. Home inspection last year found no signs of termites, but we should do some preventive maintenance.
Do those of you who don't have tubes do any termite preventive aapplications around the house?
What company do you use, and what methods do they use?
I just discovered a new visitor (at least I hope it's brand new) - some sort of wood borer. It has made a perfect round hole about 1/2" in diameter on the underside of the deck stair railing, and keeps dropping 'sawdust' on the step below. It's a busy little bugger, and we need to stop it before it gets much farther.
I'm really worried for our dogs, and want to be extra careful about the products that are used out back where they play.
I have a pet as well...don't want to use any toxic sprays/granuals...I am building a home and the builder put a system in the house during framing for pest control, so they treat it from the outside and it goes through tubes on the entire lower level...I think it's more a thing for you to sign up with the company they want you to though...so I will see which company I choose, being new to NC, I have no idea what company to go with. I am taking the advice here and will do quarterly treatments and a yearly termite inspection. I really don't want spiders or anything else coming into the house...I will research natural/organic means for pest control/pest control companies. I don't want to put my health or my pet's health at risk for the control of spiders or termites, etc... let's face it anything toxic sitting in and around the foundation can't be healthy, the vapors enter your home and if it sits around, the vapors are a constant...so much to worry about...ugh...
I have a pet as well...don't want to use any toxic sprays/granuals...I am building a home and the builder put a system in the house during framing for pest control, so they treat it from the outside and it goes through tubes on the entire lower level...I think it's more a thing for you to sign up with the company they want you to though...so I will see which company I choose, being new to NC, I have no idea what company to go with. I am taking the advice here and will do quarterly treatments and a yearly termite inspection. I really don't want spiders or anything else coming into the house...I will research natural/organic means for pest control/pest control companies. I don't want to put my health or my pet's health at risk for the control of spiders or termites, etc... let's face it anything toxic sitting in and around the foundation can't be healthy, the vapors enter your home and if it sits around, the vapors are a constant...so much to worry about...ugh...
Hi - would you let us know what your research shows? or, send me a pm, please. We can share info that way if others here do not have pet concerns.
We don't have tubes, so we'll have to find a way to do preventive treatments without them. I have calls in to several area companies. A couple of them have already called to schedule appointments. I've been reading up on Termidor treatments. Supposedly they use a low dose of of their active ingredient (fipronil), which has been used since 1995 used on food crops around the world and is the leading product in flea and tick control on dogs and cats. Also, I'm waiting for a return call from our vet's office as I asked them what THEY use. (I read that for tick control in the yard nematodes work great, but that's another topic.)
Those round holes in your deck railing are being made by carpenter bees.
You need to spray an insecticide into the holes at night (while the bees are inside) and after 24 hours you should plug up the holes with wood filer. We just got rid of two nests on our deck.
Everybody in the south has German cockroaches. Some live with them. Some don't. I choose not to, and will take a little pyrethrin on the side to not eat their legs and such...
What are German cockroaches? Am I destined to get them? I am living in an apartment. It seems clean and new here, but really, I don't want to turn the corner and see one of those 6 legged friends! Please please tell me that you can live in the south and not encounter roaches.
Hi - would you let us know what your research shows? or, send me a pm, please. We can share info that way if others here do not have pet concerns.
We don't have tubes, so we'll have to find a way to do preventive treatments without them. I have calls in to several area companies. A couple of them have already called to schedule appointments. I've been reading up on Termidor treatments. Supposedly they use a low dose of of their active ingredient (fipronil), which has been used since 1995 used on food crops around the world and is the leading product in flea and tick control on dogs and cats. Also, I'm waiting for a return call from our vet's office as I asked them what THEY use. (I read that for tick control in the yard nematodes work great, but that's another topic.)
Those round holes in your deck railing are being made by carpenter bees.
You need to spray an insecticide into the holes at night (while the bees are inside) and after 24 hours you should plug up the holes with wood filer. We just got rid of two nests on our deck.
Yep. First two days I didn't see anything. Today there are swarms of carpenter bees all over the entrance to the screened porch. They showed up while the Terminex man was there for an inspection and estimate for termite preventive treatment program. Now, I can't wait with this bee thing (they are eating through an amazing amount of wood in a short time! ) so I got some spray and will try to spray into the holes - there are two holes now, in the underside of the step railing. Not sure how I'm going to get the spray in there, but some will be better than none.
Ironic that I found a funny looking bee on the screened porch two days ago and since I don't really like to kill things I don't recognize, I gingerly took it on a stick and put it outside so it can live. I dropped it in the shrub next to the steps. He must have gone to get his buddies and to tell them, hey, fellas, this lady's nice, we can set up residence here. Have I ever got a surprise for them!
Last edited by swbtoo; 04-26-2007 at 02:00 PM..
Reason: sp
OK, here we go...sigh...here's what I learned about carpenter bees online...
"Carpenter bees are generally considered beneficial insects because they help pollinate various crop and noncrop plants. Under most conditions they can be successfully controlled using preventive measures..."
I don't want to kill beneficial insects, especially considering what's going on with our decreasing honey bee population. Can I wait until the bees are out (that is, during the day), and spray, or just plug up the tunnel? Will the hatchlings just die, or will they try to tunnel their way out? I know I'd still be killing something, but at least the adults would be free to go on pollinating, and we'd be rid of the nest.
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Would you come back and let us know?
(I read that for tick control in the yard nematodes work great, but that's another topic.)
) so I got some spray and will try to spray into the holes - there are two holes now, in the underside of the step railing. Not sure how I'm going to get the spray in there, but some will be better than none. 
He must have gone to get his buddies and to tell them, hey, fellas, this lady's nice, we can set up residence here.
Have I ever got a surprise for them! 
