Pest Control Archives - Page 4 of 7 - Loyal Termite & Pest Control

How Quickly Do Bed Bug Infestations Spread?

Bed bugs travel easily in Eastern & Central VA - Loyal Termite & Pest Control Bed bugs are one of the most feared pest problems for several reasons. One of the biggest reasons is that they are capable of spreading quickly throughout your home—even worse, they often do so silently. Compared to some pests, bed bugs move and reproduce at a relatively slow rate. However, it is because they move so silently that their spread can go unnoticed for some time. Before you know it, you could have a full-force infestation on your hands. For this reason, it’s crucial to learn how to stop a bed bug infestation in its tracks. Learn how with the bed bug control experts here at Loyal Termite & Pest Control!

Can People Spread Bed Bugs?

Because bed bugs bite people, it’s easy to assume people can spread bed bugs. However, this is not the case. Unlike fleas and ticks, bed bugs do not latch onto people. Instead, they will retreat after feeding. Bed bugs most commonly are spread when infested items are moved from one area to another. Typically, this happens when infested furniture or items are moved from one room to another. The spread of bed bugs can also be traced back to travelers and college kids bringing home infested suitcases.

Tips to Keep Bed Bugs From Spreading

To prevent bed bugs from spreading throughout your home, it’s important to learn how to inspect for bed bug activity. In addition, some of the best ways to prevent bed bugs are to:

Be wary of purchasing second-hand furniture unless you’ve inspected it thoroughly for bed bugs.
Place protective covers over the mattresses and box springs in your home.
When traveling, use hard shell suitcases and thoroughly inspect your hotel room for bed bugs. Always store luggage up off the ground.
When arriving home from traveling, steam clean your suitcase and wash all clothing before storing everything away.
If you utilize shared laundry facilities or a laundromat, seal your clothes in a plastic bag to and from the facility, and always fold your clothes at home.

The Spread of Bed Bugs in Virginia

If you’ve done all you can to stop bed bugs from getting in your home and are still noticing the signs of their activity, it’s time to call the bed bug control experts at Loyal Termite & Pest Control. Our team of experts will get rid of your infestation and keep you safe from bed bugs for good. Contact us today to get started!

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Ants – A Pain to Deal With

Many of us are familiar with the experience of finding an ant or two in the house, only to discover that they’re accompanied by hundreds more. Once one ant finds a way into your home, it seems that all of their buddies figure it out, too. Why does this happen, and what can we do about it? Keep reading for Loyal Termite & Pest Control’s top tips on ant control and prevention in Eastern & Central VA.

Why Are There So Many Ants In My House?

Worker ants are constantly on the lookout for a food source that they can take from to bring back to their colony. When they find one, they will release a signal in the form of a pheromone – this alerts other worker ants to follow them to the motherlode! Ants aren’t terribly picky eaters, but they have their preferences. They will usually try to locate these foods:

Meats
Grains
Fruits and vegetables
Other sweet foods composed of lots of sugar

That being said, ants will take advantage of any food source left out in the open.

How To Prevent Ants On Your Own

Since ants can be tricky to get rid of once they’ve already entered your home, the best method of ant control is to be properly preventative. Here are a few steps you can take to keep ants out of the house:

Properly seal and put away all of your food right after use.
Clean up your spills and do your dishes promptly
Look for gaps in doors and windows and cracks in the walls
Use diluted essential oil sprays in areas where ants could enter (peppermint oil and lemon juice both work well)

What to Do About an Ant Problem

If you’ve got ants scaling your walls and invading your kitchen, using an EPA-approved ant insecticide spray can work as a temporary solution. However, to set up long-term ant control and prevention on your own, you need to be very diligent. For severe ant infestations in Eastern & Central VA, we recommend leaving the work to your local ant control experts. The exterminators at Loyal Termite & Pest Control have spent years honing in on the best tactics for ant control in Virginia and can teach you how to better prevent outbreaks in your home. For a free quote, contact us today!

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How to Remove Ticks Safely

Staying aware of ticks becomes more and more important as the temperatures outside swell into summer. The warmer months of the year come with increasing animal populations and more habitable conditions, working together to provide the perfect environment for ticks. Not only do they target people and our pets, they are also known to carry many threatening diseases, including the dreaded Lyme disease. Learning the most trusted method of tick removal will keep you and your family safe from diseases this summer.

Types of Ticks in Richmond VA

If you can tell apart different tick species in your area, you will be better off in your efforts to avoid Lyme disease and other serious illnesses transmitted by ticks. Here are the kinds of ticks to look out for in Richmond VA:

Black-legged tick: These are the smallest ticks in the region at just about ⅛” in length, and unfortunately, they are carriers of Lyme disease. You are most susceptible to contract this disease from black-legged ticks in their nymph stage. They can be told apart from other tick species by their size and darker coloration.
Lone star tick: These ticks are larger, lighter in color, and rounder than black-legged ticks. Female lone star ticks have long mouthparts and a white-spotted back. They thrive in densely vegetated areas.
American dog tick: Also called wood ticks, American dog ticks look very similar to the lone star tick. Both the male and female have white markings along the back, and their color is more of a reddish-brown than a pale brown.

Lyme disease can only be contracted through a black-legged tick bite – American dog ticks and lone star ticks are not known to carry the disease.

Safe Tick Removal Strategy

You must remove ticks from your skin as soon as you find them to lessen your chances of contracting a disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have laid out these steps to remove ticks safely:

Pinch the tick as close to the skin as you can with a pair of tweezers.
Steadily pluck the tick out of the skin. Twisting the tweezers while pulling away can leave the tick’s mouthparts lodged in your body. In this case, just use the tweezers again to take the mouthparts out of the skin.
Clean the bitten skin with rubbing alcohol or soap and warm water after removing the tick.
Do not crush the tick with your fingers. Properly dispose of the tick by tossing it in a sealed trash bin, placing it in alcohol, or flushing it.

Be sure to consult a medical professional if you develop a rash or experience a fever during the next 2-3 weeks following a tick bite.

How Loyal Termite & Pest Control Can Help with Ticks

Contact your local pest control company if you’ve been noticing a rising number of ticks on your property. Our tick specialists at Loyal Termite & Pest Control can help to eliminate ticks in your area and inform you of the best ways to keep away from ticks where you live. For a free tick control estimate, contact us today!

The Brood-X Cicadas Are About to Emerge After 17 Years Underground

One of the world’s most fascinating events is upon us. This May, the Brood X cicadas, which is one of the world’s largest swarms, will emerge after being underground for 17 whole years. Whether this event fascinates or terrifies you, we are right in the center of it here in Virginia! In fact, experts say Virginia and Maryland are particularly likely to be the hot spots for the cicada emergence out of 14 states total.

At Loyal Termite & Pest Control, our experts are here to share all you need to know about the reemergence of the Brood X cicadas in the coming months.

Cicadas 101

In the next two months, you’re bound to hear a lot about cicadas. But what exactly are these insects? Unlike your typical cicada, Brood X cicadas are slightly-frightening insects that are up to two inches long with a 3-inch wingspan and bright red, beady eyes. Brood X cicadas are different from your typical annual cicada, as they only emerge every 17 years as opposed to every year.

Cicadas are infamous for their loud presence. Male cicadas are the noisy ones, producing nearly 100 decibels of sound. This deafening noise can be heard across long distances and is used to attract female cicadas for mating.

When Are the Brood X Cicadas Coming?

Experts predict that the Brood X cicadas will emerge here in Virginia in late May. Here’s what to know about their life cycle during this time:

When soil temperatures reach about 64 degrees Fahrenheit, the Brood X cicadas will emerge from the ground as nymphs.
About 6 days later, the nymphs will morph into adult cicadas. This stage will last about 2-4 weeks.
The adult male cicadas will use their tymbal to attract females. After mating, the females will lay her eggs in twigs on the ground.
After mating, the adult cicadas will fall to the ground, providing nutrients for the animals and soil. This marks the beginning of the next 17-year period until Brood X cicadas emerge once more.

Are Brood X Cicadas Dangerous?

As frightening as this event may be—especially with the massive swarms—Brood X cicadas pose little threat to humans or structures. In fact, cicadas are a feast for all types of animals, even your dogs. Cicadas feed on sap from tree roots, which will only threaten young trees and saplings. Cicadas have no interest in coming indoors, but keep your windows and doors shut during their emergence to keep them outside. Lastly, Brood X cicadas may look terrifying, but they do not bite, sting, or carry diseases.

What to Do About Brood X Cicadas in Henrico VA

As much as you may not want to deal with these cicadas, there is nothing to do to prevent them. Spraying or applying a pesticide would do more harm than good. To stay protected from their emergence, consider covering any young trees and make sure to keep your windows and doors closed securely! To learn more about the Brood X cicadas, the experts at Loyal Termite & Pest Control are happy to help. Contact us today.

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Moisture: A Bug’s Best Friend

All of the rainy days that come with the winter and spring lay out the perfect conditions for insects to thrive. Many pests seek out moisture for different reasons, so you have to look out for accumulations of moisture in areas all over your property. This could mean in your yard, your gutters, the foundation and walls of your house, your kitchen, and anywhere else that might be getting wet. So where do you even start?

Are Bugs Attracted to Moisture?

To take the right steps to control pests properly, it is important to anticipate what kinds of bugs you’ll be dealing with. Moisture attracts all kinds of insects, including:

Mosquitoes
Ants
Termites
Crickets
Beetles
Mites
Earwigs, and many more

Some of these insects, such as mosquitoes and ants, are more active in the spring, but others, like termites and beetles, can be active all year long. Make sure to stay cognizant of moisture problems throughout the year!

Common Moisture Problems

There are a variety of places on your property that can accumulate unwanted moisture, and all of these places can attract pests. Some common moisture issues can be found:

In your yard. When you allow rainwater to build up in clogged gutters, planters, or buckets in your yard, it can create a perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes. These opportunistic insects will use even the smallest pool of standing water to lay their eggs on, and they will continue to hang out in your yard maintaining their reproductive cycle. Moist soil in your yard can also attract termites.
In your walls and foundation. If termites find your yard suitable to nest in, they’ll soon be after the wood in your home. To prevent them from colonizing your house, make sure all downspouts and splashes are pointing away from your foundation, and check around for leaky pipes. Also, pull any mulch away from the house by at least one foot, and allow it to dry before reapplying.
In your kitchen and bathroom. These are the most common living spaces that see moisture buildup, and they often attract ants, or worse, cockroaches. Making sure you keep your bathroom and kitchen as clean and dry as possible will lessen the chances of an infestation. Be sure to clean up your spills and keep your food sealed, too!
In your crawl space. Many homeowners have let moisture buildup go undetected in their crawl spaces, only to discover a thriving pest population. Noticing a musty smell or mildew on your walls and ceiling probably means that you have excess moisture in your crawl spaces. If you notice a problem or want to stay ahead of one, ask our team about our crawl space moisture control protocol. We train our specialists to properly dehumidify crawl spaces, stopping pest problems before they start.

Moisture Control Services to Prevent Pests

If you’ve noticed a moisture issue in your home that might be out of your control, count on your local pest control experts to help. At Loyal Termite & Pest Control, we train our employees to exterminate and prevent all kinds of pests here in Richmond VA. Reach out today for a free quote, and learn more about how we can help you keep pests away from your home!

ants beetles cockroaches crickets earwigs mites mosquitoes termites

The Termite World – Workers & Soldiers

Termites may be one of the most feared pests, but they’re also one of the most fascinating—to termite experts and entomologists, anyway. As destructive as they are to family dwellings and business structures, their colony formation and caste system are intriguing to pest pros. Termites live through a very unique life cycle in which they are eventually assigned a unique “role” depending on the needs of the colony.

From nymphs and reproductive (warmers) to queen termites, there are many castes within a termite colony. Today, the experts at Loyal Termite & Pest Control are here to focus on two of the main roles: worker and soldier termites. Read on to learn more!

Termite Caste System

The most important individual in a termite colony is the queen termite. If there are a million termites in a colony; each and every one of them is there for one main purpose and that is to serve the queen. Reproductive termites, also known as swarmers, will leave the termite colony to mate and form new colonies. These termites are often confused for flying ants. Beyond the reproductive castes and the queen, the main population of a termite colony is made up of workers and soldiers.

Termite Workers vs. Soldiers

Termite workers and soldiers make up the majority of a colony. Here’s how they differ:

Termite workers make up the largest number of individuals within a colony. Workers are wingless, white to creamy white, and ¼ to 3/8 inch long. They do all the work of the colony: feeding the other castes, grooming the queen, excavating the nest, and making tunnels. In working, they chew and eat wood, causing the destruction that makes termites economically important.
Termite soldiers resemble workers in color and general appearance, except that soldiers have large, well-developed brownish heads with strong mandibles or jaws. Soldiers defend the colony against invaders, primarily ants.

Termite Colonies in Eastern & Central Virginia

It is important for all homeowners to understand termites in general and why they can be so destructive to the structure of your home and/or business. If you think you have spotted a termite colony in or near your property, it’s time to contact the termite exterminators at Loyal Termite & Pest Control.

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What Makes a Home At Risk For Termites?

Termites are one of the most dreaded pests for all homeowners. Unfortunately, they are a risk for all types of homes here in Virginia. Many people believe that termites are only a risk for wooden structures, but their destruction doesn’t end there. With Termite Awareness Week upon us, the experts at Loyal Termite & Pest Control are here to share all you need to know about what makes a home at risk for termites in our region.

What Buildings Do Termites Infest?

Believe it or not, it is a myth that termites only infest wood homes. This is because there are many things that are attractive to termites, not just the materials made to build a home. So while a brick home may be more difficult for termites to enter, once inside, they can still infest many items. For this reason, it’s smart to always work with a professional who can pinpoint what may put your home at risk for termites and keep you safe from infestations.

6 Things That Attract Termites to Your Home

Moisture. Leaky pipes, broken sprinklers, or clogged gutters can all lead to moisture problems in your home. In turn, this could attract subterranean termites (not to mention hoards of other pests) inside.
Cellulose. Termites may be infamous for infesting wood, but they’re actually after the cellulose contained within! This cellulose is a main component that can be found in wallpaper, plants, mulch, drywall, and more.
Proximity to soil. Subterranean termites need contact with soil to live. Any wood items, whether it’s your home, porch, or firewood in the yard, in contact with soil is at risk for a termite problem.
Warmth. Termite problems are generally more common in warmer, humid parts of the world. This puts our Southern state at a higher risk of termite activity year-round.
Decaying wood. If you have logs, trees, or stumps that are rotten or in decay, you can be sure termites will seek them out.
Landscape. Termites can infest mulch, making it important to keep it away from the perimeter of your home. Also, trim back tree branches that may be too close to your property.

Eliminating Termite Risk Factors

Bottom line: no matter what type of home you live in, it’s important to team up with your local termite control experts. At Loyal, our exterminators will inspect your property to pinpoint any vulnerabilities that could invite termites right inside. Contact us today to set up your inspection!

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Occasional Invader Pests — How to Control Them

Occasional invaders are a group of pests that you will start to see in abundance in the spring as our Central Virginia weather becomes warm and more humid. With the warm weather trends, insects are compelled to procreate and their populations grow in size because of it. Oftentimes, these pests will make their way into your home for a number of reasons. “Occasional invaders” include many types of insects you’re already familiar with: earwigs, silverfish, springtails, boxelder bugs, lady beetles, stink bugs, and ants.

How to Get Rid of Occasional Invader Pests

The invader group of pests is primarily dormant during the winter months. Some, like stink bugs and boxelder bugs, are very sneaky and will find their way into your home through the smallest of entryways as winter approaches. They will hunker down until spring when the warm weather arrives. If you see just a few of these invaders in your home, you can bet there is a bunch more hiding out in their comfort zone somewhere in the house, the attic, or crawlspace. When you see them, it’s important to get rid of them. Rather than crushing the bugs or vacuuming them up, it’s best to sweep them, drop them in a bag, and take them outside. Vacuuming certain bugs, like stink bugs, can make your vacuum cleaner unusable.

Tips to Prevent Occasional Invaders

The best way a homeowner can control occasional invaders is to prevent them from entering your home in the first place! This includes:

Sealing up doors, windows, and other entryways with caulk.
Installing tight-fitting screens on windows and doors.
Keeping a tidy yard with trimmed vegetation to deter insects.
Inside, cleaning your home regularly and wiping up spills and crumbs.
Fix or repair any moisture issues caused by leaky pipes or faucets.

Spring Pest Control With Loyal

To avoid dealing with occasional invaders on your own this year, it’s best to team up with a local expert you can trust: Loyal Termite & Pest Control. We have the experience required to safeguard your home against not only occasional invaders, but all types of pests. Contact our residential pest control experts today to learn more!

ants boxelder bugs common insects earwigs lady beetles silverfish stink bugs

The 6 Most Telling Signs of Termites

Homeowners rarely see termites. However, termites can leave behind evidence of their activity. Knowing these signs of termites can help stop an infestation from wrecking your property. Although termites are active year-round, the spring and summer months are when we see an increase in their activity. To better prepare yourself to prevent termites, it’s important to learn how to recognize them early on. The pros at Loyal Termite & Pest Control are here to share their expert knowledge on the most telling signs of termites in or near your home.

Help With Finding Signs of Termites

Finding signs of termite activity is often a bad sign there is a serious infestation. For this reason, it’s important to team up with a professional pest control company for regular termite inspections. Contact the termite exterminators at Loyal today to learn more about the signs of termites.

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Where to Find Termite Exit Holes

Wood-destroying insects, termites included, are infamous for their ability to tunnel through wood. Their activity often results in tiny, round holes found in wood. So how do you know whether you’re dealing with beetle activity, or something worse? Termite exit holes, also known as kick-out holes, have several unique characteristics that set them apart from holes created by other insects. They are created when drywood termites swarm, often in the spring or summer. While it can be difficult without the expert eye of a termite exterminator, there are several things to know about finding and identifying termite exit holes.

Do All Termites Create Exit Holes in Wood?

Termites are all known to swarm to form new colonies, but only one common termite is responsible for creating holes in wood: drywood termites. While subterranean termites swarm just as drywood termites do, they do not leave exit holes in the wood. This is because subterranean termites build nests underground and travel through mud tubes. These mud tubes also serve the purpose of being their exit from the nest. For this reason, seeing termite exit holes indicates the active or previous presence of drywood termites in your property. Drywood termites are often found in wood above ground, such as attics, garages, and trees.

What Does a Termite Exit Hole Look Like?

Termite exit holes will be seen in any source of dry wood, often above ground or away from the foundation of your home. A few ways to identify termite exit holes are as follows.

Termite exit holes are round and only about ⅛ of an inch (or smaller!).
After swarmers (called alates) leave the nest, the termite nymphs within the nest will use a paste made out of frass to plug the holes.
The holes are plugged quickly, making it rare to see uncovered holes in the wood.
Wood that has been kicked out looks like tiny mustard seeds and can appear in a pile.

Can Beetles and Wasps Leave Holes in Wood?

Termites are not the only insect to leave behind holes in wood. Holes made by other wood-destroying insects can often be confused with those made by termites and vice versa. Some of these insects include carpenter bees, carpenter ants, powderpost beetles, bark beetles, and more. Each of these exhibits unique behaviors and have different wood preferences, making it difficult to know which wood-boring insect you’re dealing with. This is why it’s always important to contact your local pest control experts for help identifying termite holes in or near your property.

Termite Exit Holes in Eastern & Central Virginia

Finding and identifying termite exit holes can be difficult without the trained eye of a professional. As soon as you suspect termite activity in or near your property, it’s time to call the termite exterminators at Loyal Termite & Pest Control! Our experts will help to quickly identify any termite kick-out holes you may have.

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