Pest Control Services

Cockroaches are mechanical transmitters of diseases including food poisoning, salmonella and E. coli. Evidence grows implicating German roach feces and “dander” in the increased incidence of asthma among children living in chronically infested apartments.

German roaches prefer warm, humid living conditions and can often be found indoors near food and water, especially kitchens and bathrooms. Adults are light brown or tan in color and about 1/2″ long with two stripes running lengthwise behind the head. This species of cockroach has the highest reproductive potential of all roaches. The female can produce about 50 eggs at a time, and carries the egg capsule until they eggs are ready to hatch.

Our roach control and cockroach treatment methods focus on the roaches’ hiding places. Baiting is the current standard for roach control in occupied homes. While baiting takes a week or two to control the problem, it gives a greater level of lasting control and uses less chemical. In addition to Guardian Pest Control treatment, it is important to combine proper sanitation and harborage reductions for effective cockroach control including the following tips:

Store foods in air tight containers, not cardboard boxes or paper bags. Use glass or Tupperware containers.

Remove garbage bags daily and keep the storage area clean.

Clean stovetops and ovens regularly, especially under burners where greasy residue collects. Clean under and behind appliances.

Keep dishes clean and avoid leaving spillage or food out.

Seal cracks and openings around pipes and under sinks.

Fleas are small, wingless insects that feed on the blood of animals and people. Americans spend about $9 billion a year controlling fleas – one of the biggest expenses for pet owners.

Identifying the problem
Adult cat fleas are about 1/8 inch long (1 to 3 mm). They are brownish-black, flattened looking, and without wings. Backward-pointing bristles help fleas move through the hairs or feathers of host animals and make them more difficult to remove by grooming. The six legs, especially the hind pair, are long and adapted for jumping. Flea larvae are less than 1/4 inch long (6 mm), legless, and dirty white in color. The most likely place to find larvae is in infested pet bedding.

Understanding fleas
During their life cycle fleas pass through four stages–egg, larva, pupa and adult. Although they can jump, adult fleas do not usually travel long distances without a host. Fleas prefer to wait and jump onto a passing animal. Once aboard, they remain until they are dislodged or groomed from the animal. Without a host, adult fleas live only a few days to 2 weeks. On short-haired cats and dogs fleas survive an average of 8 days; they live longer on long-haired animals. The female flea begins laying eggs within 2 days of her first blood meal. Four to 9 days later she produces an average of 27 eggs per day, consuming about 15 times her body weight in blood daily. Much of this blood is excreted as partially digested feces. Flea feces are a fine, reddish-black dust seen in pet fur and bedding.
Flea larvae feed on adult flea excrement. Without it, they cannot survive, although they also may feed on organic matter such as food particles, dead skin or feathers. Larvae develop in 5 to 11 days.
Fleas do not survive well outdoors in hot, sunny lawns. Relative humidity less than 50 percent or soil temperature higher than 95 degrees F kills flea larvae. Moist, shaded spots near pet resting areas are the places to find fleas. Indoors, flea larvae are usually found under furniture and in pet bedding. The pupa is the transition stage between the larva and adult.

Cat fleas are the most common fleas on dogs and cats. They also infest raccoons, oppossums and coyotes. The pupa forms inside a cocoon spun by the larva. After a week or two the pupa becomes an adult. The adult flea may remain in the cocoon for up to 5 months, but when stimulated by a passing animal the adult can emerge within seconds. Long-vacant homes or apartments can “come alive” with such fleas when new inhabitants move in.

Animal and human health
Fleas can be a source of both irritation and disease. Dogs and cats scratch constantly when heavily infested, resulting in soiled and roughened coats and, sometimes, in nervous conditions. The most serious effects occur when a pet develops an allergy to flea bites. As few as one or two bites can cause severe itching and scratching in allergic pets.

Cat fleas do not normally live on humans, but do bite people who handle infested animals. Flea bites cause small, red, itchy bumps, usually on the ankles and lower legs. People with allergies to flea bites suffer from hives, rashes or generalized itching. Allergic reactions usually appear 12 to 24 hours after a bite, and may last a week or more.

Flea life cycle.
Fleas that have fed on rodents may transmit diseases, including plague and murine typhus. For this reason, avoid close contact with wild rodents such as squirrels, rats and prairie dogs. Their fleas can bite you and may transmit disease. Cat fleas, however, do not carry plague.

Control
An integrated flea control program includes good sanitation and treatment of the pet and environment. You can eliminate fleas from your home with proper treatment, but it may take time, especially if the infestation is heavy.

-Sanitation. Change pet bedding regularly and vacuum thoroughly. Vacuuming removes up to 30 percent of the larvae and up to 60 percent of flea eggs from a carpet, as well as the larvae’s food supply of dried blood.
-Vacuum under furniture, cushions, chairs, beds, and along walls. Discard vacuum cleaner bags at least once a week. Fleas can continue to develop inside vacuum cleaner bags and re-infest the house.
-Treating Pets. Your pet’s first line of defense against fleas is a flea comb and a good bath. Soap acts as a gentle insecticide and

Mice have been plaguing humans for about as long as humans have been around. They are notorious for infesting homes and buildings thanks to their ability to slip through the smallest of entry points. Mice should be a concern for any property owner due to their capacity to spread disease and their destructive eating habits.

Mice bring with them a number of health risks including:

• Various mouse-related diseases
• Parasites such as ticks or fleas
• Fire hazards due to wire-chewing and fraying
• Mouse urine and feces, which can also carry disease

Mice are more than just a nuisance. They can make people sick and should be removed from homes as quickly as possible. For businesses, mice can cause serious inventory loss, property damage and also pose health risks for any food-bases business.

Guardian IPM Pest Control technicians are highly proficient at identifying mouse infestations in homes or businesses. We track down the entry points and seal them up. We seek out the nests and eliminate them. Our mouse control experts will remove the mice already inside your property and then make sure they don’t come back. When it comes to the right type of mice control, we offer you solutions that will work for your needs to get rid of mice infestations and keep them away.

Rodents make up the most numerous group of mammals, with 2277 species, accounting for 41% of the known mammals. They are a very diverse group in both size and habitat, ranging from the South American capybara weighing up to 145lbs, to the Baluchistan pygmy jerboa, the female adults of which weigh less than one tenth of a pound.

Rodents can cause tremendous property damage to homes and businesses and most species of rodent have health risks associated with them. This is why Guardian IPM Pest Control offers rodent removal services and can help you get rid of rodents and prevent their return.

Rodents are found on every continent except Antarctica. They live in a wide range of different habitats from snow-covered tundra to hot deserts. Some species of rodent are also common invaders of the human environment:

• rats.
• mice.
• voles.
• squirrels.
• marmots.
• hamsters.
• guinea pigs.
• gophers.
• prairie dogs.
• porcupines.
• beavers.
• capybaras.
• but not rabbits, hares and shrews

There are over 200 species of rodent in North America, over 70 species in Malaysia and India, but just 10 native species in the British Isles.

The distinguishing feature of rodents is a pair of continuously growing, incisor teeth in their upper and lower jaw. These teeth grow throughout the life of the rodent so it must continuously wear them down to prevent them becoming too long.

Rodents are known to be the following, depending on their species:

• arboreal;
• burrowing
• semi aquatic.

They use a variety of different methods of locomotion including quadrupedal walking, running, climbing, bipedal hopping, swimming and gliding. Some are nocturnal and some are diurnal.

Rodents tend to be social animals, living in small to very large colonies. They also have the ability to breed rapidly in favorable conditions, which is one of the reasons why they are such a concern when you have an infestation in your home or business.

The majority of rodents are herbivores, feeding on seeds, nuts, roots, tubers, stems, leaves, flowers and fruit. Some are omnivores; eating meat such as insects opportunistically and a small number are carnivores.

One of the main problems with a rodent infestation is the damages they cause. Rodents are curious creatures and will often explore new areas in the search of food.

Rodents cause immense economic losses worldwide by:

• Consuming, damaging and contaminating food in the field, in storage throughout the food chain and in the home;
• Damaging structures, buildings, bridges, sewers, and cabling etc, by gnawing and burrowing; and
• Damaging and contaminating goods such as packaging, clothing, and furniture.

Droppings, sounds such as scratching and squeaking, and harm from gnawing are some signals that rodents might at your property.

If you’ve got a rodent infestation, it’s essential to deal with it immediately before it becomes worse.

In order to frustrate rodents’ efforts to dwell at your home or business, try to get rid of places where they might be able to nest – such as piles of leaves. Also, close up holes tightly to prevent rodents from getting in.

Handling rodent issues is best done by a pest control professional. Guardian IPM Pest Control, we are prepared to address your situation so that these creatures are no longer a problem.

If you’re concerned about rodents on your property, contact us to learn more today about rodent pest control!

If you have spent any time outdoors during the warm months of spring and summer, then you’re likely very familiar with mosquitoes. The blood-sucking flies have been around for millions of years, feeding on all kinds of mammals, including humans. There are so many different species that it’s pretty safe to say that nearly every single creature on the planet has had to deal with them in some way, shape or form.

Mosquitoes buzz in your ears and are infamous for the itchy, red, bumps that their bites leave. Mosquitoes are small, but the statistics indicate that the lowly and humble mosquito is actually the deadliest creature on Earth. What’s so deadly about a miniscule insect? Mosquitoes are known vectors of diseases such as West Nile Virus, malaria, Zika virus, etc.

Mosquitoes like warm, humid, weather and need to be somewhere near still water. All species of mosquitoes lay their eggs in water and some species can do so in just a cup full of water. Even a simple puddle after a rainstorm can breed mosquitoes.

One of the best ways to control mosquitoes is to prevent them from breeding. That’s why a comprehensive mosquito control program is important for your property.

Although mosquitoes are famous for their feeding times during the dusk and dawn hours, during the day, they like to rest in cool, damp areas, normally areas thick with vegetation. The best way to keep mosquitoes away from your property is to have a pest control professional conduct a detailed examination of your property before a treatment can be applied. Guardian IPM Pest Control technicians are trained to spot all areas that mosquitoes use for daytime resting and for breeding purposes.

Your Guardian IPM Pest Control mosquito control technician will create a barrier around your home that will keep mosquitoes away.  We work with you to develop and implement the most effective mosquito removal and prevention methods for your needs.

Do you like spending time outside in the spring and summer? While you and your family members enjoy the great outdoors, ticks may be there too, waiting in the brush for a bloodmeal.

Why should you be concerned about ticks? Ticks are responsible for the transmission of many diseases to both humans and animals. Of all arthropods, ticks spread the widest array of disease-causing organisms. When ticks feed on human blood they are capable of transmitting diseases such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Tick Paralysis and more.

How can Guardian IPM Pest Control help you prevent tick bites? Guardian IPM Pest Control offers a season-long tick control service that creates a repellent barrier against ticks. An Guardian IPM Pest Control technician will perform a barrier treatment focusing on areas where ticks are commonly found when not feeding on hosts, including:

• perimeter vegetation
• overgrown grassy areas
• frequently traveled footpaths
• parts of yard that border forest

The potential transmission of Lyme disease is the #1 reason why tick control and prevention is a necessity for homeowners. Lyme disease is spread through the bite of the deer tick, Ixodes scapularis, which is also commonly referred to as the blacklegged tick.

Symptoms of Lyme disease include fever and a bull-eye-shaped rash. If not treated, other symptoms such as loss of muscle tone in face (Bell’s palsy), shooting pains, swelling of joints and arthritis.

Approximately, between 10-20% of patients that contract Lyme disease experience post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome where symptoms can last for months or even years in rare instances. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention listed Lyme disease as the 7th most “Nationally Notifiable Disease” in the U.S. in 2012.

Our technicians are tick biology and behavior experts. By having a clear understanding of how ticks behave, your technician can help treat properties for ticks and other pests in the most effective manner.

Are you experiencing a wasp infestation in or near your home or business? Guardian IPM Pest Control’s state-licensed pest technicians are trained in the most effective wasp control and removal methods in the industry.

Guardian IPM Pest Control customers rely on their technicians to deliver safe wasp removal treatments. Vespid wasps (paper wasps, yellow jackets, hornets) are the most dangerous species of stinging insects due to their painful stings which in rare cases can be fatal. If they feel threatened, wasps will attack humans in large numbers.

Every fall, newly mated queen wasps will seek shelter in protective structures to build their nests. This can include the exterior or interior of your home. In the spring, the nest will grow and wasps can become a danger to humans.

Guardian IPM Pest Control strongly advises against attempting to remove wasp nests by do-it-yourself methods as this can be highly dangerous. Guardian IPM Pest Control technicians have specialized equipment and wear protective gear to remove wasp nests safely.

• Identification – Correctly identifying the type of wasp that is infesting your property is key to successfully removing them. A technician may use different treatment methods depending on the species of wasp. In addition to distinguishing the differences between wasps and bees, Guardian IPM Pest Control technicians are trained to identify the most common wasp species.
• Recommendation – Once the wasp is identified, your technician will make a treatment recommendation. The method of removal your technician will suggest will depend on a variety of factors, including the type of wasp, the location of the nest, state and local regulations and the severity of an infestation. Once a treatment plan is agreed upon, your technician will provide you with a quote for services.
• Treatment – The method of treatment used will vary from applying aerosols, dust or liquid treatments. Your technician will apply the application to the nest using a stinging insect pole while wearing protective gear.

Paper Wasps – One of the most commonly encountered wasp species in residential homes, paper wasps earn their namesake for the upside down umbrella-shaped nests they construct of papery materials. While their appearance can vary slightly by species, paper wasps have distinctive long legs. Paper wasp nests are commonly found in attics, deck floors, porch ceilings and the top of window/door frames.

Hornets – The largest of wasp species that commonly infest properties, hornets will build their nests on atop trees, utility poles, sheds, in shrubs etc.. Baldfaced hornets and European hornets are two of the most common hornet species in the U.S. Hornet stings can be extremely painful although they are not as aggressive as other wasp species.

Yellow Jackets – Famous for their distinctive yellow and black color scheme, yellow jackets are known to be very aggressive when close to humans. There 16 different yellow jacket species active in the U.S., including the common yellowjacket, Vespula vulgaris and German yellowjacket, Vespula germanica. Yellow jackets will build both aerial and ground nests. Yellow jackets are capable of stinging a person multiple times.