Dealing with pests, whether we like it or not, is already part of our lives. One time or another, these pests have managed to invade our homes. Whether these pests are high health risk pests, or just merely nuisance, we want to get rid of them as soon as possible.
To be sure, there are DIY’s we can perform for each kind of pests. However, if they become too overwhelming, we might have to get the services of the professionals.
Choosing the right pest control company in Greensboro NC may not be as easy as you think. It is not going over the top when I say due diligence should be exercised to get not just the right one, but the best one.
Here in the United States, people think we are difficult to deal with as customers. At some point, they are correct; we demand quality. We demand the best quality of goods and service, after all, we also give it our best in performing our duties.
So how do we know which pest control to choose? Many claim they are the best, but how would we know? Here are some of the guidelines to help you choose:
Pest Control Company Checklist
- Do they have excellent experience in handling all kinds of pests, like cockroaches, mice, termites, bed bugs, rats, moths, termites, ants, weevils, silverfish, spiders, and centipedes?
- Do they have technicians who are very professional? Are they highly skilled and well trained?
- Check on the internet to see if they are highly rated by customers. Check on social media too like Facebook and Twitter. Satisfied and dissatisfied customers usually let their feelings known about a particular service they availed from a company.
- Are their methods of extermination family friendly and pet-friendly?
- Are they certified and licensed by the state to perform their duties as pest exterminators?
- Do they have a listed phone number?
- Are the pesticides they are using Environmental Protection Agency approved, and registered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture?
- Do they claim that they are endorsed by the EPA and Department of Agriculture? Remember that these agencies do not endorse anyone. Making such claims is false advertisement.
- Does the company offer free estimates and do they recommend the best kind of service that you need?
- Ask around the community. Is the company well-known there? Do they recommend this company?
With these guidelines, we hope you can find the right pest control company in Greensboro NC.
When To Call The Pest Experts
If you have these pests invading your homes, it is time to call the professionals. Of course, the very first step in getting rid of these pests is to learn how to identify what these pests are. We have listed below the common household pests.
Termites - Individually, termites do not look like much. They are tiny insects that look like ants; but collectively, termites can cause billions of dollars in structural damages annually, and costs reach billions more trying to exterminate them. Termites are typically ¼ to a ½ inch in length. Their bodies are soft and they also have antennae. A lot of people confuse them for ants. Termites have a rectangular shaped body with no narrowing at the center, while ants have narrow waists. In the United States, there are 40 species of termites out of as many as 2,000 worldwide. Of these 40, the most common are the subterranean termites, drywood termites, dampwood termites, and the Formosan termites. Signs that you have termites include swollen floors and ceilings, buckling wood, conspicuous mud tunnels found near the foundation of the home.
Ants - Ants are probably the most common of all the household pests. There are actually 10,000 species of ants all over the world, but only a few make it to our homes. They invade our homes foraging for food. Ants have large heads and narrow waists and can carry as much as 50 times their own weight. Ants live in colonies, led by a queen. They also have male ants and worker ants in the colony. The queen’s only function in life is to lay eggs. This assures the survival of the colony. The males’ function is to mate with the queen. The worker ants are female ants that are sterile. Their duties are to protect the nest, to care for the young, and to feed the colony. Ants are said to cause more structural damages than the termites. The most common type of ants are the carpenter ants, crazy ants, Asian needle ants, field ants, acrobat ants, dark rover ants, European fire ant, and Argentine ants. Putting your food in a sealed container, throwing your garbage regularly, and cleaning up spills and food bits can help in keeping them out of your homes.
Cockroaches - Perhaps the dirtiest of all the insects, the cockroach forages for food in your homes at night. They thrive in dirty places and eat anything, from spoiled and rotten food, fecal matter, decomposing dead animals, and even their own kind. They are capable of transmitting diseases as they carry with them bacteria and viruses accumulated from those filthy places that they live in. When these roaches crawl on your food, or even just the kitchen surfaces where you handle food, this may cause transmission of such bacteria and viruses. There are thousands of cockroach species around the world, but only four are actual pests in our homes. These are the American cockroach, German cockroach, Oriental cockroach, and brown banded cockroach. To prevent cockroaches from entering your homes, throw away your garbage regularly as this will be a food source for them; seal off cracks and crevices as these are possible entry points; and use cockroach baits with poison.
Mosquitoes - Of all the creatures on earth, the mosquitoes are by far the deadliest. They carry several diseases, like dengue fever, malaria, Zika virus, yellow fever, and encephalitis. It is said that mosquitoes have killed more people throughout history than all the wars combined. Only the female mosquitoes suck blood because the males do not have the necessary mouthparts to bite through human or animal skin. The female mosquito has two tubes, one to insert an enzyme that can prevent blood clotting, the other to suck blood. They breed in stagnant water. To avoid being bitten by mosquitoes, use mosquito repellent that is approved by the Environment Protection Agency and has the active ingredient DEET; wear long sleeves and long pants for added protection; and remove standing water and the items that can hold water like old cans, old tires, water containers, and other similar items.
Mice - Another one of those disease-carrying pests. Mice can contaminate food and water through their droppings, urine, and saliva. The diseases associated with mice include leptospirosis, rat bite fever, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, and Lassa fever. Then they are also such a nuisance to have at home, as they nibble on our food, on papers, clothes, boxes, and other packages. To prevent this from happening, store your food in sealed plastic or metal containers because they can nibble through cardboard packages; regularly dispose of your garbage to cut off their food source; seal off cracks and holes that they may use as entry points.
Bed bugs - If you are sleeping alone, well, you may not really be alone. Watch out for bed bugs. These tiny insects suck blood from you while you sleep. They are small insects, about the size of an apple seed, but they bloat after a blood meal. They are considered high health risks by some government agencies like the Environment Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Not only do their bites cause severe itching, but they can also cause sleeplessness and anxiety. Washing your beddings and linens with hot, soapy water may do the trick.
Spiders - These eight-legged creatures are generally peaceful and keep to themselves, but there are venomous spiders that we need to be wary of. In the United States, there are two venomous types of spiders: the black widow spider and the brown recluse spider. The black widow spider has a very powerful venom, so powerful that it is said that their venom is 15 times more potent than a rattlesnake’s. Both spiders keep to themselves and do not want to be bothered, but if they feel threatened, they bite. Their bites are indeed very painful but are not fatal to humans. When bitten, seek immediate medical care. As much as possible, capture the spider that bit you and bring it to the hospital with you. This will ensure proper diagnosis and treatment.
If you feel you are on the losing end of the battle for control of your house, do not despair. The best pest control in Greensboro NC, Go-Forth Home Services, is just a call away.
Simply The Best
Go-Forth is a family-owned company specializing in the extermination of all kinds of pests. They have expert technicians with excellent experience in pest control, utilizing the latest and most advanced equipment in the business. They have family friendly and pet-friendly methods of extermination, so you are assured of your family’s safety. For more inquiries, just call (877) 274-1475. Our friendly operators are standing by.