Ant Infestation: What Should You Do To Stop It?
Ants are one of the many insects you don’t want to see roaming around your home. They often gain access through your doors and windows. You can also bring ants inside with you every time you bring home food. These bugs breed so quickly that the sooner you put off getting rid of them, the more time it will take. Find out how you can stop an ant infestation and take care of these bugs.
Look for Signs of an Infestation
No matter where you live, you probably spotted a few ants in your home every now and then. You might see a line of ants marching inside and then heading back outside to their colony. Looking for the signs of an infestation let you know when you need ant extermination services. One common sign is the presence of an ant trail. The trail can feature dozens of ants or more. You should also look for ants around any food that you leave out. When you’re outside, keep your eyes open for any ant hills, too. We offer ant extermination services that get rid of indoor and outdoor ants.
Block All Openings
While you can use ant infestation control products, they only work on the ants that come inside. As long as there are still hills outside, the bugs will just keep coming back. If you have any holes in your walls, seal them. You just need a little caulk. Even if the holes are high on your walls, the ants can climb up the side to reach them. Check for cracks in your windows, too. Ants only need a tiny hole to gain access. At Captain Termite, we tell our clients to seal their doors as well. This can block ants and keep drafts from coming through.
Clean Your Home
An ant exterminator will often recommend that you clean your home before they get to work. Now is a good time to invest in trashcans that seal shut and get rid of any food debris you see. Don’t focus just on your kitchen and/or dining room either. If people eat in other rooms of your home, the crumbs they leave behind can attract ants. Clean and disinfect any surfaces that come into contact with food before you try other ant infestation control methods.
Hire an Exterminator
While you’ll find tons of home remedies that claim you can get rid of ants, the best way to take care of the problem is with a professional exterminator. Our team can find the signs of anthills outside and check for ants living in your home. We offer ant extermination services that work on all of the common types found in the area to give you peace of mind.
Get Rid of All Ants
At Captain Termite, we want to treat your ant infestation and get it under control as quickly as possible. We have chemicals and other products that the general public cannot use that work fast. Get rid of any ants you see when you contact Captain Termite today.
Top 5 Spring Pests and How to Keep Them Out of Your Home
Spring has arrived, and with it comes the onslaught of pesky critters that love to invade homes, particularly in the warmer months of summer and spring. While it’s not always easy to keep them out, there are steps you can take to safeguard your home from pest invasion. Here are the top five pests to watch out for in the spring and ways to keep them out of your home.
1. Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants are not only annoying, but they are also capable of causing severe structural damage. Look for areas where they can easily gain access into your house, such as weep holes, electrical boxes, or through unscreened vents. Also, look for trails within 6-8 inches above ground leading toward these openings. If you have any carpentry work done on or around your house, be sure that all gaps in windows, doors, and siding are sealed with caulk.
2. Carpet Beetles
Don’t let those little creatures ruin your beautiful carpet. Carpet beetles are typically dark-colored with a large tuft of white hair on their backs. They measure anywhere from 3/8-1/2 inches long. They feed on all kinds of fibers, like wool, silk, fur, feathers, and even some synthetic fibers. The best way to prevent carpet beetles is by keeping moisture down in your house. You can also contact companies that do pest control in Hollywood to get professional advice.
3. Crickets
Crickets often slip into a home through cracks in windows or doors. With their long, skinny legs and silky antennae, crickets are able to slide into tight places. To keep these pests at bay, seal off any entry points using weather stripping and silicone caulking, which can be purchased at most hardware stores. You can also install magnets or glue strips around windowsills that will trigger an insect-repelling noise when crickets walk across them. As a last resort, place sticky glue boards underneath window sills or inside door frames where crickets like to hide. Be sure to check these regularly, so you don’t accidentally trap any household pets.
4. Millipedes
Millipedes might look a little creepy, but they’re pretty harmless. However, they may wander indoors during wet spring weather. Millipedes will continue traveling until they find somewhere comfortable to burrow themselves. Although most millipedes won’t bite or cause harm, you probably don’t want them taking up residence under your floorboards. For quick relief from millipede infestations, treat areas around windows and doorways with sprayable pesticides that contain cypermethrin or deltamethrin.
5. Bed Bugs
Bed bugs typically hide in cracks in furniture, baseboards, bed frames, and headboards. They’re capable of living for months without a blood meal, which means they can survive at least as long as a year without getting into a new host. That’s why proper preparation is so important before you bring an infested mattress into your home. It’s advisable to hire pest removal services in Hollywood when you spot bed bugs in your home.
Keep Your Home Safe from Pests during Spring in Florida
Pest control in Hollywood should no longer be a mentally draining task. Now that you have an idea about the type of spring pests that might infest your home, you can take precautionary measures. Contact Captain Termite for pest removal services in Hollywood, Florida.
7 Signs You Might Have Termites or Ants in Your Home
Termites may look like small, harmless pests, but they can cause more damage than rodents in the house. They feed on wooden materials and can destroy the structure of your home.
If you have never experienced anything like it before, here are clear signs to spot an infestation and call for professional help immediately. Captain Termite can help safeguard your home against infestation, especially termites and ants. Hollywood is one of the places they provide their services.
What Are Termites?
Termites look like small white insects with wings. They are about one-fourth of an inch in size, and most of the termite problems occur in South America. They can even survive through the winters, and like ants, they are workers. They mostly feed on cellulose, found in wood.
Termites are not harmful to the environment but help restore nutrients to the earth. Most termite colonies are found on old tree barks in forests and help break down old trees and return all the nutrients into the soil. Unfortunately, if you find termites back in your home, they won’t leave unless you call a professional for help.
If you’re spotting some signs of damaged wood, it might be an infestation. Your first response should be to call for professional help.
Signs You May Be Facing A Termite Infestation
If termites find wood in your house, it means an unlimited food source for them. They will soon find their way into all the wood in your house and invite others as well by leaving a trail behind.
Termites stay hidden, and this makes it very difficult to spot an infestation early. Here are a few signs to identify infestation:
A Bunch of Mud Tubes
Mud tubes are a huge sign that termites are in your home. These tiny insects build tunnels of mud by using their saliva to join the mud together. These tunnels are used to travel back and forth to other sources of wood or food.
If you see pencil-width veins like mud tubes in corners of your house or the attic, the chances are that termite colonies have started to form. These tubes will most likely be on the house’s foundation and can even be on the outside wall, so make sure to check every inch of your house.
A Swarm of Winged Insects
If you spot a swarm of winged termites flying in groups, that’s a huge indicator that there are termites present somewhere in your house.
These flying termites are adults and are also called swarmers. Call your local professional pest control team, Captain Termite, to inspect your house for termites.
Discarded Termite Wings
Adult termites with wings, swarmers, are not excellent flyers, and usually, get rid of their wings and resort to crawling. If you spot any discarded wings in your house, this is a sign that termites are living in your house and eating away your house’s foundation.
Termite Droppings
The biggest sign is if you spot Termites droppings. They leave it close to wooden structures and inside of wooden floors. Droppings may be difficult to spot, but if you do spot something like a dropping, it’s a sign that there is some form of infestation in your home, hidden behind the walls. Professional companies like Captain Termite can help inspect and solve this issue for you.
Damaged Wood
One of the most common signs is damaged wood furniture, surfaces, or flooring. Holes in wood and hollow sounds when tapped mean termites have been eating it up, and you need to take quick action before things get too severe. Other signs are softwood that easily breaks with a screwdriver or knife.
Will Termites Go Away on Their Own?
Once termites enter, they stay. They never leave a house that has ample amounts of wood or food. They hide within walls and stay hidden in order to safely eat away your house. That is why it is important to leave this task to professionals who know how to exactly eliminate them from your home.
Steps to Take If Termites Are Damaging Your Home
If you see any signs of termites or ants, don’t panic. Call Captain Termite right away.
They can easily help you estimate the amount of damage and figure out what treatment to use next. It is not something that you can use your DIY methods to eradicate. Professional companies know exactly what to do and don’t even miss one termite in your home to make sure it is termite-free again.
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