Advanced Pest & Weed Management Blog

Termites are destructive pests that can eat away at the wood within your home if left unchecked. They can be difficult to spot, and often require professional assistance to deal with properly. Termites are active throughout the year, even during the cold winter months. When Termites are the Most Active Termites are typically the most active from March to November. This is when they are the easiest to spot by finding droppings, discarded wings, and swarms. It is important to be extra perceptive during these months because they will be unimpeded by weather conditions. This means that the most damage to homes is typically caused during these months. When Termites are the Least Active Extreme winter temperatures cause termites to implement some changes to their daily routines. Subterranean termites will dig deeper into the ground to take shelter during the cold winter months to get the warmth that they need to...

The kitchen is often the heart of the home. It is here that recipes pass from generation to generation, and countless memories are made. Unfortunately, your family may not be the only one attracted to this central area. Check out why bugs are attracted to kitchens. A few causes may surprise you. Eight Icky Reasons Bugs Love Kitchens Shelter: Bugs love to hide. Kitchens provide limitless places for bugs to make their homes. Cabinets, drawers, and spaces around appliances give numerous shelters for these opportunistic creatures. Moisture: Insects need water as much as we do. Kitchens offer many opportunities for bugs to find moisture. Water collects around dripping faucets, dog bowls, condensation around refrigerator lines and endless places throughout the room. Food: While this reason may seem apparent, all of the locations of food may not be as obvious. Any temptations that are poorly sealed, from bread in thin wrappers to...

Whether you own a house, rent an apartment or own commercial property, your landscaping makes a big impression on your property. Such positive “curb appeal” gives those passing by an impression of your character even before they meet you. Because having well-maintained lawns and other landscaping has such an impact on a property and your character, here are three tips to care for your lawn in the MidWest. #1 Control the Weeds Making sure dandelions and other noxious weeds do not take over your lawn have a big impact on the visual appeal. When weeds begin to grow in the grass or your flower beds, it distracts from all the time and effort you put into landscaping your property. When people see your home or commercial building, their eyes are drawn to the spreading morning glory, crab grass, white clover or black medic. If you have a hard time keeping the...

Few thoughts are more unnerving than working around your home and stumbling upon a snake. A homeowner should be able to go into every part of his or her property, including a storage shed, without fear of slithering invaders. Arm yourself with helpful tips for keeping your shed free of snakes.   Make a Clean Sweep If you are serious about making your storage area a no-snake zone, then you want to get busy in making the area clean and neat. Snakes love to hide, so you will want to rid your area of anything that can become a nest or hideaway. Remove clutter and debris from inside the shed, and overgrowth and overhanging plants from around the perimeter. By doing a thorough purging of your shed, you are not only protecting yourself from snakes but making your area more productive and workable for you.   Secure Your Space After clearing...

While gophers may look harmless, they can cause serious damage to your property if an infestation is left unchecked. They pose a threat to your utility cables, water lines, sprinkler systems, garden, trees and irrigation pipes. The following are the primary signs of a gopher invasion. Primary Signs of Infestation There are several ways that you can properly identify a gopher infestation on your property. The easiest way to spot a gopher infestation is to look for mounds throughout your property. They will make underground tunnels and use these mounds to get back to the surface. Gophers can inflict serious damage on your garden in a short amount of time, potentially ruining your plants and fruit. Keep an eye on your garden if you suspect that there are gophers on your property. Damage to trees can also be an indication of a gopher infestation. Look out for any damage near the...

Cold weather can kill cockroaches. So, when the temperature starts dropping the cockroaches start to look for warmer places. This means any opening to your home can create a new home for them. If you see a cockroach in your home during winter, there are some measures that you can take to help with the situation. Closing the Doorways The first step to help keep pests out of your home is to seal any openings. Your main focus for entry ways is cracks around windows, doors, foundations and pipes. Once you close up the entrances, you can then begin to determine if any pests have made their way inside and deal with the problems. Roaches prefer wet and damp areas to live. Therefore, you need to pay more attention to areas of the home that are damp. Their favorite hiding spaces are basements, crawl spaces and areas around pipes. Removing Water...

While all three might be scary to encounter, which of these venomous creatures are the biggest threat? The answer depends on how and where you live. In general, spiders are the most dangerous, as they have a wider habitat and can be virtually undetected in homes. However, caution should be taken around snakes as they can be more deadly. Some people may tell you that none of them are scary. There are some brave individuals that keep one or more species as pets. However, domesticated species are not as dangerous as wild in general. Scorpion Stings Scorpions have a limited habitat range, living in forests and deserts. Their stings can be resolved within a few weeks at most. They are rarely life threatening. The most dangerous type of scorpion is the Arizona Bark Scorpion, which lives in the southwest part of America and in Northern Mexico It is difficult to kill...

One of the most frustrating things for any plant and garden grower is seeing damage done to your precious vegetation. No, not sabotage from other humans. Rather, it’s pests that love inviting themselves into your garden and wreaking havoc. Whether it’s poking holes through your vegetables and soiling them or simply gnawing on the leaves of your plants, pests are flat-out annoying. Here are some pests to look out for within your garden. Caterpillars Innocent looking, sure. The keyword there, however, is looking. Caterpillars are far from innocent when it comes to destroying what you have grown. These little guys love to burrow within fruit and vegetables along with eating leaves and other parts of your plants. Beetles There are many different types of beetles, such as the Colorado Potato Beetle and Flea Beetle. One thing remains constant, however, and that is their disruption of your garden. Beetles tend to dig...

Now that the summer is over, the time of the year has come for us to bring our potted plants back inside before the cold weather sets in. Exposing your plants to Fall and Winter temperatures can hurt them and damage their leaves, so if you want your plant to survive, you’re going to need to find a place for them in your home. The problem is that while plant pests such as aphids and mealybugs are not especially problematic outside, they can cause major infestations indoors. Here is how to bring your potted plants inside while leaving the pests behind. Debugging Fall Plants The best way to debug your plants is to submerge them in large buckets of soapy water. It’s actually not as difficult as it sounds and it can be completed in just a few steps. First, take a large utility tub or bucket and fill it with...

Taking care of your lawn does not end with summer. Weeds can still take over your lawn in winter too. Continuing the weed control through fall provides your lawn with extra protection in the spring. Feeding Time When preparing your lawn for winter, you will need to continue the weed control feedings through fall. The best time to begin the fall weed control is from August to November. This is an optimal time because the days and nights are starting to cool, and the plants can absorb more of the chemicals. Not only do you want the temperature outside cooler, but you also want the soil temperature cooler to get the best possible results. The soil temperature needs to be 70 degrees or less for the application to work well. Types of Applications You can apply the weed control feeding by two different methods. The first is a liquid spray. You...

There are so many varieties of insects and within each group of species are different types of each kind and it can be difficult to tell which is which. But each one has several characteristics to help us identify them, such as behavior and appearance. Among the most commonly misidentified creatures are bees and wasps, both of which are important pollinators. It is easy to confuse them as they look very similar in appearance and both can be frightening as they have painful stings that can be harmful to us. So, how do you tell the difference? Behavior While both bees and wasps will protect their queen, offspring, and/or colony, wasps tend to be more aggressive in doing so, whereas bees typically attack when they feel threatened or provoked. Wasps are capable of stinging multiple times and bees typically die after only stinging once. Bees tend to pass right by us...

It’s difficult to enjoy a meal outside with friends when you’re trying to dodge a swarm of flying poison darts, commonly known as bees. Bees can turn any barbeque or picnic into a game of defend the food. If you, like most people, have had enough of that game, here are five ways to keep bees out of your backyard. Mow Your Grass There are numerous reasons to keep your lawn trim, one of which is to prevent it from becoming a safe haven for pests. Insects like bees love tall grass, as it gives them an easy place to hide and take shelter. Mow your yard at least once a week to keep it pest free. Close Your Garbage Cans The smell of garbage can attract bees from all over town. Even though it may make human’s want to flee the premises, open garbage cans will make your house a...

No one likes having pesky neighbors but imagine having those pesky neighbors living in your home and eating your food uninvited! This is what it’s like having a pest infestation, and it can be costly and time-consuming to have them removed professionally. So how do you avoid having pests come into your home in the first place? Keep reading to discover some tips on how to keep a pest-free home. Keep Food Properly Stored Pests love to chow down on your food, including your pets’ food. Because of this, it is important to keep all food properly stored. If you have dry goods, keep them in airtight containers. Make sure that fruit and vegetables are kept in containers or in the fridge. Any other food should always be kept in the refrigerator- do not leave it sitting out! Ensuring that your food is stored in its proper place means that you...

Pests can execute a break-in with such stealth that it may seem as if they phase through your very walls. Indeed, pests are sneaky, but that doesn't mean that there are not ways to stop them from entering your place of residence. To keep your house pest free, avoid these four ways that you may be inadvertently allowing, or even encouraging pests into your home, and learn what to do about each of them. Leaving Out Food The best way to keep pests out of your house is to refrain from giving them a reason to come in in the first place. Everything that’s alive needs to eat, and that includes bugs and insects, so make sure that all food in your house is put away, that your counters and floors are cleaned, and that you dry up any standing water sources in sinks and showers. Remember, even the smallest crumb...

Protecting your home and your property is important. When you think of keeping your home safe, there are a handful of security measures that probably come to mind first: Alarm systems Security cameras Smart doorbells Security sensors Smart locks Locking your doors in general Most of us think of invaders that are going to break down your door and shatter a window so that they can steal your valuables. What about the invaders that you are not expecting? What about trespassers that invade the parts of your home that you can’t see? The first lines of defense that you need to have at your home should be for protection from the invaders that are invisible to the eye, or at least at first. The ones that could potentially cause hundreds or thousands of dollars of damage to your home. The Value in Keeping Your Yard Pest Proof If you haven’t started...

What can spread disease, ruin your belongings and make people climb on a table? Rodents! Mice and rats are the most common rodent pests in peoples’ homes, and they can be a real pain. Rodents are looking for two things in your home: food and shelter. During cold weather, they will do whatever they can to get into your house and stay warm. Unsealed trash, crumbs and open food also draw in rodents. If you think you may have a rodent problem, keep reading for some tell-tale signs. Droppings Rodent droppings are small, brown and cylindrical. They can carry disease, so be careful to sweep them up and clean thoroughly if you find them. Droppings are generally found near food and water sources. Gnaw marks Look for teeth marks near food or water sources. Mice and rats will chew through cloth or plastic to get to food. They will also chew...

Pests are annoying to deal with anywhere in the world; however, people living in desert climates have a unique set of problems when it comes to pest control. Because of the different temperatures and humidity levels in desert climates compared to other environments, many species of pests are able to thrive and multiply at a much higher rate which is bad news for anyone living in these regions. Here is a quick guide to some of the more common pests you will find if you decide to take a drive to some of the drier places of the world. Cockroaches One of the most common pests anywhere in the world is the cockroach. While you can find them in most places, they are especially plentiful in desert-like areas such as Texas and New Mexico. One species of cockroach thrives in these areas more than any other, a cockroach known as the...

Advance Pest and Weed Management, servicing the New Mexico area, understands that homeowners enjoy being able to be proactive in their pest and rodent management. In our service area, rodents can be a large problem, so it only makes sense for individuals to be interested in traps they can place around their homes and businesses in order to help deter an infestation from happening. Whichever method you use, be sure to keep all rodent traps, baited or not, out of reach from small children and pets. Always handle these devices with gloves, and practice good sanitary methods such as washing your hands thoroughly after touching any rodent trap. Outdoor Placement Rodent Traps Homeowners have several options when it comes to placing traps outside to help deter the entry of rats to their homes. These include: Ultrasonic mouse traps. These traps work by emitting a frequency that is intended to deter the...

Understanding the type of rodent you have in your home is key; the way you fight the problem might be completely different if you are fighting a mouse or rat. Determining the difference can come down to the rodent’s features and characteristics, including behavior, habitats and feeding. The different rodents also require different pest control tactics too. Differences in Physical Appearances The physical differences of mice and rats include size, shape, color and body parts. A general guideline for determining what type of rodent you have in your home is: Attribute Mouse Norway Rat Size Smaller - generally around 4 inches Larger - approximately 6 - 8 inches Weight Around 5 ounces Around 11 ounces Color Brown body with grey shading Brown body with black shading Ears Large ears Short ears with dark hair Nose/snout Pointed Non-pointed Tail Color Dark Dark on top and pale underneath Head Smaller than body Proportioned...

Most health experts agree that the spread of bed bugs has become an epidemic. As more people begin to experience the effects of bed bugs, widespread paranoia increases as well. However, instead of panicking, the best defense against bed bugs is to understand them and how they behave. Here are five myths about bed bugs which should be corrected. Bed Bugs Only Live in Beds. Given their name, many people assume that bed bugs only live in beds. However, bed bugs can be found in couches, clothes and carpets, as well as in movie theatres, taxis and offices. People often assume that bed bugs only live in beds because the bed is where bed bugs bite the most, but bed bugs can hide nearly anywhere. Bed Bugs Are Invisible. Bed bugs are sometimes thought of as microscopic organisms that cannot be seen with the naked eye. Actually, bed bugs, though small,...