With summer comes the warm and sunny weather, relaxation and delicious barbecues. It also brings an influx of insects. Rising temperatures can lead to more pest invasions and cause various issues in your yard and home.  It is important to note how different seasons and types of weather can affect pest patterns .

Summer
A great aspect of the summertime is that insects no longer have to seek shelter within your home, as they can fully survive outside! However, this means that your outdoor space may become riddled with pests. Mosquitoes are one of the most prevalent that thrive in the summer.

Their numbers jump with the heat and humidity. While they pose no risk to the structure of your home, their presence is irritating and their bites can be itchy, unpleasant, and potentially dangerous. Other bugs that tend to make an appearance in your yard are ticks and wasps. Ticks are known to spread Lyme disease, which can be severe and sometimes fatal. These buggers thrive in long grass and lush vegetation, therefore they usually do not make appearances in the winter.  

Wasps are aggressive creatures that you will more than likely encounter during the summer months. Unlike mosquitoes, wasps can pose harm to your home and may build their nest right outside your door (literally)! Avoid these pests by properly disposing of food, wearing closed-toe shoes, avoiding strong scents and bright clothing, and keeping an eye out before getting your hands dirty in the garden!

 

Winter
Most insects are cold-blooded and must seek shelter in the winter to survive. Many of these will attempt to actually hibernate within your home to conserve energy and avoid the weather. Pests that don’t tolerate cold weather include spiders, ladybugs, moths and more. Spiders are mainly harmless, but their webs are a sign of poor hygiene and are an annoyance.

Contrary to popular belief, water and moisture are necessary for pests to survive. Too much water however can obviously be harmful to them. However, termites come out to play when heavy winter rains form. They are difficult to detect and can cause numerous problems to the foundation and structure of your home. Additionally, cockroaches are the survivalists of the pests and may take up room within your home. They are not only a nuisance but also are disease-ridden, potentially putting your health in danger.

 

Trust the experts at Main Line Exterminating to handle all pests in all weather conditions. Call us today!

Summer weather is finally here, and with it brings an influx of pests, especially mosquitoes. Scientists are reporting an early and relatively bad mosquito season this year. Who wants to go sit outside and enjoy the warm weather with a swarm of buzzing mosquitoes around? The bites of these annoying pests not only cause itching, redness and swelling but they are also dangerous to your health!  

Mosquitoes are especially threatening because they have the ability to carry disease-causing parasites and viruses from person to person. They transport several potentially fatal illnesses which they can spread around the world . These diseases are not just present in other countries, they have also spread to the US. Some mosquito-borne diseases include: yellow fever, dengue fever, malaria, lymphatic filariasis, West Nile virus, Zika virus, and many others. Various species of mosquito spread disease effects 700 million people worldwide and cause about 2 million deaths annually.

In 2000, the West Nile virus made its way to Pennsylvania. West Nile virus affects the central nervous system and is transmitted through the bite of mosquitoes. Researchers found that the virus was present in birds, mosquitos and horses. Humans and other mammals can become infected with the virus, and about 2,000 people have died from the virus since the outbreak was detected. These viruses can be found right in your backyard.

So how can you protect yourself in the summer months? Water, water, water… Did you know that a small bottle cap with water in it can attract 100 mosquitoes? Don’t have standing water on your property that has any decaying matter, such as a leaf or grass in the water.  You should also clean out your gutters, birdbaths, children’s toys, and plastic covers that have water in the folds, as well as the exterior drains that hold water.  An outside fan can work great in keeping mosquitoes away from where you are sitting.

At Main Line Exterminating, we are here to help. Our solutions are proven to succeed to keep you and your family safe. Give us a call today to let us know how we can fix your pest problems!

 

With the arrival of the spring season, it is a fantastic time to take your family outside and partake in the spring activities. But, while you are enjoying the outdoors, pests are trying to find ways into your home. It can often feel that no matter what you do, no matter how many holes you plug up, pests still find their way in. Main Line Exterminating makes sure that we not only rid our customers of their pest problems, but make sure they understand our process and get what they are paying for.

We at Main Line Exterminating believe in more than one method of protection. You can never have too many barriers between you and the pests – especially when they have numbers on their side. We call this service our circle of protection and offer it for every home we serve. The circle of protection is a nonphysical barrier we place around your home to drive off pests before they come within range. We do this by using pest repellents and other strategies to prevent them from even wandering near your home. It’s important to note that every repellent and strategy we use is all environmentally friendly.

While the term, “pest” is more of a general term and applies to thousands of different bugs and animals, Main Line Exterminating has a solution for every pest. What works for one pest may not work on another, even if they are both mammals or bugs. Depending on what is infesting and invading your home, we will coordinate a plan tailor-made to not only purge your home of pests but come up with solutions on how to prevent them from coming back. Because of our tenured history, only Main Line Exterminating has the experience needed to thwart the seemingly endless hordes of pests lining up at your doorstep. 

Not only do we want our customers protected from pests, but we want to protect their wallet as well. Lesser experienced exterminators have no issue charging their customers for incomplete services, and pest control methods that do not work. Main Line Exterminating values our customer’s time and money, and not only guarantees flawless services, but fair prices as well. Our services will prevent most costly infestations from occurring in the first place. If they somehow do, you will not be charged for additional services. We want our customers to trust us and our expertise, but we must respect our customers to earn their trust.

Main Line Exterminating is at your service when it comes to protecting your home from pests of every variety. If you have any questions about our services, or seek to schedule an appointment, please contact us here. You can also call us at (610) 649-2999.

While they have no definitive scientific classification, pests are referred to as bugs or other small animals that worm their way into your home. From rodents like mice and rats, to insects like termites and mosquitoes, pests vary in size, infiltration methods, and even their own reasons for seeking your home as a refuge. As a homeowner, protecting your home is a top priority and nobody knows its foundation better than you. Main Line Exterminating, specializing in pest removal since 1976, has the strategies you may need to guard your home on your own terms.

One of the advantages that professional exterminators have is their access to sophisticated repellants and traps. While some of these materials can be bought, exterminators carry a much larger arsenal, and the materials they use are of a higher quality. However you have an advantage as well: you know the strengths and weaknesses of your home and understand where you need to pay more attention. Performing your own pest control can be effective however working with a Pest Control Professional will ensure not only guaranteed results but usually a much faster resolution of the pest problem.

Mosquitos are among the most common pests, particularly in the summertime. The hot sticky weather drives them from their nests and onto their targets. Making your property less alluring is a great preventative countermeasure. Because mosquitoes are drawn to water, removing standing water decorations, like bird baths and flowerpots is a great first step. We also recommend that you adjust your sprinklers to prevent over-watering. Too much water will draw them right to your lawn. Lastly, we also emphasize on picking up trash, as mosquitos can also be drawn to other liquids that may be contained in discarded beer bottles. These strategies also apply to other insects, such as ticks.

When it comes to larger pests like rodents, you may need to apply more proactive countermeasures. Because rodent’s bones can bend, they can squeeze inside nooks and crannies you wouldn’t expect. A first great countermeasure is to identify these holes and seal them with cement or copper wool. Also, similar to the mosquito strategy, deny them what they came for: food and water. Rodents can smell food from an impressive distance away, and the crumbs lingering in the back corners of your kitchen floor will be their first target.

Main Line Exterminating wants to make sure that your home is protected from pests while providing solutions that are proven to succeed. For more information about out services, visit our website or call us at (610) 649-2999.

As we herald the gorgeous, incoming spring weather, we must unfortunately welcome the new pests that come with it. Slithering out of the woods, pests can worm their way into the nooks and crannies of your home. Fortunately, Main Line Exterminating has the answers for keeping your home secure and pest free.

There is no clear-cut definition of exactly what a pest is, but according to an article in Biology Fortified, the basic way to define ‘pest’ is anything that may irritate us. Pests can be anything from crawling insects to slithering snakes and even scourging rodents.

One of the toughest areas to protect in your home is the kitchen. Due to the minuscule size of the pests, they can fit into virtually every crevasse. The kitchen has dozens of structural gaps that pests can exploit and is also the first place they will go. This is because the kitchen is their food and water source like it is ours. Pests infiltrate homes for predominantly two reasons: to either seek food and water, and/or to avoid predators. When it comes to protecting your kitchen, it would be extraordinarily tedious to plug up every single hole you could find. Instead, cleaning up your kitchen to eliminate crumbs and leftover food is simpler and much more effective.

If you have a basement or cellar, you can count on pests taking up residence there. Unlike the kitchen, the basement is underground, which pests have easy access to. The deep and dark recesses of the room are perfect for them to hide in. Pest World, says this can actually work toward your advantage. Because basements can be smaller than kitchens, there isn’t as much room for them to hide. The best way to deal with pests is by removing boxes and any sort of clutter to create wide open spaces and setting traps in these areas. Simply deny them the area to dwell in.

Lastly, the bathroom is an area you most definitely want to pest-proof. Because of the sewer systems, and drains, there are plenty of ways pests can slide in. Pest World says that cockroaches and silverfish are attracted to moisture, so bathrooms are a common place to find them. The solution here is to simply clean your bathroom as much as possible, particularly making sure there is no excessive moisture. Scrub everywhere and thoroughly, particularly by drains.

Pests can be frustrating to deal with, but if the proper precautions are taken, they will pose no threat to your home. If you have any questions, or wish to schedule an appointment, be sure to contact Main Line Exterminating using the link here!

Carpenter Ants

Carpenter Ants nest in wood and can cause serious damage to our homes. Runways and galleries are excavated in wood timbers. Old and new structures may be infested, and sound as well as decayed, wet wood attacked.

 

Carpenter Ants do not eat wood but feed on a wide variety of plant and animal material.

 

Colonies of Carpenter Ants often contain a main colony and several to many satellite colonies. Their nests can be found in a wide variety of locations. Carpenter Ants are primarily nocturnal.

Preventing an infestation of Carpenter Ants:

1. Keep vegetation away from the immediate vicinity of buildings
2. Prevent wood-soil contact.
3. Ventilating to prevent moisture accumulation.
4. Stacking wood off the ground away from buildings.
5. Repairing leaks in roofs and gutters.

Termites

Termites damage wood! That is the problem! $5 billion worth of damage from termites is caused each year in the U.S. – damage not covered by most homeowners insurance.

It is wise to have your home inspected for termites to determine if there is activity and to receive advice on what strategies you can take to naturally lower your chance of having termites enter your home. By eliminating conducive conditions for termites you will increase the odds of never having an infestation.

Preventing an infestation of Subterranean Termites:

• Keep wood debris, lumber, and firewood away from your home.
• Don’t bury wood debris near your home.
• Remove infested trees and stumps.
• Repair leaking roofs and gutters.
• Make sure gutters are not clogged and are directed at least 10 feet away from the house.
• Grade soil so that water runs away from foundations.
• Ideally, wood siding, stucco and foam board should be at least six inches away from the ground.
• Avoid using mulch along the perimeter of your home.

Treatment for Termites

Should termites invade your home, you are dealing with an enemy that is subterranean and mainly out of sight. The colony lives in the ground from which worker termites invade structures weakening wood as a source of food for the members of the colony. An average colony numbers 60,000 individuals, with well-established colonies as many as a quarter of a million insects.

Our treatment will utilize a product called Termidor, manufactured by BASF. It is EPA approved and considered the most effective termiticide available on the market today. Termidor utilizes an advanced non-repellent, or “undetectable,” liquid technology. That means termites cannot see, smell, taste, or avoid it. Instead, they contact, ingest, and share Termidor, completely unaware that doing so will inevitably kill them. The unique “Transfer Effect” of Termidor throughout the colony elevates its effectiveness to a whole new level.

A treatment will consist of an entire exterior perimeter treatment including trenching, rodding and drilling for sub-slab injection. Termidor will be pressure injected into the soil around the exterior perimeter of the foundation.

Contact Main Line Exterminating today – Our work is guaranteed to solve your problem.

Mosquitos & Ticks

Serious Nuisance… Serious Health Risk

Mosquitoes and Ticks can prevent you from enjoying your yard and surrounding outdoor living. It is very annoying to be bitten by a mosquito or a tick.

Mosquito and ticks can also be a serious health risk. Mosquitos carry diseases such as West Nile Virus and Dengue, ticks carry Lyme disease. Pennsylvania has led the nation in confirmed cases of Lyme disease for the past three years. In 2014 there was a 25% increase in confirmed Lyme disease cases over the prior year. So far this year, 2016, Pennsylvania accounted for more than one-third of all Lyme disease cases reported across the country.

One treatment for both pests:

The good news is that our treatment of your yard will address both Mosquitos and Ticks at the same time. Mosquitos rest on the underside of the leaves on bushes and trees, ticks live in the shady area of the yard on the ground and on the lower branches of trees and bushes. By applying a fine mist of material to these areas both pests will be controlled. The materials used will not harm plants or flowers.  Treatment usually begins in late May and continue till August for Mosquito control and to October for Tick control.

Preventing Mosquitos and Ticks:

1. Remove standing water! Roof gutters, bird baths, old tires, flowerpots, tree holes, urns, rain barrels, pool covers, or any othger water-holding receptacles.
2. Remove litter from your yard such as cans, bottles and plastic, even bottle caps.
3. Adjust sprinklers to prevent over-watering.
4. Rake up and remove leaves and sticks from the ground.

 

A “Green” product is also available for this service. Contact Main Line Exterminating today to prevent mosquitos and ticks from ruining your summer!