Tap to call 231-264-6060

Tag Archives: northern michigan pest control

Garden Planning & Pests

If you’ve stayed up-to-date with our blog, then you probably recall a post from a few months back discussing garden pests. While all of that information is relevant, it is essential to consider a few more factors that should be taken into account when gardening.

The home landscape is a complex habitat mainly consisting of vegetables, flowers, turf, and other foliage. For the majority, gardens are a relaxing place where we tailor the environment to our aesthetic and physical needs. Yet the garden is also home to nuisance pests. As a result, residential landscapes have become the depository of nearly 11% of the conventional pesticides used in the USA. Indeed, acre for acre, your cousin’s tomato patch has more pesticides than a farmer’s soybean field! Fortunately, the garden is also home to the natural enemies of these pests. Most gardeners come to know a great deal about their plants’ growth needs, but often know little of the resident insects within their garden.

We do not consider many of the insects in a garden to be harmful. The vast majority of North American insect species are either harmless to humans and garden plants or beneficial. To properly utilize the work that natural enemies do, we must first identify them and help them flourish. By using natural enemies to control pests, you reduce the need to use pesticides.

Garden placement

Garden placement is imperative for botanical survival. Be sure to keep gardens away from the home or structures, as they will cast shadows; keep planting areas at least 10ft from walls. Crops planted in the shade are less productive and may be more susceptible to disease and insect damage than planted in full sun.

Who are Friends of the Garden?

Most of us are familiar with ladybugs, spiders, and praying mantids; we know their diet consists of a lot of bad bugs. In addition, there are many other ‘natural enemies’ that are also taking care of pests. There are three major groups of natural enemies— predators, parasitoids, and pathogens.

Predators, such as ladybugs and spiders, eat much prey throughout a lifetime. They are often the most visible natural enemies in our garden and are larger and more robust than their prey. Some are agile hunters, while others sit and wait to pounce on a victim. You can promote beneficial predatory insects by including flowering plants in the garden.

Parasitoids are insects that develop as young in a host, leading to the eventual death of the said host. Unlike predators, most only kill only one object of prey during their juvenile stage. Many wasps and flies are parasitoids, but they are typically small and therefore go unnoticed.

Pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, nematodes, protozoans, and fungi— cause diseases. Many of these happen to naturally occur in our gardens, while others must be introduced. Commercial companies have begun to develop many of these pathogens as spray and bait formulations, making them more comfortable for us to use.

How To Avoid Common Garden Pests

To minimize beetles, clean up the garden and rotate crops every year. Hang birdhouses in the garden as birds enjoy eating worms. Water gardens in the morning only as slugs and snails prefer feeding on wet foliage. Encourage birds, snakes, frogs, and toads because all of these critters eat slugs and snails.

Carefully inspect all new plants for white flies before purchasing from a nursery. This is actually a constructive tip for preventing all of the vegetable garden pests.

COVID-19

As of March 24th at 12:01 AM, Michigan is under a “Stay Home, Stay Safe” executive order due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This order will last 21 days, at least, and will significantly affect many of our resident’s lives. This has caused many of our residents to fall into somewhat of a panic (hello, toilet paper shortage). Many of you have asked how this affects the services we provide, especially as spring progresses and more critters awaken from their long winter’s nap. That being said, there are a few items we would like to address; hopefully, this will clear up any confusion you may have before making a call.

According to the executive order, businesses deemed as essential can continue to operate; even as more quarantines and restrictions are put in place. Both the National Pest Management Association and Michigan Pest Management Association firmly believe that structural pest control is an essential industry; one that must continue to provide the valuable services we offer during the COVID-19 pandemic. These services protect our customers from not only emotional distress but more importantly, from an array of diseases. However, despite operating as usual, the questions do not stop there, and for a good reason!

There are many questions surrounding COVID-19, including how it spreads. With spring progressing, there have been concerns about potential disease transmission from insects. It is imperative to note that COVID-19 does not spread via pests. While the most accurate and up-to-date resource for information on COVID-19 remains the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we’ll dive deeper into the differences between common vector-borne diseases and various coronaviruses to help dispel any myths about transmission.

What are Vector Pests?

Vector pests such as mosquitoes and ticks play significant roles in the transmission of many serious diseases. Worldwide, mosquitoes are the leading vector pests responsible for the transfer of infections to humans. They are responsible for spreading malaria, West Nile virus, Zika virus, Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), yellow fever, and others. Ticks are responsible for the transmission of Lyme disease, the most common vector-borne infection in the United States; as well as many others such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, babesiosis, and anaplasmosis.

What are Coronaviruses?

Coronaviruses, which are common to humans, are well-known causes of the common cold and flu and were first identified in the 1960s. There are four main subgroups of human coronaviruses; they mainly transmit through contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person. This is done by simple acts such as coughing and sneezing. Droplets, often microscopic, from the infected person are inhaled by someone nearby (usually within a three to six-foot radius); also via contact with a contaminated surface— such as one that was just coughed or sneezed upon, then inadvertently touching one’s face or eyes; or by something as simple as sharing an eating utensil. This is why it is imperative to wash hands and refrain from touching our faces during this time.

How is COVID-19 Different From Other Coronaviruses?

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), and now COVID-19 are zoonotic coronaviruses– meaning they are viruses that have jumped the species barrier from their regular animal hosts to humans (Think Bird and Swine flu). This happens through direct contact with an infected animal, as well as indirect contact or eating contaminated food. Zoonotic diseases are also prevalent, and once they transmit to humans, they continue to spread through person-to-person contact as well. This makes proper handwashing and other preventative actions outlined by the CDC paramount to public safety.

Can Pets Contract Coronavirus?

Dogs and cats can contract certain types of coronaviruses, such as the canine respiratory coronavirus, but we believe this specific coronavirus to not be a health threat to pets.  The CDC says that “while this virus seems to have emerged from an animal source, it is now spreading from person-to-person.” The CDC also states that “there is no reason to think that any animals or pets in the United States might be a source of infection with this novel coronavirus.” Fortunately for pet owners, the virus survives best on smooth surfaces, such as countertops and doorknobs. Porous materials, such as pet fur, tend to absorb and trap pathogens, making it harder to contract them through touch.

While the world is in an uproar unlike any we’ve seen, rest easy that we are doing as much as we can to ensure the protection of your home. We have received training in the use of proper PPE (personal protective equipment); as well as practicing proper hygiene to cut back on the spread of any germs. So, if during this 21 day period you hear/see any unwelcome guests around your home (in-laws not included) please do not hesitate to call. Remember: no question is a stupid question, and we look forward to answering yours!

AKC Staff. “Can Dogs Get Coronavirus?” American Kennel Club, American Kennel Club, 20 Mar. 2020, www.akc.org/expert-advice/news/can-dogs-get-coronavirus/.

“Animals and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16 Mar. 2020, www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/animals.html.

Fall Fruit Fly Tips

There’s so much to love about the early fall months; fresh apples, donuts and cider, flowers, colorful hikes, camping, and so much more— however, one of the most significant negatives of the first warm fall months is fruit flies. We’ve written about these nuisances before, but the continued warm temperatures in Northern Michigan have seemingly allowed infestations to maintain. And if you’re like us, you love the goodness of having fresh fruit available and that glass of wine to enjoy without the hassle of these aggressive pests, so, we thought we would offer some DIY methods in curbing the seemingly endless issue.

Unfortunately for homeowners, the average natural life span of fruit fly adults (in optimal temperatures) is forty to fifty days. Females have the capability to mate and lay several batches of eggs in that time, which allows the fruit fly population inside of a home to multiply quickly.

Now, many commercial traps can aid in ridding your home of them, and we even offer them to customers. That being said, there are also some natural and effective remedies that you can do by using goodies found in your pantry that’s inexpensive and effective.

Keep in mind, however, that to curb an infestation, it is imperative to start at the source. Ensuring any houseplants you may have are potted in high-quality soil, maintaining clean drains, keeping all areas dry, washing dirty dishes, and keeping trash receptacles tightly closed are all effective methods. If these efforts remain unsuccessful, it may be time to seek out other options.

Below, we’ll share some at-home methods that are proven effective if you’re experiencing a visit with those pesky rascals.

Apple Cider Vinegar

ACV is genuinely a heaven send for attracting fruit flies. They absolutely cannot stay away from it. Mixing the vinegar with a few drops of dish soap is a timeless method in trapping and killing the flies.

Essential Oils & Herbs

Basil, peppermint, and eucalyptus are a few of the herbs that help to deter fruit flies. Placing these in tea bags or muslin sacks and hanging them around the house can help to prevent them.

Lavender, camphor, (be very cautious with this one), peppermint, clove, and lemongrass essential oils deter fruit flies as well. They simply can’t stand the smell. Dab some cotton balls and wipe the oils around the home, especially in the kitchen area, and deter them all while making your home smell naturally amazing. Another method is dipping tea bags into essential oil blends and hanging around the home.

Beer & Wine

It’s no wonder why these pests like a good glass now and then. Fruit flies are lushes of a sort and love the smell of red wine, and it will draw them in very rapidly! So, a small glass of leftover wine used to trap them, similar to the apple cider vinegar method, works exceptionally well with attracting, trapping, and killing the fruit flies. Beer is a close second, which is no wonder why you will find hoards of them buzzing around your recycling. The same method words for beer as well, so whichever beverage you have handy should do the trick.

Fruits

Place jam, jellies, or ripened fruit (especially bananas) into a jar covered with plastic wrap to attract the fruit flies.

Incense

Fruit flies hate all smoke but especially smoke from incense—their bodies can’t handle inhaling it. When they inhale, they die fairly quickly, which can help leave you fruit fly-free.

Closing Tips

Keeping fresh fruit refrigerated, reducing any standing water including in vases, as fruit flies are attracted to the sugar water in most flower arrangements, and getting rid of any rotting fruit (the yeast is where they lay their larvae).

If all else fails, there is hope on the horizon as fall progresses. Studies show that at 60°F, the lifespan of fruit flies significantly decreases. When the temperatures fall below 53°F, these flies stop developing entirely. While the first frost may not seem like something to look forward to for many of us, those experiencing a fruit fly infestation can rest assured that these unwanted houseguests will soon be gone— until next year, that is!

BMSB

The brown marmorated stink bug, otherwise abbreviated as BMSB, is an invasive species; as it was introduced to the US from Eastern Asia in the mid-90s. It is also known as the East Asian or yellow-brown stink bug. The BMSB was first collected in the United States in Allentown, PA in the fall of 1996, but was not identified until years later in 2001. From there, it quickly spread east. Today, BMSB has been identified in 44 states including Washington DC. The stink bug’s native range includes China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan.

Stink Bug Odor

BMSB is aptly named by the odor they emit when they feel threatened. It is thought that this odor aids in protecting against predators. The bugs produce the smelly chemical in a gland on their abdomen. Some species can actually spray the several chemical inches. The smell has often been compared to potent herbs like cilantro.

Interestingly enough, the composition of the odor is comprised of chemicals commonly used as food additives and is actually present in cilantro. This smell can linger for hours so it is in your best interest to try to avoid the bugs or carefully sweep or vacuum them up if they have entered your house.

Physical Attributes

Stink bugs are characterized in several different ways. They are described as “large and oval-shaped” and “shield-shaped”. Adult BMSB can reach almost 2 cm in length and are almost as wide as they are long. Their legs extend from their sides, which makes adult bugs appear even larger. The BMSB is brownish in color with lighter bands on their antennae and darker bands on their wings.

Adult stink bugs are strong fliers and fold their wings on top of their body when they land. The wings of nymphs are not fully developed but they do appear as they become an adult. Mature wings are an identifier of adults.

The nymphs are very tiny when they first hatch and are yellow and red in color. As they mature the yellow fades to white. Nymphs have bright red eyes during this stage of their lifecycle. They molt or shed their skin 5 times as they mature. Nymphs become larger each time they molt. By their final molt, the nymphs are almost as large as adult stink bugs.

Habits

In general, adult BMSB feed on fruits and the nymphs feed on leaves, stems, and fruit. The life cycle of BMSB typically involves mating, then reproducing, and feeding from the spring months to late the fall. Upon the cold temperatures, stink bugs seek shelter to spend the winter in a dormant phase known as ‘diapause’.

BMSB search for overwintering sites in late fall before the weather conditions change drastically.  They spend the winter in diapause inside homes or buildings, usually within the walls, attics or crawl spaces. However, diapause may not be the total competition of their season. If the weather warms up for long enough, overwintering stink bugs may be misled in thinking it is time to exit diapause and become active once again. Stink bugs will then reemerge in early spring and become active.

BMSB mate and create up to 3 generations per year depending on their habitat. Colder areas only see one generation each year, whereas warmer areas will likely see two or three. Stink bug females typically lay 20 to 30 eggs. These eggs are light green and barrel-shaped, attached side-by-side in a mass on the underside of a host plant’s leaves. The eggs will hatch within four to five days and from there the nymphs will begin to feed.

Signs of an Infestation

In most cases, homeowners will first detect stink bugs by their large invasions in the fall months. Finding large numbers of living or dead stink bugs is also a sign of an infestation. Stink bugs will show themselves on sunny sides of homes where they enjoy warming themselves. Farmers often detect an infestation by the damage caused to their crops.

Threats

The BMSB cannot sting and is also unlikely to bite humans or animals. The stink bug’s mouthparts are grouped into the piercing/sucking category, but they do not use blood as a food source like mosquitoes, bed bugs, or biting flies. Their mouths are not structured in a manner that allows them to bite through human skin.

Stink bugs are relatively harmless to humans, though they do have the potential to spread throughout the country. This could result in harm to the agricultural industry, as they destroy crops. BMSB can cause damage to fruit trees, ornamental plants, and gardens, but they are more of a nuisance pest than an actual threat to humans. They do not spread disease or cause structural damage.

To avoid a potential infestation of these pests, proper exclusion is of the utmost importance. Hogarth’s is well-versed in varying types of exclusion for residential and commercial properties. We will seal entrance holes around pipes, windows, ridge vent and soffits. It is important to note that exclusion alone will not always fix the issue; the home will need to be treated to keep every BMSB away from the structure. Call us today!

Shoo, flies!

Contrary to popular belief, there is a variety of species of common flies. In fact, there are over 20,000 in North America alone! While we’d thoroughly enjoy discussing the differences between all of the fly species, we wanted to focus on the two we deal with most regularly— the house fly and the cluster fly.

House Flies

The house fly is by far one of the most common pests we find in and around homes. It has a worldwide distribution and is extremely prominent throughout the US. We consider these insects to be not only nuisance pests while buzzing in and around homes— but they also have the potential to carry diseases. They have relatively brief lifespans; however, they have the ability to quickly reproduce in numbers, leading to large house fly populations if not properly identified and effectively controlled.

House flies are usually grey in color and have four black stripes on their thorax. Adults are about 1/8-1/4 inches long. They have slightly hairy bodies, a single pair of wings and compound red eyes, which contain thousands of individual lenses that give them broader vision. Female house flies are usually larger in size than males and they do not have teeth or a stinger.

Housefly eggs closely resemble grains of rice; these eggs will hatch into larvae, or maggots, that range in size from about ¼-3/8” long. Maggots are cream in color and appear to be greasy. When entering the pupal stage, maggots become dark and develop hard outer shells, as well as legs and wings, ultimately emerging as full-grown adult flies.

Signs of an infestation

The most common sign of a housefly infestation is the physical presence of the flies themselves. You may also see larvae crawling out of their breeding material as they pupate. Along with seeing the insects, people may hear them around the home. House flies produce buzzing sounds which are a result of their two wings beating together.

If you suspect to have a house fly infestation in your home, it is important to contact a licensed pest control professional in order to conduct a proper inspection, specifically looking for any places where house fly eggs deposit. Since house flies enter from the outdoors, internal breeding sites are uncommon. However, garbage rooms and trash compactors provide an ideal environment for house fly breeding and should be routinely checked. If the breeding site(s) are not thoroughly cleaned or removed, the problems with these pests will persist.

Once the breeding site has been remediated, eliminating the existing adult flies is the next step. A pest control professional will develop a treatment plan based on the circumstances of the infestation; this may include the use of fly bait, applications, or traps.

To prevent a house fly infestation from occurring in the first place, vigilant and constant sanitation is a necessity. Regularly removing trash and using adequately sealed garbage receptacles can help to deter any house flies from residing around waste bins. Additionally, pet waste must be taken care of immediately to prevent the development of any further breeding sites. Finally, all doors and windows should have fine mesh screens in order to avoid house flies from entering the home. If screens are already present, make sure there are no visible rips or tears.

Cluster Flies

Cluster flies, on the other hand, are slightly larger and thinner than house flies at 3/8 of an inch in size. They are a dull grey in color (not metallic like some other fly species) with golden hairs on the thorax and a grey checkerboard pattern on the abdomen. When resting, their wings usually overlap over their backs. If you crush cluster flies they may smell sweet, like honey!

These flies have a unique life cycle. The larvae live in soil where they are internal parasites of earthworms. Consequently, structures with large lawns or those near fields are more likely to have problems with overwintering cluster flies. There are four generations a year, but we only consider the late-season adults as pests as they move inside structures in late summer or fall. Adults feed on flowers and are not attracted to garbage, feces or dead animals.

Cluster flies are slow-moving, especially when they become active indoors on warm winter days (when the heat fluctuates) or in early spring as they look for a way outside. They head for light and often end up clustered around windows or in ceiling light fixtures.

We can control cluster flies by creating barriers in mid-to-late-summer to prevent their entry: treatment of the exterior with a repellent residual, as well as pest-proofing of openings, especially around the roofline. It’s critical to time the residual application before fly entry in your area.

Once the flies are inside, control is difficult, and results are often disappointing. Avoid killing them in inaccessible voids because the dead flies can attract beetles. Vacuuming, sticky traps, and light traps can remove wandering flies.

Signs of an infestation

During the cold winter months, cluster flies often congregate around windows or doors on warm days or when the heat is increased, prompting frantic calls for service. Controlling cluster flies indoors can be difficult as populations are frequently hiding in hard-to-reach voids or attics. Indoor insecticide applications are often impractical and result in large numbers of dead flies that are attractive to secondary pests such as carpet beetles. Usually, exclusion is the best solution but should be complete by the early autumn, before the insects make their way indoors.

Completely sealing every entry point is difficult, especially because cluster flies enter near the roofline through soffit or ridge vents. Exterior surface applications of appropriate repellent insecticides can be helpful in deterring them, but applications should be made before aggregations of flies begin to appear on the building. In many cases, we instruct clients to vacuum any carcasses popping up in homes.

No matter the fly, Hogarth’s Pest Control and Wildlife Removal has the skillset to not only curb an infestation but the necessary exclusion and clean-up work required to keep any home fly-free. If you have noticed an issue with house or cluster flies in your home or business, please give us a call. We have been keeping Northern Michigan homes free of these pests for 25 years!

Fruit Flies

If you have seen small flies or gnat-like insects in your kitchen, odds are they are most likely fruit flies. Fruit flies are a year-round issue; however, they are especially common during late summer and fall months. This is primarily because they are most attracted to ripe, fermenting (rotting) fruits and vegetables. Fruit flies have oval bodies with six legs. Adults are about 1/8 inch in size and usually have red eyes. The front section of the body is tan, and the rear part is black. They feed on decaying food items, especially fruits and vegetables.

Melons, tomatoes, grapes, squash, and other perishable items from the garden are often the cause of an indoor infestation. Fruit flies thrive on rotting, unrefrigerated produce from the supermarket as well.

Biology

We find fruit flies most commonly in homes, restaurants, grocery stores, and wherever food can rot. Female fruit flies lay their eggs near the surface of rotting foods or on other moist, organic materials. Upon hatching, the small larvae continue to feed near the surface of the rotting item. This surface-feeding characteristic is significant; the affected over-ripe parts of the vegetables and fruits may be cut away without having to discard the entire piece out of fear of containing any developing larvae. Fruit flies reproduce like wildfire, notorious for laying up to 500 eggs at any given time! The entire lifecycle from egg to adult completes within seven days.  All that is necessary for development is a moist film of fermenting material.

Behavior

Though fruit flies are especially attracted to ripened fruits and vegetables in the kitchen or pantry, they will also breed in trash cans, drains, garbage disposals, empty bottles and cans, mops, and cleaning rags. Infestations can enter the home via previously rotting or fermenting fruits and vegetables, or empty bottles and cans.

That being said, adults can also fly in from outside through windows and doors with inadequate screens. For those who live or work near orchards, even the cleanest home may still experience a fruit fly issue due to all of the rotting fruit. One of the best and most straightforward solutions is to keep a fan blowing at the most frequently used door. This works toward keeping the flies outside because, due to their tiny stature, they are unable to fly against the force of the wind.

This trick actually works with most fly species because they aren’t strong enough to fly against the blowing air. The primary issue associated with fruit flies is that they are nuisance pests. However, their excrement also has the potential to contaminate food with their bacteria and other disease-producing organisms.

Prevention

The most effective method to avoid a fruit fly infestation is to eliminate sources of attraction. Produce should be eaten, discarded, or refrigerated upon ripening. Cracked, bruised, or otherwise damaged portions of fruits and vegetables should be cut away and dumped– especially if eggs or larvae are present in the affected area. A single rotting potato or onion at the back of a pantry or sticky fruit juice under a refrigerator is breeding ground for thousands of fruit flies. In addition, full and unclean trash or recycling bins are also ideal locations.

People who can fruits and vegetables, or make their own beer, cider, or wine should ensure that the containers are well sealed. Otherwise, fruit flies will lay their eggs under the lid, and the tiny larvae will enter the container upon hatching. Equip windows and doors with tight-fitting (16 mesh) screens to help prevent adult fruit flies from entering from outdoors.

Eradication

Once a structure is infested with fruit flies, all potential breeding areas must be located and eliminated. Unless the breeding sites are removed or cleaned, the problem will continue no matter how often one applies insecticides. Finding the source(s) of attraction and breeding can be very challenging and usually will require much thought and persistence. We often suggest personal eradication attempts right off the bat because a small infestation can be easy to nip in the bud. Potential breeding sites that are not easily accessible to humans (i.e., garbage disposals and drains) can be inspected by taping a clear plastic food storage bag over the opening overnight. If flies are breeding in these areas, the adults will emerge and enter the container.

A better approach, however, is to construct a trap by placing a paper funnel (or roll a sheet of notebook paper) into a jar that contains a few ounces of cider vinegar. Place the jar trap(s) wherever fruit flies are buzzing about. This simple but effective trap will soon catch any remaining adult flies which can then be killed or released outdoors.

If you exhaust your personal attempts and still can’t seem to shake a fruit fly problem, Hogarth’s can inspect your property and assist in eradicating the issue completely.

Tick-ed Off

I was driving yesterday, windows down, my hair blowing in the breeze. Beside me in the passenger seat, our German Shorthaired Pointer, Milo, sprawled out lazily, enjoying the rare occurrence of riding shotgun. He laid his head back, both ears flopping over to expose the smooth inside. That’s when I saw it. Strange and definitely foreign looking, I ran my thumb over what looked to be a large skin tag on the inside of his left year. My initial thought was that it had to be a tick, as I had read multiple pieces detailing this year’s influx in tick populations. That being said, Milo has been on tick medication for the majority of his life and I didn’t think much of the ‘epidemic’. However, seeing one latching onto him was entirely different.

When my husband came home (he’s the bug guy, not me) he immediately checked the ear. Sure enough, there it was. A female deer tick! She wasn’t fully burrowed into Milo’s skin just yet, which made extracting her fairly simple. This was both of our first run-ins with discovering a tick on a dog, and we are now fully aware of how rampant they are this year.

All about Ticks

Ticks are tiny insects, typically the size of a sesame seed. They feed on blood from humans and other animals. Ticks partially burrow into the skin, and prefer to feed in heavily vascular areas like the head. The danger associated with ticks is simple: Lyme disease. The CDC reports more than 300,000 cases of Lyme disease each year, and health officials believe that 75% of these cases are caused by ticks. White-footed mice and chipmunks are the most well-known hosts of Lyme disease due to the bacteria they house. When a tick, and most commonly a deer tick, feeds on these rodents, they become a vector for the disease and transfer it to humans and other animals as a result.

Lyme disease manifests itself as a multi-system inflammatory disease that affects the skin in its early, localized stage. It starts out as a red rash in a bullseye pattern around the bite mark. From there, it spreads to the joints, nervous system, and other organ systems in its later, more advanced stages. If diagnosed in its early stages and immediately treated with antibiotics, Lyme disease is almost always cured. The disease in its later stages can also be treated effectively, but because the rate of progression and individual response to treatment varies from patient to patient. In humans, an attached tick must take a blood meal and then transmit the bacterium, borrelia burgdorferi, to infect a host with Lyme disease. In most cases, a tick requires at least 36 to 48 hours to have enough time to feed and spread the bacterium.

Tips for keeping Ticks away:

  • Keep firewood and debris away from home
  • Hang bird feeders away from the home
  • Mow yards and pathways regularly
  • Wear long pants and long sleeves while walking through tall grass or in the woods
  • Apply DEET insect repellent to clothing before walking through tall grass or in the woods
  • Always check yourself or have someone else inspect you for ticks after walking outside
  • Make sure pets are on flea and tick medication from their vet

Contrary to popular belief, ticks do not jump on to their hosts. They hang out in heavily wooded areas and on shrubs, bushes, and tall grasses, waiting for the hosts to brush up against the vegetation.  If you find a tick on your skin, it needs to be removed immediately. Make sure to thoroughly inspect all clothing after being outdoors— always check children and pets. If a tick burrows deeply into your skin, seek care of a professional. Mouth parts left behind can cause infection!

How to remove a tick yourself

  1. Using tweezers, gently grab the tick as close as possible to its mouth. The body of the tick should be above the skin.  Avoid touching the tick with bare hands! Using nitrile gloves is beneficial.
  2. Lift the tick from the skin with even force. ensuring you are squeezing the mouth.Squeezing can cause the stomach contents to leak from the mouth, which can cause infection. Do not pull, turn, or twist the tick as this increases the chances of separating the mouth from the body. Make sure to remove all mouth pieces and remnants left behind.
  3. Upon removal, clean the area with soap and water.

Hogarth’s now offers a new method of tick control; a multi-year process that results in 88% total population reduction of ticks in the first year, and up to 97.3% of ticks by the end of the second year. If you have discovered a tick on yourself, your child, or your pet, do not hesitate to give us a call. This kind of pest prevention requires continual effort. We will be happy to help remediate this potentially dangerous problem. Keep your pets and loved ones safe this summer season!

 

Spring Pest Control

It’s that time of year again! Spring is quickly approaching in Northern Michigan which means it’s time to start thinking about scheduling your spring pest control. Whether you have issues with ants, spiders, or are just looking for a preventative spray, it’s important to schedule your service now to protect your home with a barrier before pest issues begin to arise.

We always recommend treating your home every spring. Preventing a problem before it begins is not only a way to keep pests out of your home all season long, but will keep the outside of your home cleaner and reduce the amount of web sweeping and power washing you will need to do year after year.

If you do plan on power washing or painting your home this spring, we advise scheduling your pest control after to avoid washing off or painting over the product. Once we apply the product, we guarantee against all crawling insects, bees, wasps, and hornets until the snow flies.

Hogarth’s Pest Control has been servicing over 18 counties in the Northern Michigan area for 20 years. We are fully certified, licensed and insured!

Contact us today to schedule your service: (231) 264-6060 (800) 264-6161 or by email at [email protected]

 

home_treat-4-800sfw

Tips on Spiders

SpiderAs spring in Northern Michigan draws closer and the days get longer, spiders get closer invading your home and covering your structure in webs. Spiders can do an extensive amount of damage to the surface of a home, no matter what type of siding, paint, or stain is used on the structure. As spiders begin to eat bugs caught in their webs, they urinate and defecate onto the structure, leaving an acidic substance that embeds into vinyl paints and stains. This results in more upkeep and maintenance on the homeowners part.

Hogarth’s Pest Control is your local expert in protecting your home from spider infestations before it gets too late. By routinely treating your home every spring, you not only protect your home for longer, but you also keep your home cleaner as a result. This eliminates the need to power wash and paint more frequently. Here are a few tips to keep spiders at bay, on top of your routine pest control:

1. Routinely knocking down any webs will put serious strain on the spider; by either humanely killing or forcing them to seek new harborage.

2. Keep a minimum distance of 6 inches between your structure and any sort of vegetation to maintain air flow.

3. Maintaining low humidity in your crawlspace or basement will make it difficult for spiders and their prey to live. Spiders are hunters, and without a proper source of food they will cease to exist in those areas.