Todays Featured Pest- Fleas

FLEAS

Fleas. What can I say about them? They are annoying, itchy, and quite hard to get rid of. If you have pets that go outside, you may know exactly how I feel about them. Just thinking of the fleas may make you start to itch.  The fact that they can jump 200 times their own height (7 inches vertically, 13 inches horizontally) can give you the chills.

Trying to get rid of fleas can be quite the hassle. But with the right knowledge of where they hide, their lifecycle, and what to use getting rid of these guys is possible.

First thing first, there are different types of fleas that attack different types of animals. Using the right treatment is VERY important. Some pesticides or treatments used for dogs, may be strong enough to kill a cat or other small pet. Please, please, please read the instructions on the type of treatment you use before you treat your pet.

LIFE CYCLE

They are surprisingly resilient during the larvae and pupa stage. They create a hard cocoon that is almost impenetrable, this is the stage where they can wait for up to a year, just waiting for the

Life Cycle of Fleas 1.       Egg 2.       Larvae 3.       Pupa 4.       Adult

opportune moment when the time is right. This also makes it difficult to fully get rid of them because you may use all the pesticides to get rid of the eggs and adults, but the ones in the cocoon can come out long after the infestation is gone and repopulate quickly.

So after all that is said, it may sound like you may not be able to get rid of fleas. But it takes the right treatments and persistence to get rid of them altogether. You need to be able to know where the fleas are located.

LOCATIONS

The places where the pests like to hide are basically anywhere where your pet likes to lay down. They can live in gravel, bedding, couches, beds, and on the pet (or human).  If you think there may be fleas in your home, you can do a simple test. Wear long white socks, and walk around everywhere where your pets walk and lay. For some weird reason, fleas seem to be more attracted to white clothing, so you can easily notice the little black fleas that may latch on to your socks.

TREATMENTS

There are several treatments like shampoos, foggers, powders, and sprays. Some of the most recommended methods for pets are Frontline and Advantage. These are treatments for the pet and they help kill the fleas on the pet and help keep them from returning. This does not, however, get rid of the fleas in your home.

There are also flea combs to use on your pets, but this is just a short term method. It does not keep them from coming back, especially if most of the fleas are in the pet's bedding. A pet's bedding can support thousands of fleas.

You can try to buy foggers or powders for your home, but these can be dangerous if you do not know what you are doing. One thing we do at Downs Pest Control is never over-spray. Too much pesticides can make you or your family sick, and it can cause fleas to build up an immunity to these sprays.

LABELS

Be sure to read the labels, these are very important. You should not just go aimlessly around shooting pesticides around. the best way to control fleas is with a controlled method and spraying or using foggers in certain areas.  Labels of products give you directions on how to use their products safely. Safety is always number one.

PERSISTENCE

The first treatment may not get rid of all the fleas. Do not get discouraged, there may be some fleas that were hiding in a different spot or coming out of the cocoon. It may take up to three or four treatments to fully eradicate your flea infestation, but with persistence you can get passed the infestation. 

PROFESSIONAL HELP

You can always call your local family owned, Downs Pest Control to help you with your problem. We are trained licensed professionals who know their bugs. We can help you choose the right pesticides and help you locate where your problem is.

50309, 50310, 50311, 50312, 50313, 50314, 50315, 50316, 50317, 50318, 50319, 50320, 50321, 50327, 50391, and 50392.Downs Pest Control is family owned and operated pest control company that serves Des Moines and surrounding areas. We are dedicated to helping residents and businesses in Altoona, Ankeny, Bondurant, Carlisle, Clive, Grimes, Johnston, Norwalk, Perry, Urbandale, Waukee, West Des Moines, and Windsor Heights prevent and remove pest infestations. We are dedicated to safety and high quality customer service. Downs Pest Control

Ants Come Marching In

Spring time is here. Yes, I know it snowed yesterday, but the bugs tend to have a bio-clock and they start coming out of their burrows and shells this time of the year. Even the slightest change in weather can trigger this clock to go off.  When they come out, they are going to be very hungry. And where do you think the best place to find food? The kitchen ad trash cans.

Ants are intelligent and their sense of smell is strong. When they smell the food, they will find a way to get into your home. The scary part about ants, is how many there really are. The ones you see walking in your home or by the trash cans are just a small fraction of what really lies beneath at the colony. Each colony can have up to 10,000 ants in it. There is also some proof of colonies working together to create a "supercolony," and can have over a 100,000 ants working together.

Ants tend to walk in a line, making it look like they are marching together somewhere. Basically, it is true, they are marching somewhere, and it's usually your kitchen. Ants are attracted to sweets, salts, and anything sugary. Once an ant finds a good food source, it leaves a trail of pheromones that lead the other ants to the food. They walk straight over the scent, and if it gets knocked off its path, it finds its way back to the path as quick as possible. 

Ants are interesting insects, but they can be annoying. Getting rid of them is very important. Store bought methods are usually not enough to stop them. The store bought sprays are usually just repellants, and repellants do not work in the long run. Baits are usually the better method to get rid of ants by yourself. You can easily find some baits at your local depot store or home/garden store. Remember, not all products work, do some research and be sure to read the labels of how to use the product.

If you try and don't succeed, calling in the pros may be your best option. These guys have the license to carry the stronger pesticides that will kill the ants and stop them from coming in. The most common pesticides used in ant treatment is Phantom(for inside) and Termidor (for outside).  These pesticides are strong enough to get rid of your pests.

Downs Pest Control is family owned and operated pest control company that serves Des Moines and surrounding areas. We are dedicated to helping residents and businesses in Altoona, Ankeny, Bondurant, Carlisle, Clive, Grimes, Johnston, Norwalk, Perry, Urbandale, Waukee, West Des Moines, and Windsor Heights prevent and remove pest infestations.50309, 50310, 50311, 50312, 50313, 50314, 50315, 50316, 50317, 50318, 50319, 50320, 50321, 50327, 50391, and 50392.

 We are dedicated to safety and high quality customer service. Downs Pest Control

Bed Bug City Ranks

The bedbugs are coming to the Midwest, according to a Fox News article, "Where Does your City Rank When it Comes to Bedbugs?" These nasty things are making their way across the country as we speak. Fox News got their data from Terminix, one of the major pest control companies in America, listing off the top 15 infested cities.

Should we be afraid? Not really, but it is cause for concern. There has been a steady rise of bed bugs in Des Moines. This is caused by the number of people buying cheaper used furniture and more people staying in hotels. Bed bugs are becoming more frequent, and even staying in hotels is not an absolute to not get bed bugs. 

You may be asking what has caused this sudden increase of bed bugs? Well, bed bugs were nearly eliminated from America in the 1960s with the use of heavy pesticides. These pesticides were very toxic though, so the government banned the use of these throughout America. You may recognize one of these pesticides, DDT. Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, DDT, was most famous for what it did to Bald Eagles' population.

Bed bugs do not spread diseases like most pests. Their bites are similar to that of mosquitoes. Just because you wake up with some bites, it does not mean it is bed bugs. There are other types of insects that can give the same type of bite, but the one thing different about bed bug bites is the pattern of the bites. Bed bugs tend to bite in a line or in a pattern of three. This is commonly known as the "breakfast, lunch, and dinner pattern."

Getting rid of bed bugs is a timely, expensive ordeal. Bed bugs are about the size of a mustard seed and can hide in any crack or crevice, that most people do not even recognize. The time for the inspection and the amount of detail done to reach all these spots is what makes this so expensive. Multiple treatments may be needed just because the eggs are so resilient to the process, and when the eggs hatch more treatments will be needed to be sure the population doesn't grow again.

Bed bugs like to hide near the corners of beds and in the seam in the back of the couch.  If you have a bed bug infestation, try to capture one to show a professional to make sure it is a bed bug. Do not stay in other people's beds or other rooms, for it only worsen the infestation.

Downs Pest Control is family owned and operated pest control company that serves Des Moines and surrounding areas. We are dedicated to helping residents and businesses in Altoona, Ankeny, Bondurant, Carlisle, Clive, Grimes, Johnston, Norwalk, Perry, Urbandale, Waukee, West Des Moines, and Windsor Heights prevent and remove pest infestations. We are dedicated to safety and high quality customer service. Downs Pest Control

Choosing a Pest Control Company

Choosing the right pest control company can be difficult and time consuming. One thing you do not want to do is spend a lot time trying to decide which company to choose. You also do not want to pick a bad company. Whether you have ants, bedbugs, fleas, ticks, mice, rats, spiders, or cockroaches you want to get rid of them as quickly as possible. There are a few simple things you can do to ensure that you have chosen a good company when trying to get rid of these common pests.

1. Understand the Industry - Basic pest control (ants, cockroaches, fleas, spiders, millipedes, etc,) does not require a lot of start up costs or overhead. This is good because it keeps competition strong which leads to a better service at a lower price. It is bad because and guy off the street can say he has a pest control company. There are also many companies in the industry that are actually sales companies disguised as exterminators. They focus on sales and profits more than the quality of service they provide. This is a very good business model but from a consumer standpoint you end up paying more for less with these types of companies. You pay for the increased cost of a sales force and you  receive services that may not be necessary.

2. Know what you want before you choose your exterminator. There are many options when choosing a pest control company. You can have your exterminator come monthly, bimonthly, quarterly, or just one time. The more often you have your property treated by an exterminator the lower the price you will pay for pest control services. This is very good if you have pest problems that you see all the time. If you typically do not have pest problems or you only  have problems at certain times of the year you must ask yourself how often do I want my home treated? You must decide this on an individual basis because when you pay for a pest control service you are not only paying for the materials, the labor, and the overhead you are also paying for a bug free environment and peace of mind. You must decide what is necessary for you to be satisfied and what you are willing to pay.

3. Know the price of the pest control treatments. The price of pest control treatments can tell a lot about an exterminator. Typical an exterminator that charges low prices for pest control services sacrifices quality. At the same time in the pest control industry additional cost does not always translate into better quality. Try to find the right price.

4. Get to know your company. This may sound difficult but when you call for a quote pay attention to how you are treated and how they act. Someone from the exterminator you choose will come to your home and it is important that this person can be trusted. If the person you talk to over the phone is polite and answers your questions well there is a good chance the exterminator provides good services. If the company is slow to give you a quote over the phone,  they give you the run around, do not return calls, reschedule appointments, or act shady in anyway they probably are not a company you want to deal with.

5. Check them out on the internet. There are many places to look at on the web. Check out their website, look at reviews, check out the BBB website or even look for certifications that their company may have.

6. Ask a friend. This is the most reliable method. If a friend you know has had a good experience with an exterminator do not hesitate to go with them. Also if a friend had a bad experience with an exterminator do not go with them.


Overall the goal is to find the company that fits you. You should be able call local exterminators and get a quote fairly quickly. Most exterminators will be able to come out the same day if necessary. So do not spend too much time finding one though. If they cannot work with your schedule find the company that will.

We hope that you will be able to find a company that you can trust that will help you overcome your pest problems. Of course this article may be bias because at Downs Pest Control we try to work with our customers as partners in eliminating pests. We are in the business to help you live pest free. We pride ourselves in providing timely, efficient, affordable, and high quality services. We hope that we can help you live pest free!


Downs Pest Control is family owned and operated pest control company that serves Des Moines and surrounding areas. We are dedicated to helping residents and businesses in Altoona, Ankeny, Bondurant, Carlisle, Clive, Grimes, Johnston, Norwalk, Perry, Urbandale, Waukee, West Des Moines, and Windsor Heights prevent and remove pest infestations. We are dedicated to safety and high quality customer service. Downs Pest Control

Spring Is on its Way

With spring just around the corner that means that bugs are about to start coming out again. It is time to protect your home from pest invasions.