Return to a Bug-Free Home

Ants:
Ants need food, moisture, and shelter. Your home is a perfect place for ants to invade. You will usually find them inside your kitchen foraging for food. With a thorough inspection and treatment plan in place, we can help you get rid of ants and prevent more from invading your home in the future.

Cockroaches:
Cockroaches are nocturnal pests that have the ability to adapt quickly to many surroundings. Cockroaches are difficult pests to treat on your own, and knowing where they hide is the first step to eliminating them. It only takes one egg-carrying female to create an infestation. Preventing a cockroach infestation isn't easy. You can lessen the chances of growing an infestation by reducing water sources, cutting off access to food, cleaning any grease or food spills, inspecting groceries before taking them indoors, and removing unnecessary clutter from the home.

Rodents:
Most common rodents are mice, rats, chipmunks, and squirrels. Rats and mice invade your home in search for shelter, food, and water. They can enter the home through cracks, holes, and openings made for utilities. Rats and mice are carriers of diseases and parasites such as ticks and fleas. They can contaminate your food and cause significant damage to your property. These rodents are elusive and fast-moving. However, they do have a natural curiosity that can help us with treatment. Call us for an inspection so we can help decide the best defense against these rodents. Seal any access points to prevent future infestations.

Bed Bugs:
Bed bugs are small parasitic insects that feed on blood. They usually feed on human blood but are known to also feed on warm-bodied animals. Small spots of blood on mattresses and bed linens, small brown droppings, exoskeletons that are shed by nymphs, small white eggs and egg casings are all signs that you might have an infestation. Bed bugs can travel long distances on hosts. They're often picked up in airplane seats, cabs, and hotel beds. They can also travel in luggage and clothing. Bed bugs can be difficult to get rid of which is why it is recommended to get professional help. They are nocturnal and rarely seen during the day. They hide in cracks, crevices, mattresses, seam lines, linens, baseboards, and inside of furniture.

Termites:
Termites forage for cellulose material. This can be found in dead plant material, fallen timber, and other wood debris. Colonies can develop near the foundation of your home. They will often enter your home through small cracks in search for food. Their food source can be the wooden structure of your home. Termites can go undetected for months or years. Though they can't harm humans, they have the potential to damage and weaken your home's structure if left untreated. Call PPS and we can inspect your home and determine the best plan for treatment.

Spiders:
You are most likely to find spiders in your home during the colder months as they try to find secure areas to build their webs. To prevent spiders from entering your home, keep shrubs and bushes trimmed back from the exterior of the house and make sure holes or cracks around doors and windows are sealed.

Flies:
Flies look for a source of food and a safe place to breed and live which they often find in your home. Many flies liquify solid foods by regurgitating. This contaminates your food and can spread disease. You can control fly infestations by removing their food source and breeding areas. This is difficult to do and they can often re-infest your home. Do-it-yourself products are ineffective if not properly done. Call the professionals at PPS to help eliminate these pests.

Carpet Beetles:
Carpet beetles can be found inside of your home where they can cause significant damage to clothing, fur, carpet, and other stored fabric items. Carpet beetles feed on natural fibers and particles. They are attracted to wool, animal skins, animal fur, feathers, human hair, pet hair, leather book bindings, animal horns, whalebones, and silk. They can enter the home through any opening. Homeowners are able to help fix a carpet beetle infestations by going through and inspecting objects and washing the infested items. Keeping your home clean and vacuuming pet hair can help prevent a carpet beetle infestation.

Centipedes:
Centipedes move very quickly and use touch and smell to find their prey. They hide during the day in dark/damp areas. They emerge during the night and feed on worms, spiders, silverfish, and more small vertebrates. They are mainly found outdoors. If they can find the same dark/damp conditions indoors then they will go into your home. They can be found in crawl spaces, basements, closets, and bathrooms. Centipedes are venomous, but it isn't strong enough to affect humans. They have a painful bite. They are difficult to get rid of on your own because they are great at hiding. To prevent centipedes from entering your home, repair cracks and crevices on the exterior of your home, clear gutters and direct water away from your home, and keep organic materials away from your home as to not attract them.

Millipedes:
Millipedes have short legs and move much slower than centipedes even though they have more legs. They feed on damp and decaying vegetation and leaf litter. They mainly live in the soil. If they get into your home they will typically die due to lack of food and moisture. They emit a foul odor in order to defend themselves. If you get this on you just wash it off to avoid skin irritation and to get rid of the smell. To prevent an infestation, seal cracks in your home's exterior and use a dehumidifier in damp parts of your home.

Box Elder Bugs:
Box elder bugs get their food source from the box elder tree as well as ash trees, maple trees, cherry trees, and other seed-bearing plants. If you have any of these trees you are at higher risk of box elder infestations. You might find them inside your home in warmer months while they are out looking for food. When temperatures cool, they will look for shelter for winter. You might find them in cracks, crevices, or and other sheltered spot They have been known to bite but are generally harmless. It is difficult to locate and remove these bugs by yourself due to their many hibernating spots. We can help locate and treat for these pests.

Springtails:
Springtails dwell in soil, leaf litter, and other humid areas. Indoors they can be found in areas with moisture including water-damaged windows, kitchens, bathrooms, damp basements, and overwatered potted plants. They aren't harmful to people, pets, or your home. You can reduce moisture in your home to reduce the amount of springtails or call PPS at the first sign of an infestation.

Silverfish:
Silverfish like dark and humid areas with moderate temperature. They are usually found in kitchen cupboards, under bathroom sinks, basements, laundry rooms, and attics. These pests do not hibernate. They can be active year-round and can lay eggs at any point in the year. They feed off of sugar, human hair, dandruff, photos, paper, glue, book bindings, and anything else containing starch or polysaccharides. Silverfish are difficult to eliminate on your own. The professionals at PPS can help treat and prevent these pests from invading your home.

Fleas:
Fleas are found living where there is high moisture. Once a female flea has a blood meal, it lays 4-8 eggs on the host or bedding area. In homes with no pets, a flea can enter in on clothes and shoes. They are hosts to dog tapeworm, which can infest indoor cats and rodent tapeworm that can sometimes infest humans. They can also transmit plague and murine typhus. The best way to deal with a flea infestation is by calling PPS since fleas are difficult pests to get rid of.