Get Rid of Pests | Roberts Pest Control Austin TX

Roberts Termite and Pest Control

Get Rid of Pests | Roberts Pest Control Austin TX

Fleas and Ticks - Meet the Culprits

Fleas are pests of humans and domestic animals all over the world. Most fleas prefer non-human hosts, but many can and do feed readily on humans when infestations are heavy or when other hosts are not available. Fleas are small, wingless insects, which average 1/12 to 1/6 inch long, but can vary from as small as 1/25 to 1/3 inch long. Fleas generally require warmth, and humid conditions in order to develop substantial infestations, either indoors or out. Thus, flea problems seem to peak in the spring, summer, and fall seasons. However, the "flea season" can be year round in many regions, and especially in the South.

To control flea infestation, flea management in and around homes typically requires a carefully organized and executed program. An important factor of this program will be cooperation of the homeowner in maintaining proper sanitation and continued flea control of the pet(s).

Roberts Termite and Pest Control

Fleas and Ticks - Meet the Culprits

Bed Bugs a Problem? We can get rid of Bed Bugs.

Most householders of this generation have never seen a bed bug. Until recently, they also were a rarity among pest control professionals. Bed bug infestations were common in the United States before World War II. But with improvements in hygiene, and especially the widespread use of DDT during the 1940s and '50s, the bugs all but vanished. The pests remained fairly prevalent, however, in other regions of the world including Asia, Africa, and Eastern Europe. In recent years, bed bugs have also made a comeback in the U.S. They are increasingly being encountered in homes, apartments, hotels, motels, health care facilities, dormitories, shelters, schools, and modes of transport. Other places where bed bugs sometimes appear include movie theaters, laundries/dry cleaners, furniture rental outlets and office buildings. Immigration and international travel have undoubtedly contributed to the resurgence of bed bugs in the U.S. Changes in modern pest control practice - and less effective bed bug pesticides - are other factors suspected for the recurrence.

Bed bugs are active mainly at night. During the daytime, they prefer to hide close to where people sleep. Their flattened bodies enable them to fit into tiny crevices — especially those associated with mattresses, box springs, bed frames and headboards. Bed bugs do not have nests like ants or bees, but do tend to congregate in habitual hiding places. Characteristically, these areas are marked by dark spotting and staining, which is the dried excrement of the bugs. Also present will be eggs and eggshells, the brownish molted skins of maturing nymphs and the bugs themselves. Another telltale though less frequent sign is rusty or reddish blood smears on bed sheets or mattresses from crushing an engorged bed bug. Heavy infestations may have a &buggy& smell, but the odor is seldom apparent and should not be relied upon for detection.


Roberts Termite and Pest Control

Bed Bugs a Problem? We can get rid of Bed Bugs.

Meet the Culprits - Termites

More than 2 million homes require termite treatment each year. You typically can't see them, you can't hear them and frequently only a trained inspector can find signs of infestation. Treatment by the homeowner for the control of termites is virtually impossible. Termites feed on cellulose, a complex chemical in plant cell walls, and they are very important in the natural decomposition of fallen trees, leaves and other plant products.

HOW TERMITES LIVE

• Termites build their colonies in the soil or in trees or poles, and rely mainly on the soil for moisture


• A termite colony is large (60,000 to 1.5 million termites)


• They are made up of several "castes", each with distinct functions and behaviors. These include reproductive (the queen, king, and winged swarmers), soldiers, and workers

Termites live mainly in the ground, searching for wood (food) farther and farther from their center of their colony areas as their numbers grow. Foragers may make underground tunnels or above-ground "shelter tubes" of mud, feces and debris used to search for new food sources and to connect their feeding sites to the soil. They can enter a building without direct wood contact with the soil through such tubes. Termites can enter buildings through cracks, expansion joints, foam insulation below ground, hollow bricks or concrete blocks, or through spaces around plumbing through openings as narrow as 1/32nd of an inch.

The most important step in protecting your property is a thorough inspection by a termite control specialist. If a termite infestation is found, the specialist can design a treatment plan for your property that will control a current infestation and establish a chemical barrier, or baiting system, around the structure to take care of future termite infestations.

Roberts Termite and Pest Control

Meet the Culprits - Termites