Peanut butter is a staple in managing mice and rats, especially in residential settings. It’s easy to apply to traps, it stays fresh for several days — and a jar of peanut butter has a long shelf life. But peanut butter isn’t always your best bet. Because sometimes that peanut butter is a magnet for…Continue Reading Baiting for Mice, Rats? Try String!
Have No Fear: Pests Are Smaller than They Appear
Are subway rats really the size of house cats? Are there American cockroaches or “waterbugs” as big as your hand? Fortunately, neither is true. But a 2012 study offers insight as to why those beliefs exist. First, some background. Whenever I give a presentation about structural pests, I like to bring some specimens along for…Continue Reading Have No Fear: Pests Are Smaller than They Appear
Identifying Your Pest – with Poop?
Whether you are dealing with a pest problem, having car trouble, or trying to figure out who stole the cookie from the cookie jar, your job starts with an investigation — the information-gathering step where you search for clues. In pest management, inspection is the first and most important step toward addressing an issue, helping…Continue Reading Identifying Your Pest – with Poop?
Top 5 Pest Hangouts — in Your Kitchen
Spring! Time to fling open the windows, plant some flowers — and begin the annual tradition of spring-cleaning. But are you getting to all those places where pests find food, water, or shelter? Householders tend to overlook these five places. And they could be just the spots where pests come for a free meal or…Continue Reading Top 5 Pest Hangouts — in Your Kitchen
Tick Checks and More — Stay Healthy and Happy While You’re Outside
Gardening. Hiking. Camping. The delights of spring after a tough winter. But spring also brings … deer ticks and the threat of Lyme disease. Not every tick carries the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. But enough do to make proper clothing and even repellents an essential part of your daily outdoor routine — and careful…Continue Reading Tick Checks and More — Stay Healthy and Happy While You’re Outside
Mice in Your School? Who’s Job Is It, Anyway?
School kitchens, cafeterias, and food storage areas provide great habitat for mice. And it takes real dedication and attention to detail to deep-clean those hard to reach places. But here’s why you’ve got to: Mouse droppings, urine, and even the greasy sebum trail — grease marks from protective oils on rodent fur —aren’t just health…Continue Reading Mice in Your School? Who’s Job Is It, Anyway?
Review Your Balance Sheet (aka Better Late Than … )
… Never. This post was slated to go live the same day Uncle Sam started surcharging tardy tax returns. Then — human error took over. You don’t have to step back in time, though, for this post to help you — it’s as relevant now as it was on April 15. And it’ll stay…Continue Reading Review Your Balance Sheet (aka Better Late Than … )