Increased Arachnid Activity

If you haven't taken notice already, you may start to see an increase in spider activity in the next couple of weeks as the temperatures begin to cool off making way for Fall. While it is not widely known, male spiders typically seek a mate around late Summer early Fall. This includes tarantula spiders, which according to Mount Diablo State Park rangers, they have already begun seeing tarantulas popping up early due to the cooler temperatures. Be advised that mating season usually lasts through the end of October. 

It's good to keep in mind that while tarantulas are intimidating to look at (for all you arachnophobes!) they are quite docile and non-aggressive unless provoked (which we DO NOT recommend!) Most female tarantulas remain in their burrow, so if you run into a tarantula while out hiking or if you live on acreage, chances are it's a male. Fun fact: Male tarantulas have been known to search for up to four miles to find a mate! Kind of romantic! 

On a separate note, general household spiders will also be seeking mates around this time frame. As always, we recommend staying consistent with your pest control services and doing your best to eliminate the arachnids main food source which are of course other bugs, but most importantly FLIES. If you find yourself having a particularly intense fly infestation, whether outside or inside your home, we recommend picking up a fly catcher or trap at either Home Depot or Lowes to help out. These usually cost anywhere from $5.00 to $7.00 depending on the brand or type you buy. Making sure your trash bids are secure and covered is also a good idea, since this is a popular place for spiders to set up camp. (Coincidence? We think not.) 

We hope this helps answer some of your questions about the increase in spider activity as of lately. If ever you have a concern or need your pest control technician to come back out to do a respray for you, don't hesitate to give us a call!

Summer Ant Control Tips

We can all agree that ants are a real nuisance this time of year as the temperatures heat up and colonies underground start feelin' the burn. Many ants will turn to the comfort of your own home to seek out food and moisture. Aside from keeping your trusty pest control company on speed dial during these summer months, here are some big helpful tips to keep the those little pests away!

First and foremost, after a pest control visit, ant activity may seem to get worse before it gets better. This is because if bait was used, the ants need time to carry the 'food' back to their colony in order to share, and this will be much more effective when wiping out the entire colony preventing future visitors of this particular colony. While it may be *extremely* difficult to avoid intervening with the invasion during this time, (DO NOT use your own Raid or pesticide to wipe them up right away) you need to let the bait work it's magic. After allowing the bait to be carried back by the ants over-night, carefully wipe down the counter with Windex the next day, which will remove any and all pheromones that the ants left behind so they won't be able to return. By this point, the colony should be wiped out and you can give yourself a congratulatory pat on the back! 

As you already know, ants are serious scavengers. It always helps stay ahead of an ant invasion by keeping crumbs swept up and pet kibble stored securely. We always advise buying plastic containers to store pet kibble so ants aren't attracted to the dry food. (Fun Fact: This will also double in preventing a rodent problem as well!) If you feed your pets outdoors and leave a bowl of kibble for them to graze on through out the day, we advise placing the food dish within a shallow bowl of water. This creates a moat around the food dish, making it impossible for ants to access the dry food within. We suspect that your pet will encounter less unwelcome guests to his or her dining experience when this method is used. 

In closing, if you have regular pest control service, just know that you have unlimited call backs in between services for reasons like ant invasions. We understand that regardless of taking ALL the preventative measures out there to avoid unwelcome pests, they can and will pop up every now and again. Please know that you are NEVER bothering us by requesting a callback visit, because will do whatever it takes to make sure you are living in a comfortable, pest-controlled environment. 

Attack of the Ants!

Blame the heat for the ant invasion! According to CBS8 News, "San Diego has been hit with scorching heat, humidity and rain all of which force ants inside, because they don't want to be out in the extreme temperatures." The heat has forced ant colonies to seek refuge inside homes, where they have access to food and water as well as cooler temperatures. Unfortunately the rain hasn't helped much either, causing the same invasive reaction from the six-legged pests. 

Many customers have asked us where they come from when they suddenly appear, uninvited, in your kitchens and bathrooms. Most of the time, they come up through the piping and drains. (Which is super inconvenient, if were being honest.) The best way to eradicate your ant problem is to eliminate their food source by wiping down your counters and keeping pantry items stored away. While sugar is their favorite delicacy, ants are omnivorous which means they will eat whatever edible substance they can find. We understand that no matter how immaculate your home is, ants may still appear in hopes to scavenger something to bring back to their colony. While we can't speak for all ants species, the Argentine ants are the most common within the Southern California region. These are the little black ants that you commonly see crawling around on sidewalks. 

We have been very busy this week responding to ant calls and helping our customers out where we can. Having a pest control service in place is ideal for sporadic heat waves, such as this one, where follow up sprays are complimentary for our customers in between their regular services. We have a couple of different ways of eradicating ant problems (all which are covered under our general pest control services!) so give us a call today and we can partner you with a technician (Erm...hero! Minus the cape.) who can save you from your ant situation.  

Termite Myths

Did someone say "termite season"? While this is a common misconception about the infamous wood-chomping insects that are notorious for costing homeowners thousands of dollars in repairs each year, we thought we would address some common myths that have been circulating around and causing a lot of confusion.

"Termite season" (unfortunately) is year round. Don't be fooled! While the Spring and Summer months have often been associated with 'termite season', this isn't always the case. Termites typically swarm on warmer days following a dry spell, which can occur regardless of season. It should also be known that there is more than one kind of termite, which can make identifying them a bit more tricky. If you are ever concerned if you may have termites, it doesn't hurt to call Black Knight or your local termite company to schedule a complimentary inspection to put your mind at ease. If your home is inspected and termites are identified, it's better to address the termites quickly before they spread and cause additional damage. We should reiterate that a termite inspection is a FREE service for homeowners, so it doesn't hurt to make it an annual routine for good housekeeping. 

For convenience sake, the most common termites within Southern California are typically Drywood termites, Subterranean termites and Dampwood termites. Dampwood termites are a little more rare given the arid, more desert-like conditions that Southern California offers, but there have been a few cases that Black Knight has encountered throughout our 20 years of business. 

Another myth that is often speculated is that fumigation (or tenting) is the only way to eradicate termites from your home. This isn't necessarily true given the many factors that determine what a termite technician would recommend for treatment. There are other termite eradication methods such as Heat Treatment or even Local Treatment. Your termite technician is trained to recommend the best option possible for you and your home, so it's important to discuss with them your options because chances are you have a couple to choose from.

Overall, California is among one of the nine states with the heaviest termite activity which means that having a reliable termite company on speed dial is important. (Or maybe just in your list of contacts.) 

What's All the Buzz About Bees?

Bees, you can't live with em' and you definitely can't live without em'! Bees are responsible for pollinating trees and plants that produce fruits, nuts and vegetables absolutely essential to the nation's food industry. (Karimi, 2016) In fact, bees contribute to billions of dollars toward U.S. agriculture each year making them a highly valued asset to our economy and (let's be honest) our kitchens and pantries.

As Black Knight has seen a significant rise in bee related phone calls, we wanted to touch upon the importance of bees and why they are so fascinating and essential. We know that having a raging beehive right outside your front door is neither comforting nor welcoming, so we wanted to put your mind at ease. Here are a couple of things to consider when you encounter a beehive on your property and your weighing your options between relocating or exterminating the bees.

Exterminating an entire hive is not always the best option although sometimes necessary given the location of the hive. If the hive is located in a chimney, for example, or even an attic, a professional beekeeper is really limited to preserving the hive or even having appropriate access to the bees. In other cases, if a beehive is located on a fascia board or neighboring tree outside your home, the chances of relocating the bees successfully is very likely. Something to also remember is to never try to exterminate or relocate a beehive yourself. This is very dangerous and just an all-round bad idea. Simply put - just don't do it. 

Surprisingly, the cost of relocating bees is sometimes equal to if not less than if you were to exterminate them. So if you are unsure of which option is more budget friendly, our suggestion is to call around and ask. You may find that most professionals will need to come out to your home first and inspect the area where the hive is located before they can come out and do what they need to do. This is normal, because giving a bid over the phone can range in price, drastically.  

Overall, while we are a pest control company, bees hold a special place in our hearts given the weight of impact that they have on our environment. If you have an active beehive on your property, give us a call and we can help put you in contact with a local beekeeper that we have partnered with. If your interested in learning more information, feel free to check out the clip below which covers Colony Collapse Disorder which is plaguing the bee population, globally. 

References

Karimi, F. (2016, October 1). Bees place on endangered species list -- a first in the US. CNN News. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/01/us/hawaii-bee-species-endangered/

Spivak, M. (2013). Why bees are disappearing. TED Talks. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/marla_spivak_why_bees_are_disappearing?utm_source=tedcomshare&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=tedspread