Every summer there are new horror stories about mosquito-borne illnesses such as
equine encephalitis, malaria and West Nile virus. But there are steps you can take to help keep mosquitoes at bay near your home this summer. Mosquitoes require an Aquatic habitat for the egg, larval and pupal forms of their development to occur. By simply removing water resources in which mosquitoes may develop, you can help make your yard and neighborhood mosquito-free.
Here are 15 ways to help keep mosquitoes away from your home:
1. Don’t overwater your yard and garden. Standing water becomes a source for mosquito eggs to be deposited and to develop.
2. Empty bird baths at least once a week and replenish water.
3. Remove standing water from potted plant saucers.
4. Change pet dish water once a week.
5. Change water in kiddie pools or fountains at least once a week.
6. Make sure trash can lids are on cans and not turned over to serve as water reservoirs.
7. Clean gutters on house and make sure water is flowing properly away from home.
8. Fill in mud puddles.
9. Grade land so water moves away from the house and yard.
10. Check tree holes and stumps in yard for standing water.
11. Make sure tire swings and any old tires are emptied of standing water in the yard.
12. Rain barrels for catching rainwater should be screened at the surface to prevent mosquitoes from laying eggs.
13. Cover all trash and recycle receptacles with tight-fitting lids to prevent water inside.
14. Add bubblers or fountains to small decorative lakes or fish ponds to keep the water
surface constantly rippling so that mosquito larvae are drowned at the surface.
15. Keep swimming pools drained or covered during off months, and treated properly during the summer season.
If your outdoor activities still being invaded by unwanted guests, Call Craig. We offer green treatments to help reduce the amount of pests, while protecting your health, home and property.
Article featured in our Summer 2009 Pest Gazette
Showing posts with label green pest control. Show all posts
Showing posts with label green pest control. Show all posts
Friday, June 12, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
Great Article from USA Today
Your Health: Bug control goes beyond the spray can
When a bunch of pesky flies got into insect expert Art Antonelli's house, he did not reach for a can of insecticide. Instead, he got out a fly swatter — and his shoes, which he used to walk outside his home to look for the source of the sudden fly infestation.
He found it, under his house: "I had a dead rat and a dead possum," say Antonelli, an entomologist at Washington State University's extension center in Puyallup. He called a pest control company to remove the dead animals and then closed up openings that were allowing critters into the crawl space.
CHEMICALS: Skip commercial cleaners for those made from pantry products
His fly problem was solved and the use of a pesticide was averted — something that experts say still happens too infrequently, even among health-conscious, organic-food-buying, environmentally aware consumers. "When there are insects in their homes, there are some purists, but not many," Antonelli says.
"The biggest abusers of pesticides are consumers," says Dini Miller, an urban pest management specialist at Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg. "They see an insect in the bathroom, and most people will want to empty half a can of Raid until the last leg stops moving."
Carolyn Randall, a pesticide safety educator at Michigan State University in East Lansing, agrees: "People tend to panic when they see one ant or one earwig," she says. "They reach for chemicals too quickly or call a pest control company too quickly."
Pesticides for home use are carefully reviewed for safety by the Environmental Protection Agency and are not highly toxic to humans, Miller says. "But you never want to use more than you need."
Antonelli says: "If you follow the label absolutely, you can have peace of mind. ... But the label has no eyeballs. It can't see if you point the nozzle the wrong way and spray it in your face." And it can't observe, as Antonelli once did, a woman running through her house spraying multiple doses of insecticide at a single airborne fly.
Here's how to keep your own home (relatively) insect-free without dousing it with chemicals:
•Keep outdoor insects under control. This does not mean bombing your yard with pesticides or getting one of those bug zappers (they kill lots of beneficial insects, Antonelli says). Instead, limit outdoor breeding grounds, Miller advises. Insects love wood piles, tarps, kiddie pools (especially the moist underside) and mulch. If you must use mulch, keep the stuff at least six inches from your foundation, she says.
•Keep outside insects out. Repair screens, caulk cracks, replace inadequate weather stripping and outfit door bottoms with tight rubber sweeps. If you can, Miller says, avoid lighting up doorways at night: That attracts insects, which attract spiders, which are then happy to come inside.
•When an insect gets in, don't panic. Most are harmless: They don't bite or carry diseases, Miller says. And most are easy to kill. Miller endorses stomping, vacuuming and, for those kitchen counter ants, spraying with soap and water.
•Trace the enemy to its source. Those ants on your counter top may come from a nest in a rotted porch column; fix that and lose the ants.
•When you do use pesticides, choose carefully. Read labels to make sure the product is intended for indoor use and the pest in question. You may need to try more than one. For example, ants may ignore one bait but find another irresistible.
•Know that some problems require professional help. Those include bedbugs, termites and, in most cases, cockroaches (which are a major cause of allergy and asthma symptoms), Miller says. Contact your state's cooperative extension service for more information. (Find one at csrees.usda.gov/Extension.)
Sometimes, it is best to leave bug problems up to the professionals. If a pest control problems becomes too much to handle, call the speedy, professional, green team at Craig Thomas Pest Control for all your pest control needs. Visit our website at www.callcraig.com or call 800.255.6777 for a free estimate and inspection.
Article from:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/painter/2009-05-10-bug-spray_N.htm#uslPageReturn
When a bunch of pesky flies got into insect expert Art Antonelli's house, he did not reach for a can of insecticide. Instead, he got out a fly swatter — and his shoes, which he used to walk outside his home to look for the source of the sudden fly infestation.
He found it, under his house: "I had a dead rat and a dead possum," say Antonelli, an entomologist at Washington State University's extension center in Puyallup. He called a pest control company to remove the dead animals and then closed up openings that were allowing critters into the crawl space.
CHEMICALS: Skip commercial cleaners for those made from pantry products
His fly problem was solved and the use of a pesticide was averted — something that experts say still happens too infrequently, even among health-conscious, organic-food-buying, environmentally aware consumers. "When there are insects in their homes, there are some purists, but not many," Antonelli says.
"The biggest abusers of pesticides are consumers," says Dini Miller, an urban pest management specialist at Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg. "They see an insect in the bathroom, and most people will want to empty half a can of Raid until the last leg stops moving."
Carolyn Randall, a pesticide safety educator at Michigan State University in East Lansing, agrees: "People tend to panic when they see one ant or one earwig," she says. "They reach for chemicals too quickly or call a pest control company too quickly."
Pesticides for home use are carefully reviewed for safety by the Environmental Protection Agency and are not highly toxic to humans, Miller says. "But you never want to use more than you need."
Antonelli says: "If you follow the label absolutely, you can have peace of mind. ... But the label has no eyeballs. It can't see if you point the nozzle the wrong way and spray it in your face." And it can't observe, as Antonelli once did, a woman running through her house spraying multiple doses of insecticide at a single airborne fly.
Here's how to keep your own home (relatively) insect-free without dousing it with chemicals:
•Keep outdoor insects under control. This does not mean bombing your yard with pesticides or getting one of those bug zappers (they kill lots of beneficial insects, Antonelli says). Instead, limit outdoor breeding grounds, Miller advises. Insects love wood piles, tarps, kiddie pools (especially the moist underside) and mulch. If you must use mulch, keep the stuff at least six inches from your foundation, she says.
•Keep outside insects out. Repair screens, caulk cracks, replace inadequate weather stripping and outfit door bottoms with tight rubber sweeps. If you can, Miller says, avoid lighting up doorways at night: That attracts insects, which attract spiders, which are then happy to come inside.
•When an insect gets in, don't panic. Most are harmless: They don't bite or carry diseases, Miller says. And most are easy to kill. Miller endorses stomping, vacuuming and, for those kitchen counter ants, spraying with soap and water.
•Trace the enemy to its source. Those ants on your counter top may come from a nest in a rotted porch column; fix that and lose the ants.
•When you do use pesticides, choose carefully. Read labels to make sure the product is intended for indoor use and the pest in question. You may need to try more than one. For example, ants may ignore one bait but find another irresistible.
•Know that some problems require professional help. Those include bedbugs, termites and, in most cases, cockroaches (which are a major cause of allergy and asthma symptoms), Miller says. Contact your state's cooperative extension service for more information. (Find one at csrees.usda.gov/Extension.)
Sometimes, it is best to leave bug problems up to the professionals. If a pest control problems becomes too much to handle, call the speedy, professional, green team at Craig Thomas Pest Control for all your pest control needs. Visit our website at www.callcraig.com or call 800.255.6777 for a free estimate and inspection.
Article from:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/painter/2009-05-10-bug-spray_N.htm#uslPageReturn
Friday, May 1, 2009
Hudson Valley Green Fair Success
April 25-26, 2009 the Hudson Valley Green Fair was held at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds. This is the first year Craig Thomas Pest Control participated in the second annual event. The Fair was designed to help everyone learn how to “go green” and be environmentally friendly.
Craig Thomas Pest Control takes pride in offering environmentally sounds services and natural products to combat your pest control problems. CTPC may implement steam cleaning, exclusion, baiting, heppa filter vacuums and when necessary our organic line of products, called EcoSmart. For more information on these products: www.ecosmart.com. CTPC takes pride protecting your health, homes and property against pest.
Thank you for everyone who came to the Green Fair (I know it was hot) and stopped by our booth. Below is a picture of our booth at the fair and me (Sarah).
Craig Thomas Pest Control takes pride in offering environmentally sounds services and natural products to combat your pest control problems. CTPC may implement steam cleaning, exclusion, baiting, heppa filter vacuums and when necessary our organic line of products, called EcoSmart. For more information on these products: www.ecosmart.com. CTPC takes pride protecting your health, homes and property against pest.
Thank you for everyone who came to the Green Fair (I know it was hot) and stopped by our booth. Below is a picture of our booth at the fair and me (Sarah).
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Our bugs are ready to tackle your bugs!
Have you seen our new bugs on the road? Well, we have been travelling around the Hudson Valley protecting residents and businesses from their pest control problems!
Did you know? Non-users of professional pest management services are twice as likely to think they can solve pest problems themselves according to the Professional Pest Management Alliance. However, pest control is something you should leave to the professionals. If you run into a buggy situation, call our bugs for a fast, green solution!
Monday, February 16, 2009
1st Company in The Hudson Valley to be Quality Pro Green
CRAIG THOMAS PEST CONTROL EARNS QUALITYPRO GREEN DESIGNATION
The movement toward “going green” has significantly influenced businesses ranging from construction to printing and now, pest management. As green services become a preferred choice among customers, Craig Thomas Pest Control is proud to announce its new designation from the National Pest Management Association as “QualityPro Green.” This designation not only reflects Craig Thomas Pest Control exceptional pest management services but more, its commitment to cultivating an environmentally-responsible business.
“Now, more than ever, consumers are seeking pest management methods that not only address their household pest problems but also, address their concerns regarding the protection of the environment,” says President, Craig Thomas. “In proactively seeking – and receiving – our QualityPro Green designation, we are not only responding to the need to be environmentally sensitive but also to the fact that 61% of consumers seek out pest control services they perceive as “green.*”
QualityPro Green services offered by Craig Thomas Pest Control include:
Carpenter Ants, Termites, Bees/Wasps, Mice/Rats, Tick Control, Animal Trapping, Fly Control, Millipedes, Bed Bugs, Bats Exclusion, Snakes, Bird Control, Roaches, Fleas, Damage Repair and TAP Insulation.
“As the first QualityPro Green Company in the Hudson Valley, we are fully committed to providing customers not only with outstanding services but outstanding green services,” commented Thomas. “We recognize that our customers want to be confident that the services performed in their homes are environmentally sensitive. Craig Thomas Pest Control can assure customers of this as our practices and our business philosophy reflect green thinking.”
For more information regarding green initiatives within the pest management industry, please visit www.callcraig.com and www.pestworld.org. For further information on QualityPro Green, please visit www.npmapestworld.org.
* Source: Harris Interactive, October 2007
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