Bugs of the Season

We are starting that time of year when the weather is perfect, the flowers start to bloom, and the bugs begin to increase their numbers in preparation for summer. Spring is upon us!

This time of year is the reason many of us live here and something we can all enjoy, but the problem is the bugs like this weather too. That is why you’ve hired PacWest, to protect your home, and for upcoming months we will begin laying the foundational treatments that will keep you bug-free for the summer months.

Mosquitoes hatch and start biting. Wasps start new hives in your eaves. Spider eggs start hatching, spreading thousands of new baby spiders into the environment.

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Spider Sweep

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The young spiders will, very soon, move to a high point, create a type of parachute out of their webbing, and catch the next available breeze to your house, or bushes in your yard. This spreading of insects around the neighborhood is what we aim to stop with our spring sweeping around your home's eaves.

Argentine And Rover Ant Control

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The Winter Foundational treatments have been done on your home during the last service and now it’s time for the primary Summer Ant Protective treatment. Argentine Ants are the biggest nuisance ant pests in Orange and Los Angeles Counties. The Very Large Colony of Argentine Ants extends from Northern California down through the Mexican/US border. This Massive colony has eliminated most other ant species in the area and they infest homes regularly.

Starting in 2022 Rover Ants are becoming more of a problem here in Southern California. Last summer they exploded in our service areas. In 2021 we got 2-3 calls a month about them, but in Summer 2022 we received 2-3 calls a week. They look like very small, or baby-size Argentine ants and they cooperate with the Argentine ants as well. These very tiny ants are not affected by our typical ant treatments.

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We worked hard last year to identify the best exterior treatment methods for these new ants. In 2023 we found one particular exterior granular bait was very effective against them. This bait, while a registered bait, is also in the green spectrum of treatments. It is both effective and has lower toxicity. Additionally, this bait is effective against crickets and cockroaches. We are happy to announce that it is now officially in our rotation of treatments. Since it is a protein-based bait it is ideal to deploy it here in the spring as ants are foraging for protein for the eggs the queen is about to lay. This will mean ants will more readily accept this bait in their spring foraging.

 

Specialized Ant Chemical Treatment

 

To combat these spring ant infestations, PacWest Exterminators continues to utilize Termidor and Sumari. These breakthrough chemicals have revolutionized Ant control through their ability to spread through a colony via the ant’s natural social behavior. This is called the Transfer Effect. As ants pass through the areas treated with either chemical, they pick it up on their bodies and transfer it to other ants.

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These chemicals are not lethal for 24-72 hours and during that delay the chemicals transfer to other ants via touch (cleaning each other, feeding each other, and communicating with each other.) This allows it to spread to ants that never came into physical contact with the treated area. These amazing chemicals eliminate large numbers of ants quickly. Also, since these chemicals are not detectable to ants, they cannot avoid them or protect themselves from these effects.

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This summer we are also incorporating multiple granular insect bait options. These granular baits are placed in your yard and planter areas where ants and other insects forage. They are a lower-impact method of controlling insects and we are absorbing the additional costs in the hopes it will provide better results for our customers. We are also testing out three different granular bait versions to determine which one is most effective. Once that determination is made, we will focus our efforts on that product.

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Effective Ant Control

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Due to the nature of these chemicals, we ask all of our customers to completely avoid using any over-the-counter pesticides. The special chemistries we use are very sensitive to other insecticides. If any other pesticides are sprayed in the same area, then they will not work and the ants will not be exterminated.

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The other reason we want to ensure your Spring Ant treatment is maximally effective is because of our limited ability to use these chemicals. Termidor has a limited number of uses on your property per year. This is because it is one of the most popular active ingredients in the world and is used extensively in agricultural and over-the-counter flea treatments.

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PacWest Guarantee

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We want to remind you if you are under a service contract with us and are having a problem with covered insects inside your home then please call us so we can come and treat the problem for you.

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If you partner with PacWest Exterminators then we can control your ant problems all summer long. You will never have to worry about waking up to that dreaded invasion in your kitchen or bathroom again!