Mold/Crawlspace -Moisture Concerns

Moldy Crawlspace in the Mississippi gulf coast; Southern Pest Control

 

mold/crawlspace

 

Mold/Crawlspace – What can be done to limit moisture buildup and crawl space mold? You may be have asked this question to yourself or asked others. We at Southern Pest Control would like to offer some tips that may can help you with your concerns.

  • Check the foundation walls and make sure there are no cracks where water can enter. Along these lines, check that there are no holes or cracks in the ceiling of your crawl space. These holes can be a gateway for mold and water transport from the crawl space to your living area.
  • Make sure gutters and downspouts channel away from the house. Otherwise, water can accumulate near the house and eventually find its way inside your crawl space.
  • Check for adequate ventilation. At a minimum, there should be 1 square foot of ventilation for every 150 square feet of crawl space area. Many building professionals now advocate closing vents and controlling moisture through other means.
  • In vented crawl spaces, insulate tightly against the sub floor. Secure the insulation snugly with mechanical fasteners. Do not just stuff the insulation up in the sub floor between the joists and hope it stays put. It will likely fall out eventually without fasteners. The vapor barrier portion of the insulation should face the heated source, which typically means upward against the subfloor.
  • Make sure existing insulation is not missing or sagging.
  • Make sure plastic sheeting covers the entire dirt crawl space and goes up a few inches alongside the foundation walls. There should be plenty of overlap between the layers of sheeting and the sheeting should be absent of any standing water.
  • Look for leaks around HVAC ducts and plumbing components.
  • Dryer vents should also terminate to the outside of the house and NOT into the crawl space.

When you feel that you need some help dealing with these issues, we at Southern Pest Control offer state of the art crawlspace care technology and help with moisture issues. Please visit our mold/crawlspace page on our website to learn more about the services we offer. Your safety is very important. The crawl space and attic present a number of potential safety hazards that can cause serious bodily harm and even death. Potential dangers are real, especially if you do not know what you are doing!

If you lack experience working in attics or crawl spaces or are hesitant to do so for any reason, call us at Southern Pest Control at 800 527-9832 to help.

 

Ants Are They Becoming a Problem

Ant Colony in the Mississippi gulf coast; Southern Pest Control

ants

 

Ants are not generally considered dangerous pests, but they can pose significant health and cosmetic damage to turf grass. Controlling them in the lawn becomes important where their hill building causes root damage to grass and unsightly mounds. These colony insects settle in large numbers and build intricate labyrinths in grass root systems. Knowing how to control them in lawns begins with some information on these insect’s soil and location preferences and a concerted effort to destroy their nests.

The mounds and hills formed by ant colonies are not the only issue with these insects. Many species also have an interest in ranching and will “farm” aphids and mealybugs, protecting them and assisting their daily needs to keep a local source of honeydew. Honeydew is the substance secreted by aphids and mealybugs and is something of a delicacy to ants.  Having a colony of farming ants can mean real trouble for your veggies and ornamental plants, the food of choice for mealybugs and aphids. Controlling ants in the lawn is a good way to minimize the population of these pest insects.

Ants prefer dry, well-drained soil in an undisturbed, low traffic area. Lawn dwelling ants are generally not an issue because these are not the stinging sort but some species have a habit of undermining grass roots and can cause large dead patches in the lawn.

Spot control is the best method for killing ants. They tend to concentrate in a small area and spot application isolates the chemical zone and minimizes damage to beneficial insects who also call the grass home.

They can be a blessing and a curse, so consider the severity of the problem before determining what action you should take. Their activity is also a natural pest control and can increase the tilth of soil, acting as wild aerators to loosen the dirt around roots and enhance growth.

If ants are getting out of control in your yard, please call us, Southern Pest Control at 800 527-9832. We have been helping folks like yourself in the Gulf Coast area for over 35 years. Our trained professionals can solve your unwanted pest problems quickly and avoidably. Please visit our website at www.southernpestcontrol.biz to meet our and learn more about our services.

Bugs and Flowers

Pests and Springtime Flowers in the Mississippi gulf coast; Southern Pest Control

 

 

bugs and flowers

Bugs and Flowers

Do you attract insects? If not, you probably know someone that is. Insect magnets attract annoying insects the second they walk outdoors — or so it seems.
If this describes you, take comfort in knowing that one of the ways you can fight back against mosquitoes, gnats, flies, no-see-ums and other pesky bugs doesn’t have to involve covering yourself with a sticky spray or engaging in chemical warfare. To help you enjoy going outdoors, try strategically placing insect-repelling plants in your garden or on your patio.

Essential oils in these plants act as nature’s bug repellent. Insects tend to avoid them. You can even use some of these plants to make your own natural bug repellent.

But know that simply including insect-repelling plants in your landscape will not in itself ensure your garden is insect free.

There may be fewer insects, but there is no sufficient research into how many plants, planted how close together, would be effective in repelling insects to any great extent. One of the best things people can do to hold down mosquito populations, she advises, is to eliminate any standing water, which is where mosquitoes breed.

For those who would like to give the natural route a try, we’ve described six easy-to-find herbs readily available at most nurseries that are said to repel mosquitoes and other annoying insects. The smell from fragrant herbs is the result of the distribution of tiny globules that contain oils. High temperatures, for example, could cause the globules to become volatile. The many globules on the underside of rosemary leaves are one of the best examples of this, these herbs are Basil, Lavender, Lemongrass, Lemon Thyme, Mint, and Rosemary.

We’ve included five ornamental flowers that can help keep plant-attacking insects at bay. Keeping your growing areas as insect free as possible will help your vegetable garden stay productive and your ornamental beds attractive. These ornamental flowers are Alliums, Chrysanthemums, Marigolds, Nasturtiums, and Petunias.

We at Southern Pest Control hope that this information was helpful to you. Please remember that we are here to help you rid your home and offices of any unwanted pests. We have been in business over 37 years serving the Gulf Coast Area. Please visit our website at www.southernpestcontrol.biz to meet our team of professionals and all the services we offer.

Ladybugs and Your Garden

Ladybug in yard in the Mississippi gulf coast; Southern Pest Control

ladybugs

 

Ladybugs for controlling pests in your garden are the most popular and widely used beneficial insects for commercial and home use. Ladybugs can consume up to 50 to 60 aphids. An aphid is a minute bug that feeds by sacking sap from plants that reproduces rapidly, often producing live young without mating. Ladybugs can consume this amount per day and will also eat a variety of other insects and larvae including scales, mealy bugs, leaf hoppers, mites, and various types of soft-bodied insects. They are also called lady beetles or ladybird beetles, are a very beneficial group of insects. Ladybugs are natural enemies of many insect pests and it has been demonstrated that a single ladybug may consume as many as 5,000 aphids in its lifetime.

Within a year, there can be as many as 5-6 generations of ladybugs as the average time from egg to adult only takes about 3-4 weeks. In the spring, adults find food and then the females lay anywhere from 50-300 eggs. The tiny eggs are yellow & oval shaped and are usually found in clusters of 10-50, near aphid colonies. The eggs take 3-5 days to hatch and the larvae voraciously feed on aphids for 2-3 weeks before they pupate into adults.

Apart from aphids, they also require a source of pollen for food and are attracted to specific types of plants. The most popular ones have umbrella shaped flowers such as fennel, dill, cilantro, caraway, angelica, tansy, wild carrot & yarrow. Other plants that also attract ladybugs include cosmos (especially the white ones), coreopsis, and scented geraniums, dandelions.

You can buy ladybugs. It is best to order fresh healthy ladybugs and have them delivered directly to you from a reliable source.

We at Southern Pest Control hope you enjoyed reading this information. Unlike Ladybugs you will encounter many unwanted pests in the Spring. We at Southern Pest Control can eliminate unwanted pest problems at an affordable rate. We have been serving the Gulf Coast Region for over 37 years. Please visit our website at www.southernpestcontrol.biz to learn more about us and meet our team of trained professionals.