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Archive for May, 2011

St Paul and Minneapolis Pest Control | Cockroaches MN

Cockroaches

  • Cockroaches have been around since the time of dinosaurs
  • A cockroach can live almost a month without food
  • A cockroach can live about two weeks without water
  • Some female cockroaches only mate once and stay pregnant for life
  • A cockroach can live for up to one week without its head
  • Cockroaches can hold their breath for up to 40 minutes
  • Cockroaches can run up to 3 miles an hour (more…)

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Get Professional Help For Carpenter Ants MN

Carpenter ants make their nests in galleries they bore out of wood. The nest can be inside or outside the house.  Carpenter ants are active indoors during many months of the year, usually during the spring and summer. When ants are active in the house during late winter/early spring (February/March), the infestation (nest) is probably within the household. When carpenter ants are first seen in the spring and summer (May/June), then the nest is likely outdoors and the ants are simply coming in for food. The natural food of the ants consists of honeydew from aphids, other insects, and plant juices, but they will readily forage for water and food scraps within the house. (more…)

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Minnesota Homeowners Seek Pest Control Services For Carpenter Ants

Ants are on the march, as Spring marks the peak months of swarming season. Reports are especially high during their swarming season, April through June. During these months, new colonies are established while fresh food sources are sought out. Carpenter ants are nocturnal migrating pests, with peak hours of activity just before and after sunset.  Many Minnesota homeowners are unaware of their property being invaded, as months may pass without any noticeable signs of infestation.

Ants encompass a broad spectrum of ant species. These species vary greatly in both physical appearance and behavior. This diversity makes it extremely difficult for the average homeowner to prevent or eradicate these pests, as different species are attracted to various food sources and environments. (more…)

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Carpenter Ant Control MN | Minnesota Ant Pest Control

Once again, it is a good spring for carpenter ants. Activity by these common, widespread and abundant ants is very noticeable in the springtime, as the wingless workers work (enlarge nests, forage for food, care for the larvae) and the winged swarmers swarm (fly off to start new colonies).

Control of carpenter ants remains a frustrating and difficult job. The easily-stated, straight forward theory of control is to put a small amount of household insecticide spray or dust directly into the ant nest. This would be much easier to do if the nests were conspicuous and easy to locate. Nests may be outdoors in stumps, logs, hollow trees, dead limbs or firewood and they may be a hundred feet or more from the house where the ants are invading in search or food. Nests may also be inside the house in sites as diverse as wall studs, window sills, wood flooring, rafters, roof sheathing and the interior spaces of hollow-core doors. (more…)

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Get Rid of Ants In Your Minnesota Home

Introduction To Ant Control

Ants are one of the most common pests in and around homes in the north central states. Ants are social insects and are divided up into three castes: workers, males, and queens (figure 1).

ants image

Figure 1. Typical ant castes, from left to right: queen, winged male, major worker, minor worker (more…)

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Pest Control Minneapolis MN | MN Carpenter Ant Pest Control

The sight of big, black carpenter ants scurrying across the floor is a creepy sight for homeowners because it might mean that they are nesting somewhere in the house. They are large ants, 6-12 mm long (3/8-1/2 inch); the flying queen ants may be nearly 2 cm long (7/8 inch). For brief periods in the spring and early summer the winged ants Drawing of carpenter antswarm into the air on mating flights. The queens are easy to see as they settle, shed their wings and search for decaying wood to begin their nest. Very few of them will find an ideal site, which is usually outdoors. Their presence does not mean that your house is infested. Carpenter ants are actually beneficial predators that feed on small insects, honeydew and dead and decaying material. (more…)

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Minneapolis MN Ant Pest Control | Carpenter Ant Control MN

Give Ants Their Marching Papers One by One

Carpenter ants do not eat wood; termites do. These ants eat insects and the honeydew excreted by aphids and other sap-feeding insects. Carpenter ants excavate nesting galleries in moist or water-damaged wood, sometimes within a wall cavity. Finding a few ants does not always mean there is an infestation. Early spring, before their regular food is available, worker ants often wander inside homes looking for sweets, fats, and other foods. Most carpenter ant damage occurs during the growing season. Large numbers of ants can be destructive, yet many times they are more of a nuisance than a serious threat. (more…)

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MN Ant Pest Control | Pest Control MN | Ant Control MN

Aren’t Termites The Same As Ants?

If you’ve noticed tiny insects in and around your home, you may be wondering what you’re infested with. One of your first ideas will probably be ants or termites. But aren’t they just the same thing? Actually, they’re not. If you want to know how to tell the difference between ants and termites, here are a few pointers with some solid information about termites and ants. (more…)

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Help! Ants Out Of Control!

Ants are truly one of the wonders of the world and they have many key roles in the environment. Ants help keep the insect population down, they work as a natural composter by breaking up organic materials, and they even do a very nice job aerating the soil. That said, having ants in your home or even excessive ants around your yard can cause problems for the home owner. If a property has too many ants they can literally destroy gardens, create a mine field out of your yard, and some varieties of ants have a very painful bite. If you discover that you have carpenter ants you should contact a professional as they can do a great deal of structural damage to a home in short order

Ants build colonies and rely on their scouts to ensure the survival of the colony by finding a constant source of food and water. When the scouts find food they leave a scent trail that the colony can follow to retrieve the resources. For a home owner to ensure that ants will no longer bother them they need to follow three steps: Removing the scent trail, prevent them access to your home, and destroy nearby colonies if needed. (more…)

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