This is a question that Santa Rosa Exterminators often fields when we are working with a customer in need of mosquito eradication; why mosquitoes carry disease. I would first like to point out that not all mosquitoes carry disease, otherwise we would all be sick with who knows what. But they are all an annoyance that we would be better off without. Recently, there has been a lot of concern since the media reported on a West Nile Virus case in the county of Sacramento. If these disease harboring vectors are in Sacramento, they can be in the city of Santa Rosa too because the cities are not that far apart. This notion is cause for concern and if you have a lot of mosquitoes around your home, it would be a good idea to contact a pest control Santa Rosa Professional (link) sooner rather than later.
The biology and habits of mosquitoes are well understood. We know they breed and produce offspring in standing water. The mosquito larvae remain in the standing water feeding on tiny organisms until they mature, become an adult, and fly off to bite someone or something. It is when they bite humans or animals that a potential infection may occur. Serious infections from mosquito bites include West Nile Virus, Zika Virus, Rift Valley Fever, Malaria, and much more. If you would like to learn more about the diseases mosquitoes spread, check out this site. Fortunately for us here on the west coast we really do not need to worry about most of the diseases mentioned at this point. But, with the climate warming up, an opportunity is presenting itself for the geographic spread of different diseases. And, with the recent diagnosis of West Nile Virus in Sacramento, the spread of these dangerous diseases to the United States may become a reality. That is why it is important to protect yourself and your family from mosquitoes by calling a Pest Control Santa Rosa Professional.

Much like other animals and insects, mosquitoes require sustenance to survive. In their case, they feed off the protein in blood. Female mosquitoes bite, the males do not. I am sure you often wonder how these mosquitoes track you down in the vast expanses of our world. Well, there are several things that help mosquitoes locate you, which include the carbon dioxide we exhale, the heat our bodies produce, and the body odor we emit. When you are with a group of friends, have you ever noticed that one person in the group get bit more often than others? We currently do not have a reason of exactly why this happens. There is some evidence that blood type plays a role. For example, in a recent study the mosquitoes landed on people with type O blood twice as much as people with type A or B. This could be due to the secretions we produce that tells the mosquito it is time for supper. It is quite possible as well that people who exercise frequently may be a more sought-after target. The reason being we secrete lactic acid through our skin, which is a byproduct of exercise. Lactic acid can serve as another feeding cue. Even the clothes we wear can have an impact on the amount of times we get bit. Mosquitoes have quite good vision. They can see contrasting colors. It might make sense to wear camouflage believe it or not. With all this said, mosquitoes will find you and they will bite. The key is to minimize your chance of getting bit. 

Lucky for you, this Santa Rosa Pest Control expert has some excellent tips.

• First off, avoid times when you know mosquitoes will be active. Peak activity for mosquitoes is in the morning before the sun rises and the evening before the sun sets. If you exercise, it might be appropriate to change the time to the afternoon if at all possible.
• Try to cover as much skin as possible. Mosquitoes can definitely bite through some clothes so it is important to wear clothing that is a little thicker if at all possible or clothing that cannot be penetrated.
• Wearing a good insect repellent is a great for added protection. You want to choose a repellent that has a good protection time. For example, 5% deet will give you about an hour and a half of protection. Despite a lot of negative news around deet, a recent study demonstrated the ingredient does not pose a risk to your health.
• Hanging out in an area where the winds blows through or keeping outside fans on to circulate the air is a good way to avoid getting bit. Mosquitoes are not the best at moving around and wind greatly hinders their ability to fly.
• Candles like citronella have not been proven to repel mosquitoes.

Each person on this planet is a little different physiologically. That said, each of us will react differently to a mosquito bite and the chemicals in the saliva from the mosquito. The absolute worst thing you can do is scratch the affected area. In doing so, your body will release more histamine, which is an immune reaction and the result of toxins introduced in to your system. Instead of scratching, try putting an ice cube on the bite area. The itch and the cold ice will be felt along the same nerve in your body but the ice and cold sensation it produces will outweigh the itching and the signal of the itchiness will be dulled if not completely removed. Anti-itch cream can also be helpful. The last piece of advice to ameliorate itching from this Santa Rosa Pest Control expert is to take an antihistamine like Benadryl. We only recommend Benadryl as a last resort if the itching is just too much to handle.

• Eliminate any areas with standing water. This can include bird baths and potted plants. Be sure to do a perimeter check around your home and search out any areas with standing water.

• Make sure you have screens on all your doors and windows to prevent mosquitoes from entering your home.
• Avoid peak times when mosquitoes are active.
• Wear long sleeves and pants when you are outside.
• Utilize an appropriate insect repellent.

If you have a large population of mosquitoes around your home or business, we definitely recommend you contact a Pest Control Santa Rosa Professional right away. Allow the pest control professionals to do their job. For more information, you can visit our website at http://santarosaexterminators.com. We hope you have found this information useful and that the next time you are out and about, with the tips and tricks we have provided, that you will have far less or no mosquito bites. Give this Pest Control Santa Rosa professional a call today for a free consultation.

​Should you hire a pest control Santa Rosa expert for monthly pest control maintenance? The short answer in our opinion and experience is definitely a giant YES! Of course you’d say, “Santa Rosa Exterminators is going to say that because they want more business.” Our reply, “of course we want more business, what pest control business does not want more customers.” Our giant and unanimous “YES” is actually us thinking about what is best for our customers and not us. The reason we emphatically suggest utilizing our monthly, semi-monthly, or quarterly maintenance programs will be laid out in our blog, so continue to read on and find out why it is in your best interest to choose one of our maintenance programs.
90% of the calls Santa Rosa Exterminators receive come from businesses or residential customers that have a current and/or ongoing pest problem and are in need of a pest control Santa Rosa pro yesterday. Termites were discovered and are eating your house out from under you. Ants are marching through your kitchen and raiding your refrigerator. Black widows have congregated in your garden and garage. And rats and mice are proliferating inside your walls and attic. Do these pest control issues sound familiar to you? Your next step, call a pest control Santa Rosa Specialist. When the pest makes itself known, often times the damage is already done. Termites may have compromised the integrity of your home.  Rats and mice have defecated all throughout your house leading to potential health problems and foul smells. The ant colony invading your space has discovered several ways in and out of your home for easier future access.  Black widows may have already given birth to hundreds if not thousands of offspring that are making a new home somewhere in or around your business or residence, which is kind of scary especially if you have young children. Do you want your pest problem to get to this point? This pest control Santa Rosa expert certainly doesn’t want that. Santa Rosa Exterminators has a solution for you!
Most people we help aren’t aware that there is a monthly pest control maintenance program available, much like a pool cleaning service, or a landscaper. And if you are aware that there is such a service, often you do not know exactly what that entails. But before I get in to what our pest control Santa Rosa monthly service includes, let’s do a cost benefit analysis.  On average, when you contact a pest control company for an ongoing pest problem emergency, it can cost anywhere from $300 to $550 to eradicate the pest. Of course there are quite a few variables involved in the final cost but this range is close enough. This cost also does not include the damage that may have been done to your home or business by said pest(s). A monthly maintenance contract for a normal sized home, 1,500 to 2,500 square feet would cost about $55 per month.  Every other month would cost about $65 per month. Quarterly cost for a pest control Santa Rosa expert would be $75. If you do the math with the every other month program, your total annual cost would be $390, which is slightly above the low end range cost for a single pest control emergent event with insects, spiders, termites, fleas, rats, or mice. But, by preventing these pests from ever homesteading on your property, you are potentially saving thousands of dollars from future damage. For example, you stop  the termites from ever eating your home out from under you.  Mice and rats never make it to your attic or in between your walls.  Black widows don’t make themselves at home in your garage, and ants do not raid your kitchen. Might be making a little more sense to hire a pest control Santa Rosa specialist on a monthly, every other month, or quarterly program, right?
This is what our monthly pest control inspections consist of:

• Treat the perimeter of your home; provide an invisible force field that prohibits insects, rodents, and spiders from entering your home
• Treat the exterior of your home; locate any possible entrances in to your home and seal them closed, and window treatment
• Spider web abatement
• Treat any pest problems that are current or ongoing

**Included in the monthly maintenance package is FREE on call service in the event a pest strikes out of nowhere and catches us off guard. We will dispatch one of our pest control Santa Rosa specialists to your home at no charge to you to eradicate whatever pest problem you are facing.
When you hire Santa Rosa Exterminators as your pest control professional we like to think we provide you with peace of mind by protecting the integrity of your home or business. Besides knowing you are safe and sound from the likes of spiders, ants, termites, rats, mice, and any other pest you can think of, by signing up for our monthly maintenance program, we would actually use less pesticides! Yes, you heard me right, less chemicals in or around your home. Not only do the benefits outweigh the costs associated with monthly pest control maintenance, but you also receive the added benefit of minimizing harmful chemicals used in or around your home that could affect your loved ones health. So if you can’t tell by now, we think it would benefit you to hire a pest control Santa Rosa professional on a monthly, every other month,  or even quarterly basis for all the reasons we have laid out. Not only is it more economical i.e. better on your wallet, but it could prevent future health concerns, protect the integrity of your home, and help you sleep soundly at night knowing your family is safe from what lurks outside.
Come check us out on our website at https://santarosaexterminators.com or give us a call at 707-755-7070. We have several pest control Santa Rosa specialists standing by waiting to help you in any way we can. We look forward to hearing from you.

How to get rid of aphids, slugs, and snails from your fruit and vegetable gardens?

Here we are, the number one pest control Santa Rosa professional, Santa Rosa Exterminators, is here with some more tips and tricks for the homeowner. If you are anything like me, you have fruit trees and vegetable plants in your backyard and the fruit and veggies are just about ready to be picked. Yesterday I went out to examine my strawberries, zucchinis, and snap peas, and low and behold I see snail tracks and aphids clustered on the stems of my strawberry plants. Sadly, some of the fruit and vegetables were too damaged to be salvaged, and needed to be thrown away. You are probably wondering why does the owner of a pest control company have problems with pests? Shouldn’t he be the first person to know and understand how these insects work and what they go after? Well, silly me, I got too wrapped up with my two young children and the day to day activities of work that I neglected my plants in my yard. These issues could have been easily been prevented had I took the necessary steps to protect my plants right away. Now, I have to work harder to get rid of these pests and at the same time lose a little bit of my harvest, which does not make me a happy guy. Sadly, I’ve learned this lesson before and my hope is that you, the reader, will get the opportunity to read this article and be proactive with your gardens so that you do not have the same issues I have. So continue reading on and see how you can get rid of aphids, slugs, and snails.

If you don’t know what aphids are they are small, almost translucent insects that feed on plant juices, like tiny little vampires. They are a very common Santa Rosa pest control problem. They attack the entirety of the plant and reproduce rapidly. I found the majority of these insects all up and down the stems of my strawberry plants. They were everywhere!  Before you know it, like me, you can have a serious aphid problem on your hands. Make sure when you are examining your plants that you look at the new growth because that’s what they like the most; and check beneath leaves as well. When I see aphids I take a spray bottle and fill it with water and a tiny bit of dish soap. I then spray the plants from the stem up. Spray your plants once a day for a total of about 2 weeks.  It will take about 2 weeks  in my experience to rid your plants of the aphids using this method. Neem oil and triple action are also effective.

Now let’s talk about our little friends, slugs and snails, another very common Santa Rosa pest control problem. I don’t think I need to describe what they look like other than some have shells, some do not, and some are a delicacy in France, called escargot. They like the dark and for the most part you will not see them during the day. But you will see the famous, shiny slime trail they leave behind, which is a clear sign you have a slug and snail problem. They are not preferential with what they eat; they eat it all, but for the most part their wreckage can be identified by large holes in the leaves. The only solution for slugs is to purchase a slug repellent, and sprinkle it around the perimeter of the area you want to protect. Or, I guess you could stay out all night and wait for them to arrive, but I don’t think that is how you want to spend your time.

I hope that you find this information helpful and also that you are able to save your fruits and veggies from these insects. If you have any questions or would like a pest control Santa Rosa pro to visit your home for a related or unrelated issue, give Santa Rosa Exterminators a call at 707-755-7070.

You know it is funny when I think back to the origins of pest control and exterminators because so much has changed. When I was a young lad growing up in the bay area, I remember hearing my mom and dad say, “looks like we gotta call the exterminator again! Darn rats are in the walls!” We never used the words pest control. Well as the world has evolved so has the world of exterminators and pest control. The word exterminator is definitive; something is going to die. The word can be construed as harsh, not environmentally friendly, and troubling for some people. In lieu of the definition and connotation associated with the word, society decided to create a gentler and softer term that would make people feel more comfortable. Hence, here we are in the world of pest control companies.
Pest control companies still exterminate, terminate, eradicate, and any other word associated with the killing of something (insects, rodents, arachnids). Now, it is just disguised under the term “control”. I am a fan of this change and this is why. Here is a lite background. I am the owner of Santa Rosa Exterminators. I grew up in an area that had a ton of bugs and rodents. My first pet was a rat! I love insects and animals, always have. Whenever I catch a bug or spider in my house I relocate it to my garden. When I had a mouse infestation problem in my chicken coup, I used live traps. In 3 days I caught over 30 mice and relocated them to my neighbors’ garage. Totally kidding, I did not do that, even though I wanted to. So how does someone with such a love and affinity for these so called pests, own and operate a pest control company? Easy, because I like to provide the least invasive and most environmentally friendly pest control solutions. My tactics are extremely effective and I spend plenty of time listening to my customers and their needs before I plan my attack. I also take into consideration the implications of removing or eradicating a pest from that specific environment. For example, recently a homeowner called me and said they had a bee infestation in their house. After discovering the infestation was the wonderful honey bee, and knowing honey bees need some human protection, I created a plan to relocate these bees to a new home. Long story short, the honey bees are now pollinating beautiful  flowers, plants, fruit trees in another area in Sonoma County. The bees did not need to be destroyed; they just needed a new home away from businesses and homeowners. Now if you had wasps or yellow jackets, those things are nasty, and I would kill them!
My goal is to help you, the homeowner, the business owner, and provide you with a pest control solution that is effective. My team and I have a ton of experience with every pest you can think of. From termite inspections and termite removal, to monthly pest control maintenance, insect suppression and rodent removal, Santa Rosa Exterminators has you covered. G We also use nothing but the best products from Kness Mfg. that are environmentally friendly and extremely effective. Give us a call today at 707-755-7070.