How to Spot Early Signs of a Carpenter Ant Infestation

Carpenter ants might often be considered a spring and summer pest but they can start showing up as early as late January in this part of the country.  All it takes is just a few consecutive sunny days and temperatures can warm up enough to create some activity.

When carpenter ants do appear so early it is usually sporadic.

You may not necessarily see constant activity but rather, you may see a few on one day and a few on another.  Nonetheless, just because they appear to go away for a while doesn’t mean that they are gone but rather that they are just not currently visible. During periods when they are not active and visible they generally are tending to their nest.  This is actually like humans – when it is sunny and dry you may paint the outside of your house and when it is cold and rainy, you may paint an interior room.  Such non-visible activities may include making sure that the colonies pupa are stored well where they will continue to grow and be ready to help the colony eventually damage your home!

Regular presence of carpenter ants won’t start to occur until the average daily temperatures begin to rise above 45 to 50 degrees. However, keep in mind that just because you might not see them for a while does not mean that they are not still there and causing damage.  Therefore, take the gift of having seen some as a good early sign and opportunity to address problem properly.

Backing up for a brief moment, let’s look at some causes as to why some carpenter ant activity previously unseen may suddenly be visible. It is important to realize that the odds are that at the time of first seeing them the ants usually have been there for at least a year or more. Sometimes yard work in winter or early spring can be the catalyst for causing the appearance. While IPM (Integrated Pest Management) recommends the removal of branches and foliage that come in contact with the structure as an integral part of the preventative process, doing it at the wrong time can exaggerate the problem.

Branch removal that is done during winter or very early spring can confuse the colony and cause branching out of a sub colony.  If the colony had been relying on the contacting branches as a pathway, the ants will not have access to their previous route to get outside. Because of this, they can possibly spread out to other areas in the structure looking for other perimeter openings for exterior access.  This really acts as a double-edged sword; on the positive side, it might alert you to a colony infestation that you were otherwise unaware of; on the negative side, the problem now may be spreading and on route to getting worse unless fast action is taken.

Avoiding kneejerk attempts to perform your own pest control with the first chemical you find in your cupboard.  Without getting an inspection by a professional or you easily could make problem worst.

Next, realize that carpenter ants are a normal, consistent part of the environment in many parts of country. Don’t always assume you have problem if you see one in yard (as opposed to at your foundation or inside) as that might be normal and expected for the environment surrounding your structure.  As with many creatures they are consistent; you will see then in the same area over and over again.  Applying treatments when not needed is something to be avoided and it most usually is done as a result of either misdiagnosis or lack of familiarity with the cause of the problem.

Since a carpenter ant infestation almost always start as a shoot off from another larger, establish colony, they likely will be travelling outside on a daily basis.  The purpose of the travel is to communicate with that original colony and to forage for food source (commonly other insects.)  Given that you can count on this behavior, pest control providers often are able to use this information to limit treatment to the exterior perimeter of structure and avoid interior treatment.

Carpenter ants are typically territorial.

They usually will have a smaller nest colony population than other common types of ants such as odorous house ants.  This small colony can still cause huge amounts of damage, however.  Carpenters will forage up to 100 yards away from their nest and protect that territory from other colonies (excluding the colony of original origin.)  This means that very likely only one related colony is occupying the structure (even if that specific “extended family” has multiple nests.)

A false sense of security can be derived from a nest that is only partially killed.  Since there is no consistent way of verifying, the colony will become virtually non-visible and won’t show back up again until it has regenerated itself.  It can take months to tell for certain whether a problem is fully eradicated. For this reason, opting for continued periodic service treatment is much wiser plan of attack than a one-time treatment.  Also, money spent on a more thorough treatment process will often pay for itself in as little as 6 months or a year.  Keep in mind the goal of successful carpenter ant extermination; to increase the likelihood of a more through colony kill and then start practicing preventative integrated pest management practices.

This is a lot of information but hopefully it helps you understand your ant problem better.  We find that our happiest customers are those who also have a good understanding of the true nature of the problem.  We would love for you to become one of those happy customers – give us a call today!  503-968-5950.

Crawl Space Restoration Helps Your Entire House

There are many distinct areas in any given house, but the crawl space us most commonly the least desirable of all places to enter.   This explains by they are usually one of the most neglected household areas in regards to maintenance.

In addition to the unattractiveness of the typical craw space and the unpleasant idea of crawling through it, the general lack of understanding as to what its  purpose is and what problems can occur in it work to keep it a much neglected area.

Purpose of a crawl space

First, we will review just what is the purpose of a crawl space.  All houses have operational systems such as the plumbing, electrical and HVAC. Such systems need an area for relatively easy and quick access for maintenance.   Houses that do not have a basement (and are not built on a slab) depend on the crawl space to provide accessibility.  Being less expensive than a full basement, they are quite common in many parts of the country.  The other main function of crawl spaces is to help provide adequate ventilation through out the house.  Without ventilation, a slew of problems can occur.

Common Problems

Narrowing our attention on the ventilation issue and leaving the operation systems to experts in those fields, there are several benefits it provides. When there is not adequate ventilation, moisture will eventually build to harmful levels.  Moisture is one of the most damaging elements to a house.  Excess crawl space moisture can eventually lead to mold and mildew.   The intrusion of mold will not be limited just to the crawl area but will slowly work its way to other areas of the house, potentially causing thousands of dollars of damage.  Beyond the property damage, mold can cause allergic and respiratory heath issues to the inhabitants.

Another major problem from excess crawl space moisture is that it makes the area more hospitable to pests.   From rodents to ants (carpenter and odorous) and termites, pests prefer the damp environment.  It is very common for a large pest infestation to take hold before the first signs are noticed.

Solutions

There are some ways to correct the situation, however.  At good starting point is to recognize that the foundation vents are there for a reason.  Avoid blocking or sealing them off.  Do not assume that the house has enough and can do fine with one or more blocked.   The location and number of vents is designed to allow a proper flow.  Review the perimeter of your foundation and make sure that all vents are unhindered.  If any vent screens are clogged with matter, remove and clean or replace with a new screen

Next, review the crawl space to see if it has a vapor barrier.  Often you can get an adequate idea of the general condition by simply leaning into it with a good flashlight can be sometimes be sufficient.  If it is in either very bad or very good shape, this often is evident from just a cursory viewing.  However, if it is a long or sectioned space with some obstructions, you may be wise to actual get fully inside the space and crawl around inspecting.

A vapor barrier might sound complex but is actually simple enough.  Most commonly it is a visqueen barrier laid evenly and securely over the bare dirt.   This barrier help stem ground moisture from entering the crawl space.  As simple as it sounds, a huge difference in moisture level is accomplished by the proper installation of a vapor barrier.

Furthermore, you might be surprised at how much debris can often end up in a crawlspace during the building process that never gets removed.  If some of that debris is wood, particularly if sitting on moist dirt, the eventual rot can be an attraction to pests such as carpenter ants.  Rodents can severely disturb or damage a vapor barrier.   A good rule of thumb is that every 10 to 15 years the barrier should be changed out or at least thoroughly inspected.

Last of all, an inspection of the foundation for any inadvertent points of entry, such as missing screens or large cracks, will help keep the crawl space pest free.

Paying a little attention to this often-neglected area will help your home thrive as it was intended and avoid some expensive issues.

If all of this sounds good except the part that involves you getting into this cramped, musty space to actually do the work, please give us a call.  We will be happy to inspect and correct your crawl space issues.   Call us today – 503-968-5950.

Finding an entry point for a sugar ants infestation

Before you can solve an ant problem, you need to know where they are coming from.   This video will help you find a common entry point into your house.  

You may also be amazed at the vast number of ants trailing into the house.  We’re not talking about just dozens or hundreds but thousands of ants!   If you want your ant problem dealt with prompty and effectively, give us a call today. 

503-968-5950

Prevention Suggestions for the Most Common Pests in Portland

It is usually obvious when it is time to pick up the phone and call a professional pest service to solve a pest problem.   However, before a problem even appears is the best time to take some preventative measures that will help avoid bad infestations.   Hopefully these simple prevention ideas will help keep you pest free.  

 I.) Carpenter Ants

Carpenter ants are the most common damage-causing pests in the Portland area.  It is well worth your while to make your home unattractive to them.   Dead and rotting wood is the favorite habitat of carpenter ants, so scour your yard looking for tree stumps, large dead or rotting branches on the ground and even very diseased or sick trees.   Not all bad wood is in the yard, however, so check nearby woodpiles and even the crawlspace for old, rotten scraps of structural wood.   Also, check your exterior water faucets for leaks or sources of steady moisture.   A review of the foundation for cracks in need of sealing will also help prevent easy access by them.   Keep vegetation and branches clear of the structure.

 II.) Odorous Ants

The good new is that these pesky ants are not destructive.   The bad news is…well, they’re pesky!   Very pesky.   It is very common for an infestation to actually grow after being erroneously treated with over the counter pest sprays.   They try very hard to keep their colony thriving and any threat to this will make them try all the harder.   Also check for leaks, even minor ones, within your house’s plumbing.   Make sure that roof and gutter systems are working properly and are not causing excess moisture to enter the siding or foundation.   Moisture is the main attraction with odorous ants (often called sugar ants) so try to avoid excessive water buildup.   Also, make an effort to keep shrubs and vegetation away from touching the structures exterior.

 III.) Wasps (bees, yellow jackets)

Wasps and bees are attracted to proteins (earlier in the summer) and sugars (later in the year) so any reduction in these will help a lot.   First, looks to your landscaping and avoid planting heavy nectar producing plants and flowers too close to the structure, particularly doors and windows.   Bird feeders that supply sugary water should also be relocated.   Review outdoor dining and cooking areas for scraps of meats or grease spills.  If you spot an fresh nest that is still very small, determine whether you can safely knock it down with a broom or water from a hose.  If a bee or wasp shows any sign of aggression, quickly get everyone out of the area and call a professional pest control company.

 IV.) Mice & Rats

Start your rodent prevention by reviewing the surrounding areas of your house.   Try to keep woodpiles away for leaning against the house and even preferably 20-30 feet from the house.   Ensure ground clearance under the pile.   Garbage and garden supplies need to be kept secure and sealed with tight lidded containers.   Review all exterior door jambs, garage door seals and wall vents for gaps or areas of check through.  Foundation vents must be properly screened.   Do not leave doors open longer that a few seconds when entering and exiting.   Finally, be careful to clean up pet feeding areas of excess spilled food.

 V.) Moles

Moles will always reside where the food source is most pleasing and abundant.   An overabundance of worms, insects and grub in a lawn will most certainly be inviting.   While a proper amount of these is desired, excessive amounts will be a welcoming dinner table to a mole.   Your local garden center will carry treatments to carefully reduce these populations.   Physical barriers, such as mesh screening, sunk at least two feet into the ground work as a good method when you have raised beds of flowers or vegetables.

 As with most things in life, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!  We encourage you to spend a few ounces of effort this spring and early summer and maybe save yourself several pounds of cure (and maybe a few dollars too!)  However, it the problem is already there or if you still get pests even after these measures, we are always glad to come help your out.  You can contact or call us anytime at 503-968-5950.

Carpenter Ant Damage is Real!

Sometimes it is easy for homeowners to question which household problems are the ones to put to the top of their to do list.   Let’s face it – there is always an abundance of issues around the house that need attention.   It is common and easy to assign the occurrence of a few "little ants" to a spot lower on the list.   Heck, maybe they will even go away on their own!   Not likely with carpenter ants.

Unlike other household issues, carpenter ants actually have a purpose and are very determined to accomplish it.   Neither a dripping faucet, a drafty window seal nor some unsightly flooring have a purpose.    Carpenter ants do though, and it is to protect and grow their colony, almost always at the expense of your structure!   A carpenter ant problem will virtually never go away by itself and conversely, will almost always continue to get worse and cause more damage, whether you can see the damage or not.

Check out this linked video of nationally renowned carpenter ant expert, Dr. Laurel Hansen, on the Oregon Field Guide.   It will make you think twice about ignoring your "little ant problem!"

Benefits of Year-Round Pest Control Service

Much like with our own personal health, when there is a pest control problem, we tend to focus only on the immediate problem.  

However, pest control performed on a year-round basis greatly helps maintain a pest free environment and avoid the next pest crisis.

 We are learning more and more about the wisdom of keeping our bodies in healthy shape to help circumvent many preventable diseases.   The same is true with residential pest control.   A structure that has been kept pest free and has become an inhospitable environment for pests, so to speak, is less likely to attract new ones.

 Pheromones trails, a sort of species-specific road map left behind by many living creature s for others of the same species to follow breakdown and dissipate over time.   But every time a pest picks up the trail and it and some friends head down it, new pheromones are laid down.   On the other hand, an environment that has deterred pest for extended periods of time become less attractive to new pests coming near the vicinity.   The pull to follow the road more traveled is not as strong.

 The same holds true with mammals as well as insects.   Moles, for instance, leave behind a network of tunnels that would impress the designer of the New York subway system.   It takes time for these tunnels to physically collapse and stop attracting new “tourists” into your yard.

Year-round pest control plans can both help keep pests away for longer as well as provide a mechanism for regular inspection in case any type of pest problem is showing early signs of possible development.   By catching problems early or preventing them all together, many of our customers find our maintenance plans to actually be more   affordable than paying to have large problems periodically address.

All Pest Control Company offers affordable pest control maintenance programs of various types.   Talk to Portland’s Pest Control Experts today about keeping your home pest free for a low price!

Benefits of Year-Round Pest Control Service

As the fall rains start to soften up yards in Portland, moles opportunistically start to show their presence.

Mole removal is an important component of keeping your yard looking great.  Areas of the yard that were recently reworked over the summer, often involving some soil cultivation, are always prime spots for mole damage.   Also, it is common to see the areas of mole activity in the yard shift as the location of their food sources (worms and grub) might because more concentrated in different areas with the change in weather. Damage can occur not only from the mounds and surface runs close under the soil, but also mushy soil or sickly areas in the lawn.   Additionally, moles can cause indirect damage to landscape plants do to providing the tunnels near roots that vegetation eating pests like voles can use for easy access to plant roots. Since moles are willing to re-colonize, they will gladly take over old tunnels previously used by past moles.   This can sometimes lead a frustrated and confused homeowner to think that an original mole infestation was never solved when in fact is was.   Unfortunately, new, opportunistic moles have just moved into the neighborhood.   So should a homeowner just give up?   Absolutely not!   Tunnels, if left unoccupied, will eventually fill, cave in or close up given enough time and settling.   Therefore, it is extra important to get right back on mole trapping as soon as there are signs of a new problem.   The sooner the new moles are extricated from the area the better.   They will have less opportunity to reopen as many tunnels and the erosion of the tunnels can continue. Finally, the upcoming arrival of winter will not provide any legitimate relief.   Unlike some pests, mole populations are not generally reduced by the cold and they do not hibernate.   Your solution?   Call All Pest today for your free mole extermination estimate!

Our Portland pest service gets more calls to eliminate spiders during the late summer and early fall than any other time of year.

Let’s look at why this is the case.   First off, they attract your attention more because they are huge!   After a spring and summer of feasting on all sorts of prey, the spiders that remain in late summer and fall are often very large.   They stand out like a sore thumb.   In spring and summer’s bright light, smaller spiders (and smaller webs) don’t always show up as much as they do in fall. Next, their webs move in closer to the house.   Earlier in the year, webs are more likely to be in trees and bushes.   Later in the year, these webs start getting closer to structures and their entrances.   It is much more common to open a door in the morning and find a large web across the upper corner that wasn’t there last evening.   What is the cause for this migration? Temperature.   As fall temperatures start to decline, spider start to look for warmer shelter.   This is common to many pests, particularly mice.   Heated houses make a perfect place for spiders to weather the cold winter.   Spider bites tend to be more common over fall and winter once this migration has completed and the spiders are settled in there new homes (yours!) A pre-emptive exterior treatment is a smart way to avoid sharing your home with these spiders over the winter.   Since spiders, unlike other crawling pests, are subject to “blow in” through windows and doors, periodic treatment might be needed in some situations until the temperatures sufficiently drop enough to kill off those that remain outside. If you are ready to keep spiders from spending the winter in your home, contact All Pest right now!

It would be great if we only had to deal with a problem once in life. Sign me up for one oil change, one dental check up, one house painting, one bout of the flu and mostly, one episode or invasion of pesky ants! First off, even the best, most current treatments only last so long. All chemical components immediately start to dissipate upon usage and when you add in the environmental elements (namely rain and heat), there efficacy can only be counted on for so long. However, that is only half of the equation. Mother nature still has technology beat in many categories, on of which is pheromones. Pheromones are the naturally occurring chemicals and scents that most living things put out. They are critical in communal settings for a number of important functions, including mating, self-defense, and feeding. Ant pheromones (as well as those for many other common household pests such as bees and wasps) can last well over a year. Sometimes, in ideal conditions, they can exceed two years. As you can see, this beats out the effective time frame of available treatments.

New ants can pick up the scent trail of past ants

Sometimes, an ant problem never really gets solved. If an over the counter type of treatment is used, mostly just contact killing is occurring (despite what the sales information on the container says.) The problem just temporarily subsides. Other times, the root of the problem, the colony, is actually destroyed or killed out. In this case, the solution is off to a good start but not necessarily completely solved. Even when the colony had been killed off, the pheromones of the deceased ants remain in the form of trails. These pheromone trails stick around as signposts to new ants strolling through the neighborhood. When they pick up on these scents, they are basically told, in simple terms, “hey, other ant’s have been here before, you should check it out!” And alas, if the stray forager likes what it finds, the start of a new colony is born. This phenomenon exhibits the importance of periodic, follow up treatments for a stretch of time. Subsequent and systematic follow up treatments will eventually form a barrier that new ants will not pass until the pheromones fully dissipate. While any ant can eventually crawl anywhere, everything you can do to make your house less attractive to new infestation will go along way towards better long-term pest management. If you are ready to make your home less hospitable to ant and other pests, call us today!

Ant Trails are the Super Highways of Ant Life

Because of the pheromone trails that all ants leave, subsequent ants tend to stay on the same trail until they find what the original trail sought out – food or shelter.   Unfortunately, when the end of the trail is inside of your home, that can cause quite an annoyance for the homeowner.   The specific ants along this trail happen to be odorous house ants.

Just imagine when you see 5, 10, 25 or even 50 ants in your house, possibly trailing along the edge of a counter or baseboard.   That may seem like a lot but it is just the tip of the iceberg.   No wonder squashing (or is it squishing, oh well) a dozen or two seems to get you nowhere.

If you are ready to shut down the super highway of ants leading into your home, call us today and well put a prompt end to all the ant traffic you’re seeing!