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.

Whether seeking warmth and shelter, attracted by bad sanitation or unknown garbage, the ready availability of good nesting material or whatever reason, we are constantly amazed by how clever and diligent mice and rats are in trying to gain access to areas they are not welcome.

Call us today – not only can we solve your rodent problem, we can help keep them from returning anytime soon!

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Heidi_Ball]Heidi Ball

Nothing is much worse than seeing a cockroach scurry across the kitchen.They have been shown to transport a number of bacteria and viruses on their icky little bodies. They can cause some serious health problems and should be eliminated as soon as possible.

Termites and carpenter ants are a significant cause for worry. While they don’t carry the diseases that cockroaches do, they can destroy buildings and crops. Termites especially as they live in colonies from several hundred to several million in number.

In some places the battle of ticks and fleas is ongoing. Ticks can be found in tall grass and shrubs where they wait for an unsuspecting "host" to attach themselves to. They can transmit Lyme disease which indeed can be very serious. Fleas live off the blood of mammals and birds. They are great jumpers and also a great source of disease. They can transmit things as serious as the bubonic plague and also as awful as tapeworms.

Mites and bed bugs can bite and create painful skin irritation. Scratching an itchy bite from a mite can lead to secondary infection. Bed bugs feed on their host while they sleep. They use a sharp beak to pierce the skin and then feed on the blood. A full grown bed bug will feed for as long as 10 to 15 minutes. As horrible as it may sound, bed bugs are most frequently found in hotels or shelters. They are not a result of poor housekeeping or bad hygiene, they are just around.

Especially with those with allergic reactions to bees, having hornets’ nests or yellow jackets around their dwelling can be scary and dangerous. Hornets will sting repeatedly if their nests are disturbed.  Carpenter bees can also be a problem as they can drill into wood and nest in the hole.

Rats and mice can be a problem both indoors and out. Some rats, like the Norway rat, can weigh up to one pound and can be up to 18 inches long. They can cause extensive damage to buildings and homes as they can cause problems with the foundation and some of their nests can cause electrical systems to short circuit. They are large contaminators of food and can transmit deadly diseases. Mice can cause some of the same problems on a smaller scale, but carry the same disease risks.

If you are experiencing any sort of pest problem, dqpestcontrol.com ( http://www.dqpestcontrol.com) can help with   Nassau County Animal Control.  Heidi Ball is a freelance writer

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Heidi_Ball http://EzineArticles.com/?Pests-That-Need-Control&id=2075044

Another common pest in the Portland area that in worthy of quick action is the odorous house ant.   While not an overly destructive pest, they can get out of control very quickly.   They usually start becoming more prevalent in the Portland area during March and April. – Tom

The first inclination, when faced with this situation, is to take immediate action. However, what the average Portland homeowner has on hand for such occasions is usually fairly limited. A spray can of scented room spray is usually first out of the gate. Often, someone might spend upwards of a day trying to convince his or her self that this is really working. But the smell is still there. It might be time to break out scented carpet powders, start burning candles, or just the house an extended airing out (not a fun option in the middle of winter.)

But when you have cycled through all of these ineffective options, the underlying smell of decay. So, are there any option left for the desperate homeowner to get rid of these odors?

Yes. The first option should always be to track down and if found, remove the dead mouse or rat. If you are fortunate enough to find it, don’t expect an immediate cessation of the terrible, pungent odor. The surrounding areas and item in the house will likely still have the smell in them as the result of having been absorbing it for a period of time.

Next of the odor elimination list, even if the rodent was found, is to get a professional grade odor neutralizer. Unlike fragrance, which doesn’t solve the problem but just changes the smell to a different variation of disgusting, odor neutralizers actually bond with the odor. Once bonded, the smell that eventually reaches your noise is odorless. Of course, there are times when even the best neutralizer will only help so much and additional neutralizing must be done, but this is a much more successful approach to making your home livable again.

If you are experiencing any odors in your home, whether from mice and rats or something else, please give All Pest Control Company a call. We are very skilled at tracking down the odor source and use the best available neutralizers available.

But that doesn’t mean that there is no pest activity during winter.   Particularly during untypically severe weather, some pests can be prompted into action.

As mentioned in the previous post, rodents are one of the most common critters to start showing up during the cold months.   Hey, they prefer the warmth just like us.   These months are a good time to check and repair obvious entry points such as loose exterior doors, damaged screens, and exterior insulation around pipes and venting.    Be sure to keep food tightly stored and avoid excessive clutter (I know that is hard to do right after Christmas and the holidays!)

By no means do rats and mice have the house to themselves, however.   Roaches can often show up during this time of year.   While they are much more common in restaurants (sorry for mentioning this – I don’t like considering this fact either) and higher traffic residences such as apartments or motels, they still show up in single family homes.   Being the prolific breeders that they are, finding even one is cause for taking prompt action.   Always give a good inspection to any used furniture, packages stored remotely for extended periods of time or large boxes for potential intruders.

Another group of pests not shy to show up in winter are "pantry pests", meal moths and other related species.   Like a roach, they can travel into your home via outside sources.   Keep an eye on dry goods such as flour and cereals, birdseed and other carbohydrate heavy food stuffs.   Also take quick action if you spot any webbing or larvae where you keep your food.

Finally, it is not unheard of to see ants, both Carpenter Ants and small ants (usually odorous house ants) during this season.   It will usually be the wetter parts of the home (kitchen sinks, bathrooms, and laundry rooms) where you will first notice them.

The cold temperatures are pushing some of last mice and rats indoors for more comfortable nesting.   This migration commonly happens throughout the fall, but recent cold is forcing the issue with those that had yet to seek warmer surroundings.   Often, after strong fall rains and winds, a few more entry points to structures have loosened and opened up.   It doesn’t take much space for a mouse or rate to squeeze through a gap.

This is an especially important time to keep floors and hidden areas clean of loose food.   Every rodent that survives through the winter is primed to start breading soon thereafter.   With their short gestation periods, quickness to maturity, and large litters, things can get quickly out of hand come spring.   So if you see any signs of intrusion, it is wise to take quick action right now and save yourself alot of money and headache in a few months.