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

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.

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!

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!

They go by many names but the result is always the same – they drive you crazy!   The odorous house ant (Tapinoma sessile) is the most common ant problem in the Portland area during mid winter through early spring.

Many of us have grown up seeing them and calling them by various names – small ants, sugar ants, pavement ants, odorous ants, etc.   Interestingly, a name can often affect how we perceive a pest and the significance of the problem.   Some folks are lead to believe not much bad can come from something called a “small ant” or “sugar ant.”    However, odorous ant colonies, left untreated, can amass to a size of 50,000 to 100,000 ants.   That’s no small problem!

While not destructive like a carpenter ant, odorous ants have the ability to suddenly overrun any given room of your home.

Moist areas, such as kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms are usually the first, but aggressive ants will soon be looking for other areas to move in to.The photo below shows what is common to see the first few days that an infestation becomes visible.   I say becomes visible because at this point, the ants have already been nearby for quite a while.

Odorous Ants on counter - just the beginning.

This is the stage where the homeowner might be surprised but not overwhelmed yet and might try to handle the problem with a paper towel, household cleaner or the nearest can of over the counter bug spray.

None of those options will solve the problem and one, spraying the wrong type of pesticide, can actually make the problem worse.

There is good news, however, for those in Portland with odorous ants.   If you see a small gathering of ants such as the one above, call a professional ASAP.   Prompt action will help fix your problem before the colony grows to scary proportions.

Are you ready to say goodbye to your ants?   Let All Pest Control help you today – get your FREE estimate.

Some homeowners will immediately see them inside of their homes.

Others will first see ant activity (whether Carpenter Ants or Odorous House Ants) outside, then see them start to show up indoors.   Let’s briefly address ant activity that is currently only showing up outdoors.

First off, please keep in mind that even though you only see them outdoors, that does not mean that they may not be indoors.   Most homes have plenty of areas that are out of sight where ants can be colonizing.   Examples of such areas can be wall voids, cabinetry voids, crawl spaces and attics.

Regardless, if you spot ants near your house, consider doing the following.   Walk the entire house perimeter and look for areas where shrubbery may be touching the siding.   As a general rule, a two foot boundary between plants and siding is best.   Also look for tree limbs that dangle near the roof or gutter line.   All of these contact points can very quickly become a super highway for ants to travel into your home in high numbers.

The simple mechanical chore of trimming back some greenery goes a long way as a preventative method to avoid interior ant infestations.    Happy trimming!

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

This is a good, general article, applicable for the types of ants we experience in the Portland Oregon area.   It doesn’t go into any depth in terms of the strategical processes a professional pest control technician would use for best results, but is is helpful for a obtaining base  understanding of problem. – Tom

On any given day, you may see hordes of ants, marching into your home. They may be searching for food and water, shelter from outside elements.

Here are some steps you can take to get rid of these industrious creatures.

1. Follow the ant to its source of entry, could be a window, molding crevice or floor crack.
2. With Boric acid, form a barrier at the source, or use laundry detergent, must be in powder form.
3. If they have attacked any food, remove it to a garbage container, outside your home.
4. If they have invaded your kitchen garbage can, take it outside, hose it out and wash with dishwashing liquid.
5. Put any food they have NOT found in zip lock bags, or in sealable plastic containers. or the refrigerator.
6. Ants can penetrate metal-threaded lids on glass jars. Glass jars are immune from ants, only if sealed with rubber gasket.
7. Once you have secured the food,vacuum up the ant line, along with some cornstarch( this helps to suffocate them inside the bag).
8. Use dishwashing liquid and hot water to wash the area around the ant line to erase any scent of the trail.
9. Seal the area where the ants entered; caulk windows and cracks and weather strip doors. Apply duct tape or petroleum jelly over holes as a temporary fix.
10. Go outside and see if you can find out where the ants entered the house. They may have used an overhanging branch to enter, if so, trim it off.
11. Check the area in an hour. If you see any single ants, or scouts searching the area, squash them( sorry!) but they are checking out the area for future invasions!
12. If you wish to wipe out the ant population, use ant traps that contain" Boric Acid". The returning ants poison the whole colony.

I would point out however, that in the garden, ants can play a beneficial role, so only use the above method if absolutely necessary
Here are some tips that may help;

Some natural ant deterrents include crumbled bay leaves, cinnamon, peppermint leaves and cayenne pepper. If an indoor plant is infested with ants, take it outside and flood it several times with a hose, to remove them.Insecticidal sprays kill only the ants that you spray, which will be a very small percentage of a colony, and won’t prevent future invasions. Please make sure, if you do use a spray, keep children and pets away.

In the house, I found that sprinkling the doorways with a powder cleaner ie, Ajax, kept the ants from crossing the line of powder and they did not enter the house.

One word of warning!! If you have Carpenter ants, which are a larger species, as they burrow into wood and cause terrible damage, do NOT keep any piles of decaying wood near your house, as this attracts them.

The methods I have outlined above, if used diligently, should go a long way to eliminate your pesky visitors.

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.