Southern California Homeowners - Prepare for Termite Season

Termite season is here, and homeowners throughout North San Diego County are finding themselves in need of pest control. Fallbrook, San Marcos, Escondido and other communities in this dry and arid region are hotbeds of activity for two different termite subspecies in particular: the Dry-wood termite and the subterranean termite. Either of these termite varieties are capable of doing serious damage to a home or place of business, and they can destroy more than just wood. They do billions of dollars of damage to home and business owners each year, which is more than windstorms and fires combined. Not to fear, though. There are solutions to prevent termites from destroying your property or keep them from doing any further damage if they’ve already been discovered. Whether you’re just moving in, selling your home, opening a business or think you’ve found signs of termites in your current home or place of business, the professionals are waiting to help you create a termite-free environment now and into the future.

The Drywood Termite Subspecies

As one of the two common types of termites in Southern California, Drywood termites are well-known for their ability to live in dry environments without a source of water. They like dry wood, which makes such arid communities as San Marcos and Fallbrook a perfect home. They can be found in door frames, fence posts, moldings, structural wood, utility posts, window frames, and other important pieces of a home or place of business.

The Subterranean Termite Subspecies

When it comes to termite control, San Marcos and other Southern California communities are also prone to subterranean termite infestations. This type of termite is known for making their homes in dark, underground areas as well as moist and sheltered areas above the ground. They may even make it into a structure from underground by constructing a mud tube that takes them directly to a food source.

If you are buying a new home you are required to get a termite inspection to complete most real estate transactions, and yearly termite inspections are recommended for homeowners. Fortunately, Black Knight Pest Control offers affordable termite inspections to local home buyers for only $85. If you are a current homeowner and believe you might be dealing with a termite problem, you can also turn to Black Knight for an inspection free of charge. Not only will they provide the inspection and any termite control services you need to get rid of the problem and keep it from coming back, they also provide a variety of other services such as spider control. Escondido, Fallbrook and San Marcos homeowners can turn to a service provider like this for all their pest control needs whether in the market for a one-time treatment or ongoing monthly services.

Protect Your Home or Business from Rat Season in Southern California

Did you know rat season is here? When it comes to pest control, Fallbrook and other North San Diego communities have a particularly high need for preventative services during this time of year. Rats are more than just a source of fear for people with rodent phobias. Feral rats are also a great danger to people and pets. The Centers for Disease Control report that rat droppings and urine can lead to problems such as allergens, asthma, bacterial diseases and infections, and respiratory infections, and the creatures have been known to carry such dangerous viruses as the Hantavirus. And not to mention that they often carry fleas. It’s important to get rid of this problem before it leads to such dangerous scenarios.

A Silent Source of Danger

When moving into a new home or thinking about a possible need for termite control, San Marcos residents can easily get an inspection to see if they have an infestation. When they need services such as bee, bird and spider control, Escondido homeowners and business owners typically know they have a problem because it’s become a nuisance in their life that is impossible to ignore. With rats, however, the problem isn’t always so obvious. Small rat populations can infest your home and begin growing right under your nose, so by the time you notice there is a problem it could have already done a great deal of damage.

Look for the Telltale Signs

Even if you haven’t seen any rats, living or dead, it doesn’t mean you don’t have a rat problem in your home. Rats are very good at hiding and going undetected. When the population is still growing, things like rat droppings and smudges along floorboards and walls will become noticeable. But even before these telltale signs, you can look for rat tracks around your home in the low vegetation areas, and rat nests around the roof area. Tiny bite marks may also be present on wood and plastic in and around the home.

Call the Pest Control Professionals

If you think there is any possibility of a rat infestation in your home or place of business, it is imperative that you call the professionals as soon as possible. The traps and other do-it-yourself solutions on the market will not be effective for controlling the entire rat population that has infested the building and they won’t keep the rats from coming back. Rats are also often smart enough to avoid traps, so you could just be throwing your money away with store-bought solutions. A professional, knowledgeable and experienced local service provider like Black Knight Termite and Pest Control, Inc. will have the resources and advanced solution to ensure a rat-free environment now and into the future.

Local Flea Control Services - the Only Solution when Fleas Get Out of Control

When it comes to flea control, Temecula is by no means immune to the problem. With so many local residents owning pets and even farm animals, fleas can quickly get out of control. At that point, professional flea and pest control services are the only answer to the problem. Just consider some of the facts about those “pesky” little fleas:

The Facts about Fleas Did you know that if a single female flea lands on your dog or other furry friend, she will produce an average of 18 eggs per day? If you do the math, it’s easy to see that fleas reproduce at a rapid rate. They reproduce so rapidly that a single female flea could turn into thousands of fleas within a week, as long as she lays those 18 or so eggs, assuming the offspring continue the tradition. How many people own dogs, cats and other pets that attract fleas? Just one look at your local dog park should tell you the answer. And fleas cause more than annoyance to those beloved furry friends. They can cause a lot of complications, such as the following:

Complications of Fleas

• Failing to invest in flea control will make your dog or cats uncomfortable. • Scratching the fleas irritates pets’ skin and can lead to infections and other skin problems. • Fleas sometimes carry worms and other parasites that they could pass on to your pet. • Some pets develop anemia as a result of advanced flea infestations. • Fleas can sometimes even pass infections on to people, particularly children and seniors with lower immune systems.

Local Solutions for Flea Infestations

You may have tried and failed to nip the flea problem in the butt with a simple home remedy or medicine for your pet, but that is often not nearly enough to battle these infestations since they grow so rapidly. More advanced flea control methods will be necessary if the fleas have taken over your home or property, which is often the case. Professional flea removal methods are the best cure for your flea problems, so can rest assured the fleas won’t just return in full force as soon as you’ve gotten rid of them. A local flea control company such as Black Knight Termite & Pest Control understands the needs of area residents, and will be there time and time again whenever you need any sort of pest control services for your home or business in the future.

What You Need to Know about Residential Gopher Control

Most homeowners don’t assume they’ll ever need to worry about gopher removal services. Residents of Riverside, Temecula, Murrieta, Fallbrook, Escondido, San Marcos, Hemmet, Lake Elsinore and Menifee have faced dire consequences because of these pesky little critters, though, so an infestation is not to be taken lightly. They can do more damage than digging holes in your yard, and although they look harmless they do often bring some health dangers with them. This is why gopher control methods and removal services are so vital for homeowners to be aware of. The Dangers of Gophers

Gophers and moles may be portrayed as comical nuisances in films like Caddy Shack, but they can actually cause major destruction of gardens, landscaping projects, underground cables and agricultural plots, not to mention human health problems. If you have a garden or yard you take pride in, you could be devastated to find that it’s been destroyed by gophers. They’re known for eating gardens, ornamental plants, shrubs, trees and vines. Gophers also often bring other pests such as fleas along with them, which necessitates even more pest control services when the problem gets out of control. Gophers and moles often carry harmful diseases with them as well, and were even one of the major causes of the spread of bubonic plague in Europe in the 14th century.

How to Handle the Gopher Situation

If you are concerned about moles or gophers on your property, the first step you should take is calling an expert like Black Knight Termite and Pest Control, Inc. For only $225 you can avail of a three-step treatment, or for only $25 you can add the service to an existing pest control plan. This comprehensive gopher and mole control process includes the following three steps:

1. Black Knight Termite and Pest Control technicians perform a property inspection to see what gophers have been doing in and around your yard.

2. After the inspection, technicians use one of two distinct treatments – strychnine baiting or smoke bombing – that is most appropriate for the home and the situation. In some cases, both treatments may also be the most appropriate course of action. Organic gopher control is also available.

3. And finally, Black Knight technicians will inform you of the most appropriate methods for maintaining a gopher-free environment in the future.

This is not only the best approach for handling a situation in which gophers have gotten out of control, but also the best course of action at the first site of a gopher infestation.

Why You Need to Think about Professional Rodent Control

Professional rodent control may be more important than you think. According to a study from UC Davis, titled Pests of Homes, Structures, People and Pets: House Mouse, “Mice can transmit pathogens that cause diseases such as salmonellosis, a form of food poisoning.” Many people fail to invest in rodent removal services, though, because they either think they can do it themselves or they think it isn’t that big of a problem. Perhaps, they even think their cat will handle it for them. Even if your cat or mouse trap catches a few rodents, though, there’s always more where they came from. Just consider the facts about mice and other rodents, and why you should have a rodent control service provider in mind in case you should ever need them. The Facts about Seemingly “Harmless” Rodents

Some people are scared of mice, some think they’re harmless, and some even think they’re kinda cute. Most people underestimate their dangers, though, regardless of any of the above factors. Rodents are actually the most prevalent of all pest problems, but yet rodent control is not the necessarily the most popular of all pest control services. Mice can be just as dangerous as termites, though, or perhaps even more so. These are just a few of the dangers:

• Some people are deathly afraid of mice. Why subject your family members and other loved ones to that?
• Visitors who see a mouse in a home or place of business are unlikely to return, especially if food is served there. A very good reason to invest in rodent control services.
• Rodents such as mice and rats can carry diseases with them. Rats were actually responsible for spreading the plague.
• Even if no one in your home actually comes in physical contact with a mouse or other rodent, their droppings can still spread disease, especially to children who are closer to the floor and more curious.
• Mice and other rodents might damage or even destroy your personal property, such as clothing, books, records, and other precious valuables and irreplaceable belongings.

The Only Logical Solution

If you’ve seen one rodent, there are sure to be many more in hiding. Rodent infestations can become huge problems virtually overnight. After considering the above dangers, it should be clear to see that the only answer to such an infestation is professional rodent control. Temecula home and business owners are safest when their environments are free from these disease-carrying nuisances.