YES!!  Pest do not hibernate in the winter...they come INside - to find warmth.  Invasive pests want to be indoors during the winter for the same reasons you do - which makes pest control in the winter is just as important as it is in the warmer months. 

*** Cutting your pest control service during the winter season as a cost-saving measure gives pests a head start in the Spring!!

REMEMBER:
1. Pests that live inside the walls of your home are NOT affected by the cold temperatures outdoors.
     *  Termites, carpenter ants, cockroaches, earwigs, etc. can thrive indoors when the weather is less than desirable OUTside
     *  Attics provide harborage to other insects - like wasps and spiders -as they search for place to escape the cold.
2. Rodents can find their way into your home if all entry points are not properly sealed off.
3. If left untreated, spider webs and egg cases can accumulate and create even more problems when they try to re-infest your home in the Spring..

PEST ACTIVITY MAY SLOW DOWN A BIT IN THE WINTER, BUT IT DOES NOT GO AWAY.

CALL EDDIE today at 515-537-7752 for the most fairly priced pest control rates in the metro!!

It could be MICE!! 

It's cold outside....mice are looking for warmth like humans would do....so when it turns cold - the come INSIDE!  Because they do not hibernate, they will store large quantities of food in different places, to rely on in harsh weather.

Mice are mainly nocturnal and begin to forage after dusk... so night time is when you may start to hear their scratching noises from within you walls.

Mice can get through the smallest of holes...so a thorough inspection of your property needs to be done and those holes need filled to keep them out.

The presence of mice and rats in our homes often causes significant concern. Mice can do considerable damage by gnawing their way through wood, paper, clothing, and other materials to get into containers, cupboards, drawers and other areas. They may also carry diseases or parasites that could be passed on to you or your pets.  They contaminate our food.

Mice breed throughout the year. A mouse will have eight to ten litters of 3-16 young annually,

Mice enter buildings at ground level through VERY small openings and can be found anywhere from the basement to the attic. They build nests in the space between double walls, floor joists and concealed, enclosed spaces in cupboards or under counters.

The first line of defence is to rodent-proof to prevent more animals from coming in. Good housekeeping, proper storage and handling of food and disposal of organic wastes are essential.

CALL C&C HOME SERVICES today for a rodent inspection!!  C&C HOME SERVICES offers THE MOST AFFORDABLE pest management prices in central Iowa! 

515-537-0020

DID YOU KNOW?


There are significant risks associated with leaving certain pests uncontrolled;

and, in some cases, pesticides are the only viable alternative. Properly used,

pesticides provide benefits essential to our way of life. Uncontrolled pests can

cause serious consequences:

• A person bitten by mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus may die.

• A child stung by bees, wasps, or ants may suffer a severe allergic

reaction.

• A dog infested with fleas may become stressed to the point of illness.

• A homeowner may have to spend thousands of dollars to repair structural

damage caused by termites.

CALL C&C HOME SERVICES for the BEST prices on professional pest management services in the area!!!!  515-537-7752

http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/1992/5-6-1992/orchard.html
by Mark Gleason, Department of Plant Pathology

"With increased Federal regulation of pesticides, the range of pesticide products available to homeowners at retail outlets such as garden centers and nurseries is narrower than a few years ago. With fewer choices, it's especially critical that homeowners read the labels on these products with great care in order to avoid misuse.It's all too easy to misunderstand a pesticide label. A good example is "Ortho Home Orchard Spray," a very widely sold product that is a mixture of a fungicide (captan) and two insecticides (malathion and methoxychlor). The label recommends applying the product during the bloom period on peaches, cherries, and apricots. The major pest targeted during the bloom period is brown rot, a fungal disease. However, the insecticide components of "Home Orchard Spray" are highly toxic to the bees that pollinate the blossoms, so a spray when bees are active can devastate their populations and result in poor fruit set. Another part of the "Home Orchard Spray" label includes a caution against using the product when bees are active, but this is easily overlooked unless the label is read carefully and thoroughly. Another problem is that many people are unaware of the usual timing of bee activity (active during midday, less active at dawn and dusk).

This example brings up a fundamental drawback of "combination" products such as "Home Orchard Spray": often, a spray is applied when one of the pesticides (the fungicide or the insecticide) has no benefit to the crop. The result is that these pesticides are wasted. "

DIY Pest Control products are not always a good idea.  CALL a licensed PRO with 19 years of experience!! 515-537-7752  C&C HOME SERVICES

IS BIGGER BETTER?

When you search the yellow pages or the internet looking for a company to do business with....what ads catch your eye 1st?  The BIG company's ads?  The companies who have a BIG advertising budget?  Where does that money come from?  Simply put -- CUSTOMERS - the people who pay their high prices.

When you drive around the city, you will see BIG pest vehicles driving around  and on t.v. the big companies are running ads about their BED BUG SNIFFING DOGS.  Again -- who pays for dogs that average $11,000 each and the big heat trailers that run $40,000-75,000?? 

Their CUSTOMERS do!

ARE BED BUG SNIFFING DOGS NECESSARY???

The key to bed bug control is FINDING THEM FAST & STARTING TREATMENT IMMEDIATELY if they are present!

If a company tells you their dog is 100% effective, be vary wary. NO dog (or human) is 100% effective in detecting bed bugs, and some are much less so.

The most important thing for customers to know is that bed bug sniffing dog "alerts" need to  be visually verified!

IF A DOG "ALERTS" to bed bugs -- THE ONLY WAY TO VERIFY if there are actual bed bugs present is for a VISUAL INSPECTION.  WHO does the visual inspection?  A HUMAN!  Bed Bugs are NOT so little they can't be seen by a human - regardless of their pest knowledge. (SEE PICTURE BELOW)  YOU could find bed bugs if you knew what to look for!

KEYS TO MANAGE A BED BUG INFESTATION:

1. INSPECTION - a thorough inspection by a trained pest control technician
2. IDENTIFICATION - correctly identifying the infestation
3. CLEAN, REDUCE & DISCARD - cleaning and reducing clutter in the room(s) is ESSENTIAL and sometimes discarding items all together is necessary if they cannot be encased inside a protective cover
4. TREAT IMMEDIATELY - there are MULTIPLE ways to treat for bed bugs
5. VIGILANCE & PREVENTION - keep monitoring the situation by using a pest pro with EXPERIENCE (Eddie has 19 years of professional experience BTW).  Do your own inspections when you travel, keep clutter to a minimum and be wary of purchasing/taking gifted USED furniture/mattresses!

BED BUGS ARE CHALLENGING PESTS TO CONTROL......
PERIOD!!!  They hide in MANY places in the infested areas so effective & thorough treatments are so important!  AND STARTING SERVICE IMMEDIATELY IS VERY IMPORTANT, TOO!!  (Call a BIG company in town and ask how long their wait to treat is.  Often times, you will have to wait for WEEKS!)

USE A PRO!!!  Insecticides alone won’t control bed bug infestations. Their use must be combined with a program of removing and cleaning infested beds, bedding, and other harborage sites then following up with a regular detection program to ensure treatment was effective. The most effective bed bug pesticides are available to commercial pesticide applicators only. Professionals also have the equipment and expertise that allow a more effective application of insecticides than residents could do themselves. In addition, professionals have the training to detect and isolate infestations, which often allows for more effective control.

CALL C&C HOME SERVICES TODAY if you think you have a potential bed bug infestation!  515-537-7752.  Our overhead is low -- everything we have is PAID FOR -- so we don't have to pass on additional costs to our customers!!


Doubts Rise on Bedbug-Sniffing Dogs"  NY Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/12/nyregion/12bedbugs.html

BENEFITS INCLUDED WITH YOUR C&C HOME SERVICES PEST MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
* Protection from the most common general household pests

* Inspection for termites & other wood destroying insects during your regular services - ALWAYS

* Additional services in between your regular service at NO additional cost if a problem reoccurs

* The most effective & least invasive treatments designed with your children & pets in mind

* Appointments scheduled at your convenience - not ours

* State licensed, Termidor® certified, fully insured

* One pest control pro with 18 years of professional pest management experience - you'll always know who is treating your home at EVERY service - NO "revolving door" of technicians that may only have weeks or months of experience