Pest Control: House Crickets

Despite not posing a risk to humans, crickets can cause discomfort at home.

There are many animals that today can represent a pest since a large number of them can have a negative impact on the environment and health. However, not everything we call pest is necessarily a danger to human beings. House crickets, for example, can be cataloged as pests and pest control can be used to eliminate them. In reality, they are not a risk, just a nuisance.

In general, these small invaders are often found outside of houses and buildings and in some regions of the world, including Florida, they are mainly used as bait for fish and food for some pets. Nevertheless, in cases where these insects have decided to invade your home, their presence can become a problem for all tenants in the area.

What is a house cricket?

A house cricket is a small insect, scientifically known as Acheta Domesticus, that can reach an average length of 25 and 30 millimeters. It has antennas, which stand out for the fact of being able to reach even the total length of the animal's body, and a brown coloring with some dark stripes and yellowish tones. As part of their anatomy, they have wings that cover much of the abdomen and long hind legs that allow them to jump.

These small insects, generally nocturnal, eat organic matter such as fungus, disintegrated matter, eggs, insects, fabrics, and leaves. Inside the house, they eat any food and can sometimes cause severe damage to your clothes, sheets, curtains, and favorite flowers.

House cricket pests seek humid and warm places to breed. That is why in cold seasons of the year they can be found near fireplaces and kitchens inside homes. It is also why in warm periods there can be a significant increase in the population of these insects, which makes cricket sightings in the street more frequent.

Are house crickets harmful?

On one side, believe it or not, these little bugs can bite. However, their bite is quite weak and lacks sufficient strength to damage the skin and cause a wound. On the other side, many say that these small animals can transmit some bacterias and diseases as cockroaches do, but actually, there is no verifiable evidence to support this theory.

In the end, the most significant danger lies in your cotton, silk and wool fabrics, crops and ears. House crickets can be incredibly destructive when it comes to clothing, furniture, and curtains; plants and vegetables can also suffer the same fate. Also, their sound, generated by the friction of their wings, can be very annoying late at night, which is when they are usually most active.

Pest control for house crickets

Although they are not a risk to our health, cricket pest control may be necessary when large numbers of these animals invade your home and even surrounding areas. For pest control, you can use simple, but effective methods that will cleanse your house of this annoying little animals:

• Use cricket bait. It is an efficient and simple way to attract crickets in every room where you are. Just place several tablespoons of molasses in a bowl full of water halfway through and wait for the crickets to fall into the trap. You can also use chemical bait to catch them, but don't forget that it's toxic, so keep children and pets away from the place.
• Use sticky glue traps. This is an inventive non-toxic method that you can place in all the places where crickets tend to be: warm and humid areas of the home, near the slots of doors and windows, and walls. This trap, in addition to catching crickets, also works with other varieties of insects, so it is a useful method to avoid several pests.

• Use insecticides. You can use this chemical method with caution in specific areas where the insect iis present.

• Vacuum frequently to remove eggs. The other methods focus more on the nymph and adult stages, so using the vacuum cleaner also eliminates the first phase of cricket reproduction.

• Use prevention methods. There are several methods, such as sealing cracks and utility lines holes, that can prevent the entry of this pest.

Finally, if it turns difficult to eliminate the pest with home remedies, call the pest control experts. Fumigation and pest elimination companies, such as iTerminate, offer several alternatives to clean your home and help you sleep peacefully. If you want an assessment or to solve any doubt, don't forget to contact them through their social networks where they will answer you quickly.

iTerminate gives you all the information you need about these annoying creatures.

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Home Remedies to Eliminate Pests, Part II

A simple home remedy can be the most effective and least harmful solution.

At present, farmers and plant lovers join their passion and profession to the organic care of crops. The idea is to find natural and healthy solutions to protect plants and prevent pests from reaching your territories. Want to know more about home methods that will help you in cases of minor pest problems and prevent their growth? Today, ITerminate brings you more homemade repellents made of easy ingredients that will help you in your pest crusade!

Basil

Basil is considered a plant with many properties that can improve your health. It also serves to extend the life of plants, as it is a useful repellent and insecticide. A basil-based preparation can repel whiteflies and even aphids, moths and worms. To make this powerful repellent, you only have to crush the leaves and flowers of the basil with a mortar, take them to a container with water and let them macerate for a week. The resulting liquid will be your best ally against pests.

Netlle

Nettle is not only irritating to humans but also to specific pests. Besides being an excellent fertilizer, it also works as a pesticide against aphids; for its preparation, you only have to mix a handful of nettle leaves with 10 liters of water, let it rest for two to four days and finally separate the liquid from the leaves.

Lavender

Lavender is a plant that can attract insects, such as bees and butterflies, which are beneficial to other plants. However, it also serves to scare away other small insects, such as ants, that can destroy your garden. Adequate preparation is lavender leaves (300 grams) with a liter of water; you make an infusion with these ingredients and let it cool before spraying the plants.

Cow's milk

Believe it or not, this typical kitchen element is also used to combat certain pests such as fungus. In some cases it can be useful to just mix equal parts of water and milk and spray on plants with those annoying white fungus on their leaves. A similar mixture can also be prepared with water, milk and baking soda. Likewise, to combat insect eggs you can mix fresh milk with 4 cups of flour and 20 lt of water.

Tobacco

Tobacco can be as harmful to some pests as it is to us. A widespread use of tobacco is as a pesticide against red spider mite, aphid, and whitefly. The tobacco preparation is quite simple, mix 50 or 60 grams of tobacco with 1 liter of water and about 10 grams of neutral soap or natural; you must boil this mixture for 5 minutes and separate the liquid from the solid. After using it, remember to let it work and then wash the plants with clean water.

As you can see, there are natural alternatives to scare away and eliminate the annoying pests that destroy your plants. These home remedies help in cases of minor pests, however, if the problem becomes more serious do not forget that you will always have the alternative to calling experts in the area of ecological extermination such as ITerminate. To find out more about them and other pest issues, follow them through their social networks and share any questions you may have.

A mixture of plants and water can help you with the common plant pest

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Ants: Several Types of Household Pests

Ants colonies can be located outside or inside your home. And in every colony, there may be more than one queen. 

Many insects in the world can be a nuisance to your home. These are small animals that usually appear in large numbers; one example is ants, characterized by not coming alone. Today ITerminate brings you all the information you need to know about them and how to differentiate easily two of the most common type of ants.

Meet the ants

Ants are small insects with a body very similar to that of bees and wasps. They present three main parts, the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. They are arthropods and possess a skin that is identified as an exoskeleton, a kind of surface with small holes that allow its oxygenation since they do not have lungs.

The ant colony has a well-structured labor division. First of all, there is the queen ant, which has wings and lays eggs. Secondly, you can find the worker ants; they are all females and are in charge of building the nest and looking for food. Finally, there are the males of the colony, who have the task of mating with future queen ants; they do not usually live long.

Their lifetime varies according to the species. In general, worker ants can last from 2 to 3 months or only a couple of weeks. However, some queen ants can last up to 10 or 15 years, and during that time they can lay thousands of eggs.

Common Ants

Nowadays, there are approximately 20,000 species of ants. However, in today's blog, you will read about two of the most common species that can be present at your home and pose a pest problem.

Carpenter ants

The carpenter ant is one of the largest that can be found. In general, they are black, although you can also see the so-called red and black carpenter. This ants bear the name “carpenter” due to the fact of building nests in the wood and are characterized by being one of the species with a single ant queen that can produce up to 2000 working ants.

This is the ant that is most frequently seen at homes on the American continent and often represents a pest problem. As they usually nest in wood and make a tunnel in it, they can weaken the structures and foundations of a house, which can lead to losing a lot of money on repairs. They can usually be confused with termites because of the damage to the wood; however, you should always keep in mind that they don't eat wood but build their home on it.

Fire ants

This is one of the most aggressive ants; its name is due to the color of its skin: the head and chest are reddish with brown spots, while the abdomen is much darker.The fire ant colony may consist of several queens and can produce between 100,000 and 400,000 worker ants. This ant can eliminate other colonies of other ant species.

This ant can be found outside or inside your home, although they usually nest under soil mounds in landscape areas or near a building's foundation. The biggest problem with these ants is their aggressiveness and tendency to bite with their strong jaws while inoculating their venom. This sting can be very painful and can be a severe problem for people with allergy. Likewise, they are in symbiosis with aphids so they can cause damage to the plants and their soil mounds can damage crops.

Each ant has characteristics that can help identify them more efficiently and treat the problem they can cause. In small amounts, these tiny organisms are not harmful, but when they become a pest, it is necessary to call in experts and eliminate them before they cause more severe problems. If you think this situation is present in your home, don't hesitate to call ITerminate, a company that exterminates pest in an eco-friendly way and can answer any question you may have.

There are more than 20,000 species of ants in the world, and several of them can be considered pests.

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Meet Possible Roommates: The Most Common Household Pests Part I

ITerminate identifies the most common pests!

In the world of pests, human beings have to face many bugs and small or large animals that can affect homes, crops and even workplaces. When you deal with a household pest, the challenges can be very different from those that arise when it comes to the organisms that attack your plants, so you should always be prepared to take care of your house as well.

Today, ITerminate offers you the first part of the most common household pests list. It may not be such a pleasant path, but it is necessary to ensure a safer home and free from unwanted roommates.

Ants

The first ones on our list are the ants. In some cases, finding them at home is not unusual, but when they start to appear in higher numbers, it can be a problem since an ant in search of food can bring the whole hive with it.

Ants can live almost anywhere in the world, and the tropics are the most favorable place for their appearance. Although few ant species cause severe damage, these small insects can affect gardens, buildings, electronic devices and in some cases harm health or represent a nuisance with their bites.

Bed bugs

Bed bugs are small organisms that are difficult to detect. One of the features that always help to identify them is their constant and annoying bites. Bed bugs eat human and bat blood and usually last a long time without food. These small insects are often hidden under the wallpaper, bedding, and mattresses.

Their bite can generate diseases and, at present, they have become resistant to insecticides, so their extermination should always be considered an urgent task. In cases of bed bugs, it is recommended to look for experts to exterminate the problem.

Spiders

Spiders are the most common pests that can be found in a house if we take into account that there are around 35,000 identified species. In general, home spiders are not usually harmful insects, because they can also bring several benefits. However, depending on the species they can also be quite dangerous and in a more considerable amount they can represent a pest.

Usually, these insects hide in dark places that go from the humid basement to warm ventilation ducts or room corners. If fear of arachnids does not paralyze you, remember not to approach or touch these animals, as their bite or other defense mechanisms can be highly damaging.

Cockroaches

These insects are famous for their difficult extermination, their longevity and the diseases they carry. They are crawling animals that are usually found in garbage dumps and places with massive food waste. They are quite elusive and good at hiding, which sometimes makes it difficult to detect and eliminate them.

The cockroaches found in the tropics are usually larger and reproduce more frequently thanks to the warm climate. These animals seek access to homes since these places offer them food and a warm place to live. Currently, they are considered the number one household pest and one of the most difficult to exterminate due to their ability to survive.

These are just some of the most common pests that we can find in our homes. In some cases, home pest control can work, but when it is a problem that gets out of control, it is necessary to contact experts who can solve your question in the best possible way. In those cases do not hesitate to call ITerminate, experts in pest extermination in an efficient and eco-friendly way.

Insects such as cockroaches and bedbugs can cause diseases

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Biological Control: Another Alternative to Control Your Pests

The use of biological control prevents the use of toxic products to exterminate the annoying pests.

Even if you do not believe it, in the world of the pest everything is possible. Enemies come in different sizes and shapes; can be more or less harmful and their extermination can be more or less complicated. All these factors must be taken into consideration when deciding to end the pest that is ruining your garden, your crops and dares to enter your house..

Now is the time to decide what is the best option to get rid of these annoying little animals. Is known that there are several chemical substances capable of exterminating even the last red spider that may be in your garden; among them, you can find insecticides and acaricides, chemicals quite common in the extermination of pests. However, the use of these products comes with an additional negative cost: pollution. All these substances leave residual substances that are toxic; these can contaminate the environment and affect people’s health.

For this reason, it is necessary to find alternatives less toxic and more environmentally friendly. One option is the cellular pathway in which the use of pesticides is prohibited. In the case of pests, this alternative is known as biological control.

What is biological control?

Biological control is an activity in which other microorganisms are used to attack pests. In these cases, it involves small animals that are identified as natural enemies of those that damage our crops.They are also called predators, and their goal is to reduce or even eliminate parasites, without harming our plants.

When selecting this method of extermination, several factors should be taken into account: accurate pest identification; correct natural enemy identification; estimation of the current pest population; and evaluation of the natural enemy population that may be needed

Advantages and disadvantages

Regarding advantages, it is clear that this method ultimately reduces environmental pollution and health risks from toxic residues in crops by avoiding the use of any pesticides or chemical products. It is also a preventive method that can be used without causing any crop loss or elimination of other benign creatures, as natural enemies only attack the specific pest.

When it comes to disadvantages, this activity requires patience and a thorough study of the pest and its enemy, taking into account whether you are facing only one type or several types of pest. The biological control method may take longer to control a pest than when pesticides are used, as natural enemies just attack a kind of pest and can face a large population of it.

As you can see, this method may be slower, but equally efficient and less polluting. What is required is patience and a high awareness of the environment and its care. As the planet earth, there is only one, and you must know how to keep it and take care of it so that humans can remain on its lands for much longer.

To know more about pest extermination in a more ecological and environmentally friendly way, follow ITerminate through its social networks and do not hesitate to contact them if you have any questions on the matter.

This method uses other microorganisms to exterminate pests

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Pests: How to Recognize Them

If that's happening, you may have pests.

Plant-lover? Farmer? No matter what your case, protecting your plants and crops will always be a priority. Each crop has particular care, whether it is planted in a pot, in a small garden or a large area of land. To allow its optimal development, it is necessary to meet several requirements, including keeping an area free of its worst enemies: pests.  

What’s a pest

Now you might be wondering: what is a pest? According to the online Oxford Living Dictionary, a pest is “A destructive insect or another animal that attacks crops, food, livestock, etc.”, that is, little members of the animal kingdom that, organized in big groups, can harm and destroy any plants, and even be detrimental to any human being.

How to recognize a pest

To avoid any damage that these pests may cause you need to know how to identify if your plants already are exposed to these small animals. In some cases it’s not easy to locate the effects of a pest; however, the most noticeable symptoms may be:

• Low presence of flowers and fruits
• Death of the plant
• Leaves coiled or chopped
• Coloring on the leaves
• Appearance of cobwebs, villi or white powder on leaves and stems.
• Presence of foreign organisms in leaves

It is essential to add that every horticulturist must observe and recognize each symptom to really establish whether or not this is a regular feature in a plant. In these cases, the recognition should be as accurate as possible, since a misidentification of the problem can lead to loss of time and money, and to a higher risk of contamination. If there are any doubts, call an expert on the matter.

Once identified the type of pest, specialists should be called to eradicate this kind of unwanted visits. The best solution: Iterminate, company ecologically specialized in pests extermination. With their products they will get rid of pest problems and collaborate with the preservation of the environment at the same time. Do not forget to communicate with them and follow them through their social networks for more information about eco-friendly extermination.

Watch carefully for any anomalies.