Burns Pest Elimination

Why You Need to Take Special Precautions for Termites in the Spring

Spring’s inviting temperatures are always refreshing after the cold of winter. However, people aren’t the only ones who are active as the weather heats up; spring is also termites’ favorite time of year to explore. Here’s what you need to know about termite invasions in the spring and what you can do to keep them at bay:

Termites and Spring

Winter is an inhospitable time for the 50 termite species living in the United States, and spring marks the start of their active season. Once temperatures climb to around 70 degrees, termite colonies send out their swarmers. Swarmers are termites with two sets of wings and the ability to reproduce. Female swarmers release pheromones that attract male termites, and these termite couples seek out new places for their colonies. Depending on the type of termite, these colonies can in turn be responsible for up to 75 new termite infestations per year. The wood in your home is the ideal food that new colonies need to thrive, which makes your home particularly vulnerable in the spring.

Spring Termite Precautions

Spring is a great time to focus on termite-proofing your property. Move any standing water or stacks of wood a few feet away from your home, as both will attract termites. Clean your gutters and be sure your dryer vent blows away from your home. Make sure your air conditioner doesn’t leak and remove old vines and overgrown bushes. Any sources of warmth, wood, or water will invite termites, so keep them away from your house. If you see bubbling or cracked paint, small piles of wood shavings, or wood that sounds hollow when tapped, call an exterminator. You may have a termite problem.

Burns Pest Elimination can rid your home of termites and help keep them away for good. We also handle bed bugs, rodents, scorpions, and other pests. Call us at (602) 910-6852 and let us eliminate pests from your property.

What Is a Wood-Boring Pest Inspection?

If you’re buying a house, you’ve likely had a standard home inspection, and by now you know what needs to be fixed structurally and cosmetically. But are you sure that the home is free of termites or other wood-boring pests? Standard home inspections don’t always identify signs of pest problems. Before you close on your new house, you should insist on a wood-boring pest inspection.

During a wood-boring pest inspection, pest control professionals will examine the property for any tell-tale signs of termite problems, including hollow wood or cracked and bubbled paint. You will get a complete report of their findings so you can make an informed decision about your home purchase.

Termites cause up to $5 billion in damage annually in the U.S. alone. In order to avoid becoming a part of that statistic, you should protect yourself with an inspection before you buy a house. Set up your pest inspection today by calling Burns Pest Elimination at (602) 910-6852.

Preventing Roof Rats in your Arizona Home

Roof rats are a common pest in Arizona. If they’ve already infested your property, you will need a professional pest control company to get rid of them. You can prevent roof rats from becoming a problem in your home with help from these tips:

Deny Rats a Food Supply

Roof rats love citrus fruits and nuts, so harvest any fruit or nut trees on your property as soon as you can. It’s best to clear your trees of fruits and donate what you don’t use. When fruits and nuts aren’t available, roof rats will turn to any source of food they can find. Keep all pet food inside and keep your garbage in securely-covered containers. Bird feed will also attract rats. During warm months, put out hard-to-reach bird feeders or only put a small amount of feed out during the day and take it away each evening.

Keep Up Yard Maintenance

An overgrown yard is a welcome sign to roof rats. Keep your yard clean at all times to discourage roof rat activity. Thin ground cover and prune your palm and fruit trees. If you’re storing wood in your property, keep it at least 18 inches off the ground and 12 inches from your walls. Oleander and bougainvillea flowers provide great rat hiding spots, so be sure to keep them trimmed. If you can’t see daylight through your bushes, they are thick enough to hide rats and should be thinned out.

Run roof rats off your property with the help of Burns Pest Elimination. If you’ve seen rats, call us at (602) 910-6852. We also deal with bed bug problems, termites, scorpions, and other kinds of pests.

How Rodents Can Indirectly Transmit Disease

Mice and rats are direct carriers of several dangerous diseases, including hantavirus and hemorrhagic fever. In addition to these illnesses, rodents are also indirect carriers of pathogens and parasites that can infect your family. Ticks, mites and other insects that live in rodent fur are usually the culprits behind these diseases. For example, many experts believe that the Black Death of the 14th century was spread in part by fleas on rats.

Which illnesses are rodents indirectly responsible for introducing to your home? Lyme disease, various forms of typhus, and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever are just a few of the diseases that could be lurking within a rodent’s fur. All it takes is a bite from an infected tick, mite, or other insect to transmit the disease.

Getting rodents out of your home is crucial for your family’s wellbeing. Say goodbye to rodent invaders with the help of Burns Pest Elimination. If you suspect rodents, call us at (602) 910-6852 and start the process of eliminating these dangerous pests.

A Look at Diseases that Rodents Can Carry into Your Home

If you share your home with rodents, you may also be living with the risk of catching a dangerous disease. Rodents are carriers of many illnesses that can be transmitted to humans. If you suspect that rodents have invaded your home, it is crucial to get an expert pest control company to evaluate the problem and eradicate any populations they find. Just how dangerous can rodents be? Here are some of the illnesses they can introduce to your home and family:

Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome

This respiratory infection can take hold after breathing the dust from rodent droppings, coming into direct contact with rodent droppings, or after a rodent bite. It is marked by fever, muscle aches, dizziness, nausea, and shortness of breath. Without treatment, hantavirus can be life-threatening; if you think you could have been exposed, check with your doctor immediately.

Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome

Like hantavirus, this condition can be contracted through a rodent bite or exposure to rodent droppings and urine. In rare cases, it can be spread from person to person. Headaches, backaches, and abdominal pain are the most common symptoms. When left untreated, low blood pressure and kidney failure can occur.

Plague

Plague did not die out in the Middle Ages. Though this disease is rare, there’s still a chance that rats and mice can bring it into your home by carrying in infected fleas. If you are bitten by one of these fleas, you can be infected. The symptoms depend on the type of plague contracted, but may include skin infections, lung infections, and swollen lymph nodes.

Rodents can also carry rat-bite fever, lassa fever, leptospirosis, and other illnesses into your house. Don’t risk your family’s health; at the first sign of rodents, call Burns Pest Elimination. We can eradicate your existing rodents and help prevent future infestations. We also handle termite, bed bug, and rodent control for homes and business. Schedule an inspection today by calling (602) 910-6852.