SAVE TIME AND MONEY...
HIRE A PROFESSIONAL!
Hiring a pest control professional is probably more affordable than you think.  Why?  Do it yourself pest control products purchased from your local home improvement store are very costly. Purchasing the baits, sprays, powders, granules and application equipment necessary to provide a thorough treatment can cost the same amount or even more than hiring a professional. 
The other consideration is: what if it doesn't work?  You have already spent a good amount of money and still have the bugs! Then it's back to the drawing board to purchase and "try" more chemicals or to call a professional.
At Kill a Bug Johannesburg South and Alberton, Pest Control, our services are guaranteed.  We stand by our services and if you find pests after we treat your home, we will come back out at no additional charge to you. (This is with a full pest management program, bi-annually or quarterly depending on the pest.)      

SAVE TIME
Depending on the pests you have at your home, a thorough pest control treatment may consist of treating the full exterior and interior of your home. This can be very time consuming if done properly.  For a homeowner not experienced in pest control application and safety, treatment of the attic, crawl space, cracks and crevices, weep holes as well as baseboards, doors and windows throughout the interior and exterior of your home can be a huge investment of your time!
Also consider that before beginning a do-it-yourself pest control project; first you have to invest time, time to purchase the chemicals and equipment as well as take time to research to proper materials necessary to complete the job properly  
Or, you can call Kill a Bug Johannesburg South and Alberton pest Control. We can schedule your pest control service in less than 5 minutes!       

SAVE MONEY
We care about the safety of those in your home including your pets.  Our pest control technicians are licensed in South Africa for the control of roaches, spiders, scorpions, bed bugs, ants, termites and all of the other pests that may be bugging you!  Each of the materials we use in our treatment process are of high quality, professional grade to insure your safety and satisfaction. 

SAFETY OF FAMILY AND PETS
At Kill a Bug Johannesburg South and Alberton Pest Control, our Technicians are educated and follow label laws to insure your protection. Interestingly enough, it's not uncommon to overhear customer service representatives at home improvement stores with no training or experience in chemical use or application offering advice to consumers about over the counter products. This type of advice can be both costly and unsafe for your family.  
By hiring Kill a Bug Johannesburg South and Alberton Pest Control, you can be assured that all of our materials are professional grade and that each of our Technicians are required by law to use the appropriate chemicals and offer qualified advice you can count on. 
Contact
Email: kabjsa@telkomsa.net
Faccbook: www.facebook.com/kabjsa
Blog: www.kabjsal.blogspot.com
Cell: 071 607 0813

Did a job today with severe ant infestation. Once you have the problem has become this big, you have no other choice but to get professional help. Ants can built extremely big colonies. Studies were done and liquid cement was poured down such a big infestation and this what emerged.

It is a massive nest and now one can see why normal aerosols will not work.

Here is some photos of the job I did today.

Ants in the bathroom.

Damaged caused by ants

Talk to us to help you solve your ant problem

HOUSE FLY
Identification and Life Cycle The house fly (Musca domestica) is a cosmopolitan companion of humans and domestic animals. House flies are generally found in greatest numbers during the hotter summer months.

Under favorable conditions house flies can reproduce prodigiously because of their rapid developmental time and the large number of eggs produced by each female—several batches of about 100 to 150 eggs. Eggs are laid in warm, moist, organic materials such as manure, garbage, lawn clippings, decaying vegetables and fruits, or soils contaminated with any of these materials. Larvae of the house fly are cream colored, have a blunt posterior end and taper to a point at the head

Damage
Because they have sponging mouthparts, house flies cannot bite; however, they may play an important role in disease transmission to humans and animals. House flies serve as carriers of disease agents due to their predilection for feeding on animal wastes, garbage, and human foods. House flies are known to carry bacteria and viruses that cause conditions such as diarrhea,cholera, food poisoning, yaws, dysentery, and eye infections.

Management
Management of House Flies Flies found inside a building have entered from the outside in almost all cases. Therefore, barriers preventing access to the building are the first line of defense. Cracks around windows and doors where flies may enter should be sealed. Well-fitted screens will also limit their access to buildings. Outdoors, regular removal (at least once a week) and disposal of organic waste, including dog feces and rotting fruit, reduces the attractiveness of the area to adult flies and limits their breeding sites. Garbage should not be allowed to accumulate and should be placed in plastic bags and held in containers with tight-fitting lids. Garbage should also be placed as far from a building entrance as is practicable. In general, poor exclusion and lack of sanitation are the major contributors to fly problems. Sticky fly papers or ribbons are effective at eliminating a few flies in relatively confined areas, but are not effective enough to manage heavy infestations or to provide control in an outdoor setting. Inverted cone traps containing fly food attractants can be readily purchased commercially and are effective when they are not competing with nearby garbage or animal wastes. The fly food attractants used in these inverted cone traps will be quite foul smelling, so the traps should be placed at some distance from occupied structures. Fly traps using ultraviolet light may be effective when used indoors where they are not competing with daytime sunlight. For control of just a few flies, the timetested fly swatter is appropriate. Don’t use fly swatters near food preparation areas because they may result in contaminating food with insect body parts.Selective use of insecticides against house flies is one component of a total fly management program.If sanitation efforts are not possible, an aerosol may be used. Outside, a professional pest control company can be hired to apply residual insecticides to surfaces such as walls and overhangs that are being used by the flies as resting areas. Fly baits used in trash areas may be effective in reducing the number of adult flies if proper sanitation practices are followed. However, when flies have access to garbage, baits will not control them.

Safe Use of Pesticides around the Home

Controlling pests in and around the home and garden is seemingly a never-ending problem. Insects invade homes, contaminate stored food products, carry certain organisms that cause serious human and animal diseases, infest pets, and threaten fruit trees, ornamental plants, and vegetables.


To help the homeowner, a wide array of pesticides has been developed to control pests in and around the home and garden. But just how safe are pesticides? This is a very important question, particularly for the applicator and for those who may come in contact with the pesticides before, during, or immediately after the application.


Many household products are pesticides, including the following common products:


    Cockroach sprays and baits
    Insect repellents to repel mosquitoes and other biting insects
    Rat and other rodent poisons
     Flea and tick sprays, powders, and pet collars
     Kitchen, laundry, and bath disinfectants and sanitizers
     Products that kill mold and mildew
    Some lawn and garden products such as weed killers
    Some swimming pool chemicals


Choose the Proper Pesticide


Choosing the correct pesticide to control the pest(s) in your home, lawn, or garden requires a certain amount of planning. As mentioned above, many types of pesticides exist to treat a specific pest, and a variety of pesticide formulations are available to the consumer. To help choose the correct pesticide for the targeted pest(s), please consider the following.



     Properly identify the insect, weed, disease, rodent, or other pest that you are attempting to control. Personnel in your county extension office may be able to help you identify the problem pest and select the appropriate control strategy.
     Determine if you will treat the problem yourself or have a professional licensed pesticide applicator treat the problem pest.
     Consider using alternative non-chemical control procedures if appropriate.
     If you choose to treat the problem yourself with a pesticide, purchase the least toxic pesticide product that will eliminate or control the pest. Purchase a quantity of pesticide for immediate use only. Do not stockpile pesticide products.
    Familiarize yourself with the product by reading the label before purchasing and using the pesticide product.
     Follow all label directions and safety precautions while using the product.
     Although some homeowners and urban dwellers are not required to keep records of pesticide applications in and around their home and garden, keeping a personal written record of pesticide applications may be invaluable in the event of an alleged poisoning or property damage. Records should include the date, time, pesticide brand name, formulation, rate applied, temperature and wind conditions, and location of the application.



Most important a pesticide is still a poison and care should be exercised when using pesticides.

General Toxicology

Toxicology
    Toxicology is the science that deals with poisons and their effect on living organisms.

Toxicity
    Toxicity is the inherent ability of a pesticide to cause harm to a specific organism.
    Some pesticides are more toxic than others and present higher risks to users,
    nontarget organisms, and the environment.
    The effect of the pesticide (the toxic reaction) is related to the amount of pesticide
   (the dose) applied.
    Toxicity is often measured in LD-50, the Lethal Dose to kill 50% of exposed individuals,
    or LC-50,
    the Lethal Concentration in water or air to kill 50% of exposed individuals of a species.
    LD-50 does not provide information about long-term (or chronic) effects such as cancer,
    sterility, and permanent nerve damage that can result from repeated low level exposures.

Half-life

    The half-life is the length of time it takes for a pesticide to lose half of its
    toxicity in a given environment.
    Pesticides that break down rapidly are less likely to cause harm.

Bed Bug Extermination
Although they're called bedbugs, they don't just live in beds. Clutter, baseboards, carpeting, sofas and other furniture are all posh resorts to bedbugs, and at night they come out to dine on your blood, an all-you-can-eat buffet to them.
If you ever wake up with itchy or bruised skin, you may have a bedbug problem without even knowing it. Fortunately, a bedbug problem is entirely controllable under professional care. Using state-of the art equipment and techniques, our licensed exterminators will inspect your home's environment and construction to identify the problem and determine the best course of action.
We are committed to providing a quick, affordable, and most importantly, effective solution to your pest problem, and we take every measure to protect your and your family's safety throughout the process.
So whether you suspect you have a bedbug problem or just want to make sure you never get one, we have the expertise and training to get rid of your unwanted house guests, for good.
Female bedbugs can lay up to five eggs a day and 500 during a lifetime, so call today, before your small problem becomes a big one. For more information or to schedule a free inspection and consultation, please contact us today. Kill A Bug (Johannesburg South & Alberton)  071 607 0813  www.facebook.com/kabjsa  www.kabjsal.blogspot.com

Signs of subterranean termite damage

Subterranean termites dwell underground in loose, damp soil. Although subterranean termite species in Africa are famously aggressive and known for the obvious mounds above their colonies, in urban houses small mud tunnels and small mud mounts can be seen.

Interior damage may not become apparent until infestations are full-blown. Termite damage sometimes appears similar to water damage. Outward signs of termite damage include buckling wood, swollen floors and ceilings, areas that appear to be suffering from slight water damage and visible mazes within walls or furniture. Termite infestations also can exude a scent similar to mildew or mold.

Subterranean termites also access above-ground food sources through mud tunnels they create from saliva, mud and feces. These tunnels are located near the foundation of infested homes.

Why is an aerosol spray not very effective against ants.
A household aerosol spray, can scatter the colony into satellite colonies. A satellite colony doesn’t have a primary queen but there is a lot of working individuals that live there and they go back and forth to the primary colony. If a flushing agent is over-used, you spread them out all over the house, thereby making control more difficult. Introducing a professional cost effective pest control management program is the answer, further to this, Homeowners should trim all trees and bushes so branches do not touch or come in contact with the house. Correct moisture problems such as leaking roofs, leaking chimney flashing, or plumbing, and blocked gutters. Replace rotted or water-damaged wood and eliminate wood to soil contact. Remove dead stumps within 5m of the house, if practical, and repair trees with damage at broken limbs, and holes in the trunk. Seal cracks and crevices in the foundation, especially where utility pipes and wiring occur from outside. Be sure to store firewood off the ground away from the house and bring in only enough firewood (first examining it) to be used quickly. #ants , #pest , #aerosol , #nest , #garden , #household ,

How to inspect for ants

Lets kick off with a common problem, Rats and Mice.

How to Spot a Rat Infestation

Because rats are active throughout the year, periodically check for signs of their presence. Once rats have invaded your garden or landscaping, unless your house is truly rodent proof, it is only a matter of time before you find evidence of them indoors. Experience has shown it is less time consuming to control rodents before their numbers get too high, and fewer traps and less bait will be required if control is started early.

Inspect your yard and home thoroughly. If the answer to any of the following questions is yes, you may have a rat problem.

• Do you find rat droppings around dog or cat dishes or pet food storage containers?
• Do you hear noises coming from the attic just after dusk?
• Have you found remnants of rat nests when dismantling your firewood stack?
• Does your dog or cat bring home dead rat carcasses?
• Is there evidence rodents are feeding on fruit/nuts that are in or falling from the trees in your yard?
• Do you see burrows among plants or damaged vegetables when working in the garden?
• Do you see rats traveling along utility lines or on the tops of fences at dusk or soon after?
• Have you found rat nests behind boxes or in drawers in the garage?
• Are there smudge marks caused by the rats rubbing their fur against beams, rafters, pipes, and walls?
• Do you see burrows beneath your compost pile or beneath the garbage can?
• Are there rat or mouse droppings in your recycle bins?
• Have you ever had to remove a drowned rat from your swimming pool or hot tub?
• Do you see evidence of something digging under your garden tool shed or doghouse?
• 
  

  Key characteristics of Norway and roof rats.

Welcome to the Kill a Bug JHB South and Alberton Blog. I will post useful information on Pests, their behavior, what to look out for, etc. I will also post info regarding pesticides and environmental safety. Please check back regularly to keep up to date with my latest posts