Question and Answer

Q: My house is clean why do I still have pests?
A: Pests needs are the same as ours they need a place to stay, food and water and will find the smallest space available to do that for their survival.

Generating leads

I want to extend a opportunity today. I run a pest Control business in Alberton, JHB South Germiston Boksburg and Bedforview. For any lead generated that leads to a succesfull job will I pay the person that refered the lead a commision of 10% of the Job done. You just need to give the lead through, I will do the quote and the work and Pay you 10% when I complete the job. The company is well established, 13 Branches, and 17 years in operation. I run the above mentioned branch as a franchise. Please contact me with your leads, I need a name, address and telephone no of the lead as well as name and contact details of the person giving through the lead. Prefferably send the info by email. This is an opportunity to make some money by just getting leads. Michael Vorster

Bed Bugs

How to identify Bed Bugs

Appearance

Bed bugs are flat, reddish-brown, oval insects up to 4 to 5 mm long or the size of an apple seed. Swollen and reddish after a blood meal.

Behavior, Diet & Habits

Bed bugs only feed on blood. Under cool conditions, bed bugs have been able to survive up to a year without a meal. They prefer to be more active at night when the host is asleep.

Bed bugs are found in cracks and crevices, including mattress seams, sheets, furniture, behind baseboards, electrical outlet plates and picture frames. Often found in hotels, where they can travel from room to room and in visitors’ luggage or other personal belongings such as purses and briefcases.

Signs of a Bed Bug Infestation

1 Seeing the bugs. Adult bed bugs are about the shape and size of an apple seed.

2 Case skins. As the juvenile bugs grow, they shed their skins, discovery of which can indicate their presence.

3 Defecation. After feeding, bed bugs return to their harborage to hide where they defecate black to brown stains on porous surfaces or black to brown mounds on nonporous surfaces.

4 Bites also may indicate bed bug activity, but further signs will need to be found, since other sources can cause red welts on the skin.

How do you get Bed Bugs?

You can pick up bed bugs almost anywhere — offices, stores, hotels and gyms for starters. They’re great at hiding and have been known to hitchhike in luggage, personal belongings or even you. Once indoors, they can be very difficult to control without the help of an experienced pest specialist. You can reduce your chances of a costly bed bug infestation by catching them early.

Tips

• Remove all clutter from your home, which makes finding bed bugs easier.
• Wash and dry your bed linens on the hottest temperature permitted.
• Closely inspect any second-hand furniture before bringing it in your home.
• Inspect your home after moving, trips, service calls or overnight guests.

How serious are Bed Bugs?

Reproduction

Females can deposit one to five eggs a day, and may lay 200 to 500 eggs in a Bed Bug’s lifetime. Under normal room temperatures and with an adequate food supply, they can live for more than 300 days.

Bed Bugs and Disease

It is possible that Bed Bugs can carry diseases, however, they are not known to transmit diseases to people.

Bed Bug Bites

Bed Bugs feed exclusively on blood, and people have various responses to Bed Bug Bites.

Identify Cockroaches

How to identify Cockroaches?

Appearance
Cockroaches can measure over 50 mm (2 in) length, with tropical species tending to be larger than those found in other climates. Cockroaches have six legs, two antennae and some have wings. However, most winged cockroaches are not particularly adept at flying.

Cockroach Facts

Cockroaches belong to Kingdom Animalia, Phylum Arthropoda, Class Insecta and Order Blattaria. Some species invade human dwellings and are considered pests. Others are beneficial to the environment as important recyclers of decaying organic material. The pest cockroaches can be carriers of various diseases because they are commonly found near waste deposits or in the kitchen, where food is present. Restaurants may also experience cockroach infestations. Cockroaches emit unpleasant odors.

Cockroaches can wreak havoc on your home. To win the war in cockroach control, here’s what you should know:

• Entry: Cockroaches can enter your home in many different ways, from the outside through cracks and crevices, vents, sewer and drain pipes. We even bring them in on products like grocery bags, boxes, purses and on our person!
• Ideal environment: Your home is an ideal breeding ground for certain pest species of cockroaches. With plenty of food, warmth, water and nesting sites, they can remain active all year round.
• Reproduction: Cockroaches reproduce quickly. For every one you see there can be many, many more hiding and multiplying behind your walls.
• Evasiveness: Because cockroaches typically are nocturnal, if you’ve seen one, you probably haven’t seen them all. The few cockroaches you see by day could mean they were likely forced out by overcrowding; a possible sign of severe infestation.
• Allergies/Asthma: The debris created by cast-off cockroach skins, dead bodies and droppings can aggravate allergies, especially in children and sensitive individuals.
• Do-it-yourself ineffectiveness: Cockroaches are better at hiding than you are at finding them, and their eggs are naturally protected from many over-the-counter insecticides. Without special equipment, materials and know-how, cockroach control can be a losing battle.

Can Crickets tell temperature

Question: Can Crickets Really Tell You the Temperature Outside?
Male crickets "chirp" for multiple reasons including warning off predators and attracting female mates. But the sound of the actual chirp is due to a hard rigid structure on one of the wings. When rubbed together with the other wing, this is the distinctive chirp you hear at night.
But can crickets really indicate outside temperatures?
Answer:
Yes! Anyone outside at night listening to crickets “sing” can determine the outside temperature with a small math problem.
First, count the number of chirps a cricket makes in 15 seconds. Record this number or remember it.
Next, add 37 to the number you wrote down.
That’s it! You now have a good estimate of the temperature outside in Fahrenheit!
The idea was first studied by A. E. Dolbear in 1898. He systematically studied various species of crickets to determine their "chirp rate" based on temperatures. Using T for temperature in degrees Fahrenheit and N for number of chirps, Dolbear published his results in the form of an equation - T=50+[(N-40)/4] This equation for cricket chirping is now known as Dolbear's Law.