Pest Prevention Archives | Page 3 of 6 | Johnson Pest Control

What Are These Bugs With Pincers?

An earwig found in Eastern TN - Johnson Pest Control Have you noticed a strange-looking insect species crawling around your home this fall? Every year, our technicians at Johnson Pest Control hear reports of weird, skinny bugs with pincers on their rears creeping out our customers in Eastern TN. If this sounds like you, you’re probably wondering: what are these bugs, and why are they on my property? If you are, read on to learn!

Earwigs: What are They?

If you’re noticing bugs that are 1/4” to 1” in length with long antennae, dark brown to black midsections, and big pincers on the ends of their bodies, you’re dealing with earwigs. Their name sounds creepy, and indeed, it comes from unsettling origins. Earwigs are named as such because of an old myth saying that they would crawl into the ears of sleeping people to bore inside their brains. This, of course, is untrue, but the name sticks around to keep us on our toes.

Earwigs live wherever they have easy access to plant and animal matter. They are not picky—earwigs will eat all sorts of things, including:

Leaves and flowers
Fruits
Fungi
Aphids, flies, and other small insects that they can capture in their pincers

Some people worry that earwigs can poison them with their pincers. In reality, earwig pinches aren’t poisonous, and shouldn’t even break your skin. They will hurt a bit, though, and they do use this as a defense mechanism to ward off would-be predators.

How to Get Rid of Earwigs

You might have earwigs without even knowing that they’re around. Earwigs are especially attracted to homes with gardens or lots of vegetation, so you might find jagged and holey leaves all over your yard along with small, black pellets of earwig excrement.

If you’re seeing them inside your home, do not squish them. They leave behind an odorous residue that is quite unpleasant to smell and clean up. Instead, try these strategies to get rid of earwigs:

Spread petroleum jelly at the base of infested plants. Earwigs won’t crawl on it.
You can spray insecticides on your plants to ward earwigs off, but make sure you follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the label.
Diatomaceous earth can be spread around plants to stop earwigs, but only in dry weather.
Lay sections of bamboo or garden hose between the plants in your garden to function as barriers or traps to crawl into.
Make sure you check everything that you bring inside from outdoors for earwigs.

Are Your Earwigs Getting Out of Hand?

If you are dealing with excessive earwigs around your home in Eastern TN, reach out to your local pest control company. Our technicians at Johnson Pest Control can help you identify the source of your infestation and put a plan in place to bring it to a swift stop. For more information on our services or a free quote, contact us today!

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Pest Problems? Check For Leaky Pipes!

Roaches enter homes through pipes and plumbing - Johnson Pest Control in Eastern TN Dealing with a leaky faucet or plumbing problem is frustrating enough for any homeowner. However, the problem can become double fold when pest infestations ignite due to the excess moisture in the home. This is because all types of pests are attracted to damp environments, which is why they’re commonly found in bathrooms, crawl spaces and more. Needless to say, a broken water pipe or sewage issue can directly correlate to an increased risk of pests in the home. This makes it crucial to always attend to maintenance problems as soon as you have them. Read on to learn everything you need to know about preventing pests and leaky pipes that can cause them in your Eastern Tennessee home!

What Pests Are Attracted to Moisture?

Bugs and insects are drawn toward areas that provide them with their main sources of survival: food and water! The most common pests that are going to be attracted to areas with excess moisture are as follows.

Termites: If a broken pipe has caused water damage in the very structure of your home, you can be sure termites are to follow. Subterranean termites in particular are attracted to moist wood and soil. When there are unattended-to leaky pipes or plumbing issues, you could be leaving your home vulnerable to termites.
Ants: These tiny pests will appear seemingly out of nowhere when excess moisture is abundant. Leaky faucets or spilled water from a pet’s bowl can bring ants out in the hundreds. In addition to your typical house ant, water can be a main attractant to the wood-destroying carpenter ant as well.
Cockroaches: Roaches may be known for their resiliency, but they aren’t as strong as you’d think. Without water for a week, a roach will not survive. Cockroaches also love to linger inside of pipes and plumbing fixtures. An issue can quickly introduce roaches into other parts of the house.
Rodents: Rats and mice alike are always looking for a water supply. Leaky pipes or broken faucets in your crawl space or laundry room can provide a haven for rodents. The last thing you want is rodents scurrying around when you have a plumbing issue, making it important to prevent them.

Pests & Leaky Pipes

A plumbing problem can cause numerous pest problems. This is because almost all pests are attracted to water. In fact, some will die without a source of water within a few days. If you want to help prevent pests in your home, the best thing to do is keep an eye out for leaks and address any issues right away. Regularly inspect to ensure your faucets aren’t dripping, your drains aren’t clogging, and there are no leaks from your fridge, washing machine, or dishwasher.

Need to Get Rid of Pests in the Kitchen or Bathroom?

If you are noticing a flux of pests after dealing with a plumbing issue, it’s important to take care of it right away. The last thing you want is a full-blown infestation, making it important to contact your local exterminator. At Johnson Pest Control, we will work hard to get rid of any pest problems and provide you with tips to prevent future ones.

Prevent Summer Pests From Ruining Outdoor Festivities

Pest infestation in Sevierville TN backyard - Johnson Pest Control They may not be on the guest list, but many pests including ants, flies, mosquitoes, and other stinging insects are likely to disrupt outdoor festivities this summer. Pest season is in full force during the summer months here in Sevierville TN. Spending time outside can sometimes be a gamble considering the heightened pest activity. Unfortunately, plenty of pests are attracted to our food, so they tend to frequent our outdoor cookouts, but there are ways to prevent these uninvited guests from crashing the party. To keep pests away from your outdoor living space this summer, keep reading for expert tips from Johnson Pest Control.

Common Backyard Pest Problems

In our region, we are used to dealing with all types of pests all year long. However, the summer and early fall are known for their influx of insects. This includes right in your backyard! The most typical pests you may encounter right in your backyard include:

Keep Pests Away From Your Yard

The good news is that keeping pests away from your yard can be simple when you take the time to make your property less attractive to the pests in general. The National Pest Management Association, a nonprofit organization committed to the protection of public health, food, and property from household pests, offers these tips to help pests from ruining your summer gathering:

Prior to the summer months, check screen doors and repair any holes.
Remove sources of standing water in your yard, including birdbaths, wading pools, or garden ponds.
Have insect repellant containing an EPA-registered active ingredient like DEET or Picaridin available for you and your guests.
Adorn your deck or patio with citronella candles that can help minimize the presence of mosquitoes.
With guests coming in and out of your house, make sure the doors close behind them.
Plan to serve food and beverages indoors, and reserve outdoor space for eating and entertaining.
Keep food sealed in containers whenever possible, and wipe tabletops frequently.
Clean trash, spills, and crumbs immediately from tables and other surfaces.
Bring utensils and dishware indoors shortly after the meal.
Rinse all beverage bottles and cans, and dispose of them in tightly closed garbage containers.

Outdoor Pest Control in Sevierville TN

We all know that pests are a fact of life, especially outdoors and especially in the summertime! If you’ve done all you can to keep pests away from your backyard to no avail, it’s time to enlist the help of your local pest control experts. At Johnson Pest Control, we will work to keep pests out and away from your yard for good. Contact us today to get started!

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What Do Bed Bug Bites Look Like?

Bed bug in Eastern TN - Johnson Pest Control Discovering bug bites of any sort on your skin can be distressing. But how do you know what bit you in the first place? Many bugs will bite sight unseen—meaning you won’t know what bit you until you see the symptoms of the bites on your skin. One of the main types of bug bites is bed bug bites. In fact, seeing bites on your skin are oftentimes one of the first signs you have a bed bug problem in general. For this reason, it’s crucial to learn how to identify bed bug bites against other types of bug bites. In this article, the bed bug experts at Johnson Pest Control are here to share their knowledge on identifying bed bugs through their unique bites.

Behaviors of Bed Bug Bites

Bed bugs are unique in a number of ways. For one, their bites are typically not felt whatsoever. Here’s what to know about bed bug bites:

Bed bugs will likely bite you during the night. This is not always the case, but it is their normal behavior. So if you are waking up at in the morning with bites that were not present before bed then bed bugs can be a possible problem.
Bed bugs will feed on exposed skin, not through clothes or sheets. However, if you wear loose clothing they can crawl underneath clothing to find optimal spots to bite you.
When a bed bug bites you they will insert saliva, which keeps your blood from clotting. This process allows the bed bug to fill up on your blood while biting you, and also numbs any pain associated.
Bed bug bites do not pose immediate health hazards to a person. The allergic reaction a person has can be the most immediate concern. As an infestation grows the amount of bites one receives can be the largest nuisance leading to potential health hazards.

Pictures of Bed Bug Bites

Many times people do not have reactions to bed bug bites and may only have some white or small red bumps. For other people bed bugs will cause an allergic reaction that will cause larger, more inflamed, red bumps. Below are some photos to help identify bed bug bites.

Bed Bug Bite Pictures in Sevierville TN - Johnson Pest Control — Photo via www.bedbugcertified.com/

Flea vs Mosquito vs Bed Bug Bites

Flea Bite Pictures vs Bed Bug Bite Pictures in Sevierville TN - Johnson Pest Control — Flea bites can look like bed bug bites. Look at secondary circumstances to help determine what problem you might actually have.

Bed bug bites can look very similar to mosquito or flea bites. If you have a pet in the house and they are scratching feverishly throughout the day and/or night then your problem is likely fleas. If that pet sleeps on your bed then chances increase that fleas will claim your bed.

Mosquito bites can produce similar red bumps. Usually, those bites will occur on exposed skin during the dawn and dusk hours. If you happen to have bites showing up high on your thighs then you can eliminate mosquitoes as your bug problem.

Do You Have Bed Bug Bites?

If you are noticing bed bug bites on your skin, it’s important to contact your local bed bug control team immediately. Getting rid of these pests on your own is—more often than not—unsuccessful. Because the bites are one of the first signs of their presence, an exterminator can quickly get rid of the problem and save you from the frustration of continued bites. Contact Johnson Pest Control today to get started!

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How to Prevent Fire Ants

Fire ant mound in Eastern TN - Johnson Pest Control Fire ants, often called “red imported fire ants” originate from Brazil but were introduced to the United States around 1940. Since then, they have spread throughout much of the southeast, including right here in Tennessee. Because these pests can pose a serious threat, it’s important to know how to recognize them as well as how to stay safe from their painful stings. Learn more with the ant control experts right here at Johnson pest Control.

What to Know About Fire Ants

Fire ants differ from your typical house ant in a number of ways. The most important things to know about these potentially dangerous pests include:

If a fire ant mound is disturbed, they will attack as one unit. When disturbed, the ants will begin spilling out ready to attack—and each ant will sting repeatedly.
To begin a fire ant colony, queen fire ants mate with males, killing the male in the process, and fly to the site at which she’ll begin the new colony. The queen will lay up to 800 eggs per day, growing the colony to an average size of 100,000 to 500,000 ants.
Fire ants don’t bite—they sting! Their stings can result in a burning sensation, hence their name. The sting site may swell and itch. A small pustule sometimes develops where the stinger enters the skin.
If fire ants get on you, it’s important to quickly and repeatedly brush them off your skin. The ants can latch on tight, meaning shaking won’t repel them. If you develop symptoms from fire ants, it’s important to seek medical attention.
Fire ants typically nest outdoors in open areas. Parks and fields are usually primary targets, but yards can be as well. The mounds are often found lining your grass and concrete, and they typically form on humid days.

How to Prevent Fire Ant Problems

To thrive, fire ants need moisture and shelter. By making your yard less attractive to fire ants in the first place, you can keep fire ants away from your property. This is best done by taking care of your lawn and yard. Here’s how to prevent fire ants from building a nest in or near your property:

Trim back your trees and shrubs to keep fire ants from traveling on them.
Rake back any mulch, straw, or other landscaping at least 6 inches from the structure of your home.
Mow the lawn regularly to avoid overgrown grass. Remove grass clippings and piles of leaves to eliminate fire ant harborages.
Store outdoor trash cans and dumpsters as far away from the structure as possible and be sure they have tight-fitting lids.
If you start to see a fire ant nest form, avoid contact and get in touch with your local ant exterminators for treatment.

Need to Get Rid of Fire Ants?

Trying to get rid of a fire ant mound yourself is dangerous. Their colonies extend far under the ground and feature multiple queens. Fire ant treatment should always be administered by a professional ant control expert to keep yourself and your family safe.

For fire ant treatment in Eastern TN, contact the ant exterminators at Johnson Pest Control today!

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Fire Ants in Tennessee [2021 UPDATE]

Fire ants in Tennessee by region - Johnson Pest Control If you are getting out into the garden this time of year then you will likely come across some ants. The ants we all know we do not want to come across are fire ants. Fire ants are serious pests that will swarm and bite all over you, your children, and your pets if they are agitated. These pests are common in Tennessee, making it important to learn all you need to know about them and the threats they bring. At Johnson Pest Control, we are committed to helping our communities learn about the threats of fire ants. Read on to learn all you need to know about fire ants in our region.

What Are Fire Ants?

Imported fire ants get their namesake from their ability to inflict painful bites and stings. Fire ants are an invasive species that are common here in Tennessee. They are most known for the large mound nests they create. These nests are large, flat, and irregular in shape. These ants will nest in the soil near buildings or in landscaping. If you come across a fire ant nest, it’s important to stay away—disturbing a fire ant nest can aggravate the ants, who will not hesitate to sting. Fire ant stings result in painful welts on the skin. This can be very dangerous for anyone allergic to insect stings.

What Do Fire Ants Look Like?

The red fire ant is larger in size than the average ant you will come across. The Red Fire Ant that is common to Tennessee will have a burnt red color and a dark, almost black posterior. These ants are segmented and have 6 legs. Needless to say, fire ants possess a stinger.

How To Treat For Fire Ants

To get rid of fire ants, it’s recommended to get assistance from a pest control professional. The three common methods to treat fire ants include:

Surface treatment using a residual contact poison. This approach is the least environmentally sound because the treated surface remains toxic for a long time. The ants may survive by foraging underground.
Individual mound treatment, which involves the application of a large volume of pesticide to reach the queen. However, it is nearly impossible to locate all of the colonies in an area, difficult to manipulate large volumes of liquid, and treatment is more expensive and time-consuming than other treatment options. Colonies not eliminated may move or split into several colonies.
Bait treatment, which uses some sort of attractive substance the ants like to eat. Unfortunately, baits are not always consumed, and the bait’s attractiveness is short-lived. The bait must be slow-acting and effective over a range of doses, since the dose the ants get, cannot be controlled. Baits may also be attractive to and kill some native ant species that compete with fire ants.

Imported Fire Ants in Tennessee

If you notice a fire ant mound in or near your property, it’s important to reach out to your local ant exterminators. At Johnson Pest Control, our ant control team is trained to properly take care of imported ant problems here in Sevierville TN. Contact us today to learn more!

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How Do I Safely Remove Ticks?

Deer ticks can transmit Lyme disease - Johnson Pest Control in Eastern TN Ticks are one of the most common spring and summertime pests in Tennessee. They’re also one of the most dangerous. Ticks are infamous for transmitting a number of diseases, including Lyme disease. While getting Lyme disease is rare, it can happen when an infected tick is embedded in someone’s skin for upwards of two days. This makes it essential to learn how to safely remove ticks when they bite you or a family member.

This National Lyme Disease Awareness Month, the tick control experts at Johnson Pest Control are here to share all you need to know about safely removing ticks.

What Ticks Transmit Lyme Disease?

Not all ticks transmit Lyme disease. For example, dog ticks transmit Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, but not Lyme disease. Deer ticks, also known as blacklegged ticks, are the species known to transmit Lyme disease. These tiny parasitic insects can and will attach to any part of the body but are often found in the groin, scalp, and armpits.

The good news is that when a tick is safely removed within the first 24 hours, the chances of contracting a tick-borne illness are low. It is only when an infected tick has been attached for 36–48 hours can the bacterium be transmitted. Knowing how to promptly and safely remove ticks, then, is essential to stopping the transmission of Lyme disease.

How Can I Remove a Tick?

Fine-tipped tweezers are the tool to use to remove ticks. This method is backed by both the ASPCA and CDC. When followed correctly, you can safely remove a tick without risk to you or your family:

Firmly grasp the head or mouth of the tick with your tweezers, as close to the skin as possible. Avoid grasping the tick’s body to the best of your ability, as this could inject the tick’s blood into the skin.
Steadily pull the tick outward in a straight motion. Try to not twist the tweezers, as this could dislodge the head, leaving it embedded in your skin.
After the tick is removed, carefully clean the area of the bite, as well as your hands, with soap and water.
For safe tick disposal, place it in a sealed bag or jar with alcohol. Another option is to flush the tick down the toilet. Do not crush the tick.

If a rash develops or you start to experience symptoms, it’s crucial to see your doctor immediately. If the tick was saved, your doctor may wish to see it for inspection.

Professional Tick Control Services in Eastern TN

Ticks may be the last thing on your mind in the spring or summer, but it’s important to learn how you can avoid a bite when you go outdoors. To learn more about tick control or removal, contact the experts at Johnson Pest Control!

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Can Carpenter Bees Sting?

What carpenter bees look like in the Knoxville TN area- Johnson Pest Control

Whether you’ve been stung once or a hundred times before, you likely won’t forget what a bee sting feels like. It’s a quick and uninvited jolt of pain, followed by a white bump that raises in size, heat, and intensity depending on the species of bee.

But did you know that some kinds of bees rarely or never sting? Although only a very small portion of bees worldwide are physically incapable of stinging, there are a few different types of bees that only sting when seriously threatened.

If you’re worried that you have carpenter bees living in your house, you shouldn’t be concerned about them stinging you.

Do Carpenter Bees Sting?

If you’ve noticed tiny holes that look like they’ve been drilled into the wood on your roof, railings, windowsills, or elsewhere – check around for flying insects with shiny black abdomen. Chances are, you have carpenter bees, but you shouldn’t fear being stung. Male carpenter bees are actually incapable of stinging – they don’t have a stinger.

Female carpenter bees will sting, but only in dire circumstances. There’s a chance you will be stung by a carpenter bee if you:

Swat at it
Step on it
Threaten its nest

Males protect their homes most aggressively, but their strategies work best on other insects because they rely on their threatening appearance.

Are Carpenter Bees Dangerous?

Some people wonder if the carpenter bees on their property could be seriously damaging the wood in their house. This shouldn’t be the case, but if you allow a carpenter bee population to grow in your home for a few years, the extent of the damage could exceed a negligible level.

Carpenter bees are also important pollinators. They don’t actually eat the wood that they tunnel through to nest – they sustain themselves on a primarily nectar-based diet, pollinating plants as they go along.

Although they are essential contributors to their local ecosystems, fostering too large of a carpenter bee population could result in your railings, roofs, and porches looking worn down and tattered.

How to Get Rid of Carpenter Bees

If you’re tired of lending your home to unwanted carpenter bees, contact your local bee removal experts. Here at Johnson Pest Control, we train our bee, wasp, and hornet specialists to use updated, humane, and environmentally responsible methods to rid your house of unwanted pests. Contact us today for a free quote!

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Are You Prepared For Spring Bugs?

Spring pest-proofing in Sevierville TN - Johnson Pest Control This April, we at Johnson Pest Control are proud to celebrate National Pest Management Month. We honor this tradition set forth by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) every year to acknowledge the pest control industry’s commitment to serving the public and eliminating health threats caused by pests.

April is also right around the time that many people start to notice an explosion of pest populations around them. From ants, to termites, to mosquitoes, to bed bugs, there is no shortage of pest activity in the Sevierville area come springtime.

Spring Cleaning to Prevent Pests

This year, incorporate some pest-prevention tactics into your spring cleaning routine. You might notice a pleasantly surprising drop in insects around your home! Here are a few of the ways that we recommend you pest-proof your home for spring:

Keep a neat yard: Tree branches and shrubbery should be trimmed so that they don’t provide an insect access point from your yard to your house. Keep all mulch at least a foot and a half from your foundation. Additionally, limit the amount of yard waste or piles of firewood laying around, or store them as far away from the house as you can.
Limit exposed food and garbage: Ants and cockroaches are both very likely to find any garbage or food that is left out for too long. Sealing your food in airtight containers and taking your garbage out regularly are two important ways to prevent them from taking refuge in your house.
Complete any necessary repairs: Make sure that the make-up of your house isn’t inviting pests itself. Seal any cracks on the outside of the house with a silicone-based caulk. Check for any gaps to fill at entry points for pipes and other utilities. Replace any rotted shingles that could be giving pests a pathway through the roof.

Common Spring Pests

Certain pests in the warmer, moister climate of the Sevierville spring. These are three pests to look out for this April:

Mosquitoes: When the temperatures rise in the spring and summer, mosquitoes come back to bother us again. Mosquitoes lay their eggs on standing water, so covering your pools, spas, and birdbaths and pouring out any unnecessary still water will prevent them from hanging around you.
Termites: They usually remain hidden, but in the spring, termite swarmers in your home are an indicator that there is a colony growing within your walls. Look out for tiny, brown flying insects, or their discarded wings.
Ants: In the springtime, ants will start to capitalize on any food left out or unsealed in your house. They also seek out moisture, so keeping your house clean and properly ventilated are good measures to take to prevent ants at any point of the year.

Professional Pest Management in Tennessee

If the start of your spring has been particularly plagued by pests, talk to your local exterminator about the right plan of action for your home. Our technicians at Johnson Pest Control are trained annually to assess the many pest problems that Tennessee homeowners might have and swiftly deal with them. Contact us today for a free quote before your infestation gets out of hand!

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Termite Facts and Termite Prevention Tips

Termite Facts and Termite Prevention Tips for Eastern TN - Johnson Pest Control As it continues to warm up here in Eastern TN, many of us are letting out sighs of relief over the passing of winter. However, it’s not all sunshine on the other end. Come springtime, the most destructive pest in the entire country comes swarming again: the subterranean termite. In order to protect your home from serious damage, it’s important to learn all that you can about the ways that these insects move and what you can do to keep them out. Read on to learn all about termites from the termite exterminators at Johnson Pest Control!

What To Know About Termites In Eastern TN

If you’ve never dealt with Eastern subterranean termites before, it’s hard to conceptualize just how sneaky they are. Their colonies are separated by castes, or specific classes of termites hardwired for different functions, and every caste but one is programmed to remain under the ground or inside wooden structures at all times. The only ones that aren’t are called swarmers or reproductives—these are darker-colored, winged termites whose purpose it is to spread toward new homes and food sources.

When subterranean termites settle down on your property, they will build their nests underneath the soil and dig tunnels called mud tubes toward your home, entering from underneath. Seeing these tubes pop up at the surface of your yard is a sure sign of termite troubles to come.

Termite Prevention Tips

Because moisture, and particularly water-damaged wood, aids the invasion process of subterranean termites, it’s important to work to reduce excess moisture and waterlogged wood, among other things. Here’s our best advice for preventing termites in your home:

Cover, elevate, and distance your firewood from your home
Refrain from using mulch near your home’s foundation
Ensure that your drainage systems are in working order
Inspect your home for plumbing leaks causing moisture buildup
Check that there aren’t any cracks or gaps leading from the outside of your home indoors

Professional Termite Extermination Services in Eastern TN

If you’re seeing swarmers or discarded swarmer wings on your property and are worried about the possibility of a termite infestation, reach out to your local termite exterminators. At Johnson Pest Control, our team is dedicated to a holistic approach, helping you to identify all termite damage and all active termites, then removing them from your properly with safe and effective techniques. Contact us today for a free estimate or to learn more about our termite control measures!

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