West Nile Virus Prevention Tips

Seems that every time we look at the news this summer we see a new report about the West Nile Virus and with over 1,000 cases in 48 states reported so far this season, it’s no wonder. According to the CDC 2012 has experienced the highest number of West Nile Virus cases reported since its first detection in the US in 1999. Here in Tennessee there have been 5 human West Nile cases reported in 2012, according to the TN Dept of Health. To keep you and your family safe this season follow these rules for preventing West Nile Virus.

  1. Apply insect repellent that contains an EPA-registered active ingredient, such as DEET, to skin or clothing before you head out doors
  2. Prime times to get bit are dusk and dawn, if possible avoid being out doors at these times
  3. Eliminate standing water where mosquitoes can lay eggs
  4. Install or Repair Window and Door Screens
  5. Support Community-Based Mosquito Control Programs

For information on Johnson Pest Control’s Mosquito Treatment Service call 865-453-7587 and visit our specials page to receive a mosquito treatment discount.

Fleas and Ticks are More Than a Nuisance to Family Pets

FLEAS AND TICKS ARE MORE THAN A NUISANCE TO FAMILY PETS

Johnson Pest Control urges pet owners to take proactive steps to protect their animals

Plenty of pests pose health risks to humans, but there are also those that can be dangerous for other beloved family members— pets. Summer is prime season for ticks and fleas, which pose serious health risks to pets.

TickTicks are vectors of Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, which can be transmitted to humans, but they can also cause tick paralysis in dogs. This can cause muscle weakness, loss of coordination and even death if the chest muscles become paralyzed, causing respiratory failure.

Adult FleaThough often thought of as an itchy annoyance, fleas also pose a serious health threat to pets if left unchecked. Beyond the fact that they breed with lightning speed and quickly infest homes, fleas’ saliva can cause anemia, dermatitis and can transfer tapeworms.

Fleas and ticks are especially problematic in the warmer months. Time spent playing outside with pets or walking in the woods or in tall grassy can put pets at risk for picking up these pests. It’s important for owners to carefully check their pets frequently throughout the season.

Johnson Pest Control along with 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 prevent fleas and ticks:

  • Check pets frequently for fleas and flea dirt. Be aware of excessive scratching, licking and nibbling grooming behavior in pets Avoid walking in tall grass where there is a greater chance of encountering fleas and ticks
  • Avoid tick habitats such as low-growing brushy vegetation along the edge of the woods or a trail
  • Bathe pets after walks or playtime with other animals
  • Wash pet bedding, collars and plush toys frequently
  • Wash bed linens and vacuum carpets, floors and furniture frequently
  • Empty vacuum bags in an outside receptacle
  • Speak to a veterinarian about flea and tick prevention treatments
  • If you suspect an infestation, contact a licensed pest professional immediately to treat the problem.

To speak with a pest professional about your flea or tick issues, contact Johnson Pest Control in Sevierville, Knoxville & East Tennessee at 865-453-7587 and visit our home flea treatment page.

 

Bed Bug Prevention Tips For Shoppers

NPMA Approved Tips For Preventing Bed Bugs While You ShopBed Bug

With back to school time here again and the sales tax holiday this weekend many of us will be doing our back to school shopping. As bed bugs continue to make a resurgence they have been known to show up in many places, including clothing stores. Be sure to follow these tips while shopping to reduce the chance that you bring bed bugs home with you.

    • When trying on clothing, be aware of any stains that seem unusual. These could be telltale blood spots left by feeding bed bugs.
    • Inspect clothing carefully before purchasing. Even if you choose an item from an undisturbed pile, bed bugs could still find their way onto clothing. Pay particular attention to the inside seams, looking for any signs of sticky white eggs, shed skins and the bugs themselves. Notify the store manager immediately if you suspect the clothing displays signs of bed bugs.
    • Check behind dressing room mirrors and any other crevices where bed bugs could hide – even wall sockets – before trying on clothing.
    • Hang your clothes on hooks, rather than lay them across cushioned seats in dressing rooms or on the carpeted floor as these are safe and popular havens for bed bugs.
    • Keep clothing in the store bag, tied and sealed if possible for the trip home. Shake articles out outside before bringing them into the house/apartment.
    • Immediately launder the clothing in hot water or steam/dry clean delicate items.
    • If you suspect a bed bug infestation in your home, contact a licensed pest professional for an immediate inspection.

For more information on bed bug treatment and control or if you expect an infestation contact Johnson Pest Control at 865-453-7587.

Johnson Pest Control is Now Bedbug FREE Approved!

Bed Bug Free ApprovedJohnson Pest Control has received Bed Bug Central’s BedbugFREE designation!

Johnson Pest Control is extremely proud to be this region’s leading professional pest control service provider. Since 1984 our reputation for prompt and thorough quality service with unparalleled results has been Johnson Pest Control’s owner, Ray Johnson’s, personal guarantee.  Ray has also taken his commitment to the highest standard of service in the pest control industry to a national level having served as President and now as the Immediate Past President of the National Pest Management Association.  Johnson Pest Control has long had a reputation as a good provider of bedbug treatments to assure we continue leading the way in East Tennessee we have raised that service level from “Good to Great” by receiving our designation as a bedbugFREE Company.  The bedbugFREE designation provides our customer base with the assurance that our staff has been trained by the bed bug leaders of our industry.  This designation along with our QualityPro, QualityPro Schools and GreenPro certifications establish Johnson Pest Control’s strong commitment to be the best in our industry at every level for both our current and future customers.  The QualityPro designation is the “mark of excellence” in pest management which provides peace of mind that we will operate with the highest level of professionalism.

What is BedbugFREE Approved

BedbugFREE is a network of pest management firms that share a similar philosophy and approach to bed bug management as BedBug Central. BedbugFREE companies provide quality and efficient bed bug work. For more information click BedbugFREE to visit our webpage.

Johnson Pest Control also takes good care of your lawn

Ray and Tammy Johnson believe the key to growth in the pest control business is keeping up with advances in pest control technology. That explains why Johnson Pest Control Inc., has been so successful in its 21 years of service to Sevier County.

Johnson Pest Control Inc. offers general pest control and termite services as well as lawn care services.

The business began in 1984 as a one-man operation. It was home-based. But growth was quick and steady.

In 1987 Johnson Pest Control moved to its present location at 218 Bruce St. in Sevierville. The Care Free Lawn division was added to its list of services in 1998.

The company now has a team of experts to serve its customers. Keva Shorter the office manager, has grown with the company since she started with them in 1988.

Donna Coker joined the management team this year as the company’s first human resources manager.

In 2004 Johnson Pest Control earned the “Tennessee’s First” QualityPro Company distinction. QualityPro is the National Pest Management Association’s Mark of Excellence.

Among the services offered by Johnson Pest Control are pest and rodent services, termite treatments and prevention, wood infesting beetle treatments, moisture control and foundation ventilation, and mosquito management. The lawn care services include balanced fertilization, pre-emergence crabgrass and grassy leaf control, weed control, aeration and over-seeding services, mole control, disease control, lime application, turf insect control and ornamental care.

Johnson Pest Control offers the latest in pest control technologyot their valued customers.

The company is customer-driven. After all, it’s the customers who write the paychecks.

“Thank you, Sevier County, for voting Johnson Pest Control No. 1 in the Readers Choice Awards,” the Johnsons said.

Call the folks at Johnson Pest Control. Dial 453-7587

Johnson gets new designation

Johnson Pest Control has earned the QualityPro Schools designation, meaning that the company recognizes that pests in schools need to be managed in a careful and environmentally responsible way.

In addition to fulfilling the QualityPro requirements, Johnson Pest Control has trained all of its technicians and salespeople on specific techniques above any state requirements, according to the company.

QualityPro companies have met qualifications built around five key principles: Business Operations; Consumer Relations; Environmental Stewardship, Technician Training, and School Integrated Pest Management.

New info for kids on those crawly critters!

The National Pest Management Association is putting together new information to promote the image of the pest control industry. Did you know that without the use of pesticides there would be more illnesses? That’s right. Tammy Johnson with Johnson Pest Control stated, “We want to inform kids that one of the causes of allergies is from cockroaches. There is a lot about bugs that kids need to know. People will tell children that pesticides are all bad but if pesticides are applied according to the label and applied by professionals who had the training to do it correctly, it can only help us. Without pesticides there would be an increase in West Niles Virus a disease spread through mosquitoes.”

To help kids understand better the use of pesticides Johnson Pest Control has added a link on their web site just for kids. In addition, the staff from Johnson Pest Control are planning on visiting area schools to spread the word to provide kids a quality education on pesticides. They plan to talk to kids from kindergarten through fifth grade.

According to Johnson, each student who participates will receive a special “Official Pest Detective Cetificate.”

The website will also feature interactive games and a site for teachers to prepare lesson plans as well as listing general information about the pest industry. For more information you can call 453-7587 or check out the website at www.johnsonpestcontrol.com.

It’s a cool site and you’ll want to check it out. Just click on the kids section of the website but be sure to get permission from your parents before going to this or any other website.

Did you Know that the world health organization attributes increases in the human life span over the last 100 years to three things? They are:

1)   Better pharmaceuticals

2)   Better Sanitation

3)   Better Pest Control

Johnson Pest Control earns mark of excellence in pest management

Johnson Pest Control, a pest management company with 21 years in business in Sevier and surrounding counties, has earned the QualityPro Schools designation, meaning that the company recognizes that pests in schools need to be managed in a careful and environmentally responsible way.

Becoming a QualityPro Schools company means that Johnson Pest Control has taken extraordinary steps to ensure that schools can rely on us. In addition to fulfilling the thorough and in-depth QualityPro requirements, Johnson Pest Control has trained all of its technicians and salespeople on specific school IPM techniques above and beyond any state requirements.

Taking these steps clearly demonstrates that Johnson Pest Control cares about protecting children in the school environment.

“Taking our QualityPro designation a step farther to become QualityPro Schools certified was important to me, because I believe the management of pests in a sensitive environment like a school demands special car,” said Tammy Johnson, Owner. “This QualityPro Schools designation, like the QualityPro program, offers schools solid proof of the careful way my company offers it services in schools. Johnson Pest Control is extremely proud to find out from the National Pest Management Association that we are the first pest management company in Tennessee to become QualityPro certified and the first company in Tennessee to become QualityPro Schools certified.”

QualityPro companies have met qualifications built around five key principles: Business Operations, Consumer Relations, Environmental Stewardship, Technician Training, and School Integrated Pest Management. These qualifications include employing only highly trained, credentialed employees; offering a clear, easy-to-understand warranty and termite service agreement; maintaining a drug-free workplace; advertising truthfully and ethically; and maintaining an up-to-date insurance policy.

Bugs at Seymour Intermediate School

Presentation by Johnson Pest Control kept students’ attention
By Jani Whaley

Seymour Intermediate School was crawling with bugs last week, as Johnson Pest control was on hand to give an interesting presentation on the little critters. Third graders were wide-eyed as the specialist presented a slide show discussing bug facts and trivia. Cockroaches, mosquitoes, dragonflies, ticks, termites, ants and spiders were among the insects that were identified and learning when a bug becomes a pest was the key objective. A personal collection of the bugs was also on display for the students to examine.

Company Earns Top Designation

Johnson Pest Control, Inc., a pest management company with 20 years in business based in Sevier County, has earned the National Pest Management Association’s QualityPro designation, the mark of excellence in pest management. Johnson Pest Control Inc., is the first pest management company in Tennessee to receive this distinction from the National Pest Management Association.

Becoming a QualityPro company means that Johnson Pest Control, Inc., has taken extraordinary steps to ensure that consumers can rely on us. Ray Johnson, owner of the company said, “As a result of meeting the necessary qualifications to become a QualityPro company of choice, we are now an even better company than before. From running background checks on all of our employees to using environmentally sound integrated pest management practices, QualityPro companies are committed to  providing their customers with the highest possible services.”

“Becoming QualityPro was important to us, because we strive to offer our customers the best in pest management,” said Tammy Johnson, co-owner of the family-owned company. “This designation, like the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval, offers consumers solid proof of the thoroughness and quality of our company’s services.”

QualityPro companies have met qualifications built around four key principles: Business Operations, Consumer Relations, Environmental Stewardship and Technician Training. These qualifications include employing only highly trained, credentialed employees; offering a clear, easy-to-understand warranty and termite service agreement; maintaining a drug-free workplace; advertising truthfully and ethically; and maintaining an up-to-date insurance policy.