fleas Archives | Johnson Pest Control - Pest Control & Extermination Services

7 Houseplants to Keep Bugs Away

A venus flytrap in Eastern TN - Johnson Pest Control With all of the at-home and DIY pest control solutions that you can find on the internet, it can be hard to tell what actually works to keep pests away without professional intervention. If you’re looking for a reliable source, you’ve come to the right place! The technicians at Johnson Pest Control have been serving the Eastern TN area with inspections, preventative maintenance, and extermination services for nearly 40 years.

Over this time, we’ve developed an intimate understanding of the habits and features of local pests in the area. As such, we’ve learned how to repel them and can help you do so on your own. Read on to learn more about houseplants that you can keep around to prevent pest infestations!

7 Houseplants that Can Repel Pests

It’s important to preface this information by saying that simply placing houseplants in areas where you commonly experience pest infestations will not be the final answer to your problem. Some plants can, however, discourage certain pests from establishing breeding grounds or being active at sites that might otherwise be hotspots. Here are 7 plants that you can use to repel bugs:

Citronella: You’ve probably seen citronella candles marketed as insect repellent products in stores. The plant itself has the potential to deter mosquitoes, flies, and other insects.
Basil: This is another plant that works particularly well against flies and mosquitoes. It will also prove useful in your kitchen!
Spearmint: This plant is easy to grow, smells fresh, and is proven to deter aphids, moths, fleas, ants, and more.
Dill: Sticking to the trend of traditional garden herbs, dill is a helpful herb to repel aphids, spider mites, and other insects that commonly infest gardens.
Catnip: Catnip can be difficult to grow indoors, but with the right amount of sunlight it can protect you from ants, beetles, cockroaches, and more common household pests.
Venus flytrap: Although they are high maintenance plants, venus flytraps are fascinating organisms that will snatch up flies and other pests in your home if they get too close.
Pitcher plants: Pitcher plants are other kinds of carnivorous plants, but are quite difficult to grow. These are a better option for an advanced gardener.

Reliable Pest Control Options for Your Home

Although the thought of using plants to safeguard your home from pests is a fun, non-toxic, environmentally friendly option to consider, it will not provide your property with optimal protection. If you’re looking to keep pests out of your home year-round in Eastern TN, ask your local pest control company for help. Our team at Johnson Pest Control is equipped to deal with all sorts of bugs and wildlife in the area with comprehensive strategies and advanced technology. Contact us today for a free quote!

Can Fleas Live on Humans? How to Treat Flea Bites

A cat with fleas in Eastern TN - Johnson Pest Control If you’ve ever dealt with a flea infestation before, you know that the frustration can feel neverending. For people with pets, fleas are a constant threat, and even when you think you’ve removed all of the fleas from your dog or cat, they reappear seemingly out of nowhere. How do these parasites stay so persistent, and what can you do to heal their bites? Our technicians at Johnson Pest Control have all the answers and more. Read on to learn what you can do about fleas in Eastern TN!

Can Fleas Live on Humans?

If you’re dealing with a flea infestation in your house, you might be worried that they will make use of you as a host. While this is extremely rare, it is possible—there is a species of fleas known to seek out humans, but they are very hard to find in industrialized countries.

For the most part, fleas in Eastern TN prefer to live on dogs or cats where they are able to hide in long fur. However, this doesn’t exclude them from biting at your ankles if you aren’t careful. To make matters worse, even if you believe you’ve cleared your pet’s fur of all fleas, they can live in carpets, rugs, and similar surfaces temporarily until they find a new host. To ensure that all fleas in your home are eliminated, it’s best to work with a professional flea exterminator.

How to Treat Flea Bites

If you’re dealing with flea bites currently, it’s important to start taking measures to heal them right away to avoid the possibility of an infection. Here are our recommendations for treating flea bites on your own:

Most importantly, refrain from scratching them at all costs
Wash your bites with antiseptic soap to avoid an infection
Use calamine lotion or anaesthetic creams to alleviate itchiness
For swelling bites, apply an ice pack to reduce inflammation
If you notice symptoms worsening or showing signs of infection, seek medical attention.

Professional Flea Exterminators in Eastern TN

If you can’t seem to get rid of fleas on your own and are worried for the safety of yourself or your pets, call your local pest control company. At Johnson Pest Control, we conduct exhaustive property inspections, finding fleas in places that you wouldn’t think to look and using industry-leading, eco-conscious technology and techniques to get rid of them swiftly. For a free quote on flea control or to ask us any further questions about fleas, contact us today!

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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 Be Pest-Free in Your Backyard

Learn to be pest-free* in your Sevierville TN backyard with tips from Johnson Pest Control If you are spending more time in your backyard than ever this year, you’re likely noticing just how many pests are outdoors! Especially in the late summer months here in Sevierville, insects are out in full-force. Unfortunately, they can quickly put a damper on your outdoor plans. Whether you’re spending time barbecuing outdoors at night, or your kids are playing on a swing set, it’s important to know how to keep pests away from your outdoor living space.

Insects & Pests in the Backyard

Your backyard can be a haven for many pests and insects, especially this time of year. Whether you’re dealing with mosquitoes infesting your birdbath or ants surrounding your outdoor dining set, pests are at full-force. The most common pests you’ll encounter in your yard are stinging insects (bees, wasps, and hornets), ants, spiders, mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, flies, and more. Any of these can be a nuisance to deal with, but mosquitoes and ticks are especially dangerous to be in your yard.

8 Ways to Prevent Pests in Your Outdoor Living Area

No one wants pests infesting their outdoor living areas. While it can be hard to avoid pests when spending time outdoors, there are a few things you can to do help steer them away from your property. Our top tips are:

Apply an insect repellent. Any repellent with DEET will help repel mosquitoes and ticks.
Get rid of standing water. Mosquitoes only need a half inch of standing water to breed.
Keep your lawn and shrubs trimmed. Overgrown grass or vegetation provides mosquitoes and ticks with shelter.
Inspect your yard for ant hills. Even a tiny mound can contain thousands of ants inside.
Inspect wood structures. Your deck or porch may be vulnerable to termite or carpenter bee activity.
Clean your patio or space regularly. Crumbs or spilled liquids will attract ants and other insects.
Light up some citronella candles. While not a long-term solution, this will repel mosquitoes during outdoor activities.
Consider replacing your light bulbs. Yellow bulbs or sodium vapor lights will not attract as many insects as bright light bulbs do.

Professional Outdoor Pest Prevention

If you have endless pests in your backyard, it’s best to contact your local exterminator. An expert can pinpoint areas of your yard that may be conducive to pest problems as well as help you prevent them! The team at Johnson is happy to help–contact us today!

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