Spring Pests are coming!
With warmer weather approaching insects of all kinds are shaking off the cold in the Shenandoah Valley. Spring in Virginia is a wondrous time, with the mountains turning from a brown or snowy white to bright green speckled with the vibrant colors of dogwood and redbud. But spring in Virginia also brings back the wide variety of pests found in Virginia, ranging from swarming termites, carpenter bees (Boring Bees), ants, wasps and spiders to name a few. Brown Exterminating is prepared to help you with any of your pest needs utilizing pest management programs designed specifically for your pest issues. Our methods are safe around children and pets as we have organic, all natural, low odor and low toxicity options to suite all of your pest management needs. Prevent the pest problems before they become a real problem, call today for a free quote.
Carpenter Bees
Carpenter Bees (Boring Bees) can be a real problem in Virginia. Over time, if left untreated, can cause structural damage. You may not think much of a big fuzzy bumble bee looking critter eating a small hot in your eaves or under a deck. But in a year that one carpenter bee will lay six eggs and those six bees may make six more and now you have 36 holes in your home and without treatment the issue will get worse. That little hole penetrates 6 inches into the wood as to make room for the nest. Next year another carpenter bee may come along and make it 6 inches deeper.
 Carpenter bees are most active in April and May as this is when they are preparing a nest for their eggs. They do this by eating a near perfect 3/8" hole, typically in a place protected from direct rain. The hole will go in about an inch and then turn and go another 6 inches. Here is where she will put her 6 eggs, each in an individual compartment within the hole she has made.
The male carpenter bees does not do much during this process except pretend to protect the area. The male has a white or yellow dot on his face and can not sting.
Female carpenter bees look like large bumble bees (Yellow, Black and Hairy) and have a shinny hairless black spot on the top of their mid section. Treating carpenter bees can be an extensive process and early or preventative treatments are recommended.
Termites Swarm in the Spring
 Termites top the list for spring pests. Termites swarm in the spring. Swarming is what they do to make new colonies and they do this in the spring when the temperature reaches around 70 degrees. Termites in Virginia live in the ground and eat cellulose which is found primarily in wood or wood products. They can live undetected, at least until they swarm. Only mature termite colonies swarm and it takes 3 to 5 years in Virginia for a termite colony to mature.
A termite swarm is an event in which the environmental conditions, springtime here in Virginia, trigger winged termites to simultaneously fly from their nest to mate and find new nest sites and food sources. It can be a dramatic event especially when they are swarming out of a window sill or from under your porch by the hundreds or thousands. Although the swarm may be an inconvenience they are harmless compared to the damage the established colony can do to your house.
At the first sign of a termite swarm call the pest management professional at Brown Exterminating Co. to properly identify them as termites and provide a free inspection and quote. Your home is possibly the largest investment you ever make and a termite can eat it right out from under you. Feel free to contact us for a free inspection before you see a swarm and ask about our warranty, which can typically costs less than 30 cents a day, to protect your home long into the future. More about termites and Brown Exterminating's termite and wood destroying insect services, click here.
Ants
Ants are a huge nuisance and an insect world favorite. Highly organized, social, selfless and efficient, you can chase them around all summer and never get rid of them. Some Queen ants have been known to live as long as 20 years and single ant colonies are inhabited by as many 100,000 ants.
The four most common ants in Virginia are Carpenter Ants, Little Black Ants, Odorous House Ants and Pavement Ants. Carpenter ants are the biggest threat as far as doing real damage to your home. The others can get into your foods and occupy areas of your home and be a nuisance. Brown exterminating can use non-repellent barrier chemicals in conjunction with baits to provide an effective treatments for ants. Call today for a free inspection and quote.
Rodents, Mice & Rats
 Rodents, such as mice, can also be a problem when the weather turns warm. This is their mating season and soon they will be looking for a nice protected place to have their babies. Since they can squeeze though small gaps in foundations, or even around the edge of a garage door, mice can get into your home. We get inquiries all the time when the weather turns warm about mice infestations. If the appropriate measures are taken, mice can be exterminated and controlled. Mice may become visible in living quarters where you will either notice where they have eaten, gnawed on something, droppings or actually see a mouse running along a wall and hiding. A mouse may be perfectly happy in a crawl space or attic where you do not ever see them.
Spring Pest Prevention Tips
The best practices to reduce spring pest infestations is to make the environment that they need to survive less hospitable. By removing food and water sources you can greatly reduce spring pest infestations yourself.
- Eliminate damp conditions, increase ventilation.
- Keep soil and mulch below wood and siding to reduce pest access.
- Keep gutters clean and roof lines in good repair.
- Seal openings at plumbing, electrical, and telephone line entrances to reduce access for pests
- Reduce plant coverage around the foundation.
- Trim bushes and trees away from building at least 1 foot
Call Brown Exterminating
Call Brown if you have any pest issues in your home or business in Virginia this spring. We will schedule one of our trained and licensed technicians to inspect your property, identify the pest and provide you with options to manage your pest issue. We can provide immediate and long term solutions to keep your business or home pest free and safe from unhealthy or potentially damaging pests. We serve Rockbridge, Rockingham and Augusta county Virginia and provide free inspections. Call today.
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