Trying to grow grass can be the bane of anyone’s existence as Grand Rapids pest control experts all know firsthand. You find yourself putting more effort into your lawn than some people put in at the gym, so darn it! You want results! But after weeks of strategically placing grass seed throughout your yard, you might be wondering why your lawn looks so thin and the birds look so fat. Little did you know that friendly flock of flyers is just waiting on their next free meal.

The easiest and possibly thriftiest solution to protect your grass seed, according to Grand Rapids pest control experts, is to buy garden ornaments that will scare the birds away. You can choose non-moving knick-knacks such as owls or snakes, but if the birds are smart, they might figure out these are just decoys. A better option might be to use brightly colored flags or pinwheels, something with a lot of color and movement, which will scare the birds away.

If your local flock seems resistant to the simplicity of this solution, Grand Rapids pest control specialists say it might be time to step it up a notch and pull out the big guns – straw mulch, a solid seed covering and a pat down. Try placing the seed under ¼” of soil and patting down with a shovel. Help keep the seed under the dirt and out of the birds’ mouths by camouflaging it with a straw mulch mixture. Birds do not typically eat straw, though they may steal a few pieces for their nests.

If all else fails, Grand Rapids pest control professionals suggest loosely covering the seed and ground with a plastic tarp might just do the trick. Avoid this scheme in the summer months, however, when the heat of the plastic will impede seed growth.

Birds do love their seed, but don’t be discouraged. Pest control pros say using one or all of these methods will eventually have your birds flying off to filch someone else’s feed.

Think grubs are something that happens in other people’s back yards? Think again! Pest control experts estimate that grubs cause more than $ 234 million in damage annually. And those are just the people who actually do something about it.

So what are grubs? Most people are familiar with Japanese beetles. These insects are serious problems for trees. So while your focus may be on protecting your ornamentals, you may not know that you’re also protecting your lawn as well. Grubs are the offspring of Japanese beetles. Before they set up shop in your trees, they lay their eggs underground. The white c-shaped larvae hatch and immediately begin feeding upon the root system of your turf. This feeding can continue for more than a year, and unfortunately it takes about that much time for homeowners to notice the damage. However, by the time damage is noticeable, it’s too late and the turf may need to be replaced completely.

Unfortunately, just being attentive to your lawn won’t discourage an attack of grubs. Healthy, moist lawns are actually ideal for these pests, much in the way healthy heads of hair are ideal for lice on humans. Signs that grubs have already begun to set up shop under your lawn are brown spots and grass that pull away easily from the soil. The eggs hatch in the late summer months, but the damage likely will not appear until the early fall months.

Although you can buy grub control products, it’s best to put it in the hands of a pest control professional because not only will you have to remove the grubs, but the damage to your lawn is irreversible and new grass will have to be laid or planted.

Each season brings new Grand Rapids pests. Some are a threat all year long while others tend to see our homes as protection during inclement weather. Whichever season is approaching, there are step you can and should take at the advent of every season to make sure your home will not be susceptible to Grand Rapids pest infestations. Here are some tips from Grand Rapids pest control specialists.

Many bugs gain entrance to our homes through gaps in and around windows and doors. Get out the caulking gun and seal up any of these gaps. If there is a substantial amount of room underneath a door that accesses the exterior of your home, it may be worthwhile to have it fixed. Many bugs hide out in the foliage directly outside your home, making it easy for them to crawl into windows and doors. Remember to also keep your trees and shrubs treated for Grand Rapids pests and trim them often to reduce populations of unwanted insects. Many insects are partial to cracks in the foundation, so be sure to check your home. These areas may need to be treated by Grand Rapids pest control professionals.

On the inside of your home, check drains for clogs. The leftover residue of food is perfect bait for cockroaches, flies, ants and other food-hungry bugs. The kitchen is one of the most primary sites of bug infestations and it can be as simple as thoroughly cleaning the area after meals. Make sure to degrease the stove and other areas where grease may have splashed. This again serves as an invitation to a wide range of unwanted Grand Rapids pests.

Anytime we spend any appreciable amount of time outdoors, we should be aware of the possibility of bringing home a few new friends with us, including mites. However, the great outdoors isn’t the only place we encounter mites, say pest control experts. These microscopic bugs can be found literally everywhere.

These insects have small rounded bodies and eight legs. You aren’t likely to be able to see them, since they are almost impossible to detect with the naked eye and are much smaller than ticks. Since we have difficulty seeing them, it is unlikely that you’ll know if they’ve hitched a ride on your clothing or are lurking in your closet or even on your pets.

There are different variations of mites, including dust mites, spider mites, mange mites, sarcoptic mites, gall mites and demodex mites. Mite specialists say they receive their name based on where they live and thrive. For example, dust mites tend to live in the home where there is dust.

You may notice you have mites by the mild to severe skin irritations that follow when they interact with us or our pets. Dogs or cats may constantly dig at themselves trying to relieve the itching mites cause. Similarly, we may notice red, dry patches of skin on our bodies that constantly itch.

The best remedy, according to pest control specialists, is to combat mites is by cleaning and keeping up with our cleaning regimen. Wash bed sheets and pillows often and with hot water. Vacuum carpets and upholstered furniture, being sure to get into cracks and crevices. Consider getting perimeter pest control to make sure these insects are unable to gain access to your home.

Who doesn’t love watching deer graze in a field? These serene creatures seem harmless enough and while we enjoy watching them do their thing, we just enjoy it more when it is not in our own backyard. According to Grand Rapids pest control experts, it is extremely difficult to stop deer from destroying your landscape. They are often capable of taking out an entire garden in just one evening with their ravenous appetites. Unfortunately for you, this feasting can cost you a lot of money trying to replace the plants that served as their supper. However, there are some tricks to keeping these ruminant mammals from undoing all your hard work in the back yard.

Deer don’t have much of an appetite for stonecrops. This is a plant with yellow, orange, red or pink flowers, so in addition to keeping deer at bay, it will also enliven your landscape. This plant stands as a favorite in the stone garden community, possibly because it offers contrasting colors in the flowers and leaves, which can appear bluish-green, off-white, greenish-yellow or reddish-pink.

Another useful plant is lamb’s ears. These deer-repelling plants are visually pleasing. They produce a light purple flower on tall spikes and have silverish foliage that feels comparable to velvet. This plant won’t ever be devoured by deer looking for a quick meal, as they are adverse to the texture and the taste.

If you’re looking for a plant that will not only keep deer away but other animals as well, the prickly pear cactus offers the same benefits of having a defensive barbed-wire fence without actually spending the money to install one. This plant is largely found in the eastern United States and produces stunning yellow flowers. The plant itself grows to be six to 14 inches in height and is a guaranteed to be ignored by deer.

Each of these plants can be grown in areas of your landscape that aren’t particularly shady because they can thrive with very little water. For more information on plants that will keep deer out of your garden, contact your local Grand Rapids pest control company.

There aren’t many people who like roaches, much less find them useful in any significant way. In fact, most of us would put in an immediate call to our pest control technician. However, these creepy, bacteria-covered bugs might actually be life savers if research scientists have anything to do with it.

Researchers are examining whether roaches can be used to help find buried or trapped victims of natural disasters. As the old adage goes, roaches could survive till the end of time. Their tough exterior make them harder to hurt or kill and they also have sharp instincts that allow them to quickly move out of the way of danger. For these reasons, scientists have identified them as perfect responders during disasters where time is of the essence. Instead of waiting for machinery to remove debris, these new “cyborg” roaches can be sent in to find people in need of help. But how will they be able to alert rescuers?

The roaches have surgically implanted electrodes in their antennae and cerci that allow them to be manipulated through electrical impulses. On their back will be a locator beacon and a tiny microphone that will transmit any sounds from individuals who are trapped and need assistance. Researchers are hoping that they will also be able to affix a small camera so they can retrieve images of the disaster area.

The antennae of these roaches will allow them to move about, as they use their antennae as sensors. The electrodes attached to their cerci will stimulate them to move in a forward motion. However, all the testing so far has been conducted on flat surfaces, so it has yet to be determined how well they would do when traveling through a more treacherous landscape.

Of course, this knowledge doesn’t mean that roaches are welcome in your home and that a call to your local pest control company isn’t in order!

Can you explain exactly how you are able to steer the biobots?

We use electric pulses to stimulate their antenna sensor cells, making them think there is an obstacle to navigate around.

Cockroaches use their antennae as touch sensors, similar to the way a blind person might use their hands to recognize the environment. So when we stimulate the antennal sensor on the roach’s right side, it makes a left turn, and vice versa. We also stimulate their cerci to make them go forward. Cerci are the sensors at the very back of the insect that sense any predator behind.

(See pictures of animal robots—marine machines made in nature’s image.)

Do the electrical pulses hurt the roaches?

No, there are a lot of scientific papers and evidence that show that invertebrates don’t have the sense of pain as we, humans, perceive it. So it was not like we were zapping them and they were reacting to pain. Their reflexes were simply navigating them around perceived obstacles.

We don’t want to torture cockroaches. Actually, we hope that our research will help the public to appreciate the importance and complexity of these little folks that we share an ecosystem with. Personally, I can’t even kill pest insects at home since I appreciate them so much!

Hands down, mosquitoes are probably one of the most annoying pests around. They can turn a perfectly enjoyable evening into an itchy, aggravating event that will deter you from enjoying a warm summer night again.

Besides being downright irritating (both mentally and physically), they also could pose a serious health risk. Pest control experts say mosquitoes can carry several deadly illnesses and the most vulnerable victims are children and the elderly. Most recently they have been blamed for transmitting the West Nile Virus and causing thousands of deaths. Additionally, they also carry malaria, elephantiasis, yellow fever, encephalitis and dengue.

Many pest control companies offer mosquito control so you can rest easy while you enjoy watching the stars with your family or friends. If you have a big event coming up, you can also have the area sprayed so mosquitoes will not disturb your guests.

If you live on or near water, you should really be mindful of the potential harm mosquitoes can cause. Pest control specialists say water is a must in order for mosquitoes to breed, so if you have standing water around your home that you can get rid of (ex: pooling water on your lawn that could be graded), it might be a good idea to do so and remove the threat.

If mosquitoes are becoming a serious problem, you should call your local pest control authority right away. Many people think a mosquito bite is harmless, but you don’t want to take the risk of being bitten by one that is infected with a deadly disease.

The very sight of your grill may inspire a happiness that’s almost incomparable to anything else. Standing in front of your BBQ, basting brush in one hand, cool beverage in the other, feeling the ultimate domination of man over meat. So when spring comes around and you’re chomping at the bit to get your grill out and invite summer to an early appearance, you may be dismayed when you take the cover off and look inside to find that your beloved grill has served as a Grand Rapids pest haven during the dormant months.

If you think about it, an outdoor grill is the perfect spot for rodents and other bugs. Leftover remnants of last summer’s feasts and the dried grease drippings are open invitations for critters looking for a good food source. Furthermore, it’s the perfect place to keep warm, stay out of the elements and store their own food supply.

Many grill owners may be tempted to throw out their grill and start anew, but more than likely this isn’t going to be a one-time problem and buying a new grill each summer may prove costly. With the help of a good sanitizer, you can restore your grill to like-new status. You can use anti-bacterial wipes along with a metal grill brush that is designated to only be your de-pest brush and a good de-greasing spray to pull off this feat and return your grill into a clean and sanitary place to create summer BBQ blowouts.

In order to make this task a bit easier, take all removable parts off of the grill and immerse them into boiling water that has had Dawn or another de-greasing dish detergent added to it and let these parts soak for 20 minutes or so. After you’ve cleaned and de-sanitized, turn the grill on (if it’s gas powered) or place charcoal within and set afire. The extreme heat will complete the process and kill off any lingering bacteria.

This may actually also be the perfect time to call your Grand Rapids pest control company and find out how you can stop Grand Rapids pests from infiltrating your grill once the season is over.

Many people find the bi-annual daylight savings to be a time to check in on their house to make sure everything is working properly and running smoothly. They may make it a time to inspect their roofing or plumbing, but include smaller tasks such as checking smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Depending on the part of the country you live in, you may be in for a long, cold winter. Or, you could just be slightly inconvenienced by some chilly weather. Wherever you live, there are definitely some tasks you can consider when daylight savings time is once again upon us. Here are some as recommended by your pest control professionals.

The most obvious task is to check your clocks. Replace batteries in wall clocks to make sure the time doesn’t fall behind and consequently, you as well. While you’re on battery patrol, check the batteries in flashlights as well. You should have a few well-placed flashlights throughout your home in case of a loss of power, as well as in your car in case of a break down at night.

If you have an irrigation system, you may want to have that checked by lawn care professionals or do it yourself if you can. You can also check your thermostat if it’s on a timed program and make sure you’re setting it for the correct temperature, given any temperature changes you will experience due to seasonal changes.  Many people also use this time of year to check or replace their furnace filter. This is especially important because it keeps your system running as it should.

And of course, there’s always making sure pests stay outside where they belong! Call your pest control professionals to see what needs to be done before winter sets in!

As a population, we are not very fond of bees. They sting and buzz by our ears and chase us when we have something sweet or fragrant in our possession. Many people are even severely allergic to bees, which if the allergy is severe enough, can be potentially fatal. So with that stated, it is probably a pretty good idea to keep an eye out for these flying insects. If populations are large enough or if their hives are close to your home, you definitely want to call in the Grand Rapids pest control authorities. However, in the meantime, here is some information to help you stay on top of your potential bee problem.

If you happen to see bees in your yard, that doesn’t necessarily mean you have a bee problem. Bees are known to travel vast distances and there is a good chance the bee doesn’t belong to a nearby hive. It’s when you notice bees near or even inside your home that you need to really worry. Oftentimes, bees will create a hive under aluminum siding and will find easy access to the interior of your home through holes or eaves.

You may be tempted to remove the nest yourself or maybe even scare them away by spraying them with a hose; as Grand Rapids pest control officials we strongly urge you to rethink those actions. Bees that feel threatened may attack you and string you all over your body. What you should do is call your bee removal expert who can not only remove the threat, but identify weak spots in and around your home. From there you can caulk any cracks, move garbage cans farther away from your home and make sure all your doors and windows are sufficiently sealed.