INVASIVE PEST SPECIES:
A GROWING PROBLEM FOR HOMEOWNERS

Rose Pest Solutions reminds homeowners to be cautious of insects of foreign origin

Invasive species, or insects of foreign origin, continue to grow in population, causing major issues for American homeowners and an increased need for pest control Chicagoland. Rose Pest Solutions Chicagoland, urges vigilance against invasive species including Formosan termites and red imported fire ants (RIFAs).

The Risk

“Like many other pests, invasive species tend to make their way into homes during the fall in search of resources and shelter for the winter months ahead,” said Bery Pannkuk, Director of Sales for Rose Pest Solutions. “Unfortunately, invasive species can cause severe property damage, and in some cases injury, once inside the home.”

NPMA warns about termites

Experts at the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), a nonprofit organization committed to the protection of public health, food and property from household pests, encourage homeowners to be especially aware of the Formosan termite, a species of subterranean termite that tends to be more aggressive than its native counterparts. Formosan termites are capable of consuming wood at rapid speeds, which largely contributes to the $5 billion termites cause in property damage every year.

Formosan Termite

Fire Ants

Another common invasive insect is the red imported fire ant, a species mainly found in the southern United States. When disturbed, RIFAs are known to swarm and sting humans repeatedly, often producing painful welts. While this doesn’t effect your home in the Midwest directly, be very cautious when travelling, so as not to venture into outdoor areas unfamiliar to you, unprepared.

Red Imported Fire Ant (RIFA)

Due to the health and property risks posed by invasive species, the NPMA recommends sealing cracks and holes on the exterior of the home with caulk, eliminating sources of water and moisture in and around the house, and frequently inspecting the property for signs of an infestation. If you’re not comfortable doing these things yourself, a Rose technician would be more than happy to assist you in protecting your property.

Residential Pest Control Chicago

“If an infestation is suspected, people should not attempt to control it with do-it-yourself measures,” added Pannkuk. “Instead, contact a licensed pest professional who can identify the species and effectively treat the problem.” There are so many awful gimmicks and “cure-all” products out in stores these days. I wouldn’t trust them if I were you!

Doing it yourself

If you don’t know what type of insect species you’re trying to get rid of, you may not have success in choosing an over-the-counter product to fix the problem. Even if you do know exactly what you’re treating for, you may not be able to find a product strong or effective enough to take care of the problem. Another thing to think about is: Are you solving the problem? Or just treating the symptoms?

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) labels products specifically for certain types of insects. Ultimately, when treating for pests, the label is the law! For example, the bottle of ant gel bait you picked up for the tiny reddish brown ants in your kitchen is most likely not going to effect the big black carpenter ants you see from time to time in your garage in the same way. Different bugs are attracted to different things. You wouldn’t feed a fish dog food, would you? If you’re not sure about something, it’s so worth it to just call a Rose pro! We know exactly what we’re doing and we’ve got the best professional products available. Not to mention, we’ve got the latest technological education on the subject, too.

Residential Pest Control technician for Rose

We’ve got you covered

You may not have any visible signs of pests today, but who’s to say your child won’t come home from a slumber party tomorrow and bring bed bugs or cockroaches home? You should always be prepared. We’ve designed our pest control programs to be as easy on you as possible. You don’t even have to be home when we come out to complete your pest service (unless you want to of course!) One of our most popular residential pest control programs is described below.

Healthy Home Maintenance Plan

Provides year ’round protection against:

• ants
• centipedes
• cockroaches
• earwigs
• millipedes
• pillbugs
• silverfish
• spiders
• other crawling ocassional invaders

Gold Plan

Adds Protection Against:

• Rodents (mice, rats, voles, shrews, etc.)

Platinum Plan

Adds Protection Against:

• flying insects
• stinging insects
• asian beetles
• boxelder bugs

Our customers love that while on any of these programs, if activity happens in between your quarterly services, we come back out to take care of the problem free of charge! Each plan is customized to suit your home’s needs. We will solve problems at their root sources so you can rest easy!

Residential Pest Control with termite protection

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