2011 Super Service Award

Bug Out Service Earns Coveted Angie’s List Super Service Award

Award reflects businesses’ consistently high level of customer service

Bug Out Service has been awarded the prestigious 2011 Angie’s List Super Service Award, an honor bestowed annually on approximately 5 percent of all the businesses rated on the nation’s leading provider of consumer reviews on local service and health providers.

“Only a fraction of the businesses rated on Angie’s List can claim the sterling service record of being a Super Service Award winner because we set a high bar,” said Angie’s List Founder Angie Hicks. “The fact that Bug Out Service can claim Super Service Award status speaks volumes about its dedication to consumers.”

Angie’s List Super Service Award winners have met strict eligibility requirements including earning a minimum number of reports, an exemplary rating from their clients and abiding by Angie’s List operational guidelines.

Ratings are updated daily on Angie’s List, but members can find the 2011 Super Service Award logo next to business names in search results on AngiesList.com.

Angie’s List collects consumer reviews on local contractors and doctors in more than 500 service categories. Currently, more than 2 million consumers across the U.S. rely on Angie’s List to help them make the best hiring decisions. Members get unlimited access to local ratings via Internet or phone, exclusive discounts, the Angie’s List magazine and help from the Angie’s List complaint resolution service. Take a quick tour of Angie’s List and view the latest Angie’s List news.

http://www.angieslist.com/

Don't Fall Behind

(by Jeremy Maneol)





Fall temperatures are finally here and after the hot and dry summer we just endured, the change is welcome! Our lawns have really suffered from the extended lack of rain this season and some have taken it harder than others. The next challenges we face when preparing are lawns for winter are compounded by the fact that many of our lawns are entering the cold weather months in a weakened condition.

So what do we do now to prepare them for what might be another very cold winter? Will the lawns survive? How much damage will occur? These are all great questions, but there are many other factors to consider when evaluating plant heartiness.

Believe it or not the turf grass as well as shrubs have already begun preparing themselves for the cooler months. You may have notice a slow down in growth of all plants right now. This is because the plants are beginning to put more energy into the root system and also beginning to store vital nutrients in the root system for the winter.

So now that we know the plants are doing there part, what do we do to help?

Fall Tip #1: Keep watering your lawn.

The days are cooler and shorter. So your lawn probably won't show quite the same distress it would have during the summer if you let up on your irrigation. Try not to over-water… about once every 10 -14 days will probably be sufficient with out rainfall. It’s best to set your irrigation to the manual position.

Keep up the watering, though, because the better condition your lawn is in when it becomes dormant during the winter, the better condition it will come back in next spring.

Fall Tip #2: Spray for perennial broad leaf weeds.

These pesky weeds, of which dandelions are a particularly common and particularly annoying variety, can be hard to treat. You might be tempted to spray them in the spring when they are in full bloom. Waiting until fall, however, is your best choice.

As the weather cools, the weeds transport nutrients from their leaves to their roots in anticipation of the winter ahead. Spray them now, and they'll take the herbicide down to the roots along with the nutrients. You will see much better and longer lasting result from the herbicides.

Fall Tip #3: Fertilize your lawn.

Spring can be a tempting time to fertilize - you'll see fast results and who doesn't want that? But patience is the winner when it comes to fertilizing, and although you'll have to wait months for the payoff, fall fertilizing will strengthen your lawn's roots, not just cause top growth (which is what spring fertilizing does). With stronger roots, you'll have a thicker healthier lawn for the entire growth season to come.

Fall Tip #4: Put the mower away.

This is probably the hardest thing to do, but if you allow the turf to grow a little higher than normal it will be better protected through the winter months. Basically the higher turf will act like a blanket or insulation for the root system. Now if you are in area where mowing is an absolute must, then try to mow as high as your mower will let you. Whatever you do try not to go out and mow it a little shorter thinking it will keep you from having to mow for a while. These are the lawns that generally will receive the most winter injury.

There are no special chemicals or fertilizers out there that can guarantee against winter injury, but when proper fertilizers and proper cultural practices are followed then at least your lawn will have a fighting chance.

As always if you need us, give us a call!

904-743-8272
For a limited time: free initial charge for lawn or pest control service when paying for the year up front!

Bed Bugs Spreading

(By Robert Holyfield)

As this article is being written, we have two representatives from our company attending a Bed Bug summit in Chicago. Bed bugs are becoming a major problem across the country and are spreading at an alarming rate. We are now getting calls daily and finding homes infested where only a few years ago it was only a bedtime saying. A lot of people get very emotional thinking they are dirty or have done something wrong when they get an infestation. This is far from the truth. Due to world wide travel, bed bugs can come from 5 star hotels. Their great hitchhiking ability has led to them being found in movie theaters, department stores, airplanes, buses, just about every where people travel or meet. Some studies say there is about a 25% chance that apartments that have a bed bug infestation will infest the ones next to it also. Lawsuits are springing up everywhere. Financial problems are arising for property owners or managers having to pay high fees for treatments that were not budgeted for. Used furniture can be a good way to introduce your home to these pests. Even taken delivery of a new mattress that was transported to you with a truck that has just picked up a discarded mattress from the previous customer loaded with bed bugs can cause you future problems for sure. To date, there are no silver bullets to get rid of the problem. Early detection and treatment is the best course of action. Inspect regularly for bedbugs or evidence of them. You will see actual bedbugs or fecal blood spots and stains along the seams of the bed mattress. Framing and head boards are very important to inspect also. The first thing my wife tells the kids when we stay in a hotel is let daddy check the room for bed bugs. She has heard the stories and wants no part of these little monsters. Several companies have developed whole house heat treatments that heat up the entire home to around 140.degrees. This kills all stages of the bed bug, however there have been several homes burned to the ground doing this treatment and all areas must reach around 113 degrees temperature or you could have a failure with surviving bed bugs. Pesticides treatments have not provided very good results due to resistance from bed bugs. There are a number of preventative products being marketed and sold. Bed mattress encasements work well to prevent the mattress from becoming infested. There are also disks that can be placed under the legs of the bed or furniture to keep them from climbing up. Glass cups work well also as bed bugs cannot climb due to the slickness of glass and their feet not having suction ability. We currently offer whole house fumigation to rid the entire house with one shot. The Jacksonville Bed Bug task force will be holding a meeting December 13th bet 1:00 and 5:00 and is free to the public. They will have some great info and suggestions for the public or businesses that could be affected by this critter.

As always, if we can help, give us a call.

904-743-8272

SILVERFISH

Silverfish

(by Robert Holyfield)

When you think of silverfish, you might be picturing something you pull up on the bank after your fishing pole just bent over. Silverfish and firebrats are often referred to as bristletails because of the three , tail-like appendages that protrude from their abdominal. They look like something from the dinosaur age having their bodies covered in scales and shaped like something you might see embedded in rock dug up in Egypt. They are silver to pearl-gray in color and have a carrot- shaped body. Adults can live up to 3 years and are about ½ in long. They live in cracks and voids and can be found throughout the home. They can be found where books, paper, boxes or old clothing are stored. Their food sources consist of protein, sugars and starches. They will eat cereals, starch in book bindings, paper on which there is glue or paste. They will damage wallpaper by eating holes through it to get to the paste. Silverfish prefer a dark, moist environment and feed on mold in these areas. Bathrooms and laundry rooms are a hot spot to find these little buggers roaming about. You can sometimes find them in the sink or tub because the sides are slick and they cannot climb out after falling in. Bookshelves are another good location as well as stored boxes in attics. They can also live outdoors and can be found in mulch, under tree bark and under siding on houses. They are active at night and usually hide during the day.

CONTROL:

You can reduce their numbers by correcting moisture problems. (Ex: Drying out damp areas with a fan or dehumidifier, repairing leaking pipes, ventilating closed rooms, & repairing leaking roofs) Use the ventilation fan when using the shower or tub. You can also reduce hiding places by removing old papers, books, boxes and other clutter. Wherever possible, seal up potential hiding places with caulk. Remove leaves and other debris around the home to decrease the chance from an outside invasion.

MAKE YOUR OWN TRAP:

A very simple trap can be made by taking a glass jar and scrubbing it clean and covering the outside with masking tape to make it easy to climb. Put it in an area where you have been seeing the little buggers and they will climb up and fall into the jar, but cannot escape due to the smooth interior walls. Moist cotton or starchy foods will work as bait. Sticky traps normally used for roaches and other insects work also.

As always if we can help, give us a call.

904-743-8272

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Wasps & Bees (By Robert Holyfield)

Summer is in full swing and I’m sure you are having your fill of a wide variety of little buggers. Most insects are a nuisance at best; however some wasps and bees can put a painful hurt on you. There are several different types of bees and wasps you can encounter.


Paper Wasps are one of the most common stinging insects you will encounter. They build paper nest anywhere from the eaves of your home to the bushes in your yard. They are social insects and will attack in numbers when they feel their colony is in danger. So be careful when pruning bushes. Shake them first and be prepared to MOVE!

Yellow Jackets are another social stinging insect that can be dangerous when encountered. They usually build their nest in the ground and when walked over or mowed over they will come out in large numbers looking to get revenge! Both Paper Wasps and Yellow Jackets can sting you multiple times making them more dangerous because of the amount of venom you could receive.

Honey Bees are usually not very aggressive and you usually will not have a problem with them, however their cousin The Africanized Honey Bee (Killer Bee), is much more aggressive and can really hurt or even kill you. They are much more persistent in attacking when disturbed. The normal European Honey Bee will usually defend its nest at around 150 ft where the Africanized Bee will defend its nest upwards of 400 ft. They can only sting one time and loose their stinger.

Carpenter Bees don’t usually pose a problem in regards to stinging you. They are very large and resemble a bumble bee. They have a shinny and smooth abdomen where the bumble bee has a fuzzy abdomen. The female is the only one that can sting you sense the male lacks a stinger. He will be the one darting all around you acting so bad. So when you see him flying all around and hovering in front of you, just smack him, he’s bluffing! The Bumble Bee however can put a hurting on you! They usually make a nest in the ground under things and can sting you multiple times. They are one of the best pollinators of plants and flowers around making them a very beneficial insect.

Cicada Killer is a very large wasp some people encounter in their yard. They make a Bumble Bee look like a sissy. They dig small mounds tunneling in the ground. The Argyle area usually has a problem every year with them. Their main purpose is to go out and seek a Cicada to sting and bring back to their nest so the young developing wasp have something to feed on. Due to their large size, we get calls from people deathly afraid of them. You can actually walk right through the area where they are nesting and they will not bother you. (I would not suggest this though) they are not aggressive at all unless you look like a Cicada.

Mud Daubers are another wasp you generally will not have a problem with in regards to stinging you. They are not aggressive will not defend their nest. You will usually find their nest on your exterior walls, eaves, even attached on your light fixture. They construct their nest of mud or clay. They mainly feed on spiders and sting them to paralyze them where they pack them in sections of this mud home for their young to feed on.

You can always find more information on the University of Florida feature creature web site at http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/creatures/

**Always be careful when attempting to treat for any wasp or bee infestation. Serious harm or death could occur when taking this route. Consult a professional who is equipped to handle these treatments with specialized suits!! **

As always, if we can help, give us a call.

904-743-8272

FLEAS

By: Robert Holyfield

The warm weather is here and so are the flea calls! There’s nothing more frustrating than having fleas and not being able to get rid of them! The cat flea is the most common flea you will encounter. Adults are 1-3 mm in length, reddish brown to black and their bodies flat vertically so they can easily glide through the hairs of cats or dogs. Have you ever picked a flea off you or your pet and tried to kill it between your fingers by squeezing? Good luck! They usually spring right off back into the depths of your carpet. If you have finger nails, put him in between them and slice. That usually does the trick. Fleas are capable of jumping 8 to 13 inches horizontally. That’s a gold medal jump of 450 feet for you or me! Their life cycle from the time they lay their eggs to a newly hatched adult can be as little as 3 weeks. Depending on when the eggs were laid, you can have a hatch out every day so it looks like a treatment that was preformed is not working when really it is. They just have to come into contact with the product. The life cycle consists of egg, larva, pupa and adult. The pupa stage is the stage where they can lay dormant for months until they feel vibrations alerting them that a host is nearby and they hatch out right away to get a blood meal. I have had realtors call me in the past stating that they showed a house that had been vacant for months and before they left they were covered with fleas. A trick I had often suggested was to lay a boom box (if there is still such a thing) face down on the floor and turn the volume up so the vibration will signal there is a host and cause them to hatch out when no one is around. They come in contact with the treatment that was rendered and better control was obtained. You can also place a pan of water with dish detergent in it on the floor just below a night light and see if you have a infestation. If you have pets, you use vinegar instead of dish detergent.

Things to do before treatment:

Vacuum the entire house and put the bag or contents in a plastic bag and throw it away. Vacuuming will remove some adults and eggs and stimulate new adults to hatch out from the pupa state as we mentioned above forcing them in contact with the insecticide residual on the floor. Pick up all items off the floor so a good coverage can be obtained.

Finally call a professional to do the treatment as they have products and the knowledge to apply them in a safe and effective manner.

As always if you need us, give us a call. 904-743-8272