Nobody likes the thought of sharing their home with insects or rodents. When the time comes and insects and rodents are not contributing towards rent or a mortgage - its time they go. You may decide to handle the job yourself, or hire a professional pest control company. There are pros and cons to each decision. Of course trying to tackle the problem on your own is money saving way and you get to choose your own products and methods. However, you are not the professional, there are safety risks and you could actually make the problem worse!

Today, we are going to offer advice on common mistakes homeowners make when they try to make their home bug and rodent free.

You hear a mouse or see droppings, so you set traps. However, you set mouse traps in the middle of rooms.

Rodents are extremely smart! Rodents prefer to travel along walls and surfaces out of safety from predators and due to their poor eyesight. Place mouse traps perpendicular to the wall with a small amount of bait. Avoid using cheese, and use mouse bait like peanut butter, grains, sweets and fats to attract them. If you have small children or pets, keep them away from the areas where traps are set or place in inconspicuous places to get rid of rodents.

Ahh, there is ants all over…you grab the nearest any spray.

Over the counter products for ants are designed for a contact kill, so the ants you see will die. However, these products leave behind a repellent causing the ants to forage into other areas, spreading your initial problem and not fully solving the problem. The ants you see only represent 8-10% of the colony, so a physical kill to that small portion will surely not eliminate a colony of ants.

Bees are easy to eliminate, I’m not going to pay someone to take care of them – just remember spray and run!

Stinging insects have an aggressive nature and consulting an Albany pest removal company is recommended. Not always will over the counter products fully eliminate the nest. When it comes to yellow jackets, before spraying and stuffing that entry point where the yellow jackets are congregating – think again! This can drive yellow jackets inside creating a larger problem like having them come through the wall or ceiling. When it comes to stinging insect removal, hire the professional to properly treat and remove – besides, you don’t want to get stung!

Fall Invaders: Box Elder Beetles, Cluster Flies and Stink Bugs are inside, time to grab the spray!

Fall invaders begin looking for a place to call home mid-August to mid-September. Once, they find a home, they are there for the winter. Treating them from the indoors is much more difficult to do. The best method for control is treating your home from the exterior focusing around windows and doors mid-August to mid-September to prevent their entry. Once inside the best tool is the vacuum!

You just search the bed for bed bugs.

The most common misconception about bed bugs is bed bugs are just bed bound. Bed bugs can spread too many other places like the box spring, headboard, bed frame, night stand, picture frames, luggage, clothing and much more. Bed bugs prefer tight spaces where they cannot be bothered like steams of mattress, where bed frames meet and other inconspicuous places. Look for live bed bugs, bed bug droppings (black pepper looking) and blood staining.

Household pests can be more than just a nuisance, but they can damage your health and destroy your property. To protect your home and family, a positive proactive approach against any kind of pest infestation is always best. Hiring a pest professional to properly identify the pest and treat accordingly, will save you time, money and aggravating. Insects and rodents require vigilance, regular maintenance to prevent re-infestation. Before tacking your next pest problem, think again and call Thomas Pest Services for a no charge inspection.