Tag Archives: Cincinnati Pest Control

Cincinnati Pest Control, Flying Insects, Pest Control, Prevention tips, Recurring Service(s), Seasonal Pest Control

The Early Invasion of Stink Bugs in Cincinnati

Over the weekend while I was out doing some work around the house, I noticed what looked to be a couple of stink bugs trying to make their way in. It seems they have already started the search for a location to overwinter. If you’ve had issues with stink bugs in the past, now is the time to start preparing and pest-proofing your home before they make their way in.

As you’ve probably noticed the days have been getting shorter and shorter which is the trigger for many insects including stink bugs, ladybugs, and boxelder bugs to begin searching for areas to overwinter in Great Cincinnati. Like your home or business! While treatment will help to greatly reduce the number of these over winter pests that make it into your home the best way to deal with them is prevention: pest-proofing your home to keep them from making their way in.

In the Cincinnati area, we have a great number of insects that try to make your home their overwintering hotel including the brown marmorated stink bug, Asian lady beetle, boxelder bug, and cluster flies just to name a few. Brown marmorated stink bugs are usually the first to start searching followed by the Asian lady beetle a few weeks later. If your home has had issues in the past than you should expect the same problem again this year.

 

You may ask, what measures should I take to prevent these overwinter pests?

Pest control treatment is a great start. At Sure Thing, we can perform a fall application to your home to prevent a large majority of the stink bugs, boxelder bugs, and other pests from making their way in. While this is a great method for greatly reducing the chances of these pests from entering your home or business some exclusions measures should also be taken to have the best results.

Another great method for stopping them before they make it into your home is to properly pest-proof your home. Here are some tips that you can do at home to reduce problems with fall insect invasions:

  1. Seal cracks around doors, windows, and dry vents with caulk. Cracks as small as 1/8” will allow some insects to fit through.
  2. Replace torn or damaged window screens.
  3. Seal openings around pipes and wires in the foundation and siding with caulk. For larger openings use expandable foam or other suitable materials.
  4. Check the seal/ weather stripping under the doors. While lying on the floor, look to see if you can see light coming from under or around the door.
  5. Adding a chimney cap to exclude Stink bugs and also other wildlife. Make sure to leave your damper closed when not in use.
  6. *Cover attic and roof vents with hardware cloth. The cloth should be 1/6 inch or smaller to exclude stink bugs*
  7. Remove window AC units if possible.
  8. Apply a residual insecticide to the exterior of the home. Treating underneath and around doors, windows, utility openings, and where there is a change of material.

What To Do Once They’re Inside

Once overwinter pests have made it inside your Cincinnati home or business, you’ll generally them in various places. They are commonly seen around chimneys, closets, window air condition units, attics, on shelves, and around windows and doors.

Once Stink bugs have already made it into your home a chemical treatment is not recommended as they are going to be in wall voids and other areas that can’t be accessed so you may still continue to find insects. Besides prevention, the best way to remove overwintering pests is simply to suck them up with a vacuum. Another great control measure in dark areas such as attics and basements is to use some variation of a light-baited/ funnel trap and soapy water traps.

 

Got Questions? Need help? Don’t want the Stink Bugs to invade your home? Feel free to reach out! We’re here to help!

Cincinnati Pest Control, Commercial Pest Control, Pest Control, Recurring Service(s)

Covid-19 Service Adjustments

Dear Clients:

As an organization, we are taking additionals measures recommended by the CDC and our local government to ensure we are providing the best level of protection for both our clients and employees while still providing the quality of service you have come to expect for us.

We want you to know

  • Our employees are remaining vigilant in dealing with your pest issues and concerns
  • We’ll be limiting indoor services- our technicians will not be asking to come inside to check bait stations or perform interior treatments unless requested
  • We’ll be stopping the greeting practice of shaking hands
  • No signatures will be required to avoid contact
  • During services, we’ll be practicing social distancing (6 feet minimum) whenever possible
  • You’ll see our technicians wearing gloves and possibly masks depending on the facility
  • Our technicians are monitored daily and have been directed to stay at home if they feel ill
  • Our equipment is being cleaned at an increased frequency as a measure of precaution
  • Preventative annual inspections are being postponed until further notice
  • We’ll be focusing on robust exterior inspections and treatments to prevent and solve any issues that arise
  • We may make additional adjustments and changes in the following days and weeks as this is a continuously changing situation

We want you to know we are doing everything we can to protect your safety, health, and peace during this difficult unprecedented time.  We don’t recommend canceling or postponing any service as insects and rodents can still enter into your home and business.

Something to keep in mind is that just because your business is unoccupied doesn’t mean that insects and rodents are going to postpone invading your building. If anything they’re more likely to do so without anyone there. If your business has any adjusted hours please let us know.

If you have any questions or concerns about any pest issues or our Covid-19 protocol please don’t hesitate to reach out to us via email at help@surethingpc.com or phone at 513.247.0030.

 

We will all get through this time together!

Thanks,
The Sure Thing Team!

Cincinnati Pest Control, Pest Control

Sure Thing Pest Control Earns 2018 Angie’s List Super Service Award

Cincinnati, Ohio, January 06, 2019– Sure Thing Pest Control is proud to announce that it has earned the home service industry’s coveted Angie’s List Super Service Award (SSA). This award honors service professionals who have maintained exceptional service ratings and reviews on Angie’s List in 2018.

14x Super Service Award Winner

“Service pros that receive our Angie’s List Super Service Award represent the best  in our network, who are consistently making great customer service their mission,” said Angie’s List Founder Angie Hicks. “These pros have provided exceptional service to our members and absolutely deserve recognition for the exemplary customer service they exhibited in the past year.”

Angie’s List Super Service Award 2018 winners have met strict eligibility requirements, which include maintaining an “A” rating in overall grade, recent grade and review period grade. The SSA winners must be in good standing with Angie’s List and undergo additional screening.

“ We’re honored to have received the Super Service Award for 2018, this is recognition we take to heart. We are grateful for our current and past clients that have taken the time to write and review us on Angie’s List because without them and the great team we have we wouldn’t have been able to receive this honor. We’re looking forward to 2019 and the opportunity to provide superior service to our clients!”

~ Glenn Scherzinger

Sure Thing Pest Control has been listed on Angie’s List since 2004. This is the 14th year Sure Thing Pest Control has received this honor.

Service company ratings are updated continually on Angie’s List as new, verified consumer reviews are submitted. Companies are graded on an A through F scale in multiple fields ranging from price to professionalism to punctuality.

For over two decades Angie’s List has been a trusted name for connecting consumers to top-rated service professionals. Angie’s List provides unique tools and support designed to improve the local service experience for both consumers and service professionals.

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Sure Thing Pest Control is a locally operated company that steers clear of “one-size-fits-all” programs. We evaluate your insect problem, provide a thorough inspection and implement a program suited to your individual needs. We always provide services that make the absolute best results and incorporate integrated pest management into each of our programs. 12 employees. Cost determined by the job. No travel charges.

Contact:
Glenn Scherzinger
Co-founder
513.247.0030
help@kitmediadevelopment.com
Cincinnati Pest Control, Pest Control, Termites, Termites in Cincinnati, Winter Pest Control

7 Reasons You Need Pest Control in Winter

Pest Control in the Winter?

With the winter- time cold temperatures that bring snow and ice to the Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky area pest control may be the last thing on your mind. But don’t be fooled by thinking all the pests have frozen and died! You might think winter is a time when nature takes a rest, but things are not always as they seem. In the world of pest control, there is still a lot of work to do. Pests such as Black Widows and other spiders, ants, cockroaches, termites, bedbugs, fleas, rats, mice and the like, may slow down a bit, but they don’t go away. In fact, they continue feeding, growing and multiplying, often in the warmth and comfort of our homes.

Warmer days also get pest moving again, when outside temperatures are on a warming trend, outdoor pests, such as Carpenter Ants, House Ants, Wasps, bees, and occasional invaders like millipedes, and stink bugs, continue their activities. It is a wise practice to maintain your protective barrier guarantee on a quarterly basis. Cutting your pest control service during the winter season as a cost-saving measure gives pests a head start for the spring, and may void warranted services.

7 reasons to continue your pest control service through the winter

  1. Autumn invading pests living inside the walls are not affected by the cold temperatures outdoors.
  2. Termites, carpenter ants, cockroaches, silverfish, and many other insects can thrive indoors as the weather is always pleasant inside!
  3. Attics provide shelter to other insects such as wasps and spiders, as they try to escape the cold.
  4. Rodents can find their way into your home if all entry points are not sealed off.
  5. When we perform a meticulous inspection of your home, inside and out, we ensure that no pest related issues are present and identify any conditions that might increase the risk of future pest problems.
  6. Inspecting and/or treating entry points like doors, windows, and weep holes provide lasting protection and ready your home for the emergence of pests in spring.
  7. When we remove spider webs, egg cases, wasp nests, and mud dauber nests, we prevent them from reemerging when the weather warms.

Remember, invasive pests want to be indoors during the winter for the same reasons you do! It is important to perform a comprehensive winter pest control treatment to insure that your home is protected year-round.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our knowledgeable office staff at 513.247.0300.

Thank You for your continued patronage,
The friendly staff,
Sure Thing Pest Control

Termite Swarmers, Termites, Termites in Cincinnati

Flying Ants or Termites Swarmers?

Happy Spring! Springs marks the beginning of baseball season, but also the beginning when we start to see the signs of termites emerging from their wintering over here in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. In the early part of spring, one of the first and most obvious signs of a termite infestation in our region is the emergence of termite swarmers.

It’s very common for home and business owners in Cincinnati to mix up flying ants for termite swarmers unless you know what you’re looking for to distinguish the difference between the two. Continue reading to help inform yourself of the major differences to be looking for if you see a swarm of flying insects inside or outside your home.

From a Distance:

When flying ants or termites appear it’s often in a swarm of hundreds to thousands. If it happens at night you’re going to see them flying or congregating around interior or exterior lights on your home or business. If it happens during the day you’re going to see them congregating on the inside of your windows. Both insects are attracted to light so what’s happening is they’re trying to get to the sunlight outside. When swarming happens inside this is a sign that you have a mature ant or termite colony inside your home or business and that they’re being forced out by the colony as it matures.

You may also see a bunch of wings laying around, both ants, and termites lose their wings when they mate. Another indication of termites and not ants is that termite swarmers have white colored wings that are stacked on top of each other. This ends up making the white color bold and appearing as if they only have one set of wings.

Getting Up Close and Personal:

When looking at the ant or termite the first thing to look at is the wings. If the wings are about 1/3″ to 1/2″ longer than the body and completely rounded on the ends this means you’re looking at a termite swarmer. Where with ants you’ll notice 2 sets of unequal length wings and wings that are more pointed at the ends.

Next, when you look at the bodies there are three major differences to look for. Ant’s will have the distinct, pinched in waist and look segmented, while termites do not have this pinch and appear to have more of a cigar shaped body.

The second thing to look at is their antennae, ant antennae have an elbow in them and have a stick-like quality. While termite antennae are straight and look like they are made up of many segments.

The last difference is the size, termite swarmers are considerably smaller than carpenter ant swarmers. But since it’s very rare to be finding both insects inside your home or business swarming at the same time it’s good to remember that carpenter ant swarmers are about 13mm to 17mm in length. So if you’re seeing winged insects that are much smaller, you probably have termite swarmers.

Check out our termite page for more information and details about termites.

If you’re finding winged insects inside your home or business and determine them to be termite or ant swarmers, it’s important that you do something about it. While carpenter ants are less of a threat than termites, they can still do quite a bit of damage to your structure. Carpenter ants are also a warning sign that your home is being damaged by water. Carpenter Ants prefer soft or rotted wood to create tunnels and channels to nest in.

Sure Thing Pest Control is your hometown partner in dealing with termites or carpenter ants in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. If you’re ever worried that your home may have an ant or termite infestation feel free to reach out to us. You can trust our educated team to protect your home or business from wood-destroying insects.