It May Be Cold Outside But…

 

I’ve got all the heart eyes for this right now! The crazy part? Spring will be here before we know it. The peak mosquito season in St. Louis starts in April and continues through September. We are already thinking about how mosquitoes will impact our area this spring and summer.

 

Don’t want mosquitoes impacting YOUR immediate area?  We’ve got you covered! Our 6 monthly mosquito treatments (April-September) are just the thing you need. Each treatment, which covers the entire perimeter of your yard, utilizes a barrier of microscopic materials that cling to the surfaces where mosquitos hide during the day which significantly reduces the mosquito population.

 

Look for more information to come out in the upcoming months. Until then, let’s all bundle up, look on the bright side of Jack Frost’s frigid temps and enjoy our mosquito-free winter!

Don’t Break THIS Resolution!

 

Hello 2018! As we kick off a new year, many people take time to reflect on the past 12 months and view the new year as fresh start. Did you make any resolutions this year? (Or have you…ahem…already broken any resolutions you made? Guilty as charged! Ha!)

According to a recent study, some of the most popular resolutions this year include taking up a new hobby, eliminating bad choices and re-examining life priorities, especially those related to money, education, weight loss and romance. While pest-proofing might not come close to being one of your resolutions, it totally should be! And there are certain things homeowners can and should do after the ball drops to ensure a pest-free new year.

STORE HOLIDAY DECORATIONS PROPERLY.
I know that taking them all down can be a chore. When you finally do get around to this (and no judgement from me if it’s not until the end of this month!), be sure you store your decor in plastic containers with tight sealing lids. It’s time to ditch any cardboard boxes!

KEEP YOUR KITCHEN CLEAN.
So…duh. This one sounds like a no-brainer but it’s easy to get sloppy on the cleaning when you’ve been cooking for what seems like hours. Food is one the main things that attracts pests to your home. This is one of those times where you want to your home as unattractive as possible to any “visitors” who may try to hang around.

SEAL ANY GAPS.
Install door sweeps on any exterior doors then seal the gap between the floor and the door. This not only eliminates spaces that rodents and pests use to get inside your house but also (bonus!) minimize airflow from the outside. Translation: No mice + no bitter cold wind = win-win!

LET’S CHAT ABOUT YOUR FIREWOOD.
Keep it away from your house and be sure to inspect the wood before bringing it inside. You don’t want to invite in any pests trying to hitchhike a ride!

REMEMBER THE OUTDOORS!
Bundle up and take a winter walk…around the outside of your home! Remove any dead branches or bushes you see. Check your gutters for excess leaves that can be removed. Inspect your home for any lose shingles. Then hustle back inside and warm up with some hot chocolate by the fireplace! 🙂

Adding pest-proofing as one of your annual resolutions can help you avoid frustrations with unwanted pests as well as eliminate potential damage and infestations during the rest of the year. Cheers to a pest-free 2018!

Let’s Play a Game: Fact OR Fiction

 

Winter is officially here — and boy do we know it! First came the snow followed closely by days & days & days of below freezing temps. It may seem like pests and winter don’t really go together…or do they? Let’s have some fun learning about this with this “Fact or Fiction” game!

FICTION! While it’s true that some insect populations tend to decrease during the winter, insects have learned to adapt & developed unique ways to survive. Some insects will overwinter in various stages until temps begin to rise again. Other insects go through a form of hibernation called diapause, where they use only a fraction of their normal energy & basically survive on stored body fat. Insects can also produce glycerol which acts similar to antifreeze does in your car.

FICTION! Pests that aren’t hiding outside may be overwintering inside your home or business in itty bitty cracks and crevices. Just because you don’t see them doesn’t mean they aren’t there. As a matter of fact, if you see spiders inside in the winter, chances are high that they’re scouting out overwintering pests who’ve taken up residence in your home.

FACT! Simple things to add to your to-do list that can help eliminate pests from entering your home include taking the trash out regularly, replacing weather stripping around your doors & windows, inspecting your home for cracks and checking for leaky drains & pipes to eliminate water sources.

#BakingIsLife

 

Brrrr! Winter’s cold weather makes us all kind of want to hibernate. And the thought of turning on a hot oven during this deep freeze warms my heart! Perhaps I’ll try out some of those cookie recipes I got at a cookie exchange over the holidays. Or experiment my new bread machine from Santa. Or surprise my family with homemade cinnamon rolls for breakfast. What are YOU baking now? Whatever you’re working on, you’ll want to be sure to take extra precautions when it comes to pantry pests. No one — and I repeat, NO ONE! — wants a buggy surprise in their baked treat!

 

Before you even bring the ingredients home, check them at the store. Look closely at expiration dates and inspect for any signs of damage on the packaging. Once you bring your ingredients home, keep any unused products or ingredients in sealed glass or Tupperware-like containers. Be sure to mark the expiration date somewhere on the container. Pantry pests — they’re just like us! They love grains, flour, chocolate, nuts and fruit too!

 

Clean, clean, clean! I know — this is the “not fun” part of baking although it’s just as necessary as turning the oven on before you put those cookies inside to bake. Wipe down crumbs & spills. Sweep the floor. And every so often, empty your cupboards. Actually vacuum your cupboards to remove crumbs then wipe the cupboards down with soap and water to remove any additional residue that might attract bugs.
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Pest Control in the Winter in St. Louis

St. Louis winters are unpredictable. Snow one day might be followed by spring-like temperatures the next day. One constant thing to remember is that pests have become acclimated to our winters and when they are not out & about, they are waiting for their opportunity to invade homes, seeking shelter and food.

 

One climate that is fairly consistent is that of the inside of our homes. Even with our recent single digit temps outside, most of us kept our homes a balmy 70 degrees. And this temperature happens to be ideal for pests like spiders, roaches, silverfish and even (eek!) bed bugs. Many of these pests actually reside inside so there’s really no “off-season” for them anyway.

 

Other pests, such as ladybugs & stink bugs, invade our homes in the fall where they stay nice and cozy throughout the winter just to re-emerge in the springtime. Unfortunately, they’re not too great with directions and just as many that end up back outside will also end up inside your home.

 

Blue Chip’s year round pest programs ensure that a constant barrier is around your home at all times of the year ensuring that no matter what time of year pests try to enter your home, they will not be successful.

 

Pests don’t take the winter off — and neither do we.

A Tale of Two Chris’s

customer quote
Miller and Emery. Chris and Chris. No matter what you call them, the teamwork that Virginia noticed in these two Blue Chip team members represents a consistent theme in our company. Whether we are scheduling service visits, brainstorming best strategies in trickier situations or meeting together for monthly training sessions, we believe we work better as a team to help Virginia…and YOU!
Check out some other things that our customers have said about us, our service and our technicians by clicking here then scrolling down to “Testimonials.”