Happy Thanksgiving!!

We would like to wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Morgan Termite & Pest Control! We hope you have a fun and safe Thanksgiving!

-Morgan Termite & Pest Control

There are two different types of termites that live in Southern Utah, Subterranean and Drywood Termites. These pests will destroy the wood on your home and it is important to inspect your home and property thoroughly for proper identification is the main key to control these pests. The process to treat these different kinds of termites is different for each type of termite and is very important to perform the proper treatment. 

Subterranean Termites:

These termites live underground and will build tunnels, referred to as mud tubes, to reach food sources. Like most other termite species, they feed on products that contain cellulose. Subterranean termites swarm in the spring, when groups of reproductive termites go off to start new colonies. Subterranean termites need contact with the soil to survive and live underground. They can build tunnels through cracks in concrete to reach the wood structures of you home. 

Drywood Termites:

Unlike subterranean termites, Drywood termites don’t need contact with soil to survive or any other water source. Drywood termites live in dry wood, hence their name, that may be above ground level. Drywood termites build colonies in structural wood, fence and utility posts, furniture, moldings, door and window frames, and so forth. Because termite workers can be difficult to identify, species are often determined based on geographical locations, location of colony, and/or type of wood damage. Most often homeowners find these termites by the piles of debris found in window seals and under location of infestation.

Termite Prevention Tips:

  • Eliminate or reduce moisture in and around the home, which termites need to thrive.
  • Repair leaking faucets, water pipes, and exterior AC units. 
  • Repair soffits and rotted roof shingles.
  • Replace weather stripping and loose mortar around basement foundation and windows.
  • Divert water away from the house through properly functioning downspouts, gutters, and splash blocks.
  • Routinely inspect the foundation of a home for signs of mud tubes, or uneven/bubbling paint and wood that sounds hollow when tapped. 
  • Monitor all exterior areas of wood, including windows, door frames and skirting boards for any noticeable changes. 
  • Maintain an 18-inch gap between the soil and any wood portions of your home.
  • Consider scheduling a professional inspection annually. Wood-boring insect damage is not covered by homeowners’ insurance policies.
  • Store firewood at least 20 feet away from your home. 

Signs of Termites:

  • Quiet clicking sounds coming from the walls
  • Flying termites/ swarming termites
  • If you see White Ants (they aren’t ants they are most likely termites)
  • Hollow sounding wood when tapped on 
  • Mud tubes

Call Us:

If for any reason you feel you have termites in your home, please call and schedule an appointment so a Morgan technician can come and properly identify and solve any issues that are found. Don’t wait as the problem could get worse over time. If you have the littlest thought that you have termites call us at (435)673-9172.

Mice in Southern Utah? There are many different kinds of mice that live in southern Utah. Some of those include: Field Mice, White-Footed Mice, and Pack Rats. Field Mice live mostly in fields, hence the name. If you are building in what used to be a field, you could end up with field mice in your building. White-Footed Mice, can cause a virus that can be fatal to humans, that virus is called Hanta-virus. It is spread through their feces. These mice like to burrow in the ground to make their nests and are found mostly outdoors. Pack Rats are gray in color with white on their bellies, they can cause immense amounts of damage and are found often in rural areas. 

Rats found in southern Utah are the Black Rat (Rattus Rattus) and the Brown Rat (Rattus Norvegicus). The group is generally known as the Old World rats or true rats, and originated in Asia. Rats are bigger than most Old World Mice, which are their relatives, but seldom weigh over 500 grams (1 lb) in the wild. 

SIMILARITIES:

Mice and Rats are mostly color blind and have a sense of smell that is four times greater than that of a dog. Mice and Rats have many similarities including: they are both mostly nocturnal, they are usually the same colors (white, grey, brown, or black), they both have long tails, and they both have whiskers. There are many other similarities between mice and rats. 

DIFFERENCES:

Mice and Rats are not all that similar to each other. There are many differences between each of them including: most mice are a lot smaller than rats, rats will live longer than mice, rats have bigger ears than mice, mice will produce almost double the amount of droppings than rats do, mice have weaker teeth than rats, and mice trouts are more triangular than rats are. 

SIGNS:

If you are seeing or hearing any of the following signs that are given you may have mice or rats living with you in your home:

  • Droppings
  • Urine Odors
  • Gnawed Holes
  • Rodent Runways
  • Rodent Nestings
  • Rub & Gnaw Marks
  • Scampering Noises
  • Unusual Pet Behavior

HOW WE CAN HELP:

If you have seen any of the signs that were mentioned above around your house then give us a call and we will send out one of our trained and licenced technicians to get their expert opinion on whether you have mice or rats living with you. We can get rid of them for you so that you don’t have extra animals living at your home. 

Do you know where insects go during the winter to keep warm? You may also be wondering why you get more ants in your home in the winter? Well the weather affects insects differently all year round. 

Temperature and moisture are the biggest factors that affect insects. Most insects do hide away during the winter, however if the temperature goes back and forth between freezing and thawing then this could result in the insects coming out earlier. 

Ants and insects will come into your home at any season, but at certain times the activity could increase.

Winter

Winter months is a time of hibernation and survival for pests. The pests don’t like the cold weather and have a hard time surviving if it gets too cold. The cold weather forces pests to find their own shelters and homes. Some pests will look for shelter outdoors, while others will look for shelter indoors. To keep pests out of your home during the winter you need to prepare during the fall. 

Spring

With the weather warming, pests are starting to come out of their warm shelters. The spring rain will flood the ants homes and force them to look for new ground higher up. Spring is the time that most insects are awakening and mating. Spring is also the beginning of swarming season for termites. A lot of pests will start to move outdoors during the spring in search of mates. 

Summer

During the summer while you are having your backyard parties with everyone, the pests are looking to join in on the fun. However, that is probably not your idea of fun. During the summer months the insects are out more because of the hotter weather. Bees, wasps, and other stinging insects are more active during the summer because of the moisture from the spring months. 

Fall

Fall is a time of preparation for a lot of pests to get ready for the cold winter months coming up. There are a couple common fall bugs that are looking to invade your home during the fall months. Some of these fall bugs include ladybugs, box elders, and spiders. During fall months it is the best time to prepare your home from all the pests looking to come inside for the winter months. 

Rainy Weather

The more it rains during the spring and summer, the more ants you will find in your home. When it rains a lot, the rain will flood the ants homes and then they will come looking for a dry place to live, like your home. Most of the time they will come in an army of ants to find a new home.

Dry Weather

If there is a drought or a long dry period the ants will also come into your home. Most of the time however they aren’t looking for a place to live. The dry weather messes up their food supply and they are in need of finding a new source of food. They might even move their homes closer to yours so that they have faster and easier access to your food. However, you probably won’t see as many ants as you would during rainy weather. 

Getting Ready

Don’t chance the fact that during the winter pests won’t come into your homes. Ongoing yearly pest control services will keep them out. Keep your food stored in airtight containers and keep your kitchen clean of all crumbs, even the ones you can’t see. Call Morgan Pest Control to start pest control service at your home. 

You just got back from a nice family vacation and you come into the kitchen to find ants… All over the kitchen, mostly coming out around your sink. This is the last thing you want to deal with just getting off vacation. You could always find some DIY options to try and get rid of them or you could call Morgan Pest Control and have our trained techs come out to get rid of them for you. Here are some tips that will make it not only easier on our techs but it could have a better chance at keeping the ants away after we have left. 

Preparing for Ant Control Services:

Prior to arriving at your home most companies will leave you with a few steps to complete before the techs get to your house. These steps are there to make it the safest place we can while we are treating the ants and to make our techs job easier. For these reasons most companies will not treat areas that were not properly prepared beforehand.  

  1. Wipe counters, sweep floors, and clean up any spills that are in the kitchen to reduce the ants food source. 
  2. Vacuum the floors to pick up ALL the crumbs, especially the ones you can’t see.
  3. Store all your food in pest-proof containers.
  4. Empty trash regularly.
  5. Wash dishes and/or run the dishwasher regularly.
  6. Never leave any pet food out after the pet has finished eating. 
  7. If you recycle always rinse containers out thoroughly.
  8. Be prepared to answer any questions that the techs may have, including where you have been seeing the ants or where they have been in the past. 

After the Pest Control Service:

  • Be patient. The bait will not immediately kill the ants, the bait will take time to kill the ants. Baiting is the best way to get rid of the entire colony of ants. 
  • Do not spray any insecticides or kill any ants that you see. The ants that you will see, need to continue eating the bait and taking it back to the colony. Do not kill them, they will die on their own. 
  • Avoid using any strong cleaners, especially near any of the bait. You could get rid of the ants pheromone trail that the rest of the ants are using to find the bait. 
  • Leave all the ants that are heading towards or away from the bait alone. They will bring some of the bait back to the queen the queen will also die from the bait.