Flying Ant Day 2018 - Pest Control OKC

Flying Ant Day 2018 Came Early…

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Flying Ant Day 2018 Came Early this year. What should we expect come fall/winter?

Since flying ant day came early this year the diligent ants have had more time to work and multiply. This could cause an increase in home infestations as the weather cools down this fall and winter. Here are some details of the event this year. It gives clues on what to expect:

Over 50 Billion Flying Ants Took To The Skies Over The Summer

The unusually warm Spring weather is being blamed for boosting insect numbers, with experts predicting “Flying Ant Day” – when they all appear apparently out of nowhere – will occur in June, rather than July.

If that happens, it could coincide with the Royal Entomological Society’s National Insect Week, appropriately enough.

Meanwhile pest controller Rentokil reported an increase of almost 150 per cent in call-outs to deal with ant infestations in March and April.

Quotes from other pest control experts through the spring and summer

“Ant-related call outs increased 148 percent from March to April.

“Experts believe the rise could be attributed to the unseasonably warm start to the Spring – after Brits experienced record-breaking warm weather in April.

“Last month’s period of clear skies and the hottest April day since 1949 may explain the surge in activity, as ants are typically more active in higher temperatures and colonies use sunlight to navigate.”

“Ant life-cycles depend on temperature, and the amount of food available to them.

“Provided the Queen is healthy, and enough food is being brought back to the nest, ant eggs have a greater chance of survival.”

Despite its name, Flying Ant Day usually lasts about two weeks.

“It’s rare to see ant infestations in cold or overcast weather, and while the ‘Beast from the East’ may have caused them to remain dormant in March, the sudden change in temperature has since brought them out in their droves.

“This trend could be set to continue throughout the rest of the summer.”

The website of the Amateur Entomologists’ Society explains: “Ant colonies produce winged sexuals and these individuals found new colonies. In order to start a new colony the new queens (or gynes) must mate.

“When environmental conditions are right, winged males and females leave all the ant colonies within an area. They then take to the air on a nuptial flight and mate.”

“Some people incorrectly believe that these winged ants are a different species from the ants in the colonies that they are more familiar with.

“This is not the case, the winged ants are the same species but are winged so that they can disperse and find a mate.”

If you are seeing an increase of ants this season, don’t panic! Give us a call.

Interested in learning more about Ant Day? Check out the Wiki page by clicking here!

Something eating your lawn? Click Here to learn what is it and how to prevent it!

When your ant comes to visit.

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Have you every had a problem with ants in your house? Here’s an article about ant treatment and how to minimize their presence in your home.

When your ant comes to visit

Ants are fine when they are out in the woods crawling through the grass, but when they get on the counter top by the thousands, then we have a problem! Ant problems begin when they invade a building looking for food and water. They are attracted to many things, but especially to sweets, meats, fats, and oils. When they find what they’re looking for, they go get their buddies. They can also build their nests in walls, foundations, and cracks and crevices in your home. Here’s how you can get rid of them.

  • Preventative Measures – Make sure all food crumbs, left overs, dishes in the sink, etc., has been cleaned up. Over flowing trash cans should be emptied, and counters wiped down. Doing this will limit their options in your home. Although, good housekeeping doesn’t always prevent you from getting ants, it’s a great place to start.
  • Call in Reinforcements –  Ant treatment is very common, and calling in a professional exterminator will help keep the ants at bay. The exterminator will create a perimeter around your home, like a line of defense, warding off future trespassing by our small friends.

Weather it is ants, or any other bug, you don’t want them invading your home. If you are looking for treatment options,  contact The Bug Guy, the best pest control solutions in OKC!

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Pest Control OKC: What happens to pests in the winter

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Pest Control OKC: What happens to pests in winter?

We all know the warmer months are the domain of pests. They seem to pop out of nowhere and invade our homes and BBQ. But why do we typically only have to deal with pests in the summer and spring? What happens to all the pests in Winter? Do they all die off or does something else happen? Pest Control OKC has some answers.

Ants: They may not be in your home during the winter, but that doesn’t mean ants aren’t nearby. Ants will engage in the Insect version of hibernation, called Overwintering. They will spend the fall gorging themselves as much as they can to put on fat. When the temperature drops and food becomes scarce, ant activity will decrease until eventually they seal their colony and hunker down for the coldest parts of the year. When the temperature rises they will reanimate and emerge, ready to invade the nearest Barbecue.

Termites: Different Termites do different things during the winter. Depending on the species and the climate, some termites use one method while others use another. Subterranean Termites will dig down deeper than they already are, below the freezing line of the soil to stay warm and wait out the colder months. Drywood termites on the other hand, will seek out dry wood to shelter in for the winter. After summer comes and the temperature reaches about 70 degrees the colony will send out swarmers to mate and find new locations to infest. If climate controlled conditions or climates that are warm year round, termites will never go inactive staying up year round. This makes homes particularly inviting to termites who can avoid the risk of freezing to death in the winter.

If you need pest control, call The Bug Guy, pest control okc, today.

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Pest Control OKC: More Plants to help keep pests away

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Pest Control OKC: Some more plants to keep pests out of your garden

Last week, pest control OKC talked about some plants you can add to your home or garden to help keep away pests while adding some color and nature to your home. But those are just a few of the examples of what you can add to your garden. There’s still quite a few more options to help keep your home pest free!

Mint: Mint is best grown in separate pots. It looks nice and smells great but it also grows aggressively. Planting mint in your garden could mean you end up with a really nice smelling weed ravaging your garden. Mint leaves mostly repel mosquitoes but can work on other insects. And, much like basil, mint is a great plant for the kitchen. Use it to flavor iced tea and added to many recipes. The mulch of a mint plant is also great for vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, and turnips.

Rosemary: Rosemary is a much less invasive option to repel mosquitoes and a slew of other insects. It can be grown in pots but it does just fine in gardens or landscaped beds. The plant itself or it’s clippings both repel insects and it can even be boiled and turned into a repellent, making it one of the most flexible plants you can pick. And of course, Rosemary oil is great for cooking!

Alliums: Not one specific plant, but the family of plants known as Alliums are all effective natural insecticides. Repelling everything from slugs to aphids to cabbage worms. Putting an Allium near plants like tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, cabbage, broccoli, kohlrabi, and carrots can ward off many of they’re natural pests. Alliums also include small herbs like chives, leeks and shallots!

If your home has some uninvited guests, call The Bug Guy, Pest Control OKC, today at 405-973-5522!

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Pest Control OKC: Plants to keep away pests

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Pest Control OKC: What to plant to drive away pests

Gardens are a great investment in your home and your health. Gardening is a great way to get exercise and can leave your home looking beautiful. But all those beautiful plants can also attract not-so-beautiful pests…or can they? The Bug Guy, pest control OKC, has a few plants you can add to your home or garden to drive away pests!

Basil: Planting some basil in containers in your home near entrances to the outdoors can help keep away flies and mosquitoes. It also has the added benefit of letting you grow a herb that had many uses in cooking! Basil can be added to salads and used to enhance other vegetables like tomatoes.

Lavender: Lavenders smell great to humans but moths, fleas, flies and mosquitoes hate the scent and will avoid it. Lavender had been used for centuries to add fragrance to homes. Keeping bouquets in your home will drive away the flies and putting one in your garden will help keep pests that might be attracted to other plants away.

Lemon Thyme: A more adaptable solution to repelling mosquitoes, Lemon thyme can be planted in rocky or shallow soil and still thrive. It just needs to be in a sunny location. There is some more maintenance to keep it repelling mosquitoes though. To release it’s chemicals you have to do what’s known as bruising the leaves. Simply cut off a few stems and rub them between your hands. Make sure you’re not allergic to this plant though, you can test your tolerance by rubbing a few crushed leaves on a small part of your forearm for several days and watching for adverse effects.

If your home is hosting some unwanted guests, call The Bug Guy, pest control OKC, today at 405-973-5522!

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Pest Control OKC: Keep pests out of the garden shed

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Pest Control OKC: Keep your shed pest free

It’s starting to warm up, and that means it’s approaching time to bust out the garden tools and start taking care of the lawn. But there’s always that trepidation that comes with opening that garden shed for the first time in months. What’s going to come crawling out of there? Rats? Wasps? Ants? Is your lawnmower going to be covered in ants? Is your leafblower now home to a black widow? The Bug Guy, pest control OKC, has a few tips to keep the pests away this year.

Keeping your shed clean and organized is the most effective way to keep most pests away. Pests hate a well kept environment with few places to hide and fewer food scraps to eat. Regular vacuuming, sweeping, and cleaning will go a long way to keeping your shed pest free. The scent of mint, lavender, and tansy can also drive away bugs while also letting your shed smell great! Removing standing water to deter mosquitoes from nesting in your shed. Spiders are a problem that will handle itself once you clear away the other bugs. Spiders prey on other insects, so if your shed has no insects it won’t have any spiders! Stain or paint exposed wood to protect it. Never store compost, potting soil, or sawdust in your shed and always keep other garbage away from your shed. You can deter ants from invading your shed by drawing a chalk line around your shed. You can keep bees and wasps away by sealing and holes in your shed and keeping dead or old wood, including firewood, away from the shed. And always, always clean your tools before storing them back in the shed. You don’t want all your hard work to be for nothing because you didn’t want to wipe down your lawnmower do you?

Call The Bug Guy, Pest Control OKC, for all your pest control needs.

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Pest Control OKC: Formica Ants And Oklahoma

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Pest Control OKC: These Ants Don’t Sting, They Spray

The Bug Guy, your local source for pest control OKC, is here to tell you about a certain kind of ant. Formica ants are one of the many species of ants that can be found in Oklahoma. These ants are often called Wood Ants, because they like to make their nests in wooded areas. These ants are also known for invading the colonies of smaller ant species and capturing workers, turning them into slaves for their colonies.

Formica ants primarily feed off of the Honeydew produced by Aphids and other small insects. They even defend Aphids, a common garden pest, from predators and lead them to the best parts of plants to feed. These ants aren’t poisonous, but if provoked they can bite with their mandible and spray Formic Acid. This kind of acid can cause coughing fits, watery eyes, and skin irritation.

Still not convinced Formica ants are a nuisance? They are pests in 2 ways:

  • They can infest a home and cause a list of problem including being attacked by the colony and being sprayed with Formic Acid.
  • They farm and defend the Aphid, a common garden pest that can destroy garden plants and lawns. They also like to hunt caterpillars and other insects that can help pollinate your garden.

With any ant infestation, it can be hard to get rid of them, because it can be difficult to track down the colony. This is especially true for Formica ants as they like to hide the entrance to their colonies under rocks or in wood.

It’s best to call The Bug Guy, your local pest control OKC team, to come out and make sure the colony is dealt with. Years of experience allows our pest control OKC experts the ability to find and remove these colonies quickly and safely.

If you have ants infesting your home, give The Bug Guy a call and take back your home and garden from these acid spraying pests! Call now at: 405-973-5522

Butterflies- Pest Control OKC- Ants

Pest Control OKC Eliminating Butterfly Eating Ants!

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Pest Control OKC Protecting Beautiful Butterflies

Since the earliest days of spring beautiful butterflies have fluttered back to Oklahoma. Flower garden owners and lovers from all over the state can admire these lovely creatures as they interact with nature. Our pest control OKC team would love nothing more than to make sure the butterfly population lives on, but it can be a struggle without proper pest control treatments as many predators like ants feast on butterflies!

It’s just sad and disturbing (even to our pest control OKC team members) to think that something so pretty could have any enemies at all, but the truth is that there are quite a few predators of butterflies. Many ant species find butterflies to be quite tasty whether the butterfly is still in the egg, as a caterpillar, in chrysalis, or an adult. Quite often ants that are found eating a butterfly will consume the body of the butterfly and leave the wings intact.

In case you need convincing to utilize pest control OKC services to eliminate butterfly eating ants, here are just 3 good reasons why preserving butterflies is important:

  • Butterflies represent a healthy environment and ecosystem.
  • Butterflies help pollinate plants.
  • Butterflies have an interesting life cycle worth studying and have provided many educational benefits for people all over the world.

While spraying to eliminate ants that eat butterflies may seem like such a small step to take (and it may in turn keep butterflies out of your actual yard) it will still be one that helps the butterflies live just a little longer. One may argue that many butterflies will become food for larger animals, like birds, later on. This may be true, but our pest control OKC team believes it’s worth a shot to give butterflies a chance to live a full life before they complete their “circle of life”.

To make use of our pest control OKC services, you may give The Bug Guy a call at 405-973-5522.

Fire Ants- OKC Pest Control

OKC Pest Control Team Warns Of Fire Ant Stings

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OKC Pest Control: Making Your Yard Safe

Not many people would willingly allow themselves to be bitten or stung by an insect for the purpose of scientifically cataloging the pain into an index, but that is precisely what Justin Schmidt did in 1983. As our OKC pest control team has learned, a common person, like Schmidt catalogs the pain of a fire ant sting to be a level 1 on a scale that goes up to 4, with 4 being the worst pain. In the worst case scenarios; however, there have been plenty of stories of people who have had volatile reactions and some even die from fire ant stings.

Today, our OKC pest control team would like to share what we have found in regards to what is considered a normal reaction to a fire ant attack and what should be cause for concern.

What is considered to be a “normal” reaction to a fire ant attack?

  • Pain
  • Swelling
  • Redness
  • Itching

A fire ant sting often begins with a pinching or burning type of pain lasting anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes. Next, a person may feel itching or burning that may be mild or intense. The itching sensation tends to get stronger over the next few days producing a mark or wounds that are pus-filled blisters which are round and may look like pimples. Most stings heal on their own without treatment, but can be soothed with a cool compress on the infected area.

What are allergic reactions or more extreme reactions to fire ant attacks?

  • Vomiting
  • Severe Swelling
  • Dizziness
  • Disorientation
  • Wheezing Or Difficulty Breathing

Breathing difficulties, changes in consciousness, severe swelling, and similar symptoms within an hour of the sting require emergency medical treatment!

Keep in mind that children and pets can be at risk of being stung by fire ants in your yard.

If you have spotted fire ants (red bodies) in your yard or near your home, don’t hesitate to contact The Bug Guy. Our OKC pest control team would love to help remove the risk of fire ants from your property. Our OKC pest control team can be reached by calling 405-973-5522.