(ARA) – Homeowners may not have the pest bird problems that plagued Tippi Hedren in Alfred Hitchcock’s unforgettable thriller “The Birds,” but pest birds can still ruin your day.

Pest birds cost homeowners millions of dollars annually. The high concentration of uric acid found in some bird droppings can discolor paint, stain wood, and erode metal. It can ruin fencing, patios, metal or cloth awnings and patio furniture. Then there’s the health risk of bacteria, fungi and parasites that live and grow in bird droppings. Imagine these droppings in and around your pool, spa or grill. Bird droppings have been known to carry and transmit any of 60 known diseases. The fleas, mites and ticks in some birds can also carry disease.

Fortunately, there are a number of effective and humane bird deterrents to help keep pest birds away from your property. These bird control products are safe, easy to install and relatively economical. Bird proofing your home can save you time and money.

Perhaps the most popular bird deterrent is your basic bird spike. Perfect for roofs, awnings and patio covers, they are ideal for keeping large birds like pigeons and seagulls off of surfaces. Gutter spikes come in various sizes and will keep pest pigeons and larger birds from landing, roosting and nesting in your roof gutters.

For blanket coverage over large areas, bird netting creates an impenetrable barrier over plants, bushes, fruit trees, crops, vineyards, under eaves and other structures. There are also lightweight plastic mesh nets available for temporary applications. You can get netting in various mesh sizes to deter any bird species.

Another type of bird netting is copper mesh cloth. It comes in rolls and can be easily stuffed into openings, or packed tightly into cracks or holes to let air in but keep pest birds out.

To safely relocate pest birds from your property, consider using humane live traps. Constructed of sturdy galvanized wire, these traps feature funnel doors that allow a bird to walk in, but not out. An easy-access door on top facilitates simple removal or release of pest birds.

To discourage birds from landing under the eaves of your home or to keep swallows from building their mud nests, try Bird Slope. The slippery PVC panels are easy to install and create a barrier for nest building. They’re ideal for ledges, eaves, beams and other 90-degree areas where birds tend to nest. Bird slope creates a “slippery slope” that birds cannot land on.

Bird spiders use movement to help keep pest birds off air conditioning units, rooftops, awnings, chimney caps, and that covered boat you have sitting in front of the garage. Similar products, like the Solar Bird Repeller, run on energy efficient solar cells.

For those who like high-tech approach, there are a several bird scare products that use sound to keep pest birds at bay. They’re ideal for backyards, garden areas, pools, patios, gazebos, rooftops and other open spaces where pest birds are a nuisance. Some supersonic systems play distress and predator calls for up to 22 types of birds. Outdoor sound deterrents are meant for large areas and can cover between one and five acres.

For more information on humane ways to keep pest birds away from your home, visit AbsoluteBirdControl.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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(ARA) – Deer do some of their worst damage to your garden, landscape, trees and shrubs in winter, when other food sources are hard to come by.

“In the early 1900s, there were probably only about half a million deer spread out all over the country,” says James Messina of Messina Wildlife. “Today, there are more than 15 million. Deer, it turns out, adapt quite well to life in suburbia. Keeping them away from residential and commercial landscaping can help everyone – deer and homeowners – to co-exist more happily together.”

With no place to go and not much left to eat in the dead of winter, deer can wreak havoc in your backyard and destroy new buds and leaves before they ever have a chance to grow. As seasons change, the preferred food sources of deer change as well.

Deer develop new browsing trails as food sources change with the seasons, and repeatedly follow them through the season until new food sources begin to appear. That’s when the deer drama begins ….

Whitetail deer can consume, on average, 12 pounds of foliage a day. And in the winter, when natural food sources are scarce, they’ll give homeowners more trouble than any other time of year. The more snow we get, the worse the problem becomes. A winter of consistent snow coverage is great for bulbs and perennials, but evergreens face the toughest challenge from hungry deer looking to survive.

Deer are creatures of habit, and contrary to popular belief, the majority of them do not migrate. Bucks are known to travel more than 100 miles, but does will stay within the same three to four square miles for their entire lives. This means the deer you see this year are probably the exact same deer you saw last year. It also means that once they’ve found a food source, potentially yours, they’ll be back time and time again.

Fend off deer by applying repellents before you see the damage, encouraging the deer to move along and not include your landscape in their browse buffet.

Repellents rely on deer’s strong sense of smell and range from commercial products to homemade concoctions of human hair, blood meal or chunks of deodorant soap. But traditional animal repellents have become less effective than they were decades ago, Messina notes.

“That’s because many of those repellents rely on a bad smell – like the stench of a rotting carcass – to fool animals into thinking a predator’s kill is in the area and the predator may be returning for it,” he says. “But the number of predators out there has actually declined, and deer know it. They’re much less afraid of predators, so relying on ’scare tactics’ has a greater tendency to fail over time.”

Some deer have also built up a resistance to chemical deterrents. Plus, increasingly eco-conscious homeowners prefer not to put potentially harmful chemicals into the environment.

More homeowners are turning to organic alternatives, like Deer Stopper, a repellent formulated from plant extracts. This organic option works because it confronts deer by using their natural repulsion to certain plant smells and tastes rather than relying on fear of predator tactics.

“We know that deer will eat more than 500 different types of plants,” Messina says. “Normally, they’re quite discriminating. But in fall and winter, they become less picky and much more of a threat to suburban landscapes. Still, like many wild animals, deer rely on taste and smell to judge if a food may be harmful to them. If your backyard foliage tastes or smells unpleasant to them, one bite and they’ll move on.”

Deer Stopper by Messina Wildlife Management is the only organic repellent in the country certified by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI). An effective taste deterrent, Deer Stopper is 100 percent organic and completely safe for use on all types of plants and shrubs. OMRI lists it as approved for use by organic growers. The smell- and taste-based technology also eliminates the need to use foul, odor-based repellent products, which can be quite unpleasant for homeowners’ use.

Deer Stopper actually smells good to humans. Lightly misting vegetation once a month, even during the cold and snowy winter, will keep deer away all season long.

This winter protect your plants and shrubs and create your own boundaries for foraging bucks and deer. Now you’re in control of the drama.

For more information on Deer Stopper, retail store locations and other wildlife management repellents visit www.messinawildlife.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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3. Easy ways to protect your landscape from deer

Don't let mosquitoes and wasps spoil summer fun. You can safely apply organic, herbal products to your skin or spray barriers to protect your whole yard.

(ARA) – From backyard barbecues and pool parties to cultivating your landscaping and “recession garden,” summer fun is even better when shared with others … except when that group includes some unwelcome critters.

Humans aren’t the only ones who enjoy the warm weather. Flying, buzzing, stinging, four-legged and four-footed pests also turn out in force when the days turn pleasant.

“Warmer weather means it’s time for outdoor living and enjoying backyard picnics, parties and pure relaxation,” says Luke Miller, editor of Garden Ideas & Outdoor Living. “Unfortunately, as the days get warmer, pests wake up and make their appearance.”

Look for all-natural, safe and effective ways to protect your family and pets from mosquitoes, ticks and other pests this summer.

Whether they come after your plants or bite you and your pets, pests can spoil any day. You don’t have to share your backyard with deer, rabbits, moles, snakes or even dreaded mosquitoes and ticks anymore. And you also don’t have to resort to harsh chemicals and sprays to ward off unwanted critters.

Look for all-natural, safe and effective ways to protect your family, pets, garden and the environment this summer. Here are a few tips for thwarting some common summer pests:

Mosquitoes and Flying Insects

Mosquitoes aren’t just a nuisance; they can be a health threat as well, carrying a number of viruses harmful to humans. Other flying insects, like hornets and wasps, can also spoil your summer fun — or cause worse problems for those with insect allergies.

If you would prefer to forego strong chemical repellents, there are natural options. Look for organic, herbal or plant-based topical products that you apply to the skin or spray barriers that can protect your whole yard. Products like Liquid Net’s Ultimate Insect Repellent keep biting insects away without the use of DEET, the most common ingredient in chemical repellents. It’s made with botanical oils so it’s safe for children and has a pleasant scent. It also comes in an all-natural formula safe for dogs and cats.

For intimate areas and especially evening gatherings, good old citronella candles can be effective repellents for biting, flying insects. You can also add ambiance and gain some insect-thwarting benefits from strategically placed tiki torches — the heat, flame and slight smokiness of the torches will act as a natural repellent. Just be sure to practice smart safety habits around all open flames.

Finally, minimize the opportunity for flying pests to occupy your backyard. Eliminate all standing water from the vicinity, since it’s a favorite breeding ground for mosquitoes. Regularly check overhangs and eaves on your house and outdoor play equipment to make sure wasps and other nest-building insects don’t have the chance to take up residence.

Before these unwelcome guests ruin your day, we recommend you try new Yard Net Lawn & Yard Insect Repellent and spray an invisible barrier around your yard which will last for 24-hours. This all-natural, freshly scented formula made with botanical oils is safe for use around children and pets.

Garden Munchers

Many belt-tightening American families will turn to gardening this year to trim their grocery bill by growing their own produce. Yet common garden pests like rabbits, and even deer, can defeat your victory garden long before the first tomato or pepper appears.

No one really wants to harm the critters that visit our gardens. The goal is to just convince them to dine elsewhere. Plus, many Americans prefer to avoid exposing themselves, their families and the environment to chemical solutions. Fortunately, all-natural alternatives exist.

Look for products and techniques that use taste and scent aversion to turn animals off your plants. All-natural products like Liquid Fence Deer & Rabbit or new Dual Action Rabbit Repellent use organic, natural ingredients to make vegetable and landscape plants taste and smell unappealing to common garden-munchers like deer and rabbits.

Move out Moles

Think moles can get the better of you and your lawn? Not anymore. Look for Mole Repellent Spray or new Mole Worms. This environmentally safe, easy-to-use repellent imitates a mole’s natural food source. But once they eat it, they’ll go elsewhere to look for food. It’s the most humane way to rid your yard of these underground animals and eliminate the unsightly and potentially hazardous conditions they create. Liquid Fence products are available at garden centers and hardware stores nationwide.

For these and more all-natural solutions to your pest problems, visit www.liquidfence.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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An adult deer eats between 6 and 10 pounds of food per day, but all-natural repellents can stop critters from destroying your plants.

(ARA) – When Bambi invites all his friends to dinner, make sure it’s not in your yard. If you don’t protect your landscaping, Bambi and his friends will be crunching tulips like candy and popping peas right off the vine. You can bet they’ll be stealing your prize tomatoes this summer and munching your mums in the fall. 

With deer tipping the 30 million population mark and suburban sprawl on the rise, it’s no wonder these unwanted creatures are cruising your neighborhood and destroying your yard in the process. 

“We garden to create our own private patch of Eden and escape the demands of daily life,” says Rhonda Massingham Hart, author of Deerproofing Your Yard & Garden. “When deer violate these living sanctuaries they damage more than plants. They hurt us.” 

It’s more than frustrating to spend your time, effort, and money to turn your yard into a haven only to find your new flowers and shrubs have been mowed down by hungry deer and rabbits. It’s expensive. With an adult deer eating between 6 and 10 pounds of food per day, deer damage costs homeowners millions of dollars annually. 

* There goes the neighborhood … one bite at a time. 
The expansion of suburbs, roads and golf courses is creating perfect “deer smorgasbords” with tender young shrubs, pretty flowers, lush lawns and now abundant vegetable gardens at their taking. The truth is, no plants are truly “deer proof.” 

“Deer are creatures of habit and stay near a good food source — like your backyard,” says Dave Mizejewski, naturalist with the National Wildlife Association. “And they’re not afraid of city life so a lush garden or lawn is a magnet for hungry deer and rabbits.” 

* Oh, deer … what to do? 
Forget putting a radio blaring in your azaleas, fabric softener sheets strewn over your flowers or soap dangling from tree branches. Bambi and friends will enjoy the music as they play with the soap and dine alfresco using the sheets as placemats. 

But be forewarned: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. 

According to Mizejewski, “It’s much easier to prevent critter damage than it is to stop the foraging cycle once it’s begun. Repellents are designed to smell or taste bad to critters.” He recommends all-natural repellents that stop critters from eating your plants, are safe for the environment and don’t harm wildlife. 

* Back off, Bambi. 
Deer rely heavily on their super-sensitive noses to find food and sense danger, but it’s also their Achilles’ heel. 

That’s why a liberal application of a proven effective, all-season deer repellent such as Liquid Fence Deer & Rabbit Repellent on and around landscaped gardens stops unwanted visitors cold from dining on plants they find irresistible. 

It works on “scent” and dries odorless to us but not to deer and rabbits, so they don’t have to take a bite to be effective — unlike other repellents that require the deer to “munch away.” Once they get a sniff, even rabbits will be hopping back to the forest and not toward your carrots or pansies. 

In today’s economy, you really can’t afford not to protect your valuable plants and yard. “Folks spend too much time and money on the perfect plants to let the deer and rabbits spoil it all by eating them,” says world-renown horticulturist, native plant breeder and author Dr. Allan Armitage. 

“I’ve been a fan of Liquid Fence Deer & Rabbit Repellent since my first application years ago,” he says. “It’s the No. 1 repellent on the market, and I wouldn’t trust my garden to anything else.” 

* Garden Survival Guide 
Armitage recommends spraying a repellent in the spring as soon as the tender shoots appear, and around all plants, trees and shrubs. 

And you don’t need to buy different repellents to rotate applications and reapply weekly to see great results. Rotating repellents is an urban myth. 

Today folks are looking for ways to save “green” while they “go green.” Liquid Fence Deer & Rabbit Repellent is actually less expensive than the green alternatives so you can feel good that it’s safe for the environment as well as your kids, pets, plants and your wallet. 

Repellent should be applied monthly and can withstand about 1 inch of rain. It’s a good idea to reapply after a heavy downpour of an inch or more. 

* All Together Now 
And if Bambi invites his other friends — rabbits, geese, moles, snakes and other unwanted critters, The Liquid Fence Company has a complete line of natural, environmentally safe solutions to keep them out of the garden and in the woods. 

For more information visit www.liquidfence.com. 

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Related posts:

1. Natural Ways to Keep Pests from Spoiling Outdoor Summer Fun
2. The Buck, and the Deer, Stop Here
3. Deter ‘deer drama’ this winter

You don’t have to be a wildlife expert to know that after generations of dwelling in close proximity to humans, modern deer aren’t afraid of us anymore. What’s more, they no longer fear many of the traditional repellents some homeowners still use to protect shrubs, trees and landscaping. So when cool weather comes along and the natural landscape dies, deer have to start foraging for food sources. And they aren’t afraid to walk right into your yard and help themselves to your well-watered, well-established evergreens.

Even just a few deer can cause significant damage to your landscaping. “A single whitetail deer can consume, on average, 8 to 12 pounds of foliage a day,” says James Messina of Messina Wildlife Management. “In many areas of the country, deer overpopulation is a serious problem. With nowhere to go and not much left to eat in the dead of winter, deer can wreak havoc on shrubs, trees and gardens, and destroy new buds and leaves before they have a chance to grow, ruining your prospects for any spring growth.”

Hungry and bold, deer move into residential areas in the winter, and the damage they do in the cold weather will affect your landscape’s health next spring. Traditional animal repellents are also less effective than they were decades ago, Messina notes.

“That’s because those repellents rely on a bad smell — like the stench of a rotting carcass — to fool animals into thinking a predator’s kill is in the area and the predator may be returning for it,” he says. “But the number of predators has actually declined, and deer know it. They’re less afraid of predators, so relying on scare tactics has a greater tendency to fail over time.”

Some wildlife has also built up a resistance to chemical deterrents. Plus, increasingly eco-conscious homeowners prefer not to put potentially harmful chemicals into the environment. Other more lethal alternatives are not only inhumane but illegal in most parts of the country.

More homeowners are turning to organic alternatives, like Deer Stopper, a repellent formulated from plant extracts. This organic option works because it confronts deer by using their natural repulsion to certain plant smells and tastes rather than relying on fear.

“We know that deer will eat over 500 different types of plants,” Messina says. “Normally, they’re quite discriminating. But in fall and winter, when food is harder to find, they become less picky and much more of a threat to suburban landscapes. Still, like many wild animals, deer rely on taste and smell to judge if a food may be harmful to them. If your backyard foliage tastes or smells unpleasant to them, one bite and they’ll move on.”

An effective taste deterrent, Deer Stopper is 100 percent organic and completely safe for use on all types of plants — from vegetables to trees, flowers to shrubs. The Organic Materials Review Institute lists it as approved for use by organic growers. The smell- and taste-based technology also eliminates the need for a foul odor, so Deer Stopper actually smells good to humans. Lightly mist vegetation once a month, even during the cold and snowy winter to keep deer away all season long. To learn more, or to find retail locations, visit www.messinawildlife.com.

“In the early 1900s, there were probably only about half a million deer spread out over the country,” Messina says. “Today, there are more than 15 million. Deer, it turns out, adapt quite well to life in suburbia. Keeping them away from residential and commercial landscaping can help everyone — deer and homeowners — co-exist more happily together.”

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Related posts:

1. Deter ‘deer drama’ this winter
2. The Buck, and the Deer, Stop Here
3. Spring Garden Fixes Safely Fend Off Furry Friends

Turns out, they were having a problem with Jiggers and I had happily walked across a lawn infested with them.  Thankfully, I didn’t have an outbreak but I heard all about the horrors of these little pests, a first for me, and it scared me enough to keep me off the lawn for the entire trip.

If you aren’t sure what a jiggers are, you might be familiar with the other names for them.  They have been called Chiggers, Red Bugs and Harvest Mites.  What they are, is the immature harvest mite that are about pin sized and they live off blood.  That’s what makes them so annoying, not that they are in the lawn, since they can’t do much to your lawn but the fact that they will climb onto people, or animals, and bite.

The bites cause severe itching and it can last for days.  Usually it is in the crevices of the body, such as armpits, elbow joints, etc.  From what I have been led to believe, the bite of a Jigger is much worse than any other creepy crawly that can live on a person’s body.

So how do you get rid of Jiggers so that your beautifully landscaped lawn can be enjoyed both on and off of it?  Well, it isn’t as simple as one, two, three but there are a few things you can do to get rid of them.

1. Keep you lawn cut and free of weeds.  Jiggers love dense foliage and if there is a lot of it, your sure to see some jiggers there.
2. Remove any dense foliage that is not needed in your landscaping.  Don’t strip the area but if its not needed, try to avoid it.
3. Get rid of any dying or decaying plants or leaves.  Jiggers enjoy these piles as an ideal habitat so try to remove them when you can.
4. Flood the lawn or affected area with a solution of soap and water.  This will kill all the adults as well as the larvae.  This should be repeated on a weekly basis for about a month.
5. Spray your ankles with insect repellent before going into the yard.

Remember, Jiggers are a spring to fall pest and early treatment should see you using your yard without any worries for the majority of the season.

Sirena Van Schaik

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But these creatures don’t have to be the enemy of our gardens, and trapping them won’t solve their relationship problems with humans. As we all are well aware, the arrival of spring brings the wildlife out of hibernation, and most likely right into our backyards and gardens. As spring is sprung, we suddenly are faced with long gardening to-do lists and a wide variety of pesky critters.

As a rule of thumb, it is far better to prevent wildlife damage than to wait until it occurs and try to combat it. This spring, Messina Wildlife Management can help you protect your beautiful backyards and your gardens with a full line of OMRI certified (100 percent) organic animal repellents. The products are all easily applied in a ready to use spray-on bottle. They dry clear, are all pleasant smelling, and work for 30 days before reapplication is needed, no matter the weather. The full product line can even be used on edibles, and none of the products cause harm or physical irritation to the animals they repel. The products work by smell and taste, repelling pesky critters from your backyard, and they’re all pleasant smelling and safe to humans.

Pesky Problems
1. Groundhogs: During the spring, summer and early fall, the Marota monax, also known as the Woodchuck, Whistlepig, or Groundhog, is a voracious, wild herbivore. It’s the groundhog’s goal to eat as much as possible which puts him on a collision course within your garden.

Groundhogs are tunnel boring pests that can cause damage to your garden in two ways. First, they eat vegetables in the garden, attacking both the root crops and above ground crops. A second problem with tunneling rodents is the mass disruption of root systems, this weakens and can even kill the plants.

2. Rabbits: These furry creatures seem to multiply at the advent of every spring. They come out to feed overnight and in the predawn/dawn hours. Rabbits are accountable for severe damage to woody plants in your home landscape. The damage can be identified by the characteristic appearance of gnawing on older woody growth and the clean-cut, angled clipping of young stems. Distinctive round droppings in the immediate area are a good sign of their presence.

Luckily, 90 percent of the rabbit’s diet is grass. Those of us that have rabbit damage would swear that 90 percent of the damage they cause is to our gardens and expensive flowers! Rabbit damage can be identified by the clean, angled cut on the food source in question. The browsing of a rabbit will usually be no higher than 2.5 feet above ground.

3. Deer: For non-gardener’s, there’s a captivating fascination with spotting a deer in a field, or perhaps in your yard. For gardener’s, it can be quite the opposite. You love the sight of deer, anywhere but not in your garden. Yet, they seem impossible to keep away. Deer are responsible for a considerable amount of damage to plant and vegetable gardens. To determine if your flowers and vegetables are disappearing due to deer damage look closely at the half eaten plants. If you see a jagged, rough edge you can be sure the damage was done by deer as they have no incisor teeth and tear at the food source, leaving tell-tale signs of their presence.

4: Squirrels and Chipmunks: These cute, furry, funny creatures can be quite destructive when it comes to your gardens and landscapes. Both ground squirrels and chipmunks are burrowing animals. Their burrow entrances are always open, unlike those of pocket gophers who plug theirs with soil.

Ground squirrels and chipmunks can be seen foraging for food during the day. In nature, they feed on green leafy material during the summer and switch to seeds and grains during the fall and winter. One of the biggest complaints about squirrels and chipmunks is their attraction to wild bird feeders. They not only devour the feed they scare the birds away.

For most animals scent and taste are the primary senses that attract them to food sources. If you disrupt the animal’s sense of smell and taste you have won the battle against the constant parade of critters in your landscapes. Visit www.messinawildlifemanagement.com for more information on safe, effective pest repellents.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Related posts:

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3. The Buck, and the Deer, Stop Here

First, an attack plan for dealing with voles. They are herbivores that if left unchecked will attack flower bulbs and eat the roots from underneath garden plants. Stopping voles can be accomplished simply by placing a six-inch deep perimeter of sharp rocks around your garden or other plantings. They don’t have the clawing power to burrow through rocks, so if a barrier exists, voles will go elsewhere.

Dealing with moles, on the other hand, will take a lot more effort. Through the years, homeowners have tried everything from throwing balls of pre-chewed gum into mole tunnels to thrusting sharp pronged pitchforks into mole tunnels, to no avail.

Want to get rid of them once and for all? Try a two-pronged approach. First apply non-toxic Holy Moley, a granular product from St. Gabriel Organics, to your lawn with a fertilizer spreader to drive the moles away.

Since you don’t want to leave anything to chance, destroy their favorite food source too. Moles snack on earthworms, and other underground insects like beetle grubs, but they are attracted to grubs more then anything else.

A survey of mole problems by the University of Missouri found that moles consume up to 80 percent of their body weight each day. In the stomach of one mole, researchers found the remains of 187 grubs.

To eliminate the grubs in your yard, apply Milky Spore, also from St. Gabriel Laborato-ries, to your lawn. It is guaranteed to eliminate grubs quickly and efficiently, and once applied, will remain viable in the soil for ten years. The spores in the product will not kill beneficial insects such as earthworms and one application keeps working for many seasons, unaffected by freezing or pesticides.

Both Holy Moley and Milky Spore are pet approved by veterinarians and neither will af-fect wells, ponds or streams. For more information on Holy Moley and Milky Spore or to purchase, call St. Gabriel Organics at (800) 801-0061 or visit www.MilkySpore.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Preventative Treatment in the Fall Keeps Fire Ants at Bay in the Spring

(ARA) – As the summer months come to a close and autumn sneaks in, homeowners in the southern United States know one thing is for sure: Fall brings not only more comfortable weather, but also an increased fire ant threat.

A potential health risk to families and pets, fire ants can damage everything from electrical equipment to roads. During the fall months homeowners can take control of their yards by implementing fast-acting and long-lasting methods to make sure fire ants are put out of business for an entire year.

Fire ants present a year-round risk, which means homeowners must be prepared to deal with them 365 days a year. Fall activities, such as yard work, raking leaves, and clearing gardens put people in harm’s way; fire ants can hide under fallen leaves and branches, mulch piles and more. Cooler weather draws fire ants from their underground havens, putting humans in much closer proximity to them than any time during the year.

Fall is a perfect time to apply treatment to fire ants because the weather is much easier to predict than in the spring or summer, making it less of a guessing game as to when to begin treatment. With lower temperatures, fire ants are more prone to be out foraging, giving a better opportunity to treat the entire colony. By October, the fall mating flight of the reproductive male and female has already occurred, making fire ants less apt to migrate. With scenarios like this, treatment is a must.

“Fall is a great time to treat because the ants are usually coming out of summer stress,” says Charles Barr, fire ant specialist and principal of Barr Research and Consulting in Bryan, Texas. “The colonies have died back some and they’re just plain hungry.”

With fire ants out and about looking for food, homeowners have ample opportunities to strike. One way to target the pests is to use a combination of an individual mound treatment, which kills visible colonies, with a broadcast treatment that takes care of mounds and ants that can’t be seen. The makers of Over ‘n Out Fire Ant Killer have created the Over ‘n Out Two-Step Method, a sure-fire way to control the little buggers. By implementing the Over ‘n Out Two-Step Method, homeowners are guaranteed the fastest-acting, longest-lasting control.

“Using baits alone won’t work,” says Barr. “Using a one-two punch, such as the Over ‘n Out Two-Step Method, gets results you are looking for.”

The first step to the Over ‘n Out Two-Step Method is to use Over ‘n Out Mound Treatment on fire ant mounds that are visible. A decrease in fire ant activity can be seen in as few as three days. The goal of the individual mound treatment is to kill the queen, making it nearly impossible for the colony to reproduce.

After applying step one, wait a few days and follow up with Over ‘n Out Broadcast Granules. The broadcast treatment can be distributed by a spreader across the whole yard to target mounds that can’t be seen. Once the Over ‘n Out Two-Step Method has been administered, control of fire ants lasts all year long, with results visible in as few as three weeks.

For homeowners looking to go the extra mile and stamp out fire ants in an entire neighborhood, all that is required is collaboration between neighbors so that there is a continued and concurrent effort to treat for fire ants.

“There are a number of benefits to neighborhood programs,” says Tim Davis, fire ant suppression specialist with Clemson (S.C.) University. “The larger the treated area, the longer the dormant period lasts. A coordinated effort between neighbors makes the treated areas bigger, making it harder for fire ants to re-colonize.”

For more information, please visit www.fireantfree.com or the FireRANT! blog at http://blog.thefirerant.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Related posts:

1. Natural Ways to Keep Pests from Spoiling Outdoor Summer Fun
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Not native to the United States, Japanese beetles are like the gypsy moth, black widow spider, oriental carp, starlings, fire ants, dandelions plus a whole host of imported, unwanted things that are thriving in the United States.

Like tiny little helicopters, Japanese beetles, by all laws of aerodynamics, shouldn’t fly at all. That means, if you have them in your yard, chances are they came right out of your own lawn! That’s right! Japanese beetles hibernate as grubs nine months out of the year before pupating into flying adults.

As grubs, the beetles attack grass roots, eat the tiny root hairs off of trees, shrubs, flowers and vegetable garden plants. For every 1,000 flying adult Japanese beetles, there will be fifty thousand grubs in the soil.

Here are five important tips for controlling Japanese beetles:

1. Recognize that Japanese beetles hibernate as grubs and treat your lawn with grub control. We recommend USDA developed Milky Spore because it’s guaranteed for ten years and doesn’t harm kids or pets.

2. If you have Japanese beetle traps, give them to your neighbors and let your beetles travel into their yard. Traps work too well because they deploy an aromatic scent and beetle sex hormone that will bring in more Japanese beetles than you had last year.

3. Pick off adult Japanese beetles from your plants and throw them into a pail of soapy water. The beetles can’t bite you and quickly drown in the water. For beetles in hard to reach areas, use an insect spray.

4. Try St. Gabriel Laboratories’ SharpShooter. It works better than most Japanese beetle sprays.

5. Get a Japanese beetle Milky Spore campaign started in your neighborhood that includes the participation of a number of residents. Such action is the most effective method for area-wide.

For a free brochure on neighborhood Japanese beetle control programs, or for more information about St. Gabriel Laboratories’ pest control products, call (800) 801-0061.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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3. The Principles Behind Japanese Gardens