• Strategies for Keeping Ants Out of Your Restaurant

    Pests go wherever they can find food, moisture, and protection. Unfortunately, that makes your restaurant an excellent destination for them. An ant infestation near Pleasanton can be jarring to customers, and they might begin to question how healthy and sanitary your establishment really is. In addition to working with professional commercial pest control services , you can take some preventative measures to make your restaurant less attractive to ants.

    Keep a Clean Space

    Cleanliness is hugely important when you run a restaurant. Customers who see a restaurant as unclean are less likely to eat there, which means the company loses business and its reputation takes a hit. If health inspectors deem the restaurant unsanitary, you may even have to shut down until the problem is resolved. Keeping your space clean helps you avoid these problems as well as keep pest control issues at bay. Ants are more likely to show up when there’s food scraps and moisture to consume as well as places to hide, so keep clutter to a minimum and follow the right cleanup protocol.

    Seal Points of Entry

    Ants are extremely small and can get inside your restaurant with little to no trouble, but you can make it more difficult by sealing the exterior of your business. Look for small gaps and cracks that ants might crawl through, and seal them up to keep them out. Close your doors and windows, use area rugs by entrances and exits, and remember to sweep regularly. You can also have your commercial pest control professional help identify access points and catch the problem before it moves inside.

    Take Out the Trash

    Keeping trash around is never a good pest control practice, and it’s especially detrimental if you run a restaurant. Most of the trash that a restaurant generates is made of food scraps, which is exactly what pests like ants are looking for. A proper waste management plan keeps the ants away.

  • Tips for Keeping Ants Out of Your Office

    An ant infestation can be quite the distraction, especially if it occurs in your office . If you’d rather set your sights on your work than worry about pest control near Pleasanton, then consider using ant bait to take care of your problem. You should also make sure any food you bring into your office is sealed tightly, and call the pest treatment professionals to set you up with a plan to keep the ants out. Continue reading and pick up a few tips for keeping ants out of your office. ant - infestation

    Use Ant Bait

    If you want to keep ants out of the office, you’ll need to deal with the commercial pest control issue at hand. Before you call your pest treatment professional, try setting out baits for the ants. This will draw them out of hiding and give you an idea of where the source of the infestation is. Nobody wants to walk into an office to discuss business and discover an ant problem, but you can use this pest control method to eliminate part of the infestation and figure out where it’s coming from. Then you can take further measures to cut it off at the source.

    Keep Food Contained

    Once you’ve dealt with your pest control issue and you’re considering how you can make sure it doesn’t come back, think about what you eat in your office. If you’re a workaholic who eats lunch at the desk, it’s important that you keep your food securely sealed. A bowl of apple slices makes for a nice, healthy snack, but it can also lead to a pest control situation. If you’re going to be snacking in your office, don’t leave your dishes out in the open where pests can access them.

    Call the Pros

    If you’re worried about a pest control problem in your office, you can always work with the professionals. Your pest control pro will know exactly how to keep ants out of your office, and he or she can help you prepare. Call your commercial pest control expert to see what you can do for your space.

  • How Strong Are Ants?

    If you’re like many other people who require pest control for their home, then you may be dealing with an ant infestation . Pest control services in Dublin get many questions about these common nuisance bugs, and it’s not unusual for homeowners to wonder how an insect so small can lift such large pieces of food.

    Watch this video to learn some facts about the strength of ants. Ants are incredible insects that can carry objects that weigh as much as 50 times their own weight. Compared to larger animals, these bugs have a greater proportion of muscle, which allows them to carry large pieces of food. To help avoid the need for pest control, keep your home free of crumbs and food sources for ants.

  • Spotlight on Odorous House Ants

    Are you looking for a pest control company because your home may have an ant infestation in Dublin? If so, then you may be dealing with the odorous house ant. Read on to learn some interesting facts about this common household pest.

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    Appearance

    The odorous house ant’s name comes from the powerful odor that it gives off when crushed, and the smell is commonly described as something similar to rotten coconut. This small insect ranges in size from about 1/16 of an inch to 1/8 of an inch in length. The odorous house ant is brown or black in color, has a shape that is oval and segmented, and is found throughout the United States.

    Behavior

    This ant is fond of sweet foods and has a particular taste for honeydew. The odorous house ant commonly moves to a different location and builds a new nest every few months in response to rainfall. When living indoors, this insect makes its home in places like wall voids that are near moisture, such as within termite-damaged wood, under leaky plumbing, or next to water heater pipes. Outside your home, you might find these ants living beneath piles of firewood or in exposed dirt.

    Dangers

    The odorous house ant is not considered a threat to human health. However, these bugs should be avoided or dealt with because they can contaminate food. If you see these insects in or around your home, then you may have an ant infestation and should consider contacting a pest control company.

    Prevention

    Are you hoping to keep these ants out of your home? If so, then there are several steps that you can take. Start by inspecting every area in and around your home for signs of excess moisture, as this will attract ants and other insects. After removing any water sources, seal off any cracks, torn vent screens, or other possible entry points that you can find on your home’s exterior. Finally, move any firewood or building materials away from your home because odorous house ants prefer to build nests in stacks of wood.

  • Get a Glimpse of the Amazing Physics of Ants

    Scientists have found that ants can behave as both fluid and solid materials. In this video from The New York Times, you will take a glimpse at the amazing physical properties of ants. When working in the lab, scientists were able to observe all of the amazing ways that ant qualities behave when they encounter different obstacles. Understanding the behavior of ants can help you eliminate an ant infestation near Dublin.

    If you have started to notice ants around your home, do not hesitate to set up residential pest control services. A team of pest control experts can help you choose the pest removal services that are right for your property. Professional pest removal will help you take care of your ant problem in the best manner possible.

  • The Restaurateur’s Guide to Pest Control

    Whether you operate a fine dining establishment or a casual restaurant, commercial pest control should be among your top concerns. If your food prep areas or dining room become plagued by an ant infestation, rodent colony, or roach population, your business could be at risk of being shut down by the health authorities. In order to keep your restaurant up and running, it is a fantastic idea to set up pest control services with a company that specializes in commercial pest control in Dublin. To help you ensure that your food service area is safe and sanitary, here is a quick guide to restaurant pest control. restaurant - pest - control

    Secure Your Exterior Areas

    Restaurant pest management starts at the exterior of your facility. The outside of your restaurant may contain dumpsters, bright lighting, and other features that could attract rodents and other pests. In order to keep your exterior areas secure from pests, you will want to make sure that your dumpsters are sealed and regularly sanitized. You can also prevent pests from entering your restaurant by sealing your doors and windows.

    Keep Food Secure

    A commercial kitchen is filled with tasty treats that will attract rodents, cockroaches, and other unwanted creatures. In order to control pests in your restaurant, you will need to make sure that your food items are kept securely sealed when they are not being prepared. Investing in sealed food containers is one great way to keep pests away. You can also prevent a pest invasion by taking out your trash regularly throughout the day.

    Look for Signs of An Invasion

    If pests invade your restaurant, you will need to act fast to eliminate the problem. Rodents, cockroaches, and other pests can spread harmful diseases to your staff and customers. Some signs of a pest invasion in a restaurant space include droppings along the floor, bite marks in food containers, and visible signs of the pests themselves. When you notice any signs of pests in your restaurant, you will need to call an exterminator immediately.

  • Damage Caused by Carpenter Ants

    Are you interested in getting rid of ants near Dublin ? Carpenter ants are common throughout North America, and in the United States alone, there are 24 different species that can cause damage to wooden structures.

    Carpenter-Ants

    Carpenter Ant Identification

    The presence of the worker ants is the clearest sign of a carpenter ant infestation on your property. Because there are so many species of these pests, it can be challenging to distinguish them from other ants. These insects can differ in both size and color, and the appearance of ants within a single colony can vary. Carpenter ants can appear yellow, orange, red, brown, black, or a combination of black and red, and they can range from about 3 to 13mm in length. In some cases, you can identify a carpenter ant infestation by spotting the shavings that they sometimes leave behind beneath items made from wood.

    Carpenter Ant Damage

    Because both affect wood, the damage caused by carpenter ants and by termites are frequently mistaken for one another. Carpenter ants damage wood to make room for their nests, while termites eat wood for nutrition. To distinguish between a termite and carpenter ant problem, you’ll need to examine the hollowed wood. Ant colonies are typically polished and clean inside, and also feature holes through which the insects dispose of debris. Subterranean termite colonies are often muddy or contain dirt. The ants prefer to attack decayed wood for the better temperatures and humidity levels that it provides. Although these ants don’t live off of the wood, they can damage structures where they nest for years at a time if the colony is active. Additionally, one colony can potentially split off into several more, which will continue to weaken the structure.

    Carpenter Ant Control

    If left untreated, carpenter ants can end up causing severe damage to a building. If you suspect you have a carpenter ant colony in your home or building, experts advise calling a pest control company as soon as possible. The faster that you pursue pest treatment for these insects, the less damage they will be able to do to your property.

  • Tips for Eliminating Ant Piles

    Are you looking for pest control for an ant infestation near Pleasanton? If you have noticed ant piles popping up around your lawn, you may have an ant problem. The first step in getting rid of ants is to determine what type of ant you’re dealing with. Watch this video for some tips on eliminating ant piles.

    Smaller ant piles frequently belong to common, indigenous ants, and sprinkling the area with a pest control dust will often take care of the problem. If you live in a warmer climate and the ant piles are large, there’s a good chance that the piles belong to fire ants. Getting rid of fire ants typically requires a combination of ant baits and dusts.

  • Commercial Pest Control 101

    Finding an ant, cockroach, or wasp’s nest on your residential property may be a serious issue, but finding the same pests in your commercial establishment is unacceptable. Fortunately, commercial pest control near Dublin can rid you of your pest problem and keep your business up and running. If you are interested in learning about the pest services that commercial exterminators have to offer, read on for Commercial Pest Control 101.

    All businesses are on a budget, so it is important to find a commercial pest control company that is sensitive to your needs. However, it is just as important to work with a reputable company that will provide professional quality results and offer top-notch customer service. Fortunately, Performance Pest Management is a perfect example of this type of commercial pest control company. At Performance Pest Management, we are proud to put our 35 years of experience to the test each day. We use environmentally friendly methods in order to keep humans and animals in the vicinity safe as well as do our part to preserve the environment. Whether you need to rid your restaurant of an ant problem or remove cockroaches from your hotel, we are happy to help.

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  • Identifying an Ant Infestation

    You have probably warned your children countless times about how spills and food scraps can attract ants, but the tricky part is getting them to listen. Ant treatment is a popular reason for homeowners to call for residential pest control servicing Dublin, Livermore, and San Ramon. Ants are often mistaken for termites, so it is helpful to learn about ant habits and what their nests look like in order to identify them properly when calling your exterminator. Keep reading for a few tips on identifying an ant infestation. residential pest control near livermore, ca

    Locating an Ant Nest
    re, but finding an ant nest typically signifies a real problem. If you suspect that you have an infestation brewing in your home or on your property, it helps to know what to look for. Fortunately there are a few giveaway signs as well as steps that you can take to find them. Carpenter ants tend to create their nests within wood. Although moist wood tends to be a prime target, they will also nest in dry wood . Keep an eye on any hollow and potentially moist spaces like behind your water-based appliances, and listen for rustling while tapping wooden walls.

    Characteristic Habits of Ants
    Each different type of ant plays a specific role within its colony. Ants with wings, whether male or female, will spread the colony by mating in other areas. Male winged ants die after mating, while females lay eggs and shed their wings, keeping them close to the new colony. The females, or queens, are then responsible for raising the larvae; once the larvae hatch and grow into pupae, then it is their jobs to raise the young. Female workers leave the colonies to find sources of food and are often the ones spotted in homes.

    Mistaking Ants for Termites
    It is important to be able to tell the difference between ants and termites, and you can do this easily by assessing their physical characteristics. While termites tend to appear more straight and narrow with straight antennae and neatly overlapping wings, ants have thin waists and curved antennae.