Bolton Pest Control

Archive for August, 2010

 

Most dog-owners find that fleas can be quite a problem in summer. Your dog will inevitably bring some home from time to time because fleas are all over the place and contact with them is unavoidable. If your dog has just one or two fleas he will probably not be too bothered with them and you may not even realise he has them. But if there is a larger number of fleas, your house can get infested and that’s when you need to know about dog flea treatment.

Fleas are unpleasant parasites that bite and suck blood, causing itchiness and discomfort. They can also spread other parasites, such as tapeworms. Dog fleas do not live on humans, but they do jump around and bite people, especially when the dog is not around.

If you observe frequent scratching in your dog, chances are he has an infestation, and you may find fleas on his body or in his bed. Once they invade your carpet and upholstery you are likely to start getting bitten, often around the ankles, and you will need to use dog flea products to get rid of them.

Before getting rid of the fleas in your house, you must first treat your dog. Purchase a flea spray or powder or a dog flea shampoo, and follow the instructions. You will probably need to use a fair amount, but it is important do it in a safe way. Make sure you cover your dog’s eyes, nose and mouth when you use the dog flea product, as it can cause irritation to these areas. It might be wise to protect yourself too, so read the label to see if this is advised.

It is easier to apply a dog flea remedy if you have another person to help you. One of you should hold the dog’s head while the other one applies the product. You should take your time over this to make sure you do a thorough job. Begin at the head and work your way down to the tail and legs. To make sure it gets in under the hairs it is best to apply the product against the grain of the coat.

If you find you are not able to do away with all your dog’s fleas, your best course of action is to take him to a groomer for treatment. They will most likely use a bath treatment on your dog, which is probably suitable for home use too.

Fleas reproduce by creating a place to breed (not on the dog). They particularly favour the dog’s bed, so you have to treat it thoroughly with a spray, as well as any other place he may sleep. If your carpeting and furniture is infested you should spray it or buy an insecticide bomb at a hardware store and fumigate the entire house. This involves leaving the house for a few hours so if you should use that method, you must make sure you don’t leave any food out. It should all be stored in sealed containers. Be sure to read the instructions carefully to check whether the product you bought could be harmful to any other pets you may have, for example pet fish, which may need to be removed during the fumigation.

Once you have tackled the live fleas, you have to get rid of the eggs they have left. There are products available to keep these from hatching. Also remember to repeat the treatment on the dog and his bed again after a few days.

You may not be able to avoid fleas altogether, but remember that they are always treatable. And the best treatment is of course prevention, so it is a good idea to get a dog flea collar and have him wear it when you take him outside. You can remove it when he is in the house, and must be sure to take it off if ever it gets wet, to avoid irritation to the dog’s skin.

Alberto grew up in the Argentinean countryside where he was always in close contact with animals, especially dogs, cats and horses. He spent a lot of time with the local veterinarian, first out of curiosity, and later on as an occasional assistant. Check out his Web site where you will find valuable information that will help you give your pet the best care. http://www.trainingyourpet.net
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An increasing number of people are turning away from treating their dogs for fleas by the traditional methods of administering spot on treatments, sprays and powders, and looking towards more gentle and natural methods of treating fleas.

In this article we are going to look at how you can use essential oils as an effective method of both treating a dog who has fleas and also using essential oils as a repellent for fleas.

Let us look first at using essential oils as a repellent for dog fleas. The best time to begin this process is around winter time, as the flea population is very low at this time of the year, although not completely non existent, as many homes these days have central heating, and the warm atmosphere can help maintain the flea breeding cycle throughout the year but, usually not to a degree to cause your dog too much of a problem.

To keep fleas to a minimum you will need to treat both your dog, his or her basket and bedding, plus your house. Wash your pets bedding and basket regularly; use 2 to 4 drops of eucalyptus essential oil in a very hot wash, as you will eliminate both fleas and dust mites in your pets bedding at the same time.

To treat your home, vacuum regularly, especially areas that are dark, warm and harbor dust, as these are ideal breeding areas for fleas. Examples of such places are under furniture, beds and under carpets.

Use lavender scented detergent mixed with 4 to 8 drops of lavender essential oil to clean your floors. Pay special attention to where the floors meet the walls, as these crevices are another place where fleas can exist undetected and breed successfully.

It’s now time to use your essential oils as a flea repellent on your dog. You can do this in a number of ways, but a simple and effective programme will consist of the following; bath your dog using a natural dog shampoo that has had 3 drops of lavender, 2 drops of lemon grass and 3 drops of citronella essential oil added to it. Bath your dog using this solution on a regular basis using this solution.

When bathing your dog remember to pay attention to areas like the base of his tail, the back of his ears and between his paws.

Take an old spray bottle filled with water and add 8 drops of lavender essential oil and spray your dogs fur, especially his back area, base of his tail and neck. Remember to cover your dogs eyes when spraying his neck area.

If you think your dog may already have fleas, check first to see if this is the case. Dogs scratch for all kinds of reasons; stress, allergic reactions to certain food, or a badly conditioned coat for example.

Carefully check your dogs fur, if you find small black flakes on his skin or in his fur, especially around the base of his tail, his back or around his neck, this is flea excrement and you will need to be treated.

Treat your dog in the way described above, but on a more frequent basis, for example, give your dog a lavender bath 2 times per week, and spray his coat with lavender spray once per day. you can treat flea bites with undiluted lavender essential oil, or tea tree essential oil, as both these oils are excellent antiseptics. If you are using tea tree oil, don’t use it neat, mix 2 to 3 drops in a cup of water, and clean the infected area with cotton wool balls.

Keep checking your dogs fur, until there are no further signs of fleas. To keep your dog free from fleas in the future, keep his coat in good condition by bathing him regularly, and grooming his coat. When grooming your dog check his coat for fleas. Keeping your dog fit and healthy, through a good diet, exercise and regular grooming is the first defense to flea control, as fleas are much more likely to infest unhealthy animals rather than healthy ones.

Following these simple steps to natural flea treatment, will ensure you dog remain free from fleas all year round.

Ivan Ojounru has been training dogs in the UK since the late 1908′s. He now lives in France where he continues to train dogs and write about dog related behaviour care and trainig topics. He is passionate about giving dog owners the skills, knowledge and confidence to enable them to train their own dogs successfully. For further information visit http://www.dogtrainingcareadvice.blogspot.com
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Bed bug infestations have increased exponentially over the past three years causing panic among homeowners, coop members and property managers. In New York City 1,800 bed bug complaints were received in 2004. By last year complaints had more than tripled, topping 7,000. Concern that 2008 will see even more bed bug activity prompted the city to recently sponsor educational seminars for residents and property managers.

The problem is not limited to New York City and other large metropolitan areas. In recent years the age-old scourge has cropped up in all 50 states. The nightly news, local newspapers and blogosphere are full of reports of bed bug infestations. Numerous websites dedicate themselves to pinpointing the latest infestation sites and warning buyers and renters to steer clear. Luxury hotels have been sued by irate guests. Bed bugs have been reported in the tony co-ops of the rich and famous, in fashionable condominiums, in luxury apartments, in college dorms and in upscale suburban homes. Noted bed bug authority Michael Potter, an urban entomologist at the University of Kentucky, calls bed bugs the pre-eminent household pest in the U.S., on a par with cockroaches and rats. “This is one serious issue,” he recently told the New York Times. “This will be the pest of the 21st century – no questions about it.”

“History is repeating itself,” Potter said, explaining that many American beds were crawling with bed bugs before World War II. After the war, the use of potent chemicals like DDT spelled the death knell for bed bugs in America and most industrialized countries; but they continued to flourish in many other parts of the world. With environmental consciousness came less powerful, but safer chemicals that have allowed bed bugs carried in on the clothing and suitcases of international travelers to dig back into American beds.

“If bed bugs transmitted disease, what’s happening would be considered a huge epidemic,” says bed bug expert Dini Miller, an entomologist at Virginia Tech. “Though bedbugs have been shown to harbor 28 pathogens temporarily — including HIV and hepatitis B — numerous studies have shown the pathogens fail to thrive in the host enough to spread disease to people,” according to an article in the July 16, 2007 issue of U.S. News & World Report.

While they don’t pose a health threat, bed bugs routinely throw people into a state of hysteria. About the size of an apple seed, bed bugs have flattened, oval, wingless bodies that are a light to reddish-brown in color. Feeding on human blood for 3 to 10 minutes at a time, the proliferate nocturnal pests carry a psychological punch out of proportion to their size. “They come in the dark; they feed on you; they scurry away when you turn the light on,” said Lynn Kimsey, director of the Bohart Museum of Entomology at the University of California-Davis. Their bites can raise itchy red welts that bedevil their victims. There are stories of people dumping gallons of insecticide on their mattresses and dousing themselves with bug spray before they go to sleep. “I have people who call me in tears. They’re in hysterics,” admitted entomologist Richard Pollack of Harvard University.

Bed bugs are tough to kill. They have a hard cuticle for protection, can live for more than a year without feeding, and hide in tiny cracks and crevices making it hard for exterminators to reach them. Their eggs are tiny (about the size of a pin head), translucent and pearly white. Household insecticides won’t kill bed bugs and can actually cause them to spread as they seek new harborage. In fact, Potter and University of Kentucky researchers are starting to find bed bugs that are resistant to the pesticides commonly used to kill them.

In laboratory tests these “super bed bugs” have survived commercial pesticides at more than 10 times the recommended dose. Researchers sprayed laboratory bed bugs and bugs from four different apartment colonies with pyrethoid insecticides, the most common professional insecticide used to kill bed bugs. When sprayed, the laboratory bed bugs, which had never been exposed to the insecticide, were decimated completely; however, there were few mortalities among the apartment bed bug populations. In fact, those insects were immune to sprays that were two to three hundred times the recommended dosage prescribed by the insecticide manufacturer.

Complicating matters, people often have trouble enduring pesticide treatments and the residues they leave. A revolutionary new bed bug eradication treatment, Cryonite, provides a safe solution. Popular in Europe and Australia but only recently introduced in the United States, Cryonite does not use chemicals or leave noxious or poisonous residues. Cryonite is a completely “green” solution to killing bed bugs. It’s safe for people with sensitive skin, allergies, asthma, medical conditions, babies, young children, the elderly, even pets. A totally dry method of pest elimination, Cryonite leaves no liquid residue which allows for immediate use of the home or building after treatment.

The kryptonite of the pest world, felling even super bugs that are resistant to ordinary pesticides, Cryonite uses rapid freezing to kill bed bugs, cockroaches and most other insects. Unlike traditional pesticides, Cryonite kills bugs in every stage of development. Bugs can’t hide from the pressurized carbon dioxide (CO2) “vapor” that seeps into cracks, crevices and other hiding places. Cryonite works by applying thin layers of pressurized CO2 “snow.” As the CO2 hits surfaces, it vaporizes, causing extreme instant cooling of any organism with which the gas comes in contact. In effect, it freezes the cells of insects, crystallizing the water in their cells on contact. The insect is instantly immobilized and it takes only moments for death to occur. Bugs cannot scurry away and escape Cryonite. The fast-freezing gas kills adults, nymphs and eggs alike, unlike pesticides which are impotent on eggs.

Encasements are another important weapon in the property owner’s bed bug eradication arsenal. Encasements protect your investment in mattresses and box springs from bed bugs. If bed bugs occur, they can’t get through the encasement to infect mattresses and box springs. If bed bugs are already evident, they and their eggs are trapped inside the encasements where they eventually suffocate and die. Bed bug-proof encasements are made with breathable materials that are impervious to bed bug bites but guarantee a comfortable night’s sleep. Specially designed seams and zippers keep bugs from crawling in or out. Encasements are meant to remain on your mattress and box springs for as long as you own them, forever protecting your investment from bed bug infiltration.

Douglas Stern is the managing partner of Stern Environmental Group and a bed bug extermination expert. His firm serves clients in New Jersey, New York City, and New York. You can reach him toll free at 1-888-887-8376 or by email at info@sternenvironmental.com or at http://www.SternEnvironmental.com.
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Stings and bites from insects are common. They often result in redness and swelling in the injured area. Sometimes a sting can cause a life-threatening allergic reaction.

Arthropods are insects that live primarily on land and have 6 legs. They dominate the present-day land fauna. They represent about three-fourths of known animal life. In fact, the actual number of living species could range from 5-10 million.

The orders that contain the greatest numbers of species are Coleoptera (beetles), Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths), Hymenoptera (ants, bees, wasps), and Diptera (true flies).

Insects do not usually attack unless they are provoked. Most bites and stings are defensive. The insects sting to protect their hives or nests.

A sting or bite injects venom composed of proteins and other substances that may trigger an allergic reaction in the victim. The sting also causes redness and swelling at the site of the sting.

Bees, wasps, hornets, yellow jackets, and fire ants are members of the Hymenoptera family. Bites or stings from these species may cause serious reactions in people who are allergic to them. Death from bee stings is 3-4 times more common than death from snake bites (for more information, see stings of bees and wasps).

Bees, wasps, and fire ants differ in how they inflict injury. When a bee stings, it loses the entire injection apparatus (stinger) and actually dies in the process. A wasp can inflict multiple stings because it does not lose its injection apparatus after it stings.

Fire ants inject their venom by using their mandibles (the biting parts of their jaw) and rotating their bodies. They may inject venom many times.

In contrast, bites from mosquitoes typically do not cause significant illnesses, unless they convey “vectors,” or microorganisms that actually live within these mosquitoes. For instance, malaria is caused by an organism that spends part of its life cycle in a particular species of mosquitoes. West Nile virus is another disease spread by a mosquito.

Moreover, lice can transmit epidemic relapsing fever, caused by spirochetes. Also, leishmaniasis, caused by the protozoan Leishmania, is carried by a sand fly.

Sleeping sickness in humans and a group of cattle diseases that are widespread in Africa, and known as nagana, are caused by protozoan trypanosomes transmitted by the bites of tsetse flies.

In unsanitary conditions, the common housefly can play an incidental role in the spread of human intestinal infections (such as typhoid and bacillary and amebic dysentery) by contamination of human food.

Tularemia can be spread by deer fly bites, the bubonic plague by fleas, and the epidemic typhus rickettsia by lice.

Various mosquitoes spread viral diseases (such as equine encephalitis; dengue and yellow fever in humans and other animals).

Ticks can transmit Lyme disease and other illnesses through their bites or stings.

Other insects such as chiggers and mites typically cause self-limited localized itchiness and swelling. Additionally, serious bites from spiders, which are not insects, can be from the black widow or brown recluse.

The response to a sting or bite from insects is variable and depends on a variety of factors. Most bites and stings result in pain, swelling, redness, and itching to the affected area. The skin may be broken and become infected if the bite area is scratched. If not treated properly, these local infections may become severe and cause a condition known as cellulitis.

You may experience a severe reaction beyond the immediate area of the sting if you are allergic to the bite or sting. This is known as anaphylaxis. Symptoms of a severe reaction include hives, wheezing, shortness of breath, unconsciousness, and even death within 30 minutes.

A sting on the tongue may cause throat swelling and death because of airway obstruction.

Stings from large hornets or multiple (hundreds or thousands) bee stings have been rarely reported to cause muscle breakdown and kidney failure.

Bites from a fire ant typically produce a pustule, or a pimple-like sore, that is extremely itchy and painful.

If you start to experience symptoms that are not just at the site of the bite or sting (and you don’t have a history of severe reactions), seek medical attention. These symptoms (systemic symptoms affect the whole body) may progress to fatal anaphylactic shock.

Hives are the most common systemic symptom. They appear as irregular, raised, red blotchy areas on the skin and are very itchy. If hives are the only systemic symptom present, they are often treated at home with an antihistamine.

If the bite appears infected (redness with or without pus, warmth, fever, or a red streak that spreads toward the body), see a doctor.

If you don’t know what bit you, it is important to keep watching the area closely to be sure it does not become infected. Call your doctor if there is an open wound, which may suggest a poisonous spider bite.

People who have a history of severe reactions should go to the nearest hospital’s emergency department after a bite or sting if they experience any symptoms. Those who have no history of severe reactions should also go to the emergency department if they have symptoms like wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness or pain, sensation of the throat closing or difficulty speaking or swallowing, faintness, or weakness.

Treatment depends on the type of reaction. If there is only redness and pain at the site of the bite, application of ice is adequate treatment. Clean the area with soap and water to remove contaminated particles left behind by some insects (such as mosquitoes). These particles may further contaminate the wound if not removed. Refrain from scratching because this may cause the skin to break down and an infection to form.

You may treat itching at the site of the bite with an over-the-counter antihistamine such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl) in cream or pill form. Calamine lotion also helps relieve the itching.

People who have a history of severe reactions to bites or stings may have been prescribed an anaphylaxis kit. The kit contains an epinephrine injector (you give yourself an injection), tourniquet, and an antihistamine. The kit should be used according to the doctor’s instructions.

Finally, severe reactions are treated with injections of epinephrine and an antihistamine such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl). Steroids (drugs in the cortisone family) are also usually given. Oral antibiotics may be given for infected bite wounds. For seriously ill people, an IV will be started, oxygen given, and the heart monitor is used until the symptoms have improved.

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Are you aware of the fact that there are 90% chances for a popular hotel – a suite room or a presidential in a posh hotel to have bed bugs? Even you’re favorite hotel can have bed bugs without your knowledge.

Now you may wonder whether your hotel has got bed bugs or not. What are the symptoms and signs of bed bug infestation? Assuming that your hotel has got bed bugs, what can be done so that your house does not get infested when you return home?

The common symptoms and signs of bed bug infestation are as follows

1. Bed Bug Rash

Itching is the first sign. The rash begins with an itching sensation. The rash will not be visible but you’ll be able to feel the itch.

When a bed bug bites, it can be itchier than mosquito bites. When a mosquito bites, you can sense its sting and feel the sucking of blood. But when bed bugs bite, the itch can be felt only after a time period of minimum one hour. This is caused by the anesthetics in the bed bug’s saliva. They inject anticoagulant and anesthetics, to prevent blood from clotting, before it sucks your blood.

Bed bug rash can be sensed one hour after the bite. But in some cases, the rash appears only a few days or weeks later. This is determined by the body’s response to the chemicals secreted by the bugs.

How can you identify a rash caused by a bed bug? It begins with a, red, small and round (from being inflamed), bump which looks more swollen than a mosquito rash. Initially, only a swollen bump can be seen. In due course of time, the rash spreads all over. This indicates that many bed bugs have started biting you. But in some cases, the rash may look similar to a bite mark in sequence. This is seen in people who constantly move when they’re sleeping. Once the bed bugs notice movement around them, they quickly run back to their hiding places.

When you suspect a bed bug rash, examine it for a few days. The rash causes prolonged itching for days together .Also, a bed bug rash doesn’t heal as quickly as mosquito bites. It remains swollen for weeks together.

2. Bed Bug Odor

Next thing to look for is bed bug odor. What kind of an odor does it have?

A Hotel where there’s plenty of bed bug infestation had this obnoxious, musty, sweet-smelling, odor that bed bugs release. You may find this smell under the headboard and mattresses. If you find a sofa with cracks or a wooden chair in your hotel, check whether they’ve got bed bug odor.

Bed bug odor isn’t easily detectable in hotels with negligible or minimal amount of infestation,

How do you avoid the hotel bed bugs from attacking your house?

Take out all the things from your suitcase the previous night. Bed bugs are efficient hitchhikers. Bed bugs can survive without food for days together. If there are bed bugs in your suitcase, they can attack the entire household.

Check your wooden things for bed bugs. They are attracted to wooden items, paper and cloth. These are the substances that support their survival.

Use water-based insect destroyer and spray it around your suitcase, and that the bed bugs can be thrown away. put your clothes and other things in a clean, dry bath tub. Bed bugs can’t stay in tub crevices as the tub is made up of ceramic or marble and it gets wet quite often.

Wash the used clothes before going back home. Remember, this isn’t a trivial issue. Once your bedroom gets infested with bed bugs, it quickly spreads to neighboring rooms. Destroying bed bugs is really difficult. You may even have to even condemn your sofa and bed to get rid of bed bugs.

Abhishek has got some great Bed Bugs Elimination Secrets up his sleeve! Download his FREE 69 Pages Ebook, “How To Win Your War Against Bed Bugs!” from his website http://www.Wonder-Homes.com/113/index.htm . Only limited Free Copies available.
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