Best pest control specialists near Hampton, IA

Ticks are most commonly found behind (or even inside) ears, behind knees, in belly buttons, in the hair, and in your underarms. If you find a tick on your body or on your pet, use a pair of clean tweezers to grab the tick as close to the surface of your skin as possible. If you simply yank or twist it, you can leave the tick’s mouth parts lodged in your skin and will need to remove those carefully with the tweezers. 

Once you have removed the tick, flush it down the toilet and wash your skin with rubbing alcohol or soap and water. Know the signs of lyme disease such as fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, and a rash.

Exterminators can get rid of your current ant problem, but they won’t prevent ants from coming back. So it’s important to implement ant preventatives to avoid future infestations.

The primary reason ants enter your home is to find food. If they can’t find any, they won’t survive. So, the most effective way to prevent ant infestations is to clean, clean, and clean some more. 

Keep your kitchen sparkling and wash your dishes immediately (or at least give them a quick rinse and wash off leftover food). Take out your garbage and compost as often as possible and tightly seal all your kitchen containers, especially the mason jars you use to hold your sugar—sugar is gold to ants.

You can also hire a local handyperson to help you prevent future ant infestations. The handyman can seal cracks and fix leaks throughout your home, which will keep any ants from entering.

Naturally get rid of gnats by luring them into a homemade trap with sweet-smelling items from around the house. Cover a bowl with plastic wrap, place a paper cone in a jar, or simply leave a wine bottle with a bit of residue on the bottom. Each of these traps will attract remaining gnats and keep them from spreading.

If you’re having trouble with your traps, first examine them for flaws that would allow a squirrel to escape easily, such as loose doors or hinges. It’s also important to consider the location of your trap: Place it in areas with higher squirrel traffic, and make sure it’s on a sturdy surface so it can’t wobble or tip (squirrels aren’t likely to walk in a trap that isn’t stable). Lastly, try changing out your bait—in-shell peanuts or peanut butter often work best.