Stiff knees and sprained backs are some of the discomforts that gardeners put up with all the time because they love to be outdoors weeding, nurturing and enjoying the fruits of their labor. If they come up against millipedes while they're deep in greenery, they may also have to suffer through a few blisters.
While there are pests that can do more harm to people, millipedes secrete a fluid through the openings in their bodies that can cause blisters in humans and be toxic to small pets. Homeowners who have seen the worm-like insects, which can be as long as 4 inches, will recognize them by the many pairs of legs on their undersides. They can be black, brown, orange or red and often exist in large numbers when they infiltrate gardening and lawn areas. Female millipedes can lay as many as 300 eggs in nests in the soil.
Having a commercial pest control service like Abel Pest Controlcome out to inspect your property for a suspected millipede infestation is a good safeguard against harm coming to children or pets while they're playing in the yard. A pest management company will come up with an effective treatment plan and advise you on ways to keep a millipede population from resurfacing in the future.
Pest World reported that millipedes don't last long if they turn up in your house, unless they enter a high-moisture area. Their venue of choice is the outdoors, where there are plenty of materials that allow them to flourish once a population gets underway. They feed on decaying organic matter and are likely to surface in mulch, damp piles of leaves, grass clippings, rotting firewood and other debris.
You can minimize the chance of developing a habitat for millipedes by moving mulch and similar gardening materials a distance from your house and your favorite gardening spot.
Like most properties, there are locations that are more likely to harbor moisture, including water spigots and drain pipes. Clear out any standing water and keep spigots turned off tightly to prevent drips. Make sure all drain pipe extensions are placed so water drains away from the house and at a slant so they don't create water puddles.
As to the risk of encountering millipedes while you're busy at work in your garden, wearing gloves at all times is the best defense against getting blisters if you should have contact with them.
You probably already know that most people are repulsed by the simple sight of cockroaches. If you are personally dealing with a cockroach infestation, the feelings of disgust are probably even more intense. Unfortunately, the cold winter weather tends to be one of the reasons this pest ends up in your home in the first place, according to Any Pest. While you may know that you don't want to share your home with cockroaches this winter, there are a number of interesting facts about this pest that you've probably never heard.
Because of the high amount of traffic and the versatility of the facilities, pests are naturally attracted to long-term care institutions. Many nursing homes, rehabilitation centers and other care facilities include on-site kitchens and cafeterias as well as private rooms and common spaces. All of these places are susceptible to attracting pests because of the presence of food, water and viable habitats.
During the summer months, some people love to go camping with family and friends. Yet this fun trip can be ruined with a few unwanted visitors, most notably different types of bugs. Crawling spiders, hungry mosquitoes and buzzing flies can become annoying quickly. How can you avoid these pests when you're outdoors? Consider these tips to keep bugs out of your campsite.
Carpenter ants can chew through the strongest studs and stringers in a house as they hollow the wooden beams out for nesting. The resulting damage can weaken the home's structural support and require expensive repairs. Professional pest control workers can remove a colony of ants, but the best practice for homeowners is to learn the best ways to keep out an ant colony and prevent the problem before it begins.
As the weather cools, you'll probably see fewer pests than you did during the warmer months, but that doesn't mean they're all gone just yet. Some insects can actually come out in full force during the autumn, while others might seek refuge in your warm home. Here are some key tips to keep in mind as fall gets underway:
As the middle of summer approaches, you need to be vigilant about keeping your garden free of pests. Many insects breed during the summertime, which means they're on the lookout for great places to lay their eggs. For many bugs, that means near a source of food. In fact, some species of insects will lay their eggs inside budding vegetables and fruit so their larvae have something to eat as soon as they hatch. That's why you have to keep harmful bugs out without damaging the bugs that could help you, such as bumble bees.
You might have noticed that, with the exception of the kitchen, you find more pests in your bathroom than in the rest of your home. This is because insects and rodents see the bathroom as a convenient watering hole. Pests love leaky pipes and standing water because these offer them a hydrating oasis in the otherwise dry biome that is your house or apartment. And if your bathroom develops mold, all the better for pests, who may eat fungus or use it to lay their eggs.
The kitchen is largest gathering place for pests in a residential home. The reason is simple: pests can grab a bite to eat and take a sip of water while they're here. And when they find such a bountiful place, they will return home to their nests and report the finding - before you know it, your whole pantry is a buffet for ants! The problem could get even worse if a piece of food falls somewhere and begins to rot. Similarly, fruit and vegetables you bring into your home may be harboring unseen pests waiting to hatch.
