Pests That Trigger Allergies and Asthma: Stinging Insects, Cockroaches, Dust Mites

It may be prime time for seasonal allergy sufferers in Wisconsin, but there may be another cause of asthma and other allergic reactions lurking in or around your home: pests!

Stinging Insects

Those who suffer from stinging insect allergies may show signs from itching and hives, to more serious symptoms such as shortness of breath and anaphylaxis, which is a potentially fatal reaction. An allergic reaction occurs when the immune system overreacts to an allergen. In stinging insect allergies, the allergen is venom from a sting. Most serious reactions are caused by four types of insects:

  • Yellow jackets are black with yellow markings. Their nests are usually located underground, but sometimes found in the walls of buildings, cracks in masonry or in woodpiles.
  • Honey bees have round, fuzzy bodies with dark brown and yellow markings. They can be found in honeycombs in trees, old tires or other partially protected sites.
  • Paper wasps are slender with black, brown, red and yellow markings. They live in a circular comb under eaves, behind shutters or in shrubs and woodpiles.
  • Hornets are black or brown with white, orange or yellow markings. Their nests are gray or brown and are usually found in trees.

Cockroaches

What you may be surprised to know is that cockroaches are actually one of the leading causes of asthma symptoms in children. This may result in difficulty sleeping and wheezing, itchy skin, throat and nose, as well as inflamed eyes and ears. While adults may also have these symptoms, children are particularly sensitive to the cockroach droppings, saliva, shed skins and remains that contain potent allergen proteins. Every aspect of a cockroach will become a component of your home’s dust, potentially leading to an asthma attack. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation has indicated at least 78% of urban homes contain cockroaches, while the suburbs also see their fair share.

Dust Mites

Dust mites are also extremely common in the home, and symptoms include congestion, cough, facial pressure, itchy and watery eyes, and postnasal drip. Dust mites, close relatives of ticks and spiders, are too small to see without a microscope. Dust mites eat skin cells shed by people, and they thrive in warm, humid environments. In most homes, such items as bedding, upholstered furniture, pillows, curtains and carpeting provide an ideal environment for dust mites. The waste products of dust mites, not the mites themselves, are what cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Throughout its short life span, a single dust mite may produce as much as 200 times its body weight in waste products. Dust mite waste contains a protein that is an allergen. An allergen is a substance that provokes an allergic reaction. By taking steps to reduce the number of dust mites in your home, you may get control of dust mite allergy.

How Can the Pests Be Managed?

Batzner Pest Control and the National Pest Management Association recommend the following tips for safeguarding homes against pests that cause asthma and allergies:

  • Keep food sealed and stored properly, and clean kitchen floors and counters daily.
  • Dispose of garbage regularly and store in sealed containers.
  • Seal cracks and holes in homes, including entry points for utilities and pipes and in screen doors and windows.
  • Keep basements and crawl spaces well ventilated and dry.
  • Consider a dust mite allergy cover for your bed.
  • Hard surface flooring may also be helpful to lessen the allergic effects of dust mites.
  • Vacuum at least once a week using a vacuum with a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate) filter.
  • If allergic to stinging insects, learn how to use an epinephrine kit and carry it with you at all times.
  • Should you experience symptoms of an allergic reaction, such as tongue and throat swelling, wheezing, dizziness, or shortness of breath, call 911.

If you suspect a cockroach infestation or notice a hive or nest on your property, contact Batzner Pest Control to identify and safely treat your home.

5 Tips to Prevent Fall Invaders, Including Spiders, Centipedes and Earwigs

Those of us in the pest control industry consider occasional invaders to be some of the creepiest of the crawlies. You’ve probably seen them scurrying across your bathroom or living room floor at one time or another. Most commonly, occasional invaders include centipedes, millipedes, earwigs and Asian lady beetles, among others.

These pests are referred to as occasional, or fall, invaders because they sporadically enter homes or businesses through cracks or crevices, most commonly in the fall. They’ll usually seek shelter indoors when the weather becomes too hostile outside for them to survive. You’ll typically find them by themselves or in small numbers near food sources, in basements, or other cool, damp places.

Occasional invaders aren’t necessarily a health or structural concern, however, they are definitely nuisance bugs; biting, pinching, eating houseplants, damaging fabrics. The main concern for a home or business owner may be food contamination, so be sure to take proper precautions if you believe one of these pests has taken up residence in your food.

Here are Batzner’s five tips to prevent occasional invaders:

  1. Caulking and sealing entry points such as windows and doors. This eliminates some of the most common entry points for occasional invaders.
  2. Don’t forget to vacuum! You can use your vacuum in two capacities here: to clean up any dead bugs which may be attractive to pests, or to clean up any occasional invaders you spot in your home. Just be sure to clean out the vacuum right away!
  3. Make your landscaping less pest friendly. Remove leaf piles, overgrown bushes or trees, and mulch around the perimeter of your home. These are great places for these pests to live.
  4. Repair screens on windows and doors. Similar to caulking and sealing, these are also common entry points for occasional invaders, so it’s a good idea to make sure there is no damage to your screens.
  5. Seal all food containers. It seems obvious, but if a pest has no access to food, they are less likely to stay.
  6. If you believe you’ve spotted some of these occasional invaders, utilize the prevention tips above to limit the infestation. However, if you’re continually noticing these pests, it’s a good idea to consider Batzner’s year-round pestfree 365 program to keep pests at bay.

Call Batzner at 866-591-3519 or fill out a form online for more information today!

What Spring Pests to Expect: Ticks, Boxelder Bugs, Mosquitoes and Ants

As the weather warms and the ground thaws, spring pests will start to emerge from their winter hiding places to enjoy all the good things that the season has to offer. The additional pest activity can be a nuisance for homeowners, so be sure to keep an eye out for signs of infestations. Insect infestations can cause issues inside and outside the home that can be annoying and expensive to fix. Here are some common springtime insect pests to watch for, and the potential damage that can be caused by letting their populations get out of control:

  • Japanese Beetles– Japanese beetles begin the spring in their grub stage, nibbling away at your lawn’s root system. This can lead to dead spots and bare areas in the lawn which require reseeding. When the temperature gets warm enough, the grubs emerge from the ground as beetles and feed on the leaves of plants and trees, including ornamentals like roses.
  • Ticks– Ticks start appearing in the spring, and can cause a number of problems if they are hanging out in your yard. Their bites, while occasionally very painful to people or pets, are usually just a mild annoyance. However, being bitten should be taken seriously, as ticks are known for spreading diseases such as Lyme Disease.
  • Boxelder Bugs– Boxelder bugs don’t typically cause extensive damage to homes or foliage during the spring. They spend their spring and summer feeding and reproducing on a select few kinds of trees, primarily female box elder trees, and only occasionally cause minor damage to fruits and leaves. Crushing them can release an unpleasant odor, and their feces can stain light colored surfaces. Allowing their population to go unchecked does create a nuisance in the fall, when they reenter the home in preparation for winter.
  • Mosquitoes– Mosquito eggs begin hatching in the spring, and reach their adult stage in less than two weeks. As with ticks, mosquito bites are mostly an annoyance, but they can also spread diseases such as West Nile and yellow fever.
  • Ants– Ants also emerge from their nests in the spring, and are often drawn into your home in search of a meal. In addition to crawling all over any food that has been left out, research has shown that ants can cause or exacerbate asthma, allergies, and other respiratory issues for those sensitive to such problems.

More information on these pests, including signs of infestations, can be found on the National Pest Management Association’s website. As with other pests, spring insects are best handled by a professional. If you see any signs of an infestation in your home or workplace, please don’t hesitate to contact us!

Spring Cleaning Tips for Your Home to Keep Pests Out

Spring is just around the corner, which means it’s time for homeowners to start planning their spring cleaning schedules. Whether you’re a fan of getting everything done in one weekend-long marathon or prefer to spread it out over the entire season, it’s important to keep pest control on your to-do-list. The warmer weather encourages greater pest activity, and a lack of preventative care could lead to potential unwanted activity inside your home. Some preventative pest control measures may already be part of your spring cleaning agenda, or you may try out some of these suggestions:

For inside your home, the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), recommends you do the following:

  • Remove all items from kitchen cabinets and pantry; discard any stale or dated items.
  • Wipe down the insides of kitchen cabinets and install fresh shelf paper.
  • Pull out kitchen appliances and vacuum behind them.
  • Scrub all kitchen surfaces including floors, countertops, and appliances.
  • Clean out the bathroom medicine cabinet.
  • Wash the shower curtain and liner.
  • Check around the sink, bath, and toilet to make sure there is no excessive moisture; fix any leaky pipes or faucets that could be causing the moisture.
  • Inspect common storage areas such as the basement, closets, and garage; eliminate clutter wherever possible.
  • Transfer stored items from cardboard boxes to plastic bins with sealed lids.
  • Caulk any potential pest entry points.

For outside your home, the NPMA suggests:

  • Seal cracks and small openings along the house’s foundation, as well as entry points for utilities and pipes.
  • Replace weather-stripping and repair loose mortar around the foundation and windows.
  • Trim tree branches and shrubbery to keep them away from the house.
  • Keep mulch at least 15 inches from the foundation (stones are a great alternative).
  • Eliminate sources of standing water around the house, including birdbaths and in clogged gutters.
  • Clean out gutters and downspouts.
  • Screen all windows and doors.

Making sure that these tasks are on your spring cleaning checklist will help reduce pests from entering your home for the spring and summer seasons. If you see signs of an infestation during your cleaning and don’t want to spend your valuable time solving the problem, contact the professionals at Batzner Pest Control. We are always happy to help!

7 Tips for Preventing Ants from Entering Your House

Spring is approaching and the temperature is on the rise. That always lifts your spirits after the long, cold winter. But green grass and flowers aren’t the only thing on its way. ANTS!

You may have begun to spot a few ants in your home or business. Don’t stress out! Here are a few simple prevention methods, and a solution if you believe you might have an ant infestation.

  1. Clean up any food or liquid spills immediately. Ants will most likely come into your home or business to look for foods, so you’ll find them most frequently where food is kept.
  2. Sweep up any crumbs or food particles under kitchen appliances. You know that toaster oven on your countertop that always seems to have crumbs hidden underneath? Or those mystery food particles lurking under your refrigerator?
  3. Store food in airtight containers. Believe it or not, ants certainly do have a sweet tooth. Leaving items like baking sugar or sweet cereal boxes barely closed is like a written invitation to ants and other crawling critters.
  4. Clean up any leftover pet food. Pet food dishes may also be the culprit of any ants that may have taken up residence in your home. If Fido hasn’t finished his meal, or made a mess, be sure to clean it up immediately.
  5. Seal up any cracks or crevices in doorways, windows and any other access points to the outside. That draft does more than raise your energy bill and give you a chill, it may also be an open walkway for ants into your home or business.
  6. Keep compost and garbage bins enclosed. Compost is an amazing source of nutrients for your growing garden, but it’s also a dream food source for ants.
  7. Inspect mulch, remove leaves in gutters and downspouts. On the exterior of your home, landscaping may play a role in any ant activity you may see in your home. Keep trees and shrubs from directly touching your home.

Keep in mind that once an ant has found a food source, they leave a pheromone trail behind them, alerting other ants within the colony that they’ve located food. It’s a strong possibility that if you’ve seen one ant, others aren’t far behind.

If you suspect an ant infestation, contact Batzner Pest Control as soon as possible to speak with an expert.

Proven Pest Control Solutions for Audited Facilities

We understand that inspections by the FDA, USDA or other third-party audits can be a stressful situation. A pest control problem can result in an unsatisfactory report or even put you out of business! If you manage one of the many audited facilities in Wisconsin or Illinois, put your trust in a pest control provider who understands the most up-to-date regulations.

Batzner Pest Control is here to be your one stop shop for everything you need to keep your business pest free!

Pre-audits and onsite pest control representation during audits for:

  • FDA
  • USDA
  • BRC
  • AIB
  • SQF
  • FS 22000
  • Silliker
  • Recurring service program reviews
  • Ongoing communication between your staff and Batzner Service Team
  • Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) that outline the best practices in pest control using the most up-to-date service standards and equipment
  • Documentation including an On-Site Client Care Binder, scanned equipment, pest logs, service and trending reports
  • Rapid response time with additional service visits, as requested

Our sales and service specialists have earned the highest industry training and QualityPro Food Plant certifications that ensure we go above and beyond state requirements in service expertise.

Our BAN™ Brand Protection Program provides highly-effective, environmentally-responsible protection on which you can rely. A partnership with Batzner provides a relationship with an industry leader, known for legendary service and complete customer satisfaction. You’ll receive brand protection, guaranteed results and ongoing, thorough communication. It’s the ultimate in peace of mind.

Let Batzner provide you with a no obligation inspection and detailed service program today to help you protect your brand with our proven pest control solutions!

Prepare for the Height of Stinging Insect Season in Wisconsin

Stinging insects, such as wasps, hornets and bees, can easily ruin your outdoor fun. Most active and aggressive in late summer and early fall, these pests are frequently uninvited guests at many outdoor cookouts. Their stings contain venom capable of causing allergic reactions that send over half a million people to the hospital each year and result in painful swelling even for those without an allergic sensitivity. Severe allergic reactions can involve shortness of breath, dizziness, hives and even anaphylactic shock.

If you have been stung by a bee or wasp and are experiencing any of the above mentioned signs of allergic reaction, proceed to the hospital for immediate inspection.

Differences Between Bees and Wasps
Bees, including honey bees and bumble bees, feature hairy bodies and play a vital role in pollination. They are generally non-aggressive, though will attack if provoked or threatened.

Wasps are more aggressive than bees and often attack whenever someone invades their space. Yellow jackets, paper wasps and hornets are all wasp subspecies. Yellow jackets are particularly aggressive. Typically building their nests in the ground, they can easily be spurred to attack if stepped on or disturbed in anyway.

Honey bees can sting only once as they have a barb that detaches during the process, causing them to die shortly afterward. However, yellow jackets and paper wasps can sting targets repeatedly. Whether in the presence of bees or wasps, it is important to remain calm and vacate the area slowly to help ensure you are not perceived as a threat.

Avoiding Insect Stings

  • Cover up with pants and long-sleeved shirts when gardening or working outdoors.
  • Avoid walking barefoot in the grass.
  • Take caution when eating or drinking anything sweet. Cover up desserts and sodas.
  • Don’t wear sweet smelling perfumes, hairsprays and deodorants when heading outdoors.
  • Avoid brightly colored clothing; especially clothes with floral patterns.

The best defense to stings is simply to limit exposure to stinging insects, so any nests near your home should be removed. If you attempt to remove the nest yourself, use great caution as this will be perceived as a direct threat on their space and can provoke them to attack. It is best to hire a professionally trained exterminator who is equipped and trained to eliminate any dangerous hive and ensure the infestation does not reemerge in the immediate area.

Batzner Explains Mysterious Appearance of Ants in the Basement

Have you ever seen ants in your basement and wondered what in the world they were doing down there? And how they could have gotten there without you noticing them moving throughout your house? This situation is especially perplexing when it’s an unfinished basement with none of the crumbs and spills that usually cause ants to be present. In these cases, what you’re most likely seeing are pavement ants. Here are some common questions we receive regarding pavement ants and their basement-invading behavior:

How do they get in?
Pavement ants get their name from their tendency to make nests in the cracks of and underneath slabs of pavement. Unfortunately, many areas in close proximity to your home are prime places for pavement ants to colonize (if you have seen large groups of ants having territorial wars on your sidewalk or driveway, it is likely two rival pavement ant colonies). When the nest is close enough to your house, the ants will inevitably find entry points in your foundation. Usually, these entry points are either cracks in the basement floor or walls, which are present in houses of all ages as a result of the house settling over time. There are also many unavoidable cracks and crevices created during the construction of the home. Under front porch slabs is a hotspot for these points, which is why pavement ants in the basement are often concentrated directly beneath the front door. Pavement ants, being only 2.5 to 4 mm long, are easily able to navigate all these cracks to enter directly into your basement.

Why do they want to be in my basement?
When people see ants in their house, it is usually assumed that they are foraging for food – and in many cases this assumption is correct. With pavement ants, however, food is almost never the primary driving factor. Paul Matusiak, Associate Certified Entomologist and Batzner Operations Manager, explained, “Environmental stressors are the main causes that bring pavement ants into a person’s basement. When we get a lot of rain, they will seek out a dryer environment, and when we go through extended dry periods, they look for the damp conditions of a basement. The same goes for fluctuations in temperature and humidity as well. Additionally, in the late summer pavement ants may expand indoors simply because their current nest is not big enough to sustain the number of ants in the colony.”

How can I keep them out?
By far, the most effective method for keeping pavement ants out of your basement is regular inspection and treatment. There are simply too many cracks and crevices in your basement for you to caulk them all, and new ones will form as the house continues to settle. Pavement ants can also chew through most sealants instead of finding another route into your home. Paul explained, “Unfortunately, for newer houses, this will likely be a recurring issue due to the construction methods of the last roughly thirty years. The only real solution is to be extremely thorough, both in your inspection and treatment. This includes pulling away insulation and other barriers so you can be aware of the full extent of the problem and treat it as effectively as possible.”

This level of thoroughness is best achieved by a professional, so please don’t hesitate to call us at 866-591-3519 or contact us at the first sign of pavement ants in your basement!

Prevent Asian Lady Beetle and Boxelder Bug Infestations – Service Required Before First Frost

Fall invaders probably aren’t the first pests that come to mind when you think of a pest infestation. Occasional, or fall, invaders are a group of insects that invade structures occasionally, often finding themselves inside your home. You’ll start to see this happening when weather conditions become threatening to their survival. The occasional invaders that get several complaints filed against them around this time of year, and in spring, are the Boxelder Bugs and Asian Lady Beetles.

As autumn approaches, these fall invaders are looking for a cool, dry place to hit snooze during the winter. In September and October, they tend to assemble themselves on the exterior walls of sunny, south-facing buildings seeking out warmth. Once they land on buildings, they make their way through tiny cracks and crevices looking for protected places to hibernate. Their favorite locations include cracks around windows and door frames, behind fascia boards, and behind exterior siding. Structures with many cracks make this very easy for them and are most vulnerable to infestation.

As temperatures warm in late winter and early spring, they start to wake up from hibernation. This usually occurs on the sunnier, southwest side of homes. Still sleepy from their winter naps, some fall invaders unintentionally make their way inside your home, emerging from behind baseboards, walls, attics, and suspended ceilings. This is why even though Frosty the Snowman may still be standing strong outside, pests can mysteriously appear in your living room in the middle of winter.

So why do you find piles of dead fall invaders collecting in your window sill over winter? Well, once inside your home, the pests realize “Hey, this isn’t right!” They will naturally gravitate towards the light, which is mostly likely going to be the closest window. Since the temperature in your home is cozier than the temperature outdoors, their metabolism starts to gear up for summer. A high metabolism combined with no source of food causes them to quickly use up their winter reserves and die. If you see any still alive, you can return them to the outdoors where cooler temperatures will slow down their metabolism until spring.

The best way to control Asian Lady Beetle and Boxelder Bugs invasions is to seal up and repair any cracks and crevices around windows, eaves, doors, insulation and siding in the fall. Pay close attention to places where pipes and wires enter your home. Batzner Pest Control offers a fall service that creates a protective barrier to treat the cracks and crevices the fall invaders are attracted to, controlling and minimizing the population. This service must be applied before the first frost, so call now (866-591-3519 ) or contact us online to ensure you don’t have fall invaders waking up in your home. If you are already on our pestfree365 program, the Asian Lady Beetle and Boxelder Bug treatment is included. You’re all set!

Bioremediation: Commercial Drain Line Maintenance Solutions

Odors of rotting garbage and drain back-ups are two issues that can quickly become a manager’s worse nightmare. Many commercial businesses face the problem of drain line and grease trap back-up every year. Grease and organic matter can takeover inside of the drain lines, which can be unpleasant for employees and customers as well.

To solve these problems, don’t reach for an over-the-counter drain cleaner. Solvents, acids, and heavy surfactants can eat away at pipe linings and PVC pipes can become brittle. Instead, consider bioremediation.

What is Bioremediation?

It is an innovative technology, which uses live microorganisms injected into drain lines to maintain and ensure proper function. These live microorganisms digest fat, oil and grease and convert them into water and carbon dioxide.

The process helps to keep your drains clear and save your business from common problems that can develop from badly maintained drains. Specifically tailored for the food service industry, bioremediation is a part of Batzner’s innovative Integrated Pest Management program that will help save time and money.

Bioremediation saves time, money and protects your reputation by:
  • Reducing drain-related odors
  • Reducing small fly (fruit fly, moth fly, phorid fly) breeding sites
  • Eliminating drain problems that can lead to pest problems
  • Increasing drain flow capacity
  • Reducing outdoor grease interceptor pumping frequency by at least 50%
Flexible Service Options

Batzner offers flexible service options, including drain line injection, floor and beverage drains, small fly, and full-service bioremediation services. Learn more about our bioremediation services.