Pest Control and Management in Kansas City
Buying a new home in the Kansas City area may be the biggest investment you’ll ever make. Protecting your home from unwanted pests is the first step in protecting that investment. Pest control and management has become a major industry in helping preserve the value of your home. At RAM Exterminators, our pest control service will help control existing bugs in your Kansas City home and keep the rest of the bugs outside where they belong. Below is a comprehensive list of the pests that Ram Exterminators can help you control in your home or business.
We will work with you to find the cause of your pest problem and we will create a pest protection plan to keep your Kansas City home and your family safe from health risks caused by pests. Read on to learn more about common household bugs our pest control team controls every day.
Bed Bugs
Bed Bugs are oval, wingless and round-bodied, rusty-red insects about 1/5 inch long. They are the only blood-sucking insects with round bodies and wingless adults. In addition to humans, bed bugs also feast on the blood of bats, birds and rodents. Bed Bugs are nocturnal, hiding in crevices of mattresses, upholstery, box springs and behind picture frames during the day. The uptown bugs live in and hitchhike from theatre, bus and train seats. Batches of up to 50 eggs are laid on wood and paper, hatching in 10 days. When blood meals are available and air temperatures are 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit, nymphs morph into adults in 5 weeks. Cooler temps slow the nymphs’ growth.Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants are large (1/4–1 in.) ants indigenous to many parts of the world. They prefer dead, damp wood in which to build nests. Sometimes carpenter ants will hollow out sections of trees. The most likely species to be infesting a house in the United States is the Black carpenter ant, Camponotus pennsylvanicus. However, there are over a thousand other species in the genus Camponotus. Carpenter ants can damage wood used in the construction of buildings. They can leave a sawdust like material behind that provides clues to nesting location.German Cockroaches
The German cockroach is one of the most common and prominent household cockroaches in the United States. The German cockroach, Croton bug or Steam fly (Blattella germanica) is a small species of cockroach, measuring about 1.3 cm (0.51 in) to 1.6 cm (0.63 in) long. It can be tan through brown to almost black, and has two dark parallel streaks running from the head to the base of the wings. Although it has wings, it is unable to sustain flight. These insects are particularly fond of inhabiting restaurants, food processing facilities, hotels, and nursing homes. In colder climates, they are found only near human habitats, since they are not very tolerant to cold. This cockroach can be seen in the day occasionally, especially if there is a large population or if they have been disturbed. However, sightings are most commonly reported in the evening hours as they are most active at night.Silverfish
Lepisma saccharina (commonly called the fishmoth, urban silverfish, silverfish, or carpet shark) is a small, wingless insect typically measuring from a half to one inch (12–25 mm). Its common name derives from the animal's silvery light grey and blue colour, combined with the fish-like appearance of its movements, while the scientific name indicates the silverfish's diet of carbohydrates such as sugar or starches. Young silverfish are white in color.House Mouse
Because mice produce large litters in a short period of time, an infestation can equal big trouble for any home, school or business owner. Rodent experts say that the infestation of mice will continue to grow as long as competing species, shelter and food will allow. Fortunately for humans, most mice in the wild do not survive past three months due to heavy predation. Outdoors and in the garage, mice will damage autos, lawn tractors and bicycles by chewing through insulation, fuel lines and seat upholstery. Indoors, their urine and poop can stain and contaminate pantries, food and dishes and their incessant gnawing can ruin bagged foodstuffs, scar furniture and spill pet foods.Rats
Rats are some of the most troublesome and damaging rodents in the United States. They consume and contaminate food, damage structures and property, and transmit parasites and diseases to other animals and humans. Rats live and thrive under a wide variety of climates and conditions; they are often found in and around homes and other buildings, farms, gardens, and open fields. Because rats are active throughout the year, periodically check for signs of their presence. Once rats have invaded your garden or landscaping, unless your house is truly rodent proof, it is only a matter of time before you find evidence of them indoors. Experience has shown it is less time consuming to control rodents before their numbers get too high, and fewer traps and less bait will be required if control is started early.Fleas
Fleas, although only about 1/10 inch long, can bedevil rodents, skunks, cats, dogs and humans in a big way, biting their hosts to gorge on blood meals. . More typically though, their saliva causes dermatitis on cat's and dog's skins while their feces harbor tapeworms which parasitically attach to pet's internal organs. Control Pest control of fleas in the yard, home and on pets starts with frequent vacuuming of the home, especially areas that pets frequent, clearing the yard of litter and debris and by establishing a regular bathing and grooming schedule for pets.Note: flea eggs can lie dormant for several months to a year so a flea-free home can be contaminated by introducing used upholstery, carpets and rugs.
House and Fruit Flies
Perhaps the world’s most widely distributed insect, flies also rank high as the most annoying. However, house flies, whose life cycle can span from 1 week to 2 months, can be controlled by best practices of sanitation, physical exclusion and by least toxic, chemical and non-chemical measures. Limited food sources means limited breeding so do not allow materials such as manure, garbage or compost to accumulate. Keep trash cans clean and tightly covered. Ensure that window and door screens are tightly fitting and have no holes or rips. Adjust hinges and apply weather stripping to make sure there are no openings at the top or bottom of exterior doors. Seal any utility service openings at building entry points with caulk or metal flashing. Screen ventilation ports with fine aluminum or nylon mesh.Spiders
Spiders are one of the most feared home invaders. There are more phobias about spiders than any other pest, and understandably so. If you get bitten by the wrong spider - a black widow or a brown recluse - and you have a bad reaction to the venom, you can end up in the hospital.Termites
Although nearly 4,000 termite species have been classified, with 400 of these classified as pests, the primary termite species affecting humans are Subterranean and Drywood. The main difference between the two termite species is that Drywood Species can live with the moisture trapped in wood, while Subterranean termites require added moisture from the soil or from water leaks. Habitat Termites live in social colonies of several hundred to several million individuals. One or more Queens can lay 2,000 eggs per day, which are tended by workers who forage for and store wood, leaf litter, soil and animal dung. Winged, reproductive individuals of both sexes, swarm short distances from the nest usually in spring and autumn to mate and establish a new nest in damp soil or timber. Swarming termites can be distinguished from ants by their straight antennae and abdomens paired to equal length wings. Their dustless nests are constructed of chewed wood, saliva, feces and soil. Mud-like tunnels indicate that subterranean termites have moved from the soil to a wooden structure although cracks in walls, framing or slabs and utility openings are favorite entry points. Watch for heavy swarms in the spring and autumn and waviness in exposed exterior wood. Sand-like fecal pellets in and around wood are signs of drywood termite infestation although studies show these droppings may take 2 years to appear.Keep your Kansas City home bug free and safe. Make pest control a priority, call Ram Exterminators today!