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As much as we’d like to avoid insects completely, there are some occasions when we can’t avoid their stings or bits. If you’ve been bitten or stung by an insect, you need some fast relief. There are a number of natural remedies that help take the “ouch” out of stings or bites.

Poultices were long used as regular first-aid treatments a century ago, but those poultices can be just as effective today, especially when it comes to controlling bites and stings:

Mud – Good, old-fashioned mud has been used for centuries. Today, you might prefer to use a type of clay. You’ll find many facial masks contain high percentage of clay. Mix a little with an herbal tea and apply directly to the skin.

Grains – Finely ground grains or rice, arrowroot or grated potato are all known to ease the itch and pain of stings.

Herbs – An herb garden is a great asset to your cooking, and works well for helping with insect bites. Herbs such as plantain, comfrey, wild geranium, wild mallow, and yarrow are all great for helping take the sting or pain from a bite. Leaves from trees, such as witch hazel or willow are also great for relieving the pain.

Essential oils have many uses around the home, including bug first-aid. Lavender, Tea Tree Oil, and Chamomile are all great for easing those itchy spots. Add about 10 drops of essential oils to a cool bath, or a few drops on a cold compress. You’ll find that the itchiness and swelling will begin to go down.

The best remedy for insects is to keep them out of your yard and home. With an inspection, we’ll uncover any problem areas so that we can keep your house pest free. For a free inspection, give us a call at 888-675-0258 or go to http://www.accuracypluscalifornia.com/.

Tired of having pests and insects circling your home? There’s no reason to think that the only way to get rid of bugs is with a cloud of toxic spray. There are many solutions to get rid of insects and bugs – solutions you can easily create with household ingredients.

Let’s look at some non-toxic solutions for these bugs:

Ants – Hate to see ants scurrying on your counters? Try creating a spray that is a mixture of water and a bit of dishwasher detergent. Spray the ants with the mixture and you’ll soon be ant free. You can also trace the ants from your home to their nest. There are several items that ants won’t cross. Put these items on their trail and the ants won’t return to your home. Try sprinkling cayenne pepper, citrus oil, lemon juice, or cinnamon. The strong scent of the herbs and spices disrupt the ant’s ability to track back to your home.

Cockroaches – Soapy water can also be a good deterrent for cockroaches. Even more effective – a line of boric acid (borax detergent) sprinkled in cockroach favorite areas. Catnip seems to be a scent that drives cockroaches away, so keep plenty of catnip on hand.

Mosquitoes – Certain strong scents will repel mosquitoes. When outside grilling, add a little rosemary or bay leaves to your coals. The smoke smells good to us, but keeps mosquitoes away from the back yard. Eucalyptus and Citronella are also strong scent repellents. Marigolds are a great plant for keeping insects out of your yard. Plants some marigolds around the perimeter of your yard – you’ll keep mosquitoes and insects at bay.

Try out these non-toxic solutions for pest control. If you find that your pest problems are bigger than these handy solutions, we’ll be glad to inspect your home. An inspection may uncover entry points into your home or nesting areas. We’ll work with you to find a solution that controls your pest problem.

For a free inspection, give us a call at 888-675-0258 or go to http://www.accuracypluscalifornia.com/.

Do you look around your yard and see thousands of lady bugs? Actually, you might not be seeing lady bugs at all, rather a beetle called the Multi-Colored Asian Lady Beetle.  These beetles closely resemble lady bugs – but their coloring is slightly different. True Lady Bugs are bright red; Asian Lady Beetles are multi-colored ranging from a dark to light orange.

Ladybugs and Asian Lady Beetles are both known for their ability to control aphids around flowering plants. They are quite beneficial to insect control. However, they do have a tendency to find favorite areas and surroundings and breed. If you have a stream of thousands around your home, they can get in the way of enjoying the outdoors. They can also plug heating or air conditioning vents.

To get rid of excessive Ladybugs or Asian Lady Beetles, do the following:

• Vacuum the excess beetles with a vacuum cleaner attachment, then throw away the vacuum bag.
• Seal up any cracks or openings around your home.
• Use a mild spray with Pyrethrum – this will kill the bugs.
• Spray the outside walls with a light soap-water mixture.

A home inspection will discover any areas of your home that may be allowing the Ladybugs into your home or even discover nesting spots. We will recommend solutions for getting rid of all your Ladybugs – and any other insect problem.  For a free inspection, give us a call at 888-675-0258 or go to http://www.accuracypluscalifornia.com/.

As annoying as we find mosquitoes, they are equally annoying and potentially dangerous to our pets. Mosquitoes can carry a variety of illnesses and parasites that can infect your pets. While we can put on sprays, or burn citronella candles to keep mosquitoes away, what can we do for our pets?

The first step is to prepare your pet for the potential of disease. Take your pet to the veterinarian and get appropriate vaccinations. For instance, mosquitoes easily pass along the parasite for heart worm. However, a simple vaccination prevents the parasite and lasts for about six months.

One of the primary concerns for mosquito season is the possibility of West Nile Virus. The incidence of West Nile Virus is low but increasing each year. The pets most likely affected by West Nile are birds or horses. There is a West Nile vaccine available for horses that will protect them from this disease and pet birds are best protected when kept indoors. 

The best pest protection for your pests is prevention.  Your home should be inspected for possible areas that serve as a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other pests. Mosquitoes will search for areas of standing water to breed – this could be a simple as a puddle in a crawl space.  Finding and eliminating these problem areas could prevent your pets (and yourself) from being attacked by the mosquito population.

For a free inspection, give us a call at 888-675-0258 or go to http://www.accuracypluscalifornia.com/.

Who knew that one of the most fragrant and easy-to-grow trees in Southern California also acts as a natural insect repellent?  The Lemon Eucalyptus, also referred to as the Citron-Eucalyptus, naturally repels insects, especially mosquitoes.

The eucalyptus tree is a plant that is indigenous to Australia and Tasmania. But the warm temperatures and steady sunshine of Southern California provide the perfect environment for this hearty evergreen. In Australia, Aboriginal tribes have long used the oil from the eucalyptus tree to treat a variety of ailments.

Eucalyptus is known for its sharp, clear aroma. That smell that seems so refreshing and clean to us works as a deterrent to many insects, including mosquitoes. Plant a few citron eucalyptus trees around your home and you’ll have beautiful trees that mature into tall stately additions, while naturally guarding your outdoor area from mosquitoes.

If you don’t have room to plan eucalyptus trees around your home, you can still get the benefits of the protection with lemon eucalyptus spray. This spray is derived from the oil of the lemon eucalyptus tree. You can spray the oil onto your skin as a repellent and also apply it to clothes or linens to keep mosquitoes away. The Atlanta based Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends lemon eucalyptus spray for preventing mosquito transmitted illnesses, such as West Nile Virus.

Another important step in the prevention of illness from mosquitoes is to regularly check for spots that may be breeding grounds for mosquitoes. An inspection of your home will uncover problem spots and we can quickly treat these areas to get rid of all insects – especially mosquitoes. For a free inspection, give us a call at 888-675-0258 or go to http://www.accuracypluscalifornia.com/.

Fleas are so incredibly frustrating. Not only do you hate to see your pets suffering from a flea infestation, but it’s also frustrating to have the fleas infest your home – laying eggs in carpets and furniture. 

The first step to treating fleas in your home is to get the flea problem resolved with your pet. Get advice from your veterinarian on the best method to rid your pet of their fleas. But unless you get rid of the fleas in your home, you’re going to keep fighting the battle.

After your pet is flea-free, you need to tackle your home. Start by thoroughly vacuuming any part of the home your pet regularly lies on – this includes carpets, floors, furniture and beds. The next step is an important one – as soon as you have finished vacuuming, throw away your vacuum cleaner bag. The fleas will survive in the vacuum bag and will reinfest the home if given the opportunity.

Next, make sure you clean linens or dog beds. A good washing and drying should get rid of the fleas. You may also want to apply some type of insecticide to your carpets, baseboards or floors. This will destroy flea larvae and keep a repeat problem from developing.

An inspection will help determine how extensive your flea problem is, and what steps are required to rid your home, and your pets, from repeated exposure to fleas. For a free inspection, give us a call at 888-675-0258 or go to http://www.accuracypluscalifornia.com/.

Cockroaches truly are one of the most annoying and persistent of pests. Unfortunately, they are also one of the most difficult to successfully eradicate. Cockroaches can slip through the tiniest of cracks to gain entrance to your home, and often tend to scuttle about in the night, unseen by many homeowners.

When it comes to getting rid of cockroaches, you really have a few options – spraying insecticide to kill the offenders, baiting them with poison, or applying dust powder.

Spraying for cockroaches – This method is an effective way to get rid of cockroaches. By spraying insecticide, you can get into hard to reach places and effectively kill the cockroaches. This is a great wide spread treatment option.

Applying dust – Insecticide dusts work in two ways.  The dust clings to the cockroach and kills the cockroach when it grooms itself. Dust is easy to apply to cracks and crevices, and also provides a barrier to cockroaches.

Insecticide baits – Baits are a mixture of insecticide with a food base. Cockroaches ingest the bait material  and kills the cockroach. With baits, less insecticide is needed to kill the cockroaches, and there’s less toxicity than insecticide sprays. Unfortunately, baits don’t kill cockroaches within seconds of ingesting, it takes a little time.

Sometimes the most effective solution is a combination of methods. We’ll provide an inspection and discuss the best way to get rid of your pest problems. For a free inspection, give us a call at 888-675-0258 or go to http://www.accuracypluscalifornia.com/.

Maybe you think ants are a nuisance to have around the home, but do little damage. Actually, there are some ants that can be very destructive – Carpenter Ants. Carpenter ants can do a lot of damage to a home, much like termites. Although termites eat wood products, carpenter ants do not – instead, they create complex systems of tunnels and channels into the wood, making the wood vulnerable to crumbling.

Carpenter ants are difficult to eliminate from your home. You can’t merely spray some pesticides around your home and hope that kills them off. The only way to really get rid of carpenter ants is to find their nests and eliminate them.

Sounds easy? Well, it’s a little complicated. Not only is an inspection of the exterior of your property required, but you also need a search for satellite nests, which could be found in your attic, basements or crawl spaces.  It’s most effective to find and destroy a nest if it is a mother nest with queen carpenter ants.

When we treat a home for carpenter ants, we carefully inspect the property and find all the satellite nests. Then we treat the nests so that the carpenter ants won’t come back to infest or damage your property.  Searching for satellite nests can be a dirty job – but it’s a job we do well.

Not sure if the ants are carpenter ants or run-of-the-mill variety? That’s where our free inspection comes in. We’ll determine which variety of ants and recommend the best treatment program. For a free inspection, give us a call at 888-675-0258 or go to http://www.accuracypluscalifornia.com/.