If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

Insect repellent is a great way to protect yourself from the inconvenience and annoyance of insect bites. Unfortunately, some insect repellents are made with a chemical that could be dangerous – DEET.

DEET is a chemical compound of Diethyl Toulumide. While it effectively prevents insect bites (prevents insects from smelling your body chemicals and being attracted to you), it carries some risks. In some studies of DEET, it appears to damage the brain cells of the test animals. Many scientists question whether humans are suffering from similar effects when applying DEET based products.

Of course, insect repellent manufacturers dispute these studies. So the real question comes down to whether there are other alternatives that do not contain DEET, but are equally effective.

There are some great insect repellents that use a chemical called Picardin, or use lemon eucalyptus oil with the same effectiveness as DEET based products. These repellents are equally effective, and use natural based oils to repel mosquitoes and other insects.

One of the most effective ways to limit mosquito bites is to regularly protect your home from becoming a mosquito nesting ground. We’ll help you identify areas around your home that could be attractive to mosquitoes and eliminate your risk of infestation. For a free inspection, give us a call at 888-675-0258 or go to http://www.accuracypluscalifornia.com/.

Nothing spoils a great afternoon by the pool or in the backyard faster than an insect bite. Even if you are fortunate enough to not have an allergic reaction, you will still suffer from uncomfortable, itchy or achy bug bites.

Many people have reactions to insect bites. Mosquitoes, spiders, ticks, bees, wasps, and some ants are all likely to trigger a reaction. These insects inject toxin or non-venomous chemicals during a bite. Sometimes, the insect injects anti-coagulant saliva into your skin while feeding. This causes red swollen areas, or visible lumps. It’s the skin’s natural reaction to fighting off these chemicals.

Of course, anytime a reaction to an insect bite is severe, you should seek medical attention. However, if the reaction simply includes itchy or irritated, slightly swollen skin, you can get some relief with home remedies.

One option is to take an oral antihistamine, such as Benadryl. You can also apply Benadryl location directly to your skin. This will lessen the swelling and help with the irritation. Another solution to try is making a poultice of baking soda and water and applying it to the skin. This will help cool the skin and provide some relieve for itching. Taking a cool bath with baking soda added to the water also provides instant relief for multiple bites.

A poultice made from meat tenderizer and water is especially helpful for bee, ants and spider bites. Soak a cotton ball with the meat tenderizer solution and apply to the bite.

The best treatment for painful bites and stings is to eliminate insects and bugs from your home, yard and pool area. Our pest control solutions help you enjoy the outdoors free of pests. For a free inspection, give us a call at 888-675-0258 or go to http://www.accuracypluscalifornia.com/.

Our pets are a precious part of our family—we definitely want to keep them safe and in good health. We want to protect them from pests, including fleas and ticks. Fleas can be irritating to your pets, but ticks can cause some serious health problems.

Ticks are parasites that feed off the blood of animals. The female tick uses the nutrients from blood for egg production, resulting in 10,000 eggs in a single batch. Ticks are not insects, but belong to the group called Arachnids (such as spiders).

Ticks can lay in wait for up to a year without a food source. They are capable of transmitting a number of disease conditions including Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted fever. That’s why it’s so important to control ticks – for your pet’s health and your own.

What can you do to keep your pets safe?

·         Start by cleaning up areas around your home that could provide a safe harbor for ticks. Keep grass and weeds cut short – sunlight often kills ticks or discourages them.

·         Reduce clutter around your home, such as stored firewood. This gets rid of welcoming homes for ticks as well as homes for squirrels and rats – animals that also bring ticks into your home.

·         Use flea and tick pet solutions (ask a veterinarian for a reference).

·         Reduce the tick population with professional pest control. Periodic service of your home and yard will keep ticks from infesting your yard and keep your pets safe.

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

Are you wondering why it’s so important to have your home regularly inspected for pests? Pests can cause your home a lot of problems. Some pests, such as cockroaches, rats and spiders cause health problems. Other pests, such as carpenter ants or termites, cause damage to the structure of your home.

A single treatment may get rid of some pests, but others are more tenacious. They will look for opportunities to come into your home and it’s a steady fight to keep them out. Regular pest inspections identify those problem areas that may invite pests into the home and keeps them from staying in your home.

Pests are also brought into the home through other sources. Pets can suddenly track in fleas or ticks. New furniture or furniture (rugs and accessories) bought second-hand can be a source for pest infestation. And of course, it’s possible to get a pest infestation and bring them back into your home.

Routine pest inspections provide a simple and effective way to keep pests at bay in your home. You can protect your family’s health and well as your investment in your home with a regular inspection. We’ll uncover pests and make sure we rid your home of any unwanted creatures.

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

Are you tired of trying to keep pests out of your home? It doesn’t matter if you are trying to control birds, bees, spiders, cockroaches, termites or rats, these pests (and more) are potentially dangerous and damaging to your home.

The best solution is to have your home inspected for pests. We develop a pest control solution to treat your home for unwanted pests of any kind. You can also minimize the attraction of your home with a few pest prevention tips.

1.       Get rid of any garbage around your home that could become nesting for pests. Keep garbage in tightly sealed containers.

2.       Inspect your home for any food source for pests. This can include crumbs on countertops, grease in drain traps, or stored foods. Cleaning these household spaces lessens the attraction and food supply for pests.

3.       Block any holes or vents around your home. You have to have vents in your home, but left unscreened, these vents are great entrances into your house. Screens allow air to flow while keeping the pests out.

4.       Clean out gutters of leafs or other organic debris. Gutters make great nesting areas for a variety of pests.

5.       Attach brush strips to the base of doors. These strips prevent pests such as mice and rats from crawling under the cracks under the door.

6.       Relocate firewood stacks away from your home and keep it from sitting directly on the ground. Firewood stacks are great nesting spaces and food sources for many pests. When those stacks are near your home, it’s literally a hop, skip and a jump into your home.

7.       Use yellow outdoor lights. Bugs are attracted to the light of your home, yellow exterior lighting isn’t as attractive to many pests.

8.       Clean up spilled birdseed. If you have bird feeders, make sure that the seed isn’t getting spilled on the ground. The seeds provide a perfect snack for mice, rates, squirrels, and pigeons.

9.       Store food in air tight containers.

10.   Keep pets free from fleas or ticks. Use control products on your pets (recommended by veterinarian).

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

Birds seem very innocuous and non-threatening –unless you’ve seen Hitchcock’s movie “Birds” too many times. While lots of people enjoy watching birds in their natural environment, when these creatures are found in big cities they often present health hazards.

Of course, the problem with these birds is their droppings. Not only are they annoying and unsightly, but these droppings carry bacteria, fungous, and parasites. These droppings can lead to exposure to illness and disease, such as encephalitis, salmonella, or meningitis.

When you live close to water, you also have to deal with sea gulls. These birds can be even more aggressive than pigeons, routinely begging for food and creating an upheaval, as well as leaving behind lots of droppings.

Depending on the amount of birds that are surrounding your home, there are lots of solutions for control of birds. One example is to use products that are natural predators to your local bird problem – such as owls. You can a bird decoy on your home to keep these birds away.

Another option is to use bird blasters to scare birds away. These blasters provide a significant audio noise that frightens the birds and makes them take flight. Other options include bird netting or bird spikes which prevents the birds from landing near your home. Finally bird traps and relocation is another great way to get rid of persistent pests.

If you have a problem with birds, we can recommend the best solution for you and your home. For a free inspection, give us a call at 888-675-0258 or go to http://www.accuracypluscalifornia.com/.

Why is pest control so important? Pest control helps keep your family safe in and around your home.

There are lots of pests that are considered a nuisance, but many pests are actually a lot more dangerous than you would think. Cockroaches and rats are notorious for tracking in bacteria and disease. These pests can literally make you and your family sick.

Other pests, such as spiders, bees, or wasps can bite or sting. Nothing spoils a day more than painful bite or sting – not to mention the danger of unknown allergy to bee or spider venom. These situations can become potentially life threatening.

Of course, there are also pests that damage your home by destroying the wood or fibers in the house. Termites or carpenter ants can cause damage to the very structure of your home. Moths destroy clothing or fabric upholstery.

As you can see, there are a variety of potential problems created by pests. Pest control inspects your home to uncover any and all pests – pests that are annoying and pests that are dangerous. When we find traces of these pests, we recommend an integrated approach to get rid of all pests. These methods include a variety of treatment – traps, baits, nest removal and occasionally insecticide.

Pest control protects your family from illness, bites and keeps your home safe. For a free inspection, give us a call at 888-675-0258 or go to http://www.accuracypluscalifornia.com/.