Mice in the master bedroom?
Wasps waiting in the wings?
If you spot pests in your home, its tempting to call a pest company immediately.
And that ultimately might be the way to go.
Step one:Confirm what pest you have.Is it really termites?
Try capturing a sample or snapping a focused, close-up photo.
And before you use any chemicals, read and follow the directions.
Step two:Evaluate your comfort level.
Some pests are downright dangerous.
Step three:Do your research and avoid scams.
discover evidence of pests that have actually been planted by the company.
That particular scam is often by door-to-door salespeople,according to the Angies List website.
AARP hasa guideon how to avoid scams with home contractors of any kind.
Step four:Consider the ecosystem.
Of course, not everyone agrees on what qualifies as a pest.
So proceed with care for the ecosystem, says Brown.
I leave spiders that are in my house because theyre going to be eating whatever is in there.
Theyre not bothering me, so as long as theyre not a venomous spider, its really not problematic.
Theyre still going to continue to pump out new ants, she says.
You really need to make a run at get something back to the queen whos in some hidden location.
What not to do:Beware sprays, Brown says.
There are some ant species that if you spray them, that just breaks up the colony even further.
Instead of having one colony, then youll have five.
What not to do:Dont make a run at use pesticides yourself for termites.
If improperly applied, they can contaminate your home or water well, according to the EPA.
