There is one kind of pest that many people don’t want to deal with or have around their home and that is a cockroach. There is more than one type of cockroach that is crawling around your home and each one is distinguishable and can cause health trouble and even spread bacteria. That is why most people want to do all that they can to keep these pests away from their home and family as well. You may not want to take the time to look at the cockroach that is running past you but if you happen to catch a glimpse of it you can identify it and tell your pest control professional what you are dealing with.

Rentokil Lists Common Cockroaches Found in Utah.

German Cockroach: This is an extremely cockroach that is found all over the state of Utah. They are usually light brown coloring with two black lines that run down their backs. They do have wings but tend to never fly if they can help it. They are much more agile and quicker when they run away rather than flying away. They are a larger cockroach and can reach more than a half an inch when they are fully grown. The males and females are very similar in the look but the males are lighter in color while the females can be a little wider.
American Cockroach: If you run into a big fat cockroach, you are most likely staring down an American cockroach! They are the biggest cockroach in the area since the adults reach about two inches in length. They are more of a burnt brown color and the females and males are very similar in their looks. The biggest difference is that the male’s lifespan is about 200 days and the females are double that at about 400 days! They also get along really well with the German cockroach so if you see one you most likely have the other.
Oriental Cockroach: If you see one of these cockroaches hanging around you will know it. They are very different than the other cockroaches that are crawling around because of their physical features. They are shiny black and have a set of wings that they can use to fly but usually won’t. They are more of an outdoor pest but have been known to come indoors in search of food. Watch out for these in your yard and garden, particularly near your trash cans too.
Brownbanded Cockroach: These are a species of cockroach that can be confused with others because of their coloring. They are about a half-inch in length and their color can range from brown, black, grey and even burnt orange. The interesting thing about this species is that both the males and females have wings but the males are the only ones that can actually fly. They like to be in places that are warmer so your home on a cold day is a great place to find them nesting and feeding.

Cockroach Control

If you want to keep cockroaches out of your home, call Rentokil today.

The house mouse is considered to be one of the most bothersome pests in the United States. Because mice have a higher population number than rats, they are more widespread. Mice are vermin; damaging and eating crops, causing structural damage and spreading diseases through their parasites and feces. Simply breathing the dust that has come into contact with mouse feces has been linked to hantavirus that can develop into hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS).

Characteristics of the House Mouse

Mice are small rodents with characteristically pointed snouts, small rounded ears, and a body-length scaly tail. Mice are mostly nocturnal and they make up for their poor eyesight with a keen sense of hearing. They also rely heavily on their sense of smell to find food and to avoid predators. House mice are great little gymnasts. They can climb and run up vertical surfaces with ease, run along with cables and ropes and are able to jump up to 13 inches from the floor onto a flat surface. They will eat seeds, cereal grains, or sweets; and just about anything else they can get their hands on. They don’t need much water and usually get all they need from the food they eat. They like to eat all day long and can eat about 10 to 15% of their body weight each day. They will continue to store food as long as it’s available.

How to Deter Mice from Your House

Mice have extremely high breeding rates if there are food, water, and shelter available, so it’s best to keep them out of your home. They will try to make their way indoors and build nests in ceiling voids, in walls, in storage boxes, inside upholstery, under appliances and in any void they can find. There are steps you can take to prevent them from finding their way inside. A house mouse is able to squeeze into an opening about the size of a dime, making it important to look for any openings and seal them. You will also need to seal off openings around utilities, vents, and pipes. To ensure mice will not begin chewing through the patching compound that you use, you need to make sure it is smooth on the surface. Make sure all your doors and screens have a tight fit and store all your processed or used food tightly in metal canisters, glass jars or resealable airtight containers.

Controlling House Mice

The most important step to control house mice is sanitation. It may not eliminate them but poor sanitation will attract them. Traps are an effective control method and they don’t rely on potentially dangerous poisons. Poison baits will be consumed by the mice and they will die. Sometimes sound and electronic devices may force mice to leave your home but a lot of the time the mice become used to the noises and if an infestation is well established they may do little to drive them away. If you start noticing rod-shaped droppings, clean holes made form gnawing, mouse tracks or worse yet an actual sighting of mice, you are likely sharing your living space with an infestation of house mice. Call Rentokil to take care of your rodent problem before the infestation keeps multiplying!

For most home and business owners, pest control is a common practice undertaken. We have routine schedules for pest control and management services that come out and spray to prevent pest infestations. Some may even choose to do their own pest control. However, the outside world is wild and full of dangerous pests. Above all, Rentokil is not here today to talk about controlling pests and preventing them. Right now we want to make people more aware of the dangerous and venomous spiders that might be roaming your yards and hiding in your homes.

Black Widow Spiders

At the top of our list is the Black Widow Spider. Black widows are found all over North America and more heavily in the southwestern United States. Mature females are solid black with a glossy shine. They have a distinctive red hourglass marking on the underside of their abdomen. Males can be tricky because they are smaller than the female and not so dark in color. Males will sometimes have a red hourglass and sometimes not, making the two harder to discern. The female bite is the one that is venomous. The bite from a male will just sting a bit. Black widows are not an aggressive species of spider. They only bite when they feel threatened. They usually hide in dark places during the day and come out at night to eat. The black widow spider’s bite is ranked one of the most venomous spiders, with venom 15 times stronger than a rattlesnake. However, their bite rarely results in death.

Hobo Spider Identification

Next on Utah’s spider watch list is the Hobo Spider. The hobo spider is common in the Pacific Northwest but has been known to live in Utah since the 1990s. The hobo spider is difficult to identify because they vary in appearance. There are some common traits they do carry though. They are typically light brown in color with a lighter stripe running down the middle of the sternum. Sometimes they have a V shape pattern down the middle, pointing towards the head. The female hobo spider has been known to be aggressive, especially when protecting her egg clutch. Hobo spiders are not good climbers and will spin a funnel shape web in a hole in the ground.

Venomous Spider Bites

Rentokil wants to help make you aware of these venomous spiders. If a bite occurs, you will need to call poison control and or get to the emergency room immediately. If possible bring the spider with you if you can’t identify your attacker. This will aid health care personnel in giving you the proper anti-venom antidote and proper care. Call us to control venomous spiders and other pests from your home or business today!

The summer is about to come to an end and that means that a new season is close behind. The fall season brings with it beautiful cool weather, great colors outdoors and also pests galore. Many pests will stay outdoors when the weather is warm and when it changes and cools off the pests want to get in your house. One of the pests that are most prevalent is rodents since they are looking for a nice place to nest. Inside the walls of your home or in your attic is a great place for them to hang out. When rodents start to nest in your home they can be a real nuisance. They scratch the walls and can be noisy in the night while you are trying to sleep.

Rentokil Lists Interesting Facts About Rodents That You May Not Know.

Rats Social Structure: The majority of rodents don’t want to live alone and do better when they are in a family or group. They love to socialize and rodents such as rats have a hierarchy that they use for pecking orders. They have strong relationships with other rodents and that can last their entire life. The problem for you is that if you have one rodent you are sure to have more. Studies have found that rats and mice will show signs of depression when they are left alone without other rodents to enjoy their time with.
Rodents Chew: One of the characteristics that set a rodent apart from other pests are their distinct incisors. They are a set of teeth that will actually never stop growing and because of that, they chew through just about any kind of substance. They have been known to chew through wood, metal and even concrete to get what they want.
Eating Rats: This may not be a food that you want to have served up on a platter but it can be used as food as is in other countries. The meat of a rat can be cooked and served and is found in other parts of the world. Most people will do all they can to keep rats out of their food which includes regular pest control services.
Some Rodents Do Not Drink Water: One thing that you may find interesting about mice is that they don’t need to drink water to survive. They are actually able to get all the hydration that they need to survive through the foods that they eat. This means that you need to be much more cautious about food being left out rather than water that is available to them.
Rodent Come in Many Sizes: When people are asked about rodents most people say rats and mice but there are many more species. Coming across a rat is not fun but what is there was a rodent that was much bigger than that! There are around 2,000 different species of rodents found all over the world and some of them are larger than a house dog!

Rodent Pest Control

Rentokil offers expert pest control services including mice and rat rodent control. We also offer many specialty services such as event lighting and lawn care services. Contact us to schedule your next appointment!

Pest infestations can be devastating for any business but even more so if you have a restaurant, food handling or other food handling related business. Unfortunately, if you have food products at your disposal, it is synonymous with ringing the dinner bell and openly inviting all types of insects, rodents and even wildlife who are in search of a quick meal and new home. Safe food handling includes the effective control of disease-carrying pests which are imperative to ensuring the health and well-being of your clientele and employees. If the health department finds signs of pests at your business it could result in the property being temporarily closed along with ruining your reputation with the general public.

Importance of Pest Exclusion

The experienced professionals at Rentokil are the experts when it comes to eliminating and excluding pests from your restaurant or other food handling facility. Common pests found in and around food preparation areas include flies, cockroaches, and rodents along with other pests that are capable of contaminating food and the surrounding surfaces. If you are handling, preparing or storing food or food-related products at your facility, it means that the entire area must be free of pests and their waste products. Your customers do not want insects or rodents contaminating their food. Many pests can spread diseases and bacteria that can lead to food poisoning and dysentery which can make your clientele very sick.

Restaurant Pest Control Procedures

Restaurants are constantly under attack from insects and rodents which can be found in many areas including kitchens, dining rooms, and food storage areas. An audit from the health department with a low score tells your customers that you have a pest problem which can have a detrimental effect on your business resulting in lost sales, product recalls, compensation claims, legal prosecution, and loss of loyal customer confidence and revenue. The knowledgeable pest control technicians at Rentokil will work with you to ensure that the pest control services we provide are customized to your unique set of circumstances.

Commercial Pest Inspections & Custom Treatment Plans

Services include a thorough inspection of your property inside and out, assessment of your specific pest control issues and a solution to eliminate and exclude pests from your property. At Rentokil, our pest control technicians are highly trained when it comes to food handling regulations. Our primary concern is to remove pest infestations and create an exclusion barrier to stop insects and rodents from returning to your business. We examine the building and customize a comprehensive treatment plan by providing the best pest control and prevention methods available in today’s competitive market. We are familiar with the strict guidelines set up by the state for food handling and pest control and we understand that your business is unique.

Commercial Pest Management

For more information regarding commercial pest control in Northern Utah and surrounding areas, contact our experienced pest control professionals today. At Rentokil, our priority is to provide your restaurant or food-handling facility with the highest level of protection available so you can focus on your primary concern, your customers.

When flies are buzzing around, you probably don’t take too close of a look. You just want them away from you. However, you may wonder if they’re fruit flies or gnats. Fruit flies and gnats are both tiny insects that annoy a lot of people but are completely different.

Physical Differences Between a Fruit Fly, Eye Gnats & Fungus Gnats

You probably will not get close enough to a gnat or fruit fly that’s bothering you to notice that they don’t all look exactly the same. Mature fruit flies are generally beige or brownish-orange color and roughly 1/8th of an inch long. Eye gnats are usually glossy and black and around 1/16th of an inch long. Fungus gnats are generally deep gray or black. When they reach maturity, they are usually about 1/8 of an inch long.

Where Are Fruit Flies & Gnats Found?

The fruit fly species are found across the globe. They can live up to 30 days and reproduce very quickly. Fruit flies are the ones that you usually see in the kitchen. They are found in warm and wet areas with airflow. They are named fruit flies because they invade fruits and vegetables and are prevalent at the end of the summer and during the fall season. They are particularly fond of mature fruit. If you’re outside and find yourself waving your hands around you, chances are you’re dealing with gnats, rather than fruit flies. Gnats are generally found outdoors. Fungus gnats will be found in moist outdoor soil and will spend a lot of time in rotting organic matter, so you may see them near compost piles. They may find their way inside and find an area to breed. Eye gnats, like fungus gnats, live outside.

Gnat or Fruit Fly Infestation Prevention

If you see little pests flying around, chances are you have an infestation somewhere. Getting rid of fruit flies in your home is very difficult. Regularly wiping counters, cleaning spills and emptying your trash cans help to prevent fruit fly infestations. After you have located the breeding ground, other fly control methods can be added. Eradication may require several treatments and the absence of food for them will eventually cause them to die out. You will also need to locate the food source with gnats. Correct any problems and prevent fruit from exposed, open air. Keeping food stored in the refrigerator protects it from gnats and will also keep your fruit from spoiling sooner.

Fruit Fly & Gnat Control

Fruit flies can carry diseases, bacteria, and viruses and they enjoy rotting food. Females of some species of gnats feed on blood and have been known to carry parasites and spread diseases to humans. Not only are these pests extremely annoying, but they can also be harmful to your health. Most at-home efforts to eradicate these pests will not properly treat the entire infestation, it’s best to consult a pest control professional. Call Rentokil today.

Green grass is part of the beauty summertime has to offer. However, in the heat of the summer, it can be hard to keep that grass a beautiful shade of green. You don’t want to find yourself battling dead or bare patches of grass in your yard this summer. Rentokil is here to share some tips that will help you keep your grass green in the heat of the summer.

Use Fertilizer to Make Grass Green in Hot Weather

When you are trying to attain that perfect shade of green this summer, make sure you are using fertilizer. It is important to give your lawn the nutrients that it needs. The easiest way to do this is with fertilizer. Fertilizers usually come in granule or liquid form and can be synthetic or organic. No matter which one you choose, they will promote lush, green grass.

Best Time to Water Lawn in Summer

If you are watering your lawn in the middle of the day, you should make some changes right away. Not only is it a waste of water because of evaporation, but your lawn also isn’t getting the water it needs to be healthy and green. The best time to water your lawn is in the early morning. If you water during the night, your lawn will be too damp for too long and end up having the perfect conditions for lawn disease. By watering in the morning, your lawn can use sunlight to effectively make use of the water it just received. Don’t water every day either. If you water less frequently, the roots of your lawn won’t be shallow and they will be stronger. This will help your lawn look healthier too.

Mow Grass High or Low

Mow your grass at the right height. If you are cutting your lawn too low, it will dry out quicker. Make sure your lawnmower blades are at the height so your lawn looks neat and tidy, but has enough length that it won’t dry out as quickly during the heat of the day.

Aerate Your Lawn

Your lawn needs extra oxygen to breathe. A great way to get this is by aerating your lawn. Your lawn will absorb water more efficiently this way as well. This can be done with a push aerator or a machine powered one. Either way, it will help your lawn breath better and be greener in the process.

Use Cool Water on Your Lawn

When you are watering your lawn, you should always make sure the water is cool. Using hot water on your lawn will damage it rather than help it. If water has been sitting in your hose, it can get very hot. Clear the water out of the hose before tending to your grass to avoid hurting it.

Having green grass during the summer is not an unattainable goal. The steps listed above are not difficult things. It takes a very small amount of time and energy to have a beautiful lawn to enjoy all summer long. Rentokil can assist you with any problems you might be having when it comes to having a healthy, green lawn. In addition to troubleshooting the cause of your brown lawn or bare spots, we offer lawn care, weed control, insect and disease treatments as well as tree and shrub deep root fertilization and more. Call us today!

No one wants to see bugs, insects, arachnids and other pests running around your home! Most people also want to do what they can to save money and some people think that taking care of their own pest control can save them money. The problem is that there are several risks of doing your own pest control and it can also end up costing you more money than if you would have hired a professional in the first place.

Rentokil Lists the Risks that You Take When You Do Your Own Pest Control

Dangers of DIY Pest Control To Your Health: Many of the pest treatments that are used to deter and reduce the number of pests in a home have several types of chemicals. These chemicals, if they are not treated appropriately can be harmful to your health and your family’s health. If the treatment is done carelessly and left in areas that a pet or small child can get to they can end up sick. The chemicals are not for human consumption so getting it to close to where people congregate can be bad. The chemicals can be sent up in the air and if someone is close by they can be exposed to it.
DIY Pest Control is Bad For The Environment: If you start to take care of your own pest control you are most likely going to a store to pick up the spray can that you think will do the trick. The biggest problem is that you are most likely picking up an aerosol can that is going to spread the chemicals in the air. If you are not careful with the treatment you choose you can be harming a very important pest. The honey bee is very sensitive to the chemicals that are sold and used out of stores. A professional can come out and treat the area without unintended consequences.
DIY Pest Control Costs More Money: So you start your pest control when you start to see pests. You think this is a great idea but it is a terrible idea! If you are actually seeing pests running around the house you have a much bigger problem than you thought. The pests are known to hide in the day and if they are out and about there are many more still hiding. When you wait to treat a problem after it has gotten out of control it is going to take much more time and products. You will be spending more money and you will have to go back and forth to the store to get products that might work. A professional pest control company will come out and treat your home on a regular basis which would prevent a pest infestation before it takes hold.

Pest Control Inspections, Control, Management, Treatment & Removal Services in Logan, Hyde Park, Smithfield, Brigham City, Tremonton, Garden City, Hyrum, Richmond, Ogden, Park City, Woods Cross, Lehi, Orem, Provo & Salt Lake City UT & Northern Utah | Preston ID & Southern Idaho

Rentokil offers expert pest control and lawn services. Contact us today!

Ants are no stranger to being pegged as home invaders, especially if they discover a convenient food source. With the thousands of species of ants found throughout the world, ants can be discovered foraging nearly anywhere. Some ant species are more common and plentiful in different areas and Utah is no different.

Rentokil relate the more common species infesting your home or landscape in Utah.

The most common offenders of ant species roaming through Utah’s residents are; Carpenter Ants, Pavement Ants, Little Black Ants, and Argentine Ants. Pharaoh Ants can also be found occasionally.
Carpenter Ants: These ants are a bit larger than other ant species, measuring in at ¼”-1/2” in length on average, but can get to be an inch long. They are either black or a dark reddish-brown color and will nest in damp and decaying wood. Carpenter ants do not consume wood like termites, but they chew through wood to form their nesting tunnels and to carve routes to convenient food sources. They will often leave sawdust-like particles in areas where they are nesting. Carpenter ants are the worst offenders in infiltrating the homes in Utah.
Pavement Ants: Pavements ants are rightfully named due to their travel methods in cracks in the pavement. They get to be approximately 1/8” long and are dark brown to nearly black in color. Pavement ants are ants that will eat nearly anything; insects, honey, honeydew, meats, cheese, seeds, nuts, bread, and even ice cream. They sometimes are misidentified as sugar ants, but true sugar ants are located in Australia and are much larger and either black or orange.
Little Black Ants: Little Black ants are tiny, with the queen measuring in about 1/8” and worker ants are but 1/16” long. When these pests intrude in your home, they are typically found in kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms, but can spread extremely quickly. The reason being is that they form additional colonies with queens in each colony. The queen lays quite a few eggs a day and it takes only 10 days for the eggs to hatch.
Argentine Ants: Approximately 1/16″ long they range from light to dark brown in color. Colonies are enormous, and they have many queens within the colony. These ants usually seek refuge to construct their nests in damp soil, right next to or under buildings, under wood boards, and along sidewalks. They will eat nearly anything, bat favors sweet foods.
Pharaoh Ants: These ants are yellow with red and black markings on their abdomen and are also only about 1/16” long. When the weather is warm they don’t mind roughing it out in the outdoors, but will often wonder inside looking for warmth during winter. They prefer a well-hidden, safe area to build up their nests.

Ant Pest Inspections, Prevention, Treatment & Control in Logan
Hyde Park, Smithfield, Brigham City, Tremonton, Garden City, Hyrum, Richmond, Ogden, Park City, Woods Cross, Lehi, Orem, Provo & Salt Lake City UT & Northern Utah | Preston ID & Southern Idaho

No matter the species of ants intruding into your home, Rentokil has the expertise to exterminate ant and other pest infestations in your home or business. Call us today to get started!

Springtime is here and warmer weather welcomes in a slew of new activities that the winter would not permit. Backyard barbecues, baseball games, visits to the park and roasting marshmallows around the fire pit are all great ways to welcome in the spring. One of the most annoying insects that humans come into contact with also enjoys welcoming in the spring, the pesky mosquito. Mosquitoes are sometimes the party spoilers and send guests inside seeking shelter from being eaten alive by these hungry bloodsuckers who not only leave itchy welts behind but also have the ability to spread dangerous diseases to humans.

Repelling Mosquitoes from Your Backyard

If you want to live somewhere where mosquitoes do not exist, then pack your bags and book your flight to Antarctica, because that is literally the only place on the planet that does not host this harmful insect. Mosquitoes are found in areas that are warmer and wetter which makes the equator their most popular destination. With the latest discovery of the Zika Virus flooding the news and being responsible for birth defects, many professionals are encouraging people to stay away from areas where mosquitoes flourish. These areas include Central and South America, South and Southeast Asia and Africa. While these places are considered mosquito Mecca’s, do not count out your own yard from mosquitoes invading.

Inspect your Home & Yard for Areas that Maybe a Magnet For Mosquitoes

One way to keep mosquitoes out of your yard is to eliminate any sign of standing water. Mosquitoes love standing water, they thrive on it and are able to breed and grow their numbers when they discover standing water. You may think that there is no standing water anywhere on your property but think about everything that is sitting in your yard right now. Flower pots, birdbaths; any type of container that could hold rainwater is a place where mosquitoes could begin to gather. Perform an inspection of your property and get rid of any unnecessary objects that could hold water. After a rainfall, be sure to dump all water out onto the ground to avoid creating an environment that mosquitoes would be attracted to.

Mosquito Pest Inspections, Prevention, Control & Removal in Northern Utah and Southern Idaho

Mosquitoes are said to be attracted to warm bodies, so do your best to keep cool this spring and summer. Dark-colored fabrics absorb more heat than lighter colored fabrics, so avoid wearing darker colors. Avoid excess exercise as well, this will radiate heat and cause you to breathe heavy. Carbon dioxide can be smelled by mosquitoes from long distances away. If you are experiencing a heavy population of mosquitoes near your home, contact Rentokil today.