You may remember from a couple of years ago when crane flies invaded the Temecula Valley and we talked about it on our blog. Well, they’re back! Due to the unusually wet winter we had this year (similar to the one we had two years ago), crane flies are back in abundance. These gangly-legged insects are a nuisance, but what else do you need to know about them? Read on, as our Temecula pest control company answers some frequently asked questions about crane flies. [Read more…]
We talk a lot on this blog about the different types of insects we work to control—pests like ants, black widow spiders, wasps, termites, and others. These pests can do damage to your property or even harm you and your family, which is why many people in Temecula hire pest control companies to take care of them. But there are also insects in Temecula that you would be wise to keep around. These beneficial insects naturally control the pest population, pollinate plants, and do other things like break down plant and animal waste.
There are several types of beneficial insects found in Temecula. One that most people know about is the ladybug. Ladybugs feed on pests that can do damage to plants, such as aphids and mealybugs. It can take quite a large population of ladybugs to make a difference in a garden, but you can get a good start by purchasing them from a local garden center, or even ordering them online.
Praying Mantises are another type of beneficial insect found in the area. They may look a little creepy, but can do a lot to control the amount of flies, moths, mosquitos, and even roaches found on your property. So, if you see them, leave them be!
Green Lacewings are not seen as frequently in Temecula, but are also considered a beneficial insect because they eat pests like aphids, whiteflies, mealybugs, and caterpillars, making them especially beneficial to gardeners.
Some Temecula homeowners, especially those who enjoy gardening do everything they can to attract bees to their property. As you probably know, bees are essential in the pollination process for many of the fruits and vegetables we enjoy. But for others, bees are considered a problem that needs to be taken care of. This is especially true if you have someone in your household who is allergic to bee stings, or if you have small children or pets who have trouble staying away from the buzzing hive. Bee hives should also be removed if they are attached to a structure, as they can cause damage, such as mold or wood rot, if left for too long. At Knockout, we are experts at bee hive removal. If you have a bee hive that is causing problems on your property, give us a call, and we will send someone out right away.
Similarly, wasps are pollinators of plants, and could be considered beneficial, but for most people the harm they can cause outweighs their benefits. Because of this, they want any wasp nests they find on their property to be removed, which Knockout is happy to handle as well.
If you have any questions about pest control or they types of insects you are seeing on your Temecula property, contact us at Knockout. We are happy to help you come up with a plan to take care of the insects and other pests you want eliminated from your property.
It’s that time of year when things are starting to bloom and grow. It’s also the time that certain burrowing pests like ground squirrels, moles, and gophers become more active. [Read more…]
There are a lot of little-known facts about pests and the pest control industry, but not a lot of them matter to the average homeowner or business property owner. We don’t expect people to know everything there is to know about the pests that are common to Temecula (that’s our job), but these five facts are not only interesting—they can also help homeowners and business owners in Temecula protect themselves and their properties from the damage pests can cause. [Read more…]
As any Temecula homeowner will tell you, bugs and rodents are a problem in the Temecula Valley. Constant maintenance is required to keep unwanted pests out of your home and off of your property. Unfortunately, these pests don’t just affect homes—they also affect commercial properties.
Whether you operate your business out of an office building, a warehouse, or a retail store, your facility needs to be free of pests. Customers who see a pest problem at your place of business will not only be wary of your facility’s cleanliness, they may also wonder what else your business is neglecting to take care of. You could lose a potential customer over something as simple as a few bugs, which could have easily been taken care of by calling in a professional Temecula pest control company. Don’t give your customers any reason to take their business elsewhere!
It’s not just your customers and clients you need to be concerned about. You need to consider your employees as well. No one wants to work in an environment that has a bug or rodent problem. And you don’t want your employees spending their valuable time trying to get rid of the problem or cleaning up the mess left by pests. Hiring a Temecula pest control company to regularly service your facility will keep your place of work free of unwanted pests and allow your employees to be able to focus on the important tasks at hand—their jobs!
If you are a landlord of a business facility, you have certain obligations to your tenants. One of them is to maintain the property. If your property has a problem with bugs or rodents, you need to take care of it unless your lease specifically says that your tenants are responsible for this. And you should think twice about using DIY pest control methods, as using insecticides on a commercial property without a license could make you liable for any damages or illnesses they cause. Let a professional pest control company like Knockout handle bug extermination and rodent control. We know the most effective methods to use based on your specific pest problems. We also know how to correctly apply pesticides to keep your tenants as safe as possible.
We understand that business owners and landlords of a commercial property already have a lot of expenses, but professional pest control is one that is definitely worth the money. If you don’t already have a pest control company helping you keep your facility free of unwanted bugs and rodents, contact us at Knockout. We’d love to come out to your facility and tell you more about the pest control services we offer and give you a free estimate. We look forward to hearing from you!
If you’re a fan of the Farmhouse decorating style that’s sweeping the nation (thanks largely to Joanna Gaines and the HGTV show Fixer Upper), you’ve probably noticed the trend to display firewood near a fireplace as a decorative touch. Even people with gas fireplaces are placing stacks of wood in decorative firewood holders or in specially designed nooks. It looks great and adds a natural element to a home’s décor that many people are looking for. However, there’s something very important you should consider before taking the time to chop up (or buy) the perfect logs to display in your home—pests!
Here at Knockout, we’re no experts in interior design, but we are experts in pest control. And one of the surest ways to invite pests into your house is to bring in wood from the outdoors and store it in your home. In fact, we don’t even recommend stacking wood near your house. It’s wise to place firewood at least five feet from any structure to protect it from wood-destroying organisms like termites.
Firewood—especially firewood that still has its bark—can house all kinds of pests, including beetles, ants, and worst of all, termites. Stacked wood is also a great hiding spot for black widows who like dark, sheltered areas.
Upon casual inspection, the wood you want to bring into your home may not appear to be infested with bugs, but there is likely a critter or two hanging out somewhere. Bringing in old, dry wood with its bark removed is safer, but not completely risk-free, and if you ever plan on burning the wood, using a pesticide on it should be out of the question.
If you have no intention of ever actually burning the logs, the safest way to go is to buy logs that are purely decorative. A quick search on Amazon for “decorative logs” yields all kinds of great options, depending on the look you want. It may seem wrong to pay for something you might be able to get for free in your backyard or very inexpensive locally, but consider the cost of bringing unwanted pests into your house—especially termites! That free or cheap wood could prove to be very costly in the long run.
In the Temecula area, we have enough problems with pests as it is. Don’t welcome them in as part of your décor.
If you are in need of a pest control specialist in Temecula, contact us at Knockout. We’d love to help you get your pest problems under control this year and keep your home free from other unwanted pests. We specialize in all types of pests, including ants, spiders, rodents, and termites.
It’s the time of year when many people start thinking about putting their homes on the market. Early spring is typically a great time to sell, so planning ahead now to prep your house for those all-important real estate photos is smart. [Read more…]
Recently, our pest control company was featured in the online publication, MySanDiego.org. They wrote a great article about Knockout for their Made in San Diego column. According to the website, “Made in San Diego features some of the small businesses and entrepreneurs that make San Diego a great place to live and work. They have a fresh approach, they’re doing things differently, and inspiring the community.” [Read more…]
At Knockout Pest Control, we get a lot of our new customers as a result of referrals from our current customers. Some of those recommendations come by word of mouth when friends or neighbors share with one another which companies have provided them with good service. Other times, referrals come from the internet—when people searching for a Temecula pest control company read on sites like Yelp, Google, or Facebook about the excellent pest control service we provide. [Read more…]
Most homeowners know that termites can be an issue. If you used a mortgage loan to purchase your home, you almost certainly went through the process of getting a termite inspection before the lender would fund the loan. Mortgage lenders almost always require a termite inspection, and if termites are found, require that they be eradicated, because they know what huge problems they can cause. [Read more…]