Find the Local Bugs in Middle Tennessee at The Bug Man

Find the Local Bugs in Middle Tennessee

Whether you’re a (rare) Tennessee native or you’re new to the area trying to become Nashville’s next big star, we’ve got a great resource for you: our website. Isn’t it interesting how bugs in one part of the U.S. are different from bugs in another part of the country?

If you’re a northerner visiting Florida for a sunny vacation, you may discover roaches bigger than you’ve ever seen! Termites are terrible and dangerous in Tennessee, but they may not be so threatening in Nebraska.

Whether you’re a (rare) Tennessee native or you’re new to the area trying to become Nashville’s next big star, we’ve got a great resource for you: our website.

If you’re ever curious about bugs, please leave a comment on our blog, on Facebook, or send us a tweet to @TheBugManTN.

Rats! I’ve got mice! Tips and Tricks for Keeping Rodents Out of Your Home

Tips and Tricks for Keeping Rodents Out of Your Home

Rodents are rapidly running inside homes this holiday season. Check out our blog for tips and tricks on how to keep them out. Baby, it’s cold outside. And, just in time for your holiday gatherings, rodents are moving inside your home to steal a meal.

To rodent-proof your home, here are a few tips and tricks:

  1. Thoroughly examine the exterior of your home. If there’s a hole larger than a quarter or a dime, then a rodent can get through it. If a rodent’s nose fits through the hole, then their entire body can fit through, too. Check the area around pipes, heating/cooling hoses, etc., etc.
  2. Use steel wool and/or caulk to seal up any holes you may find.
  3. Remove any vines hanging down the side of your home, because rodents can use those to climb up to your roof and potentially get inside.
  4. If your doors and windows have gaps, seal them. Not only will this help keep pests out, but it will also keep you cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. #winning
  5. Trouble with rodents? We would be more than delighted to help you. Call us at 615.217.7284 to schedule an appointment.

We’re on Twitter, Google+, and Facebook. Introduce yourself, we’d love to meet you.

Why do I still see bugs after The Bug Man treats my home

Why do I still see bugs

Pest control is a sophisticated science. Using fun examples from Nintendo’s Mario Kart, learn about the reason we’re able to offer a warranty on our services.

Attention Homeowners Hosting for the Holidays:
If you’re noticing the beginning of an ant invasion, please call us as soon as possible so our products have time to take full effect. Because of the biology of ants, it may take a few days for their invasive colony to be wiped out. Please, read on for more…

 

King BooBugs are bootastic! You don’t want them in your house, but they show up anyway. You call The Bug Man, but sometimes the bugs still remain after a few days, even after a treatment is done. What gives?

Biology. It’s all about biology.

Believe it or not, pest control is a sophisticated science. Products are created to fulfill different purposes. Some products kill things immediately but don’t last very long. Other products take longer to eliminate the bugs, yet last a long time. And, still others use a combination.

Toad

To illustrate–and have some fun–let’s think of this in terms of Mario Kart.   Yes, Mario Kart.

Some products work like Toad. They take off almost instantly. Others work like Donkey Kong. It takes a bit to get that fella going, but once he’s moving, it’s hard to stop him.

When it comes to killing ants and termites, we use products that have a high residual and a transfer effect. Translation: We use products that are going to last a while, and will kill the pests over time. The ants and termites walk through the products or eat the bait, and then they transfer the poison to their colonies. Then they will die off gradually. That’s how we’re able to offer you a warranty.

This high residual and transfer effect explains why you may still see ants in your kitchen up to 10 days after we came out to your house. It’s not that what we did in treating your house failed. It’s just that the product is rollin’ around your house like Donkey Kong, bustin’ upon those pests!

If you still see a lot of pest activity 10 days after we’ve treated your home, please give us a call at 615.217.7284. We’re pleased as Punch Brothers to come back and scope out the situation. Our One-Time Pest Control comes with a 45-day re-treatment guarantee. And our Quarterly Pest Control service is guaranteed in-between visits.

Voting for the 2011 #Ruthies is Coming to an End

The Bug Man in Central TN

The voting for the #ruthies is coming to a close on August 28. Thanks to all who have voted. With less than a week to go, let’s keep on voting! Throughout August, we’ve been rounding up our friends, family and fans for support as we go after our fourth Ruthie award for Favorite Pest Control Company.

We are so honored that so many people show their support via kind words, notes, comments, and visits to the office. We’ve been voted as number one three years in a row and we’re hoping that we come out with a fourth Ruthie win.

Here’s how to vote:
Voting is coming to a close–the last day to cast a daily vote is August 28th. To vote for The Bug Man in the Favorite Pest Control Company category go to RuthiesAwards.com, click on Retail and Professional Services, and then Favorite Pest Control Company. You’ll find The Bug Man at the top of the page under Bug Man.

Thank you so much, everybody! No amount of words can express our profound appreciation for you!

UPDATE: We won the Ruthie! Woohoo! Read our announcement for more information.

Termite Tips: Simple Fixes Make a Great Defense

Termite Tips

Like a helpful friend, we want to share these tips with you for termite protection. A few simple fixes could save you thousands of dollars.”Hey, Jess!” she said with glee. Tori hadn’t seen her best friend in a week. She was excited to catch up. “Thanks for coming over. Ready to go for a walk? Or do you need any water or anything?”

“Nah, I’m good,” Jess replied.  “Already got a water bottle. Let’s jet.”

“Ok,” Tori said with a smile. “Let’s go out the back door. The street behind my house is less busy than the one in front. You know me. I can’t even walk in a straight line. Don’t want to run into any cars.”

Tori dug for the house key in her pocket. Jess–in the market for new lawn furniture and always imagining ways to upgrade her own back yard–scoped out Tori’s brand new in-ground pool and fire pit. As she was gazing around the yard, she noticed a pile of firewood.

“Hey, Tor. You shouldn’t store that firewood on your back porch.”

“Why not?” Tori replied, still fumbling around with her house key.

“Termites.”

“Huh? What?”

“Storing firewood near your home is an open invitation to termites,” Jess explained. “So are those leaves in your leaky gutters.”

“I never knew that!” Tori exclaimed. “I wish someone would’ve told me.”

As your helpful friends–who happen to know more than a little about termites–we’re here to tell you a few things that you may not know about termite prevention. Please look at these tips on how to set up a line of defense. Special thanks to Termidor for the list.

  • Don’t attach wooden trellises to exterior walls
  • Keep wood debris, scrap lumber, sawdust and firewood away from your home
  • Don’t bury wood near your home
  • Remove infested trees and stumps
  • Repair leaking faucets and water lines, both inside and outside
  • Fix leaky roofs and gutters
  • Don’t allow leaves to accumulate in gutters or drains
  • Grade soil (meaning, make a natural downhill path) so that water–including condensation from your air conditioner–runs away from the foundation of your home
  • Cover at least 90% of the soil in crawl spaces with plastic sheeting
  • Keep wood siding, stucco, and form board at least six inches away from the ground or mulch landscaping

Subterranean termites are particularly evil. They are evil to the tune of $5 billion dollars of damage every year, actually. Many homeowners think their homes are safe because they don’t see any termite damage. However, for peace of mind and for protection, it’s best to call a professional to get an inspection. The Bug Man offers a free termite inspection and a customized termite treatment plan.

For more homeowner tips, read our blog on pest prevention for your home.

Using Technology to Feel Like a Superhero

Using Technology to Feel Like a Superhero

Hello. My name’s Lindsay. I do social media stuff for The Bug Man. Nice to meet you. This morning, as I was shuffling around and getting ready for work in my suburban apartment, I discovered a ravenous villain in my bathtub. An evil menace had set out to disrupt my pest-free* pleasantness. Although I work for a pest control company, I don’t have every bug memorized…yet. I’ve learned a lot while working at The Bug Man. I like to call myself an aspiring bug expert, but I’ve got a long ways to go. Some bugs look like other bugs. A few bugs have similar names and traits (i.e. centipede and millipede). Some bugs are different in Tennessee than where I grew up in Nebraska.

So what’s a girl to do when there’s a nasty, unidentified bug in her shower?

She supposed to pick up her smart phone. *nods matter of factly*

Wait! Pick up a smart phone?! You can’t kill a bug with a smartphone! Well, you could, I guess, but it’d be really messy and would gunk up your phone. But you can educate yourself. And you can envision heroic scenarios where someone else (The Bug Man) sweeps in to kill the bug so you don’t have to.

I grabbed my iPhone and opened up the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) app so I could figure out what bug was staring at me from my bathtub.

Through reading descriptions of common household invaders and looking at pictures, I discovered that a centipede had trekked up through the drainpipe to greet me. Now that I knew what bug it was, I somehow felt better. I felt empowered. I was also relieved to remember that the app also has this nifty feature that helps me find a pest professional.

Don’t get me wrong. I know where The Bug Man is located and I know my own office’s phone number. But it was comforting to find us in the list of pest professionals in the area.

I’ve got to admit that I’m a tech geek. And a superhero fan. And I have an active imagination. So I imagined that the NPMA app worked like the perfect weapon to combat the evil centipede. Because I had to kill the bug in order to take a shower, I thought of myself as The Bug Woman, using my new-found knowledge to muster up the guts to bag the bug.

And then, I jumped into The Bug Mobile. I mean…my car.  And I drove to work to continue the fight against the injustice of the bugs in the world.

If you have a smart phone, I highly recommend that you download the NPMA app. It’s pretty nifty. And if you’ve got bug issues, call your local superhero: The Bug Man. 🙂

White-Nose Syndrome in Tennessee: How the Dying Bat Population Affects You

White-Nose Syndrome

A mysterious fungus has killed millions of bats in America. Bats are essential for controlling pests, especially mosquitoes. You may not know it, but bats are quite heroic. No, we’re not talking about the Dark Knight, a.k.a. Bruce Wayne, a.k.a. Batman.

We’re talking about the bats that need no special help from Alfred the butler or Lucius Fox. In the deep darkness of the midnight hours, bats patrol the skies. Pollinating crops and eating pests, bats sightlessly save farmers and consumers billions of dollars annually in pest control. In recent years, a one-two punch has knocked out millions of bats across America. The first blow comes from turbines at wind farms. Air pressure changes caused by the swirling, tumbling turbines cause the lungs of bats to explode and the swinging blades swipe bats right out of the sky. To combat this, researchers are trying to develop technologies to alert bats that wind turbines are in the area so they fly elsewhere.

The second lethal punch comes from a mysterious fungus called white-nose syndrome. Originating in Europe, it is unknown when exactly it came to America and who or what brought it “across the pond.”The fungus spreads during hibernation. Basically, when bats hibernate in the winter, their body temperature drops to match the coldness of the caves and caverns where they live. The cooler temperatures and the bats’ sleeping immune systems create the perfect conditions for the fungus to spread. Round by round, bat after bat is losing this bout. Once white-nose syndrome strikes one bat in a colony, it’s likely they’ll all die within a few years.

To prevent the spreading of white-nose syndrome, several states have closed caves and caverns to the public. Officials have also asked spelunkers, hikers and cavers to thoroughly clean their clothing and equipment before visiting a cave again. If you plan on visiting a cave in the near future, be aware that it may not be open because of this problem.

Consider the impact this way: Every dead bat is like 3,000 mosquito bites in one night. Ouch! That’s painful!

Have you noticed a decrease of bat activity and an increase of mosquito activity in your area? It could be because of white-nose syndrome.

At The Bug Man, we offer a mosquito service during the summer months.

Turn on the bat signal and we’ll come running to the rescue.

Or call us at 615.217.7284 to schedule an appointment. 🙂

Finding Freedom from Frustrating Fleas

Freedom from Frustrating Fleas

Find freedom from frustrating fleas with these few flea facts! When it comes to pests, fleas are beasts! Small, but mighty, those minuscule monsters can really create chaos in your home.

A Few Flea Facts

  • Like a butterfly or moth, fleas go through a complete life cycle (egg, larva, pupa, adult)
  • Only adult fleas bite
  • Some fleas can stay in the pupa stage for up to six months; other fleas can hatch in a few days if the conditions are right
  • The vibration caused by humans and animals walking or vacuuming can cause adult fleas to instantly hatch

Finding Freedom from Fleas

If you suspect that you have fleas, identify the source of the problem. This especially applies to pets. If your pet dog or cat has fleas, take steps to treat the fleas on them. Then, vacuum, vacuum, vacuum. Pay particular attention to vacuum the spots where your pet commonly hangs out. i.e. A sunny spot next to the window, under the dining room table, next to the laundry basket. Dispose of the vacuum bag properly to ensure that the fleas don’t infest your vacuum cleaner.

Call a professional pest management company. Hey, that’s us! We can help you identify the source of the flea problem and work with you to eliminate those pests from your home.

If you have a flea treatment done in your home, here are a few important things to remember:

  • Make arrangements to be gone for 2-4 hours so the flea treatment has enough time to dry. Both your family and your pets need to be gone during the treatment.
  • Clean your floor. Pick up everything, even under the bed and in your closets. This includes pet dishes. After everything is picked up, vacuum-like you have never vacuumed before.
  • It’s time to move the furniture…so that you can vacuum underneath it. Who knows what treasures you may find! Or what stash of coins may fall out.
  • Fold over the blankets on your bed and/or couch so they are well away from the floor.
  • Tie window curtains or drapes to make it easier for the technician to treat your floor
  • Save the fish! Cover your fish tanks and turn off the air supply to the tank during the treatment.

Once the flea treatment has dried and you are back in your home, continue on in your quest to be a professional vacuumer. Because of the vibrations of you and your vacuum, the remaining pupa will hatch into adults. You want the eggs to hatch so that the product in your newly-treated carpet kills them. Once you have become the vacuum master, find others (*coughyourkidsoryourfriendscough*) who you can train to follow you in your Jedi vacuum ways. If you’re feeling frisky, perhaps you can train them to do chores too.

Termite Swarms in Smyrna and Murfreesboro Tennessee

Termite Swarm

Termites are on the move in Middle Tennessee. They can be identified as ants with wings and can swarm by the thousands.

Termite Swarmers – A Termite Story from March 2011
The Bug Man received our first termite swarm call this week.  This occurred in Smyrna at a residential slab home.  The termites entered the structure behind the refrigerator through a crack in the concrete slab.  During the inspection, we found that the termites have damaged the walls and trim behind the refrigerator.  In this situation, we will recommend a soil treatment to eliminate the termite colony and recommend the damages be repaired.  In this case, the termites were discovered early and only minor damage has occurred.

Termite swarms are usually the first evidence a homeowner will discover when they have a termite infestation.  They are described by many homeowners as flying ants, or ants with wings. A homeowner may also discover mud shelter tubes on foundation walls built by the termites.  These shelter tubes provide a highway between the soil and the food source, and help protect them from predators.  Shelter tubes can be found on crawl space walls, exterior walls, on interior walls and in cracks between moldings.

If you ever experience a swarm of  “ant-like” bugs in or around your home, we recommend that you have them identified by a professional. Termites will usually swarm between March and June in the Middle Tennessee area.  The swarms are triggered by humidity and temperature.  We will usually have a significant number of calls after a heavy rainfall when the humidity levels are high.  Swarms usually occur between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.  If you arrive home from work and find large quantities of bugs on the floors and windowsills, this is a good indication that you have experienced a termite swarm.   Catching a termite infestation early is the key to preventing damage to your home.  A trained professional knows where to look and what to look for when it comes to termites.

Termites are still swarming now in May. Here’s a video of a termite swarm in Murfreesboro in May 2011:

We are always here to answer any questions you may have about all your pest needs.  The Bug Man 615-217-7284

Cicadas in Tennessee 2011

Cicadas

We’re using Llama Font to deliver bad news about the 2011 Cicadas in Tennessee…

Here at The Bug Man, we’re big fans of humor. It’s great to laugh! Because, honestly, some things are quite funny. If laughter is the best medicine, then we’ve got an entire medicine cabinet full of it!

While browsing Twitter today, we stumbled upon a funny little web page called Llama Font. It genuinely cracked us up to think about Tina the llama from the movie Napoleon Dynamite bending to make llama letters.

The creators of Llama Font suggested that their llama letters should be used to deliver bad news…

Bad News About the 2011 Cicadas in Tennessee

Though the news you just read is tragic, don’t be dismayed. Rather, take relief in knowing this good news…

Good News About The Bug Man

If you found this page on Google and really want legit info about cicadas, please read our previous blog post The 13-Year Cicada Set to Invade Middle Tennessee.

Have any questions about cicadas (or any other pest)? Please post a comment. Maybe we’ll answer your questions in Llama Font!

Just kidding. We won’t answer in Llama Font. 🙂