No matter how neat and clean, every structure is a potential home for insects and rodents. Beyond their general annoyances and billions of dollars of damage annually, pests pose a serious threat to your comfort and health. They are abundant, extremely resilient, and widespread. Wherever you live, eat, work or play they are undoubtedly living close by.

Some Facts You Should Know

Termites eat papers, books and destroy wood, causing significant structural and economic damage.
Cockroach allergens contribute to childhood asthma.
Rodents contaminate food and transmit disease, plus 25% of fires of unknown origin are thought to be caused by rats gnawing on electrical wiring.
Fleas and ticks are blood feeders and are health hazards to pets and people.
Pest bird droppings are the source of serious fungal disease and mites.
Biting and stinging insects can be poisonous, can injure, and can cause serious health problems especially to those who are allergic.
Stored product pests adulterate many food sources and cause millions of dollars in damages.
Ground squirrels and gophers destroy expensive landscaping and gardens.
Ants are a severe nuisance when they contaminate food, invade our personal belongings, and some can seriously bite and sting.
Flies are not just an irritation; they also transmit disease and contaminate food.
Carpet beetles and silverfish damage and destroy clothing, books, and other fabrics.

Insects and rodents like the same habitats that people and their pets enjoy. Prevention is a good first step in keeping your environment pest free, but "bug-proofing" is never 100%. It is impossible to make any structure completely pest free, but there are some modifications you can make to your environment to limit pest activity Of course, Western's regular service will keep you one step ahead of potential invaders!

Here are some tips to help:

Check your doors...
Make sure that the doors are flush with the floor. Many occasional invaders will sense the different air currents leaving a structure, and will be attracted to warmer temperatures and smells found inside. By adding some weather stripping to the bottom of doors, you can make the door flush with the ground, thus limiting pests, and especially rodents, from entry.

Check your windows and vents...
Where possible make sure that all windows have a screen to prevent entry from insects. This is especially important near any bodies of water. Insects that are attracted to lights will enter through open windows. Check to make sure the screens do not have any holes that allow insects easy access.

Change outside lights...
Insects guide their migration and flight patterns by orienting themselves to the moon. However, in urban environments the moon takes a different form to an insect and can easily be confused with a porch light or interior light. As insects are flying nearby, they think your porch light is the moon and will fly towards it, collecting around the front door or other well-lit areas. There are numerous yellow-tinted "Bug-Free" lights that can be purchased at hardware stores. These lights are not as attractive to insects and will limit the amount of insects that rest near your front door.

Be careful of bug zappers…
Bug zappers emit UV light which is highly attractive to insects. Having a bug zapper will actually attract insects to your property. Let your neighbors install one, and attract the insects away from your place!

Customer Bulletins...

From time to time, as a service to our customers, Western Exterminator Company produces Customer Bulletins which give our regular customers in-depth information on specific pests. Often these bulletins dispel media hype from actual fact in regards to the newest harmful pest that is splashed across the TV airwaves or makes the front pages of your local newspaper. Other times, they are seasonal issues that we want our customers to be reminded of so they can help prevent infestations. You can download these bulletins below. You'll need the Acrobat Reader in order to view or print these files. If you don't have Acrobat Reader you can download it here for free.

Stay a step ahead of potential invaders. Sign up for our free Seasonal Tips newsletters. We'll share timely pest control and prevention hints, and you may unsubscribe at any time. Also, we assure you that Western will never sell or give your name or e-mail address to any other company or person. We don't like unsolicited mail either! For details on pests and their habits, habitats, biology, distribution, and control, please see Bugs and Pests.

Remember, whenever bugs or pests become more challenging for you than you care to handle, call Western Exterminator Company!