Small flies hovering around the kitchen sink, resting on the bathroom wall or popping up near a basement floor drain are one of the most common calls I get in southern Maine, all year round. Most of the time they’re drain flies, fruit flies or both, and very often they’re coming from the same place:
Drain Flies and Fruit Flies: Why They Breed in Your Drains and How to Stop Them Read More »
Every fall, the same question comes up: why are there suddenly so many spiders in the house? Spiders in Maine homes are a normal part of September and October, and the vast majority of them are harmless to people. Seeing a few more than usual this time of year is not a sign that something
Spiders in Maine Homes: Why Fall Brings Them Inside Read More »
As temperatures drop across Cumberland and York Counties, squirrels and skunks start looking for a warmer place to spend the winter. Both are common calls for me this time of year, and both cause a very different kind of problem than the mice and insects that also try to get inside this season. Squirrels: Rooflines
Squirrels and Skunks Moving In for Fall: What Southern Maine Homeowners Should Watch For Read More »
As the temperature drops, mice start looking for a warm place to spend the winter, and a house is exactly what they’re looking for. Every fall I get calls for rodent control from homeowners who have already tried bait stations on their own, sometimes for weeks, and are still hearing scratching in the walls. The
Why Sealing Your House Beats Bait Alone for Mice This Fall Read More »
Bed bug inspections look different depending on what’s actually in the unit. A vacant turnover with no furniture left behind is a different job than an occupied unit with a bed, a couch, and a dresser still in place. Property managers who run the same checklist for both end up missing evidence in one scenario
How to Inspect for Bed Bugs During Turnovers and Annual Reviews Read More »
German cockroaches are one of the most common calls I get from property managers in Cumberland and York Counties, and they’re also one of the most misunderstood. Unlike a lot of pests, German cockroaches almost never come from outdoors. They travel in on grocery bags, secondhand furniture, delivery boxes, and moving trucks, then settle into
A Property Manager’s Guide to German Cockroach Control Read More »
Every September and October, southern Maine homeowners start noticing the same thing: dark, oval bugs sunning themselves on the south and west sides of the house, clustering around window frames, or suddenly appearing inside on a warm afternoon. These are overwintering pests, and understanding why they show up (and what actually works against them) makes
Why Stink Bugs, Boxelder Bugs, and Ladybugs Show Up in Maine Homes Every Fall Read More »
“Animal Control” and “Animal Damage Control” sound close enough to be the same thing, and I understand why people assume that. They’re not. In Maine, these are two entirely different systems, licensed by two different state departments, with two different scopes of authority, and calling the wrong one just means you’re waiting on hold with
Animal Control vs. Animal Damage Control: Who Do You Actually Call in Maine? Read More »
It’s the question I get asked more than almost any other: is this safe for my kids, or my dog, or my cat? I understand why it comes up every time, and I want to answer it honestly rather than just say yes and move on, because “safe” isn’t really a word that means anything
Is This Pesticide Safe for My Kids or Pets? How to Actually Think About That Question Read More »
If you’ve ever asked a pest control technician “is this stuff safe for my kids or my dog,” you’ve probably been handed a document called a Safety Data Sheet, or SDS, and left wondering what you were actually looking at. SDS sheets are dense, technical, and written for regulatory compliance, not for the person asking
How to Read a Safety Data Sheet (SDS): A Plain-English Guide Read More »