Peskies Pest Control Birmingham Alabama Podcast

Peskies Pest Control Birmingham Alabama Podcast
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  • Home & Garden
  • Updated Monthly

Our motto at Peskies Pest Control Is 100% Guarenteed Or You Don’t Pay a Penny for pest problems in Birmingham Alabama! Monthly discussions on how to have a pest free home with pest expert, Michael Wienecke how to

Episodes

  1. 3d ago

    The Hidden World of Drain Flies & Breeding Sites

    In this episode of the Peskies Pest Control Podcast, hosts Michael Wienecke and Travis McGowin dive deep into the murky world of household plumbing to answer a simple yet unsettling question: what’s in your drain? From hair-clogged shower drains and dried-out guest toilets to hidden breeding grounds in garages and commercial kitchens, they uncover the real causes behind pest infestations like drain flies and fruit flies. Tune in to discover why bleach isn’t the quick fix you think it is, how structural plumbing issues can trigger surprise fly surges, and practical steps you can take to keep your drains clean and pest-free. Visit our YouTube channel! Podcast Transcript: Michael Wienecke: So what’s in your drain, Travis? Travis McGowin: Probably moisture, crud, and buildup, I’d have to guess. Michael Wienecke: I would have much rather heard “which drain,” because I have multiple different ones. Travis McGowin: Well, I mean, that too. I mean, obviously, there’s, you know, drains everywhere in your house—bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms… Sometimes people have them in their garage. I mean, there’s, you know, potential for drains to be in quite a few places. Michael Wienecke: And in our line of work, we see a lot of things in drains that shouldn’t be in drains. Travis McGowin: (Laughs) Absolutely! I mean—when you get right down to it, when you think about drains, you think about bathtubs and sinks. That’s probably about as far as your mind goes, but if you really wanted to get to the reality of it, toilets are drains too. Michael Wienecke: That’s very true. That’s very true. I was thinking more of a shower drain, and if you’re married or, you know, have a sister or what—if they’re, you know, most… Travis McGowin: Anyone with long hair. Michael Wienecke: Anyone—(laughs) I think women because my wife, but my shower—my shower drain has—has hair all—all in it. Travis McGowin: Oh, yeah. And it—it’s amazing how quickly it builds up. And, you know, no offense to my wife or any other female, but sometimes it’s like, “Dear Lord, how are you not bald?” Michael Wienecke: It just keeps on growing, man! I—I don’t—I’ve often thought that myself. But, you know, with hair in that drain causes a lot of issues, other than just, you know, gagging while you’re cleaning it out. Travis McGowin: Oh, it always has a very nice, pungent odor to it when you pull it out of the drain. Michael Wienecke: It’s so funny watching—like, I’ve seen videos of people, you know, trying to be manly and take it out of the drain; they’re just like about to just lose it. Travis McGowin: Gag—gagging the whole time. (Laughter) It is, it’s gross. It’s gross. Michael Wienecke: As firemen, we’ve seen a lot, so I feel like—I feel like we can handle a lot. But hey, on—on a side note, since we’re talking about gagging, we just got a puppy, and—and it—it used the bathroom in the garage this—this morning. So when I went in there, I—I almost lost it. And I was like, I guess I’m just getting old, I don’t know. Travis McGowin: Was it like, the smell permeated the entire room? Michael Wienecke: Yes! Well, it—I guess it’d been sitting there since, you know, whenever it did. And it was just like, “Oh!” It just hit me in the face. But… Now we have flies, you know? Had to take care of that today. Travis McGowin: So, you know, with drains—and we’ll—we’ll harp a little more on the shower drains and, you know, hair buildup in the drains. I’m sure you’ve been in this position where you pull the drain cover off and you go to pull the hair out, but like, it’s literally not just hair. It’s this very long, just—it’s like it keeps going and going, and it’s like whatever hair you had, and then whatever growth is on that and buildup is on that, it—it just stretches like way down into the drain. Um, you know, the dead giveaway sign for us is when it starts to back up and not drain properly while you’re using your shower, and then inevitably you pull the cover off and it’s just like this long growth buildup with hair and all manner of other mess on it. But I mean, think about any drain. Michael Wienecke: You’re painting an amazing picture. Travis McGowin: I know, right? I—I should’ve taken a picture—I’ll take a picture next time and send it to you. Michael Wienecke: We—we have plenty of video footage of drains. Plenty. Travis McGowin: But moisture—moisture’s the, you know, to me—obviously you got matter and—and items that get put into a drain, but moisture is to me the key ingredient, and it’s—it’s always gonna be there. I mean, drains have moisture in them by design, constantly. Michael Wienecke: Well, and the problem is moisture or lack of moisture can bring on problems. Travis McGowin: Right. So I’ve—I’ve seen it both ways. I’ve seen where, you know, the moisture sitting in the drain along with some organic material of some sort has caused a buildup, and then you end up with some sort of flying insect that gets down in it, and they start to breed and—and, uh, you know, set their larvae in there and just really go to town on making that a habitable place for them. And then I’ve seen on the opposite end of the spectrum where a drain or a—a toilet or what have you doesn’t get used on a regular basis, and so eventually that water evaporates out of it, and then whatever is beneath or behind that drain has fair room to come up the drain and into the living space of the house. Michael Wienecke: Oh man, we did a house in Mountain Brook years ago, and it was a—a renovation. And the guy—we—he hadn’t used the upstairs—the entire upstairs—in forever, and all of a sudden one day opens that door and millions—millions of them. It took—it took about six treatments to get it—get it gone. Travis McGowin: Yeah, I’ve even had a customer that has guest—you know, guest rooms with guest bathrooms in their house, and obviously, you know, have not had anyone come to stay with them in a while, and so the bathroom was just kind of overlooked—you know, out of sight, out of mind. And I went in there to treat, um, on a regular service, and I’m like, “What are these all over the floor, the window sill, and everything?” And it was literally little like drain flies or phorid flies, whatever—it’s been a while, so I don’t remember exactly what it was, but the toilet was completely dry. There was no water in it, and it just had completely evaporated out. And so they were able to go back and forth down into that drain, and of course, this is out in the—out in the county, so there’s no sewer or anything, it’s septic system. And I’m sure they were just able to go and make their way down in there and breed and do whatever they wanted to do. Michael Wienecke: Drain flies are the most disgusting, cute thing buzzing around in the air. (Laughter) Travis McGowin: I’m assuming when you say “cute,” you’re referring to the owl midge, if I—if I had to guess. With furry wings… Michael Wienecke: No, no, no, drain flies have like—the bunny—the bunny ear wings. Travis McGowin: Yeah, the little fur—like the little furry-looking wings. Michael Wienecke: Yeah, the drain fly. Travis McGowin: Right. Those are a lot of times—they’re—they’re part of a midge family, though, and—and so if you look it up, and look up an “owl midge,” that’ll be what you’re looking at. Michael Wienecke: They look kind of cute. You’ll have to show me exactly what you’re talking about. Travis McGowin: Yeah, just go to Google and type in “owl midge.” Michael Wienecke: Yeah, okay, owl midge. Travis McGowin: Yeah, do it right now so the listeners can hear. Michael Wienecke: I’ll—I’ll do it—I’ll do it later. I’ll do it later. I’ll take your word for it. But anyway, it’s a cute bunny ear little thing, but they’re disgusting because they come right out of, uh, the nastiest part of the drain. Travis McGowin: Right. And they’re breeding down there, they’ve got their larvae down there, their food source down there. And—and then, of course, inevitably, they’re landing in it. And then they’re going and landing all over your surfaces and landing on you or—or everything else, so… Michael Wienecke: Kind of like that YouTube video you did on the—the defecation in the—behind the parking lot. Travis McGowin: That is a classic! I don’t care who you are, that’s a classic. Michael Wienecke: It’ll never beat the squirrel video. (Laughter) So let’s talk about, um, something I’m seeing a lot of right now, and that is fruit flies. So I want people to understand that those fruit flies are not breeding on the fruit. They are breeding in the drains, in the garbage disposal… I mean, this whole thing’s about drains, so we could be talking about, you know, anything. Where are fish breeding? The drains—we’re talking about drains, gotta be the drains. Travis McGowin: So—so it can—it can definitely be the drains. I—I would even take that one step further and go on to say anywhere with—with some moisture content. Um, I have had a customer in Montgomery that actually had them infesting her garage. And, yeah, and that was kind of strange because there weren’t any drains, there wasn’t any… Michael Wienecke: A lack of drains. A lack of drain. Travis McGowin: Yeah, so here’s what it was, though. I—I told her, I said, “Look, if you’ve got this many, there’s a breeding site somewhere. Like, there’s—there’s no way around it.” And she racked her brain for a minute, I—and, you know, she couldn’t come up with anything that she thought’d be a breeding sit

  2. Sep 23

    Why DIY Pest Control Makes German Roach Infestations Worse

    In this episode of the Peskies Pest Control Podcast, pest control experts Michael Wienecke and Travis McGowin share their wildest, most extreme job stories while diving into the reality of dealing with German roach infestations. From nightmare house calls and common DIY treatment mistakes to the surprising ways roaches invade clean homes, they break down why quick fixes don’t work and what it really takes to solve a serious pest problem. Subscribe to our YouTube channel! Podcast Transcript:   Michael Wienecke: What’s the worst German roach service you’ve ever had?   Travis McGowin: Ooh, I’ll be honest with you. I have one that still stands out in my mind that I went to in Montgomery several years ago. Uh, it was a residential property in, um, the northern part of Montgomery, and it was—it was bad. So, when they called about the infestation, on the phone, the lady advised me that, you know, it was mainly in one room. They’d been seeing them in the living room, um, and maybe a little in the kitchen.   I walked into the house, and she looked at me, I looked at her, and I looked around the room, and I said, “This is, uh—this is a little bit more than just the living room and the kitchen, isn’t it?” And she said, “Yes, sir, it’s the whole house.” And I said, “Yeah, that’s kind of what I was thinking.” When I—when I tell you that there were German roaches in every single room, pretty much every single corner, any appliance, uh, piece of electronics, any piece of furniture, it—it was—it was the most, to date, since I’ve been doing this, it was the most significant one that I have ever walked into.   Michael Wienecke: Were they trying to cure the problem themselves?   Travis McGowin: You know, I—I don’t know 100%. I don’t remember seeing anything that gave me that indication, um, that they were trying to remedy it themselves. But, you know, that—that’s the problem, right? Is that when people get in too deep with some of these pest problems, you know, and specifically German cockroaches, and they try to remedy it themselves, a lot of times they exacerbate the problem and make it worse, and they move it from not only just being in one room to being in multiple rooms, to being in the whole house because they’re using the wrong products and the wrong methods.   Michael Wienecke: 100%. So, um, I—I think that that would be the number one way that we get called out is that, would you say 90 days after trying to treat it themselves, it becomes an explosion that started probably in the kitchen or maybe in the bathroom, and now they’re seeing them in their bedroom, or they’re seeing them in, uh, you know, closets, things where they wouldn’t see them? And, uh, let’s explain why—why that’s happening.   Travis McGowin: Well, I’ll—I’ll give you an example. Another, um, German roach infestation I went to that was actually in a mobile home. Uh, when I got there, I believe they told me I was, um—or I was with the third company that they had called. And, uh—   Michael Wienecke: Wow.   Travis McGowin: Yeah, absolutely. So, they were pretty desperate to get rid of them. I remember asking them—and I—and I typically ask most people this question, um, “All right, so after the other companies treated, did they ever come back?” And, of course, no, they did not, because, uh, I guess they thought that, um, this treatment for this customer was one and done, which it wasn’t.   Michael Wienecke: Travis, it’s called a clean-out, okay? It’s—it’s a $199, and you’re good to go for the—for the next—   Travis McGowin: Oh yeah, you’ll never have roaches again. Right, okay.   Michael Wienecke: That’s—that’s right. Hey, they label it all day long. I’ve seen—I’ve seen the, uh—what are those things called? The yard signs. I’ve seen them.   Travis McGowin: Well, we’ll go into in a minute why that’s not actually typically possible for German roaches. But, uh, but then I followed up with the question, “After they sprayed, was the problem any better, or did it get worse?” And the answer is most always, “It got worse.” And, uh, followed up by the third question, which is, “All right, so they started—you said they started in the kitchen. But after they sprayed, were they still just in the kitchen?” And that’s when the homeowner, of course, advised me that, no, they had moved, and that they had been in other rooms off of the kitchen as opposed to just being in the kitchen where they started.   So, inevitably, what probably happened is the previous companies used a product that should never have been used. They got a little instant gratification by seeing some dead roaches. Um, but in reality, Michael, you and I both know that what happened was is that they just caused the infestation to relocate due to the product that they used that they should not have used.   Michael Wienecke: Look, Bifen’s a great product. It’s a great product. It’s just not the product.   Travis McGowin: Well, how many—how many times—   Michael Wienecke: ‘Cause that’s probably what’s being—I mean, let’s just face it, that’s probably what’s being used.   Travis McGowin: How many times have you heard me say, and anyone who’s listened to this podcast for any amount of time has heard me say, just because a product says it can be used for something doesn’t mean a product should be used for something.   Michael Wienecke: That is my favorite, um—like if—if I’m having a consultation with a customer and we’re, you know, they’re dealing with German roaches, and we’re having—that’s my—that’s kind of my first question is, “What products are we trying to use or what products have we been using ourselves?” But it’s going to be a pyrethroid chemical, and it’s going to say it lasts for what? Is it 12 years or 12—12 months. 12 months.   Travis McGowin: Mm, yeah. That’s one of my favorites, when you and I both know that a lot of those, uh, more generic products that they use last the, you know, if—if at all last 30 days, depending upon the environment that they’re sprayed in.   Michael Wienecke: No. I wouldn’t even say 30 days. 12.   Travis McGowin: 12 days?   Michael Wienecke: 12 days.   Travis McGowin: So, yeah. And so what—for—for as an example, so what I did in that extremely bad situation—and let me paint a little more backstory. So, the house was completely infested. Um, so we did actually initially perform a clean-out service. I’m not—I’m not trying to knock that to anyone listening. I’m not knocking a clean-out service. I’m not knocking a ULV fog. I’m not knocking any of that. It has its pur- purpose and its place. It does. And in this particular situation, we needed a significant knockdown on the population immediately. Um, it was ex- it was out of control.   So, you have this family living there. It was a mother and—and her adult daughter, and then the daughter’s two children, so the lady’s grandkids. Um, so you had a—a family of four living there, and they literally, I mean, just were sharing—actually, I won’t even say sharing the house with roaches. Roaches were basically—they were—they were guests of the roaches at this point. It was that bad. So, I went in, uh, the—the homeowner, the family—   Michael Wienecke: Could you—could you smell them?   Travis McGowin: Heh, yeah. Yeah. Smell—smell-o-vision, is that what—that what we’ll call it?   Michael Wienecke: Smell-o-vision? No, it’s—   Travis McGowin: Yeah, you know, if you see something, you know, you—you watch these TV shows like Hoarders or something like that, and you see they’ve got significant German roach infestations, I’m like, “I know exactly how that house smells right now.”   Michael Wienecke: Oh, yes. Yes. Yes, I can relate. Yes.   Travis McGowin: Yeah. So, I went in, uh, initially, the first treatment I did, I ULV fogged. Um, left for several hours and then came back that same day, but later on in the day after everything had dissipated, and then started our normal treatment with, uh, you know, with different liquids and—and then some bait and some different products. And, um, I will tell you, when I opened the door after the initial clean-out ULV fog, the amount of dead German roaches on the floor was—was pretty significant. Um, and there was even, uh, an American roach dead, and I’m—he was like the only one. I’m like, “Well, buddy, you just picked the wrong house.” Like, heh!   Michael Wienecke: That just goes to show you the, uh, the infestation level between an American cockroach and a German cockroach right there.   Travis McGowin: Sure. Uh, and I’ve got—I’ve still got photos from this infestation that I took. So, this next time I went in there, I—I did the normal treatment, um, and then I went back, you know, usually our protocol’s 30 days. So, the next time I went back, um, the—the population, the activity was significantly, significantly reduced. But that’s the unfortunate part is that after that last time, I never got to go back. Um, they—they canceled service, um, by no fault of us. I—I think that they saw improvements, they thought it was better, didn’t want to pay for it anymore, and so they canceled service. And, uh, so I can only imagine that they probably ended up maintaining German roaches even after that because we didn’t get to follow through with our treatment protocol. But I—I do know this: it was significantly better than when I found it, when I left it. Heh.   Michael Wienecke: Well, that’s, yeah. So, yeah. I mean, that’s—that’s all you can ask for. I mean, we have so many G

  3. Aug 21

    Eights Legs & Extreme Heat: The Truth About Spiders

    On this episode of the Peskies Pest Control Podcast: Beat the summer heat with pest control experts Michael Wienecke and Travis McGowin as they spin a candid, humorous conversation about all things arachnid. From myth-busting brown recluse fears to sharing hilarious close encounters with wolf spiders and explaining why traditional sprays don’t always cut it, this episode dives into the practical dos and don’ts of managing spider activity around your home. Tune in for expert advice, a few cautionary lake house jokes, and a realistic look at why these eight-legged neighbors might not be so bad after all. Watch this on YouTube! Podcast Transcript: Michael Wienecke: How hot has it been outside?   Travis McGowin: Can you… can you say expletives on here?   Michael Wienecke: It’s been… Well, I think you can say hell on here. I mean, it’s—that’s a—that’s a fair one. That’s a fair one.   Travis McGowin: Is the… is the devil’s armpit a good enough analogy?   Michael Wienecke: Ooh.   Travis McGowin: It’s uh… it’s pretty—it’s been pretty warm out here the last couple weeks.   Michael Wienecke: I will say, some of the places I’ve been to have also been stinky, so that’s fair. That’s fair.   Travis McGowin: Well, I mean, when you… when you are performing services and your clothes go from saturated to dry to saturated to dry over and over again multiple times, um… it’s… it’s pretty… pretty terrible.   Michael Wienecke: Yes. Yes, it is. So, today we want to talk about spiders, man. We are dealing with some just hellacious spiders. Spiders are everywhere.   Travis McGowin: Yeah, the… they are. Um, you know, and I understand that… I think you said you like spiders, right?   Michael Wienecke: Man, I love spiders. Spiders… spiders are one of the most beneficial insects in all…   Travis McGowin: Well, I agree with you in… in that regard. I think the… the vast majority of the population would heavily disagree with you in… in love of spiders, actually.   Michael Wienecke: Oh, I have a really awesome video of a spider jumping out of the couch and… and at me as I was videoing it. So, I’ll… I could send that to you if you want to pop it up there real quick.   Travis McGowin: The only way I want to see that is if you screamed like a girl.   Michael Wienecke: I screamed like a grown man.   Travis McGowin: No, the… you know, spiders, obvious—obviously, you know, you’ve got the vast majority of them being very beneficial, the vast majority of them are not venomous, and most of them, you know, don’t even bite. Of course, you know, here in Alabama, most folks, when they think of spiders, their… their brain automatically jumps to one of two, you know, either being the black widow or the brown recluse. And, you know, in my encounters in pest control, the vast majority of spiders that you encounter are neither one of those two spiders.   Michael Wienecke: It is so rare to see a brown recluse or… or a black widow. I mean, if you stick your finger in a… a hose pipe or a crack or crevice outside, or just start picking up logs without… without gloves on, you’re probably going to meet a brown recluse or a black widow. But nine times out of 10, it’s going to be a… a wolf spider, excuse me. I lost my… my train of thought… thought there.   Travis McGowin: Yeah, but I think most… I think most people, uh, automatically put spiders into this… this dangerous box. Um, now granted, there was… there’s a kind of a funny story. When I was a teenager still living at home with my parents, our… our house had always had this like darker-colored brown carpet. Um…   Michael Wienecke: So, it… so, it didn’t show stains!   Travis McGowin: I… I mean, I wouldn’t go that far. Uh, but it always had this dark brown carpet, and of course, what color is a wolf spider? Dark brown. Dark brown with black on it, you know, so uh they blended really well. And I remember there was one… one evening where I had went into my bedroom and uh and walked in to the doorway and turned the light on, and there was this massive wolf spider, uh, standing essentially in the doorway. And of course, I think I scared the wolf spider just as much as the wolf spider kind of scared me and startled me, because I wasn’t expecting there to be this massive spider. And uh so when I turned the light on, the spider came running directly at my feet, which I didn’t have any shoes on or anything, and uh so I picked up, you know, kind of jumped, picked up my foot, and the spider’s still running towards me. And when my right foot came down, the foot came down right directly on top of the spider, and uh of course, you know, I came down on the floor and then immediately picked my foot back up. Well, my… the spider had actually curled up and went underneath the… the little gap between my toe and the beginning of my actual part of my foot in that little, you know, raised area where your toes are, and he balled up…   Michael Wienecke: They are survivors. They are survivors.   Travis McGowin: Yeah, he did. So, he balled up, and then as soon as I picked my foot back up, he popped his legs out and scurried, you know, scurried off. And of course, then I hunted him down with a vengeance and killed him. So, uh, yeah, I… I mean, I wouldn’t say that I’m a huge spider fan. About the only spider that I actually am kind of fascinated with and will actually usually let live, I really… I really like the garden spiders, the… um the garden spiders…   Michael Wienecke: The orb… the orb weavers and stuff?   Travis McGowin: Um, the orb weavers are… are in my opinion kind of annoying. Um, you know, they’re usually going to attach themselves up in a corner on the side of the house, come out at night, make this ginormous web, and then go and hide during the daytime.   Michael Wienecke: But they’re beautiful.   Travis McGowin: They are, but they make a mess on the side of your house, which I’m not real thrilled with. Um, but…   Michael Wienecke: Let’s talk about that for a minute. So, they make a mess on the side of your house. They build a big web, right?   Travis McGowin: Yeah. Every night.   Michael Wienecke: And that protects against what?   Travis McGowin: Insects.   Michael Wienecke: Every single flying insect.   Travis McGowin: Yes. Yeah, and… and you’re right. Um, so… so, spiders in… in that regard are… are, you know, of course, very beneficial. Obviously, they have uh… they have a purpose in the world, for sure. Whether or not most people agree with that, you know, that’s a totally different story, so…   Michael Wienecke: Well, and that’s… that’s kind of the what this… this talk was about. I mean, we remove spider webs around the house. It’s… it’s more of a vanity thing, I would say. You know? Most people do not want spider webs around the house. However, with the 105-degree heat, we’ve had extra, extra, extra spider webs around people’s houses.   Travis McGowin: Right. You know, I understand they… they make… they make a mess. Of course, they’re being, you know, more opportunistic. They’re… they’re finding a place where bugs are going to frequent, whether that’s close to an exterior light, um, you know, that’s going to attract bugs that they can catch and… and subsequently eat after that. So, they’re, you know, they’re being opportunistic. Uh, I… I do totally agree that they have their place in nature. I mean, you could look at a lot of insects, uh, take termites, for example. I mean, in nature, termites have a very important job. We just don’t want them in our house, eating our house, you know. They need to break down old, decaying wood and return it to the soil and all those good things. Uh, the one I don’t understand is a… a mosquito, but that’s a totally different topic. We won’t… we won’t dive off into that one. I… I still don’t understand the point and purpose.   Michael Wienecke: Of a mosquito?   Travis McGowin: Yes.   Michael Wienecke: I mean, bats love ’em.   Travis McGowin: Yeah, I understand, but if there’s one insect that exists only to feed bats, I think we can do without them. Bats eat a lot of other things, too.   Michael Wienecke: I mean, getting way off topic, but don’t bat guano and isn’t that a pretty helpful thing for the whole food chain? I mean, I think you’re… It’s like you step… You go in the primordial soup, you step on a flower, and everything’s different when you get back. So, you know, you have to… You have to be careful on what you wish is gone and… and here.   Travis McGowin: But… but no, I mean, spiders are going to be opportunistic, you know, whether they’re… they’re a spider that… that builds these big, elaborate webs, like you said, the orb weavers, or… or here in Alabama, uh, over the last several weeks, we’ve really had an uptick in what, you know, people call the banana spiders. Um, you know, that you’re inadvertently going to walk face-first into their web, and, you know, they’re… they’re like this big. Um, you know, they’re gigantic, and… and, uh, of course, the webs are really, really strong and sticky, so it’s a picture forever to try to peel it off your face, and, you know, if you haven’t had a heart condition up to that point in your life, you will have a heart condition because, you know, having a spider that big in your face is probably not going to be a comfort zone for most people. Um, but, you know, some of the… some of the other ones, like we were talking about, wolf spiders, uh, especially if you don’t have your… your weather stripping towards the botto

  4. May 26

    Worse Than Fire Ants? Meet the Asian Needle Ant

    Think fire ants are the worst thing hiding in your backyard? Think again. In this episode of the Peskies Pest Control Podcast, Travis introduces a stealthy new invader that’s rapidly expanding across the Southeast: the Asian Needle Ant. Unlike common yard pests, these tiny, orange-legged insects don’t build massive mounds—instead, they lurk quietly in mulch beds and woodpiles, packing a sting described as ‘liquid fire’ that can pose a serious medical threat. Tune in to learn how to spot their bizarre behavior, avoid their painful sting, and protect your yard from this aggressive ecosystem hijacker. Podcast Transcript: Travis: Hey everyone, welcome back to the Peskies Pest Control podcast. I’m Travis, your host. You know, we talk a lot on this show about ants, we talk a lot about termites, uh, little crawling insects like that, and we talk about how they’re nuisances. Uh, you know, the ones that come along and ruin your outdoor gatherings in your backyard, um, or fire ants that, you know, leave itchy bumps on you and your kids’ ankles, you know, when you inadvertently walk through the grass and they, you know, you come into contact with them. But today we’re going to discuss another pest that’s been making some headlines this spring. You know, so we’re halfway through May at this point, uh, and if you’ve been keeping up with the news, there’s kind of a bit of a new insect in town. And that is the Asian needle ant. Now, I say new, although this ant has been around the United States for quite a while, um, but the “new” refers to the fact that they are currently exploding and invading across the Southeast. Uh, you know, a lot of experts refer to them as a medical pest, and there’s a very good reason for that. If you’re a gardener, uh, someone who enjoys hiking, uh, if you like to move a little bit of mulch in your backyard, then you need to know who these guys are before you reach into the wrong pile of leaves or dirt. So, you know, you may be asking, “Well, I’ve never heard of the Asian needle ant. What am I looking for exactly?” So, they’re tiny, maybe even about a fifth of an inch long, if that kind of gives you an idea of just how small these Asian needle ants are. Now, as far as color goes, they’re dark, they are kind of shiny and glossy, and almost black for most of their body. But there’s a dead giveaway that you need to look for when you see these ants, and that is that they have a distinctive orangish-brown color to their legs and their jaws. So, almost a full black body, but their legs and their jaws are orange to orangish-brown. And honestly, you might not even see them coming because, unlike fire ants, they don’t build these huge nests in the middle of your lawn. They’re a lot more stealthy. They do love moist and shaded areas. A lot of times you’ll find them under, you know, rotting wood or logs, even maybe under your stones or pavers in your yard, or way down deep in a mulch bed. You know, they don’t march in long straight lines like a lot of ants do when they make invasions on your house in your kitchen or, you know, in your bathroom. They are more likely to be loners and forage um, on their own, or solo. And you know, in fact, if an Asian needle ant actually finds a great food source, it doesn’t leave a scent trail to attract other ants. But it actually goes back and picks up another ant and carries the ant to the food with them. Uh, so they’re not communicating with those chemical trails that a lot of other ants leave. So, if you see what looks like an ant with two heads moving across a log or across a mulch bed, then you might actually be spotting this tandem carrying um, that these ants do, which is kind of classic needle ant activity. One more weird way to identify them is um, if you put them into a glass jar, a lot of ants can climb right up the side of a jar, but an Asian needle ant cannot climb any smooth surfaces. So, if it attempts to climb and it’s sliding down to the bottom of the jar like it’s maybe on a layer of slick ice, you’ve probably found an Asian needle ant. Now, let’s talk a little bit about why they are referred to as medical pests. So, the sting has been described as liquid fire, uh, or as if someone is driving a hot needle into your skin. But here’s the real danger: the ants are shy. They’re not really aggressive like fire ants that, you know, come and swarm you the second that you step on a mound. So, most stings happen a lot of times when you accidentally trap one, you know, maybe you’re wearing gardening gloves, one of them gets inside, or you lean against a tree where they’re nesting. So, for most of us, it’s just an intense localized pain. Uh, it can actually hurt for sometimes hours. But for about 1% to 2% of the population, it’s actually a lot worse than that. So, these ants have an incredibly high rate of causing anaphylaxis. Uh, and if you don’t know what that is, it’s a life-threatening allergic reaction um, for people who may be hypersensitive to this interaction with the Asian needle ant. And so there’s uh, people are reporting that, you know, those who have been stung by them, and they’ve lost consciousness within a minute of being stung. So, if you’re already allergic to things like bees or wasps, then you probably have a much higher risk of this reaction. So, if you get stung, you feel dizzy, have trouble breathing, you end up having a reaction all over your body with hives—don’t wait, don’t put it off. I would say immediately call emergency services, dial 911. Uh, this is not just some sort of, you know, “rub some dirt on it” kind of situation where it’s just going to go away like a lot of times people experience with fire ants. You just want to be extremely careful. And it’s not just a threat to us; it’s also a threat to our environment in general. So, uh, University of Georgia’s actually done some research and show that in areas where these ants move in, native ants actually disappear. So, uh, they’ve actually done some studies where it looks like about 60% of the native ant population drops in the area where the Asian needle ants move in. And I know you think, “Well, I mean, ants are ants, who cares, right?” So, ants are what we can refer to as forest janitors. They turn the soil, um, they spread seeds for wildflowers. The Asian needle ant doesn’t do anything like that at all. They come in, they dominate, they take over. Uh, they even move into termite galleries um, and force termites out, uh, which sounds like a win for your house, but it completely disrupts the ecosystem of the woods wherever they move in. So, you may be asking yourself, “Well, what do we do to combat this ant? What do we do to help fix this problem?” So, here’s a couple of things: so clean up debris around your yard. You want to get rid of old wood piles, you want uh, get rid of old thinning layers of leaf litter. You want to watch for excessive moisture as well. So, if you got a leaky outdoor faucet, you may want to get that fixed and stop those leaks because these ants love and crave a damp environment. You know, when you’re out and about, wear protective um, ensembles. You know, thick gloves, closed-toe shoes while you’re working in the garden or moving landscape timbers, um, just protect yourself from the possibility of that interaction. And then also baiting can help too, um, and this is probably more from a pest control standpoint, although some people do, you know, attempt to do some pest control on their own. Um, but you know, a lot of times in the pest control world with ant baits, we have either sugar-based baits or protein-based baits. So, with these Asian needle ants, standard sugar-based baits a lot of times don’t work because they prefer protein. So, if you’re seeing them, you might need to call a professional who’s got a professional-grade protein bait of some sort to get the job done with them as well. So, bottom line: the Asian needle ant’s not going anywhere, unfortunately, just like a lot of invasive species that come from other countries. Um, they get here, they take up residence, and they’re here to stay. And as our climate warms up, they’re only going to move further north. So, it’s not about living in fear, it’s about being aware of what’s going on. So, when you’re out and about outside, look for those ants with the orange, orangish-brown legs. Watch out for damp spots or, you know, old wood piles, mulch beds, things like that. And if you’re hypersensitive to insect stings, definitely keep an EpiPen handy if you’ve had one prescribed by your doctor. Uh, if you have a high risk of having an anaphylactic reaction, it’s definitely a good idea to keep that with you. Um, so thanks for tuning in. Uh, if you think you’ve found a colony in your yard, feel free to reach out to us. And probably not a bad idea to locate and reach out to your local agriculture extensions office—most areas have them. And let them know that you’ve found them—they’re definitely keeping record and track of where these invasive ants are spreading to next. So, again, I’m Travis with Peskies Pest Control. Stay safe, stay pest-free, we’ll see you next time. The post Worse Than Fire Ants? Meet the Asian Needle Ant appeared first on Peskies Pest Control.

  5. May 19

    The Alabama Spring Guide to Termite Swarms

    Welcome back to another episode of the Peskies Pest Control Podcast, your go-to guide for keeping your Alabama home safe and bug-free! In this episode, host Travis McGowin dives deep into a phenomenon every Alabamian knows all too well: the dreaded spring termite swarm. Picture a beautiful afternoon right after a rainstorm, only you look at your windowsill and see a shimmering cloud of vibrating insects. Before you slip into total “termite panic,” Travis breaks down the biology of these winged invaders, how to tell them apart from ordinary flying ants, and the critical “red light” warning signs that mean it’s time to put down the over-the-counter bug spray and grab the vacuum. Tune in to learn exactly what to do whether you find these pests inside or outside your home! Visit our Youtube Channel! Podcast Transcript: So, I want to give you a scenario. So, let’s just say that it’s a pretty spring afternoon. Storms rolled in, but the rain has just stopped. Sun’s peeking out through the clouds. And you look over to your windowsill to get a glimpse of how beautiful the day actually is becoming. Only to see a cloud of vibrating, shimmering insects on your windowsill inside your home. So, if you’ve lived in Alabama for more than a year, you probably know the feeling of what we will call termite panic. So today, we’re going to talk about the spring swarm. Why is it happening? Is your house currently being eaten, and most importantly, what do you do if you find this phenomenon on the inside versus the outside of your home? So first off, let’s talk a little bit about termite biology. These aren’t just any termites. These are termite alates. So, think of them as royalty in the termite world. So, they’ve got one mission. The termite colony itself is like a crowded city. So, once it gets a little too full, the colony produces these winged reproductive termites. Their only job, their only reason for existing, is to fly out, find a partner from a different city or colony, and establish a new colony. So, they’re waiting for that perfect weather window, which is usually, you know, a nice, warm, high-humidity spring day, and really after a rain is is uh definitely ideal for them. So, the ground is soft, it makes it new—or excuse me, makes it easier for a new queen to go in and burrow and start to establish that colony. However, they’re terrible flyers. Um they do flutter around for a few minutes, often carried and pushed around by the wind if they’re outside. But if they’re inside your house, they flutter around for a few minutes, they’ll shed their wing—their wings, and then attempt to go to work. So, if you see piles of, you know, translucent termite wings on your porch or on your windowsill, then that means that their nuptial flight is over and they’re trying to start the work of what it is they’re really trying to do. Now, before you call an exterminator uh in, you know, just a complete and sheer panic, let’s talk about it and make sure that you aren’t looking at flying ants. So, ants do swarm at the same times, look almost identical when you glance at them, but there are a couple of key and important differences that you need to know about to make sure that you identify whether or not it is a termite or an ant. So, termites have thick, straight bodies. Ants have a pinched waist kind of resembling an hourglass. So, if the body’s approximately the same size from head to toe, or from front to back, I should say, it’s probably a termite. However, ants have that pinched hourglass waist. The next thing you can look at to identify them is their antennae. So, termites’ antennae, um they’re straight and look almost like they have a bunch of little tiny beads that build their antennae up. If you look at ants, they have elbowed or bent antennae. And then, another unmistakable sign that can help you identify termites versus ants is the wings. That’s probably one of the easiest ways to tell what it is you’re dealing with. So, termites have four wings that are all equal length in size. Ants, on the other hand, have four wings. However, the front wings are a lot longer than the back ones, so you’ll have two long wings and two shorter wings. Uh so, if the other methods, the the body and the antennae are a little bit too difficult for you to identify, the wings are definitely almost always a dead giveaway. So, let’s get into what now if you discover this phenomenon, and that depends entirely on where exactly you found this going on. So, in the first scenario, which would be more ideal maybe, they’re outside. If you see them swarming from a stump in your yard, a fence post, a dead tree, something like that, do not panic. This is a natural part of the ecosystem in the woods around your property. It means that somewhere nearby, you have a mature termite colony and can kind of give you like a yellow light warning. If you picture a traffic light, you know, red means stop, yellow means caution, green means go, this is probably like a yellow light warning. You need to check your foundation for mud tubes, um check the interior and exterior of your house for signs of termites. But mud tubes are kind of like, you know, a line of dried dirt that’s about the size of a pencil, and it goes up the side of the foundation or brick or concrete of your house. You want to make sure you don’t have any of those. Um because that can signify that termites are either already trying to invade your house or have already invaded your house. So, the second scenario to this would be that you find this phenomenon inside your home. So, if you happen to see these winged alate termites coming out of a baseboard, from around a light fixture, a crack in the drywall, around a window frame, the reality is is that this is a red light. This is a big stop sign. You need to stop, take heed uh because termites are swarming inside your home, and that almost always means that they are coming from within your walls, and they’re trying to get outside to go towards light. So, what I would do in this—in this scenario, if this is you, get you a vacuum and vacuum them up. And there’s going to be a lot of them, so just be prepared. Save a couple in a jar or somewhere where, you know, they’re not going to get away, and call Peskies Pest Control. Don’t wait. Call Peskies Pest Control. And then, the third part of this, and this is the big one: do not spray them with anything over the counter. No bug sprays. Um, you know, we don’t want to spray them. That spray, whatever you use that’s over the counter, will not reach the colony, will not kill the colony, and it can actually cause them to shut off where they’ve been accessing for the time being and just move to a different part of the house. So, we definitely don’t want that. So, yes, vacuum up these pests. Vacuum them up, save some for your pest control professional, and then do not spray anything on them. You’re going to make life a lot more difficult in getting rid of these termites if you do spray them with something. So, the bottom line: termite swarmers are just nature’s way of saying, “I’m here, I want to colonize.” If they’re outside, definitely be vigilant. Uh just the other day, I was at a customer’s property doing their termite renewal, checking their baiting system, and while I was around the outside of the house, there were termite swarmers flying everywhere. But, the customer can rest easy knowing that their house is protected. Termites cause billions of dollars in damage every single year. However, like most anything, if they’re caught early enough, they are manageable, the damage can be minimal. So, stay dry. You don’t want to have any moisture—high moisture content or anything that’s going to attract these termites. Keep an eye around your house, especially this time of year, and definitely get your house protected. Uh call Peskies Pest Control. We can come out, we can do a top-to-bottom, thorough inspection to make sure that you don’t already have a termite issue, and then subsequently prevent a termite issue from ever occurring. So, again, I’m Travis with Peskies Pest Control. Thanks, and we’ll see you next time. The post The Alabama Spring Guide to Termite Swarms appeared first on Peskies Pest Control.

  6. May 12

    Hantavirus: What You Need to Know!

    Welcome back to the Peskies Pest Control Podcast, where we look beyond the common household nuisance to discuss the serious health risks associated with local wildlife. In this episode, Travis dives into the recent headlines surrounding the MV Hondius cruise ship outbreak to explore the realities of Hantavirus—a severe respiratory disease with a staggering 40% mortality rate. While the news may be focused on the Atlantic, the danger actually begins on land with the rodents that enter our homes and workplaces. Join us as we discuss how professional exclusion and monitoring are your family’s best defense against these invisible pathogens. Podcast Transcript:Host: Hey everyone and welcome back to another episode of the Peskies Pest Control Podcast. So today we don’t necessarily want to discuss the nuisance side of pests, but we want to talk a little bit about the dangerous side of pests. So anyone who has been on social media, watched the news lately, you probably seen headlines referring to the MV Hondius. If you’re not familiar with that, it is a cruise ship that was out in the Atlantic Ocean and is dealing with a now deadly outbreak of what is known as Hantavirus. So three people have died, there’s quite a few more being monitored around the world. CDC says they’re on high alert and it just sounds like something out of a horror movie, right? Or a suspense movie of some sort. You got a Hantavirus outbreak out in the middle of the ocean, but the truth is this is not a cruise ship problem, this is not an ocean problem. This is a rodent problem. Very often it starts on land, even in some of the places where you live and you work. What is Hantavirus?Host: So you may ask yourself, what exactly is Hantavirus? In short, it is a severe respiratory disease. So, you know, we have different strains of Hantavirus, but you know, the scary part is is that it has a mortality rate of nearly 40%. So compare that to the flu or even COVID-19 and you realize, you know, how potentially serious this can be. So, you know, you may be wondering how do you get Hantavirus? Well, you don’t get bitten by a mouse or a rat to get sick from this virus. It’s actually a lot easier than that and you don’t even have to contact a live rodent to get it. But the virus is carried by rodents, some mice, some rats, and they usually shed or disperse the virus when they urinate or when they defecate or even from their saliva. So you can get it from urine, their droppings, their spit. And when their droppings dry out and you sweep them up or you vacuum them or you clean them up, especially in large rodent infestations, the virus almost becomes aerosolized, you know, floating around in the air and then you breathe it in and you are at risk for Hantavirus in that moment or at that time. The MV Hondius ConnectionHost: So realistically, you know, how did this happen on a cruise ship? Well, the outbreak, you know, we can speculate all we want to but it likely started before the passengers were even on the boat. You know, there are reports that the first victims may have been exposed while birdwatching or visiting remote areas in Argentina. But two things to note here. The virus has quite a long incubation period, so somewhere in the upwards of 8 weeks. So you might not even really know that you’re sick until way after you’ve already been exposed. And you could see where somebody maybe got on the cruise ship having already been exposed to this virus. And it only takes one small interaction with an infested area, you know, to set this off. So on the ship, because it was a certain specific strain, it began to spread through close contact between the guests on the ship. And this is why we say, you know, that pest control isn’t just about property itself. Yeah, we love protecting your property from insects and from rodents and wildlife, but the big picture of pest control really is about public health. Bringing it Home – Why Pest Control MattersHost: So I know what you’re thinking now, it’s like, well, I’m not on a cruise ship in the Atlantic, or I’m not going to get on a cruise ship in the Atlantic. But here’s the unfortunate reality: every time that a rodent, a mouse or a rat enters your crawlspace, your attic, your kitchen pantry, they are bringing what is on the outside and bringing it in. So they’re not just looking for your food, they’re leaving behind a biological footprint that can in the long run affect you, your pets, your children. In Peskies, we don’t just kill bugs. You know, we create barriers between you and your family and your pets and we create the barriers between that group and these types of groups, the insects, the rodents, the wildlife, that sort of thing. So for rodents specifically, exclusion is extremely important and when I say exclusion, I mean sealing off the entry points so that they cannot get in in the first place. And then on top of that, sanitization is extremely important. If you find droppings, it may not be the best idea to sweep them up. It might be a better idea to call a professional who knows how to disinfect, who has the appropriate personal protective equipment or PPE to deal with that type of issue just to protect you and your family from aerosolizing those those types of diseases. And then of course after exclusion and sanitization, monitoring is important. Rodents didn’t advance as long and as far as they have without being experts at hiding. So professional monitoring and inspection finds them before it becomes this massive huge infestation which can then in turn become a massive and huge health risk for you and your family. Closing & Call to ActionHost: So, you know, from our point of view and definitely the world’s point of view, the news, you know, coming from that cruise ship, the MV Hondius, is definitely a tragedy. But I do think that it is a broader wake-up call. You know, we share our world with different insects, with rodents, with wildlife, but our living spaces we shouldn’t have to share in terms of the air with these pathogens that they, you know, spread. So do not wait until you see a mouse running across your floor because chances are they’ve been there for a lot longer than you have actually realized or then that you have actually seen. If you hadn’t had an inspection, if you don’t have general pest control on a regular basis, give us a call at Peskies Pest Control. Let’s make sure that your home stays a sanctuary for yourself and your family and not a habitat for rodents, wildlife and pests. So stay safe, stay pest-free, and we’ll see you next time here on the Peskies Pest Control Podcast. The post Hantavirus: What You Need to Know! appeared first on Peskies Pest Control.

  7. May 5

    Tick Talk: Prevention, Protection, and Professional Treatment

    As summer temperatures hit a sunny 72°F, outdoor enthusiasts are hitting the trails to hike and bike. However, this beautiful weather also brings the rise of a dangerous parasitic creature: the Asian longhorned tick. In this episode of the Peskies Pest Control Podcast, Michael Wienecke discusses how these self-sufficient pests can breed without a mate and explores the best ways to protect your yard and family from the pathogens they carry. Podcast Transcript: Michael Wienecke: “Hey, so it is summertime and everyone is out there running these trails, biking, hiking, enjoying this great weather we’re having right now, 72 and sunny. I myself am enjoying it, especially in my backyard. But with this beautiful weather also comes a parasitic creature and today we’re going to be talking about ticks. I don’t like ticks, I don’t think anybody likes ticks. They embed in your skin and they can cause all kinds of diseases. We’ve got this new tick that is just sweeping the nation throughout the United States and it’s the Asian longhorned tick. So I kind of wanted to just bring some attention to that. I personally have not seen any in the field or any of that, but I just wanted to talk about it and it is really just kind of predicted to be a wave over this entire country. So they’re bad, they cause disease. Biggest thing, you know, we’ve got Lyme disease in this country, Rocky Mountain spotted fever. They are pathogens or they can transfer pathogens back and forth from each other. That’s how they get them. So when they bite an animal, they will bite that animal with a disease, they’ll absorb that disease and then they can transfer it from animal to animal to animal. And unfortunately there are quite a few ticks in the United States that can already transfer that disease from human to animal and back and forth. So ticks are just all around pretty bad. Another thing about the Asian longhorned tick is that it can breed without a mate. So it’s able to lay eggs without having to mate. That’s kind of scary because it can—it’s self-sufficient. Let’s talk about some ways that you can help prevent ticks in your area. So just, you know, keeping your yard nice and trimmed, keeping a really manicured, you know, all the bushes need to be cut down, just kind of out of the way because that’s what those little guys do is they just hang out on the edge of those bushes and branches or whatever it may be and as you brush up against it, those guys are latching onto you and it’s very hard to even feel them crawling on you and then all of a sudden, you know, you’re figuring it out maybe the next day and you got a tick that’s already embedded in you and you have to remove that little guy. So that’s no fun. So let’s talk about just some ways to prevent this tick over, you know, walking through these trails. Wear long sleeves, long pants, socks. If you want to spray a little bug spray on you, especially in the woods, definitely going to be helpful. Just try to keep yourself as covered up as possible and that’s going to prevent them mostly. And then of course just stay on the trails or stay away from the brush line and you should be okay. So again just picking up debris, stuff around the house, cutting the grass, keeping it short, keeping, you know, the bushes away from the house, manicured and then just watching where you play. You know, if that doesn’t work, we treat for ticks so we’re going to treat the underside of the bushes kind of where those guys are hiding, where they’re along there and that’s going to prevent those guys from being able to multiply and continue to create tick after tick. They are really good multipliers, thousands of ticks at a time. So if you’ve ever seen those deer hunting videos where they’re just crawling up the hunter’s legs, they can get really bad real quick. So again, if you need any help, give us a call (205) 470-8161. Thanks, have a great day.” The post Tick Talk: Prevention, Protection, and Professional Treatment appeared first on Peskies Pest Control.

  8. Apr 28

    Attic Invaders: How Raccoons Exploit Your Home

    Welcome to another episode of the Peskies Pest Control Podcast! In today’s episode, Michael Wienecke and Travis McGowin peel back the mask on one of nature’s most clever “bandits”: the raccoon. While these “trash pandas” might look cute from a distance, the duo discusses the gritty reality of dealing with them, from their human-like dexterity used to tear into roofs to the serious health risks like rabies and roundworm. Whether they are falling into living rooms or turning your attic into a “two-for-one” special with a side of fleas, you’ll learn why you definitely don’t want these vicious critters as roommates. Like us on Facebook! Podcast Transcript: Michael: So Travis, when’s the last time you were in your attic? Travis: Uh, a couple weeks ago actually. I was, uh, running some wiring for a new Wi-Fi internet system at my house. Michael: Okay, well I can guarantee that most of humanity is not running Wi-Fi throughout their attic in their – on their spare time. Uh, is that what you did? Travis: Oh, I’ll tell you, I will tell you that if most of humanity experienced Wi-Fi like I have at my house, they would. Michael: I mean we got mics dropping, you know, internet going down, you know, I – we gotta have somebody that – that knows what he’s doing. Anyway, we’re getting way off topic. Uh, well for the people that are not in their attic right now, what is – uh, what are we seeing a lot of, you know, things that are crawling around in attics right now? Besides squirrels – I mean we just did a podcast on squirrels, but what’s the other – uh, bandit that – uh, is getting in the house? Travis: I mean definitely the appropriate question should always be like, what’s living in your attic? Michael: Or in your crawl space. Travis: Or in your crawl space. That is – uh, definitely an area of concern with this particular – uh, nuisance wildlife, but – uh, you know, I’ll just go and say it, raccoons. I mean raccoons are something that you – I don’t know why that was funny. Michael: ‘Cause we drew it out so long before talking about it. Travis: Yeah, we did. It was like, kept everyone in suspense clearly. Michael: I hope the suspense was suspenseful. Travis: Uh, so they probably want to hear more about my Wi-Fi at my house, but anyway. Michael: But no, the raccoons are definitely something that you don’t want living in your home. Travis: Uh, it was funny, I was – this has been – uh, probably like two years ago or so, but I was sitting on the floor in the living room one evening, it was after 7:00, 7:30 in the evening, – uh, playing with my kids and my phone vibrated and there was a voicemail on our business line. And it was a lady in Montgomery who – uh, she – uh, had left a message saying that she needed desperate help because there was a raccoon in her living room at that very moment. Michael: Did it fall through the floor? Travis: Uh, I don’t really know the logistics of how the raccoon got into the living room. Uh, you ever see that commercial where the lady’s like calling to her cat in the yard but she doesn’t have her glasses on or whatever and she like lets the raccoon in? I don’t know if it was a situation like that. Michael: Anyway, so I looked at my wife and I’m like, you know, it’s after dark but I’m gonna call this lady back. So I did call her back, she had somebody on the way – uh, and I followed up with her the next morning and they actually did in fact somehow catch the raccoon. Uh, I don’t know what exactly method, you know, what method they used or anything like that. But – uh, not something that you want to tangle with. Michael, why don’t you elaborate on why raccoons might not be as cute and cuddly as people think? Michael: Uh, well they have – they’re just vicious. I mean they look so – they look like a little baby cat from really far away and they’re puffy and, you know, I – I kind of – I’m gonna refer back to that – uh, I believe it was in another country but the lady that went and took pictures of the – the wild cat that was in the mountains in the snow. She got mauled pretty bad. So something that looks cute and cuddly – uh, with fangs and – and claws and all that – uh, can do some major damage. So just stay away from ’em, especially if you’re seeing ’em in the daytime. Travis: Yeah, you know, I have had one try to eat me through a cage before after trapping it. Michael: I’ve had a lot try to eat me through the cage. Travis: It did – it did not look cute and cuddly as it was like snarling at me trying to tear me up through the cage. Michael: So – uh, I was sold right then on the belief that they’re not as cute and cuddly as everybody thinks they are. Travis: But aside from their looks, you know, one of the biggest problems with them is rabies. Uh, I like what you said a second ago about, you know, not toying with ’em if you see ’em in the daytime. Uh, that’s a kind of – definitely a telltale sign, you know, raccoons coming around humans is a telltale sign. Michael: Well there’s a couple situations in the daytime, you know, if – if you’ve got the neighbor feeding the raccoon constantly and it’s good food then that could bring ’em out in the daytime. Uh, we see some of that. And then the other one would be either, you know, just maybe some – some reason it got uprooted from wherever it was. But typically the daytime is not – is not the best time to see a nocturnal animal. Travis: I very rarely ever see them in the daytime. Michael: Uh, I’ve had some strange encounters with raccoons now that I think about it. But – uh, there was one morning we had got up, it was still kind of dark outside, we were letting our dogs out, we were getting the kids up, getting them ready for school. And I just remember hearing the dogs outside just going completely nuts. I’m talking about like, you knew something was going on. It wasn’t like a barking at the neighbor or something like that. So – uh, I went outside to see what was going on and our dog at the time was, I’m talking about losing his mind about a raccoon walking through the yard. And that raccoon did not show me any regard, didn’t even act like it knew I was there, didn’t act like it knew the dog was there. Uh, you know my dog was just several, you know, a few inches, a foot away maybe barking and growling and just, you know, acting crazy. And the raccoon did not even attempt to defend itself or anything. So I – I honestly thought that something maybe like rabies or something was going on with that raccoon. He – he was not concerned about our existence. Michael: Well and he probably would have won that fight against you or – uh, your dog. Travis: Absolutely he would have. Michael: My – that dog was very much all bark, no bite. So – uh, I don’t see him winning a – a scuffle with a raccoon. Travis: But it was – it was very alarming that morning that the raccoon just did not try to get away, didn’t run, didn’t fight back, didn’t do anything, just kind of slowly just was, you know, meandering through there and – and – uh, you know that was kind of a – a weird encounter. So definitely could have been rabies. Michael: They all have rabies Travis. Every single raccoon has rabies – I mean really that’s the way I just treat it. Like don’t let ’em scratch you, don’t let ’em bite you, no harm no foul and then – uh, you’re good to go. So – uh, let’s talk about just like squirrels, you know – uh, the main ways that they get into your attic, into your living space, – uh, you know all that kind of stuff. What – what are some ways they get in? Travis: Well first of all access is very, very, very important. Uh, or should I say not giving them access. It brings up – uh, one of the customers that I trapped a raccoon for – uh, that was in Montgomery a couple of years ago. So – uh, we – we knew that there was noises in the attic, they weren’t sure what they were. So I went up in the attic. When I saw the droppings of a raccoon, I immediately got out of the attic. Uh, because I’m not going to be in an enclosed space with a raccoon. It’s very likely that he was probably there at the time – uh, during the day anyway. So – uh, you know, I – I did my inspection and they had a couple of trees here and there that were close to the house that I kind of suspected that the raccoon was going up and down the trunk of the tree and getting over on the roof line. Michael: Uh, and so, you know, that’s – that’s a big one. Obviously raccoons – uh, are very smart. Travis: Physically they’re very, you know for their size they’re strong. Uh, they’ve got great dexterity with their hands. Uh, basically almost human-like dexterity with their hands. And so, you know, they – they – they can sniff out if there’s a gap that they can exploit or something that they can tear into, they can sniff it out. And access, taking away that access is one huge – uh, advantage that you have as a homeowner in making sure that you don’t end up with one in your attic or your crawl space. Michael: Well and I like how you said too, I mean with the – with the dexterity of the human-like appendages, you know, they can tear shingles right out. Uh, we’ve seen holes in roofs, we’ve seen – uh, you had one – I think you had a really good picture of one that tore off a – a vent on a roof and was getting in through the vent. Travis: That was the house that I was just referencing. Uh, yeah there was – uh, you know some people refer to them like mushroom vents or whatever but there was a – an attic vent on top of the roof. Michael: And – uh, I did not 100% k

  9. Apr 24

    Identifying and Managing Carpenter Ant Infestations

    In this episode of the Peskies Pest Control Podcast, Travis McGowin and Michael Wienecke dive deep into the world of carpenter ants, the “other” wood-destroying insect that can cause significant, often undetected damage to a home. The team discusses how these pests differ from termites, highlighting their tendency to gnaw on wood for nesting rather than food. Through engaging stories—including a “detective” case in Prattville involving sawdust in a bathroom and a cautionary tale about a tree collapsing due to structural compromise—they explain the signs of an infestation and the importance of home maintenance. You’ll also learn about the fascinating, “mutualistic” relationship between ants and aphids, and why Michael insists that the textbooks might be wrong about when these insects are most active. Like us on Facebook! Podcast Transcript: Introduction and Initial ReactionsTravis McGowin: How would you feel if you discovered that there was an insect essentially chewing on your house, other than termites? Michael Wienecke: I would be devastated and upset. Travis McGowin: Devastated and upset, those are your big emotions. Michael Wienecke: Distraught. Travis McGowin: Oh, distraught. Is there a difference between being distraught and devastated and upset? Michael Wienecke: Unnerved. Travis McGowin: We’re just going to pull out every descriptive word we can think of now. Michael Wienecke: No, but seriously, I mean, one of the biggest investments that I have, yes, I would be very upset and I would call Pesky’s Pest Control and be like, “Hey, get rid of this problem for me, whatever it is, whatever’s munching on my home.” Travis McGowin: You’re not biased at all to the company, are you? Michael Wienecke: No, not at all. Just saying, call a reputable company and let them come and evaluate. Identifying Carpenter AntsTravis McGowin: Well, so what I’m getting at here is a very specific insect, and the one I am currently referring to is the carpenter ant. Michael Wienecke: Yes, we have been seeing a ton of carpenter ants. I have a lot in my driveway right now, just crawling all around. Travis McGowin: You know, the interesting thing is that carpenter ants can go unnoticed for so long due to a couple of reasons. Obviously, they are gnawing on wood, and most of the time wood is going to be in a not-so-visible place inside your house—inside the walls, inside the attic, the framing, the studs, that sort of thing. So, they can go undetected for so long until the damage is so significant and the population is so large. But what are some signs that you might actually be dealing with carpenter ants? Signs of InfestationMichael Wienecke: Well, I was going to say, unless it’s a brick home, but you kept going, so… Travis McGowin: I stole your thunder, I’m sorry. Michael Wienecke: You stole my thunder. What are some signs? Well, the first sign would be carpenter ants, that would be the first sign. The second sign would be things getting kicked out of the baseboards or even little holes, sawdust, dead little insects, decapitated bodies, legs, antennae. Travis McGowin: Sounds like very violent little creatures. Michael Wienecke: Hey, they are clean little creatures, I will say that. They keep it smooth and they don’t want anything messing up their home. Travis McGowin: You know, the very interesting thing too, and I’m going to touch on what you said a second ago about obviously seeing carpenter ants, however, there’s one little fact that a lot of people don’t know or don’t realize as to why they might actually not physically see the carpenter ant itself. Can you guess why? Michael Wienecke: Is it because they are nocturnal? Travis McGowin: Absolutely. Michael Wienecke: Well, excuse me, hold on, they’re not nocturnal, that’s not the right thing to say. They feed in the nighttime, which is at night. Travis McGowin: Nocturnal is a very good… Michael Wienecke: Well, that’s not fair because I’ve got them in the daytime… I don’t know what’s the word. Travis McGowin: I mean, yeah, you’ll see an occasional carpenter ant out foraging around and doing things in the daytime, but the vast majority of them are going to be running around at night. That’s where a lot of times if you have looked and you’ve got some sort of damage obviously from an insect that destroys wood and you feel like it’s not a termite, then the time to really go out and scout is actually after dark. Michael Wienecke: I disagree with you 100% and I disagree with the book 100%. I think the best time to go out is early morning and late afternoon. I don’t think you need to go out that late. I’m just saying, that’s the one thing where I’m like, “The book’s got it wrong.” Travis McGowin: Questioning everything, Travis. Case Study: Prattville HomeTravis McGowin: Well, I will say that I have seen it both ways, actually. So, I had a customer over in the Prattville area that was obviously having some sort of carpenter ant issue they knew about, in between their first and second floor behind the sheetrock. It was kind of interesting, the bulk of the area where the issue was was tied to the ceiling above the master bathroom that was located on the first floor. And so, they actually would have bits of sawdust and, like you said, the insect parts, dead insect parts, fall from the vent fan that was located above the toilet and land on the toilet seat. So, they would like clean their toilet and then a little while later there would be like sawdust and everything else falling from the ceiling and getting on the toilet seat. Michael Wienecke: So, how, just curious, did they clean up all that after…? Did you do a treatment? How did that go? Travis McGowin: Yeah, absolutely. So, I inspected the house first and foremost to ensure that it was in fact carpenter ants that we were dealing with. And I did find a select few very large black ants that were scattered throughout little areas of the house on the first and second floor, kind of localized to that corner of the house where that bathroom was. So, I did, of course, believe we were dealing with carpenter ants. Travis McGowin: And then it became detective work. So, a lot of times you can have a carpenter ant nest inside of a house—it’s not out of the realm of possibility—but I wasn’t finding that type or amount of activity that led me to believe that they were taking up residence in a wall or in the ceiling or something like that. So, I started looking around the outside of the house, got to that outside brick veneer area that was kind of adjacent to that master bathroom, and started kind of stopping and looking around on the ground during the daytime. So, this proves a little bit of your theory that the books are wrong. Michael Wienecke: I’m telling you, it’s only one thing. Travis McGowin: I’m ignoring you. Anyway, so I did find one or two carpenter ants running around on the ground, and then at that point, I started investigating the trees that were immediately to that side of the house. And I actually took a really cool video of it, but I found a tree that towards the bottom of the trunk of the tree had a giant hole in it. And I believe I just kind of like messed with the tree, kind of like kicked at it a little bit, caused some vibration, that sort of thing. And out of nowhere comes just this massive amount of carpenter ants coming out of this hole and I was like, “Oh, well, looks like I found the nest.” So, of course, obviously treated the nest, treated the house, customer has had zero problems with carpenter ants since that day. Nesting Habits and MoistureMichael Wienecke: Well, that is great because that’s what we want to do, right? We want 100% satisfaction. So, let’s talk about—I love how you said the nest and luckily it wasn’t in their house, but they can also do satellite nests. So, you can have a nest in your house and then a nest outside in the tree. So, in large infestations, which typically take what, three to five years to get fully invested… Another thing too is they don’t just nest in trees, they’ll nest in the ground. In that particular home, was there any—why were they going to the bathroom? Was there any moisture issues there, any rot? Travis McGowin: Not that I saw. So, let me rephrase a little bit about the structure or the design of the house. So, the house actually did have a basement area underneath it. I did not personally see any moisture issues going on. Doesn’t mean that they weren’t there, just during my inspection I didn’t see any obvious signs of, like you said, rotted or damaged wood, any idea that there could be a leak in the roof or something like that. I mean, they again, could have been there, but I didn’t see any obvious signs or anything like that during the inspection. Risks and DamageMichael Wienecke: Gotcha. Well, let’s talk about them other than, you know, a pest that destroys your home. You know, other than that, they really don’t… They have the ability to bite, but they don’t—they’re typically not very aggressive in all the ants that we deal with. But they do have the ability to bite. So, biggest thing is just, I wouldn’t get into a nest. I wouldn’t mess with like a bunch of them at one time, you might have a problem, but one or two is completely fine. Travis McGowin: I think more so than the potential threat, like you said, of them retaliating against you, I really think that the frustration from these ants certainly comes more from their economic impact from just structural damage or physical damage of a house or of a property. You know, I would even think that in like, for example, in the case of that house that we were just discussing, if you had

  10. Apr 21

    Eviction Notice: The Logistics of Squirrel Trapping

    In this episode of the Peskies Pest Control Podcast, Michael Wienecke and Travis McGowin dive into the seasonal “explosion” of squirrel activity and the havoc these bold climbers wreak on local homes. From chewing through electrical wiring—which can lead to dangerous structure fires—to tearing into gable vents and rooflines, the team discusses the serious risks and requirements involved in a professional eviction. You will learn how simple landscaping mistakes like untrimmed crepe myrtles provide a “bridge” for rodents and the tactical logistics required to successfully trap and seal out these persistent unwanted guests. Podcast Transcript: Squirrels in the AtticMichael Wienecke: All right, so who wants something crawling around in their attic? Travis McGowin: I know personally I hate crawling around in my attic, so I don’t know why anything would want to live up there in the first place. But far be it from me to tell wildlife that they can’t go in my attic, right? Michael Wienecke: So we have seen just an influx of, uh, things in attics here recently and they’ve just been squirrels and I, uh, I mean it’s, it’s just been an explosion. Travis McGowin: Yeah, ’tis the season. Um, and, and I feel like it’s like this every single spring realistically right there into that transition from winter to spring, it’s like they’re just on the prowl looking for someone’s house to get into. Michael Wienecke: Or houses. Travis McGowin: Or houses, that’s right. That’s right. Michael Wienecke: Well, and what are they doing up there? Why are they tearing into gable vents and roofs and, and all, all kinds of places on people’s homes right now? Travis McGowin: I mean, they’re looking for a place to start a family. Michael Wienecke: They’re looking to move in rent free, huh? Travis McGowin: Absolutely. Absolutely. They’re looking for a place to go and, uh, and nest and, and reproduce and, you know, take over the world one, one litter of squirrels at a time. Michael Wienecke: I’ll tell you one thing that is crazy to me about squirrels all the squirrel jobs that we do, they are very bold. They’re just, they’ll just hang out with you in the attic while you’re looking for ’em or watching ’em. I mean we’ve got plenty of videos on that, but they just kind of hang out and some of ’em will run away but a lot of ’em are just bold and they’ll just watch you. Travis McGowin: I think sometimes they think that they can’t be seen. Like they’re camouflaged. Michael Wienecke: I always thought because they thought they owned the home. They’re like hey this is I’ve been here six months this is I’ve, you know, um, what do they call it squatter’s rights. Travis McGowin: So, in order for us to effectively remove squirrels from someone’s attic do we need to go get an eviction notice from from some, you know, county entity? Michael Wienecke: We do actually Travis it is, uh, it is the state license, the, the trapping license that we, that we have to get, uh, for the state. So yes, we do have to, we do have to do that. Travis McGowin: Right. Damage and Issues Caused by SquirrelsMichael Wienecke: Well, let’s talk about some of the damage that they do though. I mean, we have seen, I mean, we just did a really good video on one chewing right in the front of someone’s house and, and getting through the wood. Uh, I’ve seen a lot of chimney damage in the past, um, just a lot, a lot of damage on wires. I mean, it’s, it’s just something that you just don’t have to deal with. And it’s always where you can’t reach it and it’s always next to the power lines. Travis McGowin: Um, you know, I think the perfect, more appropriate place to start in terms of damage and issues that the squirrels cause is really to kind of go and lead off with access. So, uh, first of all squirrels are really good climbers. Michael Wienecke: Really, really good climbers. Travis McGowin: Absolutely. They can climb textured surfaces like Spiderman. I mean realistically if your house has any kind of veneer made out of brick on it, um, even some types of siding, especially, you know, wood siding, rough cut wood, stuff like that, I mean they can climb like no body’s business. They have no trouble, um, going back and forth. And if you, you know, are fortunate enough to have some sort of surface on the outside of your house that is not textured that they can’t climb, then, you know, the next thing is they’ll climb a tree that is close to the eaves or close to the roof of the structure and they’ll just jump back and forth if they need to or if, you know, if that’s touching the roof or the eaves then they’ll just climb right, you know, back and forth and then, you know, of course we also see ’em running up and down power lines, uh, cable lines, um, more specifically cable lines to a house and I mean so there’s just so so many routes that they can get and take for their house, you or for to get into your house I should say. Michael Wienecke: Oh definitely. I mean, I think a lot of people just deal with squirrels year to year like oh well they’re back or oh they’re, you know, stirring around again this time of year or before just because they think that there’s no way to get rid of them. Travis McGowin: Oh, but there is. You know, there certainly is. Um, but you know the problem too is not only is it the access but if a squirrel doesn’t have, you know, the ideal entry point figured out, they’ll just make one. Michael Wienecke: 100%. Well, I mean that goes, you know, to maintenance on the home making sure that, you know, I think we’ve talked about what is it a pound of, uh, a pound of cure gives an inch of pressure, pa-, prevention? Travis McGowin: Oh no. It’s an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Oh gosh. I’m going to get on a shirt so I can remember. Building Construction and DeteriorationTravis McGowin: But, you know, if they climb up the, the house or come across on a line or or, you know, enter the space of the house with a tree and you know there’s a small gap, I mean rodents constantly gnaw, they constantly chew on things. So if the, if the hole itself is not quite big enough, um, they’ll just make it larger. You know, they have no problem doing that. So whether it’s the hole near an eave or, you know, a vent, um, they’ll just, you know, make their own access sometimes if the access isn’t already there. Michael Wienecke: Well let’s talk about building construction too. I mean, you know, you’ve got unfortunately skip corners, um, I don’t know when code was to put drip edge. I, I thought it was around 2000 but, uh, I, I see a lot of 2000 homes that do not have drip edge. So I mean you just see a lot of things that were missed. I mean we, we did some homes over here in Chelsea, uh, over here off Inverness and Hoover and Birmingham, you know, it’s just missing flashing and they’re just slipping right on those cracks and crevices, uh, during the, uh, you know, uh, between the roofline to the flashing. Travis McGowin: Uh, well, and you know those houses too, some of them may not have necessarily started out with an issue in the area where the drip line, or excuse me, the drip edge was supposed to be installed. But what we see a lot of times is that over the course of the life of the house, you have the decking underneath the shingles starts to, whether it’s absorbing moisture, whether it’s, uh, you know, reacting to just constant heat from the sunlight, whatever it is it may be a little mixture of both. But it’ll start to bow up and what was a tiny gap that maybe wasn’t a rodent entry point, all of a sudden down the road becomes a rodent entry point because that wood starts to warp and, you know, and change its shape. Michael Wienecke: Well it happens all the time. I mean like we talk about with wildlife squirrel work, raccoon work, bat work, whatever it can be it’s it’s creating that puzzle piece that that’s no longer there. Hazards of Squirrels in AtticsTravis McGowin: Right. And so once they damage the exterior of your home to get in and they get into the attic, now what? What becomes the problem then? So now we’ve we’ve not only got a rodent that’s made entry into the home but what can they do in the attic that’s so detrimental to a house? Michael Wienecke: Uh, well a couple things. I mean they’re going to urinate in that house, they’re going to pee in the house, um, they’re going to gather insulation. We’ve seen it to where they’ve, you know, been scratching so hard that they’ve gone through the ceiling. Um, seen a few inside of a home, that’s pretty rare, so, uh, take that, take that for what it, what it’s worth. Um, but I have seen it. Uh, and then they’re going to start chewing on wires, you know, all the stuff that can cause house fires and then they’re going to cause the, the contamination that you’re having to breathe. Travis McGowin: Right. And you know fun fact for for individuals that may, that may not know this, but years ago and I hope this is not still a practice now, but years ago the sheathing inside of electrical wiring that would, when they were creating the Romex or creating the wiring for the houses, that sheathing lubricant to get the sheathing to go over the wires was essentially vegetable oil based or similar to vegetable oil based. So not only, you know, does does the wiring pose an ideal thing for the rodents to chew on to the wildlife to chew on, but now it tastes good. So now it’s like oh well let’s give ’em something to eat in the attic that’s going to, you know, potentially cause a structure fire. Case Study and Preventive MaintenanceMichael Wienecke: Well let’s talk about some do’s and don’ts. Yes, I would agree on that structure

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Our motto at Peskies Pest Control Is 100% Guarenteed Or You Don’t Pay a Penny for pest problems in Birmingham Alabama! Monthly discussions on how to have a pest free home with pest expert, Michael Wienecke how to

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