Peskies Pest Control Birmingham Alabama Podcast

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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

2h ago

Pest Control: American Roach Prevention

Welcome back to the Peskies Pest Control Podcast! In this episode, hosts Michael Wienecke and Travis McGowin take a deep dive into the world of the American cockroach—from wild stories about roach-infested stadium concrete covers to skin-crawling encounters inside tight crawl spaces. The duo breaks down why these giant pests prefer moist environments, how natural harborage areas like pine straw and firewood attract them, and the most practical steps you can take to keep them out of your home. Tune in to learn why “American roaches come low,” what risks they pose to your family’s health, and how simple moisture control can make all the difference. Visit our YouTube channel! Podcast Transcript: Michael Wienecke: But today is the American roach. The longest, fattest, ugliest roach there is. Travis McGowin: It probably doesn’t appreciate you calling it that, all of those mean things. Michael Wienecke: Well, it’s funny because a long, long time ago I was being trained, and that’s how I was taught, that it had a, a large halo on its, on its head, and it was the biggest, just like, you know, Americans seem to be. Travis McGowin: Yeah, I would say between them and Smokey Brown, they’re… Most of what I see between the two are, are about, you know, the same or similar in size. Um, but fun story. I saw, I was at the football field last night, um, calling the game, and then afterwards the stadium got cleaned up, and then I was able to leave. And as I go to get in my truck, I crank my truck up, and I turn my headlights on, and I go to drive away, and there’s like a big concrete, um, and almost looks like the entrance to a well, like, you know, you’d see on someone’s property, um, big concrete cover, big circular, um, piece of concrete going into the ground. Michael Wienecke: Like a sewer? Travis McGowin: And it could be. I mean, you know, we don’t have sewer out there, but, you know, we do have, I guess, septic system, what not. But… Michael Wienecke: Outhouses? Travis McGowin: We’re not that rural. Um, so I look at it and it’s moving. And I took a video, and I’ll have to show it to you, but there were roaches scrambling all over the outside and going into this, uh, piece of concrete. I’m talking about all over the place. It was actually pretty epic to see. So much so that I stopped and pulled my phone out and like videoed this. Michael Wienecke: That’s nasty. Travis McGowin: Why wouldn’t I? Michael Wienecke: Well, and that’s why we always say, you know, American roaches come from below. You know, we see them a lot more in cellars, in basements, uh, wet, damp areas such as that. Travis McGowin: Right. Yeah, there, there, uh, there’s a significant population, it appears, um, in that area now. So, yeah, it was kind of gross, actually. Michael Wienecke: Well, um, are you, are we treating that area? Travis McGowin: No, we don’t treat the school. Michael Wienecke: Oh, I thought, I thought it was at the football field. Travis McGowin: No, no. Well, I mean, it’s close to the high school stadium, but no, we don’t treat anything at the school. They have their own people they’ve, you know, low-bid contracted with. Michael Wienecke: Well, all right then. Well, so let’s talk about how they enter your house in general. I mean, uh, we’ve talked about cracks, crevices, doors, windows, but, um, talk about some, uh, nature obstacles. Natural obstacles. There we go. Travis McGowin: Na- natural obstacles? Michael Wienecke: Yeah, some things that customers could do to help with, um, not letting American roaches in their house in the first place. Travis McGowin: Right, so first thing that comes to mind for me is trying to ensure that none of the areas around your property are harborage areas or places that that they want to live or stay, you know? And what that could look like is maybe not having so much pine straw or mulch, uh, and especially high amounts of moisture around those as well. Um, but just, I think eliminating some of the harborage areas is a really great start. Michael Wienecke: I mean, firewood around the house is a big one for me, cuz we see, we see that a lot. And I can just remember just as a kid watching, you know, like a stack of wood, you’d remove it for for the fire or something, and uh, roaches would come out of the woodwork. Literally. So, just for that, termites, I mean, ants. I mean, really, any kind of pest, you don’t want a bunch of wood that you’re gonna burn that probably was cut up and has some type of, uh, insect or larva already in it. So, want to keep that as far away as possible. Um, good seals on the windows, trees not touching the house. Um, that’s gonna be a big one, cuz again, those, those roaches can, they can fly, but I mean, they’re fairly weak flyers, so they’re gonna do more, more crawling. And then, of course, your, uh, water, water, na-, you know, um, like when it rains, your, your standing water issues and stuff like that. You don’t want any major saturated areas around your house all the time. Travis McGowin: Right. Right. Yeah, all, all of those things are going to make it less—I’m not going to say they’re not going to show up at some point. Michael Wienecke: Oh, they’re still gonna get in. That’s why we come. Travis McGowin: Yeah, and, and especially, especially if you have wooded areas around your property, um, those, those types of things, you’re going to have these roaches around, especially here in the South and in, in Alabama. But eliminating all of those things will certainly help, and, and, and try to make the outside of your property a lot less attractive. I mean, you know, and to go even kind of deeper into making parts of the structure look less attractive, how many times, Michael, have you been in a crawl space inspecting a house and, you know, you look up and, you know, there’s a whole pile of roaches just on a beam or under the subfloor, and, you know, they, of course, you shine a light on them and they scurry away and what not? But how many times has that happened? Michael Wienecke: Well, thank you for bringing that back up, cuz uh, it’s happened a lot. But there’s no bigger, um, I don’t know, anxiety for me than, than laying on a low crawl space, and then you, you start crawling and you get under under there, and you get to the subfloor right there, and there’s like 20 American roaches just probably a foot, foot and a half from your face, and you’re just inching, you’re like, “Please, please just don’t fall on me.” Um, but no, I mean, it’s, it’s mostly houses what at least what we see with the crawl spaces is, uh, moisture, doesn’t have a moisture barrier, isn’t encapsulated, isn’t getting getting good airflow. Um, you know, contrary to, uh, I guess, what, 1930s, 38s, 40s, something like that, just having holes at the bottom of your house is not enough to, uh, to dry out your home. Travis McGowin: Well, no, I don’t think that, I don’t think that it has ever been enough to, to dry out your home, ever. Michael Wienecke: Oh, no. No, and you’ll see people in the South, it’s funny, cuz they’ll, they’ll shove one side because they think one side’s getting more airflow, when really it’s just not enough period. I mean, it, it should be sealed and it, we—that’s a whole ‘nother discussion, but it should be sealed and a dehumidifier and all that kind of stuff, but anyway. Travis McGowin: Right, exactly. Um, I just, I, I go in so many, and it’s funny from a crawl space perspective. You know, you, and you can attest to this, too. So, you’ll go into these crawl spaces, and you will either, it’ll be dry as a bone and dusty. Michael Wienecke: Those are my favorite. Travis McGowin: And then, like, you know, dust is floating everywhere, and if you weren’t going to wear some sort of respiratory protection, then it would be just, you know, pretty terrible. But… Michael Wienecke: Always wear respiratory. Travis McGowin: Right, right. But then, you go into some, like I went in one yesterday, and the yard slopes downward, and the back of the house, you know, faces that downward slope, and I got underneath it, and every bit of dirt under there is wet. Um, and fun fact, they had live termites last year before we treated, and they don’t anymore. But, but everything is sloped downward, and so all of this, you can see in the dirt where the water has ran, and so there’s, everything’s like saturated under there. It’s not standing water, but you can see that the water runs right up underneath the house, and it’s just a, just a nasty, damp, muddy mess under there, and you think roaches are not going to enjoy something like that? Michael Wienecke: Oh, all the organic matter, all the water they, they need. I mean, just, just it’s a, uh, it’s a haven for them. Kind of a spa. Travis McGowin: Right, absolutely. And, and they’re going to, they’re going to come down there, and they’re going to enjoy it. Michael Wienecke: Well, and that’s just proper maintenance. And, and that’s one thing I’d love to bring a builder on here and talk to him about building construction, cuz I don’t understand, first of all, Birmingham alone, it just seems like every Birmingham home, older Birmingham home is in a flood zone, or just has flood issues or or water. Same with, you know, Bluff Park has some, too, but, you know, these older homes, I’m just surprised they didn’t think about drainage a little bit more. Travis McGowin: Right. And, and there again, it’s, it’s amazing how many times you, you get under these and like I said, dry, wet, whatever, but, you know, everyone just assumes these, these vents are just adequate, and they’re not. I mean, yeah, th
Oct 7

Don’t Burn the House Down: A Professional Guide to Bed Bugs

In this episode of the Peskies Pest Control Podcast, hosts Michael Wienecke and Travis McGowin broadcast on-location right outside a residential home in Montgomery, Alabama, where a full-house thermal remediation is underway. From the spike in bed bug infestations following peak travel seasons to the science behind using a 500,000+ BTU propane heater to destroy pests and their eggs in a single day, Michael and Travis break down why heat treatment is the ultimate “one and done” solution. Tune in as they discuss practical travel inspection tips, dismantle the stigma surrounding pest infestations, and share a few hilarious past mishaps involving fire departments and unexpected flea encounters! Like us on Facebook! Podcast Transcript: Michael Wienecke: Travis, I feel like bed bugs are on the rise. I feel like we’ve done so many bed bug jobs. I’m losing count. Travis McGowin: Um, things are heating up. See what I did there? Michael Wienecke: Heating up! I like that. Yes. Just in case anybody’s listening, we do heat treatments, so that’s why I said that. Travis McGowin: No pun intended. No pun intended, like I said. But yes, I would say over the last, what, two or three weeks, we’ve done four or five now. Michael Wienecke: Yeah, and I think it’s due to a lot more people traveling. I just think people are traveling more. Travis McGowin: Well, and I think you’re going to only see more of an increase in that simply because the holidays are coming up—October, November, December. Peak travel season, people going visiting with their family. You know, the potential of someone bringing something into your house as they come in to visit, or even family members—you know, some families like to take a big family trip for the holidays. Maybe they go, you know, to the mountains or whatever and they stay in a big cabin or something together. Whatever that looks like for their family, there’s definitely a risk that these bugs can travel. Unbeknownst to them, and then of course, when they realize it, a lot of times it’s just too late. Michael Wienecke: Oh, 100%. I mean, by the time you get them, what, I’d say a month to three months is when they start really showing themselves. Travis McGowin: Yeah, absolutely. And depending upon what size the bed bug was, what life stage the bed bug was prior to you, you know, bringing it home with you. And for those that don’t know, we’re actually sitting outside of a house right now while we speak that we’re currently doing a heat treatment for. And I think it’s a great place to talk about, because earlier on this morning before we got started, we were interviewing and talking with the owner of the house. And, you know, we asked some normal questions that we ask most clients, which is, “Any idea how you got them? Do you travel?” And that’s the first thing that she said was, “Oh, we travel all the time.” Michael Wienecke: Yeah, yeah. And the consultation’s so important. I mean, we talk about this in every aspect of pest control, but asking those questions, “Hey, when’s the last time you went out of town? When’s the last time somebody came over?” We’ve had somebody bring bed bugs because their mother-in-law came and stayed for a month. So, unfortunately, unwelcomed guests on both sides can be, can not be great for your home. Travis McGowin: Absolutely. So, you know, there’s a lot of people who for work or for family, they travel all the time. They have to stay in hotels, they have to stay in Airbnbs or rental properties in general, and they find themselves, you know, at risk—or I would at least say at higher risk than your average everyday human being who’s a homebody. So, let’s discuss a little bit—we’ll talk for a minute here in just a second about what it is we’re doing with this house and how we’re moving the heat in and what it’s doing. But what are some ways that you can mitigate or potentially mitigate this from even being a problem in your own house, especially if you find yourself where you don’t have a choice, you have to travel, you have to move abroad and stay at random places? Michael Wienecke: Yeah, I’ll tell you what I do. So when I go to a hotel or if I’m out of town or something like that, I hang all my luggage up. Some people put it in the bathtub; that’s also a really good way to, you know, if you’re that worried about it. But I hang everything up, I try to put everything in a hanger in the closet. I do an inspection as well, so looking through cracks and crevices—just a quick inspection of the bed frame, behind the headboard. Doesn’t take that long, about five minutes. If you’re that worried about it, though, I would—if you travel a lot, I would carry, I don’t know the scientific term, but bed bug cups. They go up under the bed frame, and they’ll catch the bed bugs so you’d know right then and there. And then you could just talk to the hotel staff, and I think you’d have a free stay for however long you want. Travis McGowin: You would definitely be likely relocated to a different room, for sure. But yes, some due diligence when you first arrive at this property—there again, whether it’s a rental house, whether it’s a hotel, whatever it is. A little bit of due diligence, just a few minutes of giving a good inspection around, like you said, the headboard, the mattress. Another really typical hotspot for bed bugs is if you have a window near the bed that has curtains. Looking in those curtains behind them, and especially up towards the top of the curtain where it attaches to a curtain rod above the window. Those are some hotspots that I typically find bed bugs in when I’m doing inspections. So giving it that good look-over can save you lots of money, lots of pain and frustration in the long run, and definitely will ease your mind, for sure. Michael Wienecke: Well, and a lot of times it’s not even a bed bug that I’ll see; I’ll see a cast skin. And if I’m in a hotel or I’m somewhere and I see a cast skin, that’s a confirmed bed bug as far as I’m concerned. Travis McGowin: Oh, well, I mean, it had to get there somehow or another. And of course, the only way a cast skin comes is from it being shed from a live bed bug. It would be unlikely for a cast skin to end up behind a bed in a hotel being brought by someone’s luggage or something like that; it would just be very unlikely to happen. So, definitely worth doing the due diligence, and I like your suggestion about hanging things up in the closet. At a minimum, use the luggage rack. Even if you’re not in a position where you can hang stuff up, get that stuff up off the ground. Don’t put your luggage on the bed; don’t put your luggage maybe on top of the dresser or things like that. I would keep my luggage towards more towards that closet, hang it or put it on the luggage rack, and that’ll save you in most cases, too, I would say, unless it was just an extreme infestation where they were in the closet. That would be unlikely, I would say, especially in a hotel. Michael Wienecke: We’ve seen it. Travis McGowin: We have, but— Michael Wienecke: But it’s a really—I mean, you got dead bed bugs and live bed bugs in the top ceiling cracks and crevices of your house by then, so. Travis McGowin: Absolutely. So, we’re here in Montgomery this morning. Got here around 7:30 this morning, met with the client that owns the property. And of course, we had the interview, like we said a few minutes ago. She said that they travel a lot, they also host a lot of people in, whether that’s family or friends. So they’re not exactly 100% sure where they got the bed bugs. But we can talk about for a minute the setup a little bit and give people a little bit of an idea of what the methodology is, because we’re doing the whole house. Michael Wienecke: Yes, we’re doing the whole house. I want to go into the consultation a little bit. So this lady was ready to burn her home down! She said— Travis McGowin: And I quote! Michael Wienecke: “I will burn it down if we can’t get rid of these.” So that’s one thing that’s so great about the heat and, again, why we chose it, is because you can be back in your home the very next day, where with these other treatments, you have to come, inspect, treat again, and you have to cut off that life cycle, where we are destroying that life cycle all in one 130–140-degree— Travis McGowin: Absolutely. And anyone who’s listened to any of our content previously knows, and I say it a lot, but there’s no chemical that can penetrate the egg of an insect. Michael Wienecke: I thought you were going to say “an ounce of prevention is a pound of cure.” Travis McGowin: You’re going to butcher it every time. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” That goes back to making sure that where you’re staying doesn’t have bed bugs or that you’re putting your luggage where you can’t bring them back. But there’s no chemical that can penetrate the egg of an insect—we’ll specifically say bed bugs because that’s where we’re at right now—but I mean, that goes for cockroaches, fleas, whatever lays their young in an egg. So those chemical treatments historically are going to take longer because you’re killing off life cycles of adult, nymphal stages, and then you’re having to essentially wait until these eggs hatch before you can ever touch them again. So you’re really just prolonging this life cycle development that you’re trying to mitigate, and it can take sometimes months before you can ever get rid of them. Michael Wienecke: Well, and I’m glad you brought that up. So let me—let’s talk about heat for a second, too, because obviously th
Sep 30

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
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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

10 Episodes

4.8

out of 5

5 Ratings

Creator

Peskies Pest Control Birmingham Alabama Podcast
Years Active

2020 - 2026
Episodes

10
Rating

Clean
Show Website

Peskies Pest Control Birmingham Alabama Podcast

Peskies Pest Control Birmingham Alabama Podcast

Episodes

Pest Control: American Roach Prevention

Don’t Burn the House Down: A Professional Guide to Bed Bugs

The Hidden World of Drain Flies & Breeding Sites

Why DIY Pest Control Makes German Roach Infestations Worse

Eights Legs & Extreme Heat: The Truth About Spiders

Worse Than Fire Ants? Meet the Asian Needle Ant

The Alabama Spring Guide to Termite Swarms

Hantavirus: What You Need to Know!

Tick Talk: Prevention, Protection, and Professional Treatment

Attic Invaders: How Raccoons Exploit Your Home

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