Pest Control

Want to keep the creepy-crawlies from invading your home? Pete and Rob talk about pest control with Tony Wurst from Dominion Pest Control to help you keep nature at bay.

Ants “This is kind of the time of year where ants are coming,” says Pete. But unlike regular ants, Carpenter ants (the big, black, shiny ones) build two nests – “a parent colony, generally outside the house somewhere and a satellite colony, generally inside the house somewhere,” says Tony. The draw, he says, is moisture, compounded with their affinity for living within the home’s structure.

Although most pest control companies use sprays and chemicals, Tony says Dominion attempts to use natural pesticides to eliminate Carpenter ants.

Rats “The number one thing you want to do with rodents is to secure the structure against their entry,” Tony says. “If you can do that, you’ve really settled the matter for the time being.” Bear in mind that rats have hard teeth, and anything they can get their jaw over, they can chew through. He suggests checking the crawl space, as well as the water and sewer main, particularly because rodents can burrow.

Sugar ants Sugar ants are an extremely common pest, says Tony. Attracted to sugar and carbohydrates, they can sniff out sweets down to the molecule.

Using a product like Raid, he says, can actually divide and multiply the colony. He suggests having a perimeter treatment around the outside of your home to eradicate them.

If you notice insects invading your home, Pete and Rob recommend making sure you have no plants touching your house, as they are a draw to the exoskeleton population. Constant watering and moisture creates the ideal habitat for their population.

Bed bugs “They’re cropping up with relationship to travel,” Tony says. “They got it from the hotel or the airplane, and brought it back with them.” These red, round bugs can be seen with the naked eye, and can occasionally remain dormant for six months to a year. He suggests, when you come home, taking your clothes off and putting them in the dryer on high heat for 30 minutes, which will kill the pest and their eggs.

If you’ve already got bed bugs, he recommends calling a pest control company.

Dominion Pest Control Services is a proud sponsor of Home Matters.

Home Matters with Pete and Rob can be heard on KIRO Radio every Saturday at 8 a.m. and Sunday at 6 a.m. or anytime at KIRORadio.com. Like Home Matters on Facebook.