do it yourself residential pest control

Dear Sir or Madam:  I live in central Tennessee and have been using a commercial pest control service.  They spend 10 minutes or less every three months grinding something into the grass around our foundation, and will only spray inside if we are home to “catch” them and request a more complete application.  Do you have a product that I can apply myself that will curtail German roaches, small ants and an occasional spider (not brown recluse)?

I will also need a few glue boards to catch an occasional field mouse and water snake (Nerodia Sipidon) that ventures under my garage door at night.  We live next to a small river.  Thank you.

We have a large selection of do it yourself pest control supplies and should be able to help. In fact, this is an easy way for the average homeowner to save money and get good pest protection for their home. True it will require a little work but we have products that can last 2-3 months so it should be easy for you to stick with the quarterly treatments you’ve been getting and still enjoy a pest free environment. The only question now is to what extent would you like to treat. And to help answer this question, we have two resources.

The detailed (and quite extensive) guide can be found in this article on INSECT CONTROL AROUND THE HOUSE. It’s pretty much “all inclusive” and should explain all the various products available these days, what they’re used for, how to use them, etc. And if you’re short on time, here is the short list with links to the 3-4 products that should get you started and handle most any problem you’d get.

First, start with the BIFEN IT mentioned in the article. It’s long lasting, odorless, can handle most any pest and is great for use both inside and outside the home. To apply this concentrate, get a good PUMP SPRAYER and be sure to at least treat around the home once every 2-3 months when it’s warm; every 3-4 when it’s cold.

Second, treat the yard with some BIFEN GRANULES. Do at least a 10 foot wide band around the home but remember the more of your grass and mulch you treat, the better protection you’ll get. Apply these on the same schedule as when you spray. To apply them, use a good GRANULE SPREADER.

Third, for inside the home, you can use the Bifen on the same schedule as when you spray the outside. I would say to treat the average home will take 1-2 gallons of finished product and the pint size can make 16+ gallons so it goes a long way. But we also suggest keeping an aerosol around for spot treating as needed. I love the PT-PHANTOM. It’s a new generation product that’s both odorless and dry to the touch even when first sprayed.

Lastly, set out some MONITORS around the home in places like a basement or garage and check them out every 1-2 weeks to make sure you aren’t getting invaded by some new seasonal pest. These can catch crickets, ants, roaches, scorpions, lizards, snakes and a wide range of insects so they’re a great way to see what might be happening that you aren’t seeing. If you find activity, an extra treatment may be warranted.

In summary, we should most definitely be able to assist you with this request. If you still have questions or concerns, please give us a call on our toll free 1-800-877-7290 and I’m sure we’ll be able to help you further! Good luck!!