Pest Control

What Makes Our Pest Control Management Different

Bohannon Services Pest Control
The identification of insects and other pests can be tricky, but more importantly, these pests can become a hazard to your home and health.  Determining what insects, rodents, or other pests are invading your living space can aid in determining the recommended course of action to keep your family safe and healthy.

A well-defined prevention and management program are the key to protecting your home and keeping out the presence of pests later.  You can trust our experienced pest control professionals to create a personalized plan for your home or business.

Our pest control services are the perfect front-line defense from common household pests such as spiders, rodents, roaches, ants, silverfish, pantry pests, earwigs, and flies. We also specialize in the elimination of brown recluse spiders, fire ants, fleas, and ticks.  We will identify your pests during our free inspection, offer you options, and then recommend the best solution. We apply proven methods and products to rid your home of these intruders and will service your home around your schedule.

We offer both Residential and Commercial services, and packages can be structured on a monthly, bi-monthly, and quarterly basis.

To get a free evaluation, contact Bohannon Services (256) 980-0688 to schedule a free inspection.

 

ECOSMART from Bohannon Services

Create a Healthier Living Environment with ECOSMART Pest Service.

What’s included in the Bohannon Services EcoSmart Pest Service:

Eco Smart pest control

The ECOSMART Pest Service is a monthly pest control service performed only by our highly-trained pest professionals, using the highest-quality, products derived from botanicals. We customize an Integrated Pest Control (IPM) plan based on your needs, so you can be sure your home is healthy and your family and pets are protected.

Customized Plan

A customized pest control program using only the most innovative and advanced pest products and equipment available

Botanical Products

Our pest control product active ingredients are derived from flowers, plants, and natural elements from the earth

IPM

Integrated Pest Management: Plan, Inspection, Pest Identification, Ongoing Perimeter Protection, and Continuous Communication

Excellent Service

All of our service representatives are professionals and experts in advanced pest control methods.

A Healthier Home

Control common household pests that can cause allergies and spread disease, with environmentally-friendly, pest and family-approved products
ECOSMART services are also available with our Mosquito Reduction Services

Active Pests in The Shoals Area

Ants

Ant Control

Although there are over 700 ant species known in the U.S., only about 25 species infest homes.  Ants are social insects that typically live in underground colonies, and they will eat practically any type of food.  Identifying an ant is relatively easy due to their three distinct body regions: head, thorax and abdomen, and antennae.

Red imported fire ants are especially common in the southern region, and they get their name by their ability to inflict painful bites and stings.  These reddish-brown ants are a more invasive and aggressive species.

Carpenter Ants get their name from their nest building skills.  These insects do not eat wood; they only tunnel and chew through wood to create nests.  One colony alone can contain around 10-20,000 workers, with larger colonies having as much as 50,000 individuals.  Carpenter ants typically appear from May until August in this region.

Rodents

rodent controlThe house mouse is the most common of rodent in our region.  They are not only a nuisance, but they can pose significant health and property threats.  House mice breed rapidly and can adapt quickly to changing conditions.

A female house mouse can give birth to a half dozen babies.  Mice are afraid of new objects in their environment, making them difficult to trap.

Cockroaches

Need Cockroach Control - Call A Pest Control Company
 

How to Prevent Cockroaches

 
Cockroaches are hardy insects that can survive in all kinds of conditions and are very resourceful in finding ways into buildings.

The most effective way to prevent cockroaches is to deny them easy access to food, water and shelter, which are the main factors that attract them into your home or business.

Cockroaches are persistent scavengers. Like humans, their diet mainly consists of sugar, protein, and carbohydrates, but they’ll eat just about anything. Here are some of the best ways to prevent cockroaches from being attracted to your home or business:

  • Remove liquids – Cockroaches can go for one to two weeks without water as long as the moisture content in their food is high. But eventually, they’ll need it. Remove standing water from buckets and sinks to keep from attracting thirsty cockroaches.
  • Remove food remains – Clean up any food left on tables, kitchen counters, and desks. Cockroaches only need small amounts of food for a meal, so any crumbs, powders, or liquids are fair game.
  • Store food away – Scent, especially that of food, can help cockroaches find your home or business. Reduce this attraction by storing food in airtight containers. This will also prevent cockroaches from being able to chew through packaging.
  • Rinse and remove cans, bottles, and plastic containers – Leftover residue in these containers will attract cockroaches. Even though you are likely throwing them into a garbage or recycling receptacle, there’s nothing stopping roaches from transferring from your garbage to your property.
  • Empty garbage regularly – Garbage bins give cockroaches access to a wide range of different food options. This is especially important for businesses that handle food. Although you can take the recommended steps to reduce food accessible to cockroaches, this may not fully prevent them. Cockroaches are known to consume anything from paper and glue to another cockroach if other options are not available.

 

Clean

 
As with many other pest problems, one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of a cockroach infestation is to maintain a clean environment. This is especially important for kitchens and other food handling and storage areas. It is important to clear surfaces of food debris and waste to keep from attracting hungry cockroaches. Cockroaches are more active during the night, so it is also a good idea to put away pet food, drink, and litter trays before going to bed.

In businesses that handle food such as hotels, restaurants, healthcare facilities, and food processors, it is crucial to adhere to food hygiene standards. A cockroach infestation can easily damage and contaminate food. When it comes to offices and workplaces, reduce clutter and food storage around your office or desk. If you eat in the area, be sure to clean up any spills or crumbs.
 

Declutter

 
Cockroach droppings contain a pheromone that signals to other cockroaches that they have found a safe place to inhabit. To prevent cockroach droppings from accumulating, remove clutter from your business or home. This pertains specifically to items such as packaging, cardboard, and stacks of old newspapers and magazines.
 

Regular Maintenance

 
Regular maintenance will prevent cockroaches from getting into your home and reduce access to hiding spots.

  • Pipes and Drains – As already stated, cockroaches are quite fond of damp and moist areas. Because of this when it comes to your home or business they can usually be found near pipes and drains. Regularly checking this area for signs of cockroaches and taking the necessary procedures such as repairing damaged pipes and clearing blocked drains is a good cockroach prevention measure.
  • Shelves – The cracks in the grains of wooden shelving provide a great hiding spot for cockroaches. Paint or varnish wooden shelves to seal these cracks and crevices. Alternatively, consider replacing your wooden shelves with plastic or metal shelves.
  • Seal entrances

There are a number of places around a property that give cockroaches an easy way in. These are:

  • Walls
  • Skirting boards
  • Electrical sockets
  • Under kitchen sinks and bathroom cabinets
  • Check these areas for cracks and crevices and be sure to seal any that you find.
Fleas

Need Flea Control - Call A Pest Control CompanyFleas are parasites that feed on the blood of any warm-blooded body.  They use their powerful legs to jump on a passing host, and their bites can result in painful, itchy red bumps.

The female flea can lay 2,000 eggs in her lifetime, which is why exterminating fleas altogether will eliminate an infestation.

Flies

Don't let Houseflies take down your picnic this summerHouseflies are disease-containing pests capable of contaminating food and transferring more than 100 pathogens, including malaria, salmonella, and tuberculosis.

Flies have short lifespans, but can quickly reproduce in large numbers, leading to large populations if not identified and effectively controlled.

Ticks

Ticks problems can be solved with a Call to Bohannon's Services

Types of Ticks in Alabama

 
Nearly all ticks can transmit disease, which is why prevention and treatment are essential.

Ticks are small blood-sucking parasites that can transmit diseases to animals and people.

The most common types of ticks in Alabama:

  • Lone star ticks (water tick)
  • Deer ticks (black-legged tick)
  • American dog ticks (wood tick)
  • And the latest addition which looks to be coming soon – Asian Longhorned Tick

 

What are Tick-Borne Diseases?

 
Tick-borne diseases can be difficult to diagnose and confirm, so see your doctor if you have been bitten by a tick and experience symptoms. In Alabama, ticks can cause Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, rickettsiosis, southern tick-associated rash illness, and tularemia.
 

How Does a Tick-Borne Disease Spread?

 
Ticks survive by eating blood from humans and animals. If a human or an animal has a blood-borne infection, the tick will ingest the bacteria or parasites while feeding. At the next feeding, the tick will pass the disease to the next human or animal. If you get a tick bite and develop symptoms, see a healthcare provider for treatment.

A few symptoms of tick-borne disease are:

Many tick-borne diseases have similar signs and symptoms, which include fever/chills, aches and pains, and rash. Rashes may appear as circular, “bull’s eye,” skin ulcer, general rash, or non-itchy spots depending on the disease. After being bitten by a tick, symptoms may develop a few days to weeks later.
 

How Do I Remove a Tick?

 
Finding a tick on your body can be scary, to say the least. Here are steps on how to remove a tick from your body:

  • Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible.
  • Pull upward with steady, even pressure.
  • Do not twist or jerk the tick,  it may cause the mouth to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth with tweezers.
  • If you are unable to remove the mouth easily with tweezers, leave it alone, and let the skin heal.
  • After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub, or soap and water.
  • Do not paint the tick with nail polish or petroleum jelly, or use heat to make the tick detach from the skin.

 

How to Prevent Ticks

 
It’s important to protect yourself and your family from ticks year-round, but especially from April-September. Here are some tips on how to prevent ticks from latching onto your body. Ticks live in wooded, bushy fields (high grass and leaf litter), and around homes, so avoid wooded and bushy areas. Walk in the center of trails.
 

New Tick Moving Into The Southeast U.S.

 
Asian Longhorned Ticks
 
From the CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/longhorned-tick/index.html

Asian Longhorned Ticks have been found on pets, livestock, wildlife, and people. The female ticks can lay eggs and reproduce without mating. Thousands of ticks may be found at a time in grass or shrubs or on an animal. Researchers are looking for these ticks to find out where they live and if they prefer wooded or more open areas.

As of September 27, 2021, Longhorned Ticks have been found in Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Compared with well-known native ticks (such as the black-legged tick, lone star tick, and American dog tick), the Asian longhorned tick appears to be less attracted to human skin. With ongoing testing of ticks collected in the United States, it is likely that some ticks will be found to contain germs that can be harmful to people. However, we do not yet know if and how often these ticks are able to pass these germs along to people and make them ill. One recent experimental study found that this tick is not likely to contribute to the spread of Lyme disease bacteria in the United States. Another laboratory study found that this tick has the ability to carry and spread the bacteria that causes Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (Rickettsia rickettsii). The germs that cause Rocky Mountain spotted fever have not yet been found in these ticks in nature.

 

Spiders

The Big 3: Brown Recluse, Black Widow & Brown Widow

There are about 3,000 species of spiders throughout North America, but the good news is that only 2, the black widow and the brown recluse spider, can cause serious harm when accidentally disturbed.

Wolf spiders, often mistaken for the brown recluse, are harmless and more of a nuisance pest, although their size and hairy exterior can look alarming.
 

Brown Recluse

Need Spider Control - Call A Pest Control Company

Brown recluse spiders are insect predators. When large numbers of spiders are present in a building it usually means that insect prey is also abundant. Common prey for spiders may include crickets, silverfish, cockroaches, etc.

Make sure doors are well sealed and outdoor lighting is shielded to avoid attracting outdoor insects like crickets.  Good sanitation, regular pest control, and vacuuming dead insects will also help reduce insect food for spiders.

Unnecessary clutter in the structure should be eliminated, spider webs should be removed from the interior and exterior areas, and thorough vacuuming should be undertaken around, under, and behind furniture. Brown recluse spiders are frequently found in and around boxes stored in closets and attics. Stored boxes should be tightly taped shut to eliminate the availability as a nesting site.
 

Black Widow

black widow spider control
The Black Widow can be identified by the Hourglass marking: Black widows are identified by red hourglass marking on the underside of their abdomens.

This marking is bright red and signals danger to predators and attackers.  They are usually shiny black in color.  Most black widow spiders’ bodies are 3 to 10 mm in size. Females are larger than males and can measure 13 mm in body length.

Black widow spiders favor dark, secluded areas such as crevices and woodpiles. Inside the home, black widows typically hide in sheltered, dimly lit locations such as garages, dark corners, basements, closets, and cluttered areas.
 

Brown Widow

Brown Widow Spider Control
Black widows, the legendary poisonous spider that lives in your water-heater shed or in the garage by the light switch, are being pushed out by their less-venomous cousin, the brown widow spider. Many sources will tell you that a brown widow is tan and has an orange hourglass. What really is the case is that most are like that but there is tremendous variation as you can see with the picture above.

Although the typical case is tan with an orange hourglass, some brown widows are very dark and have an hourglass that isn’t exactly vivid red but is red-orange enough that you wouldn’t say it looked just orange; these can be mistaken for black widows.

The good news for humans? While to their tiny prey, the difference between the black widow and brown widow venom is moot, for humans, the brown widow’s bite stings, then it goes away; but the black widow’s bite can be serious for humans.