Where's John Goodman when you need him??? (In case you missed it, John Goodman plays "The Fumigator", a bug exterminator, in the move Arachnophobia about spiders gone wild.)
Most people refer to companies that provide pest control services as "exterminators". Exterminators prefer "pest control operator" or "pest control technician".
By any name a good pest control company is like a good car mechanic -- when you need one, you really need one. While our main 'Bugs site is dedicated to helping you solve many household pest problems yourself, occasionally you'll need professional help. If you are having trouble deciding if you can do it yourself or if you need help take at look at this page.
We've posted some suggestions for screening pest control companies for those (hopefully few) times when you need one, and some additional things to watch out for.
Try to avoid the "maintenance treatment" trap. Some companies will push maintenance contracts that call for periodic (once-a-month, every three months, etc.) re-treatments. These repeated treatments are almost never necessary, especially not during winter months.
See the article at 'Bugs for more information.
carpenter ant In early spring or late winter people often encounter these large black ants in homes. These big ants are different than the more common small, brown "nuisance ants" that plague kitchens. The big ants are called carpenter ants ( Camponotus spp .) and unlike their smaller cousins, nest above ground in cavities. Nest building and cavity expansion by these large, powerful ants can cause damage if nests occur in our homes. Most of the ants you find in homes are small, less than 1/4", and brown. There are several species of small brown ants that can nest in our home's walls or nearby soil and enter homes in search of food and water (see House Ants for identification and control). Nuisance ants are just that, a nuisance. They won't damage your home and pose no health threat of any kind. There's another ant, however, that occasionally is found in homes that is much bigger (1/4"-5/8"), darker in color, nests in the walls, floors and c
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