Chem-Wise Ecological Pest Management, Pest Control and Pest Extermination Services

Here are some randomly selected questions... remember all questions will be answered through e-mail.

Q: I seem to have a problem with flies, even in the winter. What can be done to get rid of them?


A: The first step in eliminating any fly problem is to identify the species of fly. Some species, for example fruit flies, are caused by some area of poor sanitation and can be controlled by locating and cleaning the source. Others may be a result of a structural fault in your home, like an unscreened attic vent. A common type of fly in this area is called a cluster fly which is sometimes evident throughout the winter. They can be controlled by treating the attic and exterior of the home in the fall. Also, be sure that all attic vents are well screened. In any case, save a sample (Yuck!) for your technician so that we can prescribe the proper treatment.

Q: How many different kinds of insects are there?


A: The number of different individual species exceeds 800,000 - a number greater than that of all other animals combined. I hope you don't have that many in your backyard!

Q: Every summer, I occasionally see large ants in a bedroom upstairs I only see 1 every 2 or 3 weeks. Does this mean I may have a bigger problem?


A: Normally, if you have an actual Carpenter Ant colony inside your home, you will see them on a more regular basis, even in the winter or early spring. They may be foraging in from the outside. It is extremely important to trim all trees and bushes back away from the house. Any tree branches that extent over the roof line can serve as a great highway for Carpenter Ants.

Q: Before I started using your service. I had a severe problem with silverfish. Now, things are a lot better but I still see one or two per month. Is that normal?


A: Since silverfish can be very sporadically located inside wall voids in your home, they can be difficult to eliminate. To achieve our goal of zero population, you may have to caulk more cracks and crevices, remove harborage sites from the exterior of the house such as leaf litter or our treatment, these Integrated Pest Management techniques will greatly reduce your potential for silver fish.