Q: You've treated my vacant property for fleas, why do I still have fleas?
A: Fleas can be difficult to control in vacant buildings. Factors contributing to the flea problem include TIME, TEMPERATURE, SEVERITY, CLEANLINESS, and CHANGES. Let's look at each and what can be done about them...
TIME: Please allow time for the chemicals to work (usually 3 to 4 weeks). We have found that 60% of flea problems in vacant buildings are solved with the first treatment if the proper amount of time is allowed. A second treatment may be necessary (fewer than 10% require a third treatment).
TEMPERATURE: The warmer the temperature in the building the faster the fleas reproduce and develop. Ventilation may help.
SEVERITY: Heavy populations of fleas do not occur quickly; they cannot be eliminated quickly either. Either allow more time or expect the need for additional treatments.
CLEANLINESS: Most people don't realize that flea larvae also require meals consisting of blood. They eat the undigested blood excreated by the adult fleas. If the building's floor surfaces are not vacuumed thoroughly (even hard-surface floors) an abundance of this "food" will remain available for the larvae and more of them will survive and mature into adult fleas. Vacuum the floor surfaces prior to treatment.
CHANGES: When the main source of food for fleas is removed (the pet) the fleas are forced to change their habits, too. As the flea larvae mature they create a pupae case in which they will change from larvae to adult flea. Unlike other insects, the adult flea does not exit the pupae case when it finishes this change. Instead, it hibernates and waits (up to 5 months) for a food source to wander by. This survival technique makes control in vacant buildings especially difficult. Since chemicals cannot penetrate this pupae case, something must be done to encourage the fleas to pop out to where the insecticide and IGR can do its work. We have found that there is no substitute for activity in the vacant building. We recommend that the floors be vacuumed a few times and every room entered in the weeks following treatment. (This is the most uncomfortable part of the process for owners of vacant buildings with fleas.)
Q: Why can't you treat my home for wasps right now? They're all over the place!
A: In the springtime - Basically we are trying to avoid a respray (which costs you money and resprays only cover our transportation and chemical expense). If you wait until roughly mid May the chances of a respray drop since the life of the chemicals are roughy 90 days. Also, most wasp nests do not start to get built until at least mid May. We like to wait until the nights are consistently warm.
In the fall - you are having the fall phenomenon - lots of wasps flying all over the sunny areas of the house - usually in October. The reason - the side and roof of your house are warmer when the sun is shining than the air temperature. By the way, on the cloudy days you will not see the wasps. The fall phenomenon cannot be stopped, we can stop the building of nests only. Also, this is Michigan; wait another month the temperature will drop the wasps will die or leave.
Q: When is the best time to spray for those ladybugs (asian beetles) and boxelder bugs? Why did my technician recommend I get my house sprayed in the fall?
A: The best time is in the fall, roughly anywhere from September 15th to October 15th. That is when the bugs are coming in from the fields looking for warm places (inside your house) to spend the winter. With that said, we can spray just about anytime. We do a bunch of houses in the spring but 99% of the time those houses were not done the previous fall.
Q: Are pesticides safe?
A: By government definition pesticides are not safe. Pesticides must be toxic to the pests in order to exterminate them. Insects are very small, compared to pets and people, and therefore very low doses of active ingredient is sufficient to exterminate them. The risks to pets and people is inversely proportionate to their size/weight compared to the size/weight of the insect pests being exterminated. In addition, once the chemical is dry, you are free to use your home as you normally would.
Q. Are safety precautions warranted?
A. Certainly. The Bug Man follows safety procedures in transporting, mixing, application and disposal of chemicals and their containers. When in and around your home, The Bug Man uses great care in choosing chemicals that balance the best benefit with the least risk.
Q. Do I have to leave when pesticides are applied?
A. We recommend it. People with asthma, people with sensitivity to pesticides, pregnant women, people who are in generally poor health, and young children should not be present during certain types of treatment and should not return to the treated areas for at least two hours.
Q: Will the pesticides give me cancer?
A: There are many things in this world that are carcinogenic (cancer causing), but most pesticides are not. Pest control technicians, for example, who live healthy lifestyles and take simple precautions have the same probability of longevity as the general public.
Q: Why do you charge less than many of the other companies?
A: First, the pests will never know how much you paid. Second, many of the other companies have enormous overhead. They have TV and radio ads, special uniforms, fancy trucks and equipment, franchise fees, high employee turnover and salesmen. All of those things take loads of money. None of those things kill the bugs.
Q: What is your guarantee?
A: Most of the time we will rid your home or business of pests on our first visit. Occasionally, however, more than one treatment is required and in this case we charge a minimal fee; this is called a Reduced Fee Warranty and is the most fair way to price our services. There is no such thing as "free" work; the cost of that "free" return visit is incorporated into the fee structure so that every customer bears the burden of the cost. With our arrangement only the customers who actually use the service are paying the cost of the return visit. This is another measure that helps keep our services as affordable as possible.
If we treat a bee, hornet, or yellowjacket nest that is reinfested in the same year, we will retreat that nest at no charge. In addition, mouse and rat treatment prices include a follow-up visit one week after the initial treatment to refill baits if needed.
Q: Why doesn't The Bug Man accept credit cards?
A: Credit cards add cost. We save our customers an average of $3 on every residential job by staying out of the credit card business. Keeping it simple saves you money.
Q: What kinds of discounts do you offer?
A: We try to price our products in such a way so that everyone receives a fair deal. We have price ranges that allow our technicians to make adjustments based on several factors (ie., difficulty of treatment, time use, etc.). Therefore, we do not give discounts. Further, any time one people group receives a discount everyone else ends up paying more than their fair amount. We keep our prices reasonable for ALL of our customers.
Q: Do I need a contract?
A: The Bug Man has found that the NEED for monthly service is rare. We solve over 70% of pest problems at the first treatment! Some of our customers do WANT regular service and we establish service plans for them.
Q: What don't you exterminate?
A: The Bug Man has decided to concentrate on doing well at a few things, instead of "just OK" at many things. Therefore, we will exterminate insects, mice and rats only. We do not exterminate any other vertibrates, such as bats, snakes, raccoons, squirrels, or groundhogs.
Q: Can I paint, re-carpet, wash surfaces, or shampoo my carpets after treatment?
A: Yes, but ... think about it! You have just paid for professional pest control. If you remove or cover the chemicals used in the treatment, the results may not be satisfying. Usually it is best to paint, wash walls, power-wash siding, and/or shampoo carpets BEFORE professional pest control. Window washing, however, can wait until after treatment.
Q: Will pesticide hurt the siding on my house?
A: Not usually. In fact, we have only had one reported incident of discoloration in the last 10 years. Our technicians are trained to match the treatment to the type of siding AND to the type of pest.
Q: What is your business treatment area?
A: The Bug Man is licensed to do business anywhere in Michigan. However, for practical purposes, we limit ourselves to the Greater Lansing/Jackson area. Cities to which we regularly travel include: Bath, Charlotte, Dansville, Dewitt, Dimondale, East Lansing, Eaton Rapids, Grand Ledge, Haslett, Holt, Jackson, Lansing, Leslie, Mason, Okemos, Onondaga, Pleasant Lake, Potterville, Stockbridge, Webberville, and Williamston.
Cities that we will travel to with advance appointments include: Chelsea, Eagle, Fowler, Fowlerville, Howell, Laingsburg, Olivet, Parma, Perry, Pewamo, Pinckney, Portland, St. Johns, Spring Arbor, Springport, Sunfield, and Vermontville.
Q: I want to send you an email; what is your privacy policy regarding electronic communications?
A: All e-mail information will be kept private, except in matters of criminal investigation. The Bug Man, Inc. does not, and will not, sell or re-sell information to third parties.