SERVICES
Mize Pest Control provides residential, commercial, seasonal, and snake control services. Below you will find information about a few of the most common pests. To receive more information about our pest control services and/or a FREE estimate, click the 'Request Information' button.
ANTS
More than half of consumers list ants as their top pest issue, according to the National Pest Management Association. Ants are skilled at getting in through small cracks and crevices. Ants enter your home or business in search of food and water. Damp and rotting wood as well as food sources including sugar, grease, peanut butter, crumbs, and dead insects are common attractants for ants. Warmer temperatures and higher water tables from winter snow and springtime rains drive ants out of the ground. Ants are a critical part of our ecosystem, but ant problems can ruin food and spread filth.
FLIES
The most common type of pest flies we encounter are house flies also known as filth flies. They are sometimes referred to as “filth flies” because they like to hover around and feed off of piles of garbage, dead animals or animal dung. That's why house flies bring about health risks. They feed on filthy things and then get bacteria and other dangerous materials on their feet and legs. When they land on your food, they immediately spit saliva to dissolve part of the food in order to eat it and then defecate.
Bees, Wasps, and Hornets
Bees like to hide in the cracks and spaces around your home. This includes around pipes, doors and windows, and by the sill plates and foundation.
Yellowjackets, wasps and hornets build in holes in the ground, around soffits, wood piles and bushes. They can be very aggressive while defending their nests and can cause a significant allergic reaction.
ROACHES
Cockroaches are among the most troublesome pests found in households and commercial establishments. Not only is their mere presence a nuisance, they are capable of carrying a wide variety of disease pathogens, causing allergic reactions in many people, and are among the most difficult pests to eliminate. German Roaches are the most common house invader. Other house invading roaches in Tennessee include the American Cockroach, Oriental Cockroach and Brown Banded Cockroach.
SPIDERS
Spiders bring out fear in most people. However, most spiders are not harmful and in fact beneficial because they prey upon insects. Spiders generally will not attempt to bite humans, unless held or accidentally trapped. The majority of spiders have fangs that are too small or weak to penetrate skin. There are over a hundred species found in Tennessee. The black widow and brown recluse are considered to be the most dangerous. These two spiders have distinguishing marks.
RODENTS
Rats and mice are dangerous to both property and people. They can chew through walls and pipes, causing water damage. Rodents can also start fires in your home by gnawing on wires. They contaminate food and food prep areas with their urine, feces, and saliva. With contamination comes illness. Rodents are known disease vectors, transmitting rat bite fever, dysentery, Salmonella, and hantavirus.
FLEAS
The population of fleas has been steadily rising in recent years as these pests become increasingly resistant to traditional methods of treatment. Fleas in the house can be very difficult to control because of the resistance they have developed. They can pose a serious health risk to humans and pets. The most common flea in East Tennessee is the cat flea. Cat fleas are most common on cats and dogs, but will attack humans. They are known to carry dog tapeworms.
MOSQUITOES
Mosquitoes can take over your yard and multiply quickly. They lay 100 eggs at a time, oftentimes in standing water. When biting, mosquitoes can drink up to 3 times their body weight in blood. Not only do these bites hurt, they can be quite harmful. Because they carry diseases, mosquitoes are considered the world’s deadliest animals. Through Malaria, Zika and West Nile Virus, mosquitoes are responsible for nearly 1 million deaths per year.
TICKS
Ticks are external parasites of mammals, birds and reptiles. They feed only on the blood of their host. Ticks frequently wait for their host on vegetation on trails and paths traveled by people and animals. The most common ticks in our area are the American Dog Tick, the Lone Star Tick, and the Brown Dog Tick. Known diseases include Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Lyme Disease and HME.
SNAKES
Many people believe all snakes are poisonous, vile creatures. However, snakes are actually quite beneficial, as they help control rodent populations. There are only four species of venomous snakes found in Tennessee: Copperhead, Cotton Mouth, Timber Rattlesnake, and Pigmy Rattlesnake. All are pit vipers and can easily be distinguished from non-venomous snakes.
TERMITES
Termites are the most serious and destructive pests of wood structures in the United States. The most common termite throughout NE Tennessee and SW Virginia is the Subterranean Termite. As their name gives away, Subterranean Termites are underground pests which need moisture to stay alive. When they infest the home, they will bring the moisture with them if no moisture is in the wood. They accomplish this by creating mud tubes in cracks and crevices, as well as up the side of walls. The worker termites are the destructive members of the colony. By destroying these workers, you can destroy the colony. A colony can consist of thousands of termites.
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Termites "swarm" in the Spring. Typically, around April and May. This can be a sign of termite activity if these swarmers are found inside the home.
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