According to the National Pest Management Association, we may see in increase in the tick population this spring and summer. Here are five tips to avoiding ticks this season.

How to Avoid Ticks:

1. Use a tick repellant when outdoors.
2. Wear light colored long sleeves and long pants outdoors so ticks are easier to spot.
3. Inspect your clothing and body for ticks after being outdoors. Be sure to carefully check children and pets, too.
4. Keep grass mowed and trim around fences, sheds, trees, swing sets, shrubs and swing sets.
5. Eliminate woodpiles and other debris from lawn and landscape.

How to properly remove a tick:

1. Pull slowly and steadily on tick’s body so as not to break off mouthparts in the skin.
2. Dispose of tick by flushing down a toilet and wrapping in tape before discarding in trash receptacle.
3. Wash hands and bite area thoroughly with soap and water.
4. Seek medical attention if irritation occurs.

Acorns may be to blame for a heavier tick season this year. According to NPMA, oak trees produced a particularly large crop of acorns in 2010 which to led to an increased population of white footed mice. As a result, the deer tick population also increased because the ticks had an abundance of mice to feed on when they hatched. Unfortunately for us, as the mice population has declined, those same ticks will be looking for their second meal as nymphs which may lead them to humans as their next blood meal.

Source: NPMA

Whether it’s ants, termites, spiders, fleas, bed bugs or rodents, pest management professionals help prevent pests from spreading disease, destroying our homes and property and contaminating our food and crops. This April, Action Pest Control is proud to observe National Pest Management Month, which is formally recognized each year by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA). The observance recognizes the pest management industry’s contribution to society in protecting food, health and property from the harm and destruction of household pests and the safe use of pest management products.

“Working in an industry that is constantly evolving to combat different pests each year is a challenge,” says Kevin C. Pass, President. “National Pest Management Month provides an opportunity to educate the public on the importance of pest management and its crucial role in keeping our communities healthy and safe.”

National Pest Management Month has been recognized for more than 30 years and goes beyond saluting an industry to increasing public awareness about the serious threats pests can pose and the invested dedication pest management professionals have in protecting against such threats.

“In honor of National Pest Management Month, Action Pest Control is reminding our customers to take time this month to pest-proof their homes and properties,” says Pass. “Simple steps like sealing cracks around the outside of your home, trimming branches and shrubbery away from the home and reducing areas of moisture indoors can go a long way to help prevent pest problems. Homeowners should contact a pest professional if a pest infestation is suspected.”

As always, Action Pest Control is pleased to offer free pest and termite inspections in Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois including: Evansville, Washington, Jasper, Indianapolis, IN, Bowling Green, Lexington, Louisville, Owensboro, KY. To learn more about pests in Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois, and ways to pest-proof your home, visit our pest education center.

Source: National Pest Management Association

This winter has been a mild one for Indiana, Kentucky, and southern Illinois. In fact, the warm winter weather has received some national attention as well. While there have been many advantages to the mild temps we’ve seen this season, a major disadvantage could be an increase in insect activity throughout the year.

Every species handles cold temperatures differently. Some insects, like butterflies, migrate south for the winter. Insects like termites and Japanese beetles, burrow more deeply into the soil but remain active. And many insects like wasps and ants slow their metabolism and respiration and go into a hibernation-like state until temperatures rise in the spring.

So what does this mean for you? Normally, the ground gets cold enough to stop termite activity above ground, but a lack of a hard freeze means termite foraging may have continued under a warm zone (like your home). We’ve already experienced termite swarms this season which is quite unusual. A termite swarm occurs when the primary reproductive termites (swarmers) leave the colony to begin a new colony. Swarmers look quite similar to flying ants and are often found around a window or door as they are attracted to light. The presence of termite swarmers around the exterior of your home usually means a colony is in or near the structure. Termite swarmers are weak flyers and usually fly no more than 100 yards from their nest.

Termite swarmers can be distinguished from reproductive ants in three ways:

1. A termite’s antennae are straight while ants are jointed.
2. The forewings of the termite swarmer are the same length as the hindwings while the ant’s hindwings will be shorter.
3. Ants have a narrow, distinguishable waist between the thorax and abdomen and termite swarmers do not.

Another problematic pest this season is odorous house ants (the tiny black ones). They may have been kept warm enough this winter to continue foraging throughout the season instead of entering their usual diapause. These ants will begin foraging for protein as the colony ramps up reproduction soon unless we have a hard, late cold spell. And, according to one of Action Pest Control’s staff entomologists, Scott Robbins, spiders, centipedes and ground beetles have been observed moving outdoors for several weeks now.

“We experienced an increase in fleas and flies last year and expect they will be heavy again this year. Furthermore, the lack of an extended winter freeze will likely lead to increased populations of ladybird beetles and boxelder bugs as more of these overwintering insects likely survived the mild winter,” said Robbins.

If you’re seeing insect activity in or around your home and would like help with identification, feel free to send a photo to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or post it to our Facebook wall!

Exterminate: \ik-ˈstər-mə-ˌnāt\ v. to get rid of completely usually by killing off <exterminate termites and cockroaches>

What do you think of when you see the word exterminator? Does an image of John Goodman in “Arachnaphobia” come to mind? As much as we pest management professionals would like to hope this isn’t case, it happens more often than we care to admit. After all, exterminate means to get rid of completely (usually by killing off.)

The truth is pest control, or pest management, is much more than exterminating. Maybe you’ve been battling ants in your kitchen for a while. You’ve tried over the counter products to no avail and have finally decided to call in an ‘exterminator’ from Action Pest Control. Even though our goal is the same, to get rid of the ants in your house, we’re there to do more than exterminate.

Our pest control service technician will likely offer you tips to protect your home from potential pest infestations. For example, keeping trees and shrubs trimmed away from your home can reduce the likelihood of pests making their way inside your home; eliminating clutter inside the home makes pest problems much easier to locate and eliminate; and sealing around windows and doors not only reduces your energy consumption, but keeps pests like rodents and ants outside where they belong.

All of our pest management professionals are state-certified and have completed extensive training as well as a thorough background screening before ever stepping foot in your door. In addition to ‘exterminating’ the ants in your house, our technician is there to protect you and your family as well as any pets you may have. They’re there to find the source of the infestation and eliminate it, all while protecting your property and the environment. And, you can rest assured that a thorough examination of your largest investment, your home, has been conducted to identify any other conditions that could lead to pest infestations.

Hopefully the next time you think of an exterminator in Indiana, Kentucky and Illinois, you will think of the trained professionals at Action Pest Control.