Bed Bugs & Holiday Travel: Protect Yourself

As we race towards the holiday season, and begin planning for travel, here is one question to ask yourself:

“Have I done what I can to prevent picking up bed bugs?”

Chances are, this is something that you have never thought about. That is, unless you have been unfortunate enough to have (at one time or another) picked up bed bugs and brought them home. It is nothing to take lightly, and for this reason, we advise the following:

• Pre-treat any luggage or suitcases that you will be traveling with. We have several items for this, including a ready-to-use spray for under $10.
• In hotels especially, be wary of exactly where you set your luggage. Immediately place luggage in bath tub / shower, then inspect mattress folds, furniture seams, bedding, and curtains. Any discoloration? Look very closely for signs of bed bugs and contact the manager if you find any.
• Inspect bedding anytime you get bitten in bed. Maybe you did get a bite, but if you can’t see the bug, it’s harder to diagnose the proper treatment. Perhaps it was a spider, mosquito, a flea, or some type of mite. Try to find what bit you. If you can’t, look again for signs of bed bugs. Not sure what you’re looking for? Click here to watch a quick video on How To Tell If You Have Bed Bugs.
• Travel with bed bug detectors  to aid you in recognizing live bed bugs, and to help keep them off you! From $8 to $24 you can “arm yourself” while you sleep!

If you do have bed bugs, we carry the best products available and have the know-how to show you exactly how to use them. The earlier you can treat for bed bugs, the less chance they will have to spread to more rooms…and more hosts!

Come see us at any of our 5 valley-wide location, 6 days a week and we can help you travel safely this holiday season.

Bug & Weed Mart: Do It Yourself. Do It For Less. Do It Right.

Year Around Scorpion Protection

Usually around this time of year, we notice less bug activity than during the warmer months. Accordingly, we tend to treat our homes less often. It is easy to forget altogether about “maintaining the barrier” that keeps bugs off your patio and away from your home. What we may not realize is that the mild climate we live in (i.e. lack of snow), also means that most insects, including scorpions, remain active here all year long.

The good news is that as the weather gets cooler, our treatments may last a bit longer than they did in the spring and summer months. These treatments create and “maintain the barrier” between the bugs and scorpions and your home. Here are four easy steps to protecting your home:

1. Keep all sides of home clear of debris, leaves, woodpiles, etc.
2. Apply granules in a 2-5 foot band around all sides of your home, especially where river rock or gravel lie. We will also show you other favorite hiding places where granules work best.
3. Apply outside spray up home wall, completely applying around door/window frames, eaves, garage door frame, sidewalks and patio.
4. Apply inside spray along all baseboards, every room, closets and door frames.

Many pest control companies say they can only take away scorpions’ food supplies (such as crickets); thus there will be fewer scorpions. We say that you can control scorpions completely!

At Bug & Weed Mart, we carry the exact products that professionals use, but we make sure you use them correctly. We enable you to do-it-yourself with a customized treatment instructions and professional-grade products for a safe and effective treatment every time. You’ll know how often, how much, and where to treat in order to get rid of what’s bugging you. Watch for our free scorpion eGuide coming soon.

For more than 34 years, we have been showing do-it-yourselfers exactly how to control pests and weeds with better results than ever before. Please visit any of our 5 valley-wide stores, 6 days a week.

Bug & Weed Mart: Do it right. Do it yourself. Do it for less.

How Do I Know If I Have Termites?

One significant pest problem a homeowner must address is termite damage. Most homes will eventually show evidence of subterranean termites when left untreated for too many years. These termites have mud tunnels, through which they travel, along the base of walls. They climb up trees, too (they love palm trees!).

The other major termite we have here, the Drywood Termite, will often times infest behind or inside a home’s interior walls and/or ceiling. Drywood termites are slightly larger than the Subterranean termites, and although not as common, they can cause more damage when left unnoticed/untreated. These are the termites that occasionally result in expensive procedures (including whole houses being tented), because they actually build their colonies within the very wood structure they inhabit.

So what should you do if you see evidence of termites?

Easy! Bring in a picture of what you see, and we will show you how to treat it! At Bug and Weed Mart, we are here with the best solutions to treat your home. We recommend EPA-approved treatment procedures (the same as used by licensed professionals), provide top-of-the-line professional, safe products, and train YOU to properly do-it-yourself while you save money. The treatment methods include both preventating AND treating existing problems.

Come see us today and let us show to beat termites today!

Bug & Weed Mart: Do it right. Do it yourself. Do it for less.

Print this out and bring it to the store to save!

The Best Time To Apply Pre-Emergent is Now

With this year’s Monsoon over, we can expect another fertile, invasive weed crop will once again likely happen. Unfortunately that means both now & next spring. For many of us, it makes us ask ourselves, “When was the last time I applied pre-emergent? Am I covered?” Now is the time to apply pre-emergent for the best results.

As a general rule, for many of us whose homes and their properties have grass lawns, plants, desert landscaping, etc., every six months you should re-apply pre-emergent. And it can be applied directly onto lawns, plants, shrubs, succulents, as well as onto landscaping rocks/gravel.

The process is simple; please watch this short video on how to apply pre-emergent.

Read more »

What To Look For In A Tank Sprayer

Bug & Weed Mart Sells Sprayers?

You probably already know that at Bug & Weed Mart, we sell the very best, professional-strength, EPA-approved safe products for all of your pest and weed control needs. But what you may not know is that we also sell top-notch, affordable tank sprayers to apply these products with.

Does Price = Quality? YOU be the Judge!

Since going into business in 1979, we have sold over 35,000 tank sprayers.  In that time, we have learned a lot about what qualities to look for.  Here are just a few:

• Tank body – simply put, a tank is a tank is a tank; care for your tank by completely emptying the tank when finished spraying. Read more »

Natural Weed Control

The only effective way to treat weeds naturally is to stop them from growing in the first place. Home remedies like pouring salt or vinegar on weeds simply do not work very well. They can also harm the soil pH, leading to a case of “the cure being worse than the disease”. In fact, salt makes soil sterile, which means even if you wanted to plant something in that area in the future, it won’t grow.

The best natural methods of weed control include the use of a hoe and shovel, the use of correct types of turf grasses, and sensible planning and plant selection. As well as good old fashioned elbow grease.

Pre-emergent herbicides prevent the germination of seeds so weeds don’t grow in the first place. At Bug & Weed Mart, we have a variety of pre-emergents that are safe enough that they can even be used on vegetables! Read more »

All Natural Pest Control

“Natural Pest Control”: That’s been a buzzword for years in the pest control industry. Everyone would like to control pests “naturally.” Problem is, many “natural” or “organic” products simply do not work very well.

But recently, a number of organic products have become available that do work. We’ll get to them shortly.

Don’t forget: there are some very effective, “natural” things you can do to keep the pest population down:

1. Keep your house surroundings free of excess leaves, clutter, and debris; keep wood piles well away from your building; keep landscaping trimmed; trim tree branches so that they do not overlap your roof (rodents, spiders, scorpions).
2. Get rid of standing water after any rains (mosquitos and scorpions); make sure any rainwater drains away from your home and be sure to fix any dripping hose bibs (termites); make sure air-conditioning condensation/drain lines discharge water away from your home (termites).
3. Caulk or seal areas through which bugs can enter: pipes, door thresholds, base of house that meets the stem wall, around dog doors (all pests).
4. Pick up dog and cat droppings often (flies).

All five Bug & Weed Mart stores carry more than twenty natural/organic pest control products. Two new ones are special: Read more »

Bug & Weed Mart Has Green Pest Control Products

At Bug & Weed Mart Stores, we have been rooted here in the Valley of the Sun for close to 35 years. In that time, we have always shared our knowledge and experience to help you, our customers,  safely and effectively apply the right professional-strength pest control products.

During those 35 years, we have also witnessed a dramatic change in how we all view the use of any potential contaminants to the environment. This has brought a flood of heavily-advertised Green pest control products to market. Sadly, the vast majority of these natural products fail in field-testing. The green products simply do not last long after the application is finished.

But there is good news! Within the world of Green pest control products, there is an exciting, limited selection of tested, professional-strength, pyrethrum-based products that work very effectively, on many insects. And we are seeing great results when these natural, botanical products are used selectively, complimenting your existing treatment. These items include aerosol foggers, dusts, and liquid spray concentrates. They are known for a very quick “knockdown” punch, as well as some items that last months following one application!

Come in today and find out more about these green pest control products. They are amazing, natural, and highly effective. Bug & Weed Mart stores are open 6 days a week at all 5 Valley-wide locations.

Bug & Weed Mart.
-Do it yourself.
-Do it for less.
-Do it right.

Bug and Weed Mart Has Scorpion Control Products

Most of us here in the Valley of the Sun have, at one time or another, encountered a scorpion. They thrive in the Sonoran Desert, and the bark scorpion is the type we most commonly find here. Scorpions can live easily in many areas in and around your home. Not unlike many other insects, they need water, and are often found in places where a water source is nearby. They are famous for getting into woodpiles, under lawn & gardening equipment, into shoes left outdoors, underneath doormats, pots, planters, dead foliage, tree trimmings, watering cans, gravel, water meter boxes, etc.

But, like us, they recognize a more comfortable climate exists inside your home. And if you already have a bug problem IN your home, that is another food source for the scorpions. Especially spiders.

THIS is where Bug & Weed Mart can help you! Come into any of our 5 valley-wide locations, and tell us more about your property and what you have seen. We will customize an easy-to apply, environmentally safe treatment for you that will control not only scorpions, but also roaches, crickets, spiders, and most any other insect as well. Our Managers have the training, expertise, and time to show you exactly how to handle your entire pest and weed control needs.

All 5 Bug & Weed Mart stores are open Monday-Saturday.

Bug & Weed Mart.
-Do it yourself.
-Do it for less.
-Do it right.