Solving Your Pigeon Problems

Thoughts about pigeons range from considering them rats with wings to admirers joining international organizations where members engage in lengthy discussions regarding breeding and color variations. Either way, we are often faced with pigeon problems if they decide to take up residence at your house.

While the word “pigeon” is often used interchangeably with “dove”, doves tend to be the smaller of the species. Both doves and pigeons build relatively flimsy nests from sticks and other debris, and lay either one or two eggs, with both parents caring for the young. Young pigeons are called squabs and are fed “crop milk”, which both parents produce.

There are about 310 species of pigeons, and they can be found almost everywhere on earth, except the Sahara Desert, Antarctica, and the Arctic. They feed on seeds, fruits, and plants, and are often considered a nuisance, especially in urban areas, because the uric acid in their droppings can damage the finish on buildings and cars, among other things. Even though 32 pigeons have been decorated with the Dickin Medal for their World War I and II contributions, most people would prefer to not have to deal with the mess pigeons make and leave behind.

Pigeons tend to leave their messy “impact” in a lot of inconvenient places, but it is unsafe and illegal to bait pigeons, or to try to shoot them. However, there are four ways we can help you control pigeons:

1. Apply a unique, adhesive substance with a simple calking gun. This sticky stuff will make the landing pigeon immediately relocate, as he will not like the feeling of this safe, non-chemical repellent.

2. Place expertly-designed, flexible-yet-durable aluminum-tipped, high-density bird spikes where birds roost. These spikes work great where you have a particular void or where rooflines meet and form a hole that the birds like.

3. Trap them, up to 20 at a time, with one of our pigeon traps! This humane practice is simple, and allows for the humane removal of this pest, too!

4. Importantly, work with your neighborhood to make sure that everyone’s on the same page (i.e. is someone nearby, unbeknownst to the rest of the neighbors, feeding the pigeons?). This is critical.

Stop by a Bug & Weed Mart today to find out which solution works best for your pigeon problems.

Getting Rid of Weeds

April Temperatures + March Rain = May Weedfest!

With our warm and wet late Feb-March, and hotter temperatures coming this month, we will see the result of all those unwanted weeds, Bermuda grass, and Nutgrass seeds finally warming up and germinating.  If you have applied a Pre-Emergent within the last 4-6 months, you made a great choice: you will likely have far less weeds than your neighbors. But the experts at Bug and Weed Mart know what you need to know about getting rid of weeds.

There are other factors that contribute to the weed problems we have.  Perhaps the weeds are growing in the lawn; then, you would use a product that will kill only the weeds without harming the turf.  Or maybe there is Bermuda grass growing in a delicate flower garden; this too requires a specialized, safe herbicide. Or maybe you have Nutgrass; if so, now is the time to aggressively treat, and possibly re-treat 1-2 more times, before summer. 

At Bug & Weed Mart, we have these and many other EPA-approved, professional-strength products to help you get rid of any type of grass or weed.  Our store managers will show you exactly how to effectively apply these items, including tips about ideal temperatures, moisture, weed health, & size to make your treatment work best.

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

Controlling Spiders

Spiders are believed to have existed for more than 300 million years. With the exception of tarantulas, which may live up to twenty years, the average spider lives for one year, though some of the larger wolf spiders live for about two years. And most spiders only mate one time during their lives. While all of that is fascinating, most of us don’t want spiders in our house. So what is the trick to controlling spiders?

There are around 35,000 species of spiders, including about 3,000 species in North America. In Arizona, there are only two groups of spiders that are potential health threats because they have venom dangerous to people: the black widow and Arizona brown spiders.  

Arizona has five native recluse spider species, including the Arizona brown spider, also known as the desert recluse. And, although recluse bites are rarely fatal, they can cause pain and scarring. The black widow is the most venomous spider in the US, is nocturnal, and will generally only attack when disturbed or touched.

Because they only have two main body parts (a combined head and thorax), spiders, along with ticks, mites, and scorpions, are considered arachnids. All spiders are carnivorous, with most of them eating insects. In fact, spiders that are found both inside and outside of a house are usually looking for bugs to eat and will prevent other pests, such as cockroaches and crickets, from invading the home.

AZ recluse spiders prefer dry, dark places and may be brought into homes on items stored outside, on firewood, or on other debris collected from the desert. So, in order to prevent spiders in your home, remove woody debris, such as pallets and other woody materials, if they are stacked near your house. Additionally, stack firewood as far from your home as possible, store it off the ground, wear gloves to handle it, and place immediately on the fire once it’s brought inside.

Call Bug & Weed Mart to see how we can keep your home spider and pest free.

Bed Bugs: From Goodnight Wishes To Living Nightmares

Without question, one of the most challenging pests, which we never used to see or talk about, is the bed bug.

This human blood-sucker, with its messy lifestyle, can be blamed for countless bites, linen and curtain stains, ruined mattresses, dressers, books, electronics, and plenty of other furniture invasions. Not to mention the sleepless nights, furniture replacement costs, and emotional stress.  No question, bed bugs can bring you to your knees.

Effectively treating this pest requires a very specific plan, which we help put together for you.  Often times before coming to see us, people spend hundreds, even thousands, of dollars on various grocery-store or internet-advertised “treatments” that may offer some temporary relief. Then, within days, the bugs return and resume biting again, only this time with the “new” generation that survived the treatments!

At Bug & Weed Mart, we will provide you with the right products and detailed advice to not only kill the bed bugs, but also keep them from coming back.  Our products are safe, professional-strength, and are proven winners in the fight against bed bugs.  We can save you time, money, and a whole lot of frustration!

Our five Valley-wide stores are here to serve you six days a week. Come see us!

Controlling Ants

National Geographic states there are more than 10,000 known ant species around the world. With 318 native species, Arizona has the highest diversity of ants in the US and Antarctica is the only continent where ants are not found. But what is the secret to controlling ants that are unwanted?

Most of us already know that ant communities are headed by a queen or queens, whose only function is to lay the thousands of eggs that will ensure the survival of the colony. Worker ants, though, are sterile, wingless females who forage for food, care for the queen’s offspring, and work on the nest. Male ants usually exist to perform only one task: mate with the queen, who can live for up to 30 years. Worker ants live from one to three years and males survive for only a few weeks.

While ants are extremely small, the largest species was the fossil Titanomyrma giganteum, the queen of which was 2.4” long with a wingspan of 5.9”. Ants generally eat nectar, seeds, fungus, or insects and can enter a home through tiny cracks, looking for water and food. They leave an invisible chemical trail containing pheromones for other ants to follow once a food source is located.

Ants can nest just about anywhere in and around your house, including lawns, walls, stumps, and under foundations. Most homeowners who try to get rid of ants only end up killing the ants they see. Bug & Weed Mart sells effective treatments that can penetrate and destroy nests to help prevent these pests from returning. It should also be noted that different kinds of ant infestations require different types of treatments.

For infestations inside the home, we carry bait stations that need to be placed wherever ants appear, including inside cupboards, pantries, along dishwashers, and under sinks. For ants found outside the home, we carry granular bait that is sprinkled around ant hills and along ant trails.

Talk to a store manager at one of our five Valley locations to tell them what kind of ant problem you are having and where the ants are and they will be help you solve your ant problem, inside and out.

Time For Your Pre-Emergent?

With December rains, and a rather warm start to 2014, we are seeing a very active, very early weed season here in Phoenix.  Have you noticed that, too? 

It’s time to ask yourself: when did I last apply my pre-emergent?

Your lawn may hold the answer if you look around and see that it is full of weeds. So if it has been more than six months, NOW is the time! A simple, safe application of pre-emergent will keep weed seeds from growing, giving you your weekends back!  Best of all, it will not harm your plants or pets, either!  At Bug & Weed Mart stores, we have a broad range of effective, easy-to-use pre-emergents.

If you aren’t sure about what type of weed you have or which product will work the best to solve your particular problem, the managers at our five Valley-wide locations will show you exactly how to do the job yourself. From what product to use on which weeds, to what dosage and with what sprayer, we’ve got you covered. We have been helping our customers with the best products and advice since 1979; we look forward to helping you, too!

Clean Up To Keep Pests Out

Bugs like hiding places. Scorpions, roaches, snakes, and rodents enjoy being able to sleep undisturbed, so they look for places where they can tuck themselves in until it’s time to forage for food. Wood piles, lumber, piles of landscape debris, stacks of firewood, and clutter in general provide habitats for all kinds of pests. Keep reading to find out how to keep pests out.

Keeping your property clear of these types of opportunities for bugs and other nuisances to hide and live is key to keeping these pests out of your home, too. Changing seasons encourage bugs to come out more often, but this also means they go in – to your house. Move all clutter away from your house and you can cut down on the number of pests that will enter your home. Clean up to keep pests out. It’s as easy as that.

And it’s not just clutter that attracts bugs. Mosquitoes, roaches, and scorpions thrive where there’s water, though all living things need water to survive. Getting rid of all standing water will help keep these bugs to a minimum, too. Repairing leaks in garden hoses, sprinkler lines, and hose bibs, as well as fixing gutter leaks, and re-directing a/c condensate lines away from your home deprives animals and bugs of a source of drinking water.

Cutting down on the number of pests from invading your home can be done naturally if these steps are followed. Preventing them altogether, though, may take a little more help. Our Store Managers will recommend the best sprays, granules, and traps to get rid of all kinds of pests. Visit any of our five Valley Bug & Weed Marts to learn how to use everything we sell, including the sprayer that’s best for what you need.

We are always ready to give free, friendly, and easy-to-understand information about all aspects of do-it-yourself pest control, whatever’s bugging you!

Stop Those Nasty Olives Before They Make A Mess All Over Your Walkways

This Year, Stop Those Nasty Olive Blossoms Before They Drop All Over Your Walkways.

If you have olive trees, you may not know that you can prevent those olives from growing by applying a “growth regulator”.  When properly applied at the right time each year, you’ll enjoy the tree in full bloom but without many (or any) olives.  Applied by using a hose-end sprayer, it absorbs into the tree through the leaves. This tricks the tree into stopping olive production as a self-defense mechanism, even though the stress isn’t real.

Beautiful But Pesky

So here’s what you do:

-When all buds have flowered (10 to 17 days after the blooms appear), spray them after the blossoms are wide-open, but before the olive buds begin to form (2-5 days).

-Spray all branches, completely covering the blossoms & leaves. Use a ladder outside to spray the highest branches. Coat every blossom thoroughly.

-Allow to dry (1/2 day).

- Water tree deeply.

At Bug & Weed Mart, we will show you exactly how to prevent olives.  We have the olive growth regulator and the hose-end sprayer needed for this job.  In fact, we have everything you need for any pest or weed problem. We offer safe, EPA-approved, professional grade products and expert advice.

Come visit any of our 5 Valley-wide stores, open 6 days a week.

Bug & Weed Mart. We Free You from All Your Pest Problems.

Using Pre-emergents Effectively

Even though we live in the Sonoran desert, we still have pesky weeds. You can either spend a lot of time digging them up or you can prevent them from sprouting in the first place. We know which method we choose and our Bug & Weed Mart Store Managers will provide you with an individual Treatment Plan that outlines how and when to apply pre-emergents so you won’t need to pull weeds.

Pre-emergent herbicides are an effective, preventative method designed for reducing and controlling weeds before the weeds germinate. When applied correctly, pre-emergents establish a chemical barrier that will not kill established plants, but will prevent weeds from growing.

Bug & Weed Mart carries only professional-grade, easy-to-use, effective pre-emergents that can be used in grass, planters, shrubs, and desert/rock landscapes.

Come into any of our five convenient Phoenix metro locations and we will show you how to successfully prevent weeds. We’ll also help you choose the appropriate product and sprayer, and we’ll make sure you know the right time for your future pre-emergent applications, too.