Why Do These Pests Keep Coming to Michigan?

Michigan river in the fall. "Why do pests love Michigan?"

Griffin Pest Control has served Michigan since 1929, and since then we’ve been kept the same pests out of homes and businesses every single year. What is it about Michigan that keeps pests like these coming back? What do they find here that they can’t get anywhere else?

Like all animals, pests adapt to survive and thrive in their environments. The pests of Michigan keep coming back because they’re literally built to get everything they need from our environment. Understanding what common pests like these need to survive can help you learn how to deprive them of it. Then, they’ll go elsewhere for food and shelter.

termite on wood

Termites

The state of Michigan is 36 million acres of land. 20 of the 36 million acres of this land are considered forest. That means Michigan is one of the most heavily forested states in the country. 8 million acres of this forest is owned and protected by the government, meaning it hasn’t been developed or harvested. It’s the largest state forest system in the country, with three national forests, three national parks, two national wildlife refuges, and 2 million acres of open hunting and fishing land.

What does all that add up to? Trees. About 11.4 billion of them. As you’re probably all-too-aware, termites eat wood. Especially natural, growing or rotting wood. Michigan’s abundant and protected forests are a paradise for hungry termites, and unfortunately, so are any nearby homes.

stink bug

Stink Bugs

Like we covered last month, stink bugs are relatively new to Michigan, but we’re included them because they’ve quickly become a problem. The main problem species is the brown marmorated stink bug. This species is native to Asia and considered invasive in the US. It was first discovered in Michigan in 2010 in Berrien County. Stink bugs are notoriously good at proliferating by hitching rides with travelers by stowing away in luggage, bags, cars, or even clothes.

Stink bugs feed primarily on vegetable, fruit, nut, and legume crops, so they’re a big problem for Michigan farmers. While they aren’t nearly unique to Michigan, our climate, farms, and ecological diversity make the state a perfect environment for stink bugs to stink up.

bedbug

Bed Bugs

Bed bugs become a problem for any area that has a highly mobile populace, an older urban infrastructure, and/or a rural and urban areas in relatively close proximity. Michigan, like many states in America, has all of these. Bed bugs are even better at hitching rides with unsuspecting travellers than even stink bugs.

As people travel into and out of Detroit and Michigan’s other major cities, they often end up carrying bed bugs in and out, too. Once they make it to the big city, bed bugs find their way into buildings by exploiting the sorts of cracks and crevices that naturally show up in older buildings. Worst of all, bed bugs can be really difficult to get rid of, because they lay tiny eggs in great numbers and reproduce quickly. A lot of the bed bugs in Detroit have been living there for hundreds of generations.

boxelder bug

Boxelder Bugs

For boxelder bugs, the motivation is right in the name. This species of true bug (boxelder bugs are not a beetle, contrary to popular belief) feed almost exclusively on acer tree species like boxelder trees, along with maple and ash trees.

As you may have guessed, Michigan has a lot of acer trees. Unlike a lot of pests, boxelders need to hibernate in the winter. Boxelder swarms happen in Michigan around fall for two reasons: one, the eggs adult boxelders hatch on acer trees hatch. Two, because boxelders need to find shelter to get through the winter. Michigan winters get cold and come fast, so boxelders get desperate, and you see a lot of them around your house.

 

Every region in the world has its own ecosystem and its own unique set of pest problems. At least the pest problems we have generally come about because of how pretty and well-preserved our state is! If you have an infestation, however, chances are you’re not thinking too much about how beautiful Michigan’s forests are.

Luckily, Michigan also has us: one of the best pest control companies in the country. The next time you have a pest problem, no matter how minor or severe, give us a call today.

Griffin Takes the Pay Equality Pledge

The Problem

Today is Equal Pay Day, but unfortunately, many of us don’t have much to celebrate. According to the American Association of University Women (AAUW)’s Spring 2017 report The Simple Truth about the Gender Pay Gap, women still make only 80% of what men are paid for equivalent positions in the US. For women of color, the wage gap is even worse.

Embarrassingly, the pace at which the wage gap is closing has actually slowed. At the rate our country is currently progressing, women won’t have pay equity with men until 2152.

What We’re Doing

Griffin Pest believes that is unacceptable. In honor of Equal Pay Day and the professional women we’re proud to call employees, Griffin has decided to participate in Glassdoor’s Equal Pay Pledge. By taking the pledge and writing this blog, Griffin formally commits to doing everything we can to create fair and equitable pay practices for the women in our employ.

By doing our part to end the gender wage gap, Griffin believes we are creating a more united, better workforce. Our commitment to treating all of our employees with respect and fairness reflects our commitment to treating you with the same respect and fairness. By joining the many other companies taking the Equal Pay Pledge, Griffin wants to demonstrate our commitment to equality and excellence in all aspects of our profession.

What You Can Do

If you’d like to do your part for equal pay for men and women, you can learn more about the wage gap from sources like the AAUW and the National Partnership for Women & Families and take the Equal Pay Pledge yourself. Then, encourage your workplace, friends, and family to do the same!

Once you’ve joined us, tweet with us using the #StandforEqualPay hashtag to voice your support. Together, we can make pay equality a reality.

Simple Ways to Keep Pests Out

cartoon cockroach with "no" sign over it

Getting pests out of your home can be hard. Keeping them out in the first place doesn’t have to be. Most kinds of common household pests get into homes using the same couple tried-and-true infiltration tactics. It’s easy to pest-proof your home by depriving pests of ways they get in, and periodically checking for any new vulnerabilities.

If you’re interested in learning how you can pest-proof your home quickly, easily, and efficiently, start by checking off the items on this list. Following these basic steps will make it hard for even the most tenacious of pests to let themselves in.

 

Air conditioning units

Seal Around Utility Lines

Pests like ants, spiders, cockroaches, earwigs, and rodents use small gaps where your utilities enter your house to sneak in. Look for places where utility lines enter your home. Using caulk, steel wool, or an equivalent sealant, fill in the gap between your house and these utility lines.

Do this outside and inside. If you can see daylight shining through a gap, it’s big enough for a pest to fit through. Seal it up. Don’t worry–you won’t impair the function of any gas, electrical, or water lines by filling in gaps, but you will keep pests out.

 

Technician installing weatherstripping

Weatherstrip Doors and Windows

Weatherstripping acts as a cover over the natural gaps between the door or window and its seal. This cover prevents drafts and keeps cold out, but it also helps prevent pests.

Check each door and window. If you notice it’s crooked, have trouble closing it, or feel a draft, it may be time to replace the weatherstripping. Pests can chew through worn weatherstripping, so if you’re unsure at all, replace it right away.

 

crack in foundation

Seal Cracks

The number one way pests get into houses is through tiny gaps in the siding, floorboards, foundation, or walls. Mice can fit through any dime-sized opening!

Look for likely places indoors and out where pests may be able to squeeze in. Check low and high especially, as well as in corners or unfinished parts of the house. Look for holes in insulation or cracks in the flooring.

 

trimming branches

Lawn Maintenance

Yards with lawn debris such as loose leaves, fallen sticks and branches, or overgrown shrubs are attractive to a wide variety of common house pests looking for shelter and food. Spiders, roaches, and even rodents can use overgrown ornamental plants to climb onto and into your home.

Rake up leaves in the fall, gather fallen sticks, and trim bushes and shrubbery to eliminate possible sources of shelter and food for unwanted pests. Keep any firewood stored outdoors at least 10 feet away from the house. Trim trees and ornamental plants so that they never directly touch your house.

 

Throwing out trash bags

Take Out the Trash

Leaving trash out, whether it’s in the open or in bags or cans, will attract pests looking for a meal. One of the best things you can do to make your house less appealing to unwelcome guests is to take your trash out every night.

Store your trash bin at least 10 feet away from the house. Rinse out any bottles or cans before you recycle them, too. Recyclables should be taken out with the trash every night.

 

dirty dishes in sink

Don’t Leave Dishes Out

Whether it’s the moisture from the dishwasher or the debris left behind on plates after a meal, pests can’t get enough of it. Food and water on plates attract pests like crazy, especially the sugary water of soft drinks.

Wash, dry, and put away any and all dishes before you go to sleep at night. You could do this right before you take out the garbage and kill two birds (or pests, in this case) with one stone.

 

 

Pests are notoriously crafty, and it’s possible that even these pest-proof methods won’t always be enough. If you find that’s the case, give Griffin Pest Control a call. We’ll find the source of your infestation, deal with the pests, and show you how to prevent it from ever happening again.

Problems Pests Can Make For You This Winter

Only a few of Michigan’s smaller pests can survive the state’s harsh cold, so to escape from it they seek out shelter wherever they can stay warm and comfortable. Often that shelter is someone’s home.

Once inside, pests create the kinds of problems no one wants to deal with, especially when temperatures are so low. Keep a particular eye out for winter pests and the problems they cause… since it could literally pay off.

 

sunlight coming through cracks in wall

Drafts

A lot of pests get into homes by biting or smashing their way through soft or compromised building materials like insulation, rotting wood, or old plaster and caulk. Once inside, they aren’t conscientious enough to seal up the tiny doorway behind them.

The gaps created by pest infiltration may seem small, but they can add up. Gaps in a home’s insulation create a vacuum. Hot air generated by your heater is literally sucked through this vacuum and out of your home at the same time cold air moves in. Pest-created drafts are especially likely in unfinished parts of your home, or if your home was built a long time ago.

 

Uncovered, rusty pipe valve leaking steam

Leaks

Rodents are attracted to water and gas lines by the smell or moisture given off. Their constant need to teethe means any rodent allowed to get close to and stay by a water or gas line will work away at it constantly with its teeth. Over time, rodents are capable of wearing down even metal pipes, producing leaks and ruptures.

Even the smallest gas leaks are extremely dangerous and should be dealt with immediately. You may be tempted to leave tiny water leaks alone, but you shouldn’t. Water leaks in winter may compromise your pipe system’s ability to keep the water within from freezing. If your pipes freeze, it will bring down your whole plumbing system until an expensive repair can be made. Even if your pipes don’t freeze, even hairline leaks like the ones created by pests can waste a lot of water and money.

 

Sick-looking woman wrapped up in red blanket and holding yellow cup

Sickness

Pests are dirty. When pests get into your home, they drag their dirt and grime along with them. Rats, fleas, and ticks can also transmit diseases to humans via their skin, fur, dropping, saliva, or blood. Most pests also generate a lot of… waste, which soils anything it comes in contact with, especially clothing, blankets, and pillows.

Keeping a home clean when your family spends a lot of time indoors is enough of a hassle, and getting sick in the winter is the worst. There’s also a simple psychological component to keeping pests out that shouldn’t be underestimated: seeing a rat in your basement or swatting at flies around your garbage is just demoralizing, especially when the weather is so bleak.

 

Piggy bank sitting on several bills of cash, balanced on radiator

Power Costs

You may have already noticed, but leaks and drafts add up to higher power costs. Small leaks in your plumbing waste water and money. Even drafts you can’t feel suck hot air out and make your heating work harder, which wastes power and money. More serious problems could necessitate expensive repairs.

It’s a good idea to monitor your heating and water bills especially closely in the winter. You’ll naturally see a hike in your heating bill, but if something seems off about the amount you’re paying, follow your instincts. Look for places where water, heat, and money could be leaking away.

 

Pest infestations in the winter time can be really bad news. Now for the good news: you aren’t on your own. No matter how significant or minor your particular pest problem, call Griffin and we’ll take care of it right away. Stay warm this winter, and remember: spring is just around the corner!

Don’t Let Pests Spoil Your Holiday Baking

One of the best things about the holiday season is all the home-baked cookies, pastries, cakes and other assorted treats that are served in a seemingly never-ending supply. There always seems to be room for just one more chocolate chip or gingerbread cookie!

Thanksgiving typically kicks off the holiday baking season and cookie and cake aficionados should keep one eye on the oven timer and another making sure unwanted pests don’t play scrooge when it comes to their baking efforts.

The pests that can threaten your holiday baking include various species of beetles and moths that invade and spoil the grain products in your pantry when they leave behind fecal pellets, cast skins and egg shells.
Indian meal moths are the most commonly encountered stored product pest in homes. Adult Indian meal moths are reddish to yellowish brown in color with reddish-brown wings that have a copper sheen to them. They are approximately ½ inch in length with a ½ inch wing span.

Indian meal moths are attracted to light and are often spotted flying in a fluttering pattern indoors. They will feed on whole grains, dried fruit, nuts, chocolate, crackers, and dry dog food and bird seed.

Other important stored product pests include the merchant grain beetle and red flour beetle both of which enjoy feasting on flour, baking mixes, spices and nuts – all staples of holiday cooking, and the confused flour beetle likes spices.

When these nuisance pests gain access to your pantry they not only leave a bad odor and taste behind but they also render the baking and cooking food stuffs useless which can put a real damper on your holiday food plans.

Griffin Pest Solutions recommends aspiring pastry chefs follow these tips to prevent pantry pests from ruining the ingredients for their holiday pies, cookies and cakes:

  • Store your sugar, flour, spices, chocolate, coconut and other baking staples in tight-fitting plastic containers.
  • Check for signs of pest infestation such as torn/opened bags or a bad odor before you leave the grocery store.
  • When unloading your purchases make sure pests did not hitch a ride home in your shopping bag or container of cake or brownie mix.
  • Clean up food spills on kitchen shelves and counters immediately.
  • Rotate the baking supplies in your pantry and discard of any old or expired items.

If you have a problem with or have questions about pests in your home, call or e-mail Griffin Pest Solutions at 888/547-4334 or callcenter@https://www.griffinpest.com/

Fall’s Bounty Includes Occasional Pests

Fall’s turning leaves and cooler temperatures make you think of football, hayrides and Halloween but it also marks a rise in sightings of stink bugs and other occasional pests around homes.

Stink bugs, spiders and ants seek to enter homes at the onset of cooler weather looking for overwintering spots. Griffin Pest Solutions encourages Michigan homeowners to take the necessary steps now to deny stink bugs and other fall pests access before they invade in droves.

Stink bugs were truly an occasional pest a few years back but they have quickly spread to more than 40 states, including Michigan. While mainly a significant threat to agricultural crops, stink bugs can be a major nuisance for homeowners.

What gives them their unique name? Stink bugs release a chemical alerting their fellow pests to an area they’ve settled in and they secrete a bad-smelling, bad-tasting fluid when disturbed or when crushed. Stink bugs will gather near windows, lights, TVs or computer monitors that throw off light and warmth.

Web-spinning spiders can be found in many locations in and around a home. And while spiders are quite beneficial to our eco-system – they eat unwanted insect pests – they are aesthetically unappealing and creep people out.

Spider webs – which are often regarded as one of the strongest natural fabrics and can be built and rebuilt overnight – are half as strong as a steel thread of the same thickness and more elastic. Spider webs are found in garages, carports, eaves, attics, sheds, around windows and other places around your home.

Griffin Pest Solutions offers the following tips to keep stink bugs, spiders and other fall pests from gaining access to your home:

  • Suck and Sweep Pests Away – Regular vacuuming or sweeping of windows, corners of rooms, storage areas, basements, and other seldom used areas to remove spiders and their webs. A spider’s soft body does not survive this process. When vacuuming for stink bugs indoors, empty the contents in to a plastic bag and dispose of them immediately.
  • Seal Cracks and Crevices. Seal cracks around windows, doors, electrical outlets, ceiling fans and light switches. Pay close attention to areas including around siding and utility pipes, underneath the wood fascia or other openings.
  • Inspect Packages and Boxes. Inspect items such as boxes of decorations and grocery bags before bringing them indoors. Plants and firewood are also as modes of transportation for spiders and other pests – store firewood off the ground and away from the house.
  • Maintain Your Landscape. Outdoors, you can eliminate pest hiding places and spider web-building areas by keeping your yard free of trash, leaf litter and overgrown vegetation. Make sure to trim shrubs and plants near the house and other structures to discourage pests from establishing a foothold and gaining easy access.
  • Eliminate Clutter. Spiders seek out secluded, undisturbed areas where they can build a web to catch their next meal. Attics, crawl space and storage sheds are prime locations. Keep these areas clean and clutter-free and seal boxes with tape to prevent spiders from scampering inside.

If you have a problem with or have questions about occasional pests call or e-mail Griffin Pest Solutions at 888/547-4334 or callcenter@https://www.griffinpest.com/