The 4 Worst Pest Infestations You Can Have

Cluster of wasps gathered on a wasp nest - Keep wasps away from your home with Griffin Pest Solutions

All pest infestations are bad. If you have pests, you should get rid of them as quickly and thoroughly as possible. Period. Just because all pest infestations are bad, however, does not mean all pest infestations are equally bad. There are some pests that are inconvenient, while there are others that are… far, far worse. Maybe not “pack your bags and move away” worse, but… close…

These are four of those kinds of infestation. We’re not talking most damaging or most immediately destructive, though there’s some overlap. We’re simply talking about the pests you least want in your home. These are the pests that will keep you up at night–sometimes literally! Give Griffin a call right away if you think you have…
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Termites

termites inflict billions of dollars of damage in structural damage in the US every yearThere’s one, very clear reason why you never want termites: they’re the most destructive wood pest in the US. Termite colonies eat and bore through wood, creating cavities that compromise wood’s structural integrity. Every year, termites cause billions of dollars of structural damage. Sometimes, termites can inflict wood damage so significant that it can seriously compromise a home’s safety. Unfortunately, termite infestations are common all over Michigan’s lower peninsula, even in cities.

Termites infest homes by working their way into wood from the outside in. They’ll start by accessing moist, damaged, or low-lying wood. As the colony expands, they’ll chew their way deeper into a home’s structure, damaging it as they go. Termites often access wood by building “mud tubes” between wood and the ground. Look for these mud tubes to find where termites may have accessed your home. Deprive termites easy access to wood as much as possible. Termite-proofing your home will always pay off in the long run!
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Wasps

Wasps are dangerous and frustrating when they build wasp nests near people's homesNo common neighborhood pest inspires terror quite like the wasp. It’s not difficult to understand why. Virtually everyone has a wasp sting horror story. The insects are notoriously territorial, aggressive, and unafraid to sting. Wasps are at their most frustrating and dangerous when they build nests near homes. When a wasp nest is right outside your door, it’s all-too-easy to seem threatening to its defenders. Wasps are especially prone to attack people during and after breeding season.

Wasps choose where they build their nests for several reasons. First, they look for places where their nest will be safe from threats. They often build into existing shelters or cover, such as eaves, gutters, house corners, or chimneys. Wasps build nests out of wood fiber, which they collect from damaged wood. If there’s easily accessible weathered wood near your home, wasps could use it to build their nests. Finally, wasps like living near other insects, so they always have a good source of food.
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Pantry pests

pantry moths lay eggs that hatch into larvae inside pantry food like pasta and cerealThere are several kinds of pest that love to infest pantries. The worst thing about these pests is that, contrary to popular belief, they’re not just eating your food. They’re often also laying eggs in it. Yeah, that’s no good. Moths, beetles, and weevils all lay eggs directly inside stored food products. These offspring are often the pests doing most of the actual eating. In fact, most adult pantry moths can’t eat at all!

Pantry pests are attracted to easily accessible food, especially when it’s stored in dark, quiet places. They infest a wide variety of dry products, including bread, cereals, pasta, flour, nuts, dry fruits, and more. Basically, if you keep it in your pantry, they want it. Some pantry pests make their way into your home from outside, but more often, you’ll accidentally bring them in yourself! Pantry pests hide in or latch onto other food containers. When you place those containers in your pantry, you inadvertently give pests access to all your other food.
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Bed bugs

few pests are as upsetting as bed bugsSure, bed bugs aren’t as damaging or dangerous as any of the other pests on this list. But what if you had to choose one of these four infestations? We’re betting you’d choose any of the aforementioned pests before you subjected yourself to bed bugs. We don’t blame you! Bed bugs are probably the most upsetting common pest infestation in the US. And they are common, too–even here in Michigan.

Like with pantry pests, most bed bug infestations begin when a homeowner inadvertently brings them inside themselves. Bed bugs infiltrate homes by sneaking in on packages and bags. They hide out in dark, inaccessible areas and wait until night to move. Once they’ve found a more permanent hiding place near a food source (that’s you!), they start reproducing. There are all kinds of ways to keep bed bugs out, but they all come down to diligence. Keep a close eye on what you’re bringing indoors, especially if you’ve been traveling.

 

Probably the worst thing about pest infestations is what they can do to you. No one wants to feel like they’re uncomfortable or unhappy in their own home. Pest infestations never go away on their own and they never stop being annoying. If you’ve got a pest problem, it’s always worth it to seek help fast.

Luckily, you’ve got help right here. Griffin Pest Solutions is always ready to help you reclaim your home. No matter the severity of your infestation, we have everything it takes to wipe it out completely. Don’t let pests take your home from you; call today!

4 Infestations You Should Deal With Fast

4 Pest Infestations You Should Deal With Right Away

There’s no such thing as a pleasant pest infestation. While all pest infestations are inconvenient, however, some are worse than others. Significantly worse.

These are four examples of the worst kind of pest infestation. Dealing with one of these infestations for any length of time gets expensive, stressful, and frustrating. These are the pests you should call in the cavalry about the moment you notice they’ve made their home in yours:

Termites

Termites can do a lot of damage to your home's woodDid you know that termites never sleep? In fact, they never rest at all. When they have access to food, a termite colony feeds 24/7. That means if they’re chomping down on the wood in or around your home, they’re never going to stop. Termites feed by breaking wood down into cellulose, boring holes through it in the process. These termite “tunnels” can eventually compromise the structural integrity of whatever wood they’re built into.

It’s simple: the sooner you identify and treat your termite infestation, the less damage they’ll inflict on your home. Ideally, you want to stop them before they do any damage whatsoever. Damage to wooden structures can be very expensive or even impossible to replace! The best way to handle termites is to prevent them from ever getting into your home. Failing that, however, you’ll need professional help to drive them out completely and effectively.

Rodents

Rats and mice may cause electrical fires when they bite through wiringNobody wants mice or rats scurrying around unattended in their house. They’re creepy, dirty, and distressing. The real reason you deal with rodent infestations quickly, however, is that they’re surprisingly dangerous. Rats and mice need to chew on something constantly to keep their teeth sharp. That means they’ll chew on anything they can find. Unfortunately, what they can find is usually something you really don’t want them putting in their mouths.

Electrical cords and wires, for instance, happen to be the perfect chew toys. At least until they start a fire. Rats and mice start a surprising number of house fires after chewing on cords or wires. They can also chew through structures, making your home vulnerable to other pest infestations. Then there’s the hygiene problem. Rodents leave behind grime and waste wherever they go, they’re often infested with fleas, and they spread human-transmittable diseases. The minute you think you have a rodent infestation, you should do something about it.

Moths

Pantry moths ruin stored food products, and clothing moths can eat through your clothingThere are two main “categories” of pest moth: pantry infesters and fabric infesters. You want to deal with both of them right away. Pantry moths lay eggs in dry foods stored in your pantry. When these eggs hatch, the larvae feed on this food until they’re old enough to pupate. Then they grow up, mate, and lay eggs… on another nearby food source. Fabric moths do the same thing, except they eat your clothes instead of your food.

All this happens on a larger scale and faster than you might think. Most pest moths complete their entire life cycle within 60-90 days. They also lay hundreds of eggs at a time. Add all that up and it’s an infestation that spreads quickly and does a lot of damage. Plus, moth damage is just nasty. You don’t want to bite into bread and find caterpillars inside it.

Bed Bugs

Bed bugs don't inflict major structural damage or transmit diseases, but the psychological damage they can do shouldn't be underestimatedThis one seems particularly obvious. Bed bugs bite you so they can suck on your blood. While you’re asleep. It’s all very upsetting. As if that wasn’t bad enough, bed bugs reproduce, lay eggs, and spread. Bed bug lay eggs in and around beds. When those eggs hatch, the young will feed on the bed’s occupants, too. The longer bed bug infestations last, the harder it will be to reliably eliminate them all effectively.

Compared to the other pests on this list, bed bugs don’t inflict major damage. There’s no evidence that they transmit diseases to humans. They don’t harm structures or property. The damage they do usually isn’t significant at all, in fact. But there is the psychological trauma. Bed bugs are extremely upsetting pests to have and deal with. No one deserves to have to feel paranoid about just getting in bed. The faster you deal with them, the sooner you can get back to having a good night’s sleep.

So: we’ve made the case as to why you should deal with these pests as soon as you find them. But how do you do that? Easy: just call Griffin Pest Control and schedule an appointment. We’re ready to help you quickly and effectively, so you don’t have to deal with any of these problems. Next time you have a pest infestation, call right away. You’ll be glad you did!

Carpenter Ants Come Marching In This Spring

The carpenter ants come marching in this spring

Carpenter ants get away with a lot, even for a pest. Whereas the termite inspires fear and indignation, most of the public doesn’t even consider the insidious carpenter ant. If someone had a termite infestation, they’d no doubt want it handled right away. Yet, despite the fact that carpenter ants destroy wood too, many infestations go unrecognized, much less treated!

We will not have it. We’ve warned you about the carpenter ant before, but now that spring is springing (kinda), the threat is real. This spring, thousands of carpenter ants are marching on your castle, and it’s up to you to stop them. That’s why we’ve put together this anti-invasion battle plan. Here’s everything you need to know to rout the rascally ruffians ready to rampage through your residency this spring.

What are they?

what are carpenter ants?Carpenter ants look like their sugar or pavement ant cousins, except bigger and darker. They’re typically brown or black and about ½ an inch long, though they could be red-and-black and even larger. Like most ants, carpenter ants are eusocial and live in a colony where members have specialized roles and characteristics. Unlike most ants, carpenter ants build their colonies by burrowing into moist wooden structures. Carpenter ant colonies could eventually inflict significant enough damage to compromise the structural integrity of the wood they inhabit.

There are three castes of carpenter ant: workers, drones, and queens. Worker carpenter ants build and expand the colony by cutting into and excavating wood to make “galleries” through it. Drones and queens are larger than workers, and have functional wings during mating season. Queens lay eggs to populate their colonies, and swarmers leave the colony to form new satellite colonies. Drones and queens only swarm in mating season, which typically occurs in early spring.

Why are they here?

why are carpenter ants here?Carpenter ants re-emerge from winter dormancy to replenish their energy and mate. Drones and queens emerge first in late winter or early spring. The more numerous drones swarm in large groups while seeking queens during mating season. You may notice these swarms around your home as early as mid-March. After mating, carpenter ant queens look for likely places to establish new nests. If they find a good place inside your home, they’ll lay 15-20 fertilized eggs there. These eggs will hatch into workers, which will begin to build a new colony.

Finding carpenter ants indoors doesn’t automatically mean you have an infestation. Sometimes queens or swarmers make their way indoors automatically, without intending to establish a nest there. Pay attention to how early you find carpenter ants indoors, as well as what caste those ants belong to. If you find numerous swarmers that seem to be trapped inside your home, it’s probably because they emerged from an indoor nest.

What do they want?

carpenter ants bore through woodUnlike many varieties of ant, carpenter ants are not primarily motivated to infest homes by the food inside. Carpenter ants feed on protein and sugar, primarily by foraging for aphids, live and dead insects, and honeydew. Contrary to popular belief, carpenter ants do not eat wood; they simply excavate it to build their colonies. Instead of food, carpenter ants are primarily motivated by moisture. They need water to survive, just like everything else, and excavating wood is thirsty work.

Carpenter ants tend to seek out and infest moist, wet, or decaying wood. Building into wet wood allows worker ants to stay hydrated while they work. It’s also easier to break down and transport wood when it’s already wet and piliable. Rotten wood is especially easy to burrow through, making it a favorite of carpenter ants. Queens tend to build nests into existing wood damage, as it provides shelter for eggs and a convenient starting point for newly-hatched workers.

How can I keep them out?

how can you keep carpenter ants out of your home?Preventing carpenter ants is all about wood management. Start in your yard. Look for any wood carpenter ants could conceivably build into. Remove stumps, dying bushes and shrubs, dead bark, and any other rotting wood. Keep firewood elevated off the ground or store it indoors. Walk the perimeter of your home looking removing and replacing rotting or cracked siding. Cover wood that directly contacts soil with hard plastic covers.

Inside, focus on moisture control. Identify and repair any plumbing leaks, especially if they could be leaking onto wooden structures. Monitor indoor humidity levels, particularly in at-risk areas like the basement, attic, or crawl spaces. Check for drafts around walls, doors, and windows. Make sure windows and pipes don’t “sweat” during particularly humid or cool days. Finally, replace any damaged wooden furniture or structures, especially if they’re showing signs of internal rot. If your basement is quite humid, consider moving any wooden items upstairs until you can install a dehumidifier.

 

You could probably use a little good news after all this bad news. We’ve got some… kind of: compared to termites, carpenter ants work slowly. The first year they establish a nest, the colony grows slowly and the damage it inflicts is minimal. After a year, however, the colony keeps growing at a consistently faster pace.

Obviously, that means it’s very important to find and snuff out carpenter ant infestations quickly. Luckily, you don’t have to do that alone. Your kingdom always has an ally in Griffin Pest Control. Give us a call with your carpenter ant problem anytime. We’re always ready to answer the call to arms.

The Most (Potentially) Destructive Pest Infestations

The most (potentially) destructive pest infestations

If there’s one thing worse than finding out you have pest infestations, it’s what happens next. As you begin to investigate how long you’ve had the infestation and how extensive it might be, you start to worry. “How long have these pests been living in my home?” “What have they been doing since they got inside?” “What have they been doing since then?”

The scariest thing about pest infestations is how they can do some serious damage before you even find them. Pests like the four listed here could cause hundreds or even thousands of dollars worth of damage to your home or property. We’re not writing this just to scare you, however. We say “could” because if you find these infestations fast enough, you could prevent all this potential damage. Here are four pests you want to deal with as soon as you find them.

 

Termites

Termites can inflict major damage on wooden structures.You knew termites were going to occupy the #1 spot on this list. No other pest does nearly $5 billion dollars worth of property damage every year! Termites have the shocking damage potential they do because they (infamously) infest and eat wood. Termite colonies eat by breaking down the cellulose in wood and carrying it back to their colonies. As their colonies expand, they venture further into the wooden structures they inhabit, carving deeper tunnels. Eventually, these tunnels seriously compromise the structural integrity of the infested wood.

When load-bearing wood becomes compromised, it could fail to, well, bear its load. Termite-infested wood may crack, splinter, or even give way entirely. It’s not unheard of for entire buildings to collapse following a particularly bad termite infestation! As generations of termites grow, they’ll even create “satellite” colonies in new wood sources, spreading the damage they inflict. The longer termite infestations go unaddressed, the worse the damage they inflict could be.

Pantry moths

Pantry moths eat grain products right out of your pantry, which can get expensive surprisingly quickly!Pantry-infesting pests like the common Indian meal moth do a very different kind of damage compared to termites. Where termites could destroy an entire home, moths can’t do any property damage at all. Instead, they go after something even more basic: your food. It might seem silly to call humble, food-infesting pests like moths “destructive”. After all, you can always get more food. But that’s just it. Consider how much you spend on groceries!

If all that food was ruined before you had the chance to eat it, it would be like flushing money down the drain. And pests will ruin that food. If you found caterpillars writhing around in your cereal, you’d lose your appetite–and the cereal box–pretty fast. The damage inflicted by pantry pests adds up in a hurry, especially if you don’t address the root of the problem. Then there’s the psychological toll to consider. Imagine looking forward to some tasty cereal, only to find that some pest beat you to the punch. Not a pretty picture, is it?

Powderpost beetles

Powderpost beetles hollow out wooden furniture, and inflict serious damage on it over timePowderpost beetles tend to be far less well-known than other wood-destroyers, which accounts for some of their destructive potential. Beetle damage can be difficult enough to identify. Some homeowners may not realize they even have a problem until significant damage is done. Powderpost beetles are wood-boring insects that reproduce and lay eggs in the cracks of furniture and other wood sources. When the eggs hatch, larvae begin eating the wood they hatched on immediately.

The tunnels larvae carve through their food sources in the process of eating damages the wood’s structural integrity. Powderpost beetles can eat, mate, and reproduce on a single wood source for several generations, inflicting continuous damage. Identify powderpost damage by looking for small exit holes left behind when larvae emerge from the wood to molt. They also tend to infest moist and/or unfinished wood. Furniture is expensive and difficult to replace, so powderpost beetles can be a particularly infuriating infestation to contend with.

Rodents

Rodents can start fires if they chew through electrical chords.Yes, unfortunately, the extremely common mice and rat infestations also have the potential to be seriously expensive. Our furry foes can do just about any kind of damage you can imagine. They’ll go to ridiculous lengths to access your food. They’ll nibble and push their way through structures to get inside. They’ll make nests out of paper, insulation, and other materials. And worst of all, they never. Stop. Chewing.

Did you know that rodent teeth never stop growing? To keep their teeth sharp, mice and rats have to teethe continuously by gnawing on… anything and everything. Unfortunately, that can include things that are very bad to gnaw on, like electrical wiring. Rodents start a surprising number of serious home fires every year after biting through wires. It’s a frustrating absurd way to have your home burn down, but that doesn’t make it any less tragic. Don’t underestimate the destructive potential of a rodent infestation–and don’t let it go unchecked.

 

Remember:we call these infestations “potentially” destructive because they don’t have to be. No matter how severe the infestation, taking care of it quickly spares your home (and pocketbook!) from the worst of the damage.

Next time you need some help making sure a “potentially” destructive infestation stays that way, give Griffin a call. We’re always happy to help protect your home and well-being. Especially if it means we can send some termites packing.

Why Are Termites in Michigan Such a Problem?

Why are termites such a problem for Michigan?

Termites, specifically the Eastern Subterranean Termite (Reticulitermes flavipes), are the most destructive wood pest in Michigan. Every year, they inflict thousands of dollars of property damage to Michigan homes all over the southern peninsula. Though they’re more common in wooded, rural areas of Michigan’s LP, they’re prevalent in cities like Ann Arbor, Detroit, and Grand Rapids, too.

In other words, we’re saying if you live anywhere in Michigan’s LP, you shouldn’t assume you can’t get termites. In fact, they’re one of the more common pest infestations that plague unassuming Michigan residents all year round. It turns out termites love Michigan almost as much as we do, so it’s safe to say they’re here to stay. Here’s what you should know about your less-than-welcome neighbor, and how to keep them away from your home.

What are termites?

termite workers are translucent white and small than other castes. They do the work of transporting food back to the colony.Termites are classified in the same insect order as cockroaches, Blattodea. Unlike cockroaches, however, termites are eusocial, which means they live together in large colonies. The Eastern Subterranean Termite is the most widely distributed, common, and economically significant wood-destroying insect in the United States. A single Eastern Subterranean Termite colony may consist of up to five million termites. Their “subterranean” designation means they build their colonies in tunnels underground.

Within a termite colony, there are three castes: workers, soldiers, and reproductives. Each of these castes performs a different function and has different physical characteristics. Workers are small (3mm long), wingless, and translucent white. They’re the only caste that actually breaks down the wood and carries it back to the colony. Soldiers are larger than workers, with elongated yellow heads and large black jaws. They defend the colony in case of attack. Finally, the reproductives (including the queen) are ⅜-½ inches long, black or dark brown, and have translucent wings. They’re responsible for populating the colony and establishing new satellite colonies. Learn more about the types of termites and how to treat them here. 

Where Did Termites in Michigan Come From?

Experts believe termites migrated to the midwest after they were accidentally transported here with lumber and soil.We don’t know for sure why or when termites originally came to Michigan. The Eastern Subterranean Termite was once native to warmer, southern climates like Texas and Florida. The pest has been gradually moving further north since at least the 1960s. Termites naturally expand their colonies to seek new sources of food and living space. They may also be transported in soil or infested wood. Some regions, such as Wisconsin, Toronto, and Ontario likely had their original populations transplanted one of these ways.

The Eastern Subterranean Termite is allowed to spread as quickly as it does because they can be frustratingly difficult to find. The most numerous caste, the workers, never leave the tunnels they build. Contrary to popular belief, winter doesn’t kill termites. The Eastern Subterranean Termites’ colony exists largely under the frost line. Workers can simply build tunnels straight from the colony to food sources and remain unaffected by freezing temperatures. If termites can’t access food in winter, they can go dormant until spring.

What Do Termites in Michigan Want?

Termites break down wood and paper products to access the cellulose inside.Termites feed on the cellulose found in materials like wood, paper, and cotton. Worker termites bore through wood to break it down into cellulose and carry it back to the colony. In the process, they create hollowed-out tunnels through their food sources. Termite colonies use these tunnels to access more food and expand their living quarters. Contrary to popular belief, termites can’t permanently live inside their wood-bored tunnels. Colonies require moisture to survive, so they have to periodically return to a water source such as soil.

The colonies’ need for moisture drives their search for food, as well. Termites can bore through and consume most types of wood, but they’re particularly attracted to moist wood. Wooden structures that are wet or in humid locations are ideal food sources for termites. The harder or more structurally sound a wood product, the more energy termites need to expend to bore into it. For this reason they also seek out damaged wood before structurally-sound wood.

How to Prevent Termites in Michigan

Stop termites by depriving them of food sources and protecting wooden structures.Termites infest wood that’s moist, damaged, or readily accessible. Keeping them out means making sure the wood in your home is none of those things. Start by looking for plumbing leaks, condensation, puddling, or excess humidity. Pay special attention to your basement, because most infestations start there. Find and patch up drafts, ensure proper ventilation, and consider investing in a dehumidifier. At the same time, look for any cracks or gaps in your foundation or in wooden structures.

Termites can build “tubes” along sheer surfaces to get at elevated wood. Even with these tubes, however, they can’t access wood much higher than 18 inches off the ground. Wherever possible, make sure wooden structures aren’t contacting the ground directly. Consider wrapping deck or porch pillars in hard plastic wrap. Protect wooden foundation with a similar barrier or other form of deferral. Whenever possible, prevent excess moisture buildup in your yard from puddles or inadequate drainage.

Termites infestations won’t knock your house down overnight, but they can do more damage quicker than you’d think. Termite damage can get expensive or even dangerous, so learning to prevent them is essential.

 

If you think you have a termite infestation, don’t wait; contact Griffin for termite treatment in Michigan today. Our experts have the skill, know-how, and tools to solve any termite problem quickly and permanently.

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