HOME WRECKERS : How to Eliminate Common Household Pests Before They Damage Your House

One never knows what pests lurk behind the walls of a home.

Consider the sight that Gregg Manston encountered after a colony of honeybees was destroyed at a Riverside apartment complex in 1990.

Manston, owner of Claremont-based Bee Removers, cleaned out 160 pounds of honey from the walls of the building after an exterminator gassed the colony.

“The honey melted from the top of the four-story building onto the walls below and caused about $40,000 in damage,” said Manston. “The pest control company killed the bees with chemicals--the absolute wrong thing to do. You have to relocate them and then pull all the honey out of there.”

Manston said it’s not uncommon for his crew to remove 40 to 100 pounds of honey from walls in homes. “One time I removed about 500 pounds,” he said.

Manston’s stories may sound like urban myths, but entomologists concur that bees and rodents can cause significant damage to homes. Rats can launch an unrelenting assault on households, chewing through electrical wires to cause fires or through gas lines causing asphyxiation.

Besides ruining walls, bees can bore into porch and deck beams, weakening them. Some attic-dwelling wasps gather nesting material by stripping gypsum wallboard of its paper cover.

A host of other critters, including ants, cockroaches, fleas and mosquitoes, can transmit diseases and make life downright unpleasant for humans and pets. Removing them can be frustrating without the proper knowledge and tools.

What follows is a pest-by-pest eradication guide for six common household bugs. But first,the basics:

Cleanliness, both indoors and out, is essential to keep pests at bay. Keep outdoor trash cans sealed and away from your home. Clean attics, garages and other storage areas frequently. Store food in tightly closed containers and clean up crumbs and spills immediately.

In short, deny pests food, water and shelter.

Block potential entry points with caulk, line doors with weather stripping, seal foundations and fix leaky plumbing. Cockroaches need a crack just one-sixty-fourth of an inch wide to enter. Mice can squeeze through a dime-sized hole.

“Sealing up a home is your absolute first line of defense,” said Rosser Garrison, chief entomologist with the Los Angeles County Agricultural Commissioners Office, which identifies pests for consumers at no cost.

Garrison said weather patterns can affect infestation explosions, forcing pests through smaller cracks as they search for food and shelter. “Bugs will head indoors during both hot and cold spells,” he said. “Don’t invite them in by attracting them to food sources that might be outside your home--like citrus trees planted too close to a house that can attract ants.”

Garrison cautions that directions on sprays, baits and cans containing pesticides should be carefully followed. Boric acid, used to eliminate ants and cockroaches, is especially toxic to children and should be kept out of reach.

ANTS

The facts. A trillion ants, give or take a billion, live on the earth. The Argentine ant is most common to Southern California. Brown-colored with a penchant for sweets, the ant nests outdoors and runs in long, orderly columns.

Potential hazards. When walking over food, ants can deposit bacteria, sometimes causing salmonella.

Combat strategies. Unfortunately, Argentine ants are not fond of syrup baits laced with poison that’s carried back to nests. “We’re working on finding more attractive baits,” said Michael Rust, chairman of the entomology department at UC Riverside. “They seem to like the syrup. It’s the poison we have to make more attractive.”

As a home remedy, he suggests using thinned honey dissolved with some boric acid. It’s important to trace back ant streams to their point of entry and either seal the crack or barricade it with a line of boric acid, which should keep them out for at least a month. The solution is especially effective during hot months when food and water sources dry up, forcing ants indoors for sustenance.

Prevention. Watch for scout ants and kill them immediately. When the onslaught is constant during hot months, try washing counters and cabinets down with vinegar. Spray a commercial eradicative around your home’s foundation and other entry points about every two months.

Also, Argentine ants often feast on honeydew secreted by aphids, found on most vegetation. If possible, clear tree limbs and other shrubbery from contact with your house. If vegetation is infested, hose it down with water mixed with a bit of soap and place insect-prevention bands around trunks.

FLEAS

The facts. Fleas are hardy creatures with powerful, tireless legs used primarily for jumping onto hosts’ bodies. They prefer a protective, humid environment, but are resistant to cold when wintering in carpets as eggs in a state of suspended animation. Most fleas arrive in homes on the backs of pets.

Potential hazards. These bloodsuckers can transmit a host of diseases to pets and humans, including bubonic plague, murine typhus, tularemia, allergic reaction and tapeworm.

Combat strategies. “It’s important to break the flea’s life cycle--the egg, the larvae and the adult flea,” said Rust. “Hit them were they live--underneath sofa cushions, beds, couches and wherever your pet sleeps. Wash your pet’s bedding often.” Aerosols and foggers are effective if they contain a growth-regulating pesticide, which prevents reinfestation. Frequent vacuuming helps, as does giving your pet regular flea dips.

Prevention. Keep pets off upholstered furniture, which contains numerous cracks and crevices, an ideal flea habitat. Screen off shady areas under your home where pets nap and can pick up colonies. A pesticide can be used to spray your home’s perimeter, but again, be certain it contains a growth-regulator.

“If your pet spends some of the day outdoors, it will continue to bring fleas in, so you just have to stay on the problem,” said Rust, who cautioned that all surfaces must be washed down after using a fogger. “Even if your counter is dry, it’s still good to wash it to remove the chemical residue,” he said.

A half-teaspoon of brewers yeast mixed with your pets’ food causes them to give off an odor that’s undetectable to humans, but offensive to fleas. Some pets are sensitive to yeast, so ask your vet before trying the remedy.

RODENTS

The facts. Roof rats and Norway rats usually nest outdoors under garages, wood and rock piles. Both varieties are strong jumpers and climbers and can gain access to homes via tree branches and telephone wires. They may nest in attics or inside walls.

Mice seldom stray farther than about 12 feet from their nests and typically forage for food about 20 times a day.

Potential hazards. Rodents carry bacteria and can support deer ticks that transmit Lyme disease. Mice mark their ranges with urine and other secretions, which may be picked up by crawling children. Their droppings (about 18,000 pellets a year per mouse) can spread bacteria to children if they crawl on the pellets and touch their hands to their mouths.

Combat techniques. Use of fumigants and poisoned bait may cause victims to perish in walls and other hidden spaces, creating a stench and attracting other pests.

For rats, traps are best set outdoors and nailed to routes, such as on trees. “Rats are a bit neophobic--they’re afraid of anything new and different,” said Richard Wightman, Los Angeles County’s deputy agricultural commissioner. Wightman suggests setting several baitless traps for a few days so rats can get used to them, before snaring them with baits set with peanut butter or cheese.

Some consumers dislike glue board traps, knowing rodents may struggle for hours before dying. If you encounter a live, stuck rodent on a board, drown it in a bucket of soapy water. Be advised, however, that mice are great swimmers. Should you flush a mouse down your toilet, it may resurface within minutes, according to the National Pest Control Assn.

If all else fails, a dependable cat that’s not up in years can work wonders.

Prevention. Extensive landscaping provides attractive shelter for rats. Scattered bird seed may also attract them. A weed-free barrier, such as crushed stone around the foundation will help prevent entry. Stack lumber and firewood one foot off the ground and remove brush from foundations. Clear storage areas of stacks of cartons and piles of lumber. Steel wool, sheet metal or concrete can be used to seal cracks or holes.

BEES AND WASPS

The facts. Bees and wasps are highly beneficial in that they pollinate an impressive variety of vegetation. The bees and wasps listed below are common to Southern California.

Since there’s a significant chance you’ll get stung removing a nest, it’s best to phone a professional remover or beekeeper.

Paper wasps, solid yellow in color with dangling legs, construct nests made of cellulose under house eaves by scraping wood pulp from dead wood sources.

Yellow jackets resemble honeybees, except for their distinctive yellow legs and red and yellow or black and yellow striped abdomens. Nests are usually found in the ground or in attics.

“Yellow jackets can be a serious problem in attics,” said bee-removal specialist Manston. He says wasps are skittish and hard to relocate. “I got a call at 1 a.m. a few years back--from a couple whose bedroom was invaded by yellow jackets.” The wasps had bored a hole through the ceiling directly above the couple’s bed, he said. “They had a night light on, and since yellow jackets are attracted to light--it signals morning and a time to feed--about 500 of them just swarmed in.”

When killed, yellow jackets release a pheromone, a chemical alarm that alerts fellow wasps within a few feet, said Roy Snelling, entomology collections manager of the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History. Snelling added that most yellow jackets are not relocated, but destroyed by a freeze method.

Mud daubers are about the least aggressive of all stinging insects. “The only way to get stung is by grabbing one and holding on to it,” said Snelling. Nests, made of finger-like burrows built of mud, are usually found under eaves, in attics, garages or on walls.

Bumblebees are quite aggressive when their nests are disturbed. Fashioned from wax, nests resemble a dark brown cluster of grapes and can be found in attics, insulation, garages, porches, inside rolls of material and on the ground’s surface covered by grass or debris.

Bumblebees search for small cracks leading to large cavities, such as found in chimneys, floor and wall furnaces, between wall studs and beneath wood decks. If found in walls, bumblebees may be tolerated as long as they’re policing their honey stash. If the bees are killed, the honey may drip and bleed through walls, attracting ants and cockroaches.

To solve the problem, walls are usually removed, enabling the capture of the queen and the colony. “They leave behind a scent that’ll attract other bees to that wall for years,” said Snelling. “There’s not much you can do about it except to thoroughly seal the wall.”

Carpenter bees often bore into wood piles and exposed porch or deck beams. Large and industrious, the black bees often shun hard woods, such as oak. Holes can be plugged with steel wool and then covered with fine mesh screen.

MOSQUITOES

The facts. Mosquitoes are most prolific around standing water sources, where they lay rafts of eggs.

Potential hazards. Mosquitoes can transmit encephalitis and malaria.

Combat techniques. Commercial bug zappers, which lure mosquitoes to a light surrounded by an electrical charge, are effective, “but the light attracts more of them, increasing population counts,” said Snelling, who adds that commercial foggers are fairly effective.

Prevention. Screen windows and eliminate breeding sites by covering sewer inlets, roof gutters and other catch basins such as tree stumps. Drain all standing water sources. Ornamental ponds can be stocked with mosquito fish, which feast on larvae.

COCKROACHES

The facts. Easily the most loathed insect, cockroaches come in three common U.S. varieties: Asian, German (which the Germans call Russian) and the slightly larger American version. Known for forming nightly conga lines across kitchen floors, cockroaches have an affinity for water, beer, leftovers, soiled clothes, starch and most everything else. They’ve been around in excess of 300 million years, are astonishingly prolific and have been clocked at speeds exceeding 14 miles an hour.

Potential hazards. Roaches harbor viruses, fungi and molds and can spread disease and bacteria, such as salmonella and streptococci. Roaches have been shown to cause allergies. David Brenner, research entomologist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, recently completed a four-year study showing that 8% of the population is allergic to cockroaches, their excrement or decomposed roach parts that become airborne.

“Roaches are a significant health problem,” said Brenner. “We’ve also found that about 52% of asthmatics have allergies to roaches.”

Combat techniques. Aerosols work best when sprayed under appliances and in the backs of cabinets, which should not be repacked until the application is dry, Cockroaches will gather under a beer-soaked rag placed in a corner. Simply stomp on the rag in the morning and clean it up. (Not recommended for the squeamish.)

Boric acid can be dusted around cracks and under appliances with a bulb baster (you can also mop the floor with it) or mixed with a sugar or cornmeal bait (2 parts acid, 1 part bait). It’s not a quick fix and may take up to two weeks before you see results. Geckos eat cockroaches, should you decide to replace your cat.

Prevention. Don’t leave pet dishes out. Standing water is especially attractive to roaches. Clean areas you’d rather not think exist--like behind your stove and refrigerator.

Picking an Exterminator

Once you’ve decided to bring in the heavy artillery to terminate pests, make certain the exterminator you choose employs the latest eradication techniques. Finding out if they have a license is a good place to start.

The Structural Pest Control Board reveals which firms are licensed and will tell you if any complaints or disciplinary actions have been taken against licensees.

It’s a good sign if the company belongs to the State Pest Control Operators of California, a trade group, or the National Pest Control Assn. (NPCA). Both supply up-to-date training programs that certify operators in the proper application of various chemicals.

You may want to start your search with a referral from a pleased homeowner. “Also, get a list of references from the company and make sure they give a thorough report of what exactly needs to be done,” said Harvey Logan, the pest Control Operators’ executive vice president.

An initial inspection should range from $50 to $150. Homeowners should receive an estimate of cost, length of any future service calls, a guarantee of how many months the service is good for, what results to expect, a follow-up control and eradication plan and what pests are covered under the plan.

“If you don’t understand what the company is talking about, especially in regard to the type of chemicals they’re using, be sure to ask them for details,” said Joel Paul, NPCA’s director of communications. “Write down which chemicals they use in case you discover any sudden allergic reactions. Make certain they have data to support their method of eradication. That’s really important. There’s a number of products on the market that supposedly work. It’s best to stick to the ones that have data behind them that prove their effectiveness.”

Where to Get Help

The Southeast Mosquito Abatement District will locate and spray mosquito breeding sites for homeowners at no cost. The district also distributes mosquito fish free of charge at its centers in South Gate (9510 S. Garfield Ave., (310) 927-6526) and in North Hollywood (12741 Saticoy St., (818) 764-2010).

The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services will assist in eliminating pests that pose an extreme problem to homes or neighborhoods--(313 N. Figueroa, Los Angeles, 90012, (213) 881-4046).

The Los Angeles County Agricultural Commissioners Office answers consumers’ questions about pests and will identify pests dropped off or mailed to 3400 La Madera Ave., El Monte, 91732, (818) 575-5471. The office’s pest division mails free pest control information sheets to consumers and supplies rodent bait, traps and smoke bombs at cost--(818) 575-5462.

The Museum of Natural History’s department of entomology answers pest-related questions and will identify pests dropped off or mailed to 900 Exposition Blvd., Los Angeles, 90007, (213) 744-3363.

The National Pest Control Assn. (NPCA) and the State Pest Control Operators of California mail free brochures on pest control and eradication techniques used by exterminators. NPCA: 8100 Oak St., Dunn Loring, VA. 22027, (703) 573-8330. State Pest Control Operators of California: 3031 Beacon Blvd., West Sacramento, CA 95691, (916) 372-4363.

The Structural Pest Control Board keeps a list of licensed pest control firms and can tell you if any disciplinary actions have been taken against licensees. (213) 897-7838 or (916) 924-2291.