Pest Control questions, answered

Calls to this number are routed to an independent pest control provider that serves the Laurel area. Laurel Pest Control Help is not itself a pest control company. The provider you speak with does the work and gives you their own quote.

Ask the provider before any treatment which product they plan to use, where it will go, and how long children and pets should stay away. Product labels carry directions on this. Keep children and pets away from any bait or trap.

For a few ants on a counter, a store product used exactly as the label says may be enough. For an established problem, sprays usually miss where the pests actually live, and they can scatter ants or make baits less effective. Foggers, or bug bombs, don't reach the cracks where bed bugs and cockroaches hide.

Both swarm in spring. Termite swarmers have straight antennae, a thick waist, and two pairs of wings the same length. Flying ants have bent antennae, a pinched waist, and front wings longer than the back ones. If you're not sure, save a few in a sealed bag and show the provider.

It depends on the pest and the treatment. Many don't require it; some, including certain bed bug treatments, do. The provider will tell you what to expect and how to prepare.

Sealing the way in matters as much as trapping. Mice squeeze through small gaps around pipes, vents, doors, garage doors and the foundation. Keep food sealed, and keep firewood, clutter and dense plants away from the walls of the house.