Prevention

Treatment

• Vacuum daily to remove fleas and eggs from carpeting and upholstery. Throw vacuum cleaner bag away or seal in plastic bag and place in sun to kill fleas and eggs before bag is reused.
• Examine pets regularly for the first sign of fleas.
  

• Commercial flea traps or a light bulb over a pan of soapy water can help catch fleas.
• Steam clean carpet and upholstery regularly.
• Use a product containing an insect growth regulator to prevent emergence of adult fleas. Look for products containing methoprene (Precor®, vIGRen®) or pyriproxifen.

• Remove piles of wood /trash that may attract mice.
• Ticks love warm, moist areas. Keep grass and cut vegetation below ankle height.
• Wear light-colored shoes, socks, trousers and long-sleeved shirts in tick-infested areas.
• Repellents containing "DEET®" may be applied to clothing or shoes.To be safest, don't apply to skin.

• For heavy infestations, spot treat with pyrethrum spray. Treat perimeters of lawns and pet pathways.
• Use a product containing insect growth regulators such as pyriproxyfen in kennels and bedding.
• When removing ticks, be careful and wear gloves to avoid handling ticks with your bare hands. Many ticks carry diseases that can be passed on to people.

• Store food properly; keep kitchen clean. Put away pet bowls at night or place in a pan of soapy water to trap roaches.
• Eliminate moisture sources. Repair leaky plumbing.
• Bag trash and use cans with tight fitting lids. Don’t allow trash and paper clutter to collect in home.
• Screen vents and windows. Caulk or paint cracks and weather-strip doors.
• Vacuum thoroughly and regularly to remove roach egg cases.
• Dispose of vacuum cleaner bag in sealed plastic bag.

• Spread boric acid under appliances, and dust into cracks and crevices with a bulb duster. Wear a dust mask and goggles during application.
• Ask your exterminator about the use of silica gels and insect growth regulator products that are low in toxicity to people and pets.
• Place commercial roach bait stations, like Combat® and Max®, along walls and behind appliances.
• A combination of tactics will be the most effective way to control roaches.

• Eliminate standing water where mosquitoes lay their eggs. Check saucers under potted plants, clogged roof gutters, dripping outdoor faucets, tree holes, tire ruts, plastic wading pools, old tires and pet water bowls.
• Install screens on doors and windows.
• Birds eat mosquitoes. Encourage birds in your yard by putting up a bird feeder (away from your house so you don’t attract ticks). If you have a birdbath, change the water frequently.

• Treat standing water that can’t be drained with B.t.i.
• Stock ornamental ponds with mosquito-eating fish such as guppies or minnows.
• Insecticide foggers for mosquito control produce only short-term relief. A better solution is to look for and remove breeding sites.  

• Look for and remove sources of fly breeding outdoors. Garbage or manure that accumulates for more than seven days can produce large numbers of flies.
• Fruit flies breed indoors in overripe fruit or vegetables or spilled syrups. Look for and remove these breeding sites.
• Flies also breed in sink, floor or shower drains with fungal build-up. Clean drains with a stiff brush.

• Sticky tapes hung 3 - 6 feet off the ground will help keep indoor fly problems down. 

•  Wash aphids off plants with a forceful stream of water, or spray with an insecticidal soap or oil.
• Mix one teaspoon of liquid dishwashing detergent with a cup of household oil. Mix five to 10 tablespoons of this mixture with a gallon of water to make a spray that can kill a variety of soft-bodied insects. Avoid using on sensitive plants or on hot days.

• The best time to treat is July or early August. 
• Recommended insecticides are imidacloprid (Bayer Advanced Lawn Season Long Grub Control or Merit. Halofenozide is also effective (Ortho Grub-B-Gone, Mach 2). Halofenozide must be applied before grubs reach the final life stage. After August 1, Halofenozide is ineffective in treatment of grubs.