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Bug Bytes
 
March
 2017

IN THIS ISSUE:
St Patricks Day Pot of Gold, hat and shamrocks over a green background
MOSQUITO MANIA

mosquito

Typically, mosquito season in the St. Louis area starts in April and runs through September. Not this year! Thanks to the mild winter we've had and the many 70+ degree days in February, mosquitoes have already been spotted all over our area. 

Mosquitoes generally spend their winters in an egg form and emerge when the temperatures begin to warm up. Some of the females, however, have already emerged from their "hibernation." Seeing mosquitoes this early in the season doesn't necessarily mean that they're here to stay since the average life-span of mosquito is only about a month and there's always a chance colder temperatures could return before spring officially arrives. 

But...what this DOES mean is that it's time to start taking precautions to protect yourself from a mosquito's itchy bite. A good rule of thumb is to to keep in mind the 4 D's of mosquito safety:

1. DRAIN all standing water. 
2. Use insect repellent with DEET. 
3. Stay indoors at DUSK & DAWN. 
4. DRESS in long sleeves & pants. 

4 D_s of Mosquito Safety chart

It's fun to kick off the spring season this early with patio weather...but not so much fun when you wake up the next morning with those itchy bumps!   We have had many customers asking us for additional mosquito control treatments as well. This microscopic material, applied around the outside of your home & perimeter of your yard, is designed to cling to areas where mosquitoes hide during the day and kill them. 

If you are on our mosquito control program and interested in scheduling an additional treatment in March, please call our office at 636-343-7900.  For more info on how our mosquito control treatments work or to schedule an appointment online,  click here . 
3 GENERATIONS & COUNTING
  customer quote

Hi there Robert! Thanks for trusting us to take such good care of your home for the past 20 years. While 20 years is a long time, our roots actually go back to 1959 when James Phillips treated many homes in Kirkwood & Webster for termites. His son, Scott Phillips, saw an opportunity for growth and joined his dad, adding general pest control services for homes and business -- formally creating Blue Chip in 1971. Now, after more than 50 years in business, Blue Chip is in its 3rd generation and run by Scott's two children -- Jeff Phillips & Kim Sieveking. Ever committed to continued growth with an emphasis on excellent customer service, we're excited to see where the next generation takes us! 

Is there someone on Team Blue Chip who you'd like to give a groovy grade to? We'd love to know who and why! You can shoot me a quick email at kimberly@stlbugs.com to let us know what we've done recently to get our groove thang on and make you smile! :)  

In the meantime, check out some other things that our customers have said about us, our service and our technicians by clicking here  then scrolling down to "Testimonials." 
OUR NEW SHADES OF BLUE
Recent hires_ Newest Shades of Blue
SPRING SWARMERS
newspaper

When you think of springtime, you probably have visions of blooming flowers and warmer temps. You're not the only ones who want to creep outdoors and enjoy fresh air and sunny days. In the pest control industry, spring marks the start of our peak pest season when most insects also start emerging from their cozy winter spots. One of the biggest early springtime threats is termites. 

Termites live in colonies which are typically found underground or in wood. They feed on cellulose which is found in the wood -- the same wood our homes are made out of. Termites mainly stay out of sight so the damage they create can easily go unnoticed until it becomes a serious problem. 

Termite colonies are made up of workers, soldiers and swarmers. Workers are responsible for the construction and any repairs of the colony. They also forage for food. The primary job of soldiers is to protect the colony. The swarmer termites are the one you might see. 

After the last freeze and when temps have reached at least 70 degrees, swarmers (also known as reproductives) emerge from their nests. Females give off a mating pheromone which attracts the male swarmers. Once a male locates a female, they break off their wings symbolizing they are a couple. Each couple goes off and forms a new termite colony. 

The wings that swarmer termites may be the first visible sign of termites; however, just because you see this in spring doesn't mean termites only present a problem in spring. Termites remain active year-round -- 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. 

Read more info about Blue Chip's Termite Control Services here. 
DID YOU KNOW...?
rock on

THE SPRING BREAK SOUVENIR YOU WON'T WANT 
beach_chairs_umbrella.jpg

March is the month for spring break! Woo-hoo! :) Whether you're going somewhere warm & sunny or cold & snowy, it's always fun to bring souvenirs home from your vacay. But one souvenir you won't want to bring home is those dreaded bed bugs! Follow these easy tips to make sure no live souvenirs follow you home: 

Give your luggage a dry bath.
When you walk into your hotel room, immediately place your luggage in the bathroom either in the middle of the tile floor or even in the bathtub. If your room is infested, bed bugs seldom hang out on tile floors. They prefer upholstered areas like carpets, couches, curtains and, of course, beds!

Put your cellphone's flashlight to use.
Use the flashlight on your phone (or download a flashlight app) to search the room for evidence of bed bugs. Look for tiny rust-colored spots, pepper-like stains or shed bed bug exoskeletons. Pull back the sheets on all the beds, inspecting the mattress seams and box springs, especially around corners. Don't forget to inspect the headboard, nightstand drawers and any other pieces of furniture in the room too. 

Move across & either up or down. 
If you suspect any evidence of bed bugs, notify management immediately. Request a change in rooms on the opposite side of the hotel AND at least 3 floors either above or below the floor of your previous room. Bed bugs can easily travel through walls and sockets a couple floors up or down & have been known to hitchhike rides to nearby rooms on housekeeping carts. 

Home sweet home.
Double check your suitcases after you unpack them. Vacuum each one out before putting them back in storage. Consider using a garment hand steamer to steam your luggage to kill any bed bugs or eggs that might have traveled home with you. Finally, wash and dry all of your clothes (yep, even ones that you didn't wear) on hot cycles. Put all clothes that go to a dry cleaner in a sealed plastic bag to drop them off. 

Tell me more!
Wanna see a video of how our Blue Chip technicians search a room for evidence of bed bugs? Or wanna know about how we take care of a bed bug infestation? Visit  Blue Chip's Bed Bug Control Program. 
Want more information on a specific service we offer? Looking for a quick Pest ID Guide for a bug you have found? Want to see video clips of our technicians in action? Interested in reading our latest blog entry? Want to chat with one of our service representatives online? YOU GOT IT!