Having a few birds nesting around a sign or on a window sill may not seem like a big deal, but pest birds can cause costly damage, or even be deadly to humans and other animals.  Did you know that the nesting materials of birds--straw, twigs and grass--is highly flammable?  If birds build their nests inside electrical signs or other machinery, the risk of fire is great.  In fact, electric sign companies blame bird nests for most of their sign fires.

Pest birds can be found in many different areas of a structure.  Their droppings may be scattered here and there, or may be heavily accumulated in protected areas.  Nests and heavy droppings indicate a more serious problem, and the birds are often very committed to the site—their home—and can be difficult to remove.  Below are areas of buildings where it is not uncommon to find birds, droppings or nesting materials.

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Cooler weather means pests are looking for a warmer place to live.  Fall is officially upon us, and while some homeowners might associate pest control with summer months, it’s equally important to take steps to prevent your home and family from pests during the cooler autumn months, as well.  Here are 10 helpful tips:
Keep tree branches and overgrown plants away from the exterior of your home.  These provide great protection to pests and even rodents seeking cover.

1. Remove potential rodent nesting sites from the outside of your home by reducing clutter.
 
2. Clean out your gutters and downspouts, applying a bleach mixture if appropriate to discourage conditions for re-infestation.
 
3. Ensure crawl spaces are completely sealed off from the inside of your home.
 
4. Close any vents along the foundation of your home.
 
5. Keep your garage door closed when it’s not in use.

Tags: pest control Kansas City  |  Kansas City pest control  |  fall pest-proofing  |  rodent control Kansas City

Summer barbecues are as popular as ever, and these outdoor events frequently find unwanted guests in attendance – summer pests. It's important to remember that these “nuisance” pests can in fact pose serious threats to the health of your guests.
 
The May 2009 issue of Fast Company examined the popularity of summer barbecues in the United States, finding:

• 74 percent of Americans will host a barbecue to celebrate the upcoming Labor Day holiday.

• In the summer alone, the average American grill owner spends 4.4 hours barbecuing each week.

So often, homeowners forget that moving festivities with food and drink outdoors can bring pests to the party.  Ants, yellow jackets and mosquitoes are all attracted to the sweets of barbecue, and subsequently to those enjoying such fare.  These pests should never be allowed to join the festivities as ants can contaminate food, stinging insects send more than a half-million people to the emergency room each year, and mosquitoes can transmit West Nile Virus

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