Take Heart, Boxelder Tree Owners, There Is A Tree Spraying Service Near You!

Boxelder Tree Injection and Spraying Services in Idaho Falls

The boxelder tree, it is pervasive in the Idaho Falls area. You will see them everywhere! Also known as an ash-leaf maple, boxelder trees thrive in our cool and dry climate. They are fast to grow, and offer up great shade and a home for birds and squirrels. They might not be the prettiest tree in the world, but they are hardy and they prevent soil erosion. Despite their shortcomings, in southeast Idaho we have them and we live with them. Because of this, we also live with the little black and red bugs that come with them.

Boxelder bugs are harmless, but they are considered a pest. If you have these prolific bugs all over your home and yard, there is help! Star Pest Control, a tree spraying service near you in Idaho Falls, can help control these pests so you can enjoy your yard without being overwhelmed by them!

Boxelder Tree Pest Removal In Idaho Falls

Let’s indulge in a quick biology lesson about boxelder trees and boxelder bugs. Boxelder trees come in two types, male and female. The female trees produce blossoms that, when pollinated, turn a bright green color. They are also the kind that attracts boxelder bugs. So if you have a boxelder tree in your yard, and you don’t notice the boxelder bugs too much, your tree is likely a male. If you have a female tree, you definitely notice the bugs! Boxelder bugs are true bugs. As the saying goes, “all bugs are insects, but not all insects are bugs!” True bugs have piercing/sucking mouthparts, and are in the same family as cicadas, stink bugs, and asassin bugs, which are all hemipterans. These small black and red bugs love to eat the the juice that is in the ungerminated seeds from the female boxelder tree.

As more seeds develop through the summer, more boxelder bugs show up to feast. The baby boxelder bugs are soft-bodied and all red, they often cluster together in the sunshine on fences, trees, and even your house. No need to worry, they cannot hurt you, and they cannot damage your home. They can get into every nook and cranny, however, and they have an unpleasant odor when smashed. Even though they are harmless, not everyone loves a stampede of insects where they eat and sleep.

In Idaho Falls, there is help – Star Pest Control offers tree spraying service that can keep these bugs under control. We use chemical and organic sprays on your boxelder tree to stop the boxelder bugs from invading your personal space. This keeps your summer tidy and nearly pest free! For Star Pest Control tree spraying services near you, don’t hesitate to call today!

Featured Photo by Michael Morse

June 1, 2019September 28, 2021

A Bit About Pest Control Services

pest control truck with equipment outside of home

As the weather begins to get warmer, the pests start to become active again. No one likes to deal with these pesky pests within their home or business. Other than being annoying, pests can cause damages, health problems and an unsafe environment to be living in or working in. Calling a professional for pest control services will help save your sanity. No matter the type of pest, Star Pest Control is ready to eliminate the pests within your home or business.

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Types of Pest Control Services Available

Star Pest Control has a team of licensed professionals to care for all your pest control needs. As professionals, they are able to use higher grade treatments as opposed to what is available to consumers on the market. This means the treatment is more effective and will last longer. Star Pest Control has pest control services to care for the following:

Pest Control sign with dead bug next to it

Roaches
Fleas and Bedbugs
Bats
Ants and Termites
Bees, Wasps and Hornets
Spiders
Grasshoppers and Locusts
Tree Insects
And More!

The Star Pest Control services include a one-time insect spraying, tree insect control and more. The treatment is applied both inside and outside of the property. Chemical and mechanical treatments are used that are safe for both kids and pets. The pests are eliminated and then proactive defenses are set up to ensure they do not return!

About Star Pest Control Dependable Services

Star Pest Control has been in the industry for several years and has much experience when it comes to pest control services. Their team of licensed technicians has been trained to properly identify and eliminate any pests that are infesting your home or business. With the professional products that only professionals can be licensed to use, the application lasts up to two months. Some pests are a bit peskier than others and may require multiple applications. Don’t fret, your assigned technician will know what to do and when to do it. After your first treatment, speak with your technician on setting up a treatment schedule. This will take away the hassle of trying to remember yourself. It will also help you not lapse on any pest control service coverage, ensuring your property remains pest free! A safer, happier and healthier home or business is just a phone call away. Don’t hesitate to reach out to Star Pest Control for all your pest control service needs. The experienced staff can help answer all the questions you may have.

May 3, 2019November 4, 2020

About Black Widow Control

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Black widow spiders are considered one of the most venomous spiders in North America. Their venom has been reported to be 15 times stronger than a rattlesnake’s. However, their bite isn’t deadly because only a small bit of venom is injected during the bite. Luckily, they usually try to escape instead of bite and only bite in times of desperation or protection of their eggs. No matter the spider though, no one likes to have the nasty critters within their homes. With the help of your local pest control company, Star Pest Control can have your home protected in no time with black widow control.

Black Widow Habits

Female black widows are easily recognizable with their dark black body and the infamous red hourglass on their abdomen. This bright marking is a warning to potential prey that she is toxic. The male widow spiders are actually harmless and about half the size of the females. Their bodies are marked with yellow and red bands with spots on their backs. Females will often eat the males after mating with them, hence the dubbed name of “widow”. Females can live up to three years and the males typically only live around a month or two.

The venom in the black widow bite is toxic to the nervous system. Depending on the person and their age and weight, they may react differently to the black widow bite. The first sign is slight swelling where you were bitten. After about three hours or so, the bite site can become more painful. Common reactions are:

Overall body ache (particularly in the legs)
Alternating salivation and dry-mouth
Paralysis of the diaphragm
Profuse sweating
Swollen eyelids
Headache
Elevated blood pressure
Nausea

In most cases, these symptoms will disappear in two or three days. However, it is advised that the victim of a black widow bite should go to the doctor immediately for assessment and any needed treatment. Clean the site of the bite with soap and water. You can apply a cool compress and keep the site elevated if possible. Aspirin or Tylenol can help alleviate minor symptoms.

Black widow spiders like to hang out on the underside of ledges, plants, and debris; basically wherever a web can be strung and not be bothered. They prefer dark and dry shelters in temperate weather. During colder weather, they will migrate to the indoors. Inside of garages and basements are some of their favorite places to be. They also are attracted to clutter to help hide as well as hunting grounds for prey. The female will rarely leave her web awaiting her prey and is often found hanging upside down. She will stay close to her egg mass and defends it ferociously by biting anything to disturb her egg sac. Each egg sac can hold anywhere from 25 to 750 or more eggs! The incubation period for the eggs is 20-30 days. The babies will be fully grown in two to three months. Only a few survive to adulthood because the baby spiders are cannibalistic and survive off of each other.

Black Widow Control

The best action to take against black widow spiders is to have your home professional sprayed against them. Professionals use high-quality pest control products and ensure proper distribution of the sprays. There are things that you yourself can also do at home to help protect against black widow spiders. Remove clutter and materials that would attract the spiders to build a home there. Frequently dust and vacuum around windows, corners, and under furniture. Use your vacuum to remove webs, spiders, and their egg sacs. Make sure to always wear gloves when handling firewood, debris, and other materials where the black widow spider could be hiding. Keep weeds and plants trimmed around your building foundation to discourage insects and spiders to make homes there. Seal your home openings by installing screens and door sweeps to help prevent the black widow spiders from entering.

Again, the best defense against black widow spiders is to hire a professional to come to your home and spray. Professionals are licensed to use much more heavy-duty sprays than what is available to you on the market. These sprays do not leave behind harmful residue and are very effective. It is best to call your local professionals for black widow control to have them come to your home during the Spring season when the spiders start to become active again.

March 26, 2019March 28, 2019

Spring Services You Need

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As the weather begins to warm up, so do the pests and potential diseases. No one likes to have their home and yard infested with pesky pests and diseases. The best thing you can do is to take preventative measures to stop these unwanted problems in their tracks. Star Pest Control offers many residential and commercial services such as pest control and weed and feed for your yard, but we also offer the following services as well:

Dormant Oil Treatments: This is to kill overwintering insects and eggs. Best applied before leaf budding starting mid-March.
Deep Root Injection Fertilization: This is for your trees and shrubs. Best to have done in March or April.
Organic Preventative Treatment: This is for codling moth in apple trees. Best to have done before May 15th.
Aphid Sprays: Optimal during mid-summer.
Crabgrass Pre-Emergent in Turf
Broadleaf Pre-Emergent in Turf
Shrub Bed Pre-Emergent: This treatment is great in landscape beds with no weed barrier or a failing barrier.
Preventative Treatment: Used for tree insect borers like pine bark beetle and aspen borer.
Plant Growth Regulators: This type of treatment makes it so you don’t have to trim and hedge as often.
Grub Prevention
Bare Ground and Sterilant Treatments: This treatment is used on driveways, parking lots, and non-ornamental rock beds.

There are many different types of services you can utilize to fully take control of your property and its surrounding yard. Don’t wait until it is too late and you are overrun with infestations. Call ahead to Star Pest Control to schedule your services. We can help you plan for your yearly care and get ahead of these pesky pests and diseases.

August 5, 2017November 26, 2020

Idaho Falls Hobo Spider Control

If you have lived in the Idaho Falls area long enough, chances are you’ve at least heard of the notorious Hobo spider. They like to make an appearance sometime between the end of July to September. This article will help provide the best Idaho Falls Hobo spider control. We will discuss how you can identify these spiders, where they live, how best to treat hobo bites, how to avoid bites, and how to control hobo spiders.

How Can You Identify A Hobo Spider?

Hobo spiders or Eratigena agrestis, are members of the genus-group of spiders known as “funnel spiders”. This term is used to describe the type of web they make. This funnel-shaped web is how Hobos prey on their insect victims. Hoping they will “trip” and fall into their tunnel where they are waiting. Hobos can be difficult to identify based on their appearance since their color and markings are similar to many other species of spiders. Some characteristics to look for in a Hobo spider are:

Long Brown Legs
Brown Body
A Gray-colored abdomen (sometimes with yellowish markings)
Body length is ¼ to ½ of an inch long
Leg span of 1-2 inches
Can run up to 3 feet per second
Not great climbers

Where Do Hobos Live?

To provide the best Idaho Falls Hobo spider control, knowing how to identify Hobos is just as important as knowing where these spiders like to build their homes. Hobos can be found in the Pacific Northwestern United States, this includes Idaho, Washington, Oregon, and Utah. Hobos originally got their name because they could easily be found along railroad tracks, but that’s not the only place you can find these little critters. Hobos can usually be found in:

Places low to the ground, with holes and cracks
Construction supplies
Beneath debris
Around building foundations

If you live on a level floor near cement, or in close proximity to a garage it is important to get our home check by Star Pest Control, your Idaho Falls Hobo spider control experts.

So You’ve Been Bit By A Hobo, Now What?

If you’ve been bit by a Hobo, you may not have even realized it. This is because most bites from a Hobo spider are virtually painless or feel like a quick pinprick. According to studies done by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hobo bites are no longer considered to cause tissue damage. Even with this new emerging evidence, it is important to know how to treat your Hobo spider bite as part of your Idaho Falls Hobo spider control care. If you have recently been bit by a Hobo, you will want to treat the bite right away and follow these instructions:

Clean the infected area with water and mild soap
Apply a cold compress to reduce any swelling or pain
Elevate the affected area

After you have followed these steps, contact your doctor immediately. If possible, bring in the offending spider to speed up the treatment and diagnosis process. Though Hobo bites are not dangerous, it is best to avoid contact with these spiders if possible.

How To Avoid Hobo Spiders In Idaho Falls

Prevent contact with Hobo spiders with the following suggestions from your Idaho Falls Hobo spider control expert:

Limit piles of wood and rubbish around your home
Seal tools and other items in garages and sheds
Wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, gloves, and boots when cleaning attics, basements, crawl spaces, garages, and sheds.
Make sure that all of the screens in windows and the doors of your home fit snugly and that there are no cracks, where a spider could easily get through.
Keep beds high off the ground and don’t let the bedding touch the floor
Vacuum frequently to let spiders know they aren’t welcome in your home.

If you have followed the above steps, but still think you might have an issue with Hobos in your home, don’t hesitate to call your experts in Hobo spider control in Idaho Falls. We will be sure to eliminate this particular pest and put up defensive measures so you won’t have to worry about them returning. Call us at (208) 357-9129 or use the quick contact form found here.