FAQ

Though highly beneficial when living outside away from people, the negatives associated with stinging insects, more often than not, outweigh their benefits when they decide to nest in our yards or use our properties as a foraging site.

To those that are allergic to stinging insect venom, the presence of stinging insects around your property can be a serious problem. Depending on the severity of the allergy, being stung can cause localized swelling or lead to life-threatening reactions. Besides, whether you are allergic or not, having to dodge bees and wasps whenever you are trying to spend time in your backyard is not something anyone should have to deal with. Being stung by a stinging insect is a painful experience and can lead to a secondary infection.

Sometimes stinging insects also cause structural damage. When honey bees decide to nest in a home’s wall voids, the honey left behind will attract other insects and lead to mold issues. Carpenter bees cause even more problems by creating nests inside wood and damaging wood trim, shingles, fences, play structures, furniture, and more.

Stopping stinging insects from nesting on your property is tricky. These pests live and breed primarily outdoors and will fly into any area that offers them food, water, and shelter.

• Food: Stinging insects will gather food from flowerbeds, gardens, flowering trees, trash cans, and outdoor eating areas. 
• Water: Containers that collect rainwater, clogged gutters, birdbaths, and even overwatered gardens and lawns provide stinging insects with water sources.
• Shelter: Stinging insects will build nests in various places in our yards and on our homes.

The following outdoor habitats are where stinging insects often live in large numbers:

• Orchards
• Gardens
• Woodlands
• Yards

Some of their favorite spots to build nests in our yards include trees or utility poles, shrubs or bushes, ground holes, woodpiles, or piles of construction debris.

In or on our homes, stinging insects will build nests on decks or porches, behind shingles or shutters, and in doorways or the corners of windows.

If stinging insects exploit an opening in your home to build a nest in a sheltered spot, the nests typically wind up in wall voids, crawl spaces, or chimneys.

Eliminate stinging insects and take back your home with the help of Epcon Lane and by implementing the following prevention tips.

• Keep stinging insects out of your home by sealing spaces in exterior walls, placing caps on chimneys, and covering vents.
• Stop stinging insects from swarming around outdoor eating areas by keeping food and drinks covered and bringing leftover food quickly back indoors after you finish eating. 
• Remove water sources by keeping gutters clear, storing containers upside down, and filling in low-lying areas that allow puddles to develop.
• Keep your yard free of tall grass, overgrown landscaping, and excess piles of wood, rocks, or construction debris where they could build a nest.
• Fill in ground holes that develop in your yard.

Learn more about our home pest control and commercial pest control solutions

Spiders rarely infiltrate homes, usually choosing to stay outdoors. However, certain factors may force them to move inside the house. Below are a few of the most common reasons:

• Large or easily accessible entry points 
• Extreme temperature fluctuation or heavy rainfall 
• Transported in via potted plants, tools, or second-hand purchases 
• Underlying pest populations that could be serving as a food source for hungry spiders

If spiders are present in your home, you may need to contact professional help immediately.

Like many other frequent pests in Ohio, spiders prefer to hide in areas outside the home. Trees, dense vegetation, eaves, and chain fences are some of their particular favorites.

Inside the house, spiders like to stay hidden. Dark, quiet, and undisturbed piles of clutter are often their first choice, but the corners of the wall and baseboard lining can often be a close second.

We at Epcon Lane Pest Control have been providing spider treatment services since our founding in 1945. We use a combination of professional-strength products and cultural controls to create an outcome that is safe for everyone, including the planet. Backed by the Epcon 100% satisfaction guarantee, we make sure that you are satisfied with your spider control service – no matter what!

Reach out to our team to schedule a visit right away, or sign up for a home pest control plan at a time convenient for you. We are ready to help!

Removing arachnids like spiders can take a considerable amount of time; this is why the importance of spider prevention cannot be understated. Here are a few methods suggested by our professionals:

• Follow all general pest prevention advice to protect your property from prey insects (including those that spiders eat). 
• Use waterproof sealants to caulk any entry points that expose the inside of your house. 
• Have your home professionally inspected against encroaching spiders or any pest prey activity that may be lurking nearby. The Epcon Lane Pest Control team will be happy to perform a spider inspection for your property.

Learn more about our residential and commercial pest control programs in Ohio.

Rodents are prey animals, and by nature, they are shy and reclusive, so while you typically don’t have to worry about a rodent attacking you, they are still considered dangerous. Rodents carry and transmit many bacteria and diseases, and disease-carrying ticks and fleas love to live on their backs. They leave behind contaminating trails of urine and excrement, and they leave shed fur wherever they travel.

Another huge concern with rodents is their ability to damage our properties. Because they need to keep their constantly growing front teeth worn down, these critters are continually chewing on anything they come across. In our homes, rodents and their chisel-like teeth cause damage to:

• Wires
• Pipes
• Cables
• Drywall
• Flooring
• Furniture
• Boxes
• Clothing and other personal items

Rodents, over time, have come to rely on people to access their basic needs. They have learned that our indoor and outdoor spaces provide them with food, water, and shelter.

If rodents have decided to call your property home, the following signs should alert you to their presence:

• Holes chewed through food packaging and storage boxes
• Grease marks along baseboards and the bottoms of pieces of furniture.
• Short circuits
• Leaky pipes
• Noises behind walls or above ceilings at night

Rodents are nocturnal pests, so it can often take some time for you to notice their presence. They hide in dark, secluded areas during the day, and at night while we sleep, they emerge to forage for food. If you are seeing mice or rats scurrying across your kitchen floor or in your garden during the day, it is an indicator that the infestation is large.

As the name suggests, house mice are common structural pests in both rural and urban areas. They move into our homes to escape harsh weather, to forage for food, or to nest in a safe location. Some of their favorite nesting spots in our house include behind walls, under floors, in attics, basements, and behind cabinets and appliances.

Field mice are more of an issue in rural areas. Properties near tall grass, fields, meadows, and wooded areas are likely to experience problems with these rodents. Common nesting spots in yards for field mice include under woodpiles, brush piles, fallen trees, and in areas of yard clutter or dense vegetation.

Norway rats nest in fields, farmlands, along riverbanks, and under concrete slabs and foundations. Norway rats aren’t good at climbing, so inside, they typically nest in basements and behind ground floor walls.

Eliminate rodents and take back your home with the help of Epcon Lane and by implementing the following rat and mouse prevention tips.

• Clean up the clutter in your yard where rodents can hide or nest. 
• Repair entry points leading into your home by sealing spaces around pipes and utilities using steel wool or caulk.
• Place weatherstripping around windows and doors and door sweeps on exterior doors.
• Eliminate overgrown tree branches, shrubs, and other landscaping that can provide rodents with easy access to your house.
• Reduce their access to food by keeping lids on trash cans, recycling bins, and compost bins.
• Keep your kitchen and outdoor eating areas free of crumbs, spills, and other food debris.

Learn more about our home pest control and commercial pest control solutions.

Few, if any, occasional invaders can physically harm humans. Earwigs cannot crawl into people’s ears, stink bugs are smelly but nontoxic, and even millipedes can do little more than squirt irritating fluids. Centipedes may be able to bite humans and cause some puncturing of the skin. However, this is extremely rare.

The true dangers of occasional invaders lie in their implications rather than their outright threats. Many occasional invaders point towards excessive moisture concerns in the yard and property damage that may be occurring because of it.

The best and most efficient method of keeping occasional invaders out of the house is prevention. If your household protection lapses or you notice the signs and symptoms of an infestation, you will need to move to professional pest control efforts.

Epcon Lane is a highly qualified provider of occasional insect treatments around Akron and Cleveland, Ohio. With natural, eco-friendly solutions and knowledgeable technicians on your side, we can eliminate occasional invaders within a matter of weeks. Call today to confirm your residential or commercial pest control plan now.

Centipedes, millipedes, earwigs, and stink bugs can be successfully kept out of the house by following these helpful steps:

• Keep the home humidity-free by investing in a dehumidifier. The purchase of desiccant bags may also help in smaller rooms like pantries or closets. 
• Remove all sources of clutter that could be providing places for insects to hide. Clear out the garage, basement, and office spaces, particularly from cardboard or other paper products.
• Get an occasional invader inspection as soon as possible to confirm any infestations present in the house.

Learn more about our home pest control and commercial pest control solutions.

Female mosquitoes feed on human and animal blood. Because they bite a variety of hosts, they pick up and transmit a variety of diseases.

In most cases, a mosquito bite only results in a red, itchy welt, but it is always important to remember that they can spread pathogens that can make people ill.

Mosquitoes can infect humans with yellow fever, dengue, malaria, West Nile virus, encephalitis, and more. The less contact you and your family has with mosquitoes, the better!

The simple fact is that you will experience problems with mosquitoes if you have standing water on or near your property. Mosquitoes tend to stay close to where they hatch, usually within a 300 feet radius. Therefore the more breeding sites (standing water) you have on your property, the more problems with mosquitoes you will experience.

In addition to standing water, having tall grass, overgrown landscaping, and a lot of tree cover on your property will provide the shade that mosquitoes seek out during the day. Most mosquitoes are most active at dusk and dawn and rest during the day to escape the heat and sun.

Mosquitoes are outdoor pests. Examples of places where mosquitoes develop large populations include at the edges of lakes or ponds, in densely wooded areas, and in fields or meadows.

In our yards, mosquitoes congregate around their breeding sites. Items that collect water and attract mosquitoes include:

• Buckets and wading pools
• Kids toys
• Trash cans and recycling bins
• Flower pots and planters
• Low-lying areas and drainage ditches
• Clogged gutters

Control mosquitoes and take back your home with Epcon Lane's help and implement the following prevention tips:

• Dump out any water that collects in containers and store containers upside down when not being used.
• Keep your kid's toys in the garage or shed when they aren't using them.
• Regularly empty wading pools.
• Keep lids on trash cans and recycling bins.
• Make sure to keep gutters and downspouts free of debris.
• Fill in low spots in your yard that will allow puddles to form.
• Clear out overgrown vegetation and keep your lawn cut short to reduce resting spots for mosquitoes on your property.

Learn more about our home pest control and commercial pest control solutions.

Both fleas and ticks can spread diseases to people and our pets that cause serious illness, with the spread of disease by ticks being a huge concern in the United States. Ticks spread diseases like Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and tularemia.

While fleas spread some diseases, the more significant concern is the allergic reactions that these pests cause. Most people and animals are allergic to their saliva and develop red itchy rashes after being bitten. Scratching at the bites can result in secondary infections. Another big concern with fleas is their ability to spread parasitic tapeworm to both people and animals.

Fleas and ticks are disease-spreading, biting, problematic pests that should never be allowed to live in our yards or homes for any period. Partnering with professionals and implementing regular pest control services is the best way to keep these pests at bay and from overtaking our Northeast Ohio properties.

There are many different ways that fleas and ticks can find their way into your yard and eventually your home.

• Wild animals passing through your yard will introduce these parasites onto your property.
• Things like bird feeders, open trash cans, and garden areas can attract animals to a yard.
• When you, your kids, or pets spend time in your yard where ticks and fleas live, it is easy to come into contact with these pests and introduce them into your house.
• Fleas often move from place to place by hitchhiking on things like rugs, upholstered furniture, and linens.
• Rodents and other wild animals that move into your home to nest will bring fleas and ticks with them.

Fleas and ticks are mainly outdoor pests and spend most of their lives on the back of an animal host. While fleas will bite people and feed on our blood, we are not their preferred host; they prefer an animal host. New adults will jump onto a passing animal and remain on that host for their life, breeding and feeding. Flea eggs will fall off the animal host onto the ground, where they will develop into new biting adults.

Outside, you will find fleas in dark, damp areas like tall grass, under leaf piles or woodpiles, and in shady areas under shrubs and decks. Inside our homes, you may find fleas in upholstered furniture, rugs, linens, and the cracks of floors.

Ticks have a much longer lifespan than fleas and have a four-stage life cycle. At each of their life stages, they require a different host. When ready to feed, the ticks will crawl to the top of pieces of grass or other vegetation and wait for a host to brush past them they can attach themselves to and begin feeding. Some of the most common places to come into contact with ticks are wooded areas, fields, walking trails, parks, and the edges of ponds or lakes. In our yards, ticks will hang out in tall grass, under leaf piles, and around woodpiles.

Ticks are rarely an issue inside as most are unable to complete their life cycle indoors. If you find a tick in your home, it is usually because it came inside on you or a pet and fell off after it finished feeding.

Eliminate fleas and ticks and take back your home with the help of Epcon Lane and by implementing the following prevention tips.

• Prevent your pets from wandering into areas covered in fleas and ticks by placing a fence around your property.
• Regularly inspect your pets and kids for ticks and fleas after spending time outside.
• When walking on wooded trails, always stay at the center of the path. 
• Stop wild animals and rodents from wanting to be in your yard by placing lids on trash cans, maintaining gardens, and removing bird feeders.
• Keep the grass in your yard cut short. Cut back weeds and tall grass from your foundation, deck steps, walkways, and porches.
• Inside, vacuum areas where your pets spend most of their time.

Learn more about our home pest control and commercial pest control solutions.

You may have developed a cockroach problem for one of three reasons:

1. There are easily exploitable entry points around the house. These openings may include cracks around doors, gaps in windows, or even splits around concrete foundations.
2. There is a large amount of food sitting inside or outside the house. Food can take the form of leftovers, scraps, trash, or even unturned compost piles.
3. There is a considerable amount of humidity inside the home. Humidity can significantly impact the amount of pest breeding that goes on for roaches and many other insect species.

Even if you have not set out to attract cockroaches, some of your home's internal factors could be contributing to their growing populations.

In the wild, cockroaches prefer to hang around refuse piles, fallen leaves, or other dead organic material. If given the opportunity, they would choose to stay in areas that receive little human attention.

Indoors, you may find cockroaches in almost any location, with a special emphasis on bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms, and pantries. The vast majority of species prefer to hide in dark, damp, cluttered spaces that see infrequent activity.

Many homeowners use DIY cockroach prevention steps to keep pests far away from the inside of their homes. However, these steps do not account for previously established infestations. Cockroach problems are rarely solved with home remedies alone. Should there be an infestation near your home, you may need to consider more professional options.

The highly qualified team at Epcon Lane Pest Control has everything you need to eliminate cockroach problems in your home, business, or neighborhood. Serving the people of Akron and throughout various pest control service areas in Northeast Ohio since 1945, we can address any cockroach species using our professional-strength treatment methods. Call today to learn more about cockroach treatment from Epcon Lane Pest Control.

Keep dangerous pests like German, American, oriental, and wood cockroaches out of the house by following these helpful tips: 

• Store all garbage in its proper location. Waste items should be immediately thrown away and kept off the counters. 
• Wash dirty dishes as frequently as possible. If you cannot wash them by hand, consider running them in the dishwasher using a heat dry function. 
• Perform a deep clean of the home to ensure that attractant factors for cockroach species remain low. For additional cockroach inspections, reach out to Epcon Lane Pest Control.

Learn more about our home pest control and commercial pest control solutions.

Despite their small size and ability to be easily squished, ants can be dangerous. Carpenter ants are a dangerous species, not because they harm people but because they cause harm to our properties. When carpenter ants choose to nest within wooden structures on our property or within our homes, their tunnels and nesting galleries will cause expensive damage.

Many ants like pavement ants and odorous house ants are pretty much just nuisance ants, they don't bite or sting or cause structural damage, but they are still unwanted. Ants, no matter the species, carry and spread bacteria from their bodies and legs. When moving in and out of our homes, ants will contaminate surfaces, food, and dishes with pathogens that can make us ill.

No matter whether ants are dangerous or not, they are never welcome in our yards and homes. These opportunistic pests take over indoor and outdoor spaces and require a professional's experience to ensure that they are completely eliminated and won't return.

There are many reasons why ants could have become a problem on your Ohio property. Some of the most common are listed below.

• There is moist or decaying wood on your property or in your home that is attracting ants. 
• An ant's keen sense of smell has alerted them to food sources in your yard or inside your home.
• They have discovered the tiniest of openings leading into your house. Ants move inside to escape unsuitable weather, to forage for food, or to nest.

You will see ants living in many different places in our yards and homes, depending on their species and exact needs.

Outside, carpenter ants nest in damp or decaying logs, fallen trees, tree stumps, or woodpiles. Inside our homes, carpenter ants that decide to stay, nest in structural wood near leaking pipes or in poorly ventilated areas.

The pavement ant's name gives away where they prefer to nest. These ants are most commonly found nesting in the damp soil found in the cracks of or next to sidewalks, driveways, foundations, and masonry walls. If they have moved inside to nest, they typically like to place their nests in spaces they find behind walls or under floors.

Odorous house ants prefer to nest near areas of moisture behind wall voids or in crawl spaces. Wood that termites or other wood-damaging insects have previously damaged is another popular nesting spot for these small ants. Outside, odorous house ants build nests in decaying logs, woodpiles, tree stumps, and under mulch or landscaping ties.

Eliminate ants and take back your home with the help of Epcon Lane and by implementing the following prevention tips.

• Eliminate sources of moisture by making sure to repair leaky pipes and clogged gutters and utilize dehumidifiers.
• Get rid of their easy access to food by keeping lids on trash cans, picking up fallen fruits and vegetables from gardens, and picking up uneaten pet food. 
• Keep your home's kitchen free of food debris by regularly wiping down counters and tables and sweeping and mopping the floors.
• Seal entry points into your home by sealing spaces in the foundation and areas around wires and pipes Also, install door sweeps and weatherstripping. 
• Remove tree stumps, fallen trees, and brush piles from your yard where ants can nest.

Learn more about our home pest control and commercial pest control solutions.