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Offline BEG

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Pest control question
« on: February 28, 2012, 04:19:31 PM »
A pest guy came today. First I want to state that when I scheduled the pest company I told them we have not seen any pests yet and when the pest guy came he asked me specifically if we have seen anything.  I told him we haven't. 

As he was spraying inside the house I walked in to our bathroom and he was looking in my husband's medicine cabinet.  Do pest guys do that?  It struck me as strange and the first thing that came to my mind is that he was looking for prescription drugs.  I asked him if he saw something in there and he quickly shut the door as if I suprised him and said he was looking for these really small black ants which he said he could see no sign of.

He was a strange guy in his 20's. He showed me pictures of his trip to the zoo and also pictures of his girlfriend (who looked like a DUmmie) on his phone.  He acted like he didn't want to leave when he was finished. He stood in my kitchen, sweat dripping from his forhead all over my counter just staring at me.  He was really strange.

Is it odd that he was looking in our medicine cabinet?
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Offline Texacon

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Re: Pest control question
« Reply #1 on: February 28, 2012, 04:22:40 PM »
Quote from: BEG on February 28, 2012, 04:19:31 PM

Is it odd that he was looking in our medicine cabinet?

I was the manager for a Terminix branch for 3 years.  Yes, it is odd that he was looking in your medicine cabinet.  Unless there was some sign of Pharaoh ants AND they were trailing back to your medicine cabinet there is absolutely NO reason to look in there.

KC
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Offline rich_t

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Re: Pest control question
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2012, 04:23:53 PM »
I'd call the pest control company and tel them your concerns.
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Offline BEG

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Re: Pest control question
« Reply #3 on: February 28, 2012, 04:29:32 PM »
Quote from: Texacon on February 28, 2012, 04:22:40 PM
I was the manager for a Terminix branch for 3 years.  Yes, it is odd that he was looking in your medicine cabinet.  Unless there was some sign of Pharaoh ants AND they were trailing back to your medicine cabinet there is absolutely NO reason to look in there.

KC

There are no signs of pests in our house. Do pest control companies do background checks on these guys?
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Offline Texacon

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Re: Pest control question
« Reply #4 on: February 28, 2012, 04:54:48 PM »
Quote from: BEG on February 28, 2012, 04:29:32 PM
There are no signs of pests in our house. Do pest control companies do background checks on these guys?

Not all of them and even then you never know.  Terminix did background checks.  Thorough background checks.  Mine took several weeks but mostly because I was an iron worker before hiring on with them and I had been in 15 states in the prior 5 years and they checked all of them.

Now the caveat.  I had a termite treater I hired who passed the background checks.  One day I got a call from a woman who said she wasn't going to let him into her house and I asked her why.  She said she didn't want a felon in her home.  I laughed and said "Oh, you don't have to worry about that, we do thorough background checks on our employees before they are hired and it is company policy not to hire felons."

She said "Then you messed up because this guy is a felon."  I asked how she could possibly know that.  She said, "Because I'm his parole officer."

I had to pick my chin up off the floor.  I called my regional manager who did an investigation.  The company they used simply missed his record.  He was fired on the spot of course but it just showed that mistakes can be made.

KC
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Offline FreeBorn

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Re: Pest control question
« Reply #5 on: February 28, 2012, 04:55:55 PM »
Seems like he was a shade less than professional. Yes, pest control people do have to have a look around for evidence of insect activity but this is usually focused on the floors, around the edges, in the duct work, etc.

In the medicine cabinet? That raises red flags with me. They do have to be thorough so there may be nothing to it. I certainly don't want to rattle your cage Beg but my law enforcement relatives tell me the vast majority of burglaries are committed by those who have been in your house and had a look around. Also very common for a third party to be the perpetrator, i.e. the babysitter's boyfriend after she has had plenty of time to poke around while you are gone and tells him all about it.

If it really bothers you then don't hesitate to speak to his company. You can also do your own background check on him online but you will have to pay for the service and you will need to know his name. Talk to your local PD as well and explain what happened. They may be familiar with him.
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Offline cmypay

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Re: Pest control question
« Reply #6 on: February 28, 2012, 05:26:19 PM »
We've had the same pest control company for 4 years now, though many different techs. I've never had one look in any cabinets except those close to the floor. The techs also don't come into the house unless I specifically tell them I've seen a problem, or, once, when they noticed ants climbing up the side of the house and wanted to make sure they weren't coming in. I'd put a call into the company and talk to the manager.
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Offline DixieBelle

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Re: Pest control question
« Reply #7 on: February 28, 2012, 06:29:33 PM »
We have Terminex service but the only treat the exterior. We also live in a townhome so I don't know if that makes a difference.

Call the service and ask for him never to come back.
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Offline obumazombie

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Re: Pest control question
« Reply #8 on: February 28, 2012, 08:55:49 PM »
I will look up "Pharaoh Ant". But in case I get shunted to a porn site, what is it ?
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Offline IassaFTots

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Re: Pest control question
« Reply #9 on: February 28, 2012, 09:10:31 PM »
Quote from: obumazombie on February 28, 2012, 08:55:49 PM
I will look up "Pharaoh Ant". But in case I get shunted to a porn site, what is it ?

It's an itty bitty insidious lil F-er that comes with a brazillion of it's friends. 

BEG, if you didn't have pests, why have a pest company come out???
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Offline CG6468

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Re: Pest control question
« Reply #10 on: February 28, 2012, 09:30:18 PM »
Playing devil's advocate here, maybe the area in which BEG lives has problems with bugs in the walls getting into the medicine cabinets.

However, he should have told BEG the reasons he would check before doing so.

A call to the company should solve any problems and answer any questions.
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Offline BEG

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Re: Pest control question
« Reply #11 on: February 28, 2012, 09:36:38 PM »
Quote from: IassaFTots on February 28, 2012, 09:10:31 PM
It's an itty bitty insidious lil F-er that comes with a brazillion of it's friends. 

BEG, if you didn't have pests, why have a pest company come out???

To prevent them from coming. Scorpion season is just about to start and they are still building in our neighborhood which brings them out.
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Offline BEG

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Re: Pest control question
« Reply #12 on: February 28, 2012, 09:39:43 PM »
Quote from: CG6468 on February 28, 2012, 09:30:18 PM
Playing devil's advocate here, maybe the area in which BEG lives has problems with bugs in the walls getting into the medicine cabinets.

However, he should have told BEG the reasons he would check before doing so.

A call to the company should solve any problems and answer any questions.

I have never heard of that but maybe if someone is a pig and gets toothpaste all over the medicine cabinet it would attract pests.

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Offline IassaFTots

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Re: Pest control question
« Reply #13 on: February 28, 2012, 09:52:31 PM »
Quote from: BEG on February 28, 2012, 09:36:38 PM
To prevent them from coming. Scorpion season is just about to start and they are still building in our neighborhood which brings them out.

True that.  Moved to a new neighborhood in Arlington back in the 80's, and we had tons of scorpions. 
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Offline obumazombie

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Re: Pest control question
« Reply #14 on: February 28, 2012, 10:09:23 PM »
Quote from: IassaFTots on February 28, 2012, 09:52:31 PM
True that.  Moved to a new neighborhood in Arlington back in the 80's, and we had tons of scorpions. 
I bet a ton of Pharaoh ants weighs more. By the way I was successful in my search for "Pharaoh ants", but thanks for the description.
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Offline Texacon

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Re: Pest control question
« Reply #15 on: February 29, 2012, 10:05:00 AM »
Quote from: obumazombie on February 28, 2012, 08:55:49 PM
I will look up "Pharaoh Ant". But in case I get shunted to a porn site, what is it ?

Lots of people call them sugar ants or piss ants.  They are actually pretty interesting.  I don't know how much research you did but they only eat 2 things.  Sugar or protein.  What's interesting about it is they only eat ONE of those and you don't know which one the colony is going for.

What we would do if we went to a home that had pharaoh ants was put out 2 small plates close to where they were trailing.  One of them we would put mint jelly on and the other one we would put some ham or bacon on.

In just a few minutes literally all of the ants would be on one plate or the other depending on which home you were in.  Once we knew if they were going for the sugar or the protein we would put out the appropriate bait.

You don't want to EVER spray those ants.  If you think you have a problem with pharaoh ants just spray them with something that kills them on the spot then wait about 2 months.  You will have more ants than you've ever had.  The more you kill them like that the worse the problem will become.

Sorry to highjack but I always found that interesting.

KC
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Offline obumazombie

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Re: Pest control question
« Reply #16 on: February 29, 2012, 12:42:44 PM »
I found your post quite interesting myself. I will also be interested to see if and how much the thread has been derailed.
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Offline IassaFTots

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Re: Pest control question
« Reply #17 on: February 29, 2012, 02:12:58 PM »
Quote from: Texacon on February 29, 2012, 10:05:00 AM
Lots of people call them sugar ants or piss ants.  They are actually pretty interesting.  I don't know how much research you did but they only eat 2 things.  Sugar or protein.  What's interesting about it is they only eat ONE of those and you don't know which one the colony is going for.

What we would do if we went to a home that had pharaoh ants was put out 2 small plates close to where they were trailing.  One of them we would put mint jelly on and the other one we would put some ham or bacon on.

In just a few minutes literally all of the ants would be on one plate or the other depending on which home you were in.  Once we knew if they were going for the sugar or the protein we would put out the appropriate bait.

You don't want to EVER spray those ants.  If you think you have a problem with pharaoh ants just spray them with something that kills them on the spot then wait about 2 months.  You will have more ants than you've ever had.  The more you kill them like that the worse the problem will become.

Sorry to highjack but I always found that interesting.

KC

Derailing.  Haven't had em in years, knock wood, but if spray doesn't work, what do I do?  I have been putting DE around my house, it seems to do a pretty good job.  No bugs inside for 2 years!
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Offline Texacon

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Re: Pest control question
« Reply #18 on: February 29, 2012, 02:21:19 PM »
Quote from: IassaFTots on February 29, 2012, 02:12:58 PM

Derailing.  Haven't had em in years, knock wood, but if spray doesn't work, what do I do?  I have been putting DE around my house, it seems to do a pretty good job.  No bugs inside for 2 years!

Iassa, you have to bait for pharaoh ants.  If they are trailing where your food is and you simply can't stand to wait for the baits to take effect then you wipe them up with a wet papertowel and spray the trail with 409 to kill the pheromone.

Those ants have 'standby' queens.  If you kill some of the ants that are trailing they put out the pheromone that tells the queen the colony is being wiped out.  She tells the standby queen to make a new colony because this one is being wiped out.  In essence the colony splits.

You have to put out baits and you have to get it close to the colony because if the ants die prematurely then ... the colony splits.

If you ever see a really bad infestation of those things you will be shocked.  I had a customer back in the day that simply couldn't stand to wait for the baits to work and was constantly spraying them with Raid.  There were ants in every single room of the home due to that.  It started out in the kitchen and spread from there.

KC
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Offline IassaFTots

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Re: Pest control question
« Reply #19 on: February 29, 2012, 02:25:19 PM »
Quote from: Texacon on February 29, 2012, 02:21:19 PM
Iassa, you have to bait for pharaoh ants.  If they are trailing where your food is and you simply can't stand to wait for the baits to take effect then you wipe them up with a wet papertowel and spray the trail with 409 to kill the pheromone.

Those ants have 'standby' queens.  If you kill some of the ants that are trailing they put out the pheromone that tells the queen the colony is being wiped out.  She tells the standby queen to make a new colony because this one is being wiped out.  In essence the colony splits.

You have to put out baits and you have to get it close to the colony because if the ants die prematurely then ... the colony splits.

If you ever see a really bad infestation of those things you will be shocked.  I had a customer back in the day that simply couldn't stand to wait for the baits to work and was constantly spraying them with Raid.  There were ants in every single room of the home due to that.  It started out in the kitchen and spread from there.

KC

That explains a lot.  A long while ago I had an infestation in my kitchen, I was young, the internets didn't exist.  I sprayed em down, and a day or so later had them all in my closet, under my bed, and everywhere! 

Thanks!
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Offline Texacon

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Re: Pest control question
« Reply #20 on: February 29, 2012, 02:32:41 PM »
Well, if you ever get them again you can buy pharaoh ant baits at just about any store.  Make sure the label says pharaoh ants though.  Those are formulated to kill a little slower to give the ant time to get back to the colony.

KC
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Offline debk

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Re: Pest control question
« Reply #21 on: February 29, 2012, 02:37:11 PM »
I would have already called the pest company before I posed the question here.

I had monthly pest treatments for years, when I had dogs. Never, ever did he look in any of my cabinets unless I specifically asked him to. Nor would he have, even without reason, unless he asked first.

The guy I had for years, quit the company, and as I had no reason to quit the services of the company, I stayed with them. Until a couple of months later, when they sent out a guy that just gave me the creeps for some reason. Wasn't really anything specific that he did, it was more the way he looked at me and the "too personal"
questions. I called the company after he left, was told that he was the only tech that would be servicing the area that I lived in. Basically, to just deal with him. I told them that I would no longer be needing their service.

Found the guy who had been my tech for several years, and called his new company and hired them.

I am not going to pay someone to creep me out.
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Offline Eupher

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Re: Pest control question
« Reply #22 on: February 29, 2012, 03:20:40 PM »
BEG, let me echo the recommendations of those who said to call the company AND THE COPS and start asking questions. If the cops will let you, file a preliminary report (not sure if that's doable -- I just made it up) on the critter.

You gotta trust your spidey-sense. If you're thinking he's weird, he probably is -- especially if he's nosing around your medicine cabinet.
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Offline BEG

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Re: Pest control question
« Reply #23 on: February 29, 2012, 05:38:13 PM »
Quote from: Eupher on February 29, 2012, 03:20:40 PM
BEG, let me echo the recommendations of those who said to call the company AND THE COPS and start asking questions. If the cops will let you, file a preliminary report (not sure if that's doable -- I just made it up) on the critter.

You gotta trust your spidey-sense. If you're thinking he's weird, he probably is -- especially if he's nosing around your medicine cabinet.


Ok, I'll call. I know I should go with my instincts but what if I'm wrong and I get the guy fired?  
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Offline Texacon

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Re: Pest control question
« Reply #24 on: February 29, 2012, 05:42:45 PM »
Quote from: BEG on February 29, 2012, 05:38:13 PM
Ok, I'll call. I know I should go with my instincts but what if I'm wrong and I get the guy fired?  

What if you're right and he's a DUmmie stealing people's meds?

KC
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