Memorial Day

On February 2, 2016   /   Blog  
Memorial Day

Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day is a time to celebrate and remember our veterans that gave their lives fighting for our country. Rapid Pest Solutions honors all who have served, past and present.

Memorial+Day.jpgMemorial+Day Our heroes

There are many ways people choose to celebrate the day. There are parades and memorial services to honor our fallen heroes. There are also cookouts and BBQ’s with family and friends to celebrate the freedom that we have. A freedom that is due to our soldiers.

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While participating in these outdoor activities you may find yourself having a run in with ants, mosquitoes, bees and other stinging insects. Let’s list some things you can do to limit the number of issues you have with these pests.

  • Set up a fan facing the area where you will be sitting. The breeze from the fan is enough to make it difficult for flying insects to get near you.
  • Stay away from heavy perfumes and other scents. These sweet smells will attract the stinging insects.
  • Keep your drinks covered. That will keep bugs from being attracted to what is inside. At the very least, drink from a clear cup or bottle. That way you can see what is inside and not take an accidental swig from a beverage with a bee or wasp in it!
  • Garbage cans should be kept at a distance from the area where you are sitting.
  • Light some candles. Smoke repels mosquitoes and flies and the candles will look pretty at the same time.
  • Have a separate food table for the bugs. Yes, you read that right. Give the bugs there own food table. Put watermelon rinds, over ripe fruit or colored sugar water on a table away from your serving and eating areas.

TRAVEL CONCERNS WITH BED BUGS

Another pest concern that you may not associate with the holiday weekend is bed bugs. Why, you ask? Many people travel for the holiday, staying with friends and family or in hotels. Bed bugs are hitchhikers. You could pick them up on your travels and bring them back to your own home. Be vigilant while traveling, inspect your sleeping area.

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Rapid Pest Solutions is here for any pest problems you may have, and any uninvited guests that made the journey home with you too. Contact us for questions, information, pricing and more.

You may be looking for a fun activity for the family. Why not try the Field Museum in Chicago? They have a great underground bug adventure. Check it out here!!!  http://www.fieldmuseum.org/happening/exhibits/underground-adventure

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How To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs

On February 2, 2016   /   Blog  
How To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs

HOW TO GET RID OF BED BUGS

You have determined that yes, you do in fact have bed bugs. Now what? You have a couple of choices. There are two ways to get rid of bed bugs in your home. One is Thermal Remediation, also known as a heat treatment. The other is a Traditional Treatment, which uses chemicals to kill the bed bugs. Let’s break it down.

Thermal+Remediation.jpgThermal+Remediation Thermal Remediation Equipment

Thermal Remediation – This involves heating up the entire house to a minimum of 130 degrees. Within approximately 45 minutes the live bed bugs will be killed. However, the minimum temperature must be maintained for at least 3 hours to ensure that all the eggs are killed too. A heat treatment does require some prep work.  Most items can be left in the home but you will want to remove anything that could melt at that temperature and of course no pets or humans can be inside during the treatment.

Bed+Bug+Temperature+Guide.jpgBed+Bug+Temperature+Guide Bed Bug Temperature Guide

Traditional Treatment – This treatment uses a combination of spray and dust to eradicate the bed bug population. The insecticide is used on the bedding, furniture, baseboards, closets, windows, etc. The preparation for this type of treatment is extensive. It requires that all bedding be removed as well as removing all clothing from the infested room. These items need to be placed into heavy duty plastic bags until they can be laundered and placed in a dryer on high heat for a minimum of half an hour.

A pest exterminator can do either of these treatments for you, and will sometimes offer a combination of the two. Keep in mind that a heat treatment is fairly expensive and can start around $1000. Chemical treatments will usually start around $500 – $600. Ask what type of warranty, if any, you can expect with each treatment.

You can buy mattress, box-spring and pillow encasement’s. These fit over your bedding and do not allow bed bugs in or out. A bed bug can lay dormant for up to 18 months without feeding. Using the encasement’s will keep them locked in and unable to bite. Rapid Pest Solutions has these encasement’s in stock for all sizes of bedding.

Some people may want to try and get rid of the problem themselves, especially due to the high cost. Rapid Pest Solutions offers a retail section in store that sells bed bug kits with the items you need to do a bed bug treatment yourself. The key to being successful is being thorough. You have a greater chance of success, both on your own and with a pest control expert, if you’re sure to follow the prep list given to you and if you’re doing it on your own, follow the instructions on the pesticides to the letter.

Bed+Bugs+On+A+Mattress.jpgBed+Bugs+On+A+Mattress Bed Bugs Along A Mattress Seam

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Do I Have Bed Bugs?

On February 2, 2016   /   Blog  
Do I Have Bed Bugs?

Do I Have Bed Bugs? How to Spot, Prevent, and Deal With a Bed Bug Infestation

We’ve all heard the bedtime rhyme: “Good night, sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite.” As children, we probably giggled or rolled our eyes. But as adults, especially today, those words carry a little more weight—and for good reason. Bed bug infestations have surged across the U.S. since the late 1990s, and they’re more than just a minor nuisance. If you’re waking up with itchy bites or suspicious marks on your bedding, you may find yourself asking, Do I have bed bugs?

At Rapid Pest Solutions, we help homeowners and businesses identify and eliminate bed bug problems quickly and effectively. Since Chicago is consistently ranked as one of the top cities for bed bug activity, knowing how to spot early signs of an infestation is more important than ever.

Let’s break down what you need to know—from identifying bed bugs to preventing them from invading your space.

What Do Bed Bugs Look Like?

Recognizing a bed bug is the first step in stopping an infestation. Here’s how to identify these tiny pests:

✅ Color

  • Unfed adults: Mahogany or rusty brown.
  • Fed adults: Reddish-brown, darker due to a recent blood meal.
  • Nymphs (juveniles): Almost colorless when they hatch, turning light brown as they mature.

✅ Shape

  • Unfed bed bugs are flat and oval-shaped, often compared to the shape of an apple seed or shield.
  • Once they’ve fed, they appear swollen and more elongated.

✅ Size

  • Adult bed bugs grow to about 1/4 inch in length.
  • Nymphs range from 1.3 mm to 5 mm as they go through various growth stages.

✅ Feeding Behavior

  • Bed bugs are nocturnal, most active at night while you sleep.
  • They’re attracted to the carbon dioxide we exhale and will typically bite exposed skin.
  • Though they prefer humans, bed bugs will feed on any warm-blooded host if necessary.

Bed Bug Facts You Should Know

  • Bed bugs are not seasonal, but infestations tend to spike in the summer months due to increased travel.
  • They don’t discriminate—luxury hotel or budget motel, clean home or cluttered apartment, anyone can bring bed bugs home.
  • Bed bugs are excellent hitchhikers and can travel via luggage, backpacks, clothing, or even furniture.
  • Contrary to popular belief, bed bugs are not a sign of poor hygiene. They seek warmth and blood, not filth.

How to Prevent Bed Bugs When Traveling

Travel is one of the easiest ways to accidentally bring bed bugs into your home. Use these prevention tips to protect yourself:

  1. Keep your luggage off the floor. Use a luggage rack in hotel rooms instead of placing bags on carpets or beds.
  2. Avoid hotel dressers. Don’t store clothing in drawers—keep your items in your suitcase.
  3. Inspect the bed. Pull back sheets and look along mattress seams and box springs for signs of bed bugs: small reddish stains, shed skins, or actual bugs.
  4. Unpack smart. When you return home, immediately place your clothes (even unworn items) in the dryer on high heat for at least 30 minutes. Heat kills bed bugs at all life stages.

Signs You Might Have Bed Bugs

So, how do you know if your home has been invaded? Look for these common signs:

  • Bites: Red, itchy bites that often appear in a line or cluster.
  • Blood stains: Small, rusty spots on sheets or mattresses.
  • Shed skins: As bed bugs grow, they shed their outer shells.
  • Fecal spots: Tiny dark spots on mattresses, walls, or furniture.
  • Musty odor: A strong, unpleasant smell in rooms with heavy infestations.

If you’ve noticed any of these signs, don’t panic—but don’t wait either.

What to Do if You Suspect a Bed Bug Infestation

Because of their small size and resistance to many DIY treatments, bed bugs are notoriously difficult to eliminate without professional help. If you suspect bed bugs are in your home or business:

  • Do not try to treat the problem with over-the-counter sprays. These often just spread the bugs further.
  • Do not move items from one room to another. This can cause the infestation to spread.
  • Contact a certified pest control expert like Rapid Pest Solutions. We offer bed bug inspections, heat treatments, chemical treatments, and ongoing monitoring to ensure your home is bed bug-free.

Why Choose Rapid Pest Solutions?

At Rapid Pest Solutions, we know how stressful a bed bug problem can be. That’s why we provide fast, discreet, and effective bed bug treatments throughout the greater Chicago area. Whether you’re dealing with a small issue or a full-blown infestation, we’ll help restore your peace of mind with customized treatment plans and guaranteed results.

Get Peace of Mind – Contact Rapid Pest Solutions Today

Bed bugs don’t go away on their own—and the longer you wait, the worse the problem can become. If you’re concerned you might have bed bugs, don’t hesitate to reach out. Our expert technicians can inspect your space, identify the issue, and walk you through your best treatment options.

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Arachnophobia – It’s Not Just A Movie

On February 2, 2016   /   Blog  
Arachnophobia – It’s Not Just A Movie

Arachnophobia – the fear of spiders.

An estimated 9 million American adults have a fear of spiders. I know I do! Of all the bugs and insects out there, spiders scare me the most by far. Just looking at a picture of a spider causes my anxiety to kick in. (writing this blog is causing some major spider related stress!) Strangely enough, even some entomologists fear spiders. American Entomologist published a paper in which they surveyed 41 entomologists that willingly admitted to having some aversion to spiders. One participant was quoted as saying “I would rather pick up a handful of maggots than have to get close enough to a spider to kill it.” Some people said their quick, jerky movements were the reason that spiders freaked them out. That may be part of it but for me it’s those eyes. UGH!

You can read the full article here.

Spider+Eyes.jpgSpider+Eyes

Believe it or not there are some positive things about spiders, I promise! Below are some of the ways that spiders can actually help indoors.

  • Spiders eat pests. They feed on earwigs, mosquitoes, flies and more. If left to their own devices in your home, they will actually provide pest control for you.
  • Spiders kill other spiders. When spiders encounter one another it usually results in a fight with the winner eating the loser. You may see a shift from several smaller spiders to fewer larger ones. While that may not seem like a positive, the larger cellar spiders are known to kill black widows. That makes them a friend in my book.
  • Spiders help stop the spread of disease. Spiders eat the other pests that can transmit disease to humans. These include mosquitoes, roaches and flies.

Cellar+Spider.jpgCellar+Spider

Even though I have listed some positive things that spiders can do most of us still want to keep them out of our homes. Here are some things you can do to control spiders.

  • Caulk and block points of entry. This will stop spiders as well as their food sources from entering in the first place.
  • Keep debris, plants and mulch from touching your homes structure.
  • Store things in plastic tubs with tight lids. Cardboard boxes attract pests which in turn attract spiders.
  • Store firewood outdoors and away from the home.
  • Use a residual insecticide around the perimeter of your home and around doors and windows.

If you are having a problem with spiders Rapid Pest Solutions can help. And remember, no matter what, be thankful that we don’t have to deal with the Camel Spider! YIKES!

Camel+Spider.jpgCamel+Spider

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An Introduction To Ants

On February 2, 2016   /   Blog  
An Introduction To Ants

If ants are such busy creatures, how do they find time to go to all the picnics?

The nice weather is finally here and we will be spending more time outside. It seems as if ants are everywhere, even inside our homes! The truth is, the ant population peaks in the late spring/early summer. Increased rain in the spring will drive ants to the top of the soil. This may make it seem as if ants are strictly out to ruin our fun in the sun. Keep in mind that ants are the most common pest problem that we have here in our area and in the Midwest in general.

ant basket

There are many species of ants. Let’s take a look at a few of the types of ants that you may see.

  • The most common type of ant in the United States is the Carpenter Ant. These are large and black. The swarming ants will have wings and can look pretty intimidating – they shouldn’t be. Swarming ants or ‘flying ants’ are just regular old ants that are going out to mate.
  •  Another type of ant common to this area is the Pavement Ant. As its name suggests, it is found outdoors, mostly under stones, slabs and sidewalks. They are small with dark colored bodies and light colored legs.
  •  Then we have the Odorous House Ant. Doesn’t sound good, does it? Well, it’s not quite as bad as you may be thinking. These ants are small and dark brown and luckily, despite the name, are only occasionally found in the home. You will find these little guys throughout the U.S. The name comes from the smell that is emitted when they are crushed. (Some say it smells like rotten coconuts.)

For more information on ants and the different types you may see, check out this link. It includes pictures and descriptions.

FUN FACT

ant candy

Now you have an idea of the types of ants you may run into this season. If these pests become a problem in or around your home, contact Rapid Pest Solutions. We can help with ants and other pests as well!

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10 Insightful Quotes About Insects

On February 2, 2016   /   Blog  
10 Insightful Quotes About Insects

INSIGHTFUL QUOTES ABOUT INSECTS

We often take the good things insects do for granted. They offer insights into aging and lifespan, we study their navigational abilities and they provide pollination, food to other animals and birds, control weeds and recycle waste. Read on for some funny, beautiful and inspirational quotes about insects.

butterflies+are+flowers.jpgbutterflies+are+flowers

My 10th Sonata is a sonata of insects. Insects are born from the sun… they are the sun’s kisses. Alexander Scriabin – Russian composer and pianist 1872 – 1915

Insects are my secret fear. That’s what terrifies me more than anything – insects. Michael O’Donoghue – Writer and performer 1940 – 1994

In a broader sense, the rhythms of nature, large and small – the sounds of wind and water, the sounds of birds and insects – must inevitably find their analogues in music. George Crumb – American composer 1929 –

If we were to wipe out insects alone on this planet, the rest of life and humanity with it would mostly disappear from the land. Within a few months. E. O. Wilson – American biologist and researcher 1929 –

Ants are the dominant insects of the world, and they’ve had a great impact on habitats almost all over the land surface of the world for more than 50-million years. E. O. Wilson – American biologist and researcher 1929 –

I never kill insects. If I see ants or spiders in the room, I pick them up and take them outside. Karma is everything. Holly Valance – Australian actress, singer, model 1983 –

If all mankind were to disappear, the world would regenerate back to the rich state of equilibrium that existed ten thousand years ago. If insects were to vanish, the environment would collapse into chaos. E. O. Wilson – American biologist and researcher 1929 –

We hope that, when the insects take over the world, they will remember with gratitude how we took them along on all our picnics. Bill Vaughan – American journalist 1915-1977

I don’t care how small or big they are, insects freak me out. Alexander Wang – Fashion designer 1983 –

There are, as is known, insects that die in the moment of fertilization. So it is with all joy: life’s highest, most splendid moment of enjoyment is accompanied by death. Soren Kierkegaard – Danish philosopher, poet and social critic 1813 – 1855

vintage+insect+ad.jpgvintage+insect+ad

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Will Cockroaches Ever Rule The World?

On February 2, 2016   /   Blog  
Will Cockroaches Ever Rule The World?

It seems that people debate this a lot. Well, maybe not this exact question….but it is often said that cockroaches would be the only thing to survive a nuclear war. They will ‘inherit the earth’, as they say. This idea may not be far off. Cockroaches have survived 350 million years, evolving the entire time and they continue to evolve and adapt today. They are developing the ability to subvert our continued efforts to get rid of them by poisoning. Cockroaches are showing an amazing ability to adapt to rapid change.

roaches1

Where originally pest control technicians would go into a home and spray a liquid pesticide in the living and eating areas, they began using a bait in the late ’90’s. This bait was glucose based. At first it was thought that the roaches were developing a resistance to the poison itself. It has since been found that they actually altered their internal chemistry to not favor sweetness. The small hairs on their bodies that sense bitter and sweet began sending the message for bitterness when they came in contact with a sweet substance. Thus allowing them to avoid the glucose based bait that the pest control industry was using.

MIB+Cockroach.jpgMIB+Cockroach

This is not to say that the human race will ever encounter MIB style cockroaches, like above, but it does say a lot about the cockroaches ability to adapt to an ever changing environment.

More information is available here.

If you suspect that you have a problem with cockroaches, we can help. From identification, to treatment, to prevention, Rapid Pest Solutions is the answer. Contact us today by filling out this form – or give us a call. 219.836.5066

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YouTube Channel For Rapid Pest Solutions

On February 2, 2016   /   Blog  
YouTube Channel For Rapid Pest Solutions

Rapid Pest Solutions now has a YouTube channel. We will be using this channel to provide you with how-to information, pest identification, entertainment and more. We have posted our intro video and you can check it out here visit here.

Send us your feedback. Comment on what we post or send us ideas of things you would like to see. This channel isn’t just for us – it’s for you, too.

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Small Bite, Big Threat

On February 2, 2016   /   Blog  
Small Bite, Big Threat

The World Health Organization has named April 7, 2014 as World Health Day. This years message is about the risk of vector-borne diseases. A vector-borne disease is an infection that is transmitted to humans and animals though blood feeding arthropods. These include mosquitoes, ticks and fleas.

It is possible for a person to contract West Nile Virus or Lyme Disease from a mosquito or tick bite why not check here. You can take precaution by wearing an insect repellent with at least 20% DEET and covering up exposed skin. Also, eliminating overgrown vegetation around your home and stagnant water can reduce mosquito and tick populations.

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Watch this short YouTube video about a small bite, big threat and be sure to protect yourself and your family!

You can check out more info at pestworld.org.

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How Smart Are Rats?

On February 2, 2016   /   Blog  
How Smart Are Rats?

Rats are very smart creatures. Check out the link below to see some pet rats doing tricks. Tricks that many would consider more for your dog than a rodent.

Amazing!   🙂

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