Best Ways to Repel Ticks in the Mid-South
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Best Ways to Repel Ticks in the Mid-South

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Best Ways to Repel Ticks in the Mid-South

After a trip to Greer’s Ferry Lake this weekend, we decided a post about ticks was in order. Wandering in the woods in Memphis, Arkansas and Mississippi will surely leave one with a tick or three. It’s just a part of life in the Mid-South.

The desire to keep ticks at bay feels especially urgent this year. There’s the news that the number of insect-borne diseases in the United States has tripled since 2014. If you’ve been in the woods and are worried about a tick bite, begin by examining your ankles. “Ticks start low and crawl up,” says Dr. Thomas N. Mather, director of the University of Rhode Island’s Center for Vector-Borne Disease and its Tick Encounter Resource Center. “So if they get to the top of your head, it’s not that they fell out of a tree. Instead, they’ve made their way all the way up across your body.”

The essential tick exam begins around your feet, then scour all crevasses of your body — armpits, wrists, knees, and yes, groin — but the best way to handle with a tick bite is to stop it from happening in the first place. And fortunately, there are some solid, science-backed ways to prevent the pests from latching on. To find out which tick repellents actually work and which ones are duds, we went to the U.S Center for Disease Control’s site.

Best Tick Repellent for Humans

Though the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends DEET as an effective tick repellent some prefers permethrin, the same chemical used in delousing shampoos like Nix. (That said, DEET can be a godsend for mosquitoes, and if you’re looking for more ways to deal with flying summertime pests, check out this blog post from we did last year. Using a chemical to deal with bugs can sound intimidating, but permethrin is one of the most widely used agricultural chemicals, and everyone is likely exposed to permethrin to some degree.

By Debbie Crawford|2018-05-23T17:12:16+00:00May 23rd, 2018|Uncategorized|Comments Off

What Attracts Termites to a Memphis Home

People think that cold weather and the winter season hinder termite colony growth. The fact is cold weather has nothing to do with termites and their desire to forge into Memphis homes. Here are some conditions and factors that may increase the likelihood of a termite infestation.

Termites feed on wood and cellulose materials like lumber, tree stumps, old newspapers and the like. Don’t store these items in areas close to the foundation of homes, it’s like putting out birdseed for birds. Termites prefer old, rotted wood that is easy to gnaw through.
Termites prefer warm, dark places such a crawl spaces that are likely undisturbed. Moist soil around the home’s foundation is an attractant as well, so repair leaky faucets and plumbing. Be sure to inspect your home’s foundation for moisture laden soil frequently.
Inspect and reduce the amount of items like untreated fence posts, scrap wood, stored fire wood, cardboard boxes and the like. These items are all susceptible to invasion by the termites in the Memphis area.

How to Help Prevent a Termite Infestation

While houses do not attract termites actively, when termites find them they are quick to come in. You’ll need to take steps to help avoid an infestation in your home. Normally, termite infestations are only spotted after they’ve become quite advanced. Measures you can take to help prevent an infestation include replacing damaged wood and taking proper steps to correct the termite-attracting conditions that are listed above.

A more permanent solution to preventing termites involves the use of pesticides, which should only be handled by a licensed pest control professional like Rosie’s Pest Control. If you suspect a termite invasion or are looking for ways to prevent one, schedule an inspection with one of our technicians today. You can give us a call at 901-567-3800 or click our online request for a free evaluation.

By Debbie Crawford|2018-02-20T17:57:28+00:00February 20th, 2018|Uncategorized|Comments Off

Rosie’s, Female Spray Technicians add Attention to Detail

Rosie’s Pest Control was founded on the idea of using primarily female spray technicians. Rosie the Riveter was the perfect symbol of the capable and confident woman so Rosie’s was born!

Rosie the Riveter is a cultural icon of World War II, representing the women who worked in factories and shipyards during World War II, many of whom produced munitions and war supplies. These women sometimes took entirely new jobs replacing the male workers who joined the military. Rosie the Riveter is used as a symbol of feminism and women’s economic power. Similar images of women war workers appeared in other countries such as Britain and Australia. Images of women workers were widespread in the media as government posters, and commercial advertising was heavily used by the government to encourage women to volunteer for wartime service in factories.

Katie Fox, our version of Rosie, works hard every day to make sure your homes and businesses are free from pests of all kinds. Rodents, spiders, termites, roaches, ants and all of manner of pests are no match for our environmentally friendly treatments. Our treatments are pet friendly as well. We believe that the female spray technician has great attention to detail and makes residents feel comfortable. If you would like to give Rosie’s a try and live in the Memphis area, call 901-567-3800. We would love to show you how strong and capable our ‘Rosie’ is!

By Debbie Crawford|2023-11-29T19:48:58+00:00December 4th, 2017|Uncategorized|Comments Off

4 Diseases Caused by Rats
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4 Diseases Caused by Rats

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4 Diseases Caused by Rats

Top 4 Diseases Caused by Rats in Memphis

Here in Memphis, rats and mice are heading in for the winter. Today, we have had a drop in temperature which will trigger even more rodents into nesting mentality. They are searching for small entry points in your homes and businesses and they love attic spaces. Rodents will go out to find food and water and sneak back in to nest and breed. Rodents are very much a health hazard for anyone around them as microscopic organisms can be spread very easily. Here are four types of diseases caused by rats in this area:

Hantavirus – Hantavirus is a life-threatening disease transmitted to humans by rodents—primarily, the white-footed deer mouse. People become infected through exposure or inhalation of infected rodent urine, droppings or saliva. The chances increase when people are near spaces where rodents are actively living.
Bubonic plague – Bubonic Plague is usually spread by the bite of an infected rodent flea and can cause fever, headache and painfully swollen lymph nodes.”
Salmonellosis – Salmonellosis is a kind of food poisoning spread by rodent feces, especially through the consumption of contaminated food. Symptoms may include diarrhea, fever and abdominal pain.
Rat-Bite Fever – Rat-bite fever (RBF) is a potentially fatal infectious disease spread by infected rodents or the consumption of food contaminated by rodents.

Any of these diseases can cause severe health risks, so if you are in doubt about your rodent activity, please give us a call or email so we can come out and access your risk. We will look for rodent activity and access points. We may decide to use bait stations where activity is found. Rosie’s Pest Control is fully licensed and up to date on current rodent removal techniques.

By Debbie Crawford|2017-10-11T17:24:40+00:00October 11th, 2017|Pest Control Memphis, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Animal Safety Tips

This weekend is Memorial Day, complete with barbecue and fireworks. It’s important to remember, fireworks and dogs don’t mix.
Unlike people, dogs won’t associate the loud noise, flashes, and burning smell of pyrotechnics with a celebration. Fireworks will likely cause panic and anxiety in dogs. Dogs panic at the sound of fireworks and flee into the night, often winding up lost, injured, or killed.
In order to prevent your celebration from turning into a tragedy, here are our top Memorial Day pet safety tips.

1. Keep your Pet Indoors at All Times
It may seem obvious, but even if your dog is used to being outside, the resulting stress resulting from fireworks or other loud noises may cause him or her to break their restraint or jump a fence in a frenzied attempt to find safety.

2. Use Pet-Friendly Insect Repellent
The same tip applies to applying “people” sunscreen on your pet. What isn’t toxic to humans can be toxic to animals. The ASPCA lists the poisonous effects of sunscreen on your pet as, “…drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst and lethargy.” Meanwhile, DEET, a common insecticide in products for humans, may cause neurological problems in dogs.
3. Don’t Give Dogs Alcohol
It may seem obvious, but alcohol is extremely dangerous to dogs. Just small amounts of alcohol can cause your dog become dangerously intoxicated, go into a coma, or in severe cases, die from respiratory failure. Yes, even beer is toxic; fermented hops and ethanol are poisonous to dogs (and cats).
4. Going to a Fireworks Display? Leave Your Pet at Home
The safest place for your dog is at home, not in a crowded, unfamiliar, and noisy place. The combination of too many people and loud fireworks will make your beloved pet freak out and desperately seek shelter. Locking him or her in the car is also not an option; your pet may suffer brain damage and heat stroke.
5. Have Your Dog Properly Identified
Without proper identification it is extremely difficult to retrieve a lost dog. Consider fitting your dog with microchip identification, ID tags with his or her name and your phone number, or both. It is also a good idea to have a recent picture of your dog in case you have to put up signs.
6. Keep Your Dog Away from Glow Jewelry
It might look cute, but your dog could chew up and swallow the plastic adornments. The ASPCA states that while not highly toxic, “excessive drooling and gastrointestinal irritation could still result from ingestions, and intestinal blockage could occur from swallowing large pieces of the plastic containers.”
7. Don’t Use Fireworks Close to Dogs
While lit fireworks can pose a danger to curious dogs and potentially result in severe burns and/or trauma to the face and paws, even unused fireworks can be hazardous. Some fireworks contain potentially toxic substances such as arsenic, potassium nitrate, and other heavy metals and we all know how curious dogs can be.
8. Don’t Give Your Dog ‘Table Food’
If you are having a backyard barbecue, you may be tempted to slip some snacks to your dog. But like beer and chocolate, there are other festive foods that could harm your pet. Onions, coffee, avocado, grapes and raisins, salt, and yeast dough are all possible hazards for dogs (and cats).
9. Lighter Fluid and Matches Are Harmful to Dogs
The ASPCA lists chlorinates as a harmful chemical substance found in most matches that, if ingested, can cause your dog difficulty in breathing, damage to blood cells, or even cause kidney disease. If exposed to lighter fluid, your pet may sustain skin irritation on contact, respiratory problems if inhaled, and gastric problems if ingested.
10. Don’t Use Citronella Insect Control Products
Oils, candles, insect coils, and other citronella-based repellents are irritating toxins to dogs, according to the ASPCA. The result of inhalation can cause severe respiratory illnesses such as pneumonia, and ingestion can harm your pet’s nervous system.
The safest and best bet for celebrating this Memorial Day with your dogs is to exclude them from party, at least this time around. Instead, find a safe, secure spot in the home for your dog while you go out and enjoy the loud bangs, bright lights, and spectator fun. Your dog will appreciate the quiet a lot more than you’ll enjoy the noise.
Rosie’s Pest Control would like to wish you all a great weekend of celebrating the veterans that have helped secure our freedom.