Swat Pest 2009

2009 was an amazing year at Swat Pest. We expanded our fleet of pest technicians, added to our management team, we broadened our teams for Healthy Spaces, and our sales force doubled! We have amazing owners, our management team is second to none, and as for the rest of the team...WOW, there are not enough great things to say. At Swat we're not only co-workers, we're family. And, let's not forget about the amazing customers we have, obviously with out them Swat Pest would not be what it is today.

To end our year at Swat Pest Tim and Stacey took all of us to the Log Inn in Warrington, IN for a family style feast. Everyone arrived all dressed up and ready for a wonderful evening. As you can see in the picture 2 of our guys decided to take the whole "dress up" thing a bit farther. Damon as Mrs. Claus and Jason as Santa. We all got a big laugh when those two walked in! Throughout an amazing dinner of fried chicken, roast beef, ham, and all the fixins...we all enjoyed some good stories, lots of laughs, and making memories.
Every year awards are given out for outstanding achievements. This year our office staff received an award for taking major strides in the right direction. In this picture you have (R-L) Pest Manager - Ryan Denk, Office Assistant - Tonuya Roy, General Manager - Jimmy Schaefer, Office Assistant - Alison Damm, Office Assistant - Stacey Williams, Office Assistant - Ashley Storrie, and PR - Brooke Cromley.

Eric Davis (center) received the award for Rookie of the Year for Healthy Spaces. With him in the picture are Steve Phillips and Jimmy Schaefer.
Stephen Joseph (2nd from the left) was awarded Employee of the year for Healthy Spaces. Pictured with him are (L-R) Jimmy Schaefer, Donnie Stuteville, and Steve Phillips.

Zach Nalley (2nd from the left)received an award for Most Improved Pest Technician also in this picture are (L-R) Brad Weir, Ryan Denk, and Kyle Black.
David Cosby (2nd from the L) received the award for Pest Technician Rookie of the Year. Pictured with David ar (L-R) Brad Weir, Ryan Denk, and Kyle Black.
Shaun Waters (2nd from R) received the award For Pest Technician Employee of the Year.

Our sales team consisting of Jim Schaefer, Damon Cheatham, Rick Hall(not pictured), and Dennis Nickins.

As you can see, we are blessed and would like to say a BIG thank you to everyone in our Swat family, to each of their families for allowing them to put in crazy hours and give so much back to their daily jobs, and to each one of our customers for making us the great company we are today. We love you all!
HAPPY NEW YEAR! WE LOOK FORWARD TO A GREAT 2010 WITH ALL OF YOU!

Christmas! The very word brings joy to our hearts. No matter how we may dread the rush, the long Christmas lists for gifts and cards to be bought and given--when Christmas Day comes there is still the same warm feeling we had as children, the same warmth that enfolds our hearts and our homes."
Wishing all of you a Blessed and Merry Christmas!

The Houes Mouse

The house mouse is one of the most troublesome and economically important rodents in the United States. House mice thrive under a variety of conditions; they are found in and around homes and commercial structures as well as in open fields and agricultural lands. House mice consume and contaminate food meant for humans, pets, livestock, or other animals. In addition, they cause considerable damage to structures and property, and they can transmit pathogens that cause diseases such as solemnises, a form of food poisoning

House mice are small rodents with relatively large ears and small black eyes. They weigh about 1/2 ounce and usually are light brownish to gray in color. An adult is about 5 to 7 inches long, including the 3- to 4-inch tail.
Droppings, fresh gnaw marks, and tracks indicate areas where mice are active. Mouse nests are made from fine shredded paper or other fibrous material, usually in sheltered locations. House mice have a characteristic musky odor that identifies their presence. Mice are active mostly at night, but they can be seen occasionally during daylight hours.

Native to Central Asia, the house mouse arrived in North America on ships with settlers from Europe and other points of origin. A very adaptable animal, the house mouse often lives in close association with humans, along with Norway Rats and roof rats; however, mice are more common and more difficult to control than rats.

Although house mice usually prefer to eat cereal grains, they are “nibblers” and will sample many different foods. Mice have keen senses of taste, hearing, smell, and touch. They are excellent climbers and can run up any rough vertical surface. They will run horizontally along wire cables or ropes and can jump up to 12 inches from the floor onto a flat surface. Mice can squeeze through openings slightly larger than 1/4 inch across. House mice frequently find their way into homes in the fall of the year, when outdoor temperatures at night become colder.
In a single year, a female may have 5 to 10 litters of about 5 or 6 young. Young are born 19 to 21 days after mating, and they reach reproductive maturity in 6 to 10 weeks. The life span of a mouse is probably 9 to 12 months.

Because house mice are so small, they can gain entry into homes and other buildings much more easily than rats. As a result, house mouse infestations are probably 10 to 20 times more common than rat infestations. Effective control involves sanitation, exclusion, and population reduction. Sanitation and exclusion are preventive measures. When a mouse infestation already exists, some form of population reduction such as trapping or baiting is almost always necessary.

A key to successful long-term mouse control is the limitation of shelter and of food sources wherever possible. Trapping works well when mice are not numerous, or it can be used as a follow-up measure after a baiting program. When considering a baiting program, decide if the presence of dead mice will cause an odor or sanitation problem. If so, trapping may be the best approach. Removal of mice should be followed by taking steps to exclude them so that the problem does not recur.

Exclusion is the most successful and permanent form of house mouse control. “Build them out” by eliminating all gaps and openings larger than ¼ inch, through which mice will enter a structure. Steel wool makes a good temporary plug. Seal cracks in building foundations and around openings for water pipes, vents, and utility cables with metal or concrete. Doors, windows, and screens should fit tightly. It may be necessary to cover the edges of doors and windows with metal to prevent gnawing. Plastic screening, rubber or vinyl, insulating foam, wood, and other gnawable materials are unsuitable for plugging holes used by mice.

For more information on this and many other pests in the winter...please visit www.swatpest.com or give us a call t 1-800-894-8024. We look forward to serving you!

Now and then it's good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy.

Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love!
Hope everyone is having a great Friday!

The queen of termites, has been known to live for 50 years, some scientists believe that they live for 100 years.

Mold Preperation Work in Crawl Spaces

All of the publicity surrounding mold, or as the media has sensationalized it, "black" or "toxic mold", along with the multimillion - dollar lawsuits, public awareness is in high gear when it comes to mold and it's hazards. Mold has always been around and is a natural organism. Mold spores need a few things to grow:

1 - Moisture - humid air, a dripping pipe, or major flooding.

2 - Food - wood and wood products, paper, cotton, and leather.

3 - The right temperature - above freezing and below 120 degrees.

There are several steps we take to ensure that your mold problem is remedied for good.

1- We seal off all foundation vents

2- Make sure the HVAC is turned off. In winter months, in MUST be turned down.

3- Set up the air scrubber (HEPA) hook it up through the vent or crawl door access. ( It is ran while doing step #5)

4- Proclean all wood that needs to be cleaned.

5- Scrub (brush) ALL the wood! The wood must be dust, dirt and cobweb free!

6- Mycodyne all the wood in the crawlspace, it must have an even coverage. The wood is to be dripping wet.

7- We then install new black 6mil plastic throughout the entire crawl space, 100% coverage (wall to wall) even through the crawl divider wall access. Use poly spikes every 10 feet, and make sure the spikes are pushed down through the plastic into the soil, flush with the ground.

Mold is a serious concern, if you have any questions regarding mold, please give our mold experts a call. We can be reached at 1-800-894-8024 - We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Thanksgiving Day is a jewel, to set in the hearts of honest men; but be careful that you do not take the day, and leave out the gratitude...

Good NIght - Sleep Tight...Don't let the BED BUGS Bite!

Bed bugs are small, brownish, flattened insects that feed solely on the blood of animals. The common bed bug is the species most adapted to living with humans. They are sometimes mistaken for ticks or cockroaches. Bed bugs do not fly, but can move rapidly over floors, walls, ceilings and other surfaces. Female bed bugs lay their eggs in secluded area, depositing 1, 2 or more eggs per day and hundreds during a lifetime. Newly hatched nymphs are straw-colored and no bigger than a pinhead. As they grow, they molt five times before reaching maturity. Bed bugs are resilient. Nymphs can survive months without feeding and the adults for more than a year. Bed bugs are active mainly at night. During the daytime, they prefer to hide close to where people sleep. Their flattened bodies enable them to fit into tiny crevices - especially those associated with mattresses, box springs, bed frames and headboards. Be bugs congregate in habitual hiding places. Characteristically, these areas are marked by dark spotting and staining which is the dried excrement of the bugs. Another telltale though less frequent sign is rusty or reddish blood smears on bed sheets or mattresses from crushing an engorged bed bug.

Bed bugs prefer to hide close to where they feed. However, if necessary, they will crawl several feet to obtain a blood meal. Bed bugs are challenging pests to control. They hide in many tiny places, so inspections and treatment must be very thorough. In most cases, it will be prudent to enlist the services of a professional pest management firm. Experienced companies know where to look for bed bugs, and have an assortment of management tools at their disposal.

For more information on BED BUGS, please call Swat Pest Management at 812-476-9708. You can also check out our web page at www.swatpest.com or click on the link to one of our videos on You Tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFvUO-VIP_M

We look forward to speaking to you soon!

Karner blue butterfly

The Karner Blue Butterfly is an endangered species native to the Great Lakes region of the United States. It can be found in the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore in northwestern Indiana, and also occurs in Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire and New York. It’s life history is dependent on the wild lupine plant, a wildflower whose preferred habitat is the dry soils of open pine and oak savanna that can be found in the Indiana Dunes National Lake shore.

Reproductive Behavior: The life cycle of the endangered Karner Blue Butterfly is dependent on the wild lupine plant. Two generations of this butterfly occur each year. The first hatch occurs in late April from eggs laid the previous year, and the second hatch from eggs laid early in the summer season.

This small butterfly has a wingspan of about 1 inch. Viewed from above, males differ from females, but on the underside, both sexes show a continuous band of orange crescents along the edges of both wings and scattered black spots circled with white.

Adult Karner Blues feed on the nectar of flowering plants, but the caterpillars of the Karner Blue feed only on the leaves of the wild lupine.

The wild lupine prefers dry soils in open woods and clearings such as pine and oak savannas and barrens. Because the Karner Blue depends on wild lupine, Federal recovery plans for the Karner Blue Butterfly include protection and management of wild lupine habitat.

Meet Our Office Staff

This blog is really just a short piece to let you guys out there get to know us a little bit better. This week we will introduce you to our office girls. When you work side by side with 4 other women on a daily basis, things can get a bit crazy around here sometimes. But, we always have LOTS of fun!

Like for instance, Tonuya - she always claims to be "diligently working" like you see her doing in the picture to the left, and that's usually what she is doing...usually. On occasion, just when she thinks no one is watching though...you'll likely see Tonuya like this...Tonuya loves animals, she is an animal foster parent. When a dog or cat is hurt or sick, Tonuya takes them into her home and helps nurse them back to health so they can find good homes and families. Outside of work Tonuya spends her time with her 2 boys Clint and Jonathan, all of the foster animals she has, and her great family and friends.

Then, there's Alisonour resident termite renewal specialist and collection gal extraordinaire. During our busy days here at Swat, Alison takes on the business of termite renewals, collections, and tickets for our guys. And just like Tonuya, she is most often working very hard...but on occasion you will find Ali goofing off too like you see hereIn Alison's time away from work, she enjoys playing pool, throwing darts, and spending quality time with her family and friends.

Next on our list is Brooke she is a recent graduate of the University of Southern Indian with a degree in Public Relations. Not only does she handle all of Swat's PR business, she also carries the Human Resources responsibility on her shoulders. For the most part, Brooke stays busy in her office, so she would like everyone to believe...we did however, catch Brooke goofing off. In what little spare time Brooke does have, she spends it planning her wedding to Travis which is right around the corner on December 26th and hanging out with family and friends.

Now, you have Stacey, she is our resident social media guru. Stacey handles all of Swat's social media and SEO. At any given time you can find her blogging, answering phones, and educating herself on the most recent and up to date practices for social media and SEO. Stacey on the other hand never goofs off...so she says. But, if that were true, how did we get this picture...? Away from Swat, Stacey enjoys watching her 2 boys Bryce and Blake play sports and hanging out with her husband Brian, family, and friends.
The other lovely lady in our "family" is AshleyAshley is our no nonsense numbers gal. She takes on the daunting task of entering tickets, sales numbers, and checks daily. According to Ash, she never has time to goof off or be silly...but those of us who work here know better...Aside from work, Ashley has 3 horses Smooch, Twisted, and Secretariat, and barrel races on the weekends. In her spare time away from Swat and the barrel races,Ashley enjoys time with her family and friends.


We hope you enjoyed reading this little blurb into the lives of our office gals. I know they all enjoyed sharing with you. Stay tuned for more from Swat Pest. We look forward to serving you in the near future.

The Black Widow Spider

Shiny black armor with an hourglass of red, she hangs before me seemingly weightless. Noise all around, she is unaware. Her only concern is the cricket disturbing her with its song. While she waits patiently and contemplates her attack on lunch, I watch with curiosity for what her next move will be. Then with the blink of an eye she jumps and suddenly... quiet. I want to be closer, but I know the price I would pay. To be bitten and injected with one of the most potent venom's secreted by an arachnid... I choose to watch this Black Widow Spider from the outside of her glass prison.

Black Widow Facts -

• THE BLACK WIDOW IS THE MOST VENOMOUS SPIDER IN THE U.S.
• PEOPLE RARELY DIE FROM BLACK WIDOW SPIDER BITES, SINCE THE AMOUNT OF VENOM INJECTED IS SO SMALL.
• THE ADULT FEMALE IS VENOMOUS. MALES AND JUVENILES ARE USUALLY HARMLESS.
• THE FEMALE BLACK WIDOW SPIDER IS SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS THE "HOURGLASS" SPIDER BECAUSE THE RED MARKING ON HER BELLY IS OFTEN IN THE SHAPE OF AN HOURGLASS. SOMETIMES IT MAY LOOK LIKE 2 TRIANGLES.
• THE ADULT FEMALE BLACK WIDOW SPIDER IS OFTEN EASY TO SEE SINCE SHE HANGS UPSIDE DOWN IN HER WEB, MAKING THE RED HOURGLASS MARKING VISIBLE.
• THE FEMALE BLACK WIDOW SOMETIMES EATS THE MALE SPIDER AFTER MATING. (NOT ALWAYS)
• THE BLACK WIDOW IS NOCTURNAL, AND WILL GENERALLY ONLY ATTACK WHEN DISTURBED OR TOUCHED.

For more information on this pest and many others visit our website at http://www.swatpest.com/, or give us a call at 1-800-894-8024. We look forward to serving you!

Increase the Health and Value of your home or business

MOLD INSPECTIONS AND REMEDIATION:

Mold is a growing problem in the Tri-State. Mold not only affects your home it affects your health. Severe mold can cause irreversible damage to ones health and some homes and businesses have to be destroyed due to dangerous mold strains.

If you suspect a mold problem have a mold inspection of your home or business done today. SWAT is certified in the inspection and remediation of mold. we can perform a free inspection of your home or business for the presence of mold and if mold is detected we can work together to remediate the problem. We work closely with local companies that provide air quality tests to determine the mold strain you may have. Mold is a serious concern! Let us provide peace of mind by inspecting your home or business for mold.

MOISTURE CONTROL:

Do you have a musty odor in your home? Do your doors and windows stick or squeak? Moisture from your basement or crawlspace could be creating an unhealthy environment for you and your home. SWAT can provide a free inspection of our home to determine if there is a moisture problem. If moisture is detected we will work with you to determine the most effective cost efficient solution to the problem. Our staff will provide before and after digital photos of the problem areas to show you the precise location of the problem and show you the problem has been eliminated.

For more valuable information on mold and crawl space encapsulation give us a call today! 812-476-9708

Termite Control

Weather preventing termites in your new home or treating a termite problem in your existing home, Swat Pest offers three different [programs to fit any need or budget. Our termite technicians are experienced in the early detection and treatment for Subterranean termites. Our Termite manager was recently named a Termidore All-Star technician by BASF, a leading manufacturer of termite control products. Our termite staff truly is "The Science Behind Pest Control".

WHAT IS YOUR TERMITE CONTROL NEED?

PRE-CONSTRUCTION TREATMENT: This service provides termite control to your new home before you ever move in. This method of treatment is non-invasive and performed during the construction of your home. Once you move in you have less worry about termites damaging your beautiful new home for many years.

POST-CONSTRUCTION TREATMENT: There are two kinds of homes, those that have termites and those that WILL! Swat Pest will treat your home with Termidore the leading termite control product. The termites will be eliminated in 3 months or less...GUARANTEED!

SIGNATURE PLUS SERVICE: With this "peace of mind" program we will combine your pest management service with your termite service for easy billing process. The structure will be treated with Termidore, the leading termite control product, to eliminate any termite problem you may have. Monitoring stations will be placed on the exterior perimeter of the structure and the service technician will inspect these stations during your quarterly service. If a termite problem arises it will be detected quickly and taken care of quickly. GUARANTEED!

For more termite information, visit us at www.swatpest.com or give us a call at 812-476-9708

Your Family's Health and Safety is Our #1 Priority!

Swat Pest has the easiest, yet toughest treatment plans to keep unwanted pests out of your home. Our highly effective pest control products are designed to eliminate many different pests in just minutes. And there's never a bothersome odor for you, your family, or your pets.

Regardless of the time of year, undesirable pests can be gaining entrance to your home: crickets, roaches, millipedes, flies, fleas, spiders, and a variety of ants - just to name a few.

Protecting your home from unwanted pests is easy with Swat Pest's Three Step Plan.

Step 1 - THOROUGH INSPECTION

Interior and Exterior perimeters: garages, workshops, landscape areas, attics, crawlspaces, pipe chases, and more.

Step 2 - AN ANALYSIS & ESTIMATE

Professionally trained assessments to ensure an honest evaluation of your needs.

Step 3 - APPROPRIATE TREATMENT

Only prescribed, quality applications used to ensure the health of you and your home.

Our Pest Control Services Include:

- Treating the exterior structure, including eaves, windows, doorways, and landscaping

- Treating interior structure, taking our time to reach every baseboard, corner and space.

- Treating basements, attics, crawlspaces as needed.

- Rodent and flea control traps provided at no additional cost.

Knocking down spider webs - inside and out.

- Free termite inspections upon request.

Plus many other extras with attention to detail from our trained technicians.

Give us a call today for more information at 812-476-9708

Mold - Is it Growing In Your Home's Contents??

Once you know you have mold in your home, you need to figure out if it's growing on your furniture, clothing, linens, equipment, tools, books, and any other possession. Mold infestation of these items can be an enormous because it can re-contaminate cleaned-up areas or spread to other parts of the house, not to mention increase the overall level of mold hazard in the home. Now the task begins of finding out how widespread the mold is and exactly where it's growing.
Mold is often found on wood and fabric, especially on unfinished wood surfaces, such as the inside of dresser drawers, the undersides of tables, and upholstered furniture. Debris that accumulates in upholstered furniture, such as bits of spilled food, soil from shoes and clothing, pet dander, and skin flakes, serve as food for the mold. Mites take up residence there too.

Curtains and shades are often exposed to mold because they're up against cold windows and condensation. If they're washable or dry-cleanable, you may be able to salvage them. But if they still smell musty or still have stains after cleaning - throw them away!

Carpet and Area Rugs -
If you have wall-to-wall carpet, and it stays wet for several days, it has a very good chance of breeding mold. This is why having your home and it's contents dried out in 24-48 hours is critical following a water event.

For more information an mold remediation, call Healthy Spaces by: Swat Pest at 812-476-9708

Preventing Mold

Many people have unknowingly created mold problems in their homes. Common sense is the key in developing a lifestyle and a simple maintenance routine that will reduce the chances of mold and other allergens contaminating your home.

Here are some tips -

Flooring - Consider removing wall -to- wall carpeting if you live in a humid climate. Hardwood, linoleum, vinyl, and ceramic tile or stone are better choices. Mold grows very well in carpet, where it's difficult to remove.

Walls and Ceilings - Don't use wallpaper in a humid environment. For a decorative effect, consider a painted stencil border or a wallpaper border that covers only a small portion of the walls.

Closets and Storage Areas -

-Minimize clutter, since it encourages dust (food for dust mites) and makes inspection for cleaning up/removing mold much more difficult.

-Don't stockpile newspapers, magazines, or paper bags. All are mold food sources.

-Don't crowd clothing or other items up against closet walls.

-Check regularly for a musty smell or any other sign of mold.

For more information on mold and mold remediation call Healthy Spaces by: Swat Pest at 812-476-9708