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.

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

Powderpost Beetles

The powder post beetles include wood boring beetles of at least three families, the Lyctidae or true powder post beetles, the Anobiidae or deathwatch beetles, and the Bostrichidae or branch and twig borers (sometimes called false powder post beetles).

The larvae of these beetles feed on cellulose in wood, and they can cause extensive damage to wood in structures and homes if conditions are suitable to them. Moisture plays a key role in attack from these insects. Losses are often heaviest in warm humid climates, but some species occur throughout the United States. In their feeding they reduce the wood to a fine powder, not unlike talcum powder in consistency. Holes left by emerging beetles are about 1/8 inch in diameter and round. They are sometimes called "shot holes."
A tool such as an awl can be helpful in determining the extent of damage. If the awl pokes in easily and deeply, the wood may be severely damaged.

Life Cycle

Eggs are deposited in cracks, crevices, pores or old emergence holes in wood, or in tunnels made by the females. A tiny larva hatches from an egg and burrows into the wood. It continues feeding and growing to maturity, when it burrows toward the surface and pupates. The adult emerges from the pupa and continues the tunnel to the surface. Adults leave the wood, mate, and then the females return to lay eggs. Exit holes and sawdust from beetles burrowing out are often the first symptom noticed.
Depending on the type of powder post beetle and the species, the life cycle may range from 3 months to 2 or more years. Some species are specific as to the types of wood they infest, while others are general feeders. However, they usually are either hardwood feeders, or softwood (conifer) feeders.

Management

The first step to management is determining if there is an active infestation, or if you are seeing old damage. In an active infestation, look for borings accumulating in piles near holes or on the floor below, beetles crawling on the wood, or you may hear a ticking sound that is made by some larvae. If there is no active infestation, treatment is not needed.
For small infestations, removal of the infested item or replacement of infested wood may be all that is needed. In moist areas, pressure treated wood should be used.

If you have a severe infestation, professional control may be necessary. It may also be necessary when the infestation is very widespread, or is hidden behind paneled or plaster walls, or in other hard to reach places. If wood is badly damaged and its structural strength is impaired, it should be replaced. Fumigation may be necessary in some cases, either for individual pieces of furniture or an entire structure. Many pest control firms have fumigation facilities for items such as furniture.
Where excess moisture is a problem, all efforts to correct the cause should be undertaken. It does, however, take wood a long time to dry out, and reducing moisture may not be enough to completely control powder post beetle infestations.
Some powder post beetles lay their eggs in the pores of unfinished hardwood. Hardwood items are often finished with paint, shellac, varnish, sealer or wax and are therefore safe unless some bare wood is left exposed. If you find beetles emerging from finished hardwood, the infestation was most likely there before the wood was finished. Applying finish to wood can help deter infestations because the beetles are not able to deposit eggs on finished surfaces. However, if beetles are emerging from a piece of finished furniture or wood, the exit holes provide spaces for females to lay eggs again.
For small items, freezing or heating may offer a possible solution. CAUTION: Heating or freezing may have detrimental effects on some finishes. Placing small items in a deep freeze for 4 days or longer should kill larvae and eggs. A refrigerator freezer does not get the temperature low enough to give control. Heating in an oven until the internal temperature reach 120° F and keeping them at this temperature for 30 minutes also will control eggs and larvae.
Exposed wood under crawl spaces may be infested by beetles flying into the area and ovipositing on the wood. Where damage is severe, replace with pressure treated wood.
Species attacking softwoods or hardwoods indoors are usually brought into the house in wood or furniture which contains eggs or larvae. Remember the beetles attack either hardwoods or softwoods, but not both.

For more information, please call Swat Pest Management at 812-476-9708

The Black Widow Spider

Black widows are notorious spiders identified by the colored, hourglass-shaped mark on their abdomens. Several species answer to the name, and they are found in temperate regions around the world.

This spider's bite is much feared because its venom is reported to be 15 times stronger than a rattlesnake's. In humans, bites produce muscle aches, nausea, and a paralysis of the diaphragm that can make breathing difficult; however, contrary to popular belief, most people who are bitten suffer no serious damage—let alone death. But bites can be fatal—usually to small children, the elderly, or the infirm. Fortunately, fatalities are fairly rare; the spiders are nonaggressive and bite only in self-defense, such as when someone accidentally sits on them.

The animals most at risk from the black widow's bite are insects—and male black widow spiders. Females sometimes kill and eat their counterparts after mating in a macabre behavior that gave the insect its name. Black widows are solitary year-round except during this violent mating ritual.

These spiders spin large webs in which females suspend a cocoon with hundreds of eggs. Spiderlings disperse soon after they leave their eggs, but the web remains. Black widow spiders also use their webs to ensnare their prey, which consists of flies, mosquitoes, grasshoppers, beetles, and caterpillars.

Black widows are comb-footed spiders, which means they have bristles on their hind legs that they use to cover their prey with silk once it has been trapped.To feed, black widows puncture their insect prey with their fangs and administer digestive enzymes to the corpses. By using these enzymes, and their gnashing fangs, the spiders liquefy their prey's bodies and suck up the resulting fluid.

For more information, please call Swat Pest Management at 812-476-9708

Water Damage - Cleanup and Mold Prevention

Water Damaged Material:


1. Books and Paper -

a. For non-valuable items, discard books and papers

b. Photocopy valuable/important items, discard originals

c. Freeze (in frost-free freezer or meat locker) or freeze-dry

Water Damaged Material:

2. Carpet and backing - dry within 24-48 hours - (the subfloor under the carpet must also be cleaned and dried.)

a. Remove water with water extraction vacuum

b. Reduce ambient humidity levels with a dehumidifier.

c. Accelerate drying process with fans.

Water Damaged Material:

3. Ceiling Tiles and Cellulose insulation -

a. DISCARD and replace

Water Damaged Material:

4. Concrete or cinder block surfaces

a. Remove water with water extraction vacuum

b. Accelerate drying process with dehumidifiers, fans, and/or heaters

Is Your House Making You Sick?

Molds, mildew and fungi are present everywhere...inside and outside. Furniture, carpet, books, even the air we breathe is full of spores. Humid, dark places with little air circulation promote the rapid growth of these fungi.
Mold Causes and SymptomsMolds typically grow in buildings affected by water damage and are a potential cause of many health problems including asthma, sinusitis, and infections. People sensitive to molds are particularly uncomfortable on cloudy, rainy, damp days.

Mold Prevention Tips
Important: Always follow instructions of commercial cleaning products and wear an approved mask if you are sensitive to chemicals.

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  Use a dehumidifier in damp areas (above 50% humidity) of your home. Change the water frequently in the dehumidifier and disinfect to prevent mold from forming.


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  Peform diligent housekeeping, clean with a solution of hot soapy water and 20 Mule Team Borax or bleach (if the item is colorfast). Use gloves and wear a mask to limit your exposure to chemicals.


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  Dry and/or replace water damaged areas and items within 24-48 hours to prevent mold growth.
  Look for mold or mildew in attics, basements, closets, bathrooms, dirty clothes, hampers, garbage cans and children's soiled stuffed toys.


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  Check the insides of shoes for mold and scrub and dry thoroughly in the sun if possible.


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  Try to improve air circulation in the attic, basement, closets and bathroom.


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  Wipe down the refrigerator and freezer door seals. Clean the refigerator often throwing away left-overs and old produce.


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  Dry damp areas in the kitchen, laundry room, under the kitchen sink and under the lid of the washing machine.


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  Clean the lint filter after each load in the dryer.


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  Clean and/or replace air conditioner filters periodically.


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  Clean ceiling fans once per month.


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  If closets are damp, keep the light on to prevent the growth of mold and mildew.


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  Wash pillows and blankets often. Note: Feather pillows are not recommended for feather-allergic individuals! Hypo-allergenic pillows are available.


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  Outside, have fallen leaves, decaying plants and compost heaps removed.