Help us help you! Preparing for our treatments is easy – follow the guidelines below, and if you have any questions, feel free to text us anytime.
OUTDOOR TREATMENTS
if we’re spraying your home exterior & perimeter, take shoes, toys, and pet bowls inside
close doors & windows – check twice, there’s always one the kids left open
keep pets and people out of the area until it dries, an hour is usually more than sufficient in the summer
if we’re spraying the lawn and landscape, police the lawn for toys and dog droppings (it takes forever to get them off of our spray hoses)
if your irrigation is on during the day, turn it off
INDOOR TREATMENTS (except ants; see below)
put away food that will not be washed or peeled before eaten (such as apples)
keep pets and people out of the area for at least two hours
yes, even fish, lizards, and other aquarium pets; unplugging aerators and covering the aquarium with something to seal it is a viable option in most circumstances, but you assume some risk in doing so
open curtains and blinds partway (insects and spiders are attracted to these areas)
turn OFF fans, especially ceiling fans; they inhibit our directed aerosol treatments
open doors to all rooms, and closet doors partway
close kitchen cabinets/pantry doors
ANT TREATMENTS
Very little prep is necessary for ant treatments, as we use a very different, highly targeted approach to get at the colony or colonies. The more active they are, the better! Don’t spray them, squash them, or call them names – we need the workers to help us get the rest of the colony, and the queen(s) especially. If they are not consistently active, place a tiny amount – a drop is more than enough – of honey or jelly where they can find it quickly and recruit others the evening before our visit. Make sure kitchen counters aren’t too cluttered when we arrive, as our technician may need to apply a foam inside the walls behind the outlet voids as part of the treatment. If you have a crawlspace below your home, make sure it isn’t locked, blocked, or screwed shut; it may need to be treated in some circumstances for best results. This will not be the case for newer construction with a conditioned crawlspace.
Outside, our treatment will focus on a small barrier around your foundation with a carry-back material; clear the immediate foundation prior to our visit, and allow the treatment to dry before putting things back (or allowing people or pets to walk next to the home).
The preparation for less common treatments, such as for subterranean termites, bed bugs, or pantry pests, will vary from job to job. Our technician will talk with you about what will be best for your situation during your first assessment visit.
Questions? Feel free to email us at help@apocalypsepestcontrol.com, or text us at 208-298-9171. We’re here to help!
Our schedule for our basic 4x/season weed management schedule is tailored to our climate.
Weed management isn’t an event – it’s a process. Even in an urban environment, there are an astonishing number of weed species. Prevention through healthy turf and regular replenishment of a thick mulch layer are key to helping us help you – and we can handle the rest with our 4x or 8x seasonal weed management subscriptions.
For residential clients, our 4x seasonal weed management subscription usually suffices. After a full season, our cycle of applications tailored to the biology of different weeds will make a dramatic difference from what you experienced before – you’ll finally be proactively ahead of them, instead of reactively behind. Tough perennials, such as wild violet or ground ivy, may take more than one season to reach full attrition. Your technician can help you know what to expect based on the weed species and population levels in your landscape.
No need to remember our schedule – we’ll contact you the day before we are in your neighborhood every time a new round comes due. If you have projects, parties, or other events that would prevent our visit, no problem! (Just make sure to invite us if you’re having a big barbecue). We’ll reach out again once we progress through all of the neighborhoods we service to perform a catch-up application, then get you back on the normal schedule on the next round.
Questions? You can always call or text us at 208-298-9171. Thanks for stopping by!
That damaged door sweep lets more than cold air inside!
As winter settles in, so do we. We venture outside when we have to: work, groceries, and other essentials to meet our basic needs. Mice need food and shelter, too, so they begin looking for a suitable place to spend the winter when temperatures cool and seasonal rains flood their summer homes. Gaps in our houses no larger than a ¼ inch offer a way inside, and the warm air leaking through these gaps is a temptation mice simply cannot resist.
We rarely see mice when they first enter our homes; their activity is largely nocturnal, a behavior that allows them to better avoid predators. Soon, though, signs start popping up: droppings under the kitchen sink; food packages chewed through; gnawing marks around plumbing holes.
Trapping is the order of the day (never bait in your home, as the mice rarely die in convenient locations – and dead mice in walls create new problems!) Just as important, though, is finding out where mice are entering your home and making sure they can’t get inside in the future.
A typical measure is to stuff steel wool into gaps inside the home – around plumbing, in closet corners, that sort of thing. And while this might help if you live in an apartment complex, it’s a terrible idea in a house. You risk trapping mice in the walls where they die (see the smelly bait scenario we referred to earlier), and, in any event, there is little to stop them from simply chewing a new hole elsewhere in the drywall.
As with most pest problems, the key is to keep mice from getting inside from the outside of your home. While mice can be excellent climbers, they will always take the route of least resistance – look for dime-sized (or larger) holes and gaps around the foundation of your home. Most often, mice enter through damaged crawlspace vents, crawlspace doors, worn or missing door sweeps, and gaps at the corners of overhead doors in attached garages.
Mice are a common problem in winter in our region. If your mouse problem has you at wit’s end, give us a call (or text us) at 208-298-9171. We’re here to help!
Cases of hantavirus are rare, so it pops up in the news only every few years in our region. The shocking mortality rate from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, or HPS, makes for morbid reading (and solid clickbait for news outlets, ensuring its coverage when a case crops up).
HPS causes fluid accumulation in the lungs, resulting in death for more than one in three that contract the virus. This is why hantavirus is taken seriously by contractors that clean up rodent infestations. Hantavirus is carried by an estimated one in six deer mice in the Pacific Northwest; as they are more adapted to country areas than the common house mouse, structures in rural areas are the most likely places to encounter their feces and urine. Sweeping or disturbing these areas dislodges dust, which is inhaled by workers cleaning up behind the deer mice. This is the most common route of infection, and can be prevented by wetting the area with a bleach solution or appropriately labeled disinfectant prior to cleaning. Proper PPE is critical, especially where large infestations are present. Complete guidelines on hantavirus cleanup are available from the CDC. Follow the “heavy rodent infestation” section for optimum safety.
For serious infestations, it is best to call an experienced professional with the proper equipment. Call or text us at 208-298-9171 for a consultation – we’re here to help!
Water is getting scarcer in the West, and many folks are looking for options to their high-maintenance, water-loving lawns. One great option is Ruschia lineolata ‘Nana,’ or Dwarf Carpet of Stars.
Some traits we’d like to highlight:
drought-tolerant
hardy to light impacts, such as occasional walking/playing
perennial that is green all year
never needs mowed
can be edged once or twice a month
stays under two inches tall
hardy from 20 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit
flowers twice per year
Once established, this fabulous groundcover does a great job of outcompeting weeds.
We’re always on the lookout for plants that are a great addition to a trouble-free landscape. Got a great one you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments below!
Everybody wants a green, lush lawn. Loads of information about lawn care is available all over the Internet, but how much of it applies to our climate and grass types? Never fear – your hyper-local guide is here! Follow our guide below for the best lawn ever.
CORE AERATION
A healthy lawn can outcompete weeds, and nothing undermines herbicides more than poor turf management. Why? Well, it starts with the soil. Think of your lawn like a house: there isn’t much point in worrying about your leaky roof if your foundation is crumbling.
Core aeration is a critical component of lawn maintenance. Over time, soil becomes compacted. Compacted soils rob roots of their ability to use oxygen from the atmosphere to absorb water and nutrients. In time, neglect can cause soils to become hydrophobic, further reducing the absorption of water from irrigation and seasonal rainfall. We recommend core aerating your lawn in the spring and fall.
Compacted soils also undermine nutrient uptake and weed control applications. Pre-emergent herbicides and fertilizers applied to compacted soils fail to enter the root zone, eventually leaching away. Grasses suffer, and weeds thrive.
Core aeration solves this problem by removing plugs from the soil, creating a space for nearby soil to relax into. Be sure to use core aeration and not spike aeration, which actually makes the problem worse by increasing compression around the punched holes.
After aerification, we recommend applying humic acid in a granular form, preferably just before seasonal rainfall. Homeowners and property managers with extremely poor soils should apply additional soil amendments immediately after core aeration, and repeat the process twice per season to build up a healthy profile.
IRRIGATION
Wait! I know – you already water your lawn. Here’s the problem: most folks begin irrigation too late in the spring, and water improperly in the summer. In 2021, we had below-normal rainfalls in a region already classified as semi-arid. That took a toll on lawns, shrubs, and trees, and we expect to continue to see the long-term impact on trees and shrubs well into 2022.
Regardless of what your irrigation box might say, there is no perfect irrigation schedule. It is always best to water more deeply and less frequently to develop more robust roots. If you already have a shallow root system from a frequent, shallow watering schedule, you won’t be able to just switch overnight. Overwatering can lead to disease, while underwatering causes drought stress and encourages insect infestation. The best answer (apart from making lawn care your sole free time activity and monitoring soil moisture levels and weather forecasts to decide on the optimal volume every day), is to install a better irrigation system. Spring is the best time to adopt a new system so your grass is prepared for summer stress.
In recent years, smart irrigation systems have become very affordable. A controller that can run eight zones, and adjust its schedule continuously according to the weather forecast, can be picked up at The Home Depot™ for around fifty bucks.
FERTILIZATION
Along with record low rainfalls and drought stress, 2021 saw massive spikes in fertilizer prices. Increases ran in excess of 70% for nitrogen, 80% for phosphate, and 50% for potash. Ouch!
The good news is, if you’ve followed our recommendations above, your lawn won’t need as much fertilizer. In fact, it never needed as much as the fertilizer sales folks told you it did. Think about it – is anybody fertilizing the rainforest? Of course not. Yet there it is, green and lush as can be, thanks to healthy soils and plentiful moisture.
In the spring, apply a slow-release or organic fertilizer when soil temperatures reach 55° Fahrenheit (about mid-April for Lewiston and Clarkston). On the label, look for the numbers representing N-P-K percentages: the first number is the critical number here. Something like 28-0-0 will do the trick for your nitrogen needs. Be sure the label says “slow release” or “long acting” or something similar.
The other two numbers on a fertilizer label represent phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). Phosphorus is only important if a soil test shows a deficiency, or if fertilizing a newly seeded or overseeded lawn. Potassium is important, but plentiful in most soil samples in the Valley. A fertilizer like “30 – 0 – 5 Fertilizer 50% Slow Release” will be just fine for your spring application. Follow the label closely, and make one more application when recommended. This should be no later than mid-June to avoid complications from heat stress.
If desired, very light applications can be made in the summer months; look for a fertilizer such as “15-0-0 with iron.” Follow the label closely. It is far better to use less when it comes to fertilizer. Heavy fertilization, especially with nitrogen and phosphorus, leads to the development of thatch.
When temperatures begin to cool in late September to early October, we recommend one more application with an ammonium sulfate fertilizer at the rates recommended on the label.
DROUGHT STRESS
While fertilizer can be detrimental to turf when the summer heat arrives, there is another product that is highly beneficial: a soil moisture retention agent. Granular products (such as Hydretain ES Plus Granular OC) improve irrigation retention, decrease moisture loss, and improve drought stress resistance in your lawn. The first round should be applied in early to mid June – earlier is better if rainfall is below normal or tapers off – and simply follow the label of whichever product you choose through the remainder of the summer for continuing application intervals.
SEEDING & OVERSEEDING
If your lawn has thin spots, or you would like to plant a new lawn, we recommend preparing the soil and planting seed in early October. Tilling the soil and adding in amendments is critical to promote the success and long-term health of newly seeded grasses. If using a roller to smooth the surface prior to planting, stick to brief passes to avoid renewed compaction. Check for shade tolerance on the seed labeling if trees or building will significantly reduce sunlight in the newly planted area. If shade has been a problem in the past, consider more appropriate plantings for the area (such as a shade-loving groundcover).
You can download a one-page lawn care calendar with our recommendations for 2022 by clicking here.
Ready for a weed-free lawn? Call or text us at 208-298-9171 for a free estimate. We’re here to help!
We choose the safest, most effective materials and methods when tackling your pest control problems. We want our services to be safe for your family, and for ours!
How do we do this?
We avoid pesticides categorized by the EPA as highly toxic. We gotta work with this stuff every day, so this is a no-brainer!
We look for known active ingredients that have a safety profile used across multiple industries – many of our materials contain the same ingredients as the treatments your veterinarian uses to treat your dog for fleas or ticks.
We adopt methods that exclude the use of pesticides altogether, such as trapping, steam, and heat.
We use carefully calibrated, low-volume application equipment to target pests where the application will be most effective.
Options differ for each pest, so give us a call or text us today with your questions: 208-298-9171. We’re here to help!
Remove all sheets and blankets from bed, wash in hot water and place in a hot dryer for at least 20 minutes. Do not return sheets or blankets until after treatment.
Empty all items from nightstands, dresser drawers, closet floors and closet shelves. Place items in garbage bags or totes, and remove from the room. Items not placed in bags or tightly sealing totes may transport bed bugs to other rooms; ensure a tight seal before removing items from the room.
Move bedroom furniture about a foot away from the walls and baseboards.
Consult our office for additional preparation instructions if the infestation has spread beyond the bedroom(s).
AFTER TREATMENT
Residents should be out of the home for three hours total (2 hours after treatment is completed). Open windows upon return to air the premises out.
Items that have not been laundered should be treated in an enclosed space with an approved heat machine or fumigant prior to returning to the treated area.
Thoroughly vacuum mattress, box spring and frame. Vacuum dresser drawers. Continue vacuuming all bedroom, closet and bathroom floors concentrating on baseboards and edges. Discard vacuum bag after completely done vacuuming. Put used vacuum bags in a sealed garbage bag before throwing in dumpster.
The vacuumed mattress and box spring should be put into mattress and box spring covers manufactured for bed bug exclusion.
Remake the covered mattress so that covers are pulled well above the floor.
All items that are returned should be treated with heat or fumigant prior to bringing back to the apartment (No-Pest Strips from your hardware store work well in totes or other storage; read and follow the directions carefully).
HELP US HELP YOU
Treatment success is heavily influenced by closely following preparation and post-treatment guidelines, treatment of neighboring rooms and apartments, identification of the source of the bed bugs, and the prevention of reintroduction.
If you have moss in your lawn, here’s what you need to know: moss lacks a true root system, so it needs surface moisture to thrive (it can go dormant when moisture is available only on a seasonal basis). In a home landscape, look for the following problems where moss is present:
compacted soil
poor drainage
shade
poor fertility
Particularly in areas with heavy clay soils, moss can be difficult to eradicate. Core aeration will help open up the soil for drainage so that irrigation and seasonal rains don’t sit on top of the soil too long. Topdressing after core aeration with a mix of compost and light sand will improve the soil texture. Thinning trees and shrubs where they provide thick shade will allow sunlight to reach the grass, promoting lawn growth and helping to dry persistently moist areas. Proper fertilization will help improve turf vigor, an important deterrent to moss. Finally, proper irrigation is key: be sure to set your irrigation system for a deep, infrequent cycle – this promotes deep root growth, and starves shallow topsoil of the moisture moss needs to thrive (not to mention diseases, like summer patch).
A carpenter ant grooming itself – you gotta look good for the camera!
Ant control can seem impossible – but it isn’t. The key is to target the colony, not the workers. Over-the-counter sprays provide a satisfyingly quick kill of the workers running around your kitchen, but that residue forces the rest of the colony to find other places to forage. And because many nuisance ants have multiple queens, this leads to dispersal throughout your walls, making control more difficult.
The key is to target the colony, not the workers.
Our approach varies depending on the pest species you have in your home or business. While tackling the problem after over-the-counter sprays have been applied is difficult, it isn’t impossible. We have even been behind other companies that train their technicians to simply apply one kind of insecticide (generally whatever they can get for the cheapest). The standard line is that ants are hard to get rid of, and, by golly, you need to be on a contract.
While we do offer preventative services (they’re great if you don’t want your ants back!), tackling the problem you currently have isn’t going to be resolved by somebody running around your home, sweeping your eaves with a cobweb brush. A professional technician will identify your ant species, inspect the areas where they are active, and employ a variety of techniques to dramatically knock down your infestation by targeting the ants you don’t see – the nesting colony. Our application techniques are so precise, and our materials so safe, that you won’t even need to leave your home. Really!
Of course, eggs don’t eat bait, or crawl around. So at least one additional visit is likely to be necessary; for bad infestations, or in areas with heavy populations outside your property boundaries (ants don’t really care about trespassing!), one of our technicians can make recommendations based on your needs.
Would you like to learn more? Estimates are free! Call or text us at 208-298-9171. We’re local, so we can be there in a jiffy!
