If you life in North Carolina I am sure you have seen what many people here refer to as water bugs. Most of the time the bugs are actually various species of Roaches. The most common type of Roach we call water bugs is the Smokey Brown Cockroach (picture on right). We also commonly see American Cockroaches referred to as water bugs. The truth is these bugs are not at all water bugs.

    I have been in the pest control business since I was a kid. My grandfather started our company in 1973 and my father spent most of his life building the business. In the 20 plus years of my career I have seen major shifts in termite treatment costs. When I first got into the pest control business the average cost of a termite treatment was around $300. Now some of the prices I see go into the thousands and are way out of line and completely unaffordable for the average home owner, especially during tough economic times.

    Right now, Bed Bugs are the "rock stars" of the pest control industry.

•    Most store bought products capable of killing termites are repellents. Repellents are products that termites can sense and will avoid. Almost any termite killing product will kill any termite it touches however, only a small part of the colony will come in contact with these products. So you may not see the termites in the area you first spotted them but it is very likely that the termites will reappear somewhere else and next time, you may not see them.
•     Trying to kill termites yourself may give you a false sense of security. When we perform termite treatments we typically treat the entire house. Even after we treat the house we need to come back every year for a full inspection. Contrary to popular believe these inspections are not just a way for pest control companies to make money. Termite inspections are extremely important for controlling termites. Most state regulations require termite companies to inspect the property every year in order to keep the property under contract. Even after we do full professional termite treatments we will still sometimes find active termites in hard to see areas that need to be treated again.
•    You probably do not have the equipment needed to control termites. When we find active termites in a garage we have to use hammer drills to drill 1/2 inch holes through the concrete slab and through the foundation where the evidence is found. We then have to inject the termiticide into these holes to ensure the chemical gets into the soil. On average I would say we use around 100 - 200 gallons of product on the average house. Most homeowners just don't have the proper tools or experience to handle termites.

1. Do not be scared to shop around. The termite business is very competitive and there are several pest control companies that offer termite protection.
2. Make sure you are dealing with a quality company. first you should make sure the company is established. Try to find a pest control company that has been around for 20 years or more and has a good grade with the Better business bureau. 
3. Get more than one estimate. Most reputable pest control companies will give you a free estimate. If you feel pressured by a salesman I would throw that estimate away and get more.

1. Does the termite contract cover damage? Not all termite contracts will cover future damage. Some termite contracts only cover re treatments for the termites and not the damage they create. While others will protect you from future termite infestation and future termite damage. Termite contracts that cover future damage are far more valuable than contracts that don't.
2. How long will the initial treatment cover your home? This may depend on the product being used. Some companies will require a retreatment after five years some will require it after 10.
3. How much will the contract cost per year? Most termite contracts require a yearly renewal fee at the time of the annual inspection. You should find out what this costs and will the annual price rise over time.

  The termite protection product you choose is up to you. Most professional products labeled for termites will do the job if used according to the label. Not all termite protection products are created equal. I highly recommend using a non repellent termiticide such as Termidor or premise. These products are very effective for controlling termites. They both have labeling that will allow a pest control company to treat the entire structure without having to drill as much as other products would require. These products are able to achieve excellent termite protection by mostly applying the product on the outside of the home. The termiticides non repellent characteristics allow termites to continue going through the barrier and then unknowingly spread the termiticide to other members of the colony while communicating and grooming.

  Fire ants are a major problem in Raleigh and Fayetteville North Carolina. If you haven't seen fire ants in your yard yet there is a very good chance that you will. Initially you will usually notice the mounds they create. These fire ant mounds are usually bigger than the mounds created by other types of ants. If you notice them in your yard you should not mess with it Fire ants are extremely aggressive and their stings hurt very much.

   These little black dots that are often found on siding and automobiles are not what they seem. Many people are told that they are insect feces and sometimes sold pest control contracts because of it. 

      Ants with wings becomes a big issue in the pest control business around early spring. We get calls all the time from home owners concerned because they came home and found a large amount of ants with wings near a door or a window. Usually they will be dead or you might only see the wings left behind by the ants. This may not seem like a big deal maybe you just spray some bug spray on the ants and sweep up the wings. The problem with doing this is they may not be ants with wings at all. They might be termites. Above is an illustration of a termite swarmer and an ant with wings.

       AAA Exterminating Co. has specialized in Wood Destroying Insect inspection reports or WDIRs for most of our existence. Over the years we have seen hundreds of homeowners and Realtors get very frustrated at problems found during an inspection that may end up costing more money, slowing down the closing process or even stopping the sale completely.

   A: Termite swarmers are a sign of a mature termite colony. These colonies are extremely common in the Raleigh and Fayetteville areas. Termite swarmers are the new reproductive members of the colony who's job is to fly out, pair up and create new colonies. This is probably the only time most people notice termites, so when this happens Pest Control companies usually get a lot of calls from scared home owners.