top of page

BLOG
Search


It Was Where? (AKA: Take off your clothes)
Two things have happened this week that have spurred this week’s blog post. And yes, today is only Tuesday. The first is that I have found not one but three ticks in my hotel room. The second is the news report that the CDC is reporting that they are seeing the highest rate of emergency room visits for tick bites in a decade. Oh yeah, I'm in New Jersey right now, but this also hit my news feed today: Why are either of these things important? Great question, thanks for askin

Chelle Hartzer
11 hours ago3 min read


I Saw it on the Internet! (AKA: Say what?)
I get a kick out of some of the stuff I see on social media. One of my favorites is the ultrasonic pest-repelling device. Even better, they have different sizes or models for different pests. Um… no. There can be a lot of misinformation out there. Since it’s April Fool’s Day tomorrow, let’s look at some of the “pranks” that are out there. Whether you are looking into pest control and come across these, or a pro that needs to answer questions about them, it’s important to know

Chelle Hartzer
Mar 313 min read


Wait…What? (AKA: This is bugging me)
Mosquito Madness - Day 16! I’m taking my usual morning walk yesterday and since it’s getting lighter out, I can see a bit more. Around my neighborhood, I saw not one, but three yard signs advertising that a pest control company had done a mosquito treatment. You may be asking, “but why is that a big deal?” Great question, thanks for asking. A mosquito treatment doesn’t seem like a big deal until you realize that this is early March. Granted, I live in the south and we have

Chelle Hartzer
Mar 173 min read


Bite me (AKA: Mosquito madness!)
It's day 8 of mosquito madness! You folks know I read a lot of research on all things pests so I can help my clients provide the best service possible. I have quite a few alerts set for news stories on all things pest related. It doesn’t surprise me that pest control and pest control devices are in the news. People want to protect themselves, their homes, and their foods from harmful pests. And if you read it on the internet, it must be true. Smh Here’s a few things that

Chelle Hartzer
Mar 103 min read


Drowning in Problems (AKA: Got water?)
Continuing with Mosquito Madness (day 2)! When we talk about mosquito control, it’s common for people to think of the spray or the fog. We picture the adult mosquito—the one currently buzzing or biting and ruining the outdoor patio seating. But we also need to look at the source. We talk about larvicides but do folks really understand them and how they work? Starting with the basics - every mosquito starts its life as a "wriggler" in a stagnant pool of water. Manage the lar

Chelle Hartzer
Mar 33 min read


Story Time (AKA: A little issue)
Let me tell you a story. It’s the story of a gnat. Let’s call him Gary. What is a gnat, you may ask. That’s a great question. Hold on a sec while I go get my soapbox. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A GNAT. People use the term all the time to describe nearly any small fly they find in nearly any situation. This is a problem because there are lots of species of small flies that can be found in many different areas. Garry could be a fruit fly (also called vinegar flies), Phorid fly (

Chelle Hartzer
Feb 33 min read


Dangerous Alliens (AKA: The invasion continues)
I'm in Orlando this week at PestWorld so I'm super excited to see what's new and get to talk to everyone. Which brings up an interesting point. Is there anything new? Aside from a few new invasive insects which aren't necessarily structural pests (spotted lanternfly, spotted lady beetles, etc.) our pests haven't changed much. So here's a quick rundown of some history on our common pests. Starting with one of my favorites: cigarette beetles. These go back to ancient Egyptian

Chelle Hartzer
Oct 21, 20253 min read


Running Hot and Cold (AKA: Corn and ice cream)
I heard a new term yesterday, and I figured it was an internet hoax. You know what happens next: I had to investigate and look it up....

Chelle Hartzer
Jul 22, 20253 min read


Go Ahead, DIY It (AKA: I dare you)
Because I am constantly researching pest control, I am always looking up information on pesticides. Sometimes I am looking for a specific...

Chelle Hartzer
Jul 15, 20253 min read


Bring the Heat (AKA: Sounds like summer)
It is summer here in Georgia, and the cicadas are singing away. It’s not the deafening dissonance of the cicadas in Kansas; it’s more the...

Chelle Hartzer
Jul 1, 20253 min read


What's Your Problem? (AKA: I'm behind)
I’ve been doing a lot of training recently. It tends to happen this time of year because it’s a bit slower in the field and people are...

Chelle Hartzer
Feb 25, 20253 min read


We Didn’t Start the Fire (AKA: Feeling the heat)
I do not live out west where the devastating fires are continuing, and that doesn’t mean I’m not impacted. All of us will be in some way...

Chelle Hartzer
Jan 14, 20253 min read
bottom of page