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Thursday, May 3, 2018
- [Art] We’re going to talk a little bit about something we don’t like, which is why this guy is in business. Bugs, critters, pests. And with us from Rose Pest Control we say good morning to Mike Rodgers. Mike, good morning.
- [Mike] Good morning, Art.
- [Art] You’re in a business, people love you and hate what you get rid of, right?
- [Mike] Yeah, they like us at the end.
- [Art] So, let’s talk, I mean, you know it seems that over years different pests seem to come and go. What’s the current crop? What are we looking at today that we hear more about and have to be more concerned about?
- [Mike] I think what we’re seeing is the tick population. It’s been in the news, and this year for us I think we’ve done more tick jobs than we did all of last year.
- [Art] Now correct me if I’m wrong but primarily when we talk about ticks we’re talking outside aren’t we?
- [Mike] We are. We are. A lot of hunters brought them back last fall. We’ve had calls really nonstop since the fall of last year. But really the spring is the highlight of where people pick these things up
- [Art] And people pick them up, could be Lyme disease if you get it, right?
- [Mike] Right.They transmit that. Right. Well, there’s a species that transmit that and right now they’re finding it on the west side of the state all the way up that Lake Michigan side. They are starting to find them moving closer to the east side of the state, so we do have to take precautions no matter what species it is.
- [Art] So, you treat, in this case, you’re treating the lawns, brush, things of that nature, right?
- [Mike] Yeah, we look for habitat modification because if we go out there and treat it’s not helping whoever the property owner is for a long period of time. We need to look, and we actually do what we call a tick drag. Where we actually drag a cloth across the ground to see how much population we have and then we do look at the high grass on the edge of the yard. They’re not going to hang out on a well-manicured lawn.
- [Art] Oh, is that right? So, if you mow your lawn regularly, chances are you’re not going to find ticks?
- [Mike] Correct. Basically, what a tick does, is finds a trail where rodents and wildlife go and they get up on a high weed and they just kind of put their arms out and wait to grab somebody as they walk by.
- [Art] So, you really have to walk up to them and rub against them for them to get on you. They are bloodsuckers, right?
- [Mike] They are. Well, they’ll get in the skin and that’s where, when they inject what they have inside that’s where that lyme disease comes when they’re trying to suck the blood.
- [Art] So, when you treat, you have to uh, you have to first modify habitat, is that right?
- [Mike] We try to. If we can modify the habitat we’ll have long-term control and get those ticks out of the areas where the homeowner/property owner does not want them. And then we’ll apply our residual pesticide to that area if we can’t modify it. And that will give them anywhere from 4-6 weeks relief.
- [Art] Yeah, so what’s the tick season? Is there a season, I mean 4-6 weeks? How many times do you have to come back during a season?
- [Mike] It normally, the peak is right now in the spring. The ones that you see in the fall are the woodsmen, the people going out for hunting and you get those calls. But normally when you’re talking family and hiking and camping, it’s normally the peak is usually the middle of May until probably the late part of June.
- [Art] As always, Mike, thanks. We’ll have to do it again.
- [Mike] Thank you.
- [Art] Mike Rodgers from Rose Pest. Always fun having him we thank you for joining us and we’ll talk to you next hour.
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