5 REASONS IT’S PROBABLY BEST TO TRUST A PEST CONTROL PROFESSIONAL WITH YOUR LANDSCAPE

If your landscape is taking a heavy hit by some meddlesome pest, you need to act fast!

The trouble is, exterminators can be expensive— and you might be considering applying insecticides yourself to save a few bucks. After all, how hard can it be?

Actually, turf and tree care can get quite complicated. Oftentimes, you can benefit from the expert advice and care of a professional. Here are five reasons you might want to consider pest control services instead of DIY extermination:

1. You May Need Help Identifying the Pest

After a quick Google search, you determine the white larvae you found in your dead grass are Blue Grass Billbugs. But, maybe they’re actually the white grubs of the Japanese Beetle, feeding on your roots!

Or, perhaps it’s not a cute, little rabbit chewing on your plant leaves, but pesky little lawn voles— burrowing underground, out of sight.

Other times, you won’t even understand the cause. Maybe your tree is losing leaves like crazy, and the suspected “fertilization problem” is actually the Emerald Ash Borer, eating your Ash tree from the inside out. Sometimes it’s hard to identify the pest behind the turmoil, and you might waste time treating the wrong thing.

2. You Can Put Your Family & Neighborhood at Risk

Certain insecticides might not be safe for your family’s health or for the environment. For instance, certain ingredients can cause severe reactions and long-term cognitive issues in dogs or pets when inhaled or eaten— like Amitraz and Chlorpyrifos. Read more about protecting Fido here!

Some chemicals can harm bees, bats, frogs, and other important animals within your ecosystem too. Broad-spectrum insecticides can be especially harmful, killing any insects in contact, including the “good” ones like butterflies and ladybugs. A pest control professional will use the safest insecticides possible. For instance, our team proudly uses BeeSafe, organic products!

3. You’ll Likely Use Fewer Pesticides

While certain insects and critters can effectively be removed with the use of pesticides, sometimes chemicals aren’t needed. For example, there’s a number of natural tick repellants you can use to keep those bloodsuckers off your landscape, like spraying natural cedar oil.

Or, maybe it’s deer who are eating your plants. While you could try Deer Away® or Deer Off® spray, oftentimes removing their food sources— like birdseed— or setting up fencing around your shrubs and trees will do the trick. No chemicals needed!

A landscape care professional should be able to offer alternative solutions, without being “spray-happy.” Plus, when insecticides or solutions are needed, an expert will understand the proper ratios needed and never overapply, like homeowners often mistakenly do.

4. You Can Save Money

While you can go to a Lowe’s or Home Depot and find various bottles of insecticide, prices can be steep, especially when you need enough solution to cover a large landscape.

A professional exterminator or pest control expert, however, often gets mixes for less— by buying at wholesale cost or in bulk. While they may charge the “retail rate,” oftentimes the cost will include labor, making it worth the investment for your time savings.

Plus, some full-service landscape companies will be able to give you a better rate if you trust them for all your lawn care needs: like maintenance, fertilization and more.

5. Your Hands May Be Tied

Chemicals can be extremely harmful when put into the wrong hands. Certain insecticide treatments require a licensed or trained professional to apply. For instance, your tree may require an Arborjet tree injection to rid your property of Gypsy Moths— something that only a specialized arborist can inject.

Or, your turf or plant might be too far gone, and you’ll need the help of a landscaper to reseed or replant fresh vegetation. Only then can then lay down preventative solutions to keep the pest from returning.

Turn to a Pest Control Professional

Pesky critters can be a real pain— and you might be surprised by how complex pest management can get: mixing the right chemicals, knowing the right amounts to spray, determining how many treatments are necessary.

We always say, “Hire a professional— you’ll be glad you did.”

Discover what makes our team at Swazy & Alexander remarkable, and why homeowners all across the North Shore turn to us for pest control services.