There are literally millions of people who suffer some sort of back pain in the United States alone. Some have lower back pain, others mid, and still others neck pain. The consistent issue with all of these patients is imbalance in their spine. Whether the condition be due to poor posture, trauma, or hereditary factors, the fact remains that back pain can interrupt a person’s life and lifestyle.

During the last 27 years of active chiropractic practice I have utilized a variety of treatment techniques that have consistently proven effective in treating the majority of spinal conditions that have entered my office. Always looking for better and more efficient ways to help patients led me to direct my attention to support the spine AFTER the patient had received their treatment.

In the past I had seen orthotics and knew that there was a benefit to supporting a patient’s arches. Unfortunately, after using orthotics occasionally over the years the technology to make these supports didn’t seem to be as consistent as I would have liked.

Let’s go over a bit of anatomy to understand the benefits of orthotics. Your foot has not one, but three arches. There are two arches that travel the length of your foot, one on this inside of the bottom of your foot, and the other on the outside of the bottom of your foot. The third arch is called the transverse arch. It is located across the bottom of your toes, sometimes called the ball of your foot. All three of these arches work together to support the foot. In turn the foot supports the ankles, knees, and eventually the spine.

As we get older or if we continue to wear shoes that are not very supportive, the arches have a tendency to drop. As the arch drops the support required diminishes and affects the entire structure. Typically, the outside arch is the first to start dropping.

I have noticed some patients wearing over the counter arch supports. While these may feel comfortable, they certainly are not made to specifically help YOUR condition. Many professionials that make customized orthotics still use old technology to make the support. The patient steps into a foam cast which is then sent to the orthotic company for production of the orthotic. The problem that I have seen is that it is difficult if not impossible to make a perfect cast using this old technology.

Thankfully, technology has developed that digitizes the process. Use of an electronic digital scanner takes multiple measurements to give the most accurate casting procedure possible. In my office this has allowed patients who previously had chronic lower back pain, to finally get the support their conditions required. This meant less pain, less treatment, and more consistent results.

If you are interested in learning more about chiropractic treatment and the use of orthotics for your particular spinal condition feel free to visit the link in the resource box below.

Airborne pests: Mosquitoes, bees, wasps, gnats, flies–each present their own hazards outdoors and can carry viruses and activate allergies in swimmers. For general pest control, seek out environmental-friendly repellents that give adequate coverage to the complete area around your pool, including the pool deck. In addition, oil of citronella (citronella candles) has been proven to repel most airborne pests. Also check with your local building supplier for permanent solutions like electronic eliminators and traps that attract and kill airborne pests without contaminants.

Be vigilant in and around your pool area. Guard against standing water, such as in birdbaths or in containers and toy boxes–as these are breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Visually survey dark corners beneath decks, posts, gutters, awnings–anyplace a bee, wasp or hornets nest can thrive. If you discover a nest, you may choose to eliminate the problem with over-the-counter deterrents or contact a pest control professional if you are at all unsure about the extent of the infestation.

Land-based pests: Ants, mites, mice and other creepy-crawlies are attracted to food–crumbs, sugars, salt–the kind of excess that might go unnoticed after a relaxing day outside. Be sure to be vigilant about cleaning up after yourself outdoors–clean grills, tables, chairs and any decking surfaces at the end of each day. Repellents also exist to help manage infestations, and oftentimes you can apply these in advance of the season to gain an early advantage over land-based pests.

A final reminder: As a matter of additional safety, you should be aware of any allergies or special restrictions of anyone using your pool, and have appropriate health measures at the ready in the event of an unwanted sting or bite. If you have any doubt about controlling pests, consult a local expert for further assistance.

Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. A vigilant approach to pest control by the pool can add peace of mind to your summertime fun.

What is DHEA?

DHEA, or Dehydroepiandrosterone, is a naturally produced steroid often supplemented by athletes to improve their testosterone levels, allowing for fat loss, muscle gain, heightened energy, and increased libido. DHEA gained massive public appeal when average people looking to become more athletic, lose weight, or gain muscle discovered that it could do the same things for them.

Many fitness supplements throughout the 1990’s and early 2000’s used DHEA as part of their selling point. Numerous studies had come out detailing the effects of DHEA on all the athletic pursuits mentioned above, as well as a number of surprising positive benefits. Some of these included increased insulin production, better sex drive, improved mood, better memory, heightened levels of HDL “good” cholesterol, and various immune system benefits. Indeed, you can still see many DHEA supplements on the shelves in your local vitamin store – however, in recent years studies have surfaced showing the potential harm of DHEA.

DHEA has been shown to increase levels of certain sex hormones in the body – various powerful androgens and estrogens. These sex hormones regulate a number of important processes in the body, and their over supplementation has caused all sorts of unwanted side effects like excess facial hair (for both men and women), mood swings, hypergycemia, or even cancerous growth within the body.

Why is 7 Keto DHEA better?

Luckily, scientists have developed a molecule nearly identical to DHEA, without its propensity for throwing off the body’s natural hormone balance. Known as 7 Keto DHEA, it is a natural metabolite (breakdown product) of DHEA. This means that when you ingest DHEA, it isn’t actually DHEA that causes a lot of the desirable benefits you want. The body metabolizes DHEA into 7 Keto DHEA and various hormone enhancing compounds. By pre-metabolizing DHEA into 7 Keto DHEA and throwing out the unnecessary compounds, scientists can produce the exact same effects as DHEA, with none of the unwanted side effects.

What are some of the proven benefits of 7 Keto DHEA?

* Fat reduction

* Increased energy production

* Immune benefits – increase in anti-viral antibodies

* Effective treatment for muscle and weight loss for sufferers of HIV or wasting disease

* Improves HDL cholesterol, reduces risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke

There are a few important details regarding these benefits. First of all, fat reduction requires at least 200 mg per day to get weight loss results. This is only the minimum – some people take up to 1400 mg per day depending on their weight loss goals. Many supplement companies sell 7 Keto DHEA in capsules that only contain 50 to 100 mg each, requiring a daily minimum of two or four pills. The companies do not tell you this, because it is quite expensive to take 7 Keto DHEA at the required daily dosage. 7 Keto DHEA is actually exponentially higher in cost than pure DHEA as a supplement.

Also, the increased energy production can come at a cost. The reason energy production is increased is tied into 7 Keto DHEA’s use as a weight loss product. DHEA does two things related to energy production: makes it easier for the body to metabolize fats into energy, and it makes the body less efficient at burning fat. This makes the body produce more energy by burning an exponentially greater amount of fat. This is great if you have a lot of fat you need to burn off, but if you do not have any fat on your body, 7 Keto DHEA can actually be a dangerous product. By making the body less efficient, you can actually experience an energy reduction.

Regardless of these details, the studies proving 7 Keto DHEA’s effectiveness in these areas are unassailable.

Some other benefits of DHEA

This list comprises a number of benefits of DHEA that have been proven, but for which studies of 7 Keto DHEA have not yet been done:

* Decreases lupus symptoms like rashes, anemia, arthritis, and heart, lung, or kidney problems

* Better mood

* Increases libido, better sex drive

* Normalizes blood sugar, prevents diabetes

* Anti-aging – reverses tissue deterioration

While there aren’t any studies specifically on 7 Keto DHEA, these have been proven benefits of DHEA, its “mother” molecule. While it only makes sense that it would have similar benefits, one should be wary of websites or products that advertise it making claims of these benefits. Especially the heightened libido/sex drive claim is somewhat dubious, because it isn’t supposed to increase sex hormone levels.

Dangers of 7 Keto DHEA?

As mentioned above, if you don’t have any fat to burn, DHEA can actually decrease your energy levels.

Also, studies have shown that it may actually decrease levels of sex hormone in the blood. This result is believable, because it doesn’t increase them like pure DHEA does.

Regardless of these dangers, it is a powerful weight loss product that can be useful in a number of other areas in your life. Be sure to consult with your doctor or health professional before taking this or any other supplement. Research says if you supplement with 7 Keto DHEA you should consume 200mg per day.

Reducing the side effects of birth control pills (cheers in the gallery!) led to the reduction of the amount of synthetic hormones, estrogen and progestin, that they contained and to the development of the ‘new generation’, low dose birth control pills. “Low dose’ won’t have much meaning for you if you don’t know what this term refers to so the basic information below may help.

So How Low can I go with the dose of hormone ingredients to still be effective at preventing pregnancy?

Good question, as not all birth control pills contain exactly the same amount of estrogen and progestin. I thought a useful reference for you would be a list of low dose and ultra low dose pills so that you can at least discuss the pros and cons with your doctor and see if you are a good candidate to move from say, a low dose 0.035mg estrogen pill down to an ultra low dose 0.020mg estrogen pill. You may find you experience fewer or reduced side effects. Generic brands in low dose birth control pills are also available.

Birth control pills with the very lowest amount of estrogen, that is 0.02mg of estrogen (usually ethinyl estradiol) are classed as ‘ultra low dose’ contraceptive pills. 0.020mg of estrogen is sufficient for contraception but the side effects of spotting and breakthrough bleeding are more common with these types of ultra low dose birth control pills than with low dose pills containing 0.030mg or 0.035mg of estrogen.

Here are some brand names of the “ultra low dose” birth control pills on the market , you may find a generic version on line now that you know what amount of estrogen to look for. The estrogen component is listed first and the progestin component second.

Alesse (Aviane,Lessina,Lutera,Sronyx) contains 0.02 mg ethinyl estradiol and 0.1 mg levonorgestrel
Mircette contains 0.02 mg ethinyl estradiol and 0.15 mg desogestrel

Pills containing 0.02mg- 0.035mg.of estrogen are classed as ‘low dose’ pills. Here are some brand names of “low dose” birth control pills :

LoOvral contains 0.03 mg ethinyl estradiol and and 0.3 mg nogestrel
Nordette contains 0.03 mg ethinyl estradiol and 0.15 mg levognorgestrel
Ortho-Cept (Reclipsen, Solia) contains 0.03 mg ethinyl estradiol and 0.15 mg desogestrel
Desogen contains 0.03 mg ethinyl estradiol and 0.15 mg desogestrel
Levlen21 contains 0.03 mg of ethinyl estradiol and 0.15 mg of levonorgestrel
Seasonale/Seasonique contain 0.03mg of ethinyl estradiol and 0.15 mg of levonorgestrel

If you are a fan of triphasic pills, here are some low dose ones: Cyclessa

Phase 1: ethinyl estradiol 0.025 mg and desogestrel 0.1 mg

Phase 2: ethinyl estradiol 0.025 mg and desogestrel 0.125 mg

Phase 3: ethinyl estradiol 0.025 mg and desogestrel 0.15 mg

In a study of 5,654 women, over six menstrual cycles, some used the popular triphasic Ortho-Novum 7/7/7 and others used Cyclessa. It was found that women who used Cyclessa had significantly less breakthrough bleeding or spotting and experienced an average weight loss of 4lbs. versus an average weight gain of 2lbs. with those who took Ortho-Novum 7/7/7.

Ortho Tricyclen Lo : 3 types of pill in the pack

each white tablet contains 0.025 mg ethinyl estradiol and 0.180 mg of norgestimate
each light blue tablet contains 0.025 mg of ethinyl estradiol and 0.215 mg norgestimate
each dark blue tablet contains 0.025 mg of ethinyl estradiol and 0.250 mg of norgestimate

(Ortho Tricyclen and Ortho-Cyclen, each with 0.035 mg of ethinyl estradiol, contain slightly higher amounts of estrogen in each type of pill than Ortho Tricyclen Lo)

YASMIN and YAZ are two more low dose birth control pills containing 0.03 mg and 0.02 mg respectively

of estrogen but they have a different type of progestin from the other pills called drospirenone (3.0 mg). On the down side, since Yasmin/Yaz can increase levels of potassium, it is not recommended for women with liver, adrenal or kidney problems but on the up side, Yasmin/Yaz appear to reduce water retention and therefore bloating and in some women gives a sense of well being. These pills also have a following among acne sufferers as they seem to improve this skin condition in a lot of cases.As with many other types of birth control pills, Yasmin may not be suitable for you if you also take other over-the-counter pain relievers, potassium sparing diuretics, potassium supplements or specific medications so you MUST check this out with a physician first.

Nursing Moms

You will have heard of the ‘mini’ pill (progestin only pill or POP) which is usually prescribed for women who are breastfeeding or who have an intolerance to estrogen. A ‘Mini pill’ can be started immediately after childbirth or abortion. There is no 7-day break or dummy pills as there are with the combined pill and it must be taken at the same time every day. Micronor contains 0.35 mg norethindrone and NO estrogen whatsoever. In other countries some brand names include: Microlut 28, Microval 28, Locilan 28 and Noriday.

Pills that contain high amounts of estrogen or progestin are used for emergency contraception and are known as ‘the morning after pill’ or Plan B. One common pill is Preven -each blue film-coated pill contains 0.25 mg levonorgestrel and 0.05 mg (that’s MILLIGRAMS not micrograms) of estrogen – usually you take 2 doses, 12 hours apart. Plan B is a ‘morning-after’ pill that contains only one hormone, progestin (Levonorgestrel) Tablets, 0.75 mg.

When you are fighting against hair loss you have certainly heard about DHT already. DHT is the hormone that causes hair loss. DHT blockers like the prescription drug Propecia are reducing the DHT level so that hair loss can be reduced or even stopped. The question now is what is a good DHT level to stop hair loss?

DHT decides how many life cycles a hair follicle has before it dies. Therefore a lower DHT level means longer lasting hair. This is also true for hereditary baldness. DHT levels can raise when you under stress for example. Or they also go up when you do weight lifting as this type of exercise increases testosterone levels. Testosterone gets converted into DHT.

There is no normal or healthy way to change the testosterone level. Every men has testosterone and also the two enzymes that are involved in the process of converting the hormone into DHT. Therefore DHT blockers are the only choice nowadays.

It is still unknown how exactly hair loss works. At some point the growing cycle ends and then it is all over. As long there is no treatment that stops this process, reducing DHT levels is the best and only option.

Propecia works well for men but not in all men. Propecia can stop hair loss or at least reduce it. But you must take Propecia every day without exception and you must take it for at least 6-12 months before you see clear results. If you stop taking Propecia then you loose your hair again.

For women there are other products like Ortho Tri-Cyclen and Spironolactone that block DHT. Women should get tested for their ferritin levels. A value lower than 70 can be the reason for hair loss or hair thinning.

Why would anyone want to market on the Internet when you aren’t selling anything online?

The honest answer is, the Internet is designed for not just promoting goods, it’s also excellent for getting info.

It’s very good for comparing neighborhood pest control companies as well as checking out the local specials at the grocery store. What makes people search online for local companies?

To begin with, what you come across on the Internet is actually much more current compared to what the yellow pages are. Trying to find info on the Internet is additionally a lot more Earth friendly, think about the number of trees it requires to create millions of telephone guides! In addition to that, the swiftness and ease of the world wide web convert it into a great place to get even local information.

Dozen of newspapers across the country have stopped print papers and taken there services online, and phone books are sure to quickly join them. Which means that for those who have some sort of local business that you would like to market, you’ll want to make Internet marketing an element of the marketing budget.

Researchers have confirmed over and over that businesses having a web presence receive additional clients every month from other web site. But not just any website if you aren’t on the very first page then you definitely losing customers, customers that are heading right to the competitors.

So if you would like get rolling the very first thing for you to do will be to find an experienced marketing and advertising company to design you a website that the major search engines will fall madly in love with. Although you may currently have a web site, you will probably have to have another one. If the existing web page is hidden on page 300 on the search engines, it’s literally worthless and refreshing it seriously isn’t likely to be really worth the time and effort. Its like having the perfect restaurant that no one can find and no one knows about. Revamping the menu just isn’t going to bring you the business.

Once you have chosen a marketing company, the rest is basically up to them. Do not be tricked in to spending 1000s of dollars for the marketing and advertising either. There are numerous companies which will build your site and place it on the first page for a fair price, particularly if they are experts in your industry. For instance, pest control marketing provides you with far better rates as well as final results than an Internet marketing company that claims to get anyone and everyone on top.

Once you hire a specialist for the marketing, you can start getting phone calls in just a few weeks time. By the way, anybody that claims you will need many months to get ranked on the 1st page of the search engines should be fired. A good Internet marketer will get your business on the 1st page within a weeks time

Mosquitoes are extremely dangerous insects and are responsible for propagating diseases like malaria, encephalitis amongst other diseases. Since the mosquito grows in places where there is stagnant water and lack of sufficient light, such places should be removed. Care should be taken not to allow formation of small ponds etc, which are ideal places for mosquitoes to breed extensively. In brief, it is extremely essential to get rid of the places where mosquitoes are likely to grow in an uncontrolled way. This can be achieved by checking and preventing leakages in drainage pipes, gutters etc, which will result in the formation of small ponds and water bodies.

In case, these methods are not effective enough, use of pesticides may be considered. However, this needs to be done carefully as there are guidelines for use of such chemicals which need to be followed. List of licensed pesticides can be obtained from concerned government authorities.

If you are working in a mosquito infested area, the best way is to use clothing that will minimize the risk of mosquito bite. It is also required to protect your place of residence in such areas by ensuring proper closing of doors and windows and use of special purpose mosquito nets.

Various mosquito repellants are available in the market that can be used to minimize the risk. Some of them are electrically operated and work on the principle of vaporizing on application of moderate heat. A few oils and lotions for body use are also available.

As such, if the problem is over an extensive area, it is certainly an issue to be looked into by the local municipal body, which is supposed to undertake the mosquito prevention program in a systematic way. They have to identify areas of mosquito breeding and apply various methods for the eradication of mosquitoes.

There are about 100 different species of termites in North America alone. Did you know there are none in Alaska? It is not because there is no wood in Alaska because there are mega forests. It is because the environment is to harsh and makes it uninhabitable for any termite species to survive. Does this tell us something about Mother Nature? You bet it does and what it says is that termites are really not as tuff as termite companies and chemical manufactures make them out to be. Did you know that termites are social insects that rely heavily upon one another to survive? The young when born must be feed by an adult or they starve.

Termites are not just an ordinary insect; they are insects that coexist with a group of one-celled animal of which is their digestive system. Just as the termites eat and multiply so do the one-celled animals that make up the termites digestive system. Kill the termite and the one-celled animal starves. Kill the one-celled animal and the termite starves. As humans we have skin to hold in our body fluids but termites on the other hand have only a thin waxy coating that unlike or skin when damaged will not repair itself. Because of this easily damaged exterior coating they are highly vulnerable to dehydration from loss of body fluids. Without going into further detailed scientific names or biology of the termite it can easily be attained that termites are fragile.

How were termites controlled before Dow Chemical Company existed? Well to be honest with you I can only assume that they were treated with natural acids, sodas or salt. If salt was to costly then vinegar was used, which is no more than bad wine, It would have been introduced to the site of infestation. If salt was used it may have also been applied to the site as a powder or as a salt and water solution. Today salt is inexpensive and is still in use as an interior fungicide and wood preservative. It’s ability to dry things up is still efficient. Salt is also used today in some less toxic water mixed termite treatment solutions labeled as borates. In the case of whole structure Fumigation for drywood termites where poison gas is introduced inside of a structure after it is sealed with tarps, the gas is circulated with electric fans during the 19 hours or more treatment period. The poison gas will kill the one-celled animals within the majority of termites that are exposed. In turn the termites will supposedly starve to death. However, termites eat their dead and can survive for long periods of time from the carcass nutrition. During this time of dead carcass consumption the one celled animals not killed will be able to repopulate to the termites that lost their digestive hosts. Henceforth the colony continues as merely a smaller re-established undetectable mass.

So as you see, whole house fumigation is not effective in complete eradication of drywood termites and that is the reason why most homes, once infested by them are in need or re-fumigation every 5 years. That future $4000.00 job every 5 years is a good reason for the Termite Firms to continue whole structure fumigation in stead of choosing an effective non-chemical alternative. The seeking of effective non-chemical alternative termite treatment means and procedures is the true answer to not only a cleaner, safer environment but also a reasonably priced termite control solution.

Keeping your property free of rats and mice is a perpetual problem for home and property owners. New York City recently put noted rodentologist Bobby Corrigan on the payroll fulltime to combat its burgeoning rat problem. Heading a beefed-up squad of special inspectors known as the “Rat Pack,” Corrigan and his crew are patrolling the city to root out rodent infestations, visiting as many as 200 buildings a day. If cited, property owners have two weeks to evict the varmints or face a fine.

Eviction is rarely easy. Widespread and abundant, rats and mice are considered the second and third most successful mammalian species inhabiting Earth today. Only humans have proved more adaptable. Spread throughout the world by early seafarers, rats and mice are found on all Earth’s continents, exhibiting an amazing ability to adapt to extreme and harsh climate conditions. Rodents thrive in diverse environments from swampy river banks and city sewers to the upper branches of trees and the top floors of high-rise buildings. Opportunistic survivors that live with and near humans, Corrigan calls rats “a barometer for human activity.”

Rats and mice have long been a problem in large metropolitan areas where food sources and hiding places abound. The low shrubbery, parked cars, construction sites, abandoned buildings, tunnels and sewers common in cities provide ideal cover and harborage. Overflowing dumpsters, trash bags stacked along sidewalks and lunch bags tossed in sidewalk garbage cans provide a never-ending food source. But mice and rats are not relegated to cities. As natural habitats in fields, woods and rivers have given way to development, rodents increasingly seek harborage in suburban homes and multi-family dwellings. A recent History channel special, Life After People, postulated that without man’s refuse to feed on, rats and mice would be among the first animals to perish should man become extinct.

The challenge in keeping rodents out of a building is to find and seal off entry points. It’s narrow skull and flexible body allows rodents to creep into homes through small cracks, holes and crevices and along sewer and pipe outlets. It’s said that if a mouse can fit his nose in a hole, he can squirm his body through it. Adept climbers, they use their long tails for balance. While mice are quite small, often only an inch or two in length and weighing less than an ounce, rats grow to 5 or more inches in size and can weigh a pound or more.

Primarily nocturnal, rats and mice build nests of sticks and leaves or nest in burrows. They live in polygynous groups of multiple males and females, the females breeding throughout the year. A mature female can produce up to five litters a year of 6 to 12 pups. Young rodents reach maturity quickly and are capable of reproducing by 3 to 5 months of age. In the wild rodents generally live 6 months to a year but have been known to live up to four years in captivity.

Aggressive in defending their territory, rodents exhibit many destructive behaviors that create problems for home and property owners. They contaminate food sources with their urine and feces, gnaw through baseboards and walls, destroy farm and garden crops and fruit trees, and spread internal parasites and mites that can infect pets and humans. Rat fleas carry a number of diseases than pose a serious danger to humans, pets and livestock.

In the Middle Ages, the Black Plague (also called the Black Death), carried and spread by the rat flea, decimated human populations worldwide killing more than 20 million. Bubonic plague spread by rats killed tens of millions during the 19th century Asian pandemic. Each year approximately 3,000 cases of bubonic plague are reported worldwide in Asia, Africa, the U.S. and South America. Scientists fear that global warming may increase the incidence of plaque which favors warmer climates. In 2006, campgrounds were closed for three weeks in Natural Bridges National Monument in Utah when bubonic plague was detected in field mice and chipmunks. Rats and mice can also spread disease through parasites and feces. In the early 1990s, a deadly outbreak of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome in New Mexico was linked to breathing the dust of mouse feces. Characterized by hemorrhagic fever and renal failure, a disturbing number of cases of the untreatable hantavirus have been reported each year in the U.S.

The typical rodent elimination arsenal includes snap traps, rodenticides and mechanical traps. Though these products may be effective in killing rodents, they do not stop rodents from continuing to infiltrate a building. To effectively eliminate rodent problems, all points of ingress must be fully sealed. Now a revolutionary new “green” system helps home and property owners locate ingress and egress points, allowing rodents to be trapped and removed, nests to be located and destroyed, and entry points to be effectively sealed. The innovative Track & Trap rodent control system, available in both mouse and rat sizes, is the smart, “green” way to take care of rodent problems.

The Track & Trap system features a special tracking box that is loaded with a food attractant, surrounded by a powdered, environmentally-friendly fluorescent chemical. As mice or rats scurry around the food trough, their feet and bodies become dusted with fluorescent powder. Ultraviolet light sensors allow pest control experts to pinpoint ingress points and even follow rodents back to their indoor dens. This allows traps to be targeted effectively, rodents and nests inside the building to be eliminated, and entry points to be permanently sealed to prevent further rodent problems.

If you live in Lancaster PA, you will most likely have a bug issue from time to time. We have a unique set of bugs, ranging from Stink Bugs to Odorous House Ants, to Subterranean Termites. Well we are going to list a few of them and briefly talk about how to control these pests.

Stink Bugs have now come from Allentown, and are here to stay, and you will probably need to spray at some time or another for them. Another bug, the Asian Ladybug, has been released by the state to aid Hemlock trees. And of course, Boxelder Beetles are a favorite in our area. All of the above are sun-bathers and prefer the south-side of homes and can be controlled by perimeter power-spraying. Stop the bugs before they get in, and problem solved. Now to keep these bugs down, one should consider treating quarterly for these pests due to seasonal changes.

Another insect needing controlled in our county is the Odorous House Ant. These ants are really tough for the average homeowner to stop. I would say that we really started to see them become the predominate ant invader in Lancaster back in the mid-90’s. “Fracturing”, is the reason most cannot eliminate them. If a certain number of ants do not return home, a queen will “split” the colony, and now you have two colonies coming at you! You may need professional help to eliminate these guys. If you are going to go after them, use only non-repellent products that allow the worker ants to carry the product and “infect” the colony.

Now when it comes to Subterranean Termite control in Lancaster or anywhere, do not try to tackle them yourself. Please see our other articles on control for termites if you have them! In the long run, you could have thousands of dollars in repairs if you incorrectly treat a termite infestation! We have written specifically to address this issue, so please take some time to review our other articles.

With this in mind, if you live in this part of Pennsylvania, and you are “Bugged-out”, don’t take it personally, it just comes with the turf!