Orlando Pest Control News

Question: I have had several pest control companies in Orlando treat my grass over the years. My current company says they cannot be responsible for chinch bugs damage since they are resistant to pesticides. Are they kidding me?

Steve Says: It comes down to the pest control company and what products they are using to kill and prevent chinch bugs. The constant use of Synthetic Pyrethroids in low dose forms over the past 10 years by most Orlando pest control companies has made chinch bugs immune to this type of pesticide in Florida.

The newer neonicatinoids insecticides are working extremely well in killing and preventing chinch bugs. The problem for most Orlando pest control companies is that these products are extremely expensive. At Heron Lawn and Pest Control we only use these
products in our program for chinch bugs and lawn damaging insects. This allows us to keep providing a sod replacement guarantee to our customers. Request a quote from us and see what we can do for you.

Heron equips entire fleet with real-time Global Positions Systems
“This project was important to me for many reasons.” says Ryan Shilton, Heron Fleet Manager. “This fits squarely into other initiatives we’ve already had in place for a long time.”

What Ryan means is simply this – the ability to track every vehicle in a fleet as big as this one pays huge dividends. First, managing idle time, speed, and unnecessary driving saves fuel, and not only makes us more environmentally responsible, it also helps manage our operating costs, which keeps the cost to our customers competitively in check.

Second, we are now watching arrival and departure times at customer’s homes. This leaves no room for misunderstanding when superior service is company policy. Every service vehicle is tracked to the second by three geosynchronized satellites that can pinpoint a truck anywhere on planet earth under any conditions. You may rest assured your service is being performed correctly. Big brother is watching closely!

Third, we are managing risk by slowing these vehicles down, watching for school zone behavior, after-hours use and travel outside of assigned areas. Every minute we eliminate in unnecessary use is a minute we reduce the risk of an accident to zero percent. The incentives here are obvious, and as responsible corporate citizens, you should expect nothing less from us.

In these recessionary times other companies are cutting back on important things, or going out of business altogether. We continue to invest in ways that elevate our position in this industry, never satisfied that our work here is done. Thank you for your support and thank you most especially for your many kind referrals.

Question: I have tiny brown ants crawling all over my kitchen counter! I found a small hole where they may have gotten in, but covering it did nothing. How do I get rid of them?

Steve Says:

These small ants are most likely Pharaoh ants and can be a big nuisance. It will be very important that you do not spray any insecticides or use any harsh cleaning agents on or around the areas they are infesting. Pharoah ants follow each other by pheromones. If these trails are blocked by anything it will make the ants that cannot get back to the main colony start another colony of their own. The problem will get worse.

The answer for ridding of these pests is to either find the nest(s) and kill them with an insecticide, or use a planned baiting procedure to rid of them over time. These bugs are best battled by a professional.

Question: What can I do to prevent and help my lawn from frost damage?

Steve Says:

Recently planted (sprigged, sodded, or seeded) grasses can expect to be more severely damaged by cold. Due to less root development and more tender and succulent shoot tissue, overall stress tolerance is reduced in grasses undergoing establishment. Therefore, particularly in north Florida, delay fall planting of grasses until spring or early summer. In South Florida, year-round establishment may be practiced, but care should be taken to protect immature turf from occasional cold temperatures.

Fertility can also influence cold tolerance. Late season application of nitrogen will promote shoot growth in the fall, when the grass growth and metabolism are slowing down. This will deplete carbohydrate reserves, which help the grass regrown from any stress, and will also produce new, tender shoot growth that is less able to tolerate adverse conditions such as cold. Therefore, late-season application of nitrogen is not recommended.

Potassium fertility in the fall has been shown to enhance cold tolerance and promote earlier spring green up of grass. Application of potassium at the rate of ? to 1 lb. per 1000 square feet is recommended for the last fertilization of the year. At Heron, we apply potassium all fall and winter long to help this process.

Effects of shade can increase cold damage. Because shaded areas do not become as warm as areas in full sun, injury in these areas may be more severe. Compacted soils also remain cooler than well-drained areas, which increases the probability of cold temperature damage.

Increasing mowing height can reduce cold injury in a number of ways. First, it will promote deeper rooting, which is one factor always associated with greater stress tolerance. It will also allow for production and storage of more carbohydrates late in the summer. In addition, higher mowing heights can create a warmer micro-environment due to extra canopy cover provided by longer leaf tissue.

Because cold damage may initially resemble drought stress, people sometimes feels that additional water may be needed. Overall, correct irrigation practices as described in our lawn care section can alleviate many stresses faced by turf, but as the grass goes into dormancy, water needs are reduced.

Question: I live in Orlando and have had Heron treating my lawn for several years. I have been through several companies that I will not mention up until hiring Heron. You guys have turned my lawn around and I have recently received yard of the month. Thank you for so much for all your hard work. I do have a question. I have a large circle in my lawn that has popped up overnight that is greener then the rest of the lawn and it appears to be growing and now has mushrooms growing alng the edges of it. What is this?

Steve Says:

First, I would like to say thank you for the compliment. We work hard at being the best pest control company in central Florida. We will continue to provide you the best service we possibly can.

The ring in your lawn is called fairy ring. Fairy ring is a circular to semicircular band of dark green turf grass. When a turf site has buried caches of leaves or stumps, a fairy ring can develop. Enhanced turf grass vigor is due to the organic release of nitrogen in the turf root zone.

During warmer months with ample moisture, many established fairy rings may exhibit reproductive stages such as mushrooms or puffballs. Do not let your pets eat these mushrooms. Certain varieties are toxic to pets and people. Fairy ring may occur several times per year. No treatment is needed for this. It will grow out usually within a couple of weeks. Keeping your lawn mowed more frequently with help with the appearance during the grow out process.

Question: I have a lot of brown spots in my lawn. They popped up overnight. The soil is moist, so its not drought. Any idea what is causing this?

Steve Says:This could be many things, however, this time of year, the most common brown spot to happen quickly is brown patch fungus. The area may appear to have a doughnut shaped appearance. The base of the blade will slide out easily and have a black shiny appearance at the base of the leaf.

This disease is most likely to be observed from October through May when temperatures are below 80 F. It is normally not observed in the summer. Infection is triggered by rainfall, excessive irrigation or extended periods of high humidity resulting in the leaf canopy being continuously wet for 48 hours or more. It can be transferred to other parts of your lawn by mowers, walking through it, etc. A good fungicide should be applied to it every 14 days, 2-3 consecutive times to get it under control. Once the fungus is controlled, you can then start fertilizing it to help with the recovery. Call us for a free lawn care quote.

PCO Magazine (August 2008) features Heron Pest Control on the cover of this revealing edition.
From page 18 of the article: “To say that Heron has made a lawn care and pest control impression on central Florida would be an understatement.”

“Dawn Rivera and Jerry Mix from PCO Magazine” says Tom Grzeszczak, Heron District Manager, “did a fantastic and flattering job capturing a snapshot of our success, but we’re keeping our eye on the ball here.”

Tom and Clay Pratt, Brach Manager of the Orlando office, were sitting at the table in the conference room in his branch, reading along together.

The article has brought into focus the unparalleled growth Heron Pest Control has enjoyed, even during these troubling economic times. Our ranking as one of the fastest growing pest control companies in the United States highlights for us a need in the market for something fundamental.

“We’re not talking about all 7,000 homes we’ll have under our care before this year is out,” Tom continues, “but rather performing one perfect service, 7,000 times. There’s a difference.”

A short interlude of enthusiastic “high-fives” takes place, and then these guys are back to work as the room fills with a call to arms from buzzing cell phones, leaving the publication proudly behind for the rest of the team to review. It serves as a sobering reminder that every level of success we achieve is earned, not prearranged. It’s the result of a commitment to providing substantive and consistent value to every customer. And it’s not easy. But we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Thank you for all your thoughtful calls and kind words of encouragement. Thank you to the reporting staff and creative team at PCO Magazine, as well.

Heron donates new computer and provides tuition to college student in Africa
Heron Pest Control has always gone to great effort to be a thoughtful corporate resident in each of the communities we live and work in. We seek out and support local small business, provide important services free of charge (or at reduced rates) to places of worship, recovery centers and faith-based organizations of various kinds.

“In this example we wanted to reach out just a little further than our own back yard.” Said Joe Patti, company CEO.

We first became aware of the Maranyundo School for girls in Rwanda from a friend in Boston who teaches at a Jesuit High School. This friend flew to Africa and donated a month of his time, skills, and money to help this fragile new venture for little girls get off the ground. His stories of hope and human triumph inspired us all, so when he asked for support for an orphaned young man named Jacques who lives in Kilgari and wishes only to attend school, we signed on quick.

Jacques’ new dell laptop was shipped to Boston, on the first leg of its journey across the globe. We have also agreed to pay his tuition and living expenses in full. We urge everyone to read about the good work these dedicated people are doing, and do what you can to lend your support.

http://www.maranyundo.org/

Heron announces new 1 million dollar termite repair warranty
In the struggle against termites and all the damage and chaos they cause, Heron Pest Control continues to stay on the front line by developing and implementing as many new strategies as possible, so we can strike first, and create real value and peace of mind for our customers.

Heron’s complete termite protection program using “Termidor” provides real protection against subterranean termite infestation, and now we back up that claim with a written 1 million dollar repair warranty against damage.

The National Pest Control Association reports termite damage in the U.S. costs more annually than hurricanes, fires, and floods combined. That’s a lot of damage. The chaos termites cause in states like Hawaii, California, Texas, and Florida (where the activity is year round, with never a moment of rest) is especially destructive.

“We are continuously training and leaving no room for error when it comes to termite protection.” Says Steve Ok ros, VP and Corporate Service Director for Heron. “In Florida, it’s not if you’ll get termites. Unfortunately, it’s more probably when.”

Heron works hard to get their message to “Strike First!” out to all its customers, hoping to eliminate the need for costly termite repairs in the future by arranging a preventive treatment now. You can click on the “Termite Control” link on the home page and watch the informative video. Everything you need to know on how to protect your most valuable asset is right there.

Heron launches new site that allows customers to see their history, pay their bill, and purchase other services with just a few clicks
Heron Pest Control is continuously seeking ways to streamline service and create substantive value for its customers. That involves many more things than just the obvious one of providing consistently superior service once we are curb side.

We discuss and develop many other things like keeping scheduled appointments without exception, actually having a company policy on returning phone calls, and an entire job description (“Quality Manager”) who’s only function is to perform random service audits in the field to ensure service standards are met without deviation, as a few examples.

We wanted to carry this thinking forward to our website as well. It should be just as much a tool for good customer service as any other function of our service systems. That’s why we developed the software that allows existing customers to log in, see their service history, including dates and materials, and review and securely pay their bill as well.

Our customers have come to expect this from us, and we are happy to be held to a higher level of expectation. Click the link below to visit the web designer who helped bring this site to reality.

http://www.nickelmedia.com