RICHARD FAGERLUND: Home, business owners have many options for managing pests

Someone asked me if bugs will be out early because of the mild weather and what they should do about it.

As I said in a previous column, you should take time to pest-proof your home in the winter before pest activity starts. Inspect your home or business around the outside and seal or screen any openings where bugs as small as ants can enter. Make sure you dont have any tree branches touching your home or business, as insects will use the branches as an avenue to find openings on the roof.

If you have a pest control service, that is fine, but dont let them spray pesticides unless you have a bug infestation. Spraying pesticides to prevent pests is not a good practice and good companies dont do that.

It is a good time to get your home inspected for termites as they are active all year and will be swarming in four or five weeks if the weather doesnt change much. Make sure whoever you use to inspect is familiar with drywood termites and other wood-destroying insects, as well as with subterranean termites. If you get a termite inspection, try to find an inspector who doesnt do treatments so there isnt any conflict of interest.

If you have a commercial business, all you have to do is keep your facility as clean as possible and pest-proof it as you would your home. If you hire a professional, pick one that will inspect your facility but not use any toxic pesticides unless a severe infestation is present. Believe it or not, all commercial establishments can control their own pests if they want to. I know many business owners cant be bothered doing their own pest control work and that is fine. There are several real-good companies out there to help you.

If you want to do some pest work yourself, then keep a pest control company available in case you get a sudden infestation of some pest. In commercial businesses this occasionally happens as vendors can bring in pests, as can unusual weather and other factors. You dont need anyone just coming in and spraying pesticides along the baseboards. That is not good pest management.

With good common sense and a little knowledge, you can safely and effectively manage pests in your facility, even if its a restaurant, without anyone spraying toxic pesticides.

If you have a hotel or motel, you can actually control bed bugs if they show up. You dont need to pay a fortune to have a room sprayed with toxic pesticides.

Some companies use safe products and try to find one of these companies if you want, but you can do it yourself if you prefer. One problem pest companies have is the rules. They are not allowed to use any products, no matter how safe, unless the products are registered with the New Mexico Department of Agriculture. They cant use such great products as peppermint essential oil because it isnt technically a pesticide. Or grits, even though grits are great at ant control.

However, homeowners and business owners can use anything they want in their home or business, as they wish. The general public has more options on what they can use to manage pests than the pesticide industry does. The industry is basically restricted to pesticides, while you as a homeowner or business owner can use diatomaceous earth, peppermint essential oils, cedar products, grits and many other safe and effective common products.

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RICHARD FAGERLUND: Home, business owners have many options for managing pests