Link: http://www.embarkservices.com/newsdetail.php?id=36

Press Release: Embark Services Launches a New TCIA Award-Winning Website Dedicated to Arbor Education and Client Stewardship

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 3, 2011-Houston, TX- Embark Services, a landscaping and arbor care service provider located in Houston, Texas, has recently launched a new website designed to raise understanding of the Arbor industry as well as inspire arbor stewardship with its clients. This initiative, led by Embark Services President Jeff Schroeder, is using state-of-the-art, interactive Web technologies to create an online community where visitors can deepen their knowledge of the Arbor industry and how it is tied to their individual community. The new website was recently named Winner of the coveted “2010 TCIA Professional Communications Award” by the Tree Care Industry Association.

TCIA evaluated all entries on the overall appearance, content quality, adherence to ANSI and OSHA standards, and their success in achieving the company’s marketing and communications goals. With almost 60 entries, TCIA was impressed with the website’s dedication to Arbor Education and overall client ease of use. Amy Tetreault, Marketing & PR Coordinator of TCIA, explains “Embark Services website features much more information than the average tree care company’s website. This website is a valuable resource for consumers looking for tree care information”. The website also includes the Embark Services Blog and RSS feeds where visitors can go to stay up-to-date on the latest local events that affect the Arbor Community. Visitors can also access Arbor Care content and participate through Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

For more information on Embark Services, please visit www.embarkservices.com.

Link: http://www.embarkservices.com/blog/blogs/

On August 2, 2010, The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) named August as “Invasive Plant Pest and Disease Awareness Month.” The goal of the APHIS is to increase understanding in the harm that invasive plant pests and diseases can cause to natural resources and agriculture.

APHIS Administrator Cindy Smith reported, “Preventing foreign pests and diseases from entering the United States is my agency’s number one priority. These destructive pests can jeopardize the livelihood of our farmers, ranchers and foresters, and they can forever alter our natural landscape. We’re dedicating the month of August to raising public awareness about these threats, and we’re asking every American who can to help us fight invasive pests.”

The potential for these potentially harmful organisms to enter the country are present in arriving cargo on foreign ships and through Americans returning home from foreign travel. Such pests and diseases have been found to impact the economy by $1 billion annually. Such pests spread rapidly and through invading native species, and reducing the biological diversity of plants and trees. Certain invasive plant and tree pests have been to be harmful enough to kill plants and trees.

Here are some tips from the APHIS on keeping your area invasive plant pest and disease free:

Living Plants and Fruit – Invasive pests can be easily transported through live plants and fruit. Be sure to keep foreign plants and fruit separate from your landscape until inspected by a pest professional.

Firewood – Keep firewood local. Many pests can be transported through firewood, wood packing materials, and lumber. If the long range transport of these materials is avoided, the spread of invasive pests will decrease.

Clean Equipment – If you like to hike, camp, or if you work in forestry, you can help decrease the spread of invasive pests through cleaning your equipment, boots, and gear before returning home.

Protecting your landscape from invasive plant pests and disease can be easy with the right information. If you notice a strange decline in the health of your plants call an Embark Pest Specialist right away so that we may help in the fight against invasive pests.

Link: http://www.embarkservices.com/blog/blogs/

With approximately 175 different species, mosquitoes have been around for 170 million years and aren’t going anywhere – especially this summer.

These uninvited guests will come to the party but will be less inclined to take a bite out of you and buzz in your ears if you remember the three Ds – dress, drain and defend.

Dressing to impress is standard for summer time but insects know what they like: Dark and tight-fitting clothes. Some species of mosquitoes can actually feast through skin-tight clothes. Light-colored and loose-fitting clothing make for a less attractive look for mosquitoes. Long sleeves and long pants may seem out of place but will provide protection from bites.

Draining standing water around the house will take away the venue in which mosquitoes breed. Eliminating even the smallest places where water can collect can impact the population of these pests. Not much water is needed for the production of hundreds to thousands of mosquitoes. An overturned garbage lid, bottles, barrels or buckets makes for a optimal nest for mosquito eggs.

Defending yourself with the appropriate repellent can increase the enjoyment of outdoor activities. Make sure that the repellant is approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. These products have been registered, reviewed, approved and pose minimal risk when the instructions are followed.

The most recommended and approved repellents contain DEET, picaridin and oil of lemon eucalyptus. DEET, or diethyl-m-toluamide, repel ticks and mosquitoes and is the most common repellent.

Remembering and applying the three Ds will help minimize the swarms of mosquitoes circling you this summer. Let Embark Pest Control improve your outdoor experiences with its mosquito control services. Call 713-462-3261 for an appointment or go to www.embarkpestcontrol.com to have a specialist contact you.

Link: http://www.embarkservices.com/blog/blogs/

Taking care of man’s best friend means controlling fleas during the summer when these pests thrive.

If your house is flea infested, a pest control operator may be the best choice since service staff can access specialized products that the public can’t.

After becoming well-established, fleas are tough to control. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of control when it comes to these pesky bugs.

The first step is taking care of the pet. Treat your cats and or dogs with an insect growth regulator and or an oral medication that prevents hatching of flea eggs. The local vet or pet store can provide the best advice.

Addressing the situation indoors and outdoors next will maximize success.

For the outdoors, think like a pet to get good results and understand where they like to hang out, rest and sleep the most. They’re living the good life, so treat soil in shaded areas where pets spend a lot of time. Patios, porches, sidewalks and garage floors may need to be treated as well.

The pet bedding in their dog house should be washed or replaced and then treated.

For indoors, be sure to clean thoroughly so fleas will have no place to go. Mop, vacuum and dust, including floors, cushions, under curtains and furniture. Be sure to toss the vacuum bag contents after use.

Again, the pet bedding probably at the foot of your bed or elsewhere should be washed or replaced and then treated.

Curtains and furniture cushions are nice dark cool places for fleas to escape the Texas summer. The service pro will treat those with an aerosol or fogger.

Flea control, at best, is a difficult task that may take several applications of a pesticide and weeks to control.

Trust the professionals at Embark Pest Control to rid you of your flea problem. Call 713-462-3261 for a free, no obligation quote or fill out the online form to have a specialist contact you.

Link: http://www.embarkservices.com/blog/blogs/

If summer’s the time to put your house on the market or buy one, a pest control inspection could save you money and help close the deal.

Summer is the perfect time for relocation, whether the move is across town or across the country. With the kids out of school, the schedule is open to find another domicile and get the present address ready to sell.

For sellers, making sure the house passes a pest control inspection prevents any show-stopping developments. Even after a contract is signed, the discovery of a major pest problem could scuttle the transaction.

Hundreds or potentially even thousands of dollars can be saved with a pest control property inspection which identifies problems before the house goes on the market.

Usually, the buyer pays for the pest inspection, which is usually part of the closing costs. Any repair work is the responsibility of the seller, unless both parties agree on a different arrangement prior to escrow and document it in the purchase agreement.

The inspection creates peace of mind and provides protection from lost time and income.

The most common culprits in wood-eating infestation are termites but other similar pests include carpenter ants and carpenter bees. They will nest in holes that they burrow deep in wood.

After they find a home, these colonies will grow exponentially to hazardous levels.

Many times, it’s the same situation with ants, cockroaches, flies, mice, rats, wasps and hornets. The pest control problem is not fully apparent until it is out of control. Without being detected, these pests can establish a colony or become an infestation without being detected.

A pest control inspection should go hand-in-hand with buying or selling a home. Be sure to call the professionals at Embark Pest Control at 713-462-3261 or fill in our online form to have a specialist contact you.