Winter?

Here it is, the middle of January, and many days we've experienced this month in the Walla Walla Valley could fairly fool one into thinking it's October. 

No complaints here! Snow is ok... if it's depicted in a photo, on television, something like that. 

(I'd rather be here, where "snow" is something
they put in a paper cone and douse with fruit
flavorings!)

Several pests that Z Pest Control LLC remedies are nonetheless dormant and out-of-sight right now, but there are several that are not. Calls, texts, and emails continue to come in through this period for ants, mice, spiders, burrowing pests (gophers, voles, and moles), an occasional opossum, and a dash of bats. 

Appointment availability for new and infrequent clients is better right now than in the April-to-October busy season when scheduling becomes extremely tight. If however you are looking for regularly scheduled services, this is a great time to request a reserved spot on the Z Pest calendar. No contracts, you just have your spot on the roster until you decide you don't want it any longer. That way you've already beat the rush and don't have to worry about finding an available provider when pests are already upon you (most summers the schedule becomes so full that new and infrequent clients cannot be taken on - there is only so much time in each day and lots of demand for Z Pest services!).

Services are invoiced on 30 day payment terms; payment methods accepted are cash, check, charge (via Square, so this method is available if you wish to pay at the time of service), Zelle, Google Pay, and Bitcoin.

Thanks for stopping by! If you need anything, please call or text (509) 540-7946, or send an email to help@zpestcontrol.com. 

Z Pest In The News: The Gopher X

For a second time Z Pest Control LLC has been featured in the Walla Walla Union Bulletin. This time around I was contacted by Alfred Diaz, the author of this piece, who had questions about the seeming uptick in gopher, mole, and vole issues in the Walla Walla valley.

I told him that it did indeed appear that activity had increased, but that over the winter I had acquired a new tool to apply to the problem: the Gopher X.

The Gopher X in operation. Photo credit: Alfred Diaz, WW Union Bulletin

The way the machine works is pretty straightforward: after locating the burrow, a hose that vents the exhaust produced by the engine is inserted into the ground, and some smoke oil is added just before firing it up, the smoke serving as an indicator of where the carbon monoxide gas is escaping from the burrow so that it can be sealed. A few minutes later, it's done!

As I told Mr. Diaz during our meeting, this machine works well on gophers and voles, but not very well on moles. The short version of the reason for that is that moles have special adaptations for living in low oxygen environments, so pumping carbon monoxide into their massive tunnel complexes won't often affect them.

The reason that I acquired this device is that in that state of Washington, dealing with burrowing pests can be rather difficult thanks to a state ban on body-gripping traps (they are legal to buy, sell, and possess, which is why they're in local hardware stores; they're just not legal to use), and because of a decision by the EPA in 2010 to ban the use of aluminum phosphide in residential settings following an incident of gross misuse of the product, which took away one of the best and most effective tools we had for dealing with these pests.

Engine exhaust avoids both of these legal obstacles, as well as enabling me to provide a burrowing pest control option that does not leave behind poison bait in the ground that could be dug up by a pet or a child later.

If this sounds like something you would like to have done on your property, please text or email! Things are extremely busy at this time of the year and it can sometimes delay my response time by a few days, but as soon as I'm able to I'll get in touch to see what I can do for you!

Link to the full Union Bulletin article:  Walla Walla firm's gopher-eradication setup breaks new ground in pest control

Z Pest Control LLC

509-540-7946

(Text only, please.)

paul@zpestcontrol.com