February Happenings at the Lake of the Ozarks

If you're starting to feel the winter blues and looking forward to warmer weather, we know how you feel. Fortunately, no matter what season it is, there are always many fun events around the Lake of the Ozarks. Your Lake of the Ozarks pest control company has information on some of the great events taking place around the Lake this February!

SWEETHEART BLACK LIGHT TOUR

Feb 01, 2021 - Feb 28, 2021

Stark Caverns

125 Cave Drive

Eldon MO 65026

Stark Caverns has taken one of their most popular tours and spiced it up for February. They took their famed Black Light Tour and transformed it into the perfect date night for you and your sweetheart. This tour will feature an elegant champagne reception with a chocolate tasting and a keepsake photo. Together you will experience the surreal world of the caverns transformed by the cave's minerals reacting to the ultraviolet light. We have just one word for you, Romantic! Rate: $75.00 a couple, $37.50 per person

STARK CAVERN'S DESSERT AND DANCING

Feb 05, 2021 - Feb 13, 2021

Stark Caverns

125 Cave Drive

Eldon MO 65026

Did you know that part of Stark Cavern's history is that it was used as a speakeasy in the 1900 prohibition era with a complete dance floor? Well for a limited time in February the dancing is back! For their Dessert and Dancing event, they will have a professional ballroom dance instructor to teach you and your Valentine some fun beginner dance steps. You will also be greeted with a champagne reception (must be 21 for champagne), and for your sweet tooth, they've partnered with "Cakes Baby" in Downtown Eldon to create a romantic tour where you will indulge in several delicious dessert samples. Samples will include heart-shaped macaroons, strawberry cheesecake, and chocolate truffles. 

This event is only for four nights on the 5th, 6th, 12th, and 13th of February from 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. and they are limiting the capacity to 16 people per night so you will want to reserve your spot quickly before it's sold out. The price is $90.00 per couple, $45.00 dollars per person.

VALENTINE'S DAY AT THE REGALIA

Feb 13, 2021 - Feb 14, 2021

The Regalia Hotel & Conference Center

250 Racquet Club Dr.

The Regalia is excited to announce their Valentine's Day dinner for Two. Hosted in their very own Royal Catch Bar and Grill. They have prepared an array of gourmet entrees for your enjoyment. Come enjoy a romantic meal under candlelight with an optional wine pairing. $99 for this dinner for two. They will be hosting this on February 13th & 14th with seatings at 5 PM & 7 PM. Call to reserve at (573)-723-3000. Limited spots available, so reserve early!

FREE WEDDING VOW RENEWAL AT BRIDAL CAVE
Feb 14, 2021
Bridal Cave
526 Bridal Cave Road
Camdenton Missouri 65020

Bridal Cave cordially invites you to celebrate Valentine’s Day with them. Renew your wedding vows on Sunday February 14th from 9am to 4pm. Each couple will receive flowers for the Bride, a wedding portrait, a goodie bag and a lifetime Pass to Bridal Cave all compliments of KRMS and Lake 94.

MARDI-GRAS PUB CRAWL

Feb 19, 2021 - Feb 21, 2021

Multiple Venues

Lake Area

Osage Beach Missouri 65049

Rather than just one single day for everyone to party together, the 2021 Lake Pub Crawl will take place over three days - February 19, 20, & 21. This will allow everyone more time to celebrate so not everyone is crowded into the same spaces all at the same time. Get all the details at www.lakepubcrawl.com. 

THE LAKE OF THE OZARKS WEDDING EXPO

Feb 21, 2021

The Lodge of the Four Seasons – Granada Room

315 Four Seasons Drive

YOUR ENGAGED! Now What? Let the Lake of the Ozarks Wedding Expo help you through the wedding planning process. At the Lake of the Ozarks Wedding Expo, you’ll meet potential vendors, enjoy food tastings, get inspired with the latest trends at the Fashion Show, find great deals, and enter to win $1,000’s in door prizes!

HOME, BUSINESS & LAKE LIVING EXPO

Feb 26, 2021 - Feb 27, 2021

Lodge of Four Seasons - Campana Hall

315 Four Seasons Dr.

Join us at the 2021 Home, Business and Lake Living EXPO. The show will feature a wide range of products and services including consumer goods, health and wellness, building contractors and suppliers, plumbing and electrical supplies; home improvement and remodeling, and much more. EXPO 2021 will feature a diverse selection of products and services for business, home, personal and lake living.

POLAR PLUNGE

Feb 27, 2021

Lake of the Ozarks State Park Public Beach #2

711 Public Beach Rd

Osage Beach MO 65065

This "unbearable" event is a unique opportunity to show your bravery as you support local Special Olympics athletes by plunging into the frigid winter waters. Proceeds benefit Special Olympics Missouri. SOMO exists to provide year-round sports and training opportunities for individuals with intellectual disabilities and our athletes need you to get involved.

Participants must be at least 10 years old and raise a minimum of $75 by event day. The Polar Plunge is a project of the Law Enforcement Torch Run(R) for Special Olympics Missouri. Osage Beach PD is proud to host this event.

Your Lake Of The Ozarks Pest Control Company 
For all the events that are happening around our community, your Lake of the Ozarks pest control company will help keep you updated and informed. The winter weather may be sticking around for a while longer. Just because it’s cold, doesn’t mean pests stop trying to enter your home. To keep your home pest free all year long, give A B Pest Control & Insulation a call.

LAKE OF THE OZARKS
PEST CONTROL COMPANY

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www.abpest.net

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Are There Bats In Your Attic?

The presence of a bat in a house causes more alarm than does any other wildlife species. However, having bats hanging around your property isn't necessarily a bad thing. In fact, they offer some benefits to homeowners, such as natural pest control. But that doesn't mean they should be hanging out in your home. Let's talk about the possible damage that can be caused by roosting bats in your attic and how to get rid of them. 

Are There Bats in Your Attic?

First of all, how do you know if you've got bats roosting in your attic? You’ll notice bats have made their way into your attic thanks to the smell of their guano or urine, which are extremely pungent. You may also hear them in early dawn and dusk hours. If you have a colony of these creatures in your attic, you’ll want to act fast. Their droppings can cause structural damage, create a bad odor and even grow fungus which can cause respiratory problems.

Can They Cause Structural Damage?

While bats do not chew on buildings, they can still cause damage to your home. If left unchecked, their guano and urine will accumulate over time, resulting in waste dripping through ceilings, ruining insulation, and soaking through sheet rock or particle board, eventually causing the interior of the structure to collapse. 

How Do You Get Rid of Them? 

The first thing to do is to see where all the bats are hiding. You can quickly identify where the bats are around your house by finding their guano or urine stains. Check to see if there are windows or other small holes with scratches on them because that could be a point of entry. Also, try listening for squeaking or scratching.

Next, check to see if there are any small openings that bats can enter from. Since bats are nocturnal, another trick you can do is wait until night time and watch where they are exiting from. If needed, get someone to inspect your house when no visible holes can be seen. Bats are famous for squeezing into the smallest holes, so even a hole that’s less than half an inch wide can be a point of entry.

If you have active bats in your home, you’ll need to address the problem ASAP by calling a local pest control company as soon as you know you have an issue. After all the bats are gone, you can prevent them from coming back by sealing the passage or door permanently. For such small animals, they have a strong memory and would likely come back to your house if they found it cozy enough.

Contact A B Pest Control & Insulation

Now that you know a little more about the critters roosting in your attic, you'll be better equipped to getting them removed safely! Remember, bats in Missouri are protected and it is illegal to kill them unless they're causing damage to your property. If you do happen to come across bats in your attic or outdoor building, contact A B Pest Control & Insulation. We'll come out and safely remove these nocturnal harmless creatures and relocate them where they can thrive and continue to benefit our ecosystem!

LAKE OF THE OZARKS
PEST CONTROL COMPANY

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www.abpest.net

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A-Z with A B Pest Control & Insulation: Hairy Critters & Heat Flow

At A B Pest Control & Insulation, we offer multiple services for your convenience. From pest control to lawn maintenance and turf management to insulation services, we can handle all of these tasks for you! This week, we'll be continuing our series by discussing two different sectors of our business with A-Z with A B Pest Control & Insulation: Hairy Critters & Heat Flow.

Hairy Critters

This time of year brings more than just cold temperatures. For homeowners, it can also bring unwanted guests into your home. While most common household pests are hibernating this time of year, there are still a group of hairy pests that are seeking shelter and warmth in the comfort of your home. So, who's hanging out in your attic? 

Common attic dwellers in the winter months include raccoons, squirrels, rodents, and bats. While the thought of one of these little guys hanging out in your attic may not seem like such a big deal, they can wreak havoc on your home's insulation and cause all kinds of damage to your property. Plus, these hairy critters can also carry pathogens that cause disease and can be harmful to humans and our pets. 

If you do happen to come across any of these hairy critters in your attic or home, contact A B Pest Control & Insulation. We'll come out and safely remove these creatures and relocate them where they can thrive and continue to benefit our ecosystem!

Heat Flow

Ever wonder why your home has those persistently hot or cold rooms that seem impossible to cool down or heat up? It all boils down to thermodynamics. 

The first law of thermodynamics states:

• Energy moves from place to place
• Energy changes from one form to another
• Energy cannot be created or destroyed

The second law of thermodynamics states:

• Heat moves from warmer to cooler
• Air moves from higher pressure to lower pressure
• Moisture moves from wetter to drier

Heat moves around your home by conduction, convection and radiation. On a cold day, convection causes warm air in your living space to rise. That air moves by conduction through the ceiling to the attic floor. If the house is leaky, the heat will also move into the attic space by convection. The heat from the attic floor radiates to the roof. The heat conducts through the roof assembly and out.

Insulation wraps the house in a layer of material that slows the rate of heat loss to the outdoors. In large empty spaces such as wall cavities, heat can be lost across the air space by convection and radiation. Insulation divides the air space into many small pockets of still air, inhibiting heat transfer by convection. At the same time, the insulation material reduces radiation across the space. Controlling airflow protects building materials from moisture damage, improves comfort and makes for a cleaner, healthier, safer and quieter home. 

The easiest and most efficient way to ensure that your home has the proper insulation levels is to call a professional. A B Pest Control and Insulation can evaluate your home and make the proper recommendations for the best insulation to meet your needs. With proper insulation, your home can easily stay warm when it's cold outside. 

If you have unwanted pests around your house or would like to have us take a look at your current insulation situation, give your Lake of the Ozarks pest control company a call! From pest control to lawn maintenance and insulation services - A to Z, we cover it all!

LAKE OF THE OZARKS
PEST CONTROL COMPANY

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www.abpest.net

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Firewood Pests: What Are You Bringing Into Your Home?

Due to the colder temperatures, many people are starting to utilize their fireplaces to help keep their homes warm and cozy. While having a fire in the fireplace can help save you money, you need to be aware of the firewood you are bringing into your home. A B Pest Control & Insulation knows that your firewood might be home to many different insects.

When firewood is outside, it offers insects shelter, food, and water, essentially everything they need to brave the cold winter. If there are pests in that firewood, you are carrying them right into your home when you bring the firewood in. Your Lake of the Ozark’s pest control company is sharing with you some common firewood pests you might inadvertently be inviting into your home.

Termites
Wood stacked on the ground can become infested with termites. Their presence is not usually noticed until the wood is moved during the summer or fall. Infested wood may have mud tunnels on the outside, or tunnels may be noticed if the wood is split. Termites may appear dormant during the winter months in these areas. Fire wood should not be treated with insecticides. Termites accidentally brought indoors with firewood will not infest structural wood. Their presence in firewood, piled close to the home, may warrant a home inspection for termites, however.

Bark Beetles

While these pests typically aren't a concern for indoor structures, bark beetles beetles are a large group of small beetles that may occasionally be found infesting firewood. Most are less than 1/8 inch in length and are brownish or black. These beetles and their larvae tunnel and make extensive galleries just under the bark of dead and dying trees. 

Carpenter Ants
Firewood stacked on the ground for a long period of time or not allowed to dry out sufficiently can be subject to attack by carpenter ants. These large black or reddish ants may be up to 3/8 inch long. Bringing carpenter ant infested wood into the home generally will not spread the infestation inside the home. Only wood that is higher than normal in moisture content is susceptible to carpenter ant damage.

Spiders

While most spiders aren’t the worst house guests to have since they are great natural pest control, the black widow and brown recluse are most certainly not any guests you want hanging around! The brown recluse spider typically does not bite humans unless threatened. These spiders can produce painful bites and cause open sores. These spiders love to build their webs in warm, dry, and dark environments, such as piles of firewood. Similarly, black widow spiders do not seek out humans to bite; however, when they do bite, it can be extremely painful, especially for children and the elderly. These spiders spin their webs close to the ground and are most often found in woodpiles and quiet, undisturbed areas.

A B Pest Control & Insulation Can Help 

One thing to remember if you store your wood close to your home for convenience purposes, if you forget to move it away from your home come spring time, you could be creating a haven for all mentioned pests to easily make your home theirs. To be safe, store your wood away from your home's foundation to prevent pests from entering your home throughout the winter and spring months.

If you find any evidence of these pests in your firewood or even in or around your house, give A B Pest Control & Insulation a call. While using the fireplace during the winter months is a great option for many people, your Lake of the Ozarks pest control company wants to remind you that it’s important to properly store your firewood and check it before you bring it into your house. To keep your home pest free this winter, and all year long, give us a call!

LAKE OF THE OZARKS
PEST CONTROL COMPANY

Visit Our Website:
www.abpest.net

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