Here's To A Pest Free 2017!

It's the beginning of a new year and many people are thinking of ways they can make this year even better with New Year's resolutions. From losing weight to traveling more, there are lots of different New Year's resolutions out there. However, there is one thing that you may have missed on your resolutions list - pest control! Your Lake of the Ozarks pest control company has a few tips for you so you can have a pest free 2017! 

1. Seal Up

Sealing up your home can not only help keep your home insulated, it can also help keep out creepy crawlers. Check for leaks around your windows and doors and seal them up with caulk if needed. It doesn't take a huge opening for mice and other pests to get inside, so if there are any places that are exposed to the outside, make sure to get it sealed. A professional Lake of the Ozarks pest control company can help you identify any points of entry. 

2. Clean Up The Clutter

With the new year approaching, now is the perfect time to get rid of some things you might not need. Clutter attracts pests, so cleaning up can also help prevent pests from getting comfortable in your home. If you have an attic or basement, sometimes these areas become a place for storage, so if you have a lot of boxes in these areas, take some time to go through them and get rid of the things you no longer need. However, it is important to be cautious while doing so, as you may come across some reclusive pests. 

3. Keep It Clean

Kitchens get dirty quickly, and they are also a common source for pest infestations. After cooking, it's important to wipe down your work area to avoid ants and other insects from enjoying your meal as well. Cover any food that is left on the counter for an extended period of time tightly. If you are entertaining, don't leave any food out overnight, put it away in airtight containers. 

4. Maintain Your Yard

Pests come into your home from the yard. Keep them at bay by keeping the lawn cut, getting rid of debris and weeding often. It is also important to keep plants, bushes and tree limbs that overhang the roof trimmed. If you have a pile of wood, keep it as far away from your home as possible.

5. Get Organized

Keeping pests under control is all about taking preventative measures from keeping your home clean and tidy to maintaining your lawn. However, you can take your preventative measures one step further by having your home and yard regularly sprayed by a professional pest control company. A B Pest Control & Insulation can not only help you once you get an infestation, but we can also help prevent them!

Happy New Year From A B Pest Control & Insulation! 

A B Pest Control & Insulation wishes you a happy and healthy New Year! Hopefully, with these tips, you will have fewer pests making themselves comfortable in your home this upcoming year. However, if they do find their way inside, call A B Pest Control & Insulation. As a professional Lake of the Ozarks pest control company, we can safely and effectively get rid of pests and make sure they don't come back with regular preventative pest control spraying. To schedule an appointment to have your home and yard sprayed this new year, call 573-964-1100.  

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The History Of New Year's Celebrations

It's almost the end of the year, and many people are planning their New Year's Eve festivities. There are many ways people celebrate the ending of one year and the start of a new one. Civilizations around the world have been celebrating the start of each new year for thousands of years. Today, most New Year’s festivities begin on December 31 and continue into the early hours of January 1. Common traditions include attending parties, eating special New Year’s foods, making resolutions for the new year and watching fireworks displays. However, this isn't always how people celebrated. Your Lake of the Ozarks pest control company looks at how our New Year traditions began.

Early New Year's Celebration

The earliest recorded New Year festivities date back around 4,000 years ago to ancient Babylon. For the Babylonians, the first new moon following the vernal equinox, which is a day in late March where there is an equal amount of sunlight and darkness, was the beginning of a new year. They marked the occasion with a massive religious festival called Akitu, which is derived from the Sumerian word for barley, which was cut in the spring. The festival lasted 11 days and involved a different ritual on each day.

January 1 - The New Year

The early Roman calendar consisted of 10 months and 304 days and the new year began at the vernal equinox, which was in late march. Per tradition, it was created by Romulus, the founder of Rome, in the eighth century. Numa Pompilius, a later king, is credited with adding the months of Januarius and Februarius. However, over the centuries, the calendar fell out of sync with the sun, and in 46 B.C. the emperor Julius Caesar decided to solve the problem by consulting with the most prominent astronomers and mathematicians at the time. The new solution was the Julian calendar, which closely resembles the more modern Gregorian calendar that we use today. As part of this reform, Caesar marked January 1 as the first day of the year to honor the month's namesake Janus, which is the Roman god of beginnings. The Romans celebrated the new year by offering sacrifices to Janus, exchanging gifts with one another, decorating their homes with laurel branches and attending lavish parties.

In medieval Europe, Christian leaders temporarily replaced January 1 as the first of the year with days that carried more religious significance, such as December 25 (the date of Jesus' birth) and March 25 (the Feast of the Annunciation). However, Pope Gregory XIII reestablished January 1 as the beginning of the new year in 1582.

New Year Traditions

Today, there are many different ways that people celebrate the new year. In many countries, New Year's celebrations begin on the evening of December 31 and continue into the early hours of January 1. It is very common for people to enjoy meals and snacks that are thought to bring good luck in the coming year. In Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries, people enjoy grapes right before midnight, which symbolizes their hopes for the months ahead. In many different parts of the world, traditional New Year's dishes feature legumes that resemble coins, which will bring them financial success. In some cultures, pigs represent progress and prosperity, so it is common for pork to appear on the New Year's menu. Ring-shaped cakes and pastries are often served in the Netherlands, Mexico and Greece as a sign that the year has come full circle. In Sweden and Norway, they will serve rice pudding with an almond hidden inside and whoever find the nut can expect 12 months of good fortune.

Happy New Year From A B Pest Control & Insulation

The team at A B Pest Control & Insulation wants to wish you a safe and happy New Year! We hope this upcoming year is filled with joy, happiness and good health. Please be safe if you plan to go out for New Year’s Eve. If you have any home maintenance improvements on your New Year's resolution list, keep A B Pest Control & Insulation in mind. We can help you with anything from pest control to lawn care maintenance. To schedule an appointment with us, call 573-964-1100.

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Christmas at the Lake of the Ozarks

Christmas is just around the corner! To get into the spirit of this holiday, your Lake of the Ozarks pest control company has looked into the history of the man in the red suit. In addition to some fun facts on Santa Claus, A B Pest Control & Insulation also included some holiday light displays you can see around the Lake of the Ozarks and where you can get a delicious Christmas dinner.

The Legends of Santa


- St. Nicholas first appeared into American pop culture towards the end of the 18th century. 


- The name Santa Claus evolved from the Dutch nickname, Sinterklaas, a shortened form of Sint Nikolaas, which is Dutch for Saint Nicholas. 

- In the U.S. and Canada, he is known as Santa Claus. In China, he is called Shengdan Laoren. In England, he is Father Christmas. In France, he's known as Pere Noel. In Russia, he is called Grandfather Frost. In Germany, children get presents from Christindl, the Christ Child. 

- Kris Kringle comes from the German term "the Christ Child."

- Santa may be real! He is loosely based on a real person who was born around the year 270 A.D. St. Nicholas was the Bishop of Myra, a town in what is now Turkey. He earned a reputation as an anonymous gift giver by paying the dowries of impoverished girls and handing out treats and coins to children - often leaving them in their shoes, set out at night for that very purpose. Since his death, St. Nicholas has been canonized as the patron saint of children. 

- "Twas the Night Before Christmas" was the poem that introduced and popularized many of Santa's defining characteristics, mainly that he drove a sleigh guided by "eight tiny reindeer."

- When Father Christmas first began showing up in illustrations, he wore many different colored robes including green, purple, blue and brown, among many others. However, beginning in the 1800s, it became popular to outfit Santa in a red suit. 

- The modern image of Santa Claus that we have today is credited to an artist named Haddon Sundblom, who illustrated him for a widely-circulated campaign for Coca-Cola. 

Holiday Lights

Enchanted Village of Lights

When: Through January 1
Where: Laurie Fairgrounds
Time: Open Nightly 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm (10:00 pm on Weekends)
Price: Donations Welcome

St. Patrick's Festival of Lights

When: Through January 1
Where: Shrine of St. Patrick | Mothers Shrine
Time: Open daily from 6:00 - 10:00 p.m.

Deck the Docks Holiday Light Cruises

When: Through December 30
Where: Celebration Cruises
Reservations: 573-480-3212 or www.cruiselakeoftheozarks.com
Time: 5:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Price: $25.00 per person

Versailles Unity Circle Of Lights

When: Through January 1
Where: Versailles City Park
Time: From dark until midnight

Osage Beach Holiday Lights

When: Through December 31
Where: Osage Beach City Park & Osage Beach Pkwy
Time: Wednesday through Sunday evenings

Christmas Dinners

Christmas Dinner at J. Bruner's

When: December 24 & 25
Where: 5166 Osage Beach Pkwy.
Reservations: 573-348-2966
Time: Opens at 5:00 p.m. Christmas Eve. & opens at  3:00 p.m. Christmas Day.

Christmas Day Buffet at Tan-Tar-A
When: December 25
Where: 494 Tan Tar A Drive
Reservations: 573-348-8619
Time: 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Merry Christmas From A B Pest Control & Insulation

A B Pest Control & Insulation wants to wish you all a very Merry Christmas! The holidays are a great time to get the entire family together, however, you don't want any uninvited guests like pests showing up for the holidays. Make sure your home is pest free this holiday season and call a professional pest control company at the Lake of the Ozarks at 573-964-1100. Seasons greetings!

Lake of the Ozarks
Pest Control Company

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8 Fascinating Facts About Hanukkah & Kwanzaa

Hanukkah is an eight-day celebration that is held around the world to celebrate the victory of the Maccabees or Israelites over the Greek-Syrian ruler, Antiochus around 2,200 years ago. This year, Hanukkah will start the evening of Saturday, December 24 and will end the evening of Sunday, January 1. Kwanzaa is another holiday that is celebrated this time of the year. Beginning December 26 and lasting for seven days, Kwanzaa is a celebration of community, family and culture, established as a means to help African Americans reconnect with their African roots and heritage. In this week's blog, A B Pest Control & Insulation has interesting facts you may not know about these two holidays so you can learn more about these holidays.

Hanukkah

1. 44 Candles

Throughout Hanukkah, there are at least 44 candles that are used, enough for adding a candle each night, plus the "shamash" - the helper candle. In ancient times, oil was used in the menorah. Over time, candles were substituted for the oil. Today, candles come in a variety of colors, wax types and scents. 

2. Lots of Sweets

During Hanukkah, families eat latkes (potato pancakes), sufganiyot (jelly donuts) and other foods which are fried in oil, to celebrate and commemorate the miracle of the Festival of Lights. Israelis devour around 24 million jelly donuts during the eight-day holiday, which adds up to 10.8 billion calories. 

3. Hanukkah, Chanukah or Hannuka? 

Hanukkah is also known as the Festival of Lights or the Feast of Dedication. In addition to these other names, the holiday also has a variety of English spellings. This is because the guttural Hebrew sound of the first letter cannot be rendered properly in English. 

4. Dreidel, dreidel, dreidel

During the times that the Greeks forbade Jews to learn Torah, kids would meet up in secret to learn. If a Greek soldier happened upon their meeting, they would grab their dreidels and pretend to be playing a gambling game. Dreidel is derived from the Yiddish word 'drei', which means to turn or spin. The dreidel features four Hebrew letters, Nun, Gimel, Hay and Peh. The letters stand for the Hebrew phrase "A great miracle happened there."

Kwanzaa

1. Happy Birthday Kwanzaa

This year, Kwanzaa will celebrate its 50th year. The holiday was created by Dr. Maulana Karenga, professor of Africana studies, activist and poet, in 1966 to celebrate family, culture and heritage. This holiday is modeled after the first harvest celebrations in Africa. 

2. The Number Seven

The number seven is important in the Kwanzaa celebration. There are seven days to represent the seven principles: unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith. Along with the seven principles, there are seven primary symbols that represent values and concepts reflective of African culture and contributive to community building and reinforcement. 

3. Umoja is Unity

With over 2,000 languages spoken on the African continent, Kwanzaa adopted one of the many unifying languages, Swahili, which is spoken by millions on the African continent. The name Kwanzaa comes from a Swahili phrase meaning "first fruits."

4. Red, Black & Green

The colors of Kwanzaa are a reflection of the Pan-African movement representing "unity" for people of African descent worldwide: Black for the people, red for the noble blood that unites all people of African ancestry and green for the rich land of Africa. 

Happy Holidays From A B Pest Control & Insulation

There are many holidays that occur this time of the year, which means families and friends will be coming together, enjoying delicious meals and having fun. Make sure you don't have any uninvited guests, such as pests, crashing your festivities. Call A B Pest Control & Insulation and make sure your home is ready for the holidays! 

Lake of the Ozarks
Pest Control Company

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Holiday Events at the Lake of the Ozarks

The holiday season is in full swing. There are many fun activities around the Lake of the Ozarks to help you and your family get in the holiday spirit. Your Lake of the Ozarks pest control company has all the details on this year's holiday event so you don't miss any of the fun. 

Christmas Village & Ice Skating

When: Open until December 25
Where: Old Kinderhook 
Time: Christmas village is open weekends/Ice skating is open daily

Christmas Village features family-friendly fun like S'Mores around the fire pit, Christmas Carolers, Santa, gingerbread house making, horse-drawn carriage rides, elf storytelling and more! In addition, you and your family can enjoy the Lake's only outdoor ice rink. For more information, call 573-317-4314.

Christmas on Main Street

When: Nov 25, 2016 - Dec 18, 2016
Where: Main Street Music Hall
Time: For show times, contact 573-348-9500

Main Street Music Hall is celebrating the spirit of the holidays and the true meaning of Christmas with Christmas on Main Street. Enjoy all your favorite songs with a night of laughter and clean family fun. It's guaranteed to entertain the entire family and kids of all ages from one to ninety-two! For show times and tickets, call 573-348-9500 or online at www.LakeMusicHall.com.

Deck The Docks Holiday Light Cruise

When: Nov 25, 2016 - Dec 30, 2016
Where: Celebration Cruises
Time: Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays 5:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Reservations: 573-480-3212
Price: $25 per person

The sixth annual Deck The Docks Festival of Lights will benefit the Dogwood Animal Shelter. The beautiful Celebration Yacht will embark on a cruise to tour sparkly docks and lakefront homes that are decorated for the holidays. To reserve your spot, call 573-480-3212 or visit www.CruiseLakeOfTheOzarks.com. 

Frosty Float

When: December 11 & 18
Where: Celebration Cruises
Time: 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Reservations: 573-346-0660
Price: $20

Embark on a magical journey cruising the Lake of the Ozarks that includes fun children's activities, hot cocoa and cookies! There will be Christmas carols that will fill the air while you view beautiful, Christmas light displays. Of course, Santa will also be making an appearance and our little guests will receive a special gift from him. 

Children's Christmas Play

When: December 10
Where: Camden County Museum 
Time: 3:30 p.m.
Price: $5 per family

Young Museum Players present "The Best Christmas Pagent Ever" by Barbara Robinson. After the young performers play, enjoy cookies and punch! 

Breakfast With Santa

When: December 10
Where: HK's at The Lodge of Four Seasons
Time: 9:00 -11:00 a.m. 
Reservations: 573-365-3000

Bring the kids and enjoy breakfast with Santa, fun games and make your own treats. 

Eldon Community Christmas

When: December 10
Where: 309 East 2nd Street Eldon
Time: 3:00 - 6:00 p.m.


The Christmas Parade begins at 3:00 p.m., afterward, visit with Santa at Whittle's Pocket Park and enjoy hot chocolate and cookies. Enjoy several church choirs and local performers sing Christmas Karaoke and watch the lighting of the big tree after dark.

Screening of the Polar Express

When: December 10
Where: Wehrenberg Eagle's Landing Theatre
Time: 9:00 a.m.
Price: $5 for children & $10 for adults

Children are invited to come to the theater in their pajamas or bathrobes to watch the Polar Express. Before the movie, visit and take pictures with Santa. Tickets are available at the Lake Arts Council office between the hours of 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Tickets will also be available at the door prior to the movie. 

Annual Christmas Workshop & Breakfast

When: December 10
Where: West Lake Christian Church
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Join the West Lake Christian Church for a fun morning of Christmas activities. This free event includes a breakfast of biscuits & gravy, cereal, milk and juice. The workshop events feature children's craft workshop, a children's free gift shop where they can choose and wrap a gift for parents or caregivers and a display of nativities from around the world.

Lake Ozark Christmas Parade

When: December 10
Where: Bagnell Dam Strip
Time: 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Celebrate the holiday season with the annual Christmas parade along the historic Bagnell Dam Strip. The Lake Ozark "Christmas Magic" Parade will lineup at the HH & Bagnell Dam Blvd. intersection and proceed down Bagnell Dam Blvd. to the Dam. The parade will be led by the Maine Corp League Honor Guard with the Grand Marshall and the parade participants following. After the parade, Santa will greet kids and families for a bonfire at the top of Bagnell Dam Strip at Two Bit Town. There will be treats for kids, hot chocolate, coffee and refreshments, Christmas music and caroling and the parade float winners will be announced. 

Christmas For Kids

When: December 10 
Where: The Lodge of Four Seasons Granada Room
Time: 5:30 - Cocktail Party; 6:30 - Dinner; 7:30 - General Admission
Price: $20 per person with a new unwrapped toy or $40 without a toy.

A Benefit Sponsored by the Christmas for Kids Committee, Kiwanis Club of Ozark Coast and Lake Area Businesses. All proceeds benefit underprivileged children in the Lake Area, LOSA, Wonderland Camp, Hope House, Big Brother & Big Sister, Lake Regional Pediatrics, YMCA, Share the Harvest Food Pantry and Kid’s Harbor. Enjoy an evening of entertainment with hors d'oeuvres, cash bar and a silent auction while supporting Lake area families in need this holiday season. 

Old Tyme Christmas in Linn Creek

When: December 17 
Where: Camden County Museum 

A full day of fun to celebrate the Christmas season.

Happy Holidays from A B Pest Control & Insulation

Happy Holidays from your Lake of the Ozarks pest control company. If you are needing to protect your home from pests this holiday season, call A B Pest Control & Insulation at 573-964-1100. From keeping your home warm all season long to protecting your home from pests, A B Pest Control & Insulation can take care of it all. 

Lake of the Ozarks
Pest Control Company

Visit Our Website:
www.abpest.net

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