One of our goals for 2013 is to become more involved in the community, and we’re excited to announce our Moxie Feeds Northern Virginia food drive. We’ve partnered with Food for Others, a Fairfax-based food bank that has served the community since 1995.

How You Can Help

Contribute Food from the “Most Needed” List

• Canned meats – ham, turkey, chicken, tuna, and beef
• Peanut butter and jelly/jam
• Canned soup, stew, and chili
• Cereal
• Vegetables – fresh (in season) or canned
• Fruit – fresh (in season) or canned
• Beans – dried or canned
• Macaroni and Cheese
• Boxed Meals
• Pasta
• Pasta Sauce
• Rice
• Fruit Juice
• Coffee and tea

Make a Cash Donation to Food for Others

Using the PayPal donation button below will send your contribution directly to Food for Others.

The post Moxie Feeds Northern Virginia: Community Food Drive 2013 appeared first on Northern Virginia.

Celebrities Are Doing It

Actress and humanitarian, Angelina Jolie, was recently quoted in a major publication discussing her children’s diverse eating habits and adventurous palates. She mentioned that several of her kids even munched on crickets like they were potato chips!

Why Everyone Should Eat Insects

Now, the thought of eating crickets might leave you shuddering, but in fact, these and other insects are a great source of nutrients. They are high in protein, Vitamin B, zinc, and iron and they’re low in fat and sugar. Insects are also an environmentally friendly food. Unlike, beef/pork/dairy and other popular sources of protein in today’s society, farming insects would contribute considerably less to air pollution, land destruction, and energy usage.

According to an article by Scientific American, producing half a pound of hamburger meat for someone’s lunch releases as much greenhouse gas into the atmosphere as driving a 3,000-pound car nearly 10 miles. This is extraordinarily taxing on our environment.

Revamp Your Eating Habits

It seems like Angelina Jolie’s family has the right approach with their bug-friendly approach to eating. While meat-lovers are unlikely to swap out their hamburgers for bug burgers anytime soon, it’s good to be aware of different delicacies and food sources available to us. It’s starting to catch on! Don’t be surprised if you see batter fried grasshoppers or stir fried ants on the menu next time you eat out.

How do you feel about adding bugs to your diet? Would you be brave enough to eat crickets regularly?

The post Bugs You Can Eat appeared first on Northern Virginia.

Pest management professionals advise that all travelers take extra special caution to avoid bringing these unwanted guests into the home. Follow these three tips to stay bug-free throughout the holidays and into 2013!

1. Research bed bugs thoroughly.

Learn physical characteristics of the bugs, signs of infestation, symptoms of bites, etc. Once you have a grasp on what they look like and ways to avoid coming into contact with the insects, teach your family some of the basic rules too. You can even turn it into a game or competition with the kids. Before settling into a hotel room, have your children help look for the basic signs of bed bugs. If anyone spots something suspicious, that youngster wins a dollar (or other small prize).

2. Buy gifts carefully.

Thinking about getting vintage or used gifts for friends and family? There’s nothing wrong with shopping at a thrift store to find more affordable items, but be conscious of the quality of merchandise and never purchase anything with fabric that can’t be washed and dried on high heat. Your best bet? Grab any recently purchased clothes or cloth items and place in a sealed trash bag for two weeks with a pesticide prior to washing. The chemicals will vanquish any possible outbreak and keep you from bringing bed bugs or other insects into the house.

3. Avoid cross contamination.

If you’re flying across the country, your suitcase is as susceptible to bed bugs as you are. When you arrive at your destination, brush off your luggage and, if possible, keep it outside your room to avoid tracking bugs into the living area.

Remember, despite your best efforts, you’re never entirely safe from these critters. High-end retail shops, movie theaters, libraries… these venues all have a history of attracting bed bugs and it puts their customers at risk of spreading the problem. The most effective way to combat bed bugs is to prevent an outbreak from the start. If you suspect your clothes, gifts, or travel gear have become contaminated, call a reliable pest control company like Moxie to deal with the issue before it gets any worse.

The post Holiday Travelers Beware: Bed Bugs are on Planes, Trains, and Automobiles appeared first on Northern Virginia.

Students perusing texts for class noticed spotting near the spine, and upon further inspection, realize there were bugs crawling along the edges. If that doesn’t make you shudder, how about this fact: Pest control companies like Moxie received four times as many calls to eliminate bed bugs this year compared with last year.

So how can you stop these creatures from finding their way into your home (or your library!)? Read on for three ways to avoid a bed bug infestation.

1. Prevention is key

It’s much less costly to deter bed bugs than it is to eradicate them once an infestation breaks out. Use caution when traveling and clothes shopping and inspect hotel rooms and dressing rooms thoroughly before making yourself comfortable. If you suspect bed bugs may have climbed aboard your luggage, don’t bring it inside the house when you return home. Wrap a garbage bag around your suitcase with pesticide strips and seal it up for a few weeks. The strips should fumigate the luggage and kill any lingering bed bugs.

2. Keep an eye out

Bedbugs are visible to the naked eye but they are very quick and sneaky. Check sheets, curtains, and in between mattresses and box springs for small, dark bugs or rust-colored smudges. The smudges (a sign of bedbug droppings) can indicate the bugs are near even if you don’t directly lay eyes on the creepy-crawlies.

3. Minimize risk

It might not be the most aesthetically appealing home decor, but if you are legitimately concerned about a bedbug outbreak in your home, purchase bug deterrent covers for your mattresses and box springs. These covers won’t necessarily prevent bedbugs from entering your home, but they provide a level of protection that can make the problem far easier to treat in case of infestation.

Bedbugs in America have reached epidemic proportions. Avoid bringing these pests into your home by following these three tips and you can save yourself numerous headaches down the line. Of course, if you do suspect bedbugs have made their way into your home, don’t hesitate to contact Moxie pest control services to eliminate the irritating creatures.

The post From Bedbugs to Bookbugs! appeared first on Northern Virginia.

1. Keep your home clean.

While even the cleanest house can fall prey to a bug or vermin infestation, messier homes offer pests more places to hide. A pristine room offers rodents far fewer nooks and crannies to hide in compared to one with junk on the floor. While a dirty home has plenty of food scents attracting pests in the first place, it also provides numerous hiding spots. This is a dangerous combination that can lead to an infestation in no time.

2. Eliminate access to food.

Trashcans both inside and outside the home should have tight-fitting lids to prevent rodents from accessing the food inside. Additionally, opt for tall trashcans in the home – rodents cannot typically jump higher than about a foot. All leftovers and extra food should be put away immediately and pantries should be stocked with food in lidded, impermeable containers. Rodents have sharp teeth that can easily gnaw through paper and cardboard. Avoid mice in your kitchen by cleaning up promptly after eating and impeding access to food.

3. Seal cracks and holes on the outside of the home.

Make sure any openings in your home seal tightly and don’t offer any chance for pests to enter. Some experts suggest adding gravel or rocks around the perimeter of your home or garden to prevent mice from burrowing and gaining access to your house in unexpected ways. If you suspect mice have already entered your home, it’s a good idea to call a pest control professional.

With 25% of homeowners reporting rodent infestations specifically in the wintertime, now is the time to be proactive about pest control. Keep your house neat and tidy and call pest control immediately if you spot droppings or see other telltale signs of rodents in the home. The sooner you take action, the easier it is to control the problem.

The post 3 Ways to Keep Your Home Rodent-free this Winter appeared first on Northern Virginia.

Was your home affected by Hurricane Sandy? If not, consider yourself lucky. If so, you’re not out of the clear yet. Though flooding might have been manageable with proper precautions and evacuations, the flood of pests comes next. Now is the time to call pest control to prevent things from getting out of hand.

Rodents, roaches, waterbugs, silverfish – all of these tend to make appearances in the wake of natural disasters. The sooner pest control comes in, the better the odds of eliminating these unwanted creatures from your surroundings and preventing an infestation.

Just as many human homes were damaged by the storm, pests’ homes were likely destroyed too. These animals are now looking for new dwellings. Make sure they don’t set up camp in your house!

Any damage your household might have sustained from heavy wind and rain makes it easier for pests to find a way inside. Broken windows, missing roof tiles, and rotting wood all offer opportunities for creepy crawlies to gain entrance to your home. Don’t assume that you’re safe if your home appears intact. Desperate, homeless rodents can gnaw through weakened materials and squeeze through alarmingly small spaces in their attempt to find shelter.

Steps You Can Take

Do a complete assessment of your home. Even after water is properly disposed of and the mess is cleaned up, wood that has been immersed in water can stay soggy for months. This creates an ideal environment for gnats, crickets, silverfish and fungus.

Fallen trees and flooding can prevent city services from coming through and collecting trash. Additionally, any sewage back-ups or errant garbage can attract rodents and offer a perfect place to breed. Do your best to keep trash as far from your home as possible, and clean up any garbage off the streets. This bit of effort can go a long way towards preventing unwanted guests.

Flooding can lead to dirty, stagnant water, which attracts a variety of insects, including mosquitos. In the days after a big storm, keep your eyes peeled for roaches and water bugs and do your best to eliminate all sources of flood water. A wet vacuum is a useful tool for sucking up any basement puddles and improving safety. It can minimize slipping and prevent you and your family members from injuring yourselves on flood water.

Protect yourself and your home by calling pest control immediately and preventing a pest outbreak before it gets fully underway.

The post How Did Hurricane Sandy Affect You? appeared first on Northern Virginia.

As we were all politely letting each other know when one landed on us, I got to thinking about a news article I read recently which warned that the stinkbug infestation this year may be the worst yet.  Some think it’s from our mild winter or early spring, but I’ll leave the reasons to the experts.  All I wanted to know during that wedding was how to get rid of them and what to do if they started taking over my home!

For most homeowners, stinkbugs are merely a nuisance.  They don’t bite or sting, and they’re not known to carry any disease.  Their worst offense is the foul odor they emit when killed.  We all run for a shoe or newspaper when we see a bug in our house; but for stinkbugs, that’s not such a good idea.  Many people resort to vacuums or homemade traps, but these pose risks of leaving the lingering odor behind, as well.  The best way to deal with stinkbugs is to somehow shoo them out of your home or prevent them from ever entering in the first place.

Seal and Repair!

With prevention being so important in your battle with stinkbugs, especially with the surplus this year, you should take every precaution to ensure your home is well-sealed.  Check your windows and screens to make sure there are no holes allowing them in.  Look around doors and baseboards for cracks.  Your heating bill will thank you for this during the coming winter, as well.

Shut the Door!

Do you have the tendency to stand in the doorway and talk to visitors at your door (especially those salesmen you don’t want to invite in your home)?  While carrying in groceries, do you leave your door wide open so you don’t have to use your hands to open it again?  These are open invitations for stinkbugs to come right in, so be sure to leave your door shut to prevent easy access.

Call for Help!

If all else fails and you find yourself being overtaken with stinkbugs, call for expert help!  A professional pest control company, such as Moxie, can help you create a barrier for your home as an additional preventative measure for protecting your home from stinkbugs.

With all you have going on in your daily lives in this busy time of year, the last thing you want to be dealing with is a pest invading your home (or crashing your wedding).  Take these simple precautions to help protect your home from this record-breaking invasion of the stinkbugs!

The post The Invasion of the Stinkbugs appeared first on Northern Virginia.

I don’t know if very many things can ruin a good dinner party more than a cockroach scurrying across the floor.  Whether you are at your home or out at a restaurant, the last thing you ever want to see near your food is a roach.  (Unless, of course, you have an exotic taste for cuisine!)

Unfortunately, many dinner parties across our area have been ruined by these unsightly and unwelcome guests.  To help prevent these party crashers, there are simple rules of thumb you can follow to keep cockroaches far away from your home.

Clean Carefully

Cockroaches love filth.  Even if you think your house is clean, there may be food left out or clutter in the corner that is drawing them in.  Keeping a tidy home is a good preventative measure; but if you find yourself spotting cockroaches, do a thorough scour and cleaning of your home to attempt to keep them away or get rid of any you may already have.

Inspect Everything

Even if your home is a model home when it comes to cleanliness, you may be exposing your home to a cockroach infestation by bringing in a package or new piece of furniture with them in it.  Many warehouses and delivery companies have pest problems, so once an item from there arrives at your house — you do, too!  With the frequency now of buying online and from strangers, as well, it is imperative to always carefully inspect anything entering your home for any signs of roaches.

Call for Help

As with any pests, it is always a smart decision to call a professional pest control company at the first sign of a roach problem.  If you see one, chances are there are more.  Rather than risk the problem multiplying and getting out of control while you spray your DIY bug killer (only putting a band-aid on the problem), call an expert who can tell you the source of your problem, determine the proper treatment for your specific home, and effectively eliminate your entire infestation.  This is definitely a case of “better safe than sorry.”

So unless you are planning an unusual new menu item, keep your parties cockroach-free and allow yourself to focus on having fun.  If you want more information on cockroach prevention or treatment, give Moxie a call today!

The post Party Crashers appeared first on Northern Virginia.

Perhaps one of the worst is what some may think is a bee because of their signature black and yellow stripes, but is actually a wasp – the Yellow Jacket.  These guys are much more intense than most of their doppelganger bees and will violently and proactively defend their nests.

What is even more ominous about yellow jackets is that their nests are not necessarily aerial where you might be able to know you are near it.  Depending on the species, they may burrow their nests underground or in hidden holes or crevices where you end up swarmed before you even have a clue.  This is particularly an issue when mowing the lawn or doing other yard work, as even vibrations can signal an attack to a yellow jacket, sending him on a mission to make your life miserable.

To a victim’s dismay, these wasps not only have the ability to sting repeatedly, but they are also social creatures and typically attack in swarms.  Have you seen those fights on the baseball field?  If you make one player angry, before you know it the whole dugout is coming after you.  The only difference is you don’t have an umpire breaking it up – yellow jackets just keep going!

With that type of mentality, how can a homeowner ever stand a chance?  The best defense is an offense when it comes to preventing a yellow jacket attack.  Before working or playing in your yard, do a thorough examination of the area, looking carefully for any signs of a nest.  You should also pay attention to what type of flying pests you have in your yard.  If you see a yellow jacket, chances are good that you have more.  If you go outside, don’t wear perfumes or bright colors.  They may mistake you for a flower and go after you.  Also, make sure you inspect any food or beverages which have been left outside.  Yellow jackets love sweets, so look before you bite!

As tempting as it may be to handle a yellow jacket problem yourself, these “yucky” and “scary” pests can actually be quite dangerous.  Depending on your body’s reaction, multiple stings can be very serious and require immediate medical attention.  With this at stake, leave the extermination of a nest to the experts.  Your body will thank you.

The post Those Yucky Yellow Jackets appeared first on Northern Virginia.

Unfortunately, those hikes through the woods taking in the changing leaves and those long weekends out on the sports fields bring an increased risk of tick bites.  Previously, we all knew about the potential of Lyme’s disease resulting from one of these bites; but these days, we have new concerns.  Not only do we have to worry about Lyme’s disease, but we also have two curious diseases popping up more and more across the country from Lone Star Ticks and Deer Ticks.

Victims of Lone Star Tick bites are developing severe allergic reactions to beef, lamp, or pork.  This may not be a big deal if you are a vegetarian; but for those of us who live for a juicy steak on the grill, this could be quite devastating.  What is most dangerous about this allergy, though, is that people may not even be aware they have it until it’s too late.  Reactions vary individually from hives all the way to full anaphylaxis shock.  This should not be taken lightly, and medical attention should be sought if you suspect you have been bitten.

Deer Ticks are making their victims suffer through a widespread disease called Babesiosis.  Similarly to the Lone Star Tick bites, those infected may not even be aware until the disease is in full swing.  There are no tell-tale signs such as the bullseye rash of Lyme’s disease.  In fact, you may think you just have a bad case of the flu because its symptoms are fevers, chills, nausea, body aches, etc.  Even though these symptoms may not even appear until weeks or months after a bite, a simple blood test can usually diagnose this disease with most patients responding well to treatments.

Even though the thought of you or someone you love being bitten by one of these ticks is scary, don’t let it stop you from enjoying yourself this fall – simply take these five precautionary measures to try to minimize your risks.

1) Use repellents containing a minimum of 20% DEET on your skin, clothes, and any belongings you carry with you and try to cover any exposed skin.
2) Stay on main paths and avoid walking through low foliage or high grasses.
3) Thoroughly inspect yourself and your kids anytime you have spent time outdoors.
4) Wash and dry in heat any fabrics that have come in contact with plants or grass.
5) Call a professional pest control company to treat your yard and outdoor environments for ticks.

Fall has so much to offer — so don’t miss out, and don’t be a victim!  If you have any questions about how you can protect your family from these dreadful diseases, give Moxie a call, and we’ll gladly help.  After all, our goal is to Protect Your Home, Protect Your Family, and Protect Your Peace of Mind.

The post Don’t Be a Victim This Fall appeared first on Northern Virginia.