How Many Times Can A Mosquito Bite?

If you’ve ever spent a beautiful evening in your yard, only to later discover that you’re covered in mosquito bites, you’ve likely wondered how many times a mosquito can bite. Was it just one mosquito that’s to blame for your current situation, or was it a whole swarm that descended on your property?

Simply put, a mosquito can bite as many times as she wants or can. There is no limit. Female mosquitoes (and only females!) feed on blood until they are full. If a mosquito is interrupted before filling up, she’ll just bite again. Once her abdomen is full of blood, she rests for 2 to 3 days and then lays her eggs. Most mosquito species live up to about three weeks. During that time, a female can lay up to five clutches of at least 100 eggs at a time. Unfortunately, this means that your mosquito problems aren’t going … Read Full Post »

Can Bed Bugs Live In Carpet? Your Questions Answered

If you’re currently dealing with a bed bug infestation, or wonder if what you have seen in your home are bed bugs, you probably are wondering where these pests can be hiding. Since we typically can’t feel a bed bug bite, it can be difficult to know when we are getting bitten, even if we understandably assume it’s in our beds. To make matters even more complicated, some people don’t have an allergic reaction to a bed bug bite until as long as two weeks after it happens. With that in mind, how can you find these tiny pests? Can bed bugs hide in your carpet? Where else do they tend to spend time?

Yes, bed bugs can live in carpet, as well as in and around just about every upholstered surface in your home. A bed bug’s narrow body lets it hide easily in the smallest cracks and crevices, including … Read Full Post »

Do Mosquitoes Nest? Controlling These Pests

February 28, 2020. Posted by Holt Myers in Mosquito Control, Pest Control • San Antonio

A backyard with lots of greenery that could contain a mosquito nest

Some people aren’t bothered by mosquitoes, but most of us can’t stand them. Their itchy bites, that annoying whine in the ear, even the tiny tickle on the skin when they’re hovering around—for many of us, mosquitoes are seriously annoying! Summertime is prime mosquito season, but if you live in a warmer, wetter part of the country, you might have to deal with them for the better part of the year. And if you have a mosquito problem at your home, you might find yourself wondering whether or not mosquitoes make and live in nests.

This is a great question, and the answer involves an issue of semantics. Mosquitoes do not technically nest or build nests for living and breeding the way that ants, termites, bees, wasps and other insects do. Since mosquitoes aren’t social the way these other insects are, they have no need for a nest. While mosquitoes don’t … Read Full Post »

Brown Recluse Vs Wolf Spider: Which One Is On My Property?

February 19, 2020. Posted by Holt Myers in Pest Control • Austin

You may be anxious after finding a brown spider in or around your home. After all, you know that brown recluses are native to the area and a bite from one of these spiders can be dangerous. That said, you’ve also heard about wolf spiders. Wondering which type you have spotted? There are a few major differences between a brown recluse and a wolf spider that can help you properly identify which is which, including:

The size. A wolf spider is shockingly large, growing up to an inch and a quarter in length. Meanwhile, the brown recluse is rarely larger than three-quarters of an inch.
The appearance. As its name suggests, the wolf spider is hairy, with a fuzzy or furry appearance. In contrast, the brown recluse spider has smooth body parts.
Markings. The wolf spider has a pattern on its back with multiple colors, most commonly stripes, whereas the brown recluse is … Read Full Post »

Termite Frass And Other Signs Of An Infestation

February 13, 2020. Posted by Holt Myers in Pest Control, Termite Control • Corpus Christi

Termites are stealthy, destructive pests that cost homeowners in the U.S. billions of dollars in damage each year. Part of the reason these pests are capable of causing such extensive damage is that they tunnel underground and out of sight. However, there are a few signs that a homeowner can look out for that indicate the presence of termites, including termite frass, which is the technical term for this insect’s waste products.

Other common signs to look out for that can indicate that you have termites on your property include:

Flying swarmers
Piles of wings
Mud tubes
Cracking wood or wood surfaces that sounds hollow when you knock against them

Subterranean termites mix their feces with saliva and chewed wood to make their tunnels, called mud tubes. These passageways are most commonly found around the foundation of your home or along walls. About as thick as a pencil, mud tubes are typically brown, or are similar … Read Full Post »

How To Get Rid Of Fleas On Humans And Pets

January 29, 2020. Posted by Holt Myers in Flea & Tick Control, Pest Control • San Antonio

You’re tired of those itchy flea bites on your skin and you know the rest of your family is feeling the same way. Your pets’ constant itching is enough to make you believe that they are also miserable. It feels as if every time you walk across your carpet or sit down on your couch, more bites appear. While you can hop in the shower every time you’re in a flea-infested area of your home, doing so will only get rid of those fleas on your skin. Because fleas prefer dogs or cats, these bothersome pests are more likely to hop off of us and go searching for another creature to feed on.

Additionally, if your flea problem has come to the point where these fleas are biting you, you likely have a full-blown infestation in your home. This means to get rid of fleas on humans, you’re going to have … Read Full Post »

A Homeowner’s Guide To Termites In Texas

January 20, 2020. Posted by Holt Myers in Pest Control, Termite Control • Austin

There are many reasons Texans love calling this part of the country home. We have warm weather nearly all year round, with so much to offer in terms of nature, history, sporting events, museums and other attractions. Unfortunately, we aren’t the only ones that are drawn to this state. Termites in Texas—specifically, the subterranean, Formosan and drywood varieties—are a major problem for countless homeowners. These destructive pests are responsible for costing homeowners in Texas hundreds of millions of dollars of damage each year.

How does this tiny pest get away with so much?

Subterranean termites, the most common species of termite found in Texas, tunnel in moist soil in search of cellulose, their primary food source that is found in wood, plants, cardboard, insulation and even pet excrement. Because these pests are tunneling underground, many homeowners are unaware they have a problem until these voracious insects have already caused extensive damage. These … Read Full Post »

How To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs Permanently

January 13, 2020. Posted by Holt Myers in Bed Bug Control, Pest Control • Corpus Christi

A bed with a gray comforter and yellow and white pillows

Anyone who has dealt with a bed bug infestation has probably wondered how to get rid of bed bugs permanently. Considered by many in the pest control industry as among the most difficult problems to resolve, bed bugs can live for several months without eating, and are capable of laying up to 5 eggs each day, and over 500 over a lifetime. Able to survive in temperatures ranging from almost freezing to 122 degrees Farenheit, bed bugs are extremely resilient. To make matters worse, newly-hatched bed bugs are so tiny that they can squeeze in between the stitches of a mattress. These are just a few reasons why homeowners often skip DIY treatments and enlist the help of a professional, who is equipped with the products, techniques and experience needed to resolve an infestation both quickly and effectively.

If you believe you may have a bed bug problem, you should know that … Read Full Post »

Carpenter Ant Damage Vs. Termite Damage: Identification Tips

December 30, 2019. Posted by Holt Myers in Pest Control, Termite Control • San Antonio

a kitchen with signs of carpenter ant damage or termite damage

If you find damaged wood in or around your home, you might wonder whether carpenter ants or termites are to blame. Quite honestly, it can be difficult to tell if you have termites or carpenter ants without extensive pest control knowledge. While termites are responsible for $5 billion in property damage each year in the United States alone, most of this impact is linked to the subterranean varieties, which can be difficult to detect, since these species live most of their lives underground. and primarily eat away at our home’s foundation and other hard-to-access areas. Drywood termites are more likely to be spotted above ground, in similar environments as carpenter ants. One way to tell the difference between carpenter ant damage and drywood termite damage is by looking at how clean the damaged wood and surrounding area is. Generally speaking, carpenter ants tend to be pretty meticulous. Any wood that … Read Full Post »

Does Mulch Attract Termites? Your Questions Answered

December 9, 2019. Posted by Holt Myers in Pest Control, Termite Control • San Antonio

If you’ve ever dug into the mulch around your property, you’ve probably noticed that there are quite a few insects squirming around in the mulch. You may have even noticed one of the most destructive pests in the country—the termite. Upon this observation, you may start to wonder if mulch attracts termites. If so, should you remove it? Or, does finding termites in mulch serve as a warning sign that an infestation already taken place?

While termite control specialists advise against piling up mulch near the foundation of your home, it isn’t necessarily because the mulch attracts new termites from outside. What the presence of mulch against the home does do, however, is provide an environment that encourages existing termites to set up shop more permanently. In fact, any kind of organic matter near your home that remains moist can provide that necessary cover for a termite invasion.

Therefore, while mulch doesn’t … Read Full Post »