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How To Get Rid of Wasps

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth
yellowjackets

For many people, seeing a wasp is cause to scream, duck and run for cover. This is understandable, considering how much it hurts to get stung. Some people are even allergic to stings, making bees and wasps a real danger. But while some types of wasps are aggressive, plenty of others are very unlikely to sting you. Regardless, most of us want to get rid of wasps when we see them. Read on for more information about these insects, including the best ways to get rid of wasps when you see them or their nests around your property.

Are Wasps Beneficial?

Something many people don’t realize about wasps is that they are actually beneficial. Like bees, wasps are pollinators. This means they are an essential part of the process of producing fruits, seeds and more plants. Wasps also feed on caterpillars and other pests that might otherwise destroy our food crops.

For all … Read Full Post »

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DIY Cockroach Prevention

. Posted by in • Tyler
a dead cockroach on a kitchen floor

If you’ve had a roach problem, you may be looking for DIY cockroach prevention techniques that really work. Fortunately, there are several effective steps people can take to keep cockroaches away from their homes. These include things you can do inside your house along with things you should do in your yard. Together, these steps should help in the ongoing battle against roaches.

Just be aware that making your home less accessible and attractive to cockroaches is easier than eliminating roaches on your own. An established cockroach infestation is best dealt with by a pest control professional. Once your home is free of cockroaches, you can keep them away by following a few common-sense steps.

How to Make Your Home Less Accessible to Roaches

The first step in DIY cockroach prevention involves making your home less accessible to roaches. This means figuring out how they might get inside and then blocking them out.

To … Read Full Post »

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DIY Mice Repellent: What Works and What Doesn’t

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth
a cat looking at a mouse

The most effective way to keep mice out of your house and yard is to contact a pest control professional. These experts have the experience and tools to help keep you and your family safe from pests like mice. They can also provide ongoing rodent control services, so you do not have to worry. However, homeowners sometimes prefer to try to take care of pest problems on their own before reaching out to a professional.

A quick search of the internet will show that there are many different ideas out there on how to repel mice. Before you try any of these DIY methods, it is important to know which ones are most likely to work. This could save you from wasting time and money on something that will never work. It is also important to understand the dangers of certain DIY mice control methods. Otherwise, you might accidentally endanger your … Read Full Post »

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How To Identify Different Types of Mice

. Posted by in , • Tyler
a house mouse which is a common type of mouse in homes

A mouse is not just a mouse. There are many different kinds of mice throughout the world. In fact, mice are a part of the rodent group. This includes thousands of different types of small and tiny mammals that use their front teeth to gnaw on things. Each kind of rodent has some things in common, but they also have several unique characteristics.

Knowing what kind of rodents you have can help you figure out why they entered your home and how to make them leave. Otherwise, you might waste precious time and money trying pest control treatments that will not work. That is why it is best to contact a qualified pest control professional to handle rodent invaders. These experts have the training and experience to take care of everything effectively and efficiently for you.

House Mice

House mice are one of the most common types of rodents found in and around … Read Full Post »

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Fire Ant Control & Identification Guide

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth
fire ants coming out of a nest

They say everything is hotter in Texas. That’s usually in reference to the weather and the food, but it can also apply to the burn you feel when you’re bitten by fire ants. If you spend any time outdoors, you’ve probably been bitten by these insects at least once or twice. They get their name from the fiery sensation caused by their bites.

Unfortunately, fire ants are an especially aggressive species of ant. That means you aren’t imagining it: When their nest gets disturbed, they will come after you, fast. Their bites sting and burn, and they can also cause raised, pus-filled blisters on the skin.

Interestingly, these ants don’t just bite people—they bite first to grab hold of you, and then they curl their abdomens under to sting your skin. It’s actually the venom in their sting that causes the painful, burning sensation. Their stingers are at the tip of their … Read Full Post »

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How Long Do Mice Live?

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth
a mouse in an attic

The thought of having mice in your home is disturbing. If these creatures have shown up, you are probably wondering how long they might stick around. Well, the average lifespan of each mouse is just around two and a half years. However, where there is one mouse, there are typically many more mice.

This means that even if the one mouse that you know of dies off, it does not necessarily mean that your mouse problem is over. This animal might have left behind several more friends and family members.

This is due to the nature of the mouse life cycle. Female mice can get pregnant as early as just a month or two after they are born. Once they reach sexual maturity, female mice are fertile as often as every four to five days. They typically mate at night and can breed at any time of the year. Once a female … Read Full Post »

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What Do House Mice Eat?

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth
house mice eating cereal

If you’ve ever had a mouse problem, you probably wondered what attracted the mice to your house in the first place. What do house mice eat? Their natural habitat is outdoors, so what do they live on when they move into a person’s home? Unfortunately, the short answer is that mice can eat a wide variety of foods. This is why they can live so well inside a house, as long as there is access to water as well as some food that they can get into.

The truth is, most of us have plenty of food that mice could get into if they tried. For example, readily available food left in fruit bowls on our countertops. Or, the thin plastic bags and cardboard boxes filled with cereals and snacks found in our pantries. These materials are easy for mice to chew through to get to the food inside.

Outside in nature, … Read Full Post »

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Does Salt Kill Fleas? How To Control These Pests

. Posted by in , • Tyler
a salt shaker that has been knocked over

Fleas can invade your home by hanging onto your pet or another animal in your neighborhood. Once these pests make it into your house, they often spread quickly and can be tough to get rid of. Thankfully, a pest control professional can help you free your house of fleas and reclaim your home from these pests as soon as possible. However, if you prefer to handle the infestation on your own, there are a number of flea control options that you might consider.

A common natural remedy for controlling fleas is to spread table salt or sea salt that you might have in your cabinet. Salt naturally absorbs moisture, so when you sprinkle it on fleas, it dries out their bodies. This is because many pests like fleas take in oxygen through tiny tubes all over their bodies. When they breathe in salt through these tubes, it can kill them

To use … Read Full Post »

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How Long Does It Take to Pressure Wash a House?

. Posted by in • Dallas-Fort Worth
a homeowner pressure washing their home

When you want to pressure wash your house, one thing you will likely consider is how long the project will take. Will you need a couple hours to finish the job? A whole weekend? Something in between?

In general, it takes around three to five hours to pressure wash a small to medium-sized house. This estimate includes the time needed to complete the basic steps involved in power washing, such as:

  • preparing the area you want to clean;
  • setting up your equipment;
  • spreading detergent on the area;
  • letting the detergent set;
  • rinsing off the cleaning solution;
  • cleaning up the project area and
  • putting your equipment away.

However, the exact amount of time for each pressure wash job depends on several different factors. Here are some reasons why your project might take more or less time.

The Size of Your Home

It might be obvious that power washing a 5,000 square foot home will usually take longer than trying to wash a … Read Full Post »

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Can Bed Bugs Climb Metal?

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth
a bed bug climbing on a person's skin

If even the thought of bed bugs makes you cringe, you aren’t alone. Most people live in fear of encountering these pests because they are notoriously hard to get rid of. Many are eager to learn easy ways they can prevent these pests. For example, some people wonder whether bed bugs can climb metal. The thinking here is that a metal bed frame might offer protection if these bugs have a hard time climbing the slick surface of the frame. Although bed bugs do find it easier to climb more textured surfaces like fabric or wood, they can climb metal. Unfortunately, this means beds on metal frames can harbor these pests just as well as any other type of bed. However, by learning the early signs of bed bugs, you can help prevent a full-blown infestation. 

Bed bugs can be creative about how they reach you in … Read Full Post »

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