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Where Do Mosquitoes Come From?

. Posted by in , • Tyler
a group of mosquitoes flying in a homeowners yard which makes them wonder where mosquitoes come from

There are over 3,500 kinds of mosquitoes, and they can be found in almost every country in the world. In the U.S. alone, there are nearly 200 different types of mosquitoes, many of which came to the country aboard ships over the past several hundred years.

For example, it’s believed that the disease-carrying Aedes aegypti mosquito came to the U.S. on trading ships in the late 1400s and early 1500s. More recently, some types of mosquitoes have traveled to the U.S. on ships coming from the Caribbean. Another species—the Aedes albopictus—came to the country from Asia in the 1980s through a ship carrying tires.

This can be of particular concern due to the diseases mosquitoes transmit. Some of these pests carry diseases like the Zika virus, the West Nile virus, malaria, yellow fever and dengue fever that can make humans sick or even fatally ill.

Of the nearly 200 types of mosquitoes in … Read Full Post »

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How Do Termites Get in Your Home?

. Posted by in , • Tyler
a home with tree branches touching the roof which is how termites could have gotten in the home

If you’re dealing with a termite infestation or if you think you may be dealing with a termite infestation, you may be overwhelmed and confused. How did termites find your home? How did they make their way inside? What can you do next?

To answer these questions, it’s important to know the different types of termites that are likely to infest your home. In the U.S., the two most common types of termites are subterranean termites and drywood termites. Knowing the differences between these two types is important because the way they enter homes and the treatment methods for each are different.

Subterranean Termites

Subterranean termites travel around by crawling through a network of underground tunnels. This species of termite needs a moist environment to survive. Once they get beneath or to the edge of a house, they build mud tubes, which they use to get into the structure. These tubes are about … Read Full Post »

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There Are Termites in My Carpet: What Can I Do?

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth
termites in a carpet in a living room

Finding what seems to be termites in your carpet is a worrying experience for any homeowner, as termites can cause a lot of damage. Most people would expect to find these pests someplace where there’s wood, but termites in carpet? Though that’s not where most people might expect to see them, this is entirely possible.

If you find termites in your carpet, the first thing to do is to determine whether they actually are termites or if they are some other type of pest. Termites look a lot like large, winged ants, and many people can’t tell the two apart. There are some differences you can look for, though, to determine which type of pest you’re dealing with.

Termite Identification Tips

The first thing you should know if you are trying to determine if what you saw is a termite is that these creatures have bodies that are long and straight. Ants’ bodies, … Read Full Post »

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Do I Have House Centipedes or Silverfish?

. Posted by in • Dallas-Fort Worth
a living room where a homeowner has found either a centipede or a silverfish

You’ve come across some type of bug in your house, and you aren’t sure what it is. All you know is that you want it gone! But what is it, and what impact might it have on you, your family and your home? If it’s small, narrow and long, a pale brownish or grayish color, and has what looks like a lot of legs and antennae, it could be a house centipede or a silverfish.

Whatever it is, you may be wondering how to get rid of it and what you can do to make sure there aren’t more of its kind living and reproducing nearby. Learning the differences between house centipedes and silverfish will help you tell the two apart. Fortunately, both of these pests have distinctive characteristics that make them easy to identify.

Identifying House Centipedes

Like most centipedes, the main identifying characteristic of house centipedes is their many, many legs. … Read Full Post »

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What To Do About Cockroaches in the Dishwasher

. Posted by in • Dallas-Fort Worth
a dishwasher with cockroaches inside

Finding cockroaches in the dishwasher is nothing short of shocking, not to mention just plain gross. Why would a cockroach want to invade your dishwasher? The answer is pretty simple, when you think about it. Cockroaches need the same things as every other creature on earth to survive: food, water and shelter. The dishwasher—at least when it’s not running—provides all the needed elements for survival.

If you leave dirty dishes inside the dishwasher for a while before running it, cockroaches will be attracted to them as a source of food. But, even if you don’t have that habit, food and grease residue can build up inside the dishwasher over time. You might find it caked up in the filter or around the rubber gasket that runs along the inside of the front of the dishwasher. If you don’t rinse or scrape food off your dishes before putting them into the dishwasher, … Read Full Post »

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How to Keep Mice Out of Your Shed

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth
a shed in a backyard that is infested with mice

Outdoor sheds are great sheltered places to store lawn care tools, empty pots and other gardening items. But, when your shed starts functioning as a warm, protected shelter for mice, it’s time to intervene. The first step is learning how to keep mice out of your shed. Then, you can take decisive measures to keep your property, including your shed, free of these rodents.

Mice are drawn to sheds, garages and other structures for the same reasons as rats and other wild animals. They are seeking shelter, which means a good place to nest and breed. In warmer months, mice might live quite happily outdoors. But, during the colder months of the year, adequate food and warm shelter are both in short supply. Fall and winter are when mice are most likely to move into your shed and other structures on your property. That said, they breed year-round and are also … Read Full Post »

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Signs of Rats: Identification and Control Tips

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth
a rat coming out from underneath a deck

Have you noticed signs of rats living somewhere in your home, attic or garage? If you suspect you have a rat infestation, it’s unsettling—and trying to address it on your own can quickly lead to frustration, as you learn that setting out a few traps won’t be enough to resolve the problem. Like mice and other wild rodent pests, rats are opportunists. They are also wily, clever animals. They enter people’s homes (and other buildings on the property) in search of food and shelter. If they find an opening, they’ll use it to get inside. Rats are also prolific breeders, so if they have a chance to build a nest, their population can expand quickly.

You may notice signs of rats in your home, but you’re even more likely to find them in your attic, garage, shed or some other less-visited place on your property. Since rats are nocturnal, they’re most … Read Full Post »

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What Do Rats Sound Like?

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth
A rat peering into a home from a crawl space

Unfortunately, there are a number of animals that can invade your home in search of shelter, water and food. And, many times, you’ll start noticing the signs of these visitors before actually spotting them. So, how can you determine if you have rats in your home, or something else? One way to differentiate between rats and other creatures is by listening to the sounds they make.

If you have rats in your home, you’ll likely hear several specific noises:

  • Scurrying sounds as rats travel from place to place
  • Thumps as they play or fight
  • Scratching and chewing as they eat and gather supplies for nests
  • Squeaks from immature rats coming from a nest

Most vocalizations occur outside of the realm of what a human is capable of hearing. Most audible sounds come from rats that are in a state of distress.

Where will these sounds originate? For most people, your attic. This can be disturbing, because we … Read Full Post »

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How to Power Wash a Deck and Other Surfaces

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth
A white home with a wood deck that has been power washed

A deck provides you with additional space on your property for relaxing and gathering with friends and family. In many residential areas, these spaces get a lot of use. Unfortunately, dirt, pollen, dust and other grime can build up over time, which can detract from your deck’s appearance. Fortunately, there is a solution to this problem: power washing.

Power washing (also commonly referred to as pressure washing) is a great way to maintain your deck, as it is often the most effective way to make your deck look brand new again. Pressurized water is a powerful force, and it can even loosen up ground-in dirt that’s been there for quite some time. If you’ve never used a pressure washer before, however, you should know that you can damage certain surfaces and that there are risks and dangers associated with these machines.  Once you learn how to power wash a deck, you … Read Full Post »

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Do Bed Bugs Smell? What Homeowners Need To Know

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth
Decorative pillows on a gray bed

Some people wonder if bed bugs give off a particular scent that can signal their presence in the home. Others are wanting to know whether bed bugs themselves possess a sense of smell; if they do, there might be odors that bed bugs find repellent that could be used to deter them from infesting people’s homes.

Bed bugs do give off a certain, unpleasant scent when they’re disturbed, which is related to the pheromones they emit when alarmed. Some people have described it as a sweet or coriander-like scent, while others have said it’s a musty or moldy smell. This scent might not be obvious to everyone, however—some people can’t smell it at all—and it might only be detected when there are lots of bed bugs present, indicating a heavy infestation.

This means that if there are bed bugs present somewhere in your home, chances are, you won’t smell them—and if you … Read Full Post »

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