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Can Rats Chew Through Steel?

. Posted by in , • Houston
large rat on top of steel pipe

Rats are rodents with long, sharp front teeth that are constantly growing. Like all rodents, these pests need to gnaw on things daily to keep those front teeth filed down. This is why finding gnaw marks is a common sign of rat activity in and around your home. These pests typically chew on wooden things, like baseboards, beams and rafters. They are also known to chew through cardboard and plastic items, as well as electric wiring. But, can rats chew through steel?

Rats can easily chew through softer materials like cardboard and plastic. They can even chew through harder things like wood and PVC pipes. But rats cannot chew through steel. They can’t chew through anything stronger than iron.

Potential Risks of Rats In Your Home

Steel is a component in some electrical wires, along with copper and other types of metal. Rats have been known to chew through electrical wiring. More often, … Read Full Post »

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What To Do About Brown Patches on Lawn

. Posted by in • Houston
a dollar spot on a lawn

A beautiful, healthy lawn is a symbol of pride for many homeowners.

Few things are more disheartening to a committed homeowner than finding discolorations and brown patches on their perfect landscape. It’s especially disappointing when they seem to appear out of the blue.

The sad fact is that disease is a stealthy predator that tends to rear its ugly head overnight, attacking our lawns when we least expect it.

Summer lawn diseases can devastate the most well-cared-for green spaces like a blight.

For homeowners who put in the time and effort to achieve that perfect carpet of green, it’s important to understand what can cause brown patches. And, more importantly, what they can do to repair these problems quickly and prevent them from returning.

What Causes Brown Patches

In reality, there are a lot of things that can kill the grass on a lawn, and not all are disease-related.

The key to spotting and dealing with lawn … Read Full Post »

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Signs of a German Roach Infestation

. Posted by in • Orlando
a german cockroach

German cockroaches are one of the most common types of roaches, and you can identify the small, penny-sized insects by their elongated shape, light caramel brown color and two black stripes that run along their shell-like top covering. They have a full set of wings, but they do not fly.

This roach variety doesn’t sneak into homes and other buildings from the outside, like their American cockroach cousins. They spend most of their lives hanging out in places that keep them close to sources of food and water. They spread through multi-unit dwellings such as apartment buildings by traveling through the spaces in between the apartments or business suites, always seeking food and water. Restaurants and hotels also see their fair share of these unwanted visitors. Homeowners can accidentally bring these pests home with them from a multitude of locations. Unfortunately, just one or two German cockroaches can quickly turn into … Read Full Post »

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What Attracts Rats?

. Posted by in , • Houston
a rat in a garden

Knowing what attracts rats is a big part of keeping them away from your home and property. Rats are wild animals that naturally live outdoors, building nests under shrubbery, inside dead trees or in underground burrows. Like all animals, rats have three basic needs—food, water and shelter. When you’re dealing with a rat infestation on your property, it means they have found all three. This is why a big part of getting rid of rats is eliminating what’s attracting them.

If you’re dealing with a problem, you may notice some of the following signs of rats:

  • Scattered rat droppings
  • Shredded paper, insulation or other nesting materials
  • Squeaking or scratching sounds coming from within the walls or ceilings
  • Gnaw marks on cabinets, baseboards or other areas
  • Greasy rub marks along walls, baseboards or rafters, where these pests commonly walk along their routes between their nest and their food and water sources
  • An actual rat sighting—though this is less … Read Full Post »
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The Giant African Land Snail: What You Need To Know

. Posted by in • Orlando
a giant African land snail

Giant African Land Snails are an invasive species that can cause property damage and disrupt agriculture. While they originated in Africa, they are now found worldwide. Infestations are extremely serious.

These snails prefer warm and humid climates, which is why they are most often found in the southeastern states of America. Currently, a new Giant African Land Snail population has been discovered in Pasco County, Florida. This is the third time that the state has dealt with an infestation.

Florida residents should understand the risks of a Giant African Land Snail infestation and learn how to identify these pests. This guide will break down their appearance, habitats, mating habits, reproduction cycle and more. It will also cover the previous infestations in Florida and what the state is currently doing to eradicate these pests again.

What Do Giant African Land Snails Look Like?

As you can probably tell from their name, Giant … Read Full Post »

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What To Do About Mice in Walls

. Posted by in , • Houston
a brown mouse

Scurrying, squeaking or scratching noises in the walls at night typically means one thing; rodents. The 2021 American Housing Survey, conducted by the U.S Census Bureau, reveals that almost 15 million homes in the U.S. reported rodent sightings last year.

Mice and other rodents aren’t just a danger to your walls, wiring and insulation either.

The saliva, urine and feces of mice or rats can spread a host of deadly diseases to humans and pets.

Common Signs of Mice in Walls

Mice can be noticeable house guests, leaving droppings and gnaw marks behind as they search for food and shelter.

These signs can not only indicate their presence in your home but help narrow down the specific areas they’re regularly invading. If you find shredded packaging, food remains or droppings in your pantry, it’s a sure sign that mice are helping themselves to your food.

Scattered bits of insulation, cardboard or plastic wiring are a good … Read Full Post »

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What Do Bed Bug Bites Look Like?

. Posted by in , • Houston
bed bug bites on a leg

We all know that insects outdoors can sting or bite, leaving marks on people’s skin. However, that isn’t the only place you might come across biting bugs. Some of them thrive in and prefer life indoors as well, especially in bed linens and other clothing.

Bed bugs can get at any part of your body. That said, their bites are generally found on the neck, face, hands, arms, legs and shoulders, places where skin may be exposed while asleep. These bites generally show up in clusters of three to five or more and form a sort of zigzag pattern on the body. If you wake up to find little red bumps that weren’t there when you went to bed, your best bet is to call in a licensed pest control professional. They can determine what has invaded your space and get rid of them the best way possible.

Another tricky thing about … Read Full Post »

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Does Bleach Kill Roaches?

. Posted by in • Houston

Many of us have been through this scenario: You walk into the kitchen or bathroom after dark and flip on the light only to see a roach skitter across the wall or countertop. After a shudder or two, you make an action plan, trying to figure out how to rid your home of these seemingly indestructible insects.

A quick online search turns up a ton of “surefire” solutions, from hosing your home down in chemicals to using pantry items like vinegar to do the job. The problem with chemicals is the lingering fumes and the danger they and the chemicals themselves pose to people and pets. And, distilled vinegar and other household items just don’t work.

One common liquid that gets a lot of online attention in the battle with roaches is bleach. So, can bleach kill roaches? Technically, it COULD. But the methods to do that are pretty inefficient and time-consuming.

Bleach’s … Read Full Post »

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The Different Types of Ticks in Florida

. Posted by in , • Orlando
a tick on a leaf

Ticks are a common pest in Florida, especially during the warm summer months. There are several varieties of these unwanted visitors. Some types of ticks thrive in Florida more than others, and it’s important to know the differences so you can get rid of an infestation right away.

Certain types of ticks, like American dog ticks, prefer to feed off of animals, while others love humans. Some only survive outdoors while others thrive inside your home. Knowing the appearance and habits of ticks will help you identify them before you have a full-blown infestation.

There are several precautions you can take to avoid ticks, like wearing appropriate clothing and patching up cracks in your doors. When you see ticks on your property, in your home or on your pets, you need to remove them immediately, especially because most homeowners don’t know how long ticks can live in a house.

Most ticks carry harmful … Read Full Post »

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How To Get Rid of Drywood Termites

. Posted by in , • Houston
drywood termites eating through a baseboard

As their name implies, drywood termites build their nests in dry wood. In comparison, dampwood termites and subterranean termites need extremely moist environments. Drywood termites commonly nest in wood beams, wall framing and even wooden furniture. Drywood termites typically don’t even need a reliable water source as they can derive enough moisture from the wood pulp that they eat.

Homeowners who suspect they may have a drywood termite infestation should contact a professional. Even a moderate size colony can inflict serious and widespread structural damage and massive expense in a short amount of time.

In fact, termites cause more than five billion dollars worth of damage annually, just in the United States. Unfortunately, most of which is not covered by conventional homeowners’ insurance.

In this article, we’ll take a look at the common signs of a drywood termite infestation, how to identify the various types of drywood termites, their lifecycle, and (most importantly) … Read Full Post »

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