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Safely and Effectively Landscaping Around Ugly HVAC Units

. Posted by in • Bryan-College Station

They’re bulky, obvious and generally unappealing. They’re considered an unwelcome addition to your landscape, but getting rid of them isn’t an option. No, we’re not talking about your neighbors. We’re referring to your exterior HVAC units. Unfortunately, you can’t just throw a tarp over them, or place anything close enough to impede air circulation. Typically, a unit needs two or three feet of space free around it and at least one open access point for servicing. Although letting weeds or ivy engulf a unit seems tempting, it would cause serious and expensive problems. Using plants to hide a unit can be tricky if the unit blows hot air continuously. Fortunately, there are other ways to prevent the universal outdoor eyesore from ruining your garden’s ambiance.

Strategically Placed Focal Points

Although you may not be able to plant anything directly in front of your unit, a line of hearty, dense shrubs or privacy … Read Full Post »

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Can Termites Destroy or Penetrate Concrete?

. Posted by in • Bryan-College Station
can termites eat concrete

When termites invade a home, it can seem as though they’re getting in everywhere, including through the foundation. This has given rise to the belief that these pests are able to eat into concrete, a material which is supposed to be secure. Though there’s no truth to this story, your home’s foundation can still be a way for termites to enter your home and cause significant damage.

Can Termites Eat Concrete?

The short answer is no. Termites cannot digest concrete. Although wood is their preferred source of nutrition and what they are well-known for eating, termites have also been known to eat drywall, foam, plastics and even thin lead and copper cheeting materials especially when it’s in the way of them getting to wood.

If there’s wood on the other side of your concrete foundation, termites will do whatever they can to get at it. Termites are persistent, so they’ll keep looking for entry … Read Full Post »

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Where Do Rasberry Crazy Ants Come From?

. Posted by in • Bryan-College Station

A bug that makes people nostalgic for fire ants

Back in 2002, the Rasberry crazy ant was identified by an exterminator named Tom Rasberry. The voracious insect regularly attacks animals, infests pantries and damages air conditioners. They’ve spread to many parts of Texas and the southern United States in recent years.

Origin

There’s still some uncertainty about the history of the Rasberry crazy ant. Nonetheless, the most common theory is that humans accidentally transported it from South America to Texas. This invasive species was a common pest in Colombia before it reached the United States, according to Texas A&M University. It continues to infest new parts of the state and the Gulf Coast region.

Transit

Rasberry crazy ants don’t always need to travel on foot. Cargo trains, boats, airplanes and trucks can inadvertently spread them. This may occur when vehicles carry agricultural products or trash. To prevent further infestations, be sure to examine potted plants … Read Full Post »

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Do Plumbers Need a License in Texas?

. Posted by in • Bryan-College Station

The Importance of Working with a Plumbing Professional

It can be tempting to turn to a local unlicensed handyman if you need plumbing work done in your Bryan-College Station home, but this’ll leave you without the protection that is associated with utilizing a licensed professional. In fact, the state of Texas requires individuals who perform plumbing services to have a license that verifies they’ve received the proper training. Anyone who holds a plumbing license in Texas has passed a board-certified examination, and this means that they should be properly equipped to handle any of your plumbing needs.

Are Plumbing Licenses Permanent?

Just like your driver’s license, it’s necessary for plumbers to periodically renew their license and registration. In order to obtain these renewals, licensed plumbers must attend continuing education courses. This helps ensure that they stay up-to-date on the latest techniques, and it also helps prevent the erosion of previously obtained knowledge. After … Read Full Post »

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10 Shocking, Weird Bug Facts to Keep You Awake at Night

. Posted by in • Bryan-College Station

Bugs give humans the creeps for reasons we don’t fully comprehend. It makes sense that we wouldn’t care much for insects that are capable of spreading disease, inflicting painful stings or eating our homes from the ground up. However, there is something about a crunchy cockroach or a slimy worm that we just can’t stomach, and it doesn’t seem to be related to what they can do to us. We’re much bigger, and we can crush them with hardly any effort. Instead, we run and scream and invent new dance moves. The list below definitely justifies our heebie jeebies.

1. Ants and the Slave Trade

Slavery isn’t just a human atrocity. Amazon ants steal the larvae of other ants and make them slaves. They’re not doing it to demonstrate superiority; they actually depend on their slaves for survival because they are incapable of doing anything other than fighting.

2. Don’t Mess with Aussie … Read Full Post »

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Are Ants Stealing Your Pet’s Dinner?

. Posted by in , • Bryan-College Station

Texas is home to a variety of pesky ant species that thrive in our year-round warm climate. Ask the professionals how to protect your home from ongoing invasions and chances are they’ll tell you to watch where your crumbs fall. While a lot of other variables – moisture levels, landscaping, and location – come into play when ants look for new spots to settle, food waste is a major source of infestations. Keeping food off the ground is generally great advice, but what if you share your home with a hungry pet? When a food bowl is a permanent fixture on your kitchen floor, following the tips below can make all the difference.

Get to Know Your Enemy

They may look similar, but different ant species behave in very different ways. For example, carpenter ants are nocturnal, while look-alike acrobat ants are active during the day. The more you know about the … Read Full Post »

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Do You Know the Wormy Truth About Rats?

. Posted by in • Bryan-College Station

Everyone knows rats don’t make great tenants because they carry loads of bacteria, but how about parasitic worms? Rat lungworm—or Angiostrongylus cantonensis, if you want to get official—is a parasitic worm that targets rats through their food sources. If that sounds scary already, wait until you hear this: In rare cases, humans can catch rat lungworm through contact with infected foods.

Since we’re talking about rats, you’re probably wondering what eating infected foods has to do with rodent infestations, and that’s a very good question. Here’s how the exchange works:

1. Rats that are infected with an adult form of the rat lungworm parasite pass the parasite’s larvae through feces.

2. Slugs and snails munch on the droppings, picking up the infection hiding inside.

3. Rats then eat the infected slugs and snails, bringing the cycle back to step one.

The interesting thing about this infection is that it works its way up to humans … Read Full Post »

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Get Your Lawn Ready for Winter in East Texas

. Posted by in • Bryan-College Station

While East Texas isn’t exactly Antarctica, our nighttime winter temperatures can dip low enough to make all living things a little uncomfortable, including the greenery growing in your yard. The good news is that since deep freezes are relatively rare in our area, getting your garden ready for the coldest season of the year is a breeze. Here’s what to put on your to-do list before the cooler weather makes its annual comeback:

Give Your Lawn Extra Food

Some species of animals never start the winter season without gaining a little weight for warmth and energy. The same idea can work for your lawn. Giving your grass more nutrients can translate to thicker, healthier growth next spring. For best results, use fertilizers that are rich in nitrogen in the beginning of autumn and fertilizers that are rich in phosphorous later in the season. This nutrient blend will fortify your lawn against harsh … Read Full Post »

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Can I Collect Rainwater in Bryan and College Station?

. Posted by in , • Bryan-College Station

The legal ins and outs of a sustainable landscaping solution

There was a time when watering your lawn meant racking up high water bills and straining the water supplies of drought-prone cities like Bryan and College Station. Thanks to some recent legal and technological changes, however, this is no longer the case. Let’s take a look at how the legalities of rainwater collection have evolved and whether it’s time for you to invest in a rainwater retaining system for your property.

Is It Legal to Collect Rainwater in Texas?

It’s generally legal to set up a rainwater catchment system in Texas, including in the communities of Bryan and College Station. This is due to a relatively simple legal framework that forms the foundation of water rights within the state. Unlike many other jurisdictions, Texas limits the state’s control of water resources to natural surface waterways like rivers, streams and creeks. Until it enters … Read Full Post »

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Are You Hungry for a Tastier Landscape?

. Posted by in • Bryan-College Station

Give yourself a greener, healthier yard this year

When was the last time you changed your yard for the better? For many folks in the Bryan and College Station areas, the green space around the house is a place to gather, play with pets and relax on nice days. However, more and more central Texans are discovering the many benefits of yards and gardens that actually give something back. Learn how to turn your property into a health-promoting, money-saving produce patch.

The Benefits of a “Working Garden”

There are plenty of reasons to love a well-tended flower garden. It’s nice to look out the window and see splashes of color at nearly any time of year, and the birds and other wildlife that such arrangements attract can provide untold amounts of pleasure.

That said, there’s also room in many central Texas gardens for plants that bear fruit—literally. Some of the benefits of such a … Read Full Post »

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