ABC Blog
Corpus Christi

Featured Posts

Mosquito Bite On Foot: Why Do Mosquitoes Bite Ankles?

. Posted by in , • Corpus Christi
why mosquitoes bite feet

Stepping outside during certain times of the year requires a layer of clothing and mosquito repellent—otherwise, you risk getting eaten alive by mosquitoes. Even when you spray yourself down, you still may find yourself complaining to friends and family, “I have a million mosquito bites on my foot!” and asking yourself, “Why Do mosquitoes bite ankles?” Why is it that these pesky critters always seem to find us and bite that one spot that we missed? Researchers have been studying the behavior of mosquitoes to see what repels and attracts these biting bugs.

Why Is There A Mosquito Bite On My Foot?

According to a story on National Public Radio, researchers at the University of California, Riverside have learned that mosquitoes use specific sensors near their mouths to determine the presence of carbon dioxide. If carbon dioxide is in the area, mosquitoes assume that humans or animals that provide the blood they … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

Does your plumber know his permits?

. Posted by in • Corpus Christi

Your bathtub won’t drain, and you need help fast, but choosing a plumber can be tough. How can you tell if the expert you are talking to knows what he’s doing or if he’s going leave you with more problems and headaches?

It’s tempting to call out some random neighborhood handyman to fix your plumbing woes. After all, he says he’s cheap and can get your drain working in no time. But you risk a lot by going with unpermitted plumbers in Corpus Christi. Here are just five of the many reasons you should hire a licensed plumber to resolve your next plumbing disaster or to install new fixtures.

Licensed Plumbers have appropriate training and credentials.

Be careful of unlicensed contractors! In Corpus Christi, plumbers must be licensed. You should always ensure that the person you hire has a current license to work as a plumber.

A plumbing license means … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

9 Ways to Bring Butterflies to your Garden

. Posted by in • Corpus Christi
how to attract butterflies

Summer is nearly upon us in Corpus Christi. There’s nothing better in the summertime than a yard filled with flowers and butterflies. Did you know that attracting different species of butterflies can be as easy as adding a variety of flowering plants to your garden, as well as following a few safe gardening practices?

Below we’ll look at some of the ways you can turn your yard into your personal butterfly garden.

How to attract butterflies

There are a number of plants that attract butterflies, and they fall into a couple of categories.

First, there are plants that butterfly larvae (caterpillars) love to eat. Growing some of these plants ensures that butterflies will mark your yard as one of their favorite places to visit.

Second, butterflies are garden pollinators. Like bees and wasps, they help pollinate flowering plants by feeding on their nectar and transferring pollen from one flower to the next. Be sure to … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

Preparing a Storm-Resistant Yard

. Posted by in , • Corpus Christi

Here in Corpus Christi, it’s possible to maintain a beautiful yard and landscape despite severe thunderstorms and hurricane season that bring hail, high winds and torrential rain to our backyards.

Let’s take a look at some of the ways you can make sure your yard can withstand the forces of Mother Nature year-round.

Lawn

If you plan to reseed your lawn in the spring, be sure to check the weather forecast to ensure that rainy weather isn’t right around the corner. It’s never a good idea to plant seeds or small bedding plants right before severe storms. Heavy rains will wash away seed and fertilizer, and hail and winds will destroy tender bedding plants that haven’t had a chance to get established.

When possible, apply mulches or ground cloth, such as hemp netting, to further protect fragile topsoil from pounding rains. These will hold plantings in place as well as prevent rainwater from washing … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

Corpus Christi’s Best Garden Stores

. Posted by in • Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi Garden Supplies

Spring is a lovely time to re-think that backyard garden patch.

Have you considered planting a vegetable garden, but you just don’t know where to start? The idea of starting a garden from scratch can seem like a daunting task. Take it one step at a time and figure out what materials you need and where to get them.

These three gardening stores in Corpus Christi carry all the necessary materials to get you started with your vegetable garden.

Gill Landscape Nursery

Gill Landscape Nursery has 2 locations in Corpus Christi – one just north of 358 on Alameda Street, and one south of 358 on Airline Road. Sally Munroe and James Gill, a local couple with a flair for commercial and residential landscaping, established the first location on Airline Road in 1979. They opened the second location on Alameda Street in 1987.

Both locations offer a variety of gardening supplies, knowledgeable staff, ponds, water … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

Identi-Fly: What’s buzzing around your home?

. Posted by in • Corpus Christi
fruit flies taking over the kitchen

What’s flying around inside your house?

Springtime is an excellent time of year for Corpus Christi, but along with wildflowers and sleeping with the windows open, it also means a return of flying insects. Below we’ll look at a few of the different insects that may be bugging you inside your home.

Fruit flies

Fruit flies are small gnat-like insects that are attracted to the smell of ripe fruit and other organic materials. You may find them around fruit bowls, bananas or your indoor compost containers. The best way to eliminate them is to make sure to refrigerate all ripe fruit and keep your composting materials outside. If you still have trouble with them, you can make a simple trap with apple cider vinegar (or flat beer) and a narrow-necked bottle. Put a small amount of vinegar in the bottle and cover tightly with plastic wrap and a rubber band. Poke tiny holes … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

Do Mouse Traps Actually Work?

. Posted by in • Corpus Christi
rodents can enter your home through your AC unit.

One day recently, one of our customers was watching birds and squirrels feeding at her bird feeder when she noticed something shocking. There was a huge rat making its way towards the feeder.

Because the rodent was outdoors, she didn’t want to take the plunge and call out rodent & wildlife control immediately. She decided to opt for mouse trap instead. But weeks went by, and the trap was always empty. She thought the rat was frightened away and didn’t think any more about it. Until she saw the rat again!

Rodents will gravitate towards food sources and shelter.

The sight of a rat or mouse can be rather unnerving on many levels. The truth of it is, in Texas, mice often find their way into our homes (or backyards) in search of dry nesting spots and easy food sources. Because we know some homeowners in the Corpus Christi area may wish to … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

The Very Best Mosquito Repellents

. Posted by in , • Corpus Christi
learn the best mosquitoes repellents

Warm weather is just around the corner, and that means mosquito season is not far behind. These pests can be a real nuisance! Worse yet, in some cases, mosquito bites can even make you sick. Below, we’ll look at some of the diseases carried by mosquitoes and then we’ll offer our picks for the very best mosquito repellents.

Why should you be concerned about mosquitoes?

Mosquitoes aren’t just a nuisance. They can carry diseases that can affect you and your family. In the Corpus Christi area, the biggest concern for mosquitoes is the West Nile virus, with July 2015 marking the first confirmed cases in the area. Lately, the media has also been reporting on the Zika virus, which has spread to Brazil and may be causing microcephaly, a birth defect that affects the development of an infant’s brain. The good news is that while there have been a dozen cases of … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

Coastal Critters: Rodents Plague Corpus Christi

. Posted by in • Corpus Christi

We Love Corpus Christi.

Did you know that Corpus Christi is made up of more water than land?

Corpus Christi is unique to other Texas cities in many ways. The Corpus Christi metro area is home to 400+ thousand residents, but we like to keep the small-town beachy feeling alive. When the summer tourists head home, we relax and enjoy our coastal lifestyle.

Living near the ocean has its perks, but our humid subtropical climate and proximity to sources of water has its downside, too.

 

Rodents Are On The Rise.

Our wildlife specialists see a steady increase in the number of rat, nutria, and mouse related calls every year. There are a few reasons why.

1. A Rodent’s Natural Environment Is Near Water.

Rats and mice are attracted to Corpus Christi for all the same reasons that we are! They like to hang out by creeks or lakes when the weather allows it. Along the Texas coast, … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed