ABC Blog
Dallas-Fort Worth

Featured Posts

Low Maintenance Flower Bed Ideas

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth
a low maintenance flower bed

Any yard or garden will need at least some upkeep over time. But there are lots of great low-maintenance flower bed ideas that can maximize the beauty of your outdoor space while keeping maintenance needs low. Less time doing yard work means more time to enjoy your yard. Let’s look at some tips for planting a garden that is both beautiful and easy to maintain.

Getting Started

  1. Take care of weeds first, before planting flowers. If you want a low-maintenance flower bed, keep in mind that doing a bit more work up front will save you lots of labor later on. This is especially true when it comes to weeds. When planting a new flower bed, it can take significant time and labor to dig up all the grass, weeds and other vegetation, but it’s worth the effort in the long run. Also, don’t forget the weed-blocking power of mulch! Mulch … Read Full Post »
Comments Closed

Hammerhead Worm in Texas

. Posted by in • Dallas-Fort Worth
a hammerhead worm on a driveway

You’re digging in your garden or spending time on the patio, and you spot what looks like a long, weird earthworm. Its head is reminiscent of a hammerhead shark, which is where it got its name. What you have spotted is actually a hammerhead worm. Finding a hammerhead worm in Texas is unfortunate because these pests prey on beneficial earthworms. They can also be tough to eliminate. So what should you do if you find one?

The first thing to know is that you should not try to kill it by chopping it in half with a shovel. It may sound like science fiction, but it’s real: When the body of a hammerhead worm is divided, it will regenerate into separate living worms. This is called fragmentation, and it is actually how this species reproduces. Its numbers multiply when it is cut into pieces.

Another important thing to know is that you … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

Where Do Roaches Come From?

. Posted by in • Dallas-Fort Worth
an American cockroach in a home

If you turn on a light in the middle of the night and see a cockroach scurrying out of sight, you may be wondering: where do roaches come from? Why is this pest in my home? Is this a sign of an infestation?

To answer these questions, we must first determine which type of roach is in your home. While there are over 70 species of cockroaches that live in America, there are two types that you’re likely to see in your home. On your property, you’ll most likely see American cockroaches and German cockroaches.

The American Cockroach

The reddish-brown adult American cockroach, which is pictured above, averages a body length of around two inches. This roach has lighter-colored edges along the pronotum. Males tend to appear larger than females. But, this is most often due to the fact that the male’s wings extend past their abdomen while the female’s wings do not.

American … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

Pharaoh Ants: Identification & Control Guide

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth

The pharaoh ant is a common household ant that is thought to have originated from Africa. Some scholars speculate that the ant earned its name from a mistaken idea that it was one of the plagues that hit ancient Egypt. Wherever the name began, it is a nuisance that can seem like a plague to people living in the many areas this ant frequents.

The pharaoh ant is found in every inhabited region on the planet, and it nests outside only in places below the equator. However, it has adapted to some of the southern United States. That is because the ant’s favorite home is in places where it is between 80 to 86 degrees, humid (80 percent or more) and is close to food and water.

But that definitely does not mean the pharaoh ant is only in the southern area of the United States. The pharaoh ant has adapted to … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

Does Fire Keep Mosquitoes Away?

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth

Fending off mosquitoes is a ritual of both spring and summer—sometimes year-round depending on the weather and location. People try just about everything to keep these pesky, annoying little pests away, from sprays to candles to home remedies. Some people even try to eat certain foods to keep mosquitoes away. None of these options are particularly effective, however.

Mosquitoes aren’t just a nuisance. They can also carry a variety of diseases, including Zika virus, West Nile virus, Chikungunya virus, dengue and malaria. These aren’t things you want to mess around with!

Many people believe that mosquitoes only come out and bite at night, but that isn’t the case. Though it is true that the variety that carries the West Nile virus is more active from dusk until dawn, other types keep a different schedule. During the day, in shaded areas, you can find active mosquitoes that carry the Zika virus and chikungunya. … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

Are Roaches Attracted to Light?

. Posted by in • Dallas-Fort Worth
a cockroach on a white wall

Many homeowners have a fear of discovering cockroaches in their house. You may have turned on a light in your kitchen or bathroom and spotted roaches climbing up the walls or walking across the floors.

If this has happened to you, don’t panic. Dealing with a cockroach infestation is a very common problem that homeowners face, especially in the southern United States. Having roaches in your home is not evidence that you are unclean or bad at taking care of your house.

If you have seen roaches inside your home, you may be wondering if roaches are attracted to light or if they prefer the dark. Getting clear about what attracts roaches and where they like to hide will help in keeping roaches out.

You might also be curious about whether there are cockroaches hiding in your home, especially inside your walls. And if they are, how would you find them? If you … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

What Do Cat Fleas Look Like?

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth
a cat flea on a human

If you have cats, you have probably noticed them using their feet to scratch an itchy spot or two. However if your kitty is scratching more than usual or licking and biting at their skin, they might have fleas. While some flea problems can be isolated to your pet, fleas are prolific breeders. And, as your cat walks around your home, they can deposit flea eggs wherever they go. Unfortunately, this can lead to a flea infestation throughout your home.

Cat fleas are the most common type of flea. They live all over the United States and around the world and mostly feed on dogs and cats, but will feed on other animals too. Cat fleas are tiny, coming in at about an eighth of an inch in length. They are brownish-black in color, but can appear red if they have recently fed. These pests are flat and wingless with 6 … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

Why Do Mosquitoes Bite Me So Much?

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth
a mosquito biting someone

From their uncanny ability to avoid a swat to the itchy welt they leave behind, these blood-sucking pests are a huge nuisance. Mosquitoes bite humans and other animals because they need the proteins in our blood in order to reproduce. When they bite us, they inject a small amount of saliva, which numbs the area and keeps the blood from coagulating.

It’s not the mosquito’s bite itself, but the chemicals in this injection of saliva that cause our reaction. Mosquito bites are, in themselves, plenty annoying. Unfortunately, these little flying vampires can also carry and transmit serious diseases like:

  • Malaria
  • Encephalitis
  • West Nile virus
  • Yellow fever
  • Dengue fever
  • Zika virus

Even with mosquito bites that don’t carry these diseases, people with less robust immune systems, especially in children, the elderly and those with immune system disorders, can develop additional symptoms such as:

  • Hives
  • Low-grade fever
  • Swollen lymph nodes
  • Headache
  • Swelling and blisters
  • Allergies or asthma-like reactions

We all have to deal with mosquito bites from … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

How To Fertilize Your Lawn

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth
a homeowner fertilizing their lawn

Every homeowner wants lush, green grass in their yard. This means grass that is thick, healthy and free of weeds. Knowing how to fertilize your lawn is an important part of regular lawn maintenance. But it can be tricky knowing the right products to use and steps to follow. When should you fertilize? How often? What’s the right nutrient mix for your soil? Let’s explore these questions and more as we learn the right way to fertilize your lawn.

The first step in fertilizing your lawn is to determine the right mixture of nutrients for your grass. Warm-season grasses, like St. Augustine, bermuda and zoysia, need different fertilizer blends than cool-season grasses, like Kentucky bluegrass or rye.

Most yards in southern states have warm-season grasses. These grasses grow best in warmer weather, when it’s at least 75 degrees outside. Warm-season grasses go brown and dormant in the fall if they are not … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed

Identifying & Controlling Subterranean Termites

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth
subterranean termites in soil

Subterranean termite damage costs American homeowners billions of dollars every year. These pests are discreet and it’s hard to spot the signs of an infestation unless you’re a trained professional. Many times, homeowners are unaware a problem has developed until a full-blown population has been established. So, what can you do if you think you have a subterranean termite problem or want to prevent a termite problem?

The first step to determine if there is a problem is to learn more about subterranean termites. It helps to understand the appearance, behavior and signs of these pests.

What Do Subterranean Termites Look Like?

Subterranean termites are separated into three different castes: reproductives, workers and soldiers. The reproductives include the king, the queen and the winged alates. The queen is the largest termite in the nest. She stays hidden underground, so you will likely never spot her. The alates, which are pictured above, are also … Read Full Post »

Comments Closed