Termite swarms are a fast-paced phenomenon: One minute, there are no visible termites present. Several winged insects emerged from their nest the next minute and began to fly or crawl around. Within another minute, hundreds or thousands of termites are swarming out of their colony, ready to propagate their species.

An hour later, the termites are gone once again, receded to their home within the walls of your house or inside a rotten log outdoors. But how long do termites swarm, and how can you defend your property against these invaders, which are blamed for damage that costs U.S. homeowners over $1 billion each year to mitigate?

The term “termite swarm” refers to the phenomenon within a termite colony when, each spring, reproductive termites leave the warmth and darkness of their nest and come out into the open air by the thousands to mate. Many homeowners mistakenly believe termite swarms are destroying … Read Full Post »

Being a homeowner has many benefits: having a space to call your own, a financial investment, and a place to create memories with your family. While the perks are numerous, we also recognize that there are a few headaches that present themselves as a homeowner. One of those annoyances is pests.

No matter which pest species decide to call your home theirs, homeowners often discover they have an infestation after noticing increased pests around their home, many times before it’s too late. Take flying termites, for example. Because termites live inside your home’s walls, many homeowners are unaware of their presence until they see winged pests flying inside or find shredded wings around doors and windows inside their homes. If you’re curious to know if you have an infestation, flying termites are a key warning sign indicating a problem.

Three major species of termites can potentially infest your home: dry … Read Full Post »

Mosquitoes are ubiquitous during the warm summer months, and many regions of the U.S. stay temperate enough year-round to make mosquitoes a perennial problem. Thus, no matter where you live, it’s likely that you’ll encounter these annoying bloodsuckers at some point when you’re outside doing yard work or relaxing on your patio. Most people have a mosquito-repelling trick or two up their sleeves: They might spray themselves down with bug repellent, or light citronella candles or tiki torches to keep these insects and their itchy bites at bay. The associated smoke, chemicals and pungent scents are too harsh for indoors, however, so what to do when you find that mosquitoes have moved inside? The next question you might ask yourself is how long do mosquitoes live indoors, anyway?

The short answer to the second question is that the average mosquito lifespan lasts between four days and a month, although most … Read Full Post »

Imagine your bed and pillows being infested with tiny bugs measuring less than half a millimeter in length that feed off the skin cells you slough off in your sleep. Sound like a horror movie? If the thought of such a thing makes your skin crawl, you aren’t alone. Unfortunately, these little creatures aren’t something out of a sci-fi flick. They are dust mites, and dust mites in bed are prevalent and shared in many homes.

It’s natural, of course, to feel a bit horrified by the idea of harboring dust mites in bed, especially if you’re among the many folks who are allergic to these creatures. But barring a dust mite allergy, are dust mites in bed really something you need to worry about? Many people have heard they should regularly replace pillows, linens, and even mattresses to keep dust mites at bay. Perhaps you’ve been scared into frequent purchases … Read Full Post »

Fleas. The word makes many homeowners shudder, especially if they also have pets. After all, these pesky insects may be tiny, but a flea infestation can mean big trouble for your pet, your home, and you.

Many homeowners wonder, do fleas die in the dryer? Can they drown in the washing machine, or is washing flea-infested items a waste of time? When you find even one flea in your living space, it’s tempting to toss everything you own—sheets, clothing, cushion covers, your dog’s bed—into the wash. While it seems that that should care for the problem, the reality isn’t relatively so straightforward. Exposure to heat and soap can kill fleas in all stages of their life cycle, so a dryer cycle alone will likely be inadequate to eliminate your flea population. Besides, these creatures are likely widespread across your home, so meticulous vacuuming will be the best initial method to … Read Full Post »