ABC Blog

Termites Are A Slow But Sure Expense

termites damage to home

Termites are one of the most destructive pests you’ll encounter, and stopping an infestation early is crucial to reducing the expense associated with their damage. Although it may take a termite a long time to chew through the wood of your home or office, it will eventually succeed in severely weakening the structure. A termite infestation could result in substantial damages and lengthy repairs if left alone.

The Life of a Termite

Termites are social insects that are related to ants. Like ants, they live in colonies, each member filling a specific role. They feed primarily on wood pulp and are often found chewing through a house’s foundation, flooring, and walls. Termite colonies can become very large very quickly, and the growing size represents an increasing threat to the stability of your home.

As a colony grows, the colony will seek to expand by sending out a new young queen. This winged termite will … Read Full Post »

Pests…On Your Plate

ant infestation

Are you cooking with… insects?

It’s hard to picture insects and arachnids as anything more than bothersome pests that disrupt barbeques, cause painful stings, and freak many of us out. But it may be time to start welcoming these creatures into your life….and on your plate.

The Latest Food Trend

Sweet and salty snacks, blackened seafood, alternative milk, and bug burgers? Believe it or not, these are all popular food trends this year, and yes, insects have solidified a spot in the culinary industry. Concerns about feeding the world’s ever-growing population and some courageous foodies’ efforts have given these creepy crawlers a new purpose.

The health benefits of this “alternative food source” can’t be denied, either. While the Huffington Post reports that eating insects can combat obesity, you should also know that many pests are protein, lipid, and calorie-rich and packed with many essential vitamins and minerals. Pair that with their abundant availability and … Read Full Post »

Bee Removal: Protecting Our Bumble Buddies

why do bees swarm

Many people are afraid of bees due to the threat of bee stings. In most cases, bees are not dangerous to humans unless you are allergic. They are a necessary component of the ecosystem and responsible for pollinating many of the plants we eat. All the same, a hive can sometimes be built in an inconvenient location, and bee removal does become necessary on occasion.

The Life of Bumblebees

Whenever you identify a bee colony living near your home or office, the first step to removal is correctly identifying the bee species. Bumblebees have different habits than carpenter bees and honey bees, and understanding these habits will aid in your pest control efforts.

Bumblebees are docile and live in small colonies. They prefer to nest in grass clumps or old mouse holes, but they can also make their homes in birdhouses, under porches, in old planters, or in any other cozy space. The … Read Full Post »

Alert the Pestparazzi: Mosquitoes Are Making a Big Comeback this Summer

facts about mosquitos

For the past few years, we’ve experienced instability in mosquito activity due to inconsistent rainfall. This year was different. Increased rainfall has led to denser summer mosquito populations. This year’s mosquitoes can be compared to obnoxious has-been movie stars making a gloriously successful comeback. Like yesterday’s faded starlets, they’ve been craving a second chance to steal your time and attention. Celebrities drain you by bombarding the national headlines with meaningless drama and publicity stunts. The bite of a mosquito drains you in a more literal sense.

How to Survive the Current Swarm

Protecting yourself from this year’s thriving batch of mosquitoes is essential. Not only can they ruin your cookouts and make you irritable and itchy, but they can also give you horrible illnesses like the West Nile virus. Even your pets are at risk. Infected mosquitoes can transmit deadly heartworms to dogs and cats. Fortunately, there are many ways to defeat the mosquito’s … Read Full Post »

The Woodpecker: Your Home’s Fine Feathered Enemy

If you’re a nature lover, you might enjoy a woodpecker’s soft, distant tapping while you take a leisurely mid-morning stroll through the woods. However, when you’re sound asleep at the crack of dawn and awakened by a relentless, unbelievably loud hammering on your wood-sided house, it probably doesn’t have the same heart-warming effect. As much as you might fantasize about running outside in your bathrobe and knocking the bird off the side of your humble abode with the gentle nudge of a pressure washer, you wouldn’t want to harm such a beautiful creature. Besides, you can’t. They’re protected by federal law.

Doesn’t All that Pecking Give Them a Headache?

Woodpeckers have developed special physical features that protect them from harm while using their bills as jackhammers. Their brains are surrounded by extra cushioning, and they have reinforced skulls to distribute the force of repeated impact. Unfortunately, our heads contain nothing to protect … Read Full Post »

Rats in Hats

Let’s be honest: rats don’t always have the best reputation. They’ve been unfairly linked to smelly alleyways and unwanted infestations, but that may be a hasty judgment that’s best reserved for rats of the un-fancy kind. Many consider these friendly and highly-intelligent rodents treasured pets, and in some instances, they can actually be quite stylish.

Although the idea of dressing up a rat may be challenging for some people to grasp (not unlike the idea of dying a miniature poodle pink), it’s not as uncommon as you would think. As pet fashion designer Ada Nieves explains, “The rats look very cute and seem to like wearing [outfits]. Rats are very popular these days and the owners love to dress them up.”

 

Sometimes, you have to let your rat put on a hat and strut down the runway.

Many people believe that rats are naturally dirty creatures, but these balls of fluff are exceptionally clean … Read Full Post »

Insects: Up Close and Personal!

why do bees swarm

Dealing with insects in and around your home can be frustrating, but they can be pretty fascinating when they’re not invading your home. Check out these interesting facts about some common insects we encounter daily In Orlando pest control exterminators.

The Honeybee

Honeybees prefer to live in colonies; some of them live in colonies with up to 80,000 bees. Unfortunately, these bees can build a hive right next to your home. The success of the hive largely depends on the queen bee’s health. A queen bee eats honey for strength and can lay nearly 2,000 eggs daily. Throughout her lifetime, the queen bee can lay one million eggs. The rest of the bees in the hive are worker bees. Most of them gather nectar, pollen, and water for the hive and protect the queen.

House Flies

Believe it or not, some house flies reach nearly a quarter of an inch in length. They have … Read Full Post »

The Bee Control Controversy

why do bees swarm

You may have heard that honeybee populations in the United States are on the decline, resulting in a considerable increase in the price of local honey. Unless you consume a lot of love, you may wonder why you should care about bees. Aren’t they just annoying pests that build nests around your home and threaten to sting your children?

The truth is that honeybees aren’t even native to North America, but they, along with around 4,000 native species, are responsible for pollinating flowers and plants. Without these pollinators doing their job, humans and other animals would be robbed of about half of their plant food sources. As a result, bees are essential to all life on Earth.

Native Versus Nonnative Bees

Native bees, such as bumblebees and orchard mason bees, have evolved to work in harmony with native plants and move pollen among them, helping grow flowers, vegetables, fruits, and herbs. Many people … Read Full Post »

The Zombie of All Pests: The Flea

Fleas are among the most resilient insect species. They can survive without food for a year. They are mobile enough on their own, capable of leaping 10 to 13 feet in a single bound, and small enough to hitch a ride on pets and people to populate new areas. Fleas are resistant to most pesticide use because they undergo four life stages, each requiring a different extermination strategy.

Secret Life of Fleas

Adult fleas are capable of reproduction once they have fed on blood. Eggs are laid on a host animal but fall off quickly as the animal moves around. These eggs will hatch and turn into larvae between two and 14 days. Larva feeds on organic substances, including the blood meal, dropped by adult fleas as feces. With enough nourishment, flea larvae develop into the pupa stage, from which the adult flea emerges when stimuli such as heat and vibrations indicate … Read Full Post »

The Southern Pine Beetle

southern pine beetle does immense damage to trees

Photo by Fabio Stergulc / Università di Udine, Bugwood.org

The southern pine beetle is a highly destructive pest that can devastate pine trees in forests and urban settings. At maturity, this diminutive pest is scarcely more significant than a grain of rice. Yet, it causes a tremendous amount of damage to pine trees in Florida and across the southern United States. Typically, the beetle invades older trees, has suffered an injury, and has trunks less than 6 inches in diameter. However, the pest will also begin attacking healthy trees during severe outbreaks. The southern pine beetle prefers to invade loblolly, Virginia, pitch, and shortleaf pine trees.

Because the southern pine beetle attacks trees internally, most people are unaware of the problem until significant damage has already been done. Female beetles are responsible for determining what tree to live in, and they begin boring holes at the base of the trunk. After mating … Read Full Post »