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Repelling Squirrels From Your Home and Yard

. Posted by in • Orlando
Repelling Squirrels

Squirrels can provoke strong feelings in homeowners—primarily negative. Although these animals may look cute and furry, squirrels can dig up your yard, raid your bird feeder, chew through electrical wires, damage your insulation, and leave droppings in your attic.

A squirrel’s incisor teeth grow continuously, and because the rodents chew on everything, they can damage your deck, siding, hammock, fencing, and electronics. If they gnaw their way into your attic, squirrels can expose your belongings to the elements, including rain. Over time, this nuisance pest can even cause structural damage to your home.

Let’s discuss how to deter squirrels from your house, what signs to look for to indicate they are inside, how to keep them from eating from your bird feeder, and tips to remove squirrels from your home.

How To Deter Squirrels From House

The most common types of squirrels are ground squirrels, tree squirrels, and flying squirrels. Ground squirrels eat … Read Full Post »

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Grain Mite: Is That What’s In My Pantry?

. Posted by in • Orlando
Grain mite

Have you ever heard of grain mites? You aren’t alone. This tiny pest can have a significant impact on the food we store inside our pantries. Grain mites, or flour mites, as they are also called, are typically pale whitish-gray pests. They are small, the biggest measuring just a quarter of an inch, but they can cause significant damage when they infest pet food, horse feed, cereals, rice, dried vegetables, cheese, corn, cornmeal, and dried fruit. A female grain mite can lay up to 800 eggs so that these pests can spread rapidly throughout the infested food source.

Although this pest predominantly affects bulk grain storage, grain mites can be found in your home. So, what should you do if you see signs of grain mites in your home and kitchen? Is it bad if you unknowingly eat them, and how do you get them out of your house? Keep reading … Read Full Post »

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Can I Get Mold Spores Bites? What To Know About Mold Mites

. Posted by in • Orlando
mold spores bites

Most of us are familiar with mold. In addition to this fungus that can grow on food, plants, and areas with moisture or high humidity, you may run across tiny creatures called mold mites. These microscopic white or tan-colored mites feed on mold and fungi and are part of the larger species of mites, including cheese mites, flour mites, and grain mites.

Mold mites are wingless, smooth, and so small that they don’t cause structural damage, and they don’t bite humans. However, these soft-bodied pests have long “hairs,” which can cause an allergic reaction in some people. That is why some individuals may believe they have gotten mold spore bites when in contact with a mold mite. In some cases, a skin irritation linked to an allergic reaction to mold growing inside your home may feel like a bite or sting. Several environmental factors, including medical conditions, certain medications (or changes … Read Full Post »

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Mealybugs: A Complete Guide To This Lawn Pest

. Posted by in , • Orlando
mealybugs

Have you ever found something on a houseplant that you first thought was a tiny piece of cotton, but then you realized was a living thing? Mealybugs can ruin the appearance of your indoor and outdoor plants and cause significant damage. When left unchecked, mealybugs can eventually kill a plant. For such tiny creatures, mealybugs can be surprisingly hard to remove. They are found in warm, moist climates and can be introduced to your home and yard by new plants, tools, or other materials.

Mealybugs: A Complete Guide To This Lawn Pest

In this post, we will tell you everything you need to know about mealybugs, including what they look like, their favorite hiding spots, their impact on our green spaces, and, perhaps most importantly, what you can do if you find them feasting on your plants.

Tiny White Bugs On Plants Can Be Harmful

Those tiny white bugs you noticed while watering … Read Full Post »

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Grasshoppers vs Crickets: What’s the Difference?

. Posted by in • Orlando
grasshoppers vs crickets

There’s no doubt about it: Many insects look alike. That’s even truer when the two insects in question belong to the same family. Take crickets and grasshoppers, for example. There’s been much discussion about grasshoppers vs. crickets, so let’s discuss some differences between the two species. 

Grasshoppers vs Crickets: What’s the Difference?

At first glance, the two insects look very similar. Their bodies are similarly structured, and they both have antennas. That said, you can tell these hopping creatures apart in several ways.

Family Ties

Both the cricket and the grasshopper belong to the Orthoptera order. Another member of this family is the locust. While crickets and grasshoppers share a common ancestry, they belong to different suborders. Grasshoppers belong to the Caeliferans suborder, while crickets belong to the Ensifera suborder. There are more species of grasshoppers—11,000—compared to the number of cricket species: over 900.

Distinguishing Characteristics

Though the two look very similar at … Read Full Post »

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Cankerworms: What Are They?

. Posted by in , • Orlando
Cankerworms

Have you heard of cankerworms? If you haven’t, you’ve undoubtedly seen them, especially in the spring, swinging from tree to tree as they defoliate large groups of trees at a time. What are cankerworms exactly? What does it mean for you as a homeowner? And how can you protect yourself and your trees against these creatures if they are causing a problem?

Cankerworms: What Are They?

Cankerworms, or “inchworms,” are spring caterpillars that are light green to brown. They’re different from ordinary caterpillars in that they have fewer legs than most, with only two feet on their abdomens, resulting in odd movement.

Cankerworms hatch just when the trees are starting to bud in the spring. They feed on broad-leaf trees like elm, oak, boxelder, maple, and ash. They can defoliate a large swath of trees, but you’ll only notice it if the trees they’re attacking are stressed by drought or disease.

Another type of … Read Full Post »

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Types of Mosquitoes in Florida

. Posted by in , • Orlando
Types of Mosquitoes in Florida

Your new house has a problem. You knew this before you bought it. The place is gorgeous inside and out. Lots of open space. A lush yard. A patio that has a top-of-the-line grill. A bar. It’s what the deck doesn’t have that is the problem: screens.

Unlike many Florida patios, the previous owner decided not to enclose the space, which means bugs, which also implies bug bites. More specifically, mosquito bites.

What You Need To Know About The Different Types of Mosquitoes in Florida

You thought this would be a minor problem, that you could avoid the busiest mosquito times and enclose the space when you had enough money. Except there doesn’t seem to be a time when mosquitoes aren’t around. And you can no longer tell where the bug bites end, and your skin begins.

Is there anything you can do to protect yourself from mosquitoes? Absolutely. It starts with learning about what … Read Full Post »

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Jadera haematoloma: What You Need to Know About This Bug

. Posted by in • Orlando
Jadera haematoloma

“Unknown insect – Jadera haematoloma” by Eugene Zelenko is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0

If you’re like most people, the term or phrase “Jadera haematoloma” means nothing. There’s even a chance you’ve never even heard it before. As with most insects, the bug connected with this term is often known by its common name, not scientific. Instead, most people refer to this bug as either the red-shouldered bug, the goldenrain tree bug, or simply the Jadera bug. Do any of these names ring a bell?

Jadera haematoloma: What You Need to Know About This Bug

Found across the United States, the Jadera bug is easily identifiable and quite common. But because of this name confusion, we thought it would be an excellent time to dive deeper into the facts about this species to understand a bit more. Let’s explore together.  

First, What Do They Look Like?

As you can see in the photo … Read Full Post »

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Will Lime Keep Rodents Away? Does Lime Deter Snakes?

. Posted by in , • Orlando
will lime keep rodents away

Having a yard is one of the many benefits of being a homeowner. A peaceful outdoor space can be a welcome break from a hectic week. However, your moment of zen can easily be disrupted if you notice a movement in the grass that indicates something much more significant than an ant or a butterfly has come for a visit. In what might be the worst-case scenario, you could have an unwelcome guest in the form of a rat or a mouse—or even a snake.

When you find yourself in this situation, you probably want a quick solution to keep any rodents or snakes off your property. When you think about your options, you might have a few questions: What do I have handy to keep these creatures from sticking around? Will lime keep rodents away? Does lime keep snakes away? What else can I do to enjoy my property without … Read Full Post »

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Check Out ABC’s Ultimate Orlando Lawn Care Guide [FREE DOWNLOAD]

. Posted by in • Orlando
Orlando Lawn Care Guide

Keeping your grass, plants, and trees healthy and well-maintained can be challenging. First, you have to have the time to dedicate to your lawn. You also need to ensure you have the right equipment and that everything is in working order. Finally, it would be best if you had the expertise to know which types of plants work best in which environments, how often to water, and how to spot signs of lawn pests and diseases. For homeowners in southern states, the warm climate, lack of rainfall, and intense sun make it even more challenging to care for your outdoor spaces.

ABC’s Ultimate Orlando Lawn Care Guide

ABC Home & Commercial Services is dedicated to making homeowners’ lives easier. Our team of pest control pros has compiled their best advice and tips into the Ultimate Orlando Lawn Care Guide. This 8-page downloadable PDF resource includes sections on:

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