…And What You Can Do to Stop Them

There’s nothing worse than putting the finishing touches on a cool, green expanse of springtime grass and promptly finding an insect or arthropod infestation within its confines. Unfortunately, the San Antonio area is home to many lawn-destroying pests that cause serious financial and time-management problems for local homeowners. Learn more about the most common types of lawn-eating insects and the steps you can take to limit the damage they cause.

Fire Ants

Few insect species cause as many problems for San Antonio-area homeowners as the dreaded fire ant. These critters establish extensive colonies in sunny, open spaces, including cultivated yards. Fortunately, fire ant infestations are immediately recognizable: Each infestation produces at least one conical mound that can reach over a foot in height.

While fire ants don’t feast on turf grasses, they can weaken your lawn’s root structure and create unsightly dirt patches. To get rid … Read Full Post »

Your San Antonio home is a safe, welcoming retreat filled with all the creature comforts from soft beds to full pantries. More than 30 native species of mice and rats agree. These furry pests are on the lookout for a warm spot and an easy meal. You don’t intentionally set the table for them, but these rodents relish moving into your home.

An Attractive Appetizer

Mice are always looking for shelter where they can settle in and raise a family. Urbanization has moved field rats into town and forced their city cousins into tighter quarters. This pest housing crisis makes your home an enticing hors d’oeuvre filled with tiny holes and cracks in the foundation, walls and floors. Pet bowls on the porch and bird seed in the backyard become trails of crumbs that invite four-legged invaders into your house. Once they move in, it’s too late to put up the sneeze … Read Full Post »

“The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah,” is a refrain everyone is familiar with, but does anyone actually cheer when the ants are marching? You certainly won’t be singing if they’re marching across your kitchen counter searching for missed crumbs to feast on. In San Antonio, this is an especially big problem because we play host to several different species of ants, including red imported fire ants, carpenter ants, acrobat ants, pharaoh ants, crazy ants, odorous house ants, rover ants, and leaf cutting ants. To make things even worse, each type of ant has different behaviors and characteristics, often requiring different pest control treatment methods.

So, what is the average person supposed to do when those first brave ants start scouting out your home?

First, it’s a good idea to know what type of ant you’re dealing with. Check out this Texas A&M article about how to identify your new … Read Full Post »

Although the vast majority of the population will generally agree that having pests in the home is completely unacceptable, the ways that people deal with these issues vary greatly. By learning a bit more about various pest control options, however, you can get a better idea of how to keep these creatures out of your home.

Store-Bought Pesticides

The first instinct that many people have after seeing an insect, rodent or other household pest is to invest in a store-bought spray or other chemical treatment. If you purchase the right product and use it as directed, you might see some difference in the number of pests that are in your home. These products can be dangerous if they are not used correctly, however, and many of them don’t work as well as advertised. Although store-bought products might work well for minor pest-related issues, they aren’t usually sufficient for handling infestations.

Traps

From small traps … Read Full Post »

Termites are perhaps one of the most dreaded pests in the United States. The sight of a termite around a property can be a homeowner’s worst nightmare. The elusive wood-destroying insects can be dated back to the age of the dinosaurs and are known to cause over $5 billion in property damages every year across the nation. Not only that, a home that has been infested by termites might depreciate substantially in terms of property value.

The humid sub-tropical climate of San Antonio can be very conducive to infestation by both drywood termites and subterranean termites. For homeowners, it can be very beneficial to get acquainted with the different species of termites and their telltale signs of infestation. The slightest indication of an infestation should always be taken seriously and never ignored. Seeking prompt professional assistance is the key to complete eradication of the pests and reduced financial losses for the … Read Full Post »