How to Protect Yourself from Mosquito Bites

Rising temperatures means more time spent outdoors at pools, sports, barbecues and cookouts. Unfortunately, mosquitoes can ruin all the fun.

Prevent the bite of summer by taking time this spring to prevent one of the most irritating and dangerous of pests—mosquitoes.

If you ask most people which insect they hate the most, they will mostly likely put the malicious mosquito in the #1 spot. Mosquitoes are especially troublesome in the state of Texas.

Mosquito-Borne Threats

Every year, there are dozens of reports of mosquito-borne diseases, including:

Encephalitis (human symptoms include high fever, convulsions, delirium and other central nervous system problems)
Malaria (human symptoms include fever and flu-like symptoms, including chills, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea)
Zika (human symptoms include fever, rash, muscle and joint aches, red eyes
Babies of infected mothers risk microcephaly and poor pregnancy outcomes)
West Nile Virus (human symptoms include fever and flu-like symptoms; more severe cases can affect the nervous system and … Read Full Post »

Spring Cleaning Tips to Keep Pests Away | National Pest Management Month

April 13, 2018. Posted by Russell Jenkins in Pest Control • Dallas-Fort Worth, Tyler

Warmer weather brings everyone out, including plants and animals. They look forward to spring just as much as we do. That’s why April has been designated as National Pest Management Month by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA).

People often think of spring cleaning as a way to declutter and improve indoor air quality, but regular cleanings and inspections are also important for keeping pests away. When tackling your spring cleaning to-do list, don’t forget about these common pest hot spots.

Indoor and Outdoor Spring Cleaning Tips to Keep Pests Away

Whether it’s ants, termites, beetles, spiders, or rodents, use these pest-proofing tips to help keep the pests away. Let’s start with the outdoors.

Outdoor Spring Cleaning

Professional Pest Inspection

There are many ways to prevent pests from entering your home. Perhaps the best way is to contact a professional, and spring is the ideal time to do it.

In many cases, a barrier insecticide around the perimeter … Read Full Post »

How to Start an Organic Lawn & Garden | National Lawn Care Month

April 6, 2018. Posted by Amberlee Warner in Lawn, Lawn Care • Dallas-Fort Worth, Tyler

April is National Lawn Care Month and National Pest Management Month! To help your May flowers get off to a healthy, pest-free start, learn how to start your first completely organic garden. Your lawn and garden will look lush and green, and of course, will be completely organic. Spring is the best time to start!

How to Start an Organic Lawn & Garden

Even if your soil looks dead and lifeless, it can be brought back to life. But in order to find out what your soil needs, you need a soil test.

Get a Soil Sample

Testing your soil is the first step toward building good garden soil. You could waste a lot of money and energy, not to mention the possibility for poisoning, by adding things to your soil before conducting a soil test.

It’s a good idea to test your soil every 3-5 years since levels change all the time. Spring is … Read Full Post »

Control House & Garden Pests for National Pest Management Month

March 29, 2018. Posted by Russell Jenkins in Pest Control • Dallas-Fort Worth, Tyler

For the past 30 years, the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) has officially designated April as National Pest Management Month, Termite Awareness Week (March 12-18) and Bed Bug Awareness Week (April 22-28) to inform the public about pests and the importance of pest control.

Pest Control Tips for National Pest Management Month

In honor of National Pest Management Month, learn how to control common household and garden pests.

Ants

Ants come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors, and can be winged or wingless. Often, they show up after rainy periods in the spring, summer and fall. Even though you’ll certainly be outnumbered, don’t give up the fight!

Ant Control Tips:

Remove any nearby wood piles, logs, or stumps that may be the source of your contamination.
Seal cracks and gaps around your home, including where utilities enter the building and around doors and windows.
Learn more about ants and how to control them.

Remember, pests can be … Read Full Post »

What Are Herbicides? Herbicide Pros & Cons

March 23, 2018. Posted by Amberlee Warner in Lawn, Lawn Care • Dallas-Fort Worth, Tyler

Everything is bigger in Texas, including the weeds. Before you let plant predators such as cleavers, chickweed, henbit, sow thistle and wild carrot take over, learn the pros and cons of herbicides, as well as some non-chemical alternatives.

Weeds can rob nutrients from the soil and smother other plants, but they aren’t all bad. Some can help your plants grow; others you may actually enjoy. They can also act as a free soil test, telling you whether or not you need soil balancing. Certain weeds spring up only when the soil is too high or low in something.

Many times, you can organically solve your weed problem by simply getting rid of the existing weeds and then balancing the soil. Learn more about how to improve soil quality in your lawn.

Sometimes, however, herbicides are necessary. But before you start releasing chemicals around your property, it’s important to consider what they are, how … Read Full Post »

Post-Flood Pest Control | How to Prevent Pest Problems After a Flood

March 16, 2018. Posted by Russell Jenkins in Pest Control • Dallas-Fort Worth, Tyler

March, April and May are Texas’s wettest months. But, this ain’t our first rodeo. We’re no strangers to flash floods, heavy storms and sustained rains. Floods are our most regular and costly natural disaster.

When returning home to begin the rebuilding process, some of the main problems you are likely to encounter are mold, deteriorating materials, insect infestations and pest problems.

During a flooding situation, animals, just like humans, will be forced to flee from their homes. Searching for drier, higher ground, animals often find refuge in dry areas of homes and other buildings.

After a devastating storm, such as Hurricane Harvey, the threats don’t end when the water recedes. Severe pest problems can develop both during floods and after flood water has retreated. Snakes, fire ants, rats, and other dangers can come with the flooding or arrive afterwards. More often than not, pests make their way into homes and other structures after … Read Full Post »

Spring Termite Inspection Checklist for Termite Awareness Week

March 9, 2018. Posted by Russell Jenkins in Termite Control • Dallas-Fort Worth, Tyler

No insect strikes more fear into the heart of homeowners than termites. Termites cause billions of dollars’ worth of damage every year and single infestations can number in the millions.

It’s estimated that there are fifteen hundred pounds of termites for every human being on the planet! Needless to say, they are a formidable force.

As we head into spring, termites are preparing to find mates and start new colonies. March and April are the termites’ mating period, also known as swarm season.

March 12-18th is Termite Awareness Week, making it the perfect time to complete this termite inspection checklist around the home.

Termite Awareness Week

The Professional Pest Management Alliance (PPMA) created Termite Awareness Week for the second week of March. This year, Termite Awareness Month falls on March 12-18. Follow the hashtag #TermiteWeek for more information.

Do I Have Termites?

Termites do not like to make themselves known. They rarely stray from their soil, mud … Read Full Post »

Help! I Have Carpenter Bees – Warning Signs & Solutions

March 2, 2018. Posted by Russell Jenkins in Bee & Wasp Removal • Dallas-Fort Worth, Tyler

Carpenter bees warning signs and solutions

Bees, bugs and butterflies are emerging from their winter nests seeking food and new shelter. Spring is in the air… literally.

When most of us think of bees, we think of honeybees, which are the social and mostly-beneficial insects we love and make movies about. But, there are other bee species out there and they are not all as friendly and helpful.

Carpenter bees, for instance, can cause serious structural damage and staining. While carpenter bees don’t eat wood, they burrow narrow tunnels to create chambers for rearing their offspring.

Carpenter Bees

Carpenter bees get their name from their biological ability to drill through wood. When spring comes around, female carpenter bees start to chew into dry wood, normally logs and lumber. Instead of biting into the wood for food, female carpenter bees are actually forming narrow canals for the purposes of laying eggs.

Known as galleries, these small tunnels are around 4-6 inches deep … Read Full Post »

6 Spring Pest Control Tips | Spring Pest Prevention

February 23, 2018. Posted by Russell Jenkins in Pest Control • Dallas-Fort Worth, Tyler

The beginning of spring marks a time of renewal and rejuvenation. Birds are chirping, flowers are beginning to bloom, and animals are venturing out. Spring can be immensely enjoyable, but it can also bring a host of unwanted pest problems.

As we begin preparing for the spring and summer seasons, it’s important to keep pests as far away as possible.

Now that nature is bursting back to life, it’s time to start thinking about pest control tips for spring.

6 Spring Pest Control Tips

Common pests that return with new vigor in the spring include bees, ants, mosquitos, rodents and much more. Don’t let an infestation develop right under your nose.

Common Springtime Pests

Cockroaches
Ants
Rats & Rodents
Earwigs
Silverfish
Flies
Mosquitos
Bees & Wasps

Here are some things you can do to prevent common springtime pests:

Year-round maintenance with Commercial Pest Control Company

From sickness and disease to damage and disgust, pests can be disastrous for many reasons.

Even if you don’t have a pest … Read Full Post »

How Plant Probiotics Promote Soil and Plant Growth

February 16, 2018. Posted by Amberlee Warner in Lawn, Lawn Care • Dallas-Fort Worth, Tyler

Probiotics, basically helpful bacteria, are recommended for treating everything from digestion to depression. But probiotics aren’t just beneficial to humans. They can also maintain the balance of good and bad bacteria in plants and soil. Helpful microbes, like those found in Holganix, can help plants grow bigger, healthier, and stronger.

What are probiotics?

Probiotics are bacteria or fungi that are non-harmful or helpful. Harmful bacteria and fungi would be classified as a type of parasite.

When the bad bacteria overwhelm the good bacteria, you can get sick. The same applies to your plants and soil. It’s all about maintaining a healthy balance between the trillions of cells and microbes that make up living things.

All plants have endophytes, organisms that live between plant cells, which is normally the term used for the plant version of probiotics.

Endophytes attach themselves to plants and serve a similar purpose for plants that probiotics do for us. In the … Read Full Post »

Featured Posts