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Ladybugs: Your Backyard’s Best Friend (And Foe!)

. Posted by in • Austin

What’s the first image that comes to mind when thinking of a ladybug? If your answer involves a picture of a grandchild dressing up as one for Halloween, or making a wish on one as a child, you’re not alone.

Ladybugs, unlike other pests, are often paired with positive memories, and typically thought of as harmless creatures. And with their delicate wings and beautiful black-spotted backs, it’s hard to image them as anything other than a pretty creature.

But when it comes to your backyard, these gentle critters can offer more than just good luck. They can help combat destructive pests like aphids, mites, and scale. Here are a few ways you can attract (and keep!) ladybugs in your backyard.

Plenty of Pollen

Like all pests, ladybugs need to eat, and they have their favorite meals. To attract ladybugs to your backyard or garden, consider including a few pollen plants in the area. These … Read Full Post »

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Types Of Air Filters For HVAC: How To Find The Right One

. Posted by in • San Antonio
types of air filters for hvac

The process of cooling and heating your home represents almost 50% of your energy costs, which is just one reason why it is vital that you take good care of your HVAC system.

Knowing how to change a central air conditioner filter can make it easier to keep up with basic maintenance. Wondering how often to change an air filter in a house? To ensure your air conditioning system will last for many years to come, it is recommended you change the filter out every 30 to 90 days, depending on your filter type. Performing this regular task will help your system run more efficiently, prevent costly repairs and keep your HVAC running longer.

There are many types of air filters for HVAC system out on the market with various pros and cons. Which is the most suitable for your home? Let’s review each type of filter and how to best care for … Read Full Post »

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Proper Tree Care Protocol

. Posted by in , • Bryan-College Station
trees can drink several gallons of water per day

We’ve had some crazy weather in College Station recently. Between the tornadoes and floods, Mother Nature has wreaked havoc on our neighborhood. And speaking of nature, our trees are also on the receiving end of these recent severe weather patterns.

Local workers have been busy cleaning up downed trees. Oversized limbs are too large to haul off, so they must be cut into smaller chunks. Some trees have so much damage that they need to be removed entirely. And unfortunately, these broken trees can cause injuries to our homes and power lines.

We can’t control the weather, but we can attempt to take better care of our trees to limit destruction of property after massive storms.

So what is the best way to maintain our trees?

First, identify the type of trees on your property and educate yourself about them. Trees commonly grown in the College Station area are oak, pecan, elm, cedar, and … Read Full Post »

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How to Attract Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden

. Posted by in • Orlando
butterfly garden

For many, the idea of attracting bugs is appalling. However, the reality is that many bugs are beneficial for your garden. If you have an aphid problem, a well-placed mantis or a host of ladybugs can clean that right up for you. Butterflies add attractive whimsy to the garden. Spiders may give you creepy crawlies, but they can seek out and destroy other dirtier bugs mucking up the place. Better yet, these bugs don’t nibble away at your hard-earned work — they leave you with a lush and beautiful garden to enjoy at the cost of a few tiny friends.

Know Your Friends

What makes a bug beneficial in the first place? Beneficial bugs are defined by their capacity to wreak havoc on other invasive bugs. Some, like spiders or parasitic cutworms, are predators of nasty insects. Your little army might be a one-time D-Day or hang around occupying your borders for … Read Full Post »

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The Mysterious Cow Killer Ant

. Posted by in • Orlando
cow killer ant

Cow killer ants suffer from an identity crisis.

They aren’t ants and generally don’t kill anything, although their sting is painful enough to tip a cow. These are velvet ants. But their sting packs a punch, hence the “cow killer” stage name.

These insects aren’t ants at all, despite their nickname. They are a wingless species of wasp. Like other wasps, they pack a powerful sting when threatened. Orlando exterminators often get a call after area residents have found this out the hard way.

Fortunately, these insects are solitary and don’t form colonies like ants or paper wasps. Although their fearsome name suggests they regularly take on whole herds of cattle, the wasps are generally placid, living on nectar and water. However, they won’t hesitate to sting if disturbed. Because of their beautiful color and fuzzy, cuddly appearance, they often attract the attention of young would-be entomologists who want to trap the striking … Read Full Post »

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What To Do When Your Air Conditioner Freezes Up

. Posted by in • Austin

On a hot 95+ degree day, no one wants to deal with melted ice cream. That’s why we have air conditioning!

Hot weather here in Austin means trips to Barton Springs, bike rides, and cookouts on the patio with tall iced beverages. It’s all fun in the sun until your air conditioning goes out.

Below we’ll take a look at some of the most common AC problems and offer some tips for basic air conditioner troubleshooting.

How air conditioners work

Air conditioning systems cool air using an evaporator coil within your inside AC unit. Inside the coil is a refrigerant such as Freon that cools down the coil. The AC unit draws in warm air and blows it over the coil, where the refrigerant absorbs the heat and the newly chilled air is sent back into your home. The hot refrigerant is cycled outside your home to the compressor unit where it transfers the … Read Full Post »

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Celebrating the Big Tree in Goose Island Park

. Posted by in , • Corpus Christi
Big Tree Rockport Texas

 The Big Tree at Goose Island State Park north of Rockport, Texas. Photo Credit: Larry D. Moore

The Oldest Known Tree in Texas.

We’ve all marveled at different types of trees from around the world. From Redwoods in California to Banyan trees in India to Baobab trees in Madagascar, there are unique and incredibly old trees all over the world. Have you ever wondered what the oldest or most unique tree in Texas is?

The oldest tree on record in Texas is right in our neighborhood, a 1,000-year-old Coastal Live Oak nicknamed “The Big Tree”. Over its lifetime, the tree has withstood between 40 and 50 hurricanes and narrowly escaped destruction during the Civil War as Union troops set fire to the town of Lamar not far away.

Where did the Big Tree come from?

So, how did this tree, like a handful of other old trees around the world, manage to live so long? … Read Full Post »

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How to handle your neighbor’s overgrown trees

. Posted by in , , • Austin
tree trimming services

 

Large, established trees are a fixture in many older neighborhoods. Think about the new home developments you’ve visited, and they all likely have one thing in common: no established trees! These older trees provide shade on hot summer days, a home and food source for animals, play areas for children, and can even provide energy savings when blocking sunlight from entering a home.

With all of these benefits come several challenges. Property lines in neighborhoods exist in fixed areas, and tree growth of both roots and branches do not conform to any set location. Homeowners commonly run into situations where a tree sits on a property line, or a tree trunk grows in one yard with its branches hanging into another yard.

As a homeowner, what is the best way to deal with a shared tree that requires maintenance?

First, understand that this is a very common issue. The root systems of trees … Read Full Post »

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What to Do if a Pipe Breaks in Your Home

. Posted by in • San Antonio

When thinking about pipes breaking, most people worry about their pipes freezing in the winter. But what about in the summer? Did you know that in San Antonio, your plumbing can burst in the middle of hot weather too?

When heat and drought return to San Antonio each summer, the ground dries and shrinks, causing our plumbing to shift. In previous years, extended drought conditions caused a spike in the number of pipe failures in Texas.

Let’s take a look at some of the reasons your home’s pipes might break, and what you should do if you’re ever unlucky enough to have it happen to you.

Common causes of plumbing failure

Exposure to pressure  If something blocks up a pipe, whether it’s inside your house or in your outgoing sewer line, pressure will build up behind that clog. Common causes of clogged plumbing include pouring cooking grease down the drain and flushing paper towels … Read Full Post »

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Photos from ABC’s Recent Visit to A Child’s Hope in Haiti.

. Posted by in • Houston
ABC Home and Commercial Services Charity Work

Raleigh and Dylan Jenkins in Haiti visiting the site for A Child’s Hope

ABC Home and Commercial Services is dedicated to charitable work in our community.

Charitable work in the Houston area is a fundamental value for our family business. But did you know that ABC also sponsors humanitarian work done in communities abroad? ABC Home & Commercial Services Owner, Raleigh Jenkins, is a founder and member of the Board of Directors for A Child’s Hope. The goal of this non-profit organization is to provide a safe, loving, spiritual environment for Haitian orphans who were impacted by the devastating earthquake in 2010.

The Earthquake

In mid-January of 2010, a massive 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti near the capital, Port-au-Prince. Port-au-Prince is home to over 900,000 people. After the initial earthquake had subsided, it was followed by two weeks of aftershocks that further-wounded an already vulnerable region.

Due to the sheer magnitude of destruction, no one … Read Full Post »

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