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Can Bed Bugs Climb Metal?

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth
a bed bug climbing on a person's skin

If even the thought of bed bugs makes you cringe, you aren’t alone. Most people live in fear of encountering these pests because they are notoriously hard to get rid of. Many are eager to learn easy ways they can prevent these pests. For example, some people wonder whether bed bugs can climb metal. The thinking here is that a metal bed frame might offer protection if these bugs have a hard time climbing the slick surface of the frame. Although bed bugs do find it easier to climb more textured surfaces like fabric or wood, they can climb metal. Unfortunately, this means beds on metal frames can harbor these pests just as well as any other type of bed. However, by learning the early signs of bed bugs, you can help prevent a full-blown infestation. 

Bed bugs can be creative about how they reach you in … Read Full Post »

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Is a Water Softener Worth It?

. Posted by in , • San Antonio
a sink and dishwasher that would benefit from a water softener because hard water is wearing down the appliances

Water softeners are valuable for many different reasons. They can lengthen the lifespan of your home’s appliances and prevent your family’s skin and hair from getting dry and itchy. Water softeners can also help prevent minerals from building up inside your pipes and water fixtures. Plus, they can reduce spots on glassware and soap scum in your sink and tub.

However, not everyone needs a water softener. You really only need one if you have hard water in your home. Otherwise, if your water is already soft, then using a water softener doesn’t have many benefits.

Water softeners work by removing unwanted minerals, such as magnesium and calcium, from the water in your home’s plumbing. Magnesium and calcium are both positive ions. The resin beads in a water softener hold negative sodium ions. As water flows through the softener, the resin beads in the water softener attract the minerals that need to … Read Full Post »

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Should I Add Insulation to My Attic?

. Posted by in • Austin
a homeowner calculating whether they should add insulation to the attic

Having insulation in several areas of your home is a great way to make it as comfortable as possible. While many of these places can be hard to reach, it is usually easy to access the attic. This means adding insulation in this space can often give you the biggest bang for your buck.

There are many benefits of having insulation added to your attic. For one, it can increase the energy efficiency of your home, which can help you save money on your heating bill. If your attic is insulated, this usually means that your energy bills will be lower than if your home was not protected in this way. Plus, this can also make your home more comfortable by helping you keep your space cool when you want it cool and warm when you want it warm.

Additionally, insulation can help make your home a more pleasant place to live … Read Full Post »

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Can You Get Lyme Disease From Mosquitoes?

. Posted by in , • Tyler
a homeowner getting bitten by a mosquito which makes them wonder if you can get lyme disease from mosquitoes

For most folks, the itchy bites that mosquitoes inflict on us are reason enough to want them gone. But, once you start thinking about the diseases these pests can spread, you may want to know the quickest ways you can get rid of these pests. Unfortunately, the CDC reports that illnesses from mosquito, tick and flea bites have tripled in the United States. From 2004 to 2016, there were more than 640,000 reported cases of illnesses transmitted from these pests.

Recently, it has become pretty well known that mosquitoes can spread the Zika virus. Therefore, it’s natural to wonder if they can also spread Lyme disease or other diseases.

There is good news for those worried about Lyme disease. According to the CDC, Lyme disease cannot be spread by mosquitoes. It can only be spread through the bite of infected ticks. Adult ticks are about the size of a sesame seed, and … Read Full Post »

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What Do Bats Eat?

. Posted by in , • Orlando
a bat hanging on a tree.

Bats have gotten a bad reputation from movies and urban legends for attacking humans and drinking their blood. In reality, people are not the food of choice for bats. However, not all bats are alike—there are hundreds of species of bats, and they feed on a wide variety of things.

For example, some types of bats eat plants and plant parts like pollen, seeds, nectar and fruit. These bats typically like bananas, figs and mangoes the most. As the bats move from plant to plant, they often help distribute seeds and pollinate plants along their path. These plant-eating bats may also target other sweet things, such as the sugary water used in hummingbird feeders.

There are also some bat species that eat meat and drink blood. While bats don’t typically attack humans, some kinds of bats will eat other kinds of animals, such as lizards, fish, birds, frogs and other bats. Additionally, … Read Full Post »

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What Are the Big Black Ants in My Home?

. Posted by in , • Houston
a big black carpenter ant on a piece of wood

Finding big black ants in your home can be shocking and scary. What exactly are they, how did they get in and what are they looking for? Most of all, how can you get rid of them, fast? Unfortunately, most big black ants found in people’s homes are carpenter ants. They’re called carpenter ants because they build their homes in wood by chewing and tunneling through it. Much like termites, if they aren’t discovered and eliminated, carpenter ants can cause a lot of hidden structural damage in a home.

Unlike termites, which also look to some people like big black ants, carpenter ants don’t actually eat wood. Rather, they use their large mandibles—their strong mouthparts that are used for chewing—to build tunnels, called galleries, by crunching up the wood. Instead of swallowing the wood, they spit it out, creating wood shavings that look a lot like loose, shredded sawdust. Along with … Read Full Post »

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How Much Compost Do I Need?

. Posted by in , • San Antonio
a shovel in a compost pile

Using compost is a great way to build a solid foundation if you are trying to establish a new lawn or to revitalize an existing yard or garden. The exact amount of compost you will need for your project depends on how you plan to use it. However, in general, if you are mixing compost into soil, then compost should make up no more than 25% to 30% of your mixture.

A basic formula to figure out how much compost you will need to make or buy is to first find the area of your yard by multiplying the length of your space by its width in feet. Next, use the guidance below to find out how deep the compost should be (in inches). Divide the depth by 12 and then multiply this number by the area of your yard. This will give you an estimate of how many one-cubic-foot bags … Read Full Post »

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Black Wasp in Texas: Identification & Control Tips

. Posted by in , • Houston
a black wasp on Texas wildflowers

Texas is home to many different types of creepy-crawlies that sting, bite or otherwise cause trouble for people. This includes thousands—yes, thousands—of different species of wasps. One type of wasp commonly found in Texas is black wasps. True to its name, a black wasp in Texas is a flying insect with a narrow, black body, long black wings and a stinger.

Most black wasps in Texas are cricket hunters, so named because they sting crickets (or sometimes grasshoppers or katydids), drag their paralyzed bodies to their wasp nests and lay eggs on the crickets’ backs. When the wasp eggs hatch into larvae, the wasp larvae have ready meals waiting for them—the crickets.

While their reproductive habits are definitely gross, there is good news about black wasps. If you find one in or near your home, you can breathe at least a little bit easy, because black wasps are not known to be … Read Full Post »

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What Can I Do About Cockroaches in My Kitchen?

. Posted by in • Austin
a kitchen with a cockroach infestation

It’s late evening and you’re feeling hungry. You head to the kitchen for a snack and flip on the light. Then, your heart starts hammering as cockroaches scatter to the nearest hiding spots. Finding cockroaches in the kitchen is annoying, not to mention disgusting and upsetting. After all, this could mean you have a roach infestation you didn’t know about. Roaches often infest kitchens because these rooms have everything cockroaches need to survive. This includes water, food and plenty of places to hide.

If you find cockroaches in your kitchen, it’s time to do something to keep these pests away. How you address the problem depends partly on which type of cockroach you find. Depending on the type, you may or may not have an infestation. Let’s learn more about the types of cockroaches most commonly found in American homes.

Identifying the Cockroach Species in Your Home

Finding one of the bigger types … Read Full Post »

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How To Identify Different Types of Wasps in Florida

. Posted by in , • Orlando
a cicada killer wasp on a leaf

If you have noticed some six-legged creatures flying around your property, you are probably wondering what kind of insects you are dealing with. Since some insects look alike, it can be difficult for homeowners to figure out what kind of bug is well, bugging them. Wasps are one of the most common flying insects that homeowners encounter, but not all wasps will hurt you. Although some of these creatures are dangerous to humans, some other types might even be beneficial and help get rid of other pests.

Some of the kinds of wasps that you might find on your property include cicada killer wasps, mud dauber wasps, paper wasps and yellowjackets.

Cicada Killer Wasps

As you can see in the image above, the cicada killer wasp is about an inch and a half long, and it’s mostly black with orange wings and some yellow markings on its abdomen. They can look scary because … Read Full Post »

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