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Digger Wasp: Beneficial Or Dangerous?

. Posted by in • Corpus Christi
digger wasp

Bugs and pests are typically considered a nuisance when they make their presence known inside or around your home. Unlike most other insects, though, the digger wasp is actually one to embrace, possibly even invite, into your backyard.

Not convinced? It’s the truth: The digger wasp feeds on other insects and pests that are harmful to the growth of a healthy lawn. And as such, this wasp can actually rid your lawn of other unwanted pests. These insects also help your lawn’s ability to soak water into the ground, aerate the soil and pollinate flowers in your backyard.

There are many subspecies of digger wasps. Despite the differences amongst species, these creatures have one thing in common: the females dig into dry dirt when it’s time to create a nest for their offspring. To make this job easier, all female digger wasps have rigid front legs, which they use to … Read Full Post »

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6 Ways to Keep Your Garden and Yard Pest-Free Without Chemicals

. Posted by in , , • Dallas-Fort Worth, Tyler
6 Ways to Maintain a Pest-Free Garden and Yard Without Chemicals - How to Garden Without Pests or Pesticides

Today, we’re talking about how to keep your garden pest-free without the use of pesticides or insecticides. It’s a common question for people who want to maintain an organic yard or garden.

While it may not be easy, it is possible. So, don’t give up! Let’s turn that black thumb into a green thumb.

What is Organic Gardening?

Reconnecting with nature and all its beauty is a great way to heighten your awareness to the world around you, both big and small. Unfortunately, gardening is more complicated than it seems, as any true gardener knows.

First off, the soil is alive with a small-scale world mostly unknown to us. One scoop of soil can be home to hundreds of thousands of fungi, thousands of protozoans, and a huge assortment of microscopic creatures known as cryptozoa.

In the 1980s, Jostein Goksøyr and Vigdis Torsvik (Norwegian scientists), gathered a gram of soil from a nearby beech forest … Read Full Post »

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Midges In Florida: A Nuisance Or A Larger Problem?

. Posted by in • Orlando
Midges in Florida

See if this sounds familiar.

You decide to fire up the grill for dinner. Everything is going great—until you feel the familiar bite of a bug. Then it happens again. Suddenly, you think of another twinge. Each time, you can’t see what could be attacking you.

At first, you assume it must be mosquitoes, but none seem to be around. Then you see the swarm. Dozens of tiny, flying insects hovering nearby in a cloud. Sandflies. Biting midges, or sometimes more commonly called “no see ‘us.”

You think they’re annoying, but at least they’re not dangerous. Or are they? What can you do if you don’t want to deal with these pesky pests?

Many Florida residents wonder if there is anything they can do to deal with midges. Why? First off, they’re everywhere. They can be incredibly annoying if you’re trying to enjoy the outdoors around sunrise or sunset.

Because most people have just seen … Read Full Post »

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6 Ways to Keep Pests from Traveling with You on Vacation

. Posted by in • Dallas-Fort Worth, Tyler
Keep Pests from Traveling with You on Vacation | ABC Blog

Summer vacation and family getaways go hand in hand. Camping by the lake, hiking in the hills and cooking in the grass are all quintessential summer activities. Enjoying the great outdoors is one thing, but no one wants to bring the outdoors home with them.

Typical vacation pests include ants, roaches, flies, mosquitoes and rodents — but perhaps the most feared is the bed bug. And in Texas, the chigger.

Common Vacation Pests

● Ants
● Roaches
● Bed Bugs
● Flies
● Mosquitoes
● Chiggers
● Rodents

Don’t let the fear of a fly keep you from enjoying the great outdoors! But, seriously, there are pests you just want to flat out avoid — bed bugs and chiggers, just to name a couple of the more difficult to get rid of.

Once you know where you are headed, you can look up if any specific pests might be a threat to you. For example, chiggers are normally found in moist, … Read Full Post »

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Texas Landscaping Plants: Landscape Designer Picks

. Posted by in • Houston
Texas landscaping plants

Depending on the source, Texas has either four, five or even seven geographical regions, each with its own distinct features and climatic conditions. Whatever the number, we can all agree that different areas of the state are host to varying plant species based on unique patterns of hot and cold weather, seasonal rainfall and other factors, all of which affect the types of Texas landscaping plants that gardeners can choose from to elevate the aesthetic of your outdoor spaces.

Soil composition also varies from one region of Texas to another. Many portions of the state feature rocky or sandy soil, which won’t support certain popular varieties of plants and trees without much careful intervention on the part of the gardener. Converting dry, well-draining soil into something that will support plants not well suited for the region involves complicated and expensive processes of soil building, heavy watering and more.

Instead of fighting against … Read Full Post »

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How Often To Water Lawn In Summer

. Posted by in • Austin
How often to water lawn in summer

As we all know, the official start to summer is in late June.

The truth is, homeowners in Texas and other southern states know that temperatures can start inching up in April or May, depending on the year.

Because of this, many people wonder when and how to adjust their lawn watering schedule to ensure that grass and plants survive our dry and hot summer months.

Do you water a little bit every day? Water only once a week, but leave the sprinklers on for a long time to let the water really soak down? Forgo watering altogether because you had a rainy spring and your plants are looking great?

Then, you may wonder when exactly to set your sprinklers. What time should you water your lawn, if and when you do?

Maybe you have been inconsistent in your watering from year to year, and it’s just not working. Perhaps you have a water-logged … Read Full Post »

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Tarantula Hawk: Is It An Arachnid, A Bird Or Something Else?

. Posted by in • San Antonio
Tarantula hawk

Before we go into detail about the tarantula hawk, let’s make sure one thing is clear: this creature, contrary to what its name might suggest, is not a spider, nor is it a hawk. In fact, the tarantula hawk is one of the largest wasps found in Texas and other desert environments in the southwestern parts of the United States.

If this animal is an insect, how did it get its name? Believe it or not, this type of wasp, which is distinct because of its large size, red wings and bright, metallic blue-black coloring, preys on tarantulas. When this wasp stings a tarantula, the arachnid becomes permanently paralyzed.  The tarantula wasp then buries the spider in a hole in the ground or in the tarantula’s own underground nest. To finish the job, the wasp lays its eggs on the paralyzed spider. Once the wasp’s larvae hatch, they feed on the still … Read Full Post »

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Carpenter Ant Awareness Week — 3 Signs and 4 Prevention Tips

. Posted by in • Dallas-Fort Worth, Tyler

It’s almost Carpenter Ant Awareness Week (every third week of June) and we’re here to share carpenter ant signs and prevention tips. Know what to look for and what you can do to deter carpenter ants from your home in the first place. If you’ve dealt with carpenter ants, you don’t want to again, and if you haven’t, you never want to. And you won’t — not if we can help it!

Anyone who has experienced a carpenter ant infestation is well aware of the havoc they can cause.

Carpenter ants are just as capable as termites of inflicting damage to your property. They like damp or decaying wood, removing small pieces to assemble their own nests. Although carpenter ants do not eat the wood like termites do, they can similarly infest your home and cause lasting damage.

To avoid structural damage to your home, early detection is key. Check out these 3 signs of carpenter … Read Full Post »

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How to Identify, Prevent and Treat Bed Bugs | Bed Bug Awareness Week

. Posted by in • Dallas-Fort Worth, Tyler
how to identify bed bugs

Bed bugs are an increasingly common problem in Texas. And summer just makes it worse. As we plan our vacations and get ready for adventure, there are some tiny travelers that want to hitch a ride. For Bed Bug Awareness Week (June 3-9, 2018), learn the tips and tricks for identifying, treating and preventing bed bugs.

Luckily, with some knowledge and quick action, you can identify and treat your bed bug problem and prevent an infestation.

Continue reading to learn about:

  1. Bed bugs, what they look like and how they thrive
  2. Bed bug prevention
  3. How to treat bed bugs if they do occur
  4. Working with a pest control professional

What Are Bed Bugs?

While not completely microscopic, bed bugs (cimex lectularius) are still extremely hard to spot. Bed bugs are very small, wingless insects with a flat, reddish body. Like mosquitoes, they feast on human blood. Because of this, one of their absolute favorite places is bed and … Read Full Post »

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Black Vine Weevil: Protecting Against This Lawn Pest

. Posted by in • San Antonio
black vine weevil

The black vine weevil, also known as the taxus weevil, is a serious threat to gardens across the world—yet many homeowners have never even heard of this insect, which can kill entire trees, starting at the roots. Originally from Europe, the black vine weevil made its debut in the northeastern United States sometime in the mid-nineteenth or early twentieth century. Now, this pest has reached most parts of the U.S., as well as many parts of Europe and Asia, and has earned the reputation of being the most destructive type of root weevil.

Adult black vine weevils particularly love to feed on the leaves of rhododendrons, azaleas, peonies, wisteria and Japanese holly. This can cause cosmetic damage—notches and holes in the plants’ leaves that result in a tattered, moth-eaten appearance—but this isn’t the worst of this pest’s potential for damage. Black vine weevil larvae feed on the roots of many plants, … Read Full Post »

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