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How To Get Rid of Ants in the House

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth
a house with ants

An indoor ant infestation is a nuisance for many homeowners. While the ants themselves may seem harmless, they can reproduce rapidly and become a big problem, especially in the kitchen. There are several ways that homeowners can deter and get rid of ants in the house.

It’s important for homeowners to understand every part of the ant life cycle to control an infestation. It’s not enough to get rid of adult ants; you must control them at every life stage.

Another place where it’s common to find ants is in your bathroom. They love the moisture of bathrooms and have easy access to food and water. There are a few ways to reduce the number of ants in your bathroom on your own, but working with a professional pest control service is the best way to kick ants out of your home.

How To Get Rid of Ants in the House

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How Long Do Bed Bug Bites Last?

. Posted by in , • Austin
bed bug bites

Bed bugs may be tiny, but they can ingest up to six times their body weight in one feeding, which takes only around 12 minutes. If you’ve discovered a suspicious-looking bite mark on your skin, you’re probably wondering, “How long do bed bug bites last?”

How Long Does It Take for a Bed Bug Bite to Appear?

Bed bug bites don’t appear immediately. When a bed bug bites, it injects an anticoagulant and anesthetic into the skin layer, preventing you from feeling the bite. It can take up to 14 days for bed bug bite marks to show up. The average time it takes for bite marks to appear is three days. Bites usually clear up within a week without treatment but may last up to 14 days.

Bed bug bites are often mistaken for mosquito bites, so you might not know that you have a bed bug problem until you see infestation … Read Full Post »

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Where Do Bees Go in the Winter?

. Posted by in • Houston
a group of honey bees

When the days get shorter and nights get colder in the fall, you’ll see honey bees out, checking the flowers for some pollen. Then one day, they’re gone, and you really don’t notice until one of those warmer winter days, and you spot a few buzzing around trash. They’ll vanish again until the earliest days of spring when they’re suddenly everywhere. So where are the bees when you don’t see them around in winter?

The answer depends on what kind of bees you’re talking about. There are about 4,000 native bee species in the United States and 20,000 species worldwide. We rarely (if ever) see most of them, of course.

Lots of folks have trouble distinguishing between bees and other stinging insects. The simplest way to tell them apart is to remember that bees tend to be hairy, while wasps and hornets do not. That’s because bees collect pollen from flowers. Bees … Read Full Post »

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How To Deter Mosquitoes

. Posted by in , • Orlando
a mosquito on skin

Warm and sunny days are perfect for beach trips, hikes, picnics and barbeques. Unfortunately, mosquitoes can ruin all the fun. These common, flying insects prefer to breed in hot and humid weather, feasting on human blood to create healthy eggs.

Mosquito bites are itchy and annoying, but that’s the least of your concerns. They transmit various diseases, some of which can be fatal to humans. That’s why you should protect yourself and your family from these pests.

To help you, here’s a guide on how to deter mosquitoes. If they’ve already taken over your property, you should contact a pest control professional to safeguard you and your family.

How to Prevent Indoor Mosquitoes

Your home should be a stress-free zone, but mosquitoes can destroy your peace. They are especially bothersome at night, buzzing around and biting when you’re trying to get some sleep. Here are steps to prevent indoor mosquitoes.

Fly Screens

Equip all your windows … Read Full Post »

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Do Bed Bugs Hibernate?

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth
two bed bugs

Did your bed bug infestation seem to go away in the winter months? It can be confusing to know whether the cold weather killed off the unwelcome pests or if they are simply hibernating.

The truth is that bed bugs do not hibernate, but they may enter a dormant state when it’s cold to conserve their energy. Homeowners should not take their momentary disappearance as a sign that the infestation is gone forever.

Next, it’s normal to see dead bed bugs around your home before and after professional treatments. Seeing them before a treatment indicates that there are more nearby, and seeing them after treatment means that the treatment is working, but follow-up treatments may be needed.

Lastly, it’s important to understand the life cycle of bed bugs. They go through five stages before maturing into adulthood. Keep reading for everything you need to know about bed bugs.

Do Bed Bugs Hibernate?

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Aedes Aegypti Mosquito Identification & Control

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth
an aedes aegypti mosquito

It’s not hard to know when you have mosquitoes around. They definitely have a way of announcing themselves. But, what kind of mosquito are you dealing with? There are several common species. Some bite during the day, some at night and some will bite whenever they can. Knowing what kind you’re dealing with can help you fight back. What’s more, different species carry different diseases. Knowing what kind of mosquito is biting you might also help your doctor diagnose the cause if you come down with symptoms after a mosquito bite.

Why You Should Know the Aedes Aegypti Mosquito

Yellow fever isn’t commonly known in the U.S. The few cases seen each year in the US are typically travelers from Africa or South America. That might lead you to think the yellow fever mosquito isn’t a major concern here. The reality is that while Aedes aegypti is the most common vector for … Read Full Post »

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What Do Termites Look Like?

. Posted by in , • Austin
a group of termites

The thought of having termites in your home is alarming. These pests can cause damage to your home and it’s difficult to catch an infestation early. When it comes to termites, one common question homeowners have is: What do termites look like?

All termites have a straight waist and straight antennae. Additionally, most species of termites have three different castes—workers, soldiers and reproductives. As their name implies, the workers do the work. They search for food, feed the other castes and maintain and build tunnels and tubes. Soldiers defend the nest against any invaders. Reproductive termites leave the nest when it reaches maturity to create a new colony. Also known as swarmer termites, reproductive termites have wings so they can fly out of the nest when the time is right.

If you are home during a swarm or come home to find shed wings near windowsills, collect a few wings to show … Read Full Post »

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Are Mosquitoes Attracted to Carbon Dioxide?

. Posted by in , • Houston
a mosquito on denim

Are you a super attractor for mosquitoes? These pesky insects are attracted to many odors and chemicals that humans give off, and some people attract them more than others.

The good news is that there are several steps you can take to make yourself less attractive to mosquitoes, such as wearing light-colored clothing and using an effective insect repellant.

If mosquitoes have become a nuisance on your property, the best way to control them is to identify where they are laying their eggs. Female mosquitos can lay hundreds of eggs at a time, and it doesn’t take long for them to hatch into larvae. Knowing what larvae look like and where they live while they molt is an important step in eliminating a mosquito infestation.

One place that mosquitoes love to lay eggs is inside pet water bowls. Read this guide to learn how to keep them out of your pet’s water. Finally, … Read Full Post »

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How To Inspect for Bed Bugs

. Posted by in , • San Antonio
two bed bugs

https://blog.abchomeandcommercial.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/How-to-inspect-for-bed-bugs-PC-video-for-ABC-blog-2.mp4

Bed bugs may be tiny creatures, but they can cause a large problem if you don’t catch them early on. Unfortunately, they can be hard to spot and identify. It’s easy to mistake other creepy crawlies like ticks, carpet beetles and baby roaches for bed bugs. It also doesn’t help that bed bug bites look similar to other insect bites and skin conditions like fungal infections and eczema. The longer you take to detect them, the more time they have to spread to other parts of your home.

Below is a guide on how to inspect for bed bugs. Learn about the most common signs of an infestation, what they look like, where they like to hide and how to prevent them from invading your space. If you have confirmed their presence in your home, it’s time to contact pest control professionals for help. It is hard to manage an infestation … Read Full Post »

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Where to Sleep if You Have Bed Bugs

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth
a bed bug on a bed

Bed bugs are unwanted house guests that can quickly take over the place in your home that is meant to be a sanctuary: your bed.

Most homeowners want to sleep in a different bed until the infestation is gone. However, that will only lead bed bugs to other areas of your home. The best thing to do is to continue sleeping in the same bed and contact a pest control specialist.

Reactions to bed bug bites vary from person to person, and they do not always show up right away. Monitoring your bites and knowing when to seek medical help is important.

Lastly, dry cleaning will kill bed bugs, but it is not an effective bed bug treatment. Working with a professional who can identify bed bug hiding places is the best way to kick these pests out of your home.

Where to Sleep if You Have Bed Bugs

As soon as you see a … Read Full Post »

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