I Found Termite Droppings but No Termites

Termite droppings are called frass. They look a lot like piles of sawdust or tiny wood pellets, but they are actually termite feces. They look like wood shavings because they contain a lot of wood. Termites feed on wood and consume the cellulose within it. Unfortunately, when you see termite droppings but no termites, it’s still a likely sign that these pests are wreaking havoc in a hidden spot nearby.

The reason why most homeowners fear termites is that these tiny pests can cause a lot of damage. As they eat through wood, they create tunnels and chambers that weaken the wood over time.

If you’ve ever seen wood that had termite damage, you’ve seen the way it simply crumbles away. When this kind of damage is done to a house, garage, deck or fence, it is dangerous and needs repairing.

Termite Frass: A Common Sign of Termite Activity

Termite frass is one of … Read Full Post »

Your Guide to Carpenter Ants in Texas

Carpenter ants are a common pest throughout the southern United States, including Texas. Typically, they make their first appearances as the weather begins to turn in late winter. As early spring brings warmer weather, they begin their mating cycle and establish new colonies.

Identification

Carpenter ants, which are pictured above, are one of the larger of the 18 species of ants found in Texas. On average, they are one-quarter to three-eights of an inch in length. Their head is rusty, reddish-brown and their thorax leads to a black body and tail. The flying version of the species is often all black, and can easily be mistaken for termites. To make matters more confusing, they often swarm at the same time. On the other hand, the average worker ants can range in appearance from brownish-yellow to black. Swarmers are most prolific between February and June in Southern areas of the United States. An … Read Full Post »

How To Get Rid of Mosquitoes

January 21, 2022. Posted by Holt Myers in Mosquito Control, Pest Control • Austin

a thumbnail from the video featured in this blog

Getting bitten by mosquitoes over and over again makes enjoying your yard in the spring and summer almost impossible. No matter how many times you spray repellents, you keep being bitten by these invisible intruders.

Mosquito bites can be annoying, painful and can even make you seriously sick. Mosquitoes can spread diseases to you, your family and your pets. Dangerous diseases like the Zika and the West Nile Virus make the presence of mosquitoes an issue that needs addressing right away.

However, having too many mosquitoes in your yard is a very common problem. Homeowners across the United States, particularly in warmer, southern states like Texas and Florida, deal with these pests all the time.

But, how can homeowners get rid of mosquitoes? According to Alan Brown, Board Certified Entomologist and Technical Director at ABC Home & Commercial Services, you can prevent mosquitoes on your property and prevent mosquito bites by:

Eliminating sources of … Read Full Post »

How to Get Rid of Moles in Your Yard

January 20, 2022. Posted by Russell Jenkins in Pest Control • Dallas-Fort Worth

The Eastern Mole is the most common species of mole in North America. They live their entire lives in complex networks of interconnecting underground tunnels. If you have noticed these unsightly tunnels in your own yard, you may be wondering what you can do to get rid of moles in your yard.

The first step to figuring out these pests’ activities is learning what moles eat. Moles eat insects, worms, grubs and other invertebrates which they access by these tunnels which connect to shallower tunnels below the surface.

The small, potato-shaped creatures are voracious eaters. While they don’t eat plants or plant roots, they can burrow through and destroy wide swaths of lawns and gardens in a single night while on the hunt for their next meal. Moles can burrow up to 18 feet in a single hour and are most active at dusk and dawn.

Moles are most attracted to soft soil … Read Full Post »

What Does a Termite Mud Nest Look Like?

January 17, 2022. Posted by Vanessa Jenkins Green in Pest Control, Termite Control • Orlando

Termites. Even the word can make a homeowner shudder and feel anxious. This idea of this pest taking up residence brings up thoughts of extensive damage—and cost. Termites generally feed on wood, but they also snack on insulation, pool liners, books and paper. Knowing what to look for and how termites operate will help you make smart decisions if you come across them.

How To Tell You Have Termites

You might see what looks like flying ants around your home, but don’t be so sure. They could be termite swarmers. You may also find dead swarmers on a windowsill. If you aren’t sure whether the insects you are seeing are termites, contact a pest control professional to get the answers. Learning how to spot signs of termites in your home is actually pretty easy.

Subterranean termites live below ground, so you wouldn’t be able to find a termite mud nest. Instead, what you … Read Full Post »

How To Identify Different Ant Species in Texas

January 11, 2022. Posted by Vanessa Jenkins Green in Ant Control, Pest Control • Houston

a crazy ant which is one ant species in texas

When a line of ants shows up in your home, marching across a countertop or going about their business under the sink, thoughts immediately turn to whether the ants are there to wreak havoc, sting pets or family members or worse. Texas is home to several types of ants, all with varying degrees of threat to your home and those who live in it. Let’s take a look at the potential suspects and how you can tell them apart and assess whether you need to contact a professional for ant control.

“Crazy” Ants

These ants get their name because of their seemingly haphazard movement. They look like they are running around in no particular pattern. When they are disturbed or feel threatened, they get even more frantic.

Pictured above, this species looks a lot like carpenter ants but they are smaller and don’t generally have the dark abdomen that carpenter ants have.

Pharaoh Ants

These … Read Full Post »

Can Dogs Carry Bed Bugs?

January 10, 2022. Posted by Russell Jenkins in Bed Bug Control, Pest Control • Dallas-Fort Worth

Few creepie-crawlies in the insect world have a mental and emotional impact on us humans like bed bugs.

They come out at night…while we’re sleeping…to drink our blood…

The common bed bug is tiny, with a flat, oval body roughly the size of an apple seed. It can expand to nearly twice its normal size while feeding, turning from muddy brown to dark red in color.

Bed bugs get their name from the types of locations they prefer to infest and feed. They are most active at night and look for a ready source of blood to feed on. That’s why beds (and the humans sleeping in them) are their ideal targets.

Likewise, female bed bugs will lay eggs in the protected seams and crevices of your mattress (or your dog’s bed). This is their way of looking out for their offspring, who will have a convenient source of blood.

These eggs hatch as nymphs, … Read Full Post »

How To Identify Formosan Termite Swarmers

January 7, 2022. Posted by Holt Myers in Pest Control, Termite Control • Austin

Subterranean termites may be responsible for the most damage to U.S. homes each year, but Formosan termites come in at a close second. In fact, Formosan termites are sometimes called “super termites” because they destroy wood faster than their subterranean cousins. If you spot Formosan termite swarmers in or near your home, it’s a sign of an infestation. That means it’s time to take action before they destroy your property any further.

One thing to understand about Formosan termites is that they are actually a type of subterranean termite. Subterranean means underground, and that’s where these termites build their colonies. Just like the termites we more commonly call subterranean, Formosans also build mud tubes along foundations, walls or support beams. They use these tubes to connect their colonies to their food source—wood.

The problem that all types of termites pose in our homes is that they chew through wood for its cellulose. … Read Full Post »

I Found a Roach in My House: Should I Be Worried?

January 6, 2022. Posted by Holt Myers in Pest Control • Corpus Christi

“I found a roach in my house. Should I be worried?” This is a common question that customers often ask pest control professionals. If you find a single cockroach in your home, does it mean there are more? Could you have a cockroach infestation? And whether it’s just one roach or a whole nest of them, what should you do about it?

The simple answer is, if you find a roach in your house, there is definitely reason to worry there might be other roaches hidden nearby. It’s possible there is even a full-blown infestation. It largely depends on what type of roach you’ve found.

Certain kinds of cockroaches, like American cockroaches, can make their way inside people’s homes almost by accident. American cockroaches are the big ones—well over an inch long, a half-inch wide, and medium reddish-brown in color. These roaches normally live outside. They sneak in through gaps around doors, … Read Full Post »

What Do Moles Eat? Your Questions Answered

January 5, 2022. Posted by Russell Jenkins in Pest Control, Rodent & Wildlife • Tyler

It is incredibly frustrating to look out at your yard and see damage like loose dirt and uprooted grass. This is a sign that moles have tunneled beneath the ground of your property and made your lawn their home. These creatures spend half the day looking for insects to devour and they eat nearly their entire body weight in food each day. Their constant hunt for something to eat can result in significant damage to your landscaping.

These pesky predators can be harmful to the appearance and health of your lawn. You spend too much time making your home and property appear beautiful to allow moles to destroy your hard work. But, why do these creatures decide to take up residence in your yard anyway?

Moles are attracted to your yard because it is a perfect place to find all their favorite foods. So, by better understanding the diet of moles and … Read Full Post »