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Do Crickets Bite? Keeping These Insects Out Of Your Home

. Posted by in • Corpus Christi
Do crickets bite

Some years, crickets seem to be everywhere. In late summer and early fall, you might notice an abundance of these insects near your porch lights or hear a chorus of chirping in your backyard at night. If one lands on your leg, you might ask yourself the question: Do crickets bite?

While some species are capable of biting humans, thankfully, this is very unlikely. These insects seem to be more prevalent in years with dry springs and summers, usually appearing in higher numbers in August and September, following rain or cooler weather. Cricket invasions tend to occur when immature crickets go out on nighttime flights in search of mates.

While crickets won’t hurt us, you should know that these creatures can damage your belongings, and can become quite a nuisance. Cricket mandibles can pull fibers loose from carpet and different types of fabric, leaving the surface rough. Also, feces and other bodily … Read Full Post »

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Can Fleas Lay Eggs On Human Hair?

. Posted by in , • Houston
Can fleas lay eggs on human hair

Even after putting the flea collar on your pet, the itching continues. Suddenly, you begin to feel the urge the scratch, too. You stare at poor Fido, who looks quite miserable, and start to wonder, can fleas lay eggs on human hair? If these creatures can infest your dog’s fur, wouldn’t it make sense that they could do the same on our own heads?

While fleas can technically lay eggs on our scalp, the possibility of this happening is extremely rare. Given how much these small parasites can disrupt a household, however, knowing all you can about fleas can help you avoid an infestation or manage an existing flea problem.

Let’s answer more questions homeowners frequently have about these common pests.

Can Fleas Live On Humans?

While humans can serve as a temporary host for fleas, eggs are more viable if a flea consumes the blood of a preferred food source. There are over … Read Full Post »

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Do Termites Eat Cedar? Protecting Your Home From Damage

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth
Do termites eat cedar

Most homeowners have heard of termites, and know that these pests chew their way through wooden structures, including houses, garages and fences, as well as other natural food sources. Termites cause billions of dollars worth of damage to homes and properties each year. Their colonies can number in the thousands or even millions, and a termite colony can lay waste to wooden beams, rafters, siding or flooring in your home or garage.

Which types of wood are their favorites? For example, do termites eat cedar, an evergreen tree that is common in Texas and other southern states? Or, if some people think cedar is an effective DIY method to keep wool moths at bay, you might wonder: could cedar repel termites as well?

The short answer is that while some research has shown that some types of commercially-available wood may be more palatable to termites than others, subterranean species have been found … Read Full Post »

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Bugs That Look Like Bed Bugs: Identification Tips

. Posted by in , • Orlando

The idea of a bug sharing the space where you sleep is not one to take lightly—especially if it’s one that bites! If you spotted a tiny bug wandering around your bedroom, your first instinct might have been to assume that it is a bed bug. However, more bugs look like bed bugs than you might expect. While the complete list could be pretty long, the shortlist is fleas, immature roaches, booklice, carpet beetles, bat bugs, and ticks.

So, how can you know if that minuscule visitor was a bed bug? Here are a few characteristics of bed bugs that can tip you off to the presence of these bloodsucking creatures:

  • Adults are reddish-brown to black.
  • A bed bug that hasn’t had a blood meal recently is usually oval-shaped and flat. After feeding, these parasites will swell up, become longer and change color to redder to match their food source—blood.
  • Newly hatched bed bug … Read Full Post »
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Bed Bug Bites Vs. Flea Bites: How Can I Tell Them Apart?

. Posted by in , , • Corpus Christi
Bed Bug Bites Vs. Flea Bites

You woke up and noticed weird bites on your body. You look pointedly at Fido as he scratches behind his ear with a little more fervor than usual. Does he have fleas? Or maybe you have bed bugs? How would you know if you have bed bug bites versus flea bites, anyway?

If you’ve struggled to determine exactly what type of bug bit you, you are not alone. Most insect bites result in itching, and many leave a little bump or red mark where you were bitten. Why would it even matter which creature is biting you? For starters, bed bugs and fleas can pose different risks for you, your family and your pets. In this blog post, we’ll review the differences between these bugs’ feeding patterns, what their bites look like and how to treat a bite once you have settled on which creature is responsible.

Fleas: The Most Likely Culprit

A … Read Full Post »

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Why Do Cockroaches Come Out At Night?

. Posted by in • Houston
Why do cockroaches come out at night

When you wake up before the sun rises and go to make your coffee, you’re not expecting to discover a cockroach in the cabinet next to your coffee grounds. Chances are that in your pre-caffeinated state, your reactions aren’t quite as sharp, resulting in your kitchen visitor scurrying away before you can find anything to smash it with. If someone had asked, you would have sworn that you didn’t have any bug problems—especially roaches. But you also know that you usually don’t spot one of these creatures, unless it’s dark.

So, why do cockroaches come out at night? The short answer is that, like other nocturnal animals, roaches have evolved to forage for food and water in low-light environments, since these conditions help them avoid predators. In this blog post, we will explore cockroach activity patterns in more detail and offer you tips on how to keep these pests away from … Read Full Post »

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Can Mosquitoes Bite Through Clothes?

. Posted by in , • Houston
can mosquitoes bite through clothes

Mosquitoes are a problem for most of the year in the warmer parts of the country. But even so, it can feel like they come back earlier each year. You thought you were at least going to have a few weeks of relaxation in beautiful weather before they showed up again, but these bloodsucking pests had different plans. As you’re relaxing in your backyard you may be wondering: Can mosquitoes bite through clothes? Will I be safe from these biting insects if I just cover up?

Mosquitoes prefer to access blood directly through the skin, but that doesn’t mean they won’t use their proboscis to get to the blood through the clothes you are wearing. Generally speaking, loose, long-sleeved and light-colored clothes significantly reduce the chances of your getting a mosquito bite. That being said, they do not completely remove the possibility of being bitten.

We’ll teach you how to stop mosquito … Read Full Post »

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Where Do Sugar Ants Come From? How To Keep Them Away

. Posted by in , • San Antonio
Where do sugar ants come from

You’re in your kitchen, enjoying a nice cup of coffee or getting ready to start prepping dinner when you suddenly notice little black ants everywhere. While sugar ants are often small—about the size of pepper flakes—and they don’t typically bite humans, it can still be unnerving to spot them in your living spaces.

Even if you clean your home regularly, sugar ants can still invade. This is especially true if you have children living in the home who might make it tough to stay on top of every drip and spill of sugary items that attract sugar ants, like juice, jelly, chocolate milk or maple syrup. So where do sugar ants come from, and if you have a sugar ant infestation, what can you do to get rid of these unwelcome pests?

Unfortunately, sugar ants can make their homes just about anywhere. These insects can nest inside homes and in virtually any … Read Full Post »

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What Do Termites Look Like In Florida? Tips For Identification

. Posted by in • Orlando
what do termites look like in Florida

Most homeowners do their best to keep any bugs out of the house. Unfortunately, some bugs are arguably worse than others, and some are harder to detect. Termites fall into both categories: They are some of the most destructive insects around—the National Pest Management Association estimates they cause American homeowners five billion dollars worth of damage each year—and since they build their colonies out of sight, they can quickly go undetected for long periods. If you’ve never seen a termite, you might wonder, What do termites look like in Florida? Learning the answer to this question will help you identify these undesirable pests before they cause costly structural damage to your home.

As do termites in any state, termites in Florida look a lot like giant ants with wings. There are some subtle differences between termites and flying ants, however. Adult termites are dark brown or … Read Full Post »

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Does Baking Soda Kill Ants? Your Questions Answered

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth
does baking soda kill ants

Despite your best efforts cleaning up sugary spills around the house, those little black bugs continue to haunt you.  You are now left with the same old dilemma: How do you get rid of these insects in a way that’s safe for both your kids and your pets? You’ve tried the “natural” over-the-counter stuff with middling results, and this time you’re looking for something effective. You’ve heard stories of household items like baking soda and cornmeal killing ants. Well, can baking soda kill ants? From what you’ve heard, this common household product doesn’t just kill ants—it causes them to explode!

Baking soda is a leavening agent. That means it produces air bubbles and air pockets. So, the theory is that if an ant eats the granules, carbon dioxide bubbles will form, and eventually these bubbles will cause the ant to explode from the inside out. Gross, but also very effective if … Read Full Post »

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