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Stink Bug Invasion in Fall

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With fall comes beautiful leaves changing colors, bright cheerful pumpkins, and the cool crisp fresh air that makes us all want to spend more time outdoors. But the start of the fall season can also bring an unpleasant pest along with it: stink bugs.

These large beetle-like insects get their name from the smelly odor they produce when threatened. They are content to stay outdoors during the warm summer months, but they start to sneak into homes away from the cold during the fall.

At  ABC Home & Commercial Services, we know all too well the struggles home owners face when it comes to getting rid of stink bugs. Here is everything you need to know about the stink bug invasion in fall.

What do stink bugs look like?

The most common types of stink bugs are brown in color. They have oval bodies that taper into a triangular point like a shield. They … Read Full Post »

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Do Termites Bite? Risks Posed By These Dangerous Pests

. Posted by in , • Orlando
Do termites bite

Do termites bite? This is a common question among individuals encountering these destructive insects around their homes or yard. When you spot termites in or around your home, you probably see adult termites, which can look quite a bit like ants—and we all know that ants bite. Plus, it’s well-known that termites feed on wood. A typical termite colony can number in the many thousands, and these critters can destroy entire structures by weakening the frame as they feed on and tunnel through it. If a termite can chew through wood, it stands to reason that it could bite a human or a dog, right?

Well, not necessarily. The answer to whether termites bite people is a bit complicated, but the simple answer is that a termite will unlikely ever bite you. Here’s why.

Understanding why you’ll probably never be the victim of a termite bite helps to know a bit about … Read Full Post »

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Squash Vine Borer: Protecting Your Plants From This Pest

. Posted by in • Corpus Christi
Squash vine borer

Squash is a very versatile vegetable. You can use it in salads and soups to up the nutrient profile. Some prefer it fried in copious amounts of butter for a delicious, yet simple side. Still others choose to turn it into a number of delicious and hearty casseroles.

Given all the ways you can use this plant, it’s no surprise that many homeowners add some summer squash to their garden. Say you decided to as well and followed all the best practices: planting after the last frost; choosing a well-drained, sunny area; using compost; adding a slow-release fertilizer; planting only a few seedlings per “hill”; keeping the hills three to four feet apart and watering early, so the leaves had plenty of time to dry.

Just as the plants started to grow, the wilting began. No matter what you did, you couldn’t seem to do anything to help the situation. Sadly, the … Read Full Post »

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What You Need to Know About Drywood Termites

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drywood termites

Termites are easily one of the most expensive types of pest infestations that can plague your home. They can chew away at important structures undetected for weeks and cause major damage to your property.

The best way to help prevent termite damage is to become more educated about the pests causing it. Here is our comprehensive guide covering what you need to know about drywood termites from ABC Home & Commercial Services.

What Do Drywood Termites Look Like?

Unless you are an extermination expert, correctly identifying insects can be tricky and confusing. Sometimes it can help to compare the insects on your property to pictures on the internet, but many species have a range of different colors and sizes that are considered normal. Here are some of the key characteristics of drywood termites to help you identify them.

  • Size – Drywood termites differ in size according to their role in the colony. Soldier termites … Read Full Post »
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How to Get Rid of Rodents

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Mice and rats can pose some of the most difficult pest control problems for homeowners. They can squeeze themselves through extremely tiny spaces and wreak havoc everywhere they go.

At ABC Home & Commercial Services, we have years of experience eliminating and preventing rodent problems in homes or businesses. Here are some tips from our extermination experts on how to get rid of rodents.

Seal up entry points.

By closing off entry points to your home, you can prevent rodents who live outdoors from sneaking inside. Mice and rats can flatten and contort their bodies to fit through spaces that seem like they would be too small. To test whether or not a mouse can squeeze through an opening, see if you can fit a pencil inside. It the pencil fits, the mouse can too. Seal up cracks and holes in the foundation, walls, and molding.

Seal up food.

Mice and rats can chew through … Read Full Post »

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The Difference Between Bed Bug And Mosquito Bites

. Posted by in • Orlando
Difference between bed bug bites and mosquito bites

Unless you live inside an air-conditioned bubble, you’re likely to find yourself scratching your skin at some point throughout the year as you come into contact with different varieties of biting insects. Both indoors and outdoors, and especially during the summer, you might have run-ins with fleas, mosquitoes, horse flies, black flies, or even—shudder—bed bugs. Bed bugs can be very difficult to get rid of, so finding suspicious, itchy welts on your skin can cause momentary panic as you try to figure out the culprit. Fortunately, it’s relatively easy to tell the difference between bed bug bites and mosquito bites or the bites of other insects, as long as you know what to look for. Read on to learn about various insect bites and the signs and symptoms indicating which pesky pest has taken a chomp out of you.

Mosquito Bites Vs. Flea Bites

Here’s the good news: Most common insect bites … Read Full Post »

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Jumping Spider: Texas Homeowners’ Questions Answered

. Posted by in • San Antonio
Jumping spider Texas

Ever seen a jumping spider? Chances are, if you live in Texas you have—and seeing it move so quickly in its trademark jerky, hopping manner probably either made you lean closer in curiosity or gave you the shock of your life, if not both. There are a few things about a jumping spider Texas homeowners need to know: For starters, these little critters are no scarier than any other eight-legged arachnid. They’re just startling because they move so far, so quickly! Their appearance may seem a bit threatening, however. When crossing paths with one of these, any reasonable person might wonder, do jumping spiders bite? Let’s find out more about the jumping spider to learn where they live, whether they bite people and what to do when you find them living in your home.

Do Jumping Spiders Bite?

Before we discuss whether jumping spiders bite, let’s first learn how to identify these … Read Full Post »

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Can Fleas Fly? How To Handle An Infestation

. Posted by in • Houston
Can fleas fly

Do you live with a furry pet? If so, whether you have a dog, cat, ferret, guinea pig or something else, there’s a possibility that you are also living with fleas. This is true even if you are meticulous about cleaning your home and bathing your pet. Furthermore, the risk of a flea infestation increases if your pet spends time both indoors and outdoors.

Unfortunately, it’s also possible to have a flea infestation in your home even if you don’t have pets. If squirrels, rats or other rodents make a nest or get trapped inside your attic or walls, they can carry fleas that travel into your living spaces in search of a human blood meal.

A flea infestation is a highly undesirable situation. Not only are flea bites itchy and annoying at best, these tiny parasites can also cause health problems in dogs and other animals such as anemia, hair … Read Full Post »

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How Long Can Ticks Live In A House?

. Posted by in • Corpus Christi
How long can ticks live in a house

Finding a tick crawling through your pet’s fur or fastened to its skin is no fun—for you, the pet or the tick. Finding a tick crawling on your own skin, or even embedded mid-bite? Now, that’s particularly cringe-worthy, especially if you’ve found the tick indoors, inside your home. What if you have a tick infestation somewhere in your house or yard? How long can ticks live in a house? Most importantly, are you and your family or pets in danger?

The answers to these questions depend on a variety of factors, including which life cycle stage the tick is in, how easily the creature can access a host and whether or not it’s a disease-carrying variety of tick. In three of their four life cycle stages, ticks must feed on blood to survive. Two varieties of ticks—black-legged ticks (also known as deer ticks) and Western black-legged ticks—are notorious for transmitting Lyme … Read Full Post »

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Silverfish Infestations: What A Homeowner Should Know

. Posted by in • Dallas-Fort Worth, Tyler

Have you noticed a small wingless, silver-colored bug in your home with a flat, oval-shaped body, long antennae and six legs? If so, you may have the beginning of a silverfish infestation.

Silverfish are medically harmless to humans and mostly a nuisance for homeowners. These creatures can stain clothing, contaminate food and damage paper goods. Silverfish are more common in humid environments, so you are more likely to find them in bathrooms, attics and crawl spaces. Silverfish are very quick, so if discovered, these creatures often dart away, making them difficult to catch or identify.

Silverfish problems can be difficult for homeowners to control on their own. Usually, the quickest and easiest way to get rid of a silverfish problem is by calling in a pest control professional. We’ll now go into more detail about these pests so you have the information you need to make an informed decision about how to … Read Full Post »

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