5 Natural Ways to Rodent-Proof Your Home

May 11, 2018. Posted by Russell Jenkins in Pest Control, Rodent & Wildlife • Dallas-Fort Worth, Tyler

Finding a mouse or rat can be a shocking and revolting experience, but it’s a common one. Remember, a rat can enter a hole about the size of a quarter; a mouse only requires a dime-sized hole. If you can fit a pencil into the hole, it’s likely a mouse can fit through as well.

Mice, rats and other rodents cause billions in damage every single year. In addition to structural damage, they can also create health and fire hazards when they chew on wiring, contaminate food and die inside the home. Rodents are known to carry a myriad of diseases and even other pests, such as lice, ticks and fleas.

While we normally think of rodent infestations as a winter issue, rodents and other animals still need food and shelter in warmer weather. Unfortunately, rats and mice are year-round pests. All they need is a little incentive, such as food, warmth … Read Full Post »

How Long Do Termites Swarm? Protecting Your Home

May 1, 2018. Posted by Vanessa Jenkins Green in Pest Control • Houston

Termite swarms are a fast-paced phenomenon: One minute, there are no visible termites present. Several winged insects emerged from their nest the next minute and began to fly or crawl around. Within another minute, hundreds or thousands of termites are swarming out of their colony, ready to propagate their species.

An hour later, the termites are gone once again, receded to their home within the walls of your house or inside a rotten log outdoors. But how long do termites swarm, and how can you defend your property against these invaders, which are blamed for damage that costs U.S. homeowners over $1 billion each year to mitigate?

The term “termite swarm” refers to the phenomenon within a termite colony when, each spring, reproductive termites leave the warmth and darkness of their nest and come out into the open air by the thousands to mate. Many homeowners mistakenly believe termite swarms are destroying … Read Full Post »

Identify Home Moisture Issues to Prevent Pest Problems

April 27, 2018. Posted by Russell Jenkins in Lawn Care, Pest Control • Dallas-Fort Worth, Tyler

Rainy springtime weather can have a big influence on the number and kind of pests that can enter a building. Warm and wet weather can cause pests to leave their outdoor shelters and head into manmade ones.

Many pests spend the majority of the winter months under rocks, logs, mulch and soil. By staying below the frost line, they are able to survive extremely cold temperatures. But when the warmer weather and April showers saturate the ground, most of these pests are forced out. That’s why ants and other pests often enter buildings following a heavy rain.

In addition to rainfall driving pests out of their natural homes, water also encourages termites, carpenter ants and other wood-boring insects, encourages mold growth, and serves as a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other insects.

How to Identify Moisture Issues Around the Home

Even if you don’t think there are any moisture problems around your property, it’s … Read Full Post »

How to Protect Yourself from Mosquito Bites

April 20, 2018. Posted by Russell Jenkins in Mosquito Control, Pest Control • Dallas-Fort Worth, Tyler

Rising temperatures means more time spent outdoors at pools, sports, barbecues and cookouts. Unfortunately, mosquitoes can ruin all the fun.

Prevent the bite of summer by taking time this spring to prevent one of the most irritating and dangerous of pests—mosquitoes.

If you ask most people which insect they hate the most, they will mostly likely put the malicious mosquito in the #1 spot. Mosquitoes are especially troublesome in the state of Texas.

Mosquito-Borne Threats

Every year, there are dozens of reports of mosquito-borne diseases, including:

Encephalitis (human symptoms include high fever, convulsions, delirium and other central nervous system problems)
Malaria (human symptoms include fever and flu-like symptoms, including chills, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea)
Zika (human symptoms include fever, rash, muscle and joint aches, red eyes
Babies of infected mothers risk microcephaly and poor pregnancy outcomes)
West Nile Virus (human symptoms include fever and flu-like symptoms; more severe cases can affect the nervous system and … Read Full Post »

How To Keep Bees Out Of Pool And Avoid Other Stinging Insects

April 17, 2018. Posted by Holt Myers in Pest Control, Swimming Pool Service & Repair • Austin

With summer coming soon and warm weather already here in the south, you decided it was time to get the pool ready. So, you went to the store to stock up on chemicals and cleaning supplies. You knew it might be a big job, but nothing could have prepared you for what you found: bees. Dozens of them. Treating your swimming pool like their own personal drinking fountain.

This is not an uncommon scenario for pool owners. Not just bees either, but other stinging insects, such as wasps. Maybe you just want to take a dip in the pool, but you can’t go more than a few feet without worrying about getting stung. If a family member of guest is allergic to bee stings, this is especially important. Or, perhaps, your poolside barbecues don’t just get invaded—they get swarmed.

You’re not too keen on the idea of getting stung while trying to escape … Read Full Post »

Spring Cleaning Tips to Keep Pests Away | National Pest Management Month

April 13, 2018. Posted by Russell Jenkins in Pest Control • Dallas-Fort Worth, Tyler

Warmer weather brings everyone out, including plants and animals. They look forward to spring just as much as we do. That’s why April has been designated as National Pest Management Month by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA).

People often think of spring cleaning as a way to declutter and improve indoor air quality, but regular cleanings and inspections are also important for keeping pests away. When tackling your spring cleaning to-do list, don’t forget about these common pest hot spots.

Indoor and Outdoor Spring Cleaning Tips to Keep Pests Away

Whether it’s ants, termites, beetles, spiders, or rodents, use these pest-proofing tips to help keep the pests away. Let’s start with the outdoors.

Outdoor Spring Cleaning

Professional Pest Inspection

There are many ways to prevent pests from entering your home. Perhaps the best way is to contact a professional, and spring is the ideal time to do it.

In many cases, a barrier insecticide around the perimeter … Read Full Post »

How To Get Rid Of Cockroaches: Advice For Homeowners

April 12, 2018. Posted by Holt Myers in Pest Control • Corpus Christi

The vast majority of homeowners have come across a cockroach in their home. That’s because these critters are among the most common pests in homes, schools and businesses. There are around 3,500 species of cockroaches globally, but only 55 species are known to live in the United States. Fear not, though. If you are wondering how to get rid of cockroaches, you have a number of options. But before we dive into the details of how to remove these common pests, let’s go over a few characteristics that set this critter apart from the other creatures possibly inhabiting your home.

As you’ve probably noticed before, cockroaches have flattened bodies and heads that are concealed by a plate-like structure called a pronotum. Cockroaches have elongated, spiny legs that move incredibly fast—as we all know from attempting to squish one—and equally long antennae that help them find food and move around in the … Read Full Post »

Are Centipedes Poisonous? Your Questions Answered

April 11, 2018. Posted by Vanessa Jenkins Green in Pest Control • Orlando

You wake up in the middle of the night. Thirsty, you head to the restroom to get a drink of water.

Then it happens—you feel something skitter over your foot. Immediately you kick it off and flip on the light, only to see a creature out of your nightmares speed across the bathroom floor and disappear into a pile of clothing.

It was long and flat but with long legs—almost like a spider. It had way more than just eight legs. There were dozens, at least. They were everywhere.

A centipede, you guess, but not like any centipede you’ve ever seen before. You want it out. But is it dangerous? Poisonous? Will it bite you? Infect you with something? Is there a nest of hundreds of them somewhere in your home?

Unlike ants, spiders, roaches, mosquitoes, and many other types of insects, most people don’t have run-ins with centipedes regularly. Because of this, it … Read Full Post »

Flying Termites: How To Keep These Pests Out Of Your Home

April 9, 2018. Posted by Vanessa Jenkins Green in Pest Control • Houston

Being a homeowner has many benefits: having a space to call your own, a financial investment, and a place to create memories with your family. While the perks are numerous, we also recognize that there are a few headaches that present themselves as a homeowner. One of those annoyances is pests.

No matter which pest species decide to call your home theirs, homeowners often discover they have an infestation after noticing increased pests around their home, many times before it’s too late. Take flying termites, for example. Because termites live inside your home’s walls, many homeowners are unaware of their presence until they see winged pests flying inside or find shredded wings around doors and windows inside their homes. If you’re curious to know if you have an infestation, flying termites are a key warning sign indicating a problem.

Three major species of termites can potentially infest your home: dry … Read Full Post »

How To Get Rid Of Springtails: Handling A Springtail Infestation

April 5, 2018. Posted by Holt Myers in Pest Control • San Antonio

When hearing the word springtail for the first time, some people might be surprised to learn that this is considered a pest. Those who live in dry climates are even less likely to have heard of one before, as these small pests typically inhabit moist environments. If you have heard of these pests, however, you may already know that in the spring and summer months, when the weather is humid and moist, springtails can become quite the nuisance. Despite their incredibly small size—most species that make their way into homes range between one and two millimeters—their presence alone leaves homeowners searching for information on how to get rid of springtails.

Although entomologists and agricultural extension agents agree that springtails do not bite, many people have this misconception. One of the primary reasons that this myth has been perpetuated is that springtails and fleas are often mistaken for one another, and fleas … Read Full Post »