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Everything You Need to Know About Texas Ticks

. Posted by in • Austin
texas ticks

There are many reasons we love living in Texas. The unfortunate reality, however, is that we share this great state with a small, but potentially dangerous pest: ticks. What types of ticks live in Texas? Where do they live? How can you prevent tick bites? Perhaps most importantly, how do you get rid of ticks? Read on to learn everything you need to know about Texas ticks.

Everything You Need to Know About Texas Ticks

The four most common types of ticks found in Texas, in order of frequency, are the:

  • Brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineous)
  • American dog tick (Dermacentor veriabilis)
  • Lone star tick, also known as the northeastern water tick or turkey tick (Amblyomma americanum)
  • Deer tick (Ixodes scapularis)

All four types of ticks are hard-shelled, meaning they have a hard covering over their body. Interestingly, the shell covers more of the body in the male tick than the female.

Ticks go through four stages during their … Read Full Post »

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The Kissing Bug in Texas: Friend or Foe?

. Posted by in • Corpus Christi
Kissing bug Texas

You’re out one night sitting on your new back porch and enjoying the stars when you notice a strange-looking bug with a cone-shaped head. Curious, you trap it in a jar and show it to neighbors the next day. Their eyes immediately widen, and they tell you that you need to watch out–it’s a kissing bug.

Kissing Bug in Texas: Friend or Foe?

Slightly amused, you ask what that is, even making a joke that it sounds kind of cute. After hearing their answer, you no longer feel that way.

What is a Kissing Bug, Anyways?

If you don’t know what a kissing bug is, you should. Despite the friendly-sounding name, this small insect is a potential disease carrier, and it can pose a threat to you, your family and your pets.

Not convinced? Perhaps you’d be more inclined to agree with us if we used the bug’s other nickname–the assassin bug. Sounds a bit … Read Full Post »

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Handling A Carpet Beetle Infestation And Having Carpet Mites

. Posted by in • Austin
Carpet mites

As a homeowner, you will discover over time that you share your living quarters with a variety of creepy crawlies, both small and tiny. One of the places in your home which provides shelter for these types of pests is your carpet and rugs. In addition to the “ick” factor of knowing you have little creatures underfoot, some of these common indoor pests can cause damage to your home and belongings. Contrary to popular belief, carpet beetles do not just live in your carpet–which means that you can have a problem with these pests even if you only have hardwood or tile floors. In this post, we’ll talk about carpet mites, what causes carpet beetles, where carpet beetles come from and how to avoid a carpet beetle infestation.

Carpet Mites

Although you may see the terms carpet mites and carpet beetles used interchangeably, these two pests are actually quite different. Carpet mites is … Read Full Post »

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Types of Mosquitoes in Florida

. Posted by in , • Orlando
Types of Mosquitoes in Florida

Your new house has a problem. You knew this before you bought it. The place is gorgeous inside and out. Lots of open space. A lush yard. A patio that has a top-of-the-line grill. A bar. It’s what the deck doesn’t have that is the problem: screens.

Unlike many Florida patios, the previous owner decided not to enclose the space, which means bugs, which also implies bug bites. More specifically, mosquito bites.

What You Need To Know About The Different Types of Mosquitoes in Florida

You thought this would be a minor problem, that you could avoid the busiest mosquito times and enclose the space when you had enough money. Except there doesn’t seem to be a time when mosquitoes aren’t around. And you can no longer tell where the bug bites end, and your skin begins.

Is there anything you can do to protect yourself from mosquitoes? Absolutely. It starts with learning about what … Read Full Post »

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Daddy Long Legs Lifespan And Other Facts

. Posted by in • Houston
Daddy long legs lifespan

You had an inspection done before purchasing your house. But, like any new homeowner, you want to really explore your property after moving in. Look around. Get the lay of the land. While poring over every inch of your backyard, you run across a blackish-gray mass. You walk over to pick it up to examine it, and it explodes into a swarm-like cluster of hundreds of daddy-long-legs, which can understandably come as quite a surprise.

Should you be worried? What’s the daddy’s long legs’ lifespan? Do daddy’s long legs bite? You have heard the rumors about how poisonous they are. Do you need to call an exterminator?

Everything You Need to Know About Daddy Long Legs

Before you decide this house isn’t for you, you should know a few things.

First, there are actually two creatures known as daddy long legs. One is a spider (Pholcidae), and one is not (Opiliones). One is a venomous … Read Full Post »

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Orange Wasp, Mahogany Wasp: Red Wasp Nest Facts

. Posted by in , • Bryan-College Station
red paper wasp

It’s a hot summer day and you walk outside your front door, greeted by a familiar buzzing sound; only, it’s not a bee. It’s another scary looking creature—a red paper wasp. You know it stings, and you know where there is one wasp, a nest isn’t too far away. But what brought it to your doorstep? How can you get rid of it? What if you notice an orange wasp, or a mahogany wasp—are they related? What about a red hornet? What does a red wasp nest look like? And most importantly, how can you keep these pests from coming back and making your home their own?

The first step in understanding how to deal with any type of unwanted pest is to learn more about it. Once you know how to identify red wasps and what attracts them, you’ll be better equipped to get rid of them—for good.

Do I Need … Read Full Post »

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Lawn Pests: Identification

. Posted by in , • Bryan-College Station
lawn pests identification

When you bought your new home, one of the first things that sold you on it was the large, gorgeously maintained yard. From being the greenest grass on the block to the colorful flowers and vibrant plants, it was like your own little oasis. Then something happened. Despite your best efforts, brown spots started appearing. Something was ravaging the leaves and flowers. You had been invaded. But by what? If you don’t know much about lawn pests, identification techniques or how much damage they can do, your beautiful lawn could be at risk.

You want to get rid of the pests and protect your lawn, but you’re not exactly sure what’s doing the damage. And you don’t want to get rid of helpful creatures along with the hurtful ones–not if you can avoid it.

Lawn Pests: Identification

So how do you identify which types of critters are harming your lawn? In this article, you’ll learn how … Read Full Post »

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How to Get Rid of Geckos

. Posted by in , • San Antonio
How to Get Rid of Geckos

What’s that hanging around your porch light in the evenings, particularly in the warmer months? Most likely, it’s a gecko. 
In this post, we’ll tell you what you need to know about geckos in Texas, how to get rid of them (if that’s what you decide to do) and how to prevent them from coming back again. Read on to learn more about this reptile.

What You’ll Learn:

  • What Is A Gecko?
  • What Do Geckos Eat?
  • How To Get Rid Of Geckos

What Is A Gecko?

Is a gecko a lizard? Technically, yes. Geckos are small lizards that belong to the Gekkonidae family. While geckos are lizards, a few characteristics set them apart from other reptiles. The common household gecko has bulging, lidless eyes and sticky toepads. These toepads allow geckos to climb walls and even move across ceilings. These crawling creatures are typically between three and six inches in length. Geckos can shed their skin, although … Read Full Post »

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Black Spiky Caterpillars: Should You Be Worried?

. Posted by in , • Austin
black spiky caterpillars

You’ve probably seen one at some point–a black spiky caterpillar with red stripes. Those fuzzy little creatures can be quite intimidating if you don’t know much about them. You have probably stayed away because you were worried about these fuzzy creatures being poisonous.

Worry no more–the giant leopard moth caterpillar is just looking for a quiet space to get ready to turn into a beautiful white moth with black circular designs, creating a leopard-like pattern. This type of caterpillar is both harmless and beautiful to look at, which makes them a welcome visitor to your outdoor spaces.

What Will I Learn?

  • What is That Red and Black Caterpillar?
  • Are Fuzzy Caterpillars Poisonous?
  • Giant Leopard Moth
  • How to Attract Caterpillars to Your Yard
  • Get Professional Help to Attract Caterpillars

What Is That Red And Black Caterpillar?

Also called an eyed-tiger moth caterpillar or commonly a “woolly bear”, this type of caterpillar has black spikes all over its body, … Read Full Post »

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Jadera haematoloma: What You Need to Know About This Bug

. Posted by in • Orlando
Jadera haematoloma

“Unknown insect – Jadera haematoloma” by Eugene Zelenko is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0

If you’re like most people, the term or phrase “Jadera haematoloma” means nothing. There’s even a chance you’ve never even heard it before. As with most insects, the bug connected with this term is often known by its common name, not scientific. Instead, most people refer to this bug as either the red-shouldered bug, the goldenrain tree bug, or simply the Jadera bug. Do any of these names ring a bell?

Jadera haematoloma: What You Need to Know About This Bug

Found across the United States, the Jadera bug is easily identifiable and quite common. But because of this name confusion, we thought it would be an excellent time to dive deeper into the facts about this species to understand a bit more. Let’s explore together.  

First, What Do They Look Like?

As you can see in the photo … Read Full Post »

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