Why Are Earwigs Called Earwigs?

May 10, 2017. Posted by Vanessa Jenkins Green in Pest Control • Orlando

Earwigs are small, flat insects that measure about half an inch long and an eighth inch in width when full-grown. Dark brown and shiny, they have banded abdomens that end in a long pair of scary-looking pinchers. If you’ve ever tried to pick up an earwig, you may have gotten pinched—but you also probably noticed those pinchers weren’t very powerful. An earwig’s pinch might make you yelp in surprise. Still, it probably won’t break the skin, and it almost always happens defensively—meaning the earwig is frightened and trying to fight off a more significant, scarier enemy (you!). So why are earwigs called earwigs, and are the rumors true—do earwigs crawl in your ear? Let’s find out more about this often-misunderstood insect.

If you’ve ever tried to pick up an earwig, you may have gotten pinched—but you also probably noticed those pinchers weren’t very powerful. An earwig’s pinch might make you yelp … Read Full Post »

Chinch Bugs: What Homeowners Need to Know About This Common Lawn Pest

May 9, 2017. Posted by J Zambo in Lawn Care, Pest Control • San Antonio

Your lawn is full of all kinds of small insects, some which are beneficial, and some which are not. Chinch bugs are a common lawn pest that can do a lot of damage to your grass. Let’s learn more about chinch bugs, how to know you have them and how to get rid of them if they are in your yard.

Chinch Bugs: What Homeowners Need to Know

Southern chinch bugs are small and slender with white wings with distinctive black triangular marks. Nymphs will go through five phases. The color will change from red with a faint white band across the midsection to black with a white band. They are the top pests associated with St. Augustine grass, although they can also feed on other grass species, such as Zoysia and Bermuda grass.

Chinch bugs are inactive during the winter months, as they prefer warmer, … Read Full Post »

How to Deter Bees From Making Your Home Theirs

May 5, 2017. Posted by Les Stobart in Pest Control • Bryan-College Station

Bees serve a vital function in nature. But having bees come to visit is very different than having bees who come and stay.

How to Deter Bees from Making Your Home Theirs

In case you’re wondering how to deter bees from building a hive in or around your home, we’ve got some things you need to know.

The Truth About Bees

Worker bees are attracted to flowers and budding trees, landing on open flowers and picking up pollen on their legs and bodies as they suck up the nectar in the flowers. The pollen is then distributed across the area as they land on each flower. Once full, bees return to their hive and deposit the nectar they’ve picked up. The deposited nectar is stored and used to feed the queen and the rest of the hive, creating the honey we use in our tea, on toast and when baking.

Bees do not go looking … Read Full Post »

Can Sand Fleas Travel Home With You? Banishing Sand Fleas

May 4, 2017. Posted by Les Stobart in Pest Control • Corpus Christi

Many of us enjoy spending time in coastal areas, soaking up the sun at our favorite beach. While the feeling of the sand in our toes and the cool ocean breezes are welcome, there are some things about spending time near the water which aren’t as nice. One of the drawbacks is that we share the coastal environment with many other animals, some of which bite. One group of these creatures is commonly called sand fleas, which can leave behind irritating, itchy welts.

The next natural question you might ask as you are packing up to head home or to your hotel is “Can sand fleas travel home with you?”

The short answer to that question is that Americans typically don’t have true sand fleas in their homes. That’s because what we commonly call sand fleas in the United States and what are actually sand fleas, which are found in South America, … Read Full Post »

Natural Garden Pest Control: Advice from the Pros

May 1, 2017. Posted by Vanessa Jenkins Green in Pest Control • Orlando

Having a home garden takes hard work and dedication. You have to plan out which plants and vegetables you want to grow, make sure your soil is compatible, and then nurture your plants as they grow. The result can be gratifying, but this accomplishment can be dashed when you notice tiny pests feeding on your plants and destroying the garden you so carefully put together. How do you protect your plants without using chemicals? You have many options if you want to practice natural garden pest control.

Natural Garden Pest Control

Depending on the type of pest you’re dealing with, there are different ways to correct your problem. From mosquito repellent plants to homemade pesticides to adding beneficial bugs to get the job done, home gardeners have many tools at their disposal.

Mosquito Repellent Plants

If you live where the climate stays warm for most of the year, mosquito season can last virtually all … Read Full Post »

Birds That Eat Ticks: Do Turkeys Eat Ticks?

April 20, 2017. Posted by Les Stobart in Flea & Tick Control, Pest Control • Bryan-College Station

Ever been bitten by a tick? If so, you know how annoying they can be, at best. At worst, ticks can transmit serious diseases to humans. Ticks are small, parasitic pests that feed on the blood of a “host”—namely, another animal. Ticks aren’t too discriminating when it comes to their food; they’re all too happy to feast on humans, dogs and cats along with other, wilder animals. Fortunately, there are many different animals that are a tick’s natural predator, including some birds that eat ticks that might make a great addition to your home to assist with natural tick control.

Do turkeys eat ticks? That’s a question many homeowners ask. There are several types of poultry and wild birds that eat ticks, for example, along with ants, centipedes and certain other predatory insects. Keep reading to learn more about these parasitic creatures and how you can keep them away from … Read Full Post »

Sugar Ant Bites And More: How To Treat Ant Bites And Stings

April 17, 2017. Posted by Les Stobart in Pest Control • San Antonio

For such a tiny creature, ants have quite an impact on humans. These insects have lived on Earth for over 100 million years, outlasting the dinosaurs. As social animals, ants live in groups that can number in the millions. Although ants perform an important function in nature, bites from these pests can be annoying, painful and can even trigger a life-threatening allergic reaction in some individuals.

To help better understand how to treat an ant bite, it’s helpful to know about the different types of ants you might encounter and what attracts them to your home. Once you have treated your ant bite, you’ll also want to learn how to avoid an infestation so you won’t getting bitten in the future.

Sugar Ant Bites: Should I Be Worried?

One of the most common ant species you are likely to run across indoors is the sugar ant, which is actually a group of ant … Read Full Post »

Scorpions in Texas and What To Do If You Encounter One

April 12, 2017. Posted by Les Stobart in Pest Control • Austin

Scorpions truly look like something out of a movie, but they’re actually a member of the arachnid species. You’ll immediately recognize them – they have the claws of a lobster and the tail of a pug that curls up over their backs. Their bodies are covered in a hard shell and the end of their curved tails are tipped with a stinger. And sting they do, but only when surprised.

Scorpions in Texas

About 1,500 known species of this predatory arachnid live across the world. More than 90 types live in this country alone. Texas is home to over a dozen different types of scorpions, with the most common being the striped bark scorpion or Centruroides vittatus. It’s a medium-sized, pale-colored scorpion, about two to three inches long. What sets it apart from the other scorpions are the two dark stripes across its back with a dark triangle on its head.

There’s no escaping … Read Full Post »

What Is a Mosquito Hawk?

April 6, 2017. Posted by Les Stobart in Mosquito Control, Pest Control • San Antonio

Mosquito hawks, also known as crane flies, are often mistaken for huge, threatening mosquitoes—but they are not a type of mosquito at all. In fact, they aren’t even related to mosquitoes, despite the fact that they are rumored—incorrectly—to feed on mosquitoes and their larvae.

What Is A Mosquito Hawk?

What do these huge flying insects eat? Do mosquito hawks bite humans, the way mosquitoes do? And perhaps most importantly, how can you keep these insects out of your home and yard?

What Mosquito Hawks Aren’t

First, let’s clear up a couple of misconceptions about mosquito hawks. Crane flies are not the only insect species referred to by that name. Dragonflies are also sometimes called mosquito hawks since they actually do prey on mosquitoes (along with other small, flying insects) for food. Contrary to popular rumor, however, dragonflies aren’t an effective factor in mosquito control, as they don’t eat nearly enough of those bloodsucking pests … Read Full Post »

How to Get Rid of Mayflies

April 4, 2017. Posted by Vanessa Jenkins Green in Pest Control • Houston

If you’ve ever seen a gathering of flies around your home’s doorways or entryway, you’ve probably encountered a gathering of mayflies. But whether you correctly identified them, well, that’s another story. That’s because mayflies are often misidentified as dragonflies and damselflies. Although these creatures are relatively harmless, chances are you don’t want mayflies inside your home.

How To Get Rid of Mayflies

Warmer months often mean more flies and insects flying around and outside your home. When you start noticing flying insects, the next step is usually taking steps to keep these insects from getting inside your home. Let’s discuss how to correctly identify mayflies, what to do if you have an infestation, and ways to prevent them from infesting your home again.

Identification

Despite their name, the mayfly is unrelated to a housefly or other true flies. And though they might look the same at first glance, the two species are quite different. … Read Full Post »