How Long Do Flies Live?

March 28, 2017. Posted by Vanessa Jenkins Green in Pest Control • Orlando

What’s that buzzing around your outdoor picnic? It’s probably fly. That’s because the housefly (Musca domestica) is one of the most common insects people interact with daily. And with more than 16,000 species of flies in North America alone and an ability to produce an estimated 1,000,000 offspring in weeks, it doesn’t look like they’re going anywhere anytime soon.

How Long Do Flies Live?

Let’s learn more about the lifespan and lifecycle of a common fly and how you can rid your home of them. We’ll also address common myths about flies and dive into the world of these pesky pests.

The Lifespan of a Fly

Contrary to popular belief, the common fly lives longer than a mere 24 hours. Entomologists say that mature house flies can live up to 25 days. And while the typical range is between 15 to 25 days, some reports indicate a lifespan of two full months.

A few … Read Full Post »

What Attracts Mosquitoes to Humans?

For a small insect, mosquitoes can be quite aggravating. A common topic of conversation when mosquitoes are out, and biting is why certain people seem to be the target of mosquitoes and not others.

What Attracts Mosquitoes to Humans?

Let’s take a look at why mosquitoes like to bite us, what makes them choose some people over others, and what we can all do to protect ourselves from these pesky pests.

Why Do Mosquitoes Bite?

Did you know all of the mosquitoes who bite you are females? They seek out warm-blooded creatures for a meal. The mosquito’s proboscis, a part of its mouth, works like a hypodermic needle. She injects a little of her own saliva into our skin, which thins the blood and allows her to draw it out of the capillaries in our skin.

The mosquito doesn’t drink your blood for herself but uses the proteins and other substances in the blood to … Read Full Post »

How to Get Rid of Birds in the Attic

March 23, 2017. Posted by Les Stobart in Pest Control • Bryan-College Station

One of the pleasant sounds you can experience in nature is the chirping of birds. When these calls become too close for comfort, however, you may start to suspect something else is going on: you might have birds living in your attic.

How To Get Rid Of Birds In The Attic

Read on to learn how and why birds seek refuge in our homes, what signs we should look for that they are inside and how can you move them back to their proper habitat.

How do birds enter my home?

While it might seem odd to find a bird in your attic, it’s not uncommon, especially during the spring, as birds are migrating back from the south. During this time of year, our feathered friends are looking for a new place to call home and often attics, garages and chimneys offer the shelter and protection the birds are looking for.

Although these … Read Full Post »

Is Zika in Orlando?

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

As of early 2017, there were more than 5,100 confirmed cases of the Zika virus in the continental United States, including over 1,000 pregnant women infected. Miami, Florida, was the first U.S. location to document local, mosquito-borne transmissions of the virus, making Florida a focal point in the fight against this illness that can have devastating effects on pregnant women and babies born to infected mothers.

Is Zika in Orlando?

While Florida’s mosquito control efforts have been somewhat successful in stopping Zika’s spread—in December 2016, Florida Governor Rick Scott even declared South Beach and all other areas of Florida to be Zika-free—the virus remains a threat in Miami-Dade County, along with other parts of the state. So what about central Florida? Is Zika in Orlando? Let’s take a look at the facts.

How Zika Spread to the United States

While the spread of Zika in the United States became public prominence in 2015, … Read Full Post »

Japanese Beetle Vs. Ladybug: Why Does It Matter To Me?

March 8, 2017. Posted by Les Stobart in Pest Control • Austin

The most common type of insects are beetles. These bugs are found in nearly every type of marine and terrestrial environment, so we do see them in our lawns and gardens. When comparing the Japanese beetle vs. the ladybug, what do we need to know about which might be beneficial and which is destructive?

While ladybugs or lady beetles are among the most beloved of all insects, Japanese beetles are seen as an agricultural threat. Japanese beetles (Popillia japonica Newman) are invasive pests which feed on the fruit and leaves of many types of crops, shrubs, trees and vines. As their name suggests, these insects were brought into the U.S. in the early 1900s from Japan. These beetles have infested many of the states east of the Mississippi River and have partially infested Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and South Dakota. Japanese beetles are metallic green with copper-brown wing covers and reach … Read Full Post »

Are There Mosquito Repellent Plants?

March 7, 2017. Posted by Les Stobart in Mosquito Control, Pest Control • Corpus Christi

Many homeowners invest a significant amount of time and energy into making their outdoor spaces inviting places to relax and unwind. Unfortunately, there is a common pest that often interferes with these well-laid plans: the mosquito. With the wide variety of mosquito control products available, it’s easy to be overwhelmed. One approach you may have heard of is to put plants in your backyard that keep mosquitoes away. Citronella grass, lemongrass, lemon balm, catnip, bee balm, peppermint, rosemary, lavender and basil are all varieties that are purported to be effective for natural mosquito control.

Unfortunately, scientific studies have shown that it’s not the plants themselves that mosquitoes don’t like. It’s actually the oil in the leaves which contains properties that can repel these bothersome biting insects. That means that you would need to crush the leaves of these plants to extract the oils and rub those oils on your skin to … Read Full Post »

What You Need to Know About Mosquito Season in Florida

February 15, 2017. Posted by Vanessa Jenkins Green in Mosquito Control, Pest Control • Orlando

While the year-round temperate weather is one of the many perks of living in Florida, any resident of the Sunshine State can tell you those perks come with a price—including a nearly year-round mosquito season. Thanks to plenty of warmth and moisture, two conditions where mosquito populations thrive, mosquito season in Florida doesn’t have a clear beginning or end point. However, Florida mosquito species are most active in the spring and summer months, when warm temperatures combined with frequent, heavy rains produce thriving mosquito populations.

What You Need To Know About Mosquito Season in Florida

In any geographic region, mosquito season depends on rainfall and temperature. In many parts of the country, the first warm days of spring signal the start of mosquito season, and winter’s first frost signals the end—except in more arid areas, where mosquito populations don’t pose a problem even in colder months.

But while January is typically Florida’s coldest … Read Full Post »

How To Get Rid of Fruit Flies

January 19, 2017. Posted by Vanessa Jenkins Green in Pest Control • Orlando

What’s that buzzing around your kitchen? Are little bugs swarming your trash can or congregating on your fresh fruit? If you ever have tiny gnat-like insects hanging out in your kitchen, chances are they’re fruit flies. Once you begin to notice them, fruit flies appear to be everywhere. Not long after you start seeing fruit flies in your house, many homeowners realize they are ready to eliminate these pesky insects.

How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies

Before we discuss how to get rid of fruit flies in your house, let’s learn more about these animals and how they make it into your home.

What Are Fruit Flies?

These insects are small flies of the Drosophila species, and although tiny, when magnified, they look a lot like houseflies. Entomologists describe adult fruit flies as about 1/8 inch long, and although you can’t see them, they have red eyes. They can lay up to 500 … Read Full Post »

Where Do Silverfish Come From?

January 17, 2017. Posted by ABC Home & Commercial in Pest Control • San Antonio

There’s just something about silverfish that make people’s skin crawl. It could be the animal’s prehistoric appearance, with segmented bodies and long legs and antennae. Or maybe it’s the fact that they tend to show up inside our favorite books or on the bathroom floor in the middle of the night. Whatever it is, for some people these small insects are the stuff of nightmares.

In this blog post, we’ll take a look at what these little creatures are, where silverfish come from and how to get rid of them safely.

What Are Silverfish?

Silverfish (Lepisma saccharina) are small, wingless insects. These creatures typically live for two to eight years, and they get their name from their silvery color and the way the wiggle like a fish out of water. They have long antennae and generally don’t get bigger than ¾ of an inch long.

Do Silverfish Bite?

Surprisingly, despite their over-the-top creepy … Read Full Post »

Fleas Driving You Crazy? Try These Natural Flea Killers

January 3, 2017. Posted by ABC Home & Commercial in Pest Control • Austin

In warm climates, fleas are a year-round problem. Even as autumn comes upon us with cooler temperatures, fleas will hold on until the first frost, and if they’re comfortable inside our homes, they might never leave.

What’s worse, fleas are difficult to control. To get rid of them for good, you’ll need to treat your pets as well as your house and your yard. You’ll need to adopt an approach which allows you to kill both adult fleas and their eggs, preventing them from returning.

Natural Flea Killers

There are some ways you can tackle a flea infestation without resorting to dangerous chemicals. Let’s take a closer look at how fleas can become a problem, how you can make your own natural flea killer, and how you can get rid of these pests, once and for all.

Why Are Fleas Such a Problem?

Fleas are small insects that live on mammals, including dogs, cats, and … Read Full Post »