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Can Termites Spread Through Clothes?

. Posted by in • San Antonio
Can termites spread through clothes

Termites are a big threat to your home. How do these dangerous pests find their way onto your property? Can termites spread through clothes? Learn more about termites, their preferred habitats and their behavior so you’ll be better equipped to protect your home against the menace of these wood-munching insects.

Can Termites Travel in Clothes?

The biggest questions homeowners usually have about termites is how they spread. Since termites look similar to ants to the untrained eye, many of us assume termites travel in the same way ants do. That might mean they could crawl into your suitcase while you are packing or hitch a ride in your gym bag when you set it in your garage before you leave.

The truth of the matter is that most of the serious damage done to a home by termites is linked to the subterranean species. These termites prefer to stay close to the soil, as … Read Full Post »

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Cockroaches and Humans: Why Can’t We Get Along?

. Posted by in • Dallas-Fort Worth

Waging a war on bugs with advanced pest control services

Saying that people and cockroaches have an antagonistic relationship is a gross understatement. We hate them and they love us—at least, they love our cozy, food-filled homes. Fortunately, people have become a little better at defending their territory against these creepy crawlies. Here in Dallas, homeowners square off against American, Oriental and German cockroaches. As you may have guessed, each variety has its own charms. American cockroaches are large and proficient fliers. Oriental roaches are particularly scary looking. German roaches are smaller, but they make up for that in numbers.

Wonderful Roaches

Cockroaches are one of the most successful life forms ever. They’re found in modern cities, forests and every continent except Antarctica. There’s a lot to learn from these primitive yet highly adaptable bugs. For example, how do cockroaches survive in such dirty places? Researchers in Great Britain found the answer: Locust … Read Full Post »

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Beyond Bee Stings: Can Household Pests Trigger Asthma and Allergies?

. Posted by in • San Antonio

Bugs can cause all sorts of problems for allergy and asthma patients. The symptoms they trigger range from sneezing and itchy eyes to severe, life-threatening asthma attacks or anaphylaxis. If you’re allergic to bees, wasps, ants or other pests, it’s fairly easy to avoid triggers. At an early age, you probably learned to run when you saw them. Unfortunately, some insects affect allergy or asthma patients in a less obvious way. You may not even know they pose a threat. Of all the pesky allergens you avoid to keep your airway open, roaches probably aren’t even on the list.

Roach Parts and Other Gross Triggers

According to the Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America, 78% to 98% of homes in America have cockroaches. If you see one, there are probably many others secretly hiding in your walls. While stings are the major source of trouble in most insect allergies, roaches don’t have … Read Full Post »

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The Link Between Pests, Asthma and Allergies

. Posted by in • Dallas-Fort Worth

Are Pests Causing My Family’s Issues with Allergies and Asthma?

Approximately 50 million Americans have issues with allergies, and it’s estimated that an additional 25 million people are asthmatic. Medical research indicates that approximately 80% of patients who suffer from asthma attacks can link this problem to allergies. In other words, it’s imperative for people dealing with this medical condition to keep a close eye on any potential allergy triggers that could end up causing them serious discomfort or even forcing them to obtain emergency attention. Unfortunately, many asthmatics aren’t aware of the fact that the pests hiding in their home could be one of their greatest health risks.

Which Pest is the Most Dangerous?

It’s common for people with asthma to assume that their major allergy triggers are animal dander, dust, stinging insects and plant pollen. Although all of these things can definitely lead to an asthma attack, they’re not necessarily the … Read Full Post »

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San Antonio’s Most Common Lawn-Destroying Insects

. Posted by in • San Antonio

…And What You Can Do to Stop Them

There’s nothing worse than putting the finishing touches on a cool, green expanse of springtime grass and promptly finding an insect or arthropod infestation within its confines. Unfortunately, the San Antonio area is home to many lawn-destroying pests that cause serious financial and time-management problems for local homeowners. Learn more about the most common types of lawn-eating insects and the steps you can take to limit the damage they cause.

Fire Ants

Few insect species cause as many problems for San Antonio-area homeowners as the dreaded fire ant. These critters establish extensive colonies in sunny, open spaces, including cultivated yards. Fortunately, fire ant infestations are immediately recognizable: Each infestation produces at least one conical mound that can reach over a foot in height.

While fire ants don’t feast on turf grasses, they can weaken your lawn’s root structure and create unsightly dirt patches. To get rid … Read Full Post »

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Never Underestimate the Destructive Power of Squirrels

. Posted by in , • San Antonio

They might be cute, but squirrels can destroy healthy trees, unpack all the Christmas decorations in your attic, turn your insulation into confetti and renovate your home’s siding. Many people recognize a squirrel problem and get professional pest control involved before things get out of hand, but some homeowners aren’t so lucky. If you think our hearty Texas squirrels are causing big problems, take a moment to discover what others have endured.

Furry-Tailed Bumps in the Night

If you’ve ever heard footsteps in your attic or unexplained noises that make your blood run cold, you may just have a squirrel, a rat or a mouse in your attic. Acoustics in open spaces can magnify and alter simple noises to make them sound complex and alarmingly unearthly. Paranormal investigators often trace the origins of weird noises to the nocturnal movement of rodents. Professional ghost hunters may find that your eerie footsteps turn out … Read Full Post »

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Pests That Invade and Annoy All Year Round

. Posted by in • Bryan-College Station

It’s hard enough to deal with a temporary pest infestation, but many Central Texas homeowners have to face pests that invade and annoy all year long. Unfortunately, the mild climate and rich biodiversity of this region creates a welcoming environment for many household and yard pests that don’t need to hibernate or die off during cool or dry periods. Fortunately, dealing with year-round pests isn’t much different from dealing with seasonal pests. We’ve identified some of the most common year-round pests below.

Plus-Size Rodents: Brown Rats

There are several different types of “objectionable” rodents. Among the most common—and most off-putting—is the brown rat. With characteristic brown fur and beady eyes, the brown rat can grow to more than a foot in length. In the relatively warm climate of Central Texas, these creatures don’t hibernate or go dormant. Early signs of an infestation may include scratching or squealing within your walls, basement crevices … Read Full Post »

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What Do Nocturnal Insects Do During the Day?

. Posted by in • Austin

What You Need to Know About Nocturnal Pest Control in Austin

Unless you’re a night owl, you might not spot many of the insects that infest your home and damage your garden. That’s because some of Central Texas’s worst insect pests are nocturnal critters that emerge from daytime hiding spaces to feed and cause havoc. Learn more about some nocturnal pests and their day-walking counterparts.

Common Nocturnal Pests and Their Daytime Activities

Several species of cockroach bedevil Central Texas homeowners. At night, they forage through indoor living areas and eat just about any organic matter that they can find. Their favorite foods include starchy foods, meat and sugary substances as well as “inedible” items like leather, wallpaper paste and certain types of glue. During the day, they may hide in natural habitats like garden beds and wood piles or artificial spaces like cracks and crevices within basement foundations. In general, their daytime hiding … Read Full Post »

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After Avoiding the Spotlight for Years, Bed Bugs Are Making a Big Comeback

. Posted by in , • San Antonio

Returning Stars of the Pest Parade

They top the list of unwanted guests with the Texas hospitality industry, and San Antonio homeowners cringe at the idea of sharing space with these tiny trespassers. After a 40-year absence, bed bugs crawled back on the pest scene in the late 1990s, but it’s safe to say they never really retired.

Ancient Players

As far back as 400 BC, Cimex lectularius snuggled down with ancient sleepers and feasted on kings and commoners alike. Over the centuries, the insect’s reputation rose and fell with prevailing attitudes. Some civilizations considered its blood sucking abilities a cure for everything from ear infections to hysteria. These mistaken assumptions eventually fell to the wayside, but early pest control methods, such as dusting with black pepper and filling a home with smoke, involved a good share of nonsense as well.

Old-Fashioned Strategies

By the 1940s, the introduction of heavy-duty pesticides put a dent in … Read Full Post »

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Your Home as Rodent Cuisine

. Posted by in • San Antonio

Your San Antonio home is a safe, welcoming retreat filled with all the creature comforts from soft beds to full pantries. More than 30 native species of mice and rats agree. These furry pests are on the lookout for a warm spot and an easy meal. You don’t intentionally set the table for them, but these rodents relish moving into your home.

An Attractive Appetizer

Mice are always looking for shelter where they can settle in and raise a family. Urbanization has moved field rats into town and forced their city cousins into tighter quarters. This pest housing crisis makes your home an enticing hors d’oeuvre filled with tiny holes and cracks in the foundation, walls and floors. Pet bowls on the porch and bird seed in the backyard become trails of crumbs that invite four-legged invaders into your house. Once they move in, it’s too late to put up the sneeze … Read Full Post »

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