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You Will Soon Be Able to Purchase Cyborg Cockroaches. No Really. We’re Not Joking.

. Posted by in • Austin

Order Your Cyborg Cockroaches Today

If you’ve ever wanted to control a cockroach with your iPhone, today’s technology can fulfill your dreams. No, it’s not a new app. We’re talking about real live cyborg roaches that have been surgically modified with microelectronics.

How RoboRoaches Work

Tiny circuit boards affixed to their backs receive signals from Bluetooth-enabled devices; the signals stimulate electrodes inserted into their antennae. Roaches normally use their antennae to detect obstacles in their path. The signals trick them into thinking there is something in their way. They move right or left as directed to avoid the perceived objects. With a few strokes on a touch screen, you can make them walk in circles or navigate through an obstacle course. Neuroscience educators are excited about the prospect of teaching kids to modify their own roaches. They’re hoping the experiment will promote interest in the field. If you can’t wait to get your … Read Full Post »

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Bed Bugs Want Your Home for the Winter

. Posted by in , • Houston

Here comes the cold weather. It ends outdoor activities and begins an indoor migration of pests looking for somewhere to hide from the inclement weather. Bed bugs think your house would make a great winter home, and they have ways to get inside it. Once they breach your castle walls, they’re extremely hard to remove without the help of a professional pest control company.

ABC Home and Commercial Services of Houston employs the latest technology and some old-school tricks. We use a dog to check your home for bed bugs. Dogs can take one sniff and know if your home has an infestation of bloodsuckers. You might have suspicions, but our dog knows if and where bed bugs are hiding in your home.

Once we find the bed bugs, we don’t use pesticides to kill them because bed bugs hide in tiny crevices and cracks in the walls and furniture. Pesticides can’t … Read Full Post »

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Creepy Ways Bed Bugs Can Get into Your Room

. Posted by in , • San Antonio

When it comes to bed bugs, big problems arrive in small packages. These tiny menaces strike just when you’re getting comfortable at home or on a much-needed vacation. Bed bugs are fast, dangerously effective at sucking blood and have plenty of creepy ways to sneak into your home. Whether you’re defending your own territory or trying to outsmart them in a hotel, it’s important to be bed bug aware.

Travel and Hotels

Bed bugs are natural travelers that are designed to hitch rides. Most travelers are wary of bed bugs in hotel mattresses, but they can hide in other places too. Bugs can even lurk on the straps of luggage stands. Infestations can also stem from household visitors, including that old friend who slept on your couch after visiting every youth hostel in North America. Watching out for bed bugs is the best way to minimize exposure.

Work and School

Schools have long been … Read Full Post »

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Signs of Infestation That Most Homeowners Miss

. Posted by in , • Orlando
can termites eat concrete

If you’re like most people, you prefer to live in an environment that’s sheltered from the elements and has an adequate food supply. Unfortunately, many pests share your desire for a cozy home. Because they are small and often difficult to spot, you can have quite an infestation before you notice that pests have invaded. However, knowing what to look for, you can better defend yourself against unwanted intruders.

Is it an infestation or a minor problem?

Termites come in two varieties: subterranean and dry wood. The subterranean species make their home in the soil, leaving it to feed. The dry wood species prefers to invade wood floors, furniture, and house frames, living out their lives within the invaded structure. Many homeowners never know they have an infestation unless they see them swarming. Other signs are less obvious but may allow you to detect a problem sooner. One such sign is the … Read Full Post »

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The Stink on Stinkbugs

. Posted by in • Orlando
stink bug problems orlando

Seeing a stinkbug can cause undue panic and stress in any homeowner.

These pesky visitors are the ones that you would never want to see anywhere close to you. What makes them so icky and frightening? With years of evolution, these pesky insects have developed the remarkable ability to ward off intruders with the most ghastly-smelling liquid. Developed as a defense mechanism against predators, stinkbugs or shield bugs can mistake you for one and spray you with a nasty liquid from their tiny glands. Apart from the dreadful odor, there are many other reasons why a stinkbug infestation warrants immediate pest control. Not only are they highly resilient, but these insects can make themselves very comfortable in your property’s dark and deep crevices.

Are Stinkbugs Harmful?

They don’t bite you, nor do they have venom. But they can stink to the point of leaving you in extreme discomfort. The next time you face … Read Full Post »

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Living with Wildlife Instead of Fighting a Losing Battle

. Posted by in • Bryan-College Station

Imagine that you spray your foundation monthly, but the bugs keep returning. After years of work and gallons of insecticide, the strategy hasn’t helped. With pesticide-resistant bugs and environmental contamination in the news, experts have realized that chemical weapons aren’t always the best method for managing pests. This knowledge isn’t entirely new. Scientists have been developing integrated pest management (IPM) techniques for more than 50 years. IPM is a pest control philosophy that combines several different approaches to keep pests at acceptable levels. These strategies can be used to manage lawns, landscape plants and household pests.

Whether we like it or not, pests are part of the local ecosystem. In some cases, they help control other bugs. In other cases, they provide food for other species. Instead of using a blanket approach to eradicate every living bug within your property lines, IPM focuses on ways to adjust the natural balance. Here’s … Read Full Post »

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10 Worst Pests Around the World

. Posted by in • Houston

Texas is known for having some pretty destructive pests, from crazy ants to cockroaches, but these local bugs can’t compete with the problems worldwide. Below are 10 of the strangest and worst invasive species of insects, rodents, amphibians, and even plants found worldwide:

1. The Asian Tiger Mosquito. Originating in Asia, this black-and-white striped mosquito is now one of the most widespread animal species on the planet. In just two decades, it’s spread to 28 separate countries. Like other mosquitoes, it can carry West Nile virus and other blood-borne diseases.

2. The Cotton Whitefly. These tiny bugs measure just a millimeter in length and don’t seem threatening. However, they are devastating to plant life, carrying up to 100 different plant viruses and feasting on 900 species of plants. These bugs exist in every continent except Antarctica.

3. The Snakehead Fish. This fearsome fish has been destroying local ecosystems in several countries, including the … Read Full Post »

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Bee Removal: Signing a Peace Treaty with Our Buzzy Buddies

. Posted by in • Austin

You love their honey, and from a safe distance, you think they’re cute. However, when you find their nest in your yard, their presence becomes a safety issue. Bees are generally harmless, beneficial insects that have no desire to interfere with your life, but they can deliver painful stings when they become defensive. If you or members of your household suffer from bee allergies, a single sting could be deadly. If you own a business, your customers won’t stick around if bees are swarming around their heads. Sometimes removing bees is absolutely necessary, but there’s usually no need to reach for poison. Removal and relocation is the only method we use here at ABC for managing bee problems. Instead of waging war with them, consider yourself their real estate agent—focus on finding them a new place to live.

Why Our Buzzy Friends are so Important

In the last few years, bees have … Read Full Post »

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5 Best Bugs for the Garden

. Posted by in • Dallas-Fort Worth

As a gardener, you’re always on the lookout for invasive or destructive bugs that can munch their way through your plants and ruin the hard work that you put in during the growing season. You might not be as familiar with the garden-friendly bugs that thrive in North Texas. By crowding out unwanted pests, these five critters act as natural bug repellents.

1. Aphid Midge

These creatures give a whole new meaning to the term “small, but deadly.” While the adult flies are innocuous, their larvae are the aphid’s worst nightmare. Each tiny, bright orange slug can eat as many as 60 full-grown aphids per day by delivering a powerful toxin that allows them to devour the leaf-munching insects from the inside out. Aphid midges lay their eggs among the leaves of plants that produce large amounts of pollen, so be sure to space some evenly throughout your garden.

2. Ladybug

The ladybug needs … Read Full Post »

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Scientists Discover Neuropeptide That Can Prevent Insect Reproduction

. Posted by in • Dallas-Fort Worth

Many of our customers express concerns about whether the pesticides that they treat their lawns with are safe for the environment. While a number of the chemical agents currently on the market are fine when used in a controlled fashion, scientific research has recently revealed that new natural methods of controlling insect populations could be even better for the planet. Natalisin, a recently discovered chemical, may be able to cut down on the number of pests that reproduce, without causing the side effects common with other treatments.

What Is Natalisin?

Natalisin is a neuropeptide that naturally occurs within the brains of insects. What is a neuropeptide you may ask? It is a chemical that controls the majority of biological activity in insects, including actions like muscle movement. One of the most important functions that natalisin controls is pheromone creation.

Pheromones help male and female insects signal each other, via scent, when they’re ready … Read Full Post »

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