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Bugs and Ball Games Don’t Mix

. Posted by in , • San Antonio

Is your child too busy swatting at insects to focus on scoring goals on the soccer field? Does your weekly touch football game usually end with bug bites on your ankles? If so, your playing fields could benefit from San Antonio lawn services and pest control from ABC. While bugs can destroy the beauty of your lawn, business landscaping or sports field, they can also put a damper on your favorite outdoor activities by swarming, biting and stinging.

Pests That Can Ruin Your Game

Most of the time the insect world goes largely unnoticed, and we live in harmony with bugs when their populations are kept under control. The occasional mosquito or chigger isn’t going to disrupt your athletic focus, but an infestation of them on your playing field or golf course can turn a pleasant game into an afternoon of scratching and clawing at your itchy skin. Our San Antonio lawn … Read Full Post »

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How to Make Your Home Unappealing to Cockroaches

. Posted by in , • Austin

Cockroaches are a fact of life in Texas. Due to the mild weather in Austin, roaches are active year round and can work their way into homes very quickly. Fortunately, you can take some steps to avoid an infestation by making your home less appealing to these unwanted guests.

Primarily, cockroaches are looking for three things: food, water and shelter. If your home provides these things, insect pests are likely to invade. The key to keeping roaches out of your home is to limit their access to these things, which will make your home less appealing thus encouraging the cockroaches to go elsewhere. Here are some tips for keeping your home roach-free:

  • Keep all food in sealed plastic or glass containers.
  • Address any faucet leaks and avoid having standing water anywhere in the home.
  • Wash dishes after every meal instead of letting them pile up.
  • Avoid keeping piles of papers or cardboard on the floor … Read Full Post »
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The Pesky Silverfish: A Bug Profile

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth

You get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and find a long, silver-colored bug slithering in the sink. The next day, you rummage through a box in the garage and are horrified to find the same type of creepy crawler feasting on the binding of your favorite book. What are these pesky creatures that somehow manage to make your skin crawl as much as cockroaches? They’re silverfish, and although they are harmless to humans, they can cause considerable damage to your possessions and contaminate your food supply if you have an infestation.

Appearance, Habitat and Diet

Silverfish are insects that are long and shaped like a teardrop, and their color varies from brown to silver. Adult silverfish can grow up to an inch in length, and they have two antennae on the head and three projections on the tail end. While they can survive for long periods … Read Full Post »

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A Quick Guide to Year-round Edible Gardening in San Antonio

. Posted by in , , • San Antonio

There’s nothing quite like a fresh salad of homegrown, handpicked vegetables or a main dish sprinkled with fresh herbs just cut from the garden. One of the benefits of living in San Antonio is that there are edible plants that can be grown at any time of the year. Knowing what to grow and when to grow it is a matter of doing some research on gardening in the region.

San Antonio is considered to be in Hardiness Zone 8 according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. The information listed below is based on the season during which the plant will be ready for harvesting.

Spring

  • Broccoli can be started in the winter and transplanted to the garden by February. The timing of the planting season for broccoli makes it the perfect vegetable to be enjoyed in the spring.
  • Cucumbers are sown in warm weather and harvested quickly. If you start as soon as frost … Read Full Post »
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A Bug-filled Business Will Soon Be Out of Business

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth

Pests are the natural enemies of homeowners, but pests can put a serious damper on a business’s success and reputation. Visible pests are an obvious issue, but business owners should not underestimate the full impact of pests in the business place. For the reasons outlined below, it is important that local businesses seek experienced pest control companies.

First and foremost, pests can lead to swift and certain negative attention. Some customers will only make a scene on the premises, but many customers will take their disgust straight to the public. With the overwhelming presence of review websites, social media, and other internet outlets, it is extremely easy to spread a negative review. Since internet review sites are so popular, this could seriously impact potential customers, and many businesses with bad reviews know that those reviews are basically permanent. Additionally, the prevalence of smart phones and camera phones means that customers can … Read Full Post »

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Don’t Let Your Home Become a Winter Refuge for Pests

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth

With fall knocking on your door and winter just around the corner, you put a lot of effort into making your home nice and comfortable. Well not only does that make it warm and inviting for friends and guests, but for those UN-invited pests as well. Pest invasion is not exclusive to warm weather; the autumn and winter season has just as many nuisances as the spring and summer.According to the NPMA (National Property Management Association), rodents alone invade an estimated 21 million homes in the U.S. each winter. While rodent control is a concern to homeowners, that estimation does not include snakes and various insects. All types of creatures will find that cozy little house of yours to be the perfect home away from home during the autumn and winter weather.

Rodents like mice and rats are burrowers, which means that warm, soft insulation in your attic and between your … Read Full Post »

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Prevent Pests from Wintering in Your Home

. Posted by in , • Austin

Looking forward to the winter months when pests may hibernate or find a warmer place to live? Unfortunately, a warmer place to live could include inside your home. Read on to learn how you can prepare to maintain rodent control in Austin and deter other pests over the winter months.

Start Outside

You may think that keeping pests out of your home involves preparing your home on the inside, but focusing your attention on the outside of your home may actually be the best method of prevention.

Eliminate comfortable, inviting habitats for pests to discourage them from settling near your home. For example, many insects seek out moist, dark places that contain a food source. Keep areas around the home dry, well-lit and free of food sources in order to keep pests away. Insects typically eat leaves, fruit and other insects.

Trash piles and garbage cans attract pests, so keep trash cans as far … Read Full Post »

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Are Bugs Interrupting Your Time on the Playing Field?

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth

Spending time outdoors playing sports can be a great way to stay in shape and have fun with friends and colleagues, but pests on the playing field can distract players and take away from the enjoyment of the game. Read on to find out more about the pests that can ruin an outdoor sports game.

Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes interrupt a game by buzzing around players, but the distraction may last into other games if a bite ends up causing significant itching. Repellents can help deter mosquitoes, and players should remember to take precautions because of the possibility of these pests spreading diseases such as West Nile.

Stinging Bugs

Insects that can sting are typically the most disruptive to a sports game. Players may be nervous about the possibility of being stung, and attention is shifted from playing the game to avoiding the insect in question.

Flies and Gnats

Flies are attracted to people because they like to … Read Full Post »

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How to Handle Mystery Bugs

. Posted by in , • Houston

Several mysterious insects can be found in Houston. Many unfamiliar bugs are harmless, but they can also signify the beginning of an infestation. Most people only have the expertise to identify common bugs. More than 25,000 insect species live in Texas, according to Texas A&M University. It’s essential to handle mystery bugs carefully and take steps to keep them out of your home.

If you find an unfamiliar insect outdoors, photograph it for identification. You may want to catch the bug if it is inside your home. Be cautious–wear gloves and use an implement such as long tweezers to move the insect. Store it in a glass container with a tight lid. Remember that some bugs can chew through cardboard, wood, or plastic.

Keep children and pets away from the insect. Some bugs may trigger allergies or cause serious illnesses when they bite or sting. For example, the Lone Star tick spreads … Read Full Post »

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House Flies In Winter: Do Flies Hibernate in the Winter?

. Posted by in • Houston
house flies in winter

What’s that buzzing around your kitchen? What is your dog chasing around the living room? What came in when you left the back door open too long? In many cases, the answer is the same: a fly.

Have you ever noticed that house flies seem to disappear during the winter months? How do they virtually vanish in the cold weather and reappear in full force once the weather starts warming up? Read on to find out.

What Flies Do During The Winter

Adult house flies in winter spend their days in cracks and crevices, away from humans. In the spring, these flies lay eggs on decaying materials. Although this behavior can be compared to hibernation, the truth is that flies do not spend the winter months in a deep sleep like some animals, including some species of turtles, snakes, bats, hummingbirds, ladybugs, skunks, and frogs. The cluster fly and other common fly species … Read Full Post »

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