ABC Blog

Texas Mosquito Myths

With so many families spending time outdoors, it’s important to stay protected from unplanned summer mishaps. In fact, adults named insect-related (25 percent) concerns like stings, bites and contracting the West Nile virus from infected mosquitoes among their top protection concerns during the summer.

When it comes to summer most of us can’t wait to hit the beach, hike local nature trails or even lounge in the backyard. In fact, according to the OFF! PowerPad survey, adults say they and/or their families plan to attend a barbecue (73 percent), watch fireworks (59 percent), attend outdoor concerts (33 percent), go camping (28 percent) and go to amusement parks (32 percent) this summer.

With so many families spending time outdoors, it’s important to stay protected from unplanned summer mishaps. In fact, adults named insect-related (25 percent) concerns like stings, bites and contracting the West Nile virus from infected mosquitoes among their top protection concerns … Read Full Post »

3 Tips to Having a Pest-Free Vacation

After that nice cold winter we had summer wasted no time in letting us know we were still in Texas. 100+ degree days already and it’s only June! It’s defiantly vacation time .On top of that the bugs are moving and just like you they are looking to beat the heat. Here are a few thing you might check before you head out the door for cooler climates.

1. Security Lighting: Most people like to deter snoops and thieves by leaving exterior lights on while they are out of town. It may help keep the crooks away, but those same lights shine like a beacon calling bugs to your home. The longer the light shines the more bugs that come. And getting that many bugs together is too much of a temptation for hungry spiders. You’ve created your own little pest house party when all you really wanted to do is … Read Full Post »

Venomous Spiders in Texas

Texas has two venomous species of spiders, the black widow (Latrodectus mactans) and the brown recluse (Loxosceles reclusa). Both of these species of spiders can be found indoors and outdoors throughout the State. The female black widow can be identified by its jet black color, globular abdomen with a reddish or yellowish hourglass on the underside. Male, black widow spiders are smaller, brown and nondescript. The black widow spider is aptly named because the female usually eats the male after mating. The venom of the black widow is a neurotoxin and can lead to severe systemic reactions and in rare cases, death. The black widow’s venom is reportedly 15 times more toxic than the venom of the prairie rattlesnake. However, only a minute quantity is injected with each bite. The most severe reactions occur in children and older adults. Black widow spiders can frequently be found in woodpiles, boxes, outdoor … Read Full Post »

Understanding Scorpions

Scorpions are arachnids, close relatives of ticks, mites and spiders. They are easily recognized by their characteristic shape. Scorpions prefer dryland habitats, but they do occur throughout Texas. They can be a nuisance when they interact with humans, because they will sting when disturbed.


Description

All scorpions have a long, slender body with a five-segmented tail that can be arched over the back. The tail ends in a bulb-like poison gland or stinger. Scorpions have four pairs of legs and two large pincer-bearing arms (pedipalps) in front. Scorpions are well equipped to defend themselves or attack prey with their pincers and stinger. Between the last pair of legs is a comblike structure (pectines) that is used to identify surface textures and to detect prey.

Scorpions have two eyes on the top of the head, and usually two to five pairs of eyes along the front corners of the head. They do not see … Read Full Post »

Getting to Know Chiggers

chiggers in Texas

Common chiggers, also known as berry bugs, harvest mites, “jiggers” and “redbugs,” are tiny pests whose size don’t match the amount of torment they can cause humans. Chiggers attach themselves to tender skin areas to feed. The bites can cause intense itching and small reddish welts. Chiggers in Texas can be a big pain for families who enjoy spending time outside.

Getting to Know Chiggers

Because chiggers are so small, they are hard to avoid. Most people cannot see these minuscule creatures without a magnifying glass, and so the bites may be the only indication that the bugs have infested a certain area.

How to Identify Chiggers

In the larval stage, chiggers are orange, yellow or light red. They are less than 1/150 of an inch in diameter, with hairy bodies. Larvae have six legs and their mouthparts include two pairs of grasping palps with forked claws. The nymphs and adults have eight … Read Full Post »

What Are Wood Wasps?

One of the more unusual insects you are likely to see is the wood wasp.  The terms wood wasp and horntail describe wood-boring insects in the families Siricidae, Xiphydriidae, Anaxyelidae, and Orussidea.  They are not wasps at all.  You are most likely to see these large insects that normally are attracted to and complete their life cycles in recently dead or dying conifer trees.  Timber, salvaged from fire damaged forests may be processed into infested lumber that can eventually lead to emergence of adult wasps in completed buildings.  These insects are nuisance invaders and are not harmful to humans.

Wood wasps are 1-inch in length, have an elongated, cylindrical body without a noticeable constricted “waist.”  They are often black or metallic in color.  They buzz while flying.  The female is large and has a long ovipositor, which is used only for egg laying and cannot be used to sting in defense.  … Read Full Post »

Termite Season Approaches: Tips for Homeowners

With the arrival of spring, homeowners need to be on guard for an annual menace that threatens their homes: termites. April and May are the height of termite season – the time when the temperature is just right for termites to begin swarming out of their nests to build new colonies in another location. These “swarmers” look a lot like flying ants – but the damage they can do in the long run is much more serious.

Homeowners who see flying termites need to pay special attention. First, you need to find out if they came from your property. Termites commonly live underground, but tunnel into your house to eat the wood as a food source. Be on the lookout for tunnels on your home made of mud. If the swarmers seem to be mostly indoors, it’s a good sign you’re already infested.

If they’re coming over from the neighbor’s property, you … Read Full Post »

Tomato Plant Pests in Texas

Tomatoes are the most popular crop for home gardeners, but it can be a challenge to grow them in Texas. One of the biggest problems that Texas tomato gardeners face are pests. The best way to battle a garden pest problem is by being vigilant, proactive and consistent in controlling it. Being able to identify pests immediately will help you take quick action.

Aphids and Whiteflies
Aphids are tiny insects that can be black, white or green, which can often be found on the stem or leaf of the plant. Whiteflies are white, but attack plants the same way. Treat these insects immediately as their population will grow quickly. A blast of a hose will usually be successful in removing a few aphids or whiteflies at first sight of them. Applying insecticidal soaps or hot pepper sprays will further help repel them. If only a few plants are being infected, they should … Read Full Post »

Rodent Tall “Tails”

Few pests generate as many persistent myths as do pest rodents and their management. Who hasn’t heard stories about “rats as big as cats,” and how some rodenticides supposedly make rodents go outside to drink, or perhaps allegedly mummify them? Here are some great rodent myths:

MYTH: SEWER RATS ARE DIFFERENT FROM WHARF RATS.
FACT: The common commensal rat goes by many nicknames, such as house, wharf, barn, sewer or brown rat. But the correct common name for Rattus norvegicus is the Norway rat. The name supposedly is derived from the fact that the first named specimens were from Norway. Actually, these animals originated in central Asia and spread throughout the world by exploration, commerce and settlement.

The other common commensal pest rat in the United States and many other countries is the roof rat, R. rattus. It’s also called the black, plague or ship rat. This rat is smaller than the Norway … Read Full Post »

Keeping Critters Out of Your Garden & Home

It’s no news that animal waste causes e coli and other diseases. There are plenty of diseases associated with pest animals and their droppings. In addition to diseases, pest animals can cause nightmares for otherwise-happy property owners and gardeners.

Nature’s wild critters can be highly destructive, annoying, and cost you thousands of dollars in repairs. Furthermore, droppings are messy and give a low-class image.

  • Deer forage your foliage
  • Raccoons ravage your garbage
  • Armadillos tear up your lawn
  • Squirrels chew their way into your house, damaging electrical wires
  • Dogs and cats destroy gardens and healthy grass
  • Skunks stink up your whole yard

To prevent pest critter problems, there are several non-lethal, non-chemical, non-barrier solutions. The choices are there for homeowners to consider. Think permanence when you consider the repellent choice, as most homeowners don’t have the time or inclination to monitor the pest situation. Remember that pest animals are on your property for a reason. If they’re happy, comfortable … Read Full Post »