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Battling Bed Bugs: A Pest Built to Reproduce

. Posted by in , • Austin

Until recent years, many homeowners and travelers believed that bed bugs were no longer a threat. Thanks to the use of DDT in the ’40s and ’50s, few bed bugs remained in the U.S. until recent years. Unfortunately, this troublesome pest has made a comeback. With the resurgence of bed bug infestations across the nation, many homeowners wonder what makes these pests so hard to eliminate.

What Makes Bed Bugs So Resilient?

Any homeowner who has dealt with a bed bug infestation knows that it can feel as if it’s impossible to get rid of these pests. If you’re facing bed bug problems, it’s important to understand this pest’s lifecycle. Though the bed bug lives a short life, it’s able to reproduce rapidly. This means that infestations can grow out of hand quickly, leaving so many bed bugs behind that it’s very hard to kill them all.

The bed bug’s life is comprised … Read Full Post »

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Built to Last: How the Bed Bug Got Its Groove Back

. Posted by in , • Bryan-College Station

Though they were thought absent from the U.S. for the past 50 years, bed bugs have made a big comeback across the nation. Much to the chagrin of travelers and homeowners, these pests can establish colonies quickly. For homeowners in the Bryan-College Station area, getting rid of these troublesome pests can seem impossible. Before you tackle a bed bug infestation, you’ll need to know a little about how this pest is built.

Why Are Bed Bugs So Hard to Eliminate?

One of the big reasons bed bugs have shown up in the news so much recently is that they’re very difficult to get rid of once they’ve established a colony. It’s the bed bug’s unique anatomy that allows this pest to establish itself so quickly and cause problems for homeowners.

These flat, oval-shaped, reddish-brown bugs often make their way into homes via the luggage and clothing of travelers. Once they reach maturity, bed … Read Full Post »

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Infestations 101: Managing Bed Bugs

. Posted by in , • Bryan-College Station

The idea of having blood-sucking creatures in your bed certainly isn’t a pleasant one, but that’s exactly what happens when a bed bug infestation hits. Fortunately, educating yourself about these pesky insects and learning more about how to manage them can help you eliminate your bed bug problem.

What Are Bed Bugs?

Bed bugs are tiny, wingless creatures with flat bodies. They range in color from white to brown, but they take on a reddish hue after feeding. These creatures prefer to live in mattresses and bedding, and they typically hide during the day and become more active at night. Bed bugs aren’t known for spreading diseases, but they give off itchy bites. Not only are these bites uncomfortable, but some people are also allergic to them.

Do You Have a Bed Bug Infestation?

There are a few things to look for to determine if you have a bed bug infestation in your home:

• … Read Full Post »

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Sleep Soundly in a Bedbug-Free Home

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth

“Sleep tight and don’t let the bedbugs bite,” goes the old saying. If you thought that was just a nonsensical nursery rhyme dreamed up by poor peasants in the long-ago times, you wouldn’t be alone. Unfortunately, you’d also be wrong. Bedbugs are a growing problem in major metropolitan areas, including Dallas, and homeowners just like you are starting to get fed up. To help, we’ve put together some useful tips on identifying, controlling and preventing bedbug infestations.

Identifying Bedbug Infestations

Adult bedbugs have a distinctive appearance. Their bodies are oval-shaped, relatively flat and roughly the size of an apple seed. Hatchlings are harder to pick out: They can be nearly transparent and often aren’t any bigger than a poppy seed.

Most people realize that they’re dealing with a bedbug infestation after noticing tiny blood spots on their bedding materials or discovering multiple bites over the course of days or weeks. Like mosquitoes, bedbugs … 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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Use your iPhone for Tracking Bed Bugs!

. Posted by in , • Houston

In recent years, bed bugs have become a widespread problem in many cities across the United States. Houston is no exception, with hotels and multi-family residential buildings such as apartments among the most brutal hit. Even if you live in a single-family home, you’re also vulnerable to bed bugs, as guests may bring them in, or the pests may stow away in your luggage when you return home from a vacation. The best prevention against bed bugs is avoiding places infested by them. If you are an iPhone user, you will find the Bed Bug Alert app convenient for preventing pests.

Designed by Apps Genius, Bed Bug Alert is an interactive, user-friendly app that allows you to perform several actions from your iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad equipped with iOS 3.2 or newer. First, you may set your location to only view reports of bed bugs in Houston or an upcoming … Read Full Post »

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Bed Bug Stowaways

. Posted by in , • Austin

Texas homeowners have probably heard that bed bugs can enter their houses from outdoors. They may even be aware that new and used furniture can introduce them, but many don’t realize that some of the bed bugs in Austin are actually hitchhikers that were unknowingly carried home from vacations. People who travel frequently are more likely to give bed bugs a free ride. The tiny pests may be present on airplanes, buses or trains. They are common in hotels and can easily hide in your luggage and clothing.

There are several ways to keep these troublesome stowaways from settling into your home. Carefully inspect everything you bring home from your trip. Heating clothing in your dryer and any other heat-safe items to at least 130 degrees Fahrenheit will kill live bed bugs.

In hotels, visually check for bed bugs after completely removing all linens from the bed. Search for small, flat, reddish-brown … Read Full Post »

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Bed Bugs Win at Hide-And-Seek

. Posted by in , • Bryan-College Station

Many adults today have heard stories passed down from their grandparents about bed bugs under the sheets or crawling in the walls at night. Although these pests had been mostly eradicated from the United States in past decades, they have been returning in great numbers during the past 10 years. More and more reports are surfacing in Bryan and College Station. To solve a bed bug problem, it is important to know how to identify these sneaky pests and how to kill them.

Identifying Bed Bugs

Bed bugs are easy to identify, but they may be hard to find. When light hits them, the quickly run and hide anywhere they can. The common telltale sign of their presence is a series of bites. They are often in a row, and the bites appear as red raised bumps. The bumps may itch, but this is not always the case. When bites appear, look … Read Full Post »

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