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Insects Can Still Present Problems in Winter

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Once the first hard freeze hits Austin, you may think that your pest problems are over for a few months, but do you know where the insects actually go? Some insects migrate to warmer climates, while others are designed to tolerate the colder temperatures by overwintering, which is a type of hibernation process. When bugs hibernate in the soil or under leaves, rocks and logs, they do not affect humans at all. However, many insects are likely to seek shelter in your home rather than under a log during the winter months and that’s why you need year-round Austin pest control tips.

Insects That Thrive Indoors

Finding flies or ants in your home during the summer months is a common occurrence, especially if you leave doors and windows open, but spotting just one of these pests in the winter could be a sign of an infestation. Adult insects usually lie dormant in winter, but inside your warm home, they can thrive and remain active. Common insects that take refuge in Austin homes include termites, cockroaches, earwigs, carpenter ants, stink bugs and cluster flies. If you see just a few of these pests in your kitchen on a cold winter night, chances are the spaces inside your walls are teeming with them.

Preventive Pest Control Measures

If you’ve left a single entry point of your home unsealed, any number of insects can enter and take refuge in your attic and walls. It is imperative to make sure that all of your windows are sealed and that door sweeps are in good repair. You should also check for cracks and crevices in your home’s exterior surfaces, including the eaves, siding and foundation, before the temperatures drop and pests start looking for a warm place to hole up for the winter.

Austin Pest Control

While the occasional winter bug may not seem like a big deal, you can’t afford to wait until spring to take care of your pest problem. To prevent hundreds of insects from crawling out of the woodwork all at once when the temperatures begin to rise, you need pest control services at regular intervals, even in winter. We can eliminate and prevent bug infestations at any time of year, so contact us at ABC Home & Commercial Services today for quality Austin lawn care and pest control.

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Fire Ants: A Twist in the Termite War

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When people mention the dangers of fire ants, they’re not talking about the native species that have lived with us harmoniously in the Brazos Valley for centuries. They’re talking about red imported fire ants, which were introduced into the United States from South America via cargo ships docking in Mobile, Alabama in the 1930s. After making their way to Texas in the 1950s, they have been spreading throughout our great state ever since. As natural predators that feed on other pests, fire ants can actually prevent a termite infestation from destroying your home. However, while you may be looking for a natural solution to your pest problems, unleashing a colony of fire ants onto your termite-infested property is not a good solution.

Fire Ant Destruction

Fire ants do not eat wood like termites, but their presence can be destructive. Their strong mandibles and stingers allow them to take down prey much larger than themselves. Red imported fire ants have been known to eat everything from tiny insects to reptiles and birds. These pests have also been blamed for contributing to the declining populations of endangered species such as the Texas horned lizard. While severe allergic reaction to fire ants in humans is rare, their stings are painful and can cause swelling and infection. Although fire ants are primarily carnivorous, they will also destroy flower beds and crops and can have a profoundly negative effect on the plant life and ecosystem of the Bryan-College Station area.

Pest Control in Bryan/College Station

Is your lawn dotted with ant mounds? Contact ABC, the experts in College Station lawn care, for a consultation to determine what types of ants you have. We will create a customized plan to eliminate your infestation and prevent a new one from occurring. ABC specialists will also take care of your termite problem and offer preventative solutions to ensure that the integrity of your home remains intact. For the most comprehensive and effective pest control in Bryan/College Station, ABC Home & Commercial Services is the clear choice.

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Is Termite Control Something I Can Do On My Own?

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Termites1 Is Termite Control Something I Can Do On My Own? picAccording the Agricultural Department at the University of Kentucky, Entomology Departments often receive more calls about termite control than any other household insect.

Here are some of the top questions asked by homeowners:

Why worry about termites?  Termites cause billions of dollars in damage each year by primarily feed on wood, but also damaging paper, books, insulation and even swimming pool liners. Termites can injure living trees and shrubs, but more often are a secondary invader of trees and wooded plants already in decline. While buildings may become infested at any time, termites are of particular importance when buying or selling a home. Besides the monetary impact, thousands of winged termites emerging inside your home is an emotionally trying experience.

Why are infestations often discovered during March – May?  Spring is when large numbers of winged termites, known as Swarmers, typically emerge inside homes. In nature, termites swarm to disperse and start new colonies. Triggered by warmer temperatures and rainfall, the winged termites emerge from the colony and fly into the air.

Termites Is Termite Control Something I Can Do On My Own? picHow will I know if my home is infested?  Discovering winged termites indoors almost always indicates an infestation. People often confuse winged termites with ants, which often swarm at the same time of year. Termites can be differentiated by their straight antennae, uniform waist and wings of equal size. (Ants have elbowed antennae, constricted waists and forewings that are longer than the hind wings.) The swarmers are attracted to light and are often seen around windows and doors. Termite swarmers emerging from tree stumps, woodpiles, and other locations out in the yard are not necessarily cause for concern, and do not necessarily mean that the house is infested.

Can I treat the house myself?  Ridding a home of termites requires special skills. Knowledge of building construction is needed to identify the critical areas where termites are likely to enter. Many of these potential points of entry are hidden and difficult to access. Termite control in different situations also utilizes specialized equipment such as masonry drills, pumps, large-capacity tanks, and soil treatment rods. A typical treatment may involve hundreds of gallons of a liquid pesticide, known as a Termiticide, injected into the ground alongside the foundation, beneath concrete slabs, and within foundation walls. In short, termite treatment is a job for professionals. A possible exception would be if a mailbox post, sandbox or other small wooden object not attached to the house was infested.

Termites2 Is Termite Control Something I Can Do On My Own? picWill the chemicals harm my family or pets?  Termiticides are tested extensively for adverse effects on health. Before a product can be used, numerous studies are conducted by the manufacturer and independently evaluated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Based on current reports registered Termiticides pose no significant hazard to humans, pets or the environment when applied according to label directions. Despite the negligible health risk from a properly performed termite treatment, people with lingering concerns should consult their physician.

Have I been “cheated” if termites continue to infest my house after treatment?   Not necessarily. Unlike other services such as plumbing or electrical work, termite control involves living creatures. The best treatments performed by knowledgeable firms may fail at times, when termites find their way through tiny, untreated gaps in the soil. While the intent is to establish a continuous, impenetrable chemical barrier, this is all but impossible to achieve in actual practice. The key is to hire a reputable pest control company employing experienced, conscientious technicians.

Learn more about the ABC Pest Control Policy or read our last blog on Termites!

Visit ABC Home and Commercial Services for more information, or follow us on Facebook.

 

Facts Courtesy:  http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology

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Austin Termite Control Attacks Subterranean Termites

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Termite colonies can range in size from 500,000 to 5,000,000.  Termites feed on cellulose or wood materials. Some of their food source is found in the ground, like trees, but they will also feed on your home. They work 24 hours a day and only need fractions of an inch to invade your home. The annual loss due to structural damage by termites is more than $2 billion!

STEPS TO SIGNATURE PLUS SERVICE

Detection of termite activity

ABC Austin Termite Control service will inspect your home for termites, termite damage, and foraging (mud) tubes. We will install monitoring stations around the perimeter of structures to serve as an early warning system. You buy a security alarm to protect your home or business from human invaders. With ABC, your home has a security system to warn it from termite invasion.

 Treatment of termites

Termites3 Austin Termite Control Attacks Subterranean Termites picABC will apply a liquid treatment zone in the area the termites are feeding. The materials that we use have both ingestion and contact effect. Termites will unknowingly pass through the material and become infected and will transfer the material to non-infected nestmates. Termites that have ingested the material can transfer the material to nestmates by sharing their food before they die.
Assurance

ABC will return quarterly to inspect the monitoring stations and the structure to assure the termites are gone and if “new” termite intruders are detected our process begins again. An important feature is that, the Signature Plus Service for Termites is an ongoing process. Even after the termites are gone, the ABC System stays on duty to help find a new colony that may invade your property.

 

Commercial Termite Program

Inspection

An ABC Specialist will thoroughly inspect your facility for termites and design a treatment plan.

Treatment

Where we find evidence of termites, we will apply a liquid treatment that has both an ingestion and contact effect. Termites will pass through the material, become infected and will transfer the material to non-infected nest-mates by sharing their food before they die. This includes installing monitoring stations around the perimeter of structures to serve as an early warning system.

Assurance

ABC’s treatment system is an ongoing process. ABC will return regularly to inspect the monitoring stations and your structures. Even after the termites are gone, we stay on duty to find any new colony that may appear. If new termite intruders are detected, our process begins again.Termites4 Austin Termite Control Attacks Subterranean Termites pic

The ABC Promise

Choose the “Promise of Protection” option that’s right for you. Either warranty may be renewed annually and can be transferred to new owners if you sell your facility.

The Termite Damage Repair Warranty

Delivers as complete a treatment of your facility as possible and ensures that if termites come back, we’ll re-treat and repair any new damage they caused.

The Termite Pre-Treat Warranty

Can be added to our General Pest Control Program and ensures that if termites come back after the initial treatment we’ll be there to re-treat. This option does not provide repair of damage.

Chemical-free termite prevention

If you’re building or adding on space, stop termites before they ever get started. The Termimesh System is a proven technology approved by the Southern Building Code Congress and the Structural Pest Control Boards.

Installed during your building’s construction phase, ABC’s Termimesh System is a non-corrosive, stainless steel mesh that is installed under strict quality control guidelines and is sealed inside the concrete slab. Termimesh physically prevents termites from entering your building and unlike chemical pre-treatments, it’s effective 100% of the time.

 

Why the ABC System is the Best System

Termites 6 150x150 Austin Termite Control Attacks Subterranean Termites picWhether you need to eliminate a current termite problem or you want to prevent one from happening, the ABC Termite Management System is your best solution.

The ABC System takes full advantage of several natural termite behaviors to both eliminate them and keep them from coming back. First, termites are social insects that continually feed, groom and contact each other. Termidor Termite Control takes advantage of this behavior as termites quickly and unknowingly transfer Termidor throughout their entire population.

Second, termites are constant foragers – they never stop searching for new food sources. As new termite populations enter your yard looking for food, ABC’s Monitoring System will immediately alert us.

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Dr. Austin Frishman Speaks to ABC Staff and Specialists

alicia

This was no ordinary ABC meeting; it was Dr. Austin Frishman speaking at our meeting. I must admit I didn’t know who he was previous to the meeting, but he is a big deal. Dr. Frishman has made quite a name for himself in the community of professional pest management. Matter of fact, he is a legend. Not only is he an Entomologist, but he is a lecturer, Hall of Famer in pest control, an author, an industry changing researcher/developer of cockroach treatment, and a former professor. Although he is no longer a professor at an education facility, he shares his knowledge with other pest companies by speaking to their staff and customer service specialists.

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ABC company meeting with guest speaker, Dr. Austin Frishman.

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Dr Frishman, impersonating a cockroach, speaks to ABC staff and specialists about thinking like the pest.

The ABC employees held their eyes tight on Dr. Frishman as he picked up prop after prop from the multiple tables he had set up beside him and engaged them with his stories. He offered advice and imposed situations with solutions of proper methods to handling them. He was very loose and comfortable with his interaction to everyone. Two hours went by almost effortlessly, and Dr. Frishman received a room of applause to close the meeting.

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Rare Termite Tube

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Termite tube (center of photo) found in space between roof and ceiling at a school. Our commercial specialist estimated it took about six years to build.

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