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Gnat Versus Mosquito: What’s That Bug?

. Posted by in , • Bryan-College Station
a tiny black bug that makes a homeowner question if its a gnat or mosquito

Do you have tiny, flying bugs invading your home or yard? Not only are these pests annoying but some of them can carry diseases and cause discomfort for you and your family members. That said, there are many kinds of flying pests, including gnats and mosquitoes. Before getting started with treatment, it’s important to know what kind of bug you’re dealing with.

How To Identify Gnats

Many people use the term “gnat” to refer to any kind of small flying bug, including fungus gnats, black gnats, buffalo gnats or even fruit flies. Any number of things could attract these pests to your home, depending on the species. For example, some types of gnats might be attracted to decaying food. This could be anything from overripe fruit on your counter to leftover food in your trash to scraps in your garbage disposal.

Other gnats are attracted to excess moisture in areas like the soil … Read Full Post »

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Yard Fungus: Identification, Treatment and Prevention

. Posted by in • Bryan-College Station
yard fungus

When you spend a lot of time with the goal of having a green manicured yard, the last thing you want to see is signs of damage. You water, mow, edge and maybe even fertilize in the hopes of seeing a lush carpet. What do you do if you suspect you have yard fungus? How do you know if the damage you are seeing is a type of yard fungus or something else entirely?

St. Augustine is a popular grass for homeowners because it is shade, heat, salt and drought tolerant. When maintained properly, this variety of grass also handles normal human and animal traffic well. However, there a couple of types of lawn fungus that are more prevalent when you have St. Augustine grass. These lawn fungus types also like other warm-season grasses, such as Bermuda and Zoysia.

In this post, we will tell you what you need to know about the … Read Full Post »

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How Does Pesticide Work? What Homeowners Should Know

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How does pesticide work

A pesticide, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is, “Any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling or mitigating any pest.” 

How Does Pesticide Work?

Insecticides are a form of pesticide which typically work by affecting the nervous system of insects. However, they can also affect energy production, cuticle production, the endocrine system and water balance. These chemical formulations can enter through the body, ingestion and inhalation.

Pesticides are used as part of an integrated pest management (IPM) approach, which is a more environmentally-friendly pest control philosophy. The principles of this approach, as laid out by the EPA, state that IPM “focuses on pest prevention and uses pesticides only as needed.”

Types of Pesticide

There is a wide range of pesticides available for residential and commercial applications. Some target insects, while others target algae (algaecides), germs (disinfectants) or weeds (herbicides). The National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) categorizes the types of … Read Full Post »

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What Flowers to Plant in the Fall in Texas

. Posted by in , • Bryan-College Station
What flowers to plant in the fall in Texas

What’s one thing Texas homeowners take pride in? Along with our homes, we take great satisfaction in the trees, garden beds and other landscaping that add something special and beautiful to our property. Attractive landscaping adds curb appeal and increases property value, and it makes spending time outdoors that much more enjoyable.

If you’re a newcomer to the state, you might not realize gardening in Texas isn’t just for springtime. With a little know-how and planning, you can, indeed, enjoy fresh, colorful blooms almost any time of year. 

Wondering What Flowers to Plant in the Fall in Texas?

Green thumbs in many parts of Texas enjoy a climate that allows for beautiful gardens throughout the year. Fortunately, there are several varieties of flowering plants that Texas gardeners love for their ability to thrive throughout the cooler, wetter seasons.

Fall Flowers in Texas

The start of school and fall activities usually bring with them cooler … Read Full Post »

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Do Fleas Have Wings? Common Questions Answered

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Do fleas have wings

If you’ve ever found itchy red welts on your ankles or other parts of your body, you might have wondered if you’d encountered a flea—or a whole pack of them. These tiny, annoying insects feed off animal blood, which means they bite humans as well as other animals. Thus, when they infest your pet or your home, they can become quite a nuisance. 

But how much do you really know about fleas? Do fleas have wings? How does a flea move? What other insects share similar characteristics? Read on to find answers to all your many flea questions, including how to identify them and—perhaps most importantly—how to get rid of them when you’re dealing with a flea infestation.

Do Fleas Have Wings?

While it might seem as if fleas can fly—they certainly do move quickly—they actually can’t. These members of the insect order of Siphonaptera don’t have wings. (Their order’s suffix, aptera, actually … Read Full Post »

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How To Get Rid of Armadillos

. Posted by in , • Bryan-College Station
how to get rid of armadillos

It’s too big to be a rodent, but it’s not a raccoon or possum. What could it be digging up your yard or garden? If you are in the southeast part of the United States, one possibility—if you have ruled out your own dog—is the armadillo. Although these small mammals have a cult-like following in some parts of the country, armadillos can cause real damage by digging shallow holes all across your property in search of food, uprooting your ornamental plants and even waking you up in the middle of the night as they rub their shells against your home. As with most other types of pests, taking the time to learn more about the animal, what attracts them to your yard and what risks they pose helps better understand how to get rid of armadillos.

How to Get Rid of Armadillos

The armadillo made its way to the United States from … Read Full Post »

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How You Get Bed Bugs

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how you get bed bugs

The last line from a children’s rhyme,“Don’t let the bed bugs bite!” can become all too real when bed bugs infest your home. Bed bugs are becoming more common as populations grow, travel increases and the bed bugs spread to new areas. Learn how you get bed bugs and what you can do to prevent them. 

How You Get Bed Bugs

You may have only heard of bed bugs from the children’s rhyme, or from recent new reports about bed bug infestations in cities across the country. It may not seem like a big problem, but several U.S. governmental agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA), have declared bed bugs as a public health concern, even though bed bugs do not spread disease the way ticks and mosquitoes do.

So, what should you know about these pests? Where do they live? … Read Full Post »

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Orange Wasp, Mahogany Wasp: Red Wasp Nest Facts

. Posted by in , • Bryan-College Station
red paper wasp

It’s a hot summer day and you walk outside your front door, greeted by a familiar buzzing sound; only, it’s not a bee. It’s another scary looking creature—a red paper wasp. You know it stings, and you know where there is one wasp, a nest isn’t too far away. But what brought it to your doorstep? How can you get rid of it? What if you notice an orange wasp, or a mahogany wasp—are they related? What about a red hornet? What does a red wasp nest look like? And most importantly, how can you keep these pests from coming back and making your home their own?

The first step in understanding how to deal with any type of unwanted pest is to learn more about it. Once you know how to identify red wasps and what attracts them, you’ll be better equipped to get rid of them—for good.

Do I Need … Read Full Post »

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Lawn Pests: Identification

. Posted by in , • Bryan-College Station
lawn pests identification

When you bought your new home, one of the first things that sold you on it was the large, gorgeously maintained yard. From being the greenest grass on the block to the colorful flowers and vibrant plants, it was like your own little oasis. Then something happened. Despite your best efforts, brown spots started appearing. Something was ravaging the leaves and flowers. You had been invaded. But by what? If you don’t know much about lawn pests, identification techniques or how much damage they can do, your beautiful lawn could be at risk.

You want to get rid of the pests and protect your lawn, but you’re not exactly sure what’s doing the damage. And you don’t want to get rid of helpful creatures along with the hurtful ones–not if you can avoid it.

Lawn Pests: Identification

So how do you identify which types of critters are harming your lawn? In this article, you’ll learn how … Read Full Post »

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Should You Be Worried About Tarantulas in Texas?

. Posted by in • Bryan-College Station
Tarantulas in Texas

You and your family are still settling into your new home. There are boxes that need to be unpacked, but you need a break so you decide to walk around the property. It’s gorgeous out and you enjoy looking at the birds, pointing out butterflies and ladybugs, watching squirrels play. But then you see it: the largest spider you’ve ever come across and you realize, there are tarantulas in Texas. It seems as big as your hand and it looks terrifying.

Should you be worried? Will it hurt your kids? Are other tarantulas around? How do you keep them from getting in your house?

Should You Be Worried About Tarantulas in Texas?

First, let’s get something out of the way. Tarantulas are about as dangerous to people as bees are. In fact, that’s a really good comparison. If you’re bitten by a tarantula, it’s probably going to feel–and look–a lot like a bee sting. There will be … Read Full Post »

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