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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 at hand. 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, if you know 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 drywood. The subterranean species makes their home in the soil, leaving it to feed. The drywood 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 … 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 hardest 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 that have been infested by them. If you are an iPhone user, you will find the Bed Bug Alert app very handy for keeping away from the pests.

Designed by Apps Genius, Bed Bug Alert is an interactive, user-friendly app that allows you to perform a number of actions from your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad equipped with iOS 3.2 or newer. First, you may set your location so that you only … 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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Bed Bugs and Babies

. Posted by in , • Austin

All parents want to protect their children from the dangers of the world around them, but sometimes these hazards are not immediately visible or expected. One of these dangers is bed bug infestation, particularly in your baby’s nursery. Bed bugs feed on human blood and are notoriously difficult to remove, especially in environments where children are present. Bed bug bites can cause itching and discomfort in both babies and adults.

Fortunately, ABC Home & Commercial Services specializes in safely and effectively removing bed bugs in Austin (as well as other ABC locations) with advanced, low impact solutions.  Heat remediation and K-9 bed bug detection are the greenest and most efficient methods proven to eradicate bed bugs in homes and commercial establishments. ABC’s certified team of professional pest control experts utilizes these techniques to ensure that all of their Austin customers are safe and satisfied.

Getting rid of bed bugs in Austin doesn’t … Read Full Post »

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Expert Advice from College Station Bed Bug Exterminators

. Posted by in , • Bryan-College Station

Bed Bugs have made a strong comeback and are moving quickly throughout our society once again. The best way to deal with bed bugs is to seek out a bed bug exterminator, as this invasive pest can be very difficult to get rid of without proper treatments. Bed Bugs present unique challenges to the bug extermination industry because Bed Bugs are great “hitchhikers”; they can hide in luggage, purses, clothing and even a wallet. They are very small in their young stages and difficult to find.

Bed Bugs can be transferred by individuals or live on possessions in homes, hotels, college dorms, apartments, and shelters. Once bed bugs have been introduced into a structure, they find numerous areas to harbor and continue to increase in population. Typically, they hide out in cracks and crevices during the day, coming out at night in search of a meal. Bed Bugs also lay eggs … Read Full Post »

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How to Spot and Initiate the Proper Houston Bed Bug Treatment

. Posted by in , • Houston

Houston Bed Bug Treatment

According to the Mayo Clinic, it can be difficult to distinguish Bed Bug bites from other insect bites. In general, the sites of Bed Bug bites usually are:

Red
Itchy
Arranged in a rough line or in a cluster
Located on the face, neck, arms and hands

Some people have no reaction at all to Bed Bug bites, while others experience an allergic reaction that can include severe itching, blisters or hives.

When to see a doctor
If you experience allergic reactions or severe skin reactions to your Bed Bug bites, see your doctor for professional treatment. Here are five signs you may have a Bed Bug infestation in your home.

1. RED STAINS ON BEDDING OR MATTRESS
It’s possible to kill Bed Bugs while they are feeding or just after when you move around or roll over in bed. The red stains are left on your bedding or mattress when Bed Bugs are crushed. This … Read Full Post »

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What Bed Bugs Are & What They Do

. Posted by in , • Dallas-Fort Worth

If you ever heard that nursery rhyme “Good night, sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite,” you know these critters bite in the night. But most of us never heard of them in real life until now.

Some fast facts…

•              Life Stages: Eggs hatch into nymphs. Newly hatched nymphs are tiny—about 1/16th of an inch.

•              Nymphs—which look like small adults—become adults in 5 weeks. They go through 5 molts to reach adult size—meaning they shed their old, smaller skin 5 times. They must feed before each molt.

•              Females can produce 5-7 eggs per week, laying up to 500 in a lifetime.

•              Bed bugs grow fastest and lay most eggs at about 80°F.

•              They feed only on blood.

•              They feed when people are sleeping or sitting quietly, often when it’s dark.

•              They seek shelter in cracks and crevices when not feeding.

•              They poop out “blood spots.” Spots look like dots made by a fine felt-tipped marker. You’d see them … Read Full Post »

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Bed Bugs

. Posted by in , • Houston

Bed bugs feed on blood, principally that of humans, by piercing the skin with their elongated beaks. Although they inflict misery on their victims, it has never been proven that bed bugs carry disease-causing pathogens in the United States.  Bed bugs are spread chiefly by the clothing and baggage of travelers, secondhand beds, bedding, furniture and laundry.

 

A mature bed bug is a dark brown, wingless insect.  Its size and color depend on the amount of blood that the body contains.  An unfed bed bug is between 1/4 and 3/8 inch long.  The upper surface of the body has a flimsy, crinkly appearance.  When engorged with blood, the body becomes elongated and swollen, and the color changes from brown to dull red.  Bed bug eggs are white and about 1/32 inch long.  Newly hatched bugs are translucent and nearly colorless, but similar in shape to the adults.  As they grow, they molt … Read Full Post »

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