ABC Blog

Is Zika in Orlando?

Is Zika in Orlando

As of early 2017, there were more than 5,100 confirmed cases of the Zika virus in the continental United States, including over 1,000 pregnant women infected. Miami, Florida, was the first U.S. location to document local, mosquito-borne transmissions of the virus, making Florida a focal point in the fight against this illness that can have devastating effects on pregnant women and babies born to infected mothers.

Is Zika in Orlando?

While Florida’s mosquito control efforts have been somewhat successful in stopping Zika’s spread—in December 2016, Florida Governor Rick Scott even declared South Beach and all other areas of Florida to be Zika-free—the virus remains a threat in Miami-Dade County, along with other parts of the state. So what about central Florida? Is Zika in Orlando? Let’s take a look at the facts.

How Zika Spread to the United States

While the spread of Zika in the United States became public prominence in 2015, … Read Full Post »

Japanese Beetle Vs. Ladybug: Why Does It Matter To Me?

A Japanese beetle on a leaf

The most common type of insects are beetles. These bugs are found in nearly every type of marine and terrestrial environment, so we do see them in our lawns and gardens. When comparing the Japanese beetle vs. the ladybug, what do we need to know about which might be beneficial and which is destructive?

While ladybugs or lady beetles are among the most beloved of all insects, Japanese beetles are seen as an agricultural threat. Japanese beetles (Popillia japonica Newman) are invasive pests which feed on the fruit and leaves of many types of crops, shrubs, trees and vines. As their name suggests, these insects were brought into the U.S. in the early 1900s from Japan. These beetles have infested many of the states east of the Mississippi River and have partially infested Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and South Dakota. Japanese beetles are metallic green with copper-brown wing covers and reach … Read Full Post »

Are There Mosquito Repellent Plants?

Mosquito repellent plants

Many homeowners invest a significant amount of time and energy into making their outdoor spaces inviting places to relax and unwind. Unfortunately, there is a common pest that often interferes with these well-laid plans: the mosquito. With the wide variety of mosquito control products available, it’s easy to be overwhelmed. One approach you may have heard of is to put plants in your backyard that keep mosquitoes away. Citronella grass, lemongrass, lemon balm, catnip, bee balm, peppermint, rosemary, lavender and basil are all varieties that are purported to be effective for natural mosquito control.

Unfortunately, scientific studies have shown that it’s not the plants themselves that mosquitoes don’t like. It’s actually the oil in the leaves which contains properties that can repel these bothersome biting insects. That means that you would need to crush the leaves of these plants to extract the oils and rub those oils on your skin to … Read Full Post »

What You Need to Know About Mosquito Season in Florida

mosquito season florida

While the year-round temperate weather is one of the many perks of living in Florida, any resident of the Sunshine State can tell you those perks come with a price—including a nearly year-round mosquito season. Thanks to plenty of warmth and moisture, two conditions where mosquito populations thrive, mosquito season in Florida doesn’t have a clear beginning or end point. However, Florida mosquito species are most active in the spring and summer months, when warm temperatures combined with frequent, heavy rains produce thriving mosquito populations.

What You Need To Know About Mosquito Season in Florida

In any geographic region, mosquito season depends on rainfall and temperature. In many parts of the country, the first warm days of spring signal the start of mosquito season, and winter’s first frost signals the end—except in more arid areas, where mosquito populations don’t pose a problem even in colder months.

But while January is typically Florida’s coldest … Read Full Post »

How To Get Rid of Fruit Flies

how to get rid of fruit flies

What’s that buzzing around your kitchen? Are little bugs swarming your trash can or congregating on your fresh fruit? If you ever have tiny gnat-like insects hanging out in your kitchen, chances are they’re fruit flies. Once you begin to notice them, fruit flies appear to be everywhere. Not long after you start seeing fruit flies in your house, many homeowners realize they are ready to eliminate these pesky insects.

How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies

Before we discuss how to get rid of fruit flies in your house, let’s learn more about these animals and how they make it into your home.

What Are Fruit Flies?

These insects are small flies of the Drosophila species, and although tiny, when magnified, they look a lot like houseflies. Entomologists describe adult fruit flies as about 1/8 inch long, and although you can’t see them, they have red eyes. They can lay up to 500 … Read Full Post »

Where Do Silverfish Come From?

where do silverfish come from

There’s just something about silverfish that make people’s skin crawl. It could be the animal’s prehistoric appearance, with segmented bodies and long legs and antennae. Or maybe it’s the fact that they tend to show up inside our favorite books or on the bathroom floor in the middle of the night. Whatever it is, for some people these small insects are the stuff of nightmares.

In this blog post, we’ll take a look at what these little creatures are, where silverfish come from and how to get rid of them safely.

What Are Silverfish?

Silverfish (Lepisma saccharina) are small, wingless insects. These creatures typically live for two to eight years, and they get their name from their silvery color and the way the wiggle like a fish out of water. They have long antennae and generally don’t get bigger than ¾ of an inch long.

Do Silverfish Bite?

Surprisingly, despite their over-the-top creepy … Read Full Post »

Fleas Driving You Crazy? Try These Natural Flea Killers

Natural flea killer

In warm climates, fleas are a year-round problem. Even as autumn comes upon us with cooler temperatures, fleas will hold on until the first frost, and if they’re comfortable inside our homes, they might never leave.

What’s worse, fleas are difficult to control. To get rid of them for good, you’ll need to treat your pets as well as your house and your yard. You’ll need to adopt an approach which allows you to kill both adult fleas and their eggs, preventing them from returning.

Natural Flea Killers

There are some ways you can tackle a flea infestation without resorting to dangerous chemicals. Let’s take a closer look at how fleas can become a problem, how you can make your own natural flea killer, and how you can get rid of these pests, once and for all.

Why Are Fleas Such a Problem?

Fleas are small insects that live on mammals, including dogs, cats, and … Read Full Post »

The Best Way To Get Rid Of Moths

best way to get rid of moths

Moths can be a mystery to homeowners. To determine the best way to get rid of moths, you’ll need to learn how to identify the types of moths and eggs you might be seeing in your home, how to prevent these bothersome insects from damaging your home, and how to treat your home to get rid of these common household pests.

Where Do Moths Come From?

Moths generally make their way into your home in product packaging you bring home from a store or warehouse. Some moths may hatch over time in items which you have stored for an extended period of time, like birdseed. Usually, an infestation in your closet can be traced back to a single article of clothing (so wash that sweater from the thrift store before you put it in your closet!)

Identifying and Treating Pantry Moths and Larvae

Some common moths you may have in your home are pantry … Read Full Post »

What You Need To Know About Crazy Ants

Paratrechina longicornis

A new ant species has been discovered in the southern parts of the United States: the crazy ant. What’s important to know about these ants, which are also referred to by their scientific names, Nylanderia fulva (Rasberry crazy ant) and Paratrechina longicornis (the Longhorn crazy ant)? For starters, both of these ant species are not native to the United States, and both are considered pests.

Read on to learn what crazy ants are, how they got their name, what attracts them, and what impact they are having on humans.

What Are Crazy Ants?

Crazy ants were first discovered in 2002 in an industrial park outside of Houston. Exterminator Tom Rasberry noticed ants which were moving erratically and which caused significant damage to electrical equipment. “When you see fast-moving ants that are not following a path, they are probably crazy ants,” explained Randy McCarty, ABC’s Director of Training and resident entomologist, who has … Read Full Post »

Are Mosquitoes Attracted to Light?

does light attract mosquitoes

We all love to spend relaxing evenings out on the patio. That said, outdoor lighting can attract unwelcome visitors. Don’t let flying insects, especially mosquitoes, ruin your night.

One question we often hear from frustrated homeowners: what are mosquitoes attracted to? Our pest control experts reviewed several recent scientific studies to help determine what changes homeowners can make to outdoor lighting to make your porch less attractive to flying creatures.

What Attracts Mosquitoes?

  • Are Mosquitoes Attracted to Light?
  • How Do I Keep Mosquitoes Away From My Lights?
  • Do Insects Avoid LED Lights?
  • What’s the Ideal Bulb for Outdoor Lighting?
  • Are Flying Insects Bugging You?

Are Mosquitoes Attracted to Light?

The short answer is yes – but why, exactly, are bugs attracted to light? Many flying insects, including moths, mosquitoes, and many flies, find the glow of artificial lights irresistible. The scientific term for the attraction bugs have to light is phototaxis.

Positive phototaxis describes the behavior of … Read Full Post »