The Weather Woes

            I think we can all agree the world has been seeing some odd weather over the past three years. The “breadbasket” of America, the Midwest, whose agriculturally based industries require consistent rains throughout the spring and summer, saw an unprecedented drought throughout a number of states in 2012. As a result, consumers saw increases in food prices all across the board from corn to beef made from cows that feed on grass that was a crunchy yellow instead of a dark green thanks to a severe rain shortage. Events like this further fuel the debate of global climate change and what it will mean for mankind in the coming years. Well, according to Pest Control Technology magazine (PCT), the general warming that is occurring all over the Earth will mean numerous changes in insect activity that you and I will directly be affected by.

            The latest issue of PCT had an article entitled “What Does Climate Change Mean for Pests and PMP’s?” While it was written with an exterminator audience in mind, this article shed some light on a few key topics that everyone should be aware of for the future. Weather most definitely affects insects and with a general warming comes three major climate components to take into consideration: warmer winters, longer growing seasons (both plant and insect), and a higher number of unique weather events such as the drought seen across the Midwest in 2012. So what does this mean for you, a U.S. homeowner?

            For starters, because of milder, warmer winters, you can expect to see larger overall populations of all types of insects, including the ones that invade your homes. With greater populations, it stands to reason that occurrences of insects finding their way through the any openings you have in your home will be much more frequent. Because of this, you may want to treat your home more frequently than usual and possibly be even more thorough. A book entitled “General Household Pest Control” is a great place to go and learn different techniques you can use to better protect your home. While this book is geared for those who desire to become a professional exterminator, for only $30 it is a great investment for those do-it-yourselfers.

            Secondly, with much milder temperatures, insects will have the opportunity to spread out and move into new parts of the world they otherwise could not survive in. In the past, certain insect species could not survive in some areas due to the colder winters. But, as the winters become milder, they will have the opportunity to inhabit new areas. New species of mosquitoes and Fire ants may very well be seen in the more Midwestern states that up until now have not had to deal with these sorts of problems. So, if Fire Ants are foreign to you, you might think about reading up on them as it may very well be a problem for you in the near future.  Unfortunately, these changes are inevitable and the best thing anyone can do is simply prepare for them, so check out our website, and find a number of products and helpful videos that will assist in your effort to fight the changes that are sure to come.

Flies by Surprise

          There is nothing more embarrassing or aggravating than fruit flies that always seem to appear when you have all the friends over for the big football game. Not a soul can turn his head to watch the game for fear of the nachos being dive bombed by these pesky creatures. Or when you wake up in the morning you notice a black spot on your forehead, but only as you rub the sleep from your eyes do you realize that instead it is a Fruit Fly hanging out, toying with you as you prepare for work. But you will get the better of him; as you squish his puny existence against the mirror satisfaction engulfs you. Yet again however, this pest prevails as your wife berates you for making a mess of him and splattering his red blood and beady eyes everywhere. What are you to do? Better yet, where is this menace coming from?

            Unfortunately for you, the Fruit Fly has multiple ways of entering your home and even more places to multiply once inside your abode. With a lifespan of up to 30 days, the adult has plenty of time to reproduce and cause even more frustration for you. They can enter your home in multiple ways, the most common being as larvae on fruits, vegetables and even plants brought home from the store. Another point of entry is simply through open doors or windows especially during the summer time when populations are at their highest.

            These little guys love high moisture areas as well as places that harbor their food sources; those being trash cans, fruits and vegetables left on counters. If you seem to have an infestation of Fruit Flies the best thing to do is to remove the harborage areas. This includes getting rid of any old and rotting fruits or vegetables left out. Those that are still good should be placed in the refrigerator. After that, remove the trash from the waste bin and if need be, rinse and clean out the trash can. If the problem still exists and you have fruit or vegetable plants outside, check those areas and dispose of any rotting food that may be on the plant or the ground. After all this has been done, check out the areas that hold moisture in the house. Most of the time this includes the bathroom and kitchen as well as any indoor potted plants that are watered. Fruit Flies breed in these areas and the slime and sludge that builds up in the drains are prime locations. Bio-Remediation products like Hot Spot or Bio Drain are great tools to use in the drains to aid in breaking down and removing the scum build up that house these little nuisances. You can also use Fruit Fly Traps, but these will only attract the adult flies and will not help you eliminate the larvae that are waiting to hatch and land on the pizza you are looking forward to tonight. As the weather warms up and the windows are open more often, be on the lookout for this little guy. And after you squish him on the mirror, go ahead and take the necessary precautions so his friends will not be able to set up shack in your kitchen.  

Flower Bed Frustrations

            Living in Houston means having a pristine lawn and top of the line landscaping; most homeowners spend at least a portion of the weekend working in the yard doing some various activity. Even my wife and I somehow manage to find ourselves cutting grass or de-weeding flower beds and we live in an apartment! Don’t worry, I would not dare donate my free time to the maintenance man in the complex I live in, rather my wife and I see her grandparents every Sunday and usually do what we can to pitch in around the yard for a free meal. For Carol, my wife’s grandmother, removing the weeds from her mulch beds is a therapeutic exercise she dives into hand’s first every Saturday and Sunday. This past Sunday after trimming, I decided to get on my knees and get my hands dirty. Upon removing the first weed I noticed several little ants meandering about among the mulch. I took a hand shovel and turned over some mulch and began to see hundreds of ants. When I shockingly told Carol about my discovery simply said, “Oh yeah, they’re all over in my beds.” As I walked around the yard and examined the rest of the mulch bed, I witnessed thousands of ants just going about their lives. Fortunately for my grandmother-in-law they were nothing more than Ghost Ants which by nature are perfectly harmless to humans and plants. That does not mean they are not a menace. So, I thought it would be a good idea to discuss how to control ants in flower beds.

            Almost any insecticide concentrate is going to eliminate ants in flower beds and if you don’t spend any time getting your hands dirty in your landscaping, then this may be the option for you. But, if you are like 90% of the Houston population that owns a home, you undoubtedly spend time cultivating your landscaping on a weekly basis. And if that is the case, exposing your skin mulch and dirt that has been sprayed with chemical may not be the best plan of attack. Fortunately, there are a number of great ant control baits to use that are every bit as effective.

To start off, let’s talk about the most menacing of the ant world, the Fire Ant. There are many great granules and liquid concentrates to use in the grass, but for Fire Ants in flower beds, the best option in my opinion is a product containing Acephate. Just sprinkle one teaspoon of this stinky stuff on a mound and the ants will dead within the hour. But if you are dealing with ants that are not Fire Ants, baits designed specifically for ants would be the best way to go.  While baits take slightly longer to work than liquid concentrates, they tend to be a much safer application in areas that people will come into a high amount of contact. One thing to keep in mind is that baits are designed to be a food source for target pests; so not all baits will do the same thing. Be sure to determine which species of ant you are dealing with, and then select a product that is designed to eliminate that species. After selecting the product, it is always a good idea to read over the product label to understand how to best use it. 

4 Tips for a Great Lawn This Spring

1.      Fertilize- While this may seem like a no brainer, there are a few things you want to consider when picking out the right food for your lawn. First and foremost is to identify what type of grass you have. For instance, southern states will have warmer climate grasses such as St. Augustine or Bermuda, while states in the Midwest such as Illinois, Missouri, Kansas or Ohio will have different species of grass such as Zoysia. After identifying the type of grass you have, the next item to take into consideration is the time of year and what season you are in. Often times in the spring, most fertilizers used are ones that will provide some of the nutrients grass needs to initially begin to grow after the winter time temperatures. Some fertilizers even contain a pre-emergentweed control; which brings us to the next tip.

2.      Weed Control- The spring time is when most all plant life begins to grow, including weeds. While you have many options of products to use to kill existing weeds, your best plan of action is to keep weeds from even appearing. It is much more difficult, and costly, to control weeds that have sprouted. Pre-emergent herbicides are products designed to inhibit broadleaf weeds from developing. Products such as Oryzalin, can be applied directly to lawns or flower beds without any fear of damaging existing plant life.

3.      Kill the Bugs- Preventative bug maintenance is just as important as preventative weed maintenance. There are many manufacturers of granularbased insecticides that you can broadcast over your lawn to provide protection from all matters of insects for months at a time. If you live in the south and battle fire ants, there are even a few products available that will kill fire ants in your yard for an entire year! You will have to call a professional though; the products used can only be sold to professionals with an applicator’s license. Whatever product you choose to go with, if it is a granular based product just remember they all need to be watered in. Usually ¼” to ½” of water is sufficient.

4.      Limit Water Usage- Just like animals have learned to adapt to different environments, your grass will do the same. When the heat of the summer finally arrives in late June, your water bill will undoubtedly rise. So, the spring time is a perfect opportunity to “train” your lawn. Limit the amount of water you put on the lawn to help it adapt to a drier climate. While your grass may not grow as fast, it will still look great and continue to survive when the warmer months finally hit. The Midwestern states saw a massive drought in 2012 and grass that saw no moisture was as dry and as crackly as one can imagine. The lawns that were watered fared well but their owners did not. Training your lawn to survive on less water can ensure its sustainability without drowning you in high water bills. 

Death by Hunger

Ypositismosphobia. Any guesses? That’s okay, I am not sure if this is legitimate or not, but from research (essentially Google) this is considered the fear of starvation; something I have been deathly afraid of since I can remember. The question is how quickly does starvation become a threat for an everyday person? The average human can go about three weeks without food yet only about 3 days without water. Water is the source of life, without it plants do not grow; animals and humans alike will die of thirst. Still, water alone cannot sustain life. Gases such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen and oxygen help sustain life as well. I read somewhere that the average human can go 3 minutes without oxygen. If that’s the case then someone should tell Hollywood because all the movies I have seen where someone drowns, it happens in a matter of seconds. Of the long list of things living creatures need to survive I would imagine food falls somewhere in the middle of the spectrum. All matters of flora and fauna need food to survive as well. In the world there are herbivores, those who eat only plants and vegetation; carnivores, who only consume meat; and finally omnivores, which is a combination of the two. So where does the Big Mac fall in all of this? It’s advertised as all beef patties on a sesame seed bun but I think we all know it is more like two soy patties flavored like cow. So what does this have to do with “do it yourself” pest control?

Well, all matters of life need food to survive and insects in particular termites are no different. In attempts to go green, many pesticide manufacturers have been introducing new products to the market, some effective, others not. One of the more effective products to hit the market has been Syngenta’s (formerly a Dupont product) Altriset. This product has a one of a kind mode of action to controlling termites. Most insecticides now are a form of a neuro-toxin that when insects come in contact with it, the chemical slowly begins to attack the nervous system of the insect. Altriset is nothing of the sort. This product was designed to mimic a chemical compound researchers found in a certain tree bark that actually halts termite feeding by paralyzing the jaw muscles. Because of its design and unique mode of action, the scientists who developed the product were able to make in such a manner that it does not leave near the “footprint” on the ecology of the earth.  Meaning, Altriset is a much less toxic termiticide which means much safer for humans, so therefore a “green” product. Altriset is also a non-repellant product so termites do not even know it is there. They will return to the colony and transmit the chemical through the normal grooming that they do and so the chemical will spread across the entire population rapidly. The best part is, testing has shown Altriset to be effective for seven to nine years.  So if you are in the market for protection from subterranean termites, then this product might just be right for you.

Are Termites Eating You Out of House and Home?

            In 2012the southern states saw the highest numbers of termite swarmers in years. As most know, 2011 was plagued with a severe lack of rain in Texas along with many other states along the gulf coast and parts of the Midwest. As 2011 turned into 2012, the first quarter saw record high temperatures and plenty of rain to set the stage for the large swarms of subterranean termites seen as early as January in cities like Houston. And now as have completed the first quarter of 2013 with significantly cooler temperatures, one can only speculate if swarms will be anything like what we saw last year. Is your home prepared? Often times, homeowners do not realize their home is under attack until they begin to see alates which are the winged reproductive termites known as swarmers. The most common type of termite in the United States is the Eastern Subterranean Termite which often can give them away when the swarmers are flying into your house. But do not be mistaken, there are over 4,000 species of termites worldwide and not all are as easily noticeable and some such as the Drywood Termite can be significantly more destructive. Visible termite activity is usually sparked by warm and wet weather. As the earth changes from winter to spring season all matters of life become more active, insects included. A home is one of the most important investments people make throughout life. So what can be done to protect it?

             The answer is that there are many things you can do to provide your investment with top notch protection. The better news is you can do most of this yourself. Here are three effective things that you can do:

1.       If you are currently in the process of purchasing a home, it is always recommended to have it inspected for termites. The great part about having a termite inspection does is that they are very reasonable. Most inspections cost around $65-$100. Try to find an inspector with a good reputation as well as someone who has been doing it for a long time. Termites are invasive creatures and it takes years of experience to become proficient at targeting their hotspots.

2.       If you already have a home and suspect you may have termites, call a local pest control company. Most companies have begun to offer free termite inspections and will come out and help you determine if you have any issues. Again, the credibility of the company is important. 

Victor Moleworms

This is the face of a man whose life is stricken with exhaustion due to the destruction that animals such as gophers or moles can due to one’s lawn. Yes, the man in the picture is Bill Murray as Carl Spackler in the 1980 film Caddyshack. Carl Spackler is the greenskeeper for the prestigious Bushwood Country Club and throughout the movie battles a menacing nemesis, a gopher. While his approach to destroying this gopher is unique and in the end is not effective, you may want to take a look just in case.

            One of my all-time favorite movies, Caddyshack is an American classic that no person should go without seeing. However if you have seen the movie, than you know that Carl’s methods in the end were futile as the closing scene depicts the gopher dancing in success as he safely dodges a series of explosions throughout the golf course designed to end his life. So please, do not use Spackler’s methods when it comes to eliminating gophers or moles for that matter in your yard.

            Since most of us do not have access to plastic explosives and most do not have an I.Q. as low as Mr. Spackler, Victor has introduced a new product recently designed specifically for moles in yards of people that do not own plastic explosives. Victor is an entity of Woodstream Corporation. Most everyone has seen and probably even used a Victor product. Around since 1890, Victor was the first to invent the spring loaded mouse trap, a design which is still widely used and accepted everywhere. The mole, a common pest for many homeowners destroys yards by excavating a series of underground tunnels, de rooting plants, killing grass and just making a mess of the appearance in general. People have tried all sorts of items from repellants to traps to even (yes, this is true, look on youtube) explosives placed directly in the tunnels.

            While success with these methods has varied over the years, after much research Victor has a designed a “poison worm,” that has proven itself appetizing and effective to these tunnelers. Using the active ingredient Bromethalin, Victor has designed a gelatin-like worm that is extremely palatable to moles. Designed to be placed directly into the active tunnels in your yard, the Victor Moleworms kit comes with 25 worms, 10 active tunnel locator flags and 3 disposable gloves. The main idea of this product is to place the bait, a food source for the mole, in an easy to access location for the mole. This is best achieved by simply placing it in one of the active tunnels it is using to feed on worms in your yard. Mole activity is directly related to moisture. The more it rains and your yard becomes saturated, the more mole activity you will see. Rain forces worms and other creatures to the surface and so in turn, the mole will follow its food source. This product is available on our website with fast, free shipping. If you have any questions you can always contact us and any one of our friendly staff will be more than happy to help you. 

Skyline Living

            Earlier this week, I wrote about my honeymoon to Belize. Among the many things I saw and ate while on that trip was the Nasutitermes corniger. What is that you ask? Well, as Floridians like to call it, the Tree Termite. And yes, I ate one; eloquent, woody taste with a smooth finish. The guide on the horseback riding tour offered me a free drink back at the resort if I would eat just one. Little did he know, I would have done it for free. A recent article in the March 2013 edition of Pest Control Technology (PCT) was entitled the “Tree Termite Threat” and discussed the worrisome problem Florida is facing with this invasive species. They first appeared in Florida back in 2001 but were thought to be completely eliminated until they resurfaced back in 2011. This problem is especially severe due to the high reproduction rates of this particular species of termites. One colony can contain up to 12 queens which is exponentially greater than all other species of termites. Queen Termites are responsible for the reproduction of the colony and just like worker termites are busy 365 days a year reproducing. That is a lot of termites! The Florida Pest Management Association is currently developing a plan entitled the “Florida Invasive Termite Initiative” (FITI) to help combat this destructive creature. Rest assured this is not an insect people will want to spread. Due to the large number of queens and overall size of the colonies, the damage the Tree Termite can cause to structures is far greater than any other termite that is native to American soil.

            But what is it about this species that causes them to build nests in the trees? From the numerous nests I saw while in Belize, all of them had mud tubes running from the ground to the base of the nest implying they do not feed on the tree itself. Most termites build their nests in the ground or in wall voids but not this kind. The most obvious answer in my mind is that they must like the view. Living in a tree to a termite must be like living in a penthouse suite on the top floor in New York City. One could then assume that not only is this the most destructive species of termite, but also the most intelligent. There is no need for flood insurance when you live in the sky. With any luck, the Florida Pest Management Association and its FITI will eliminate the risk of the Tree termite building a skyline in your backyard, and hopefully in anyone’s backyard in Florida as well. If you do ever happen to see a brown nest in one of your trees and are feeling curious, think twice because they are very similar to a hornet’s nest in appearance and you would not want to mix the two up just before you decide to poke and prod at it with your fingers. 

Mom! The Dog Has Fleas!

The adult flea can be one of the most frustrating pests to deal with for both humans and pets. With the change of seasons, from winter to spring people all across the country begin gearing up to defend themselves from fleas. By mid-summer, fleas are in full force wreaking havoc in yards and inside homes all across America. Eliminating fleas from your home and/or yard begins not only purchasing the right products and using them correctly; but also with having an understanding of the flea and its life cycle.  

Just like humans have three main stages of life, child, adolescent and adult, likewise fleas have 3 distinct stages as well. For fleas, the first stage of life is the egg followed by the larvae and finally the adult. Typical metamorphosis of a flea takes around 21 days but has been observed in as little as 12-14 days.  With this in mind, Solutions recommends an ongoing treatment for fleas of 21 days in order to eliminate fleas in all stages of development. One important fact to remember when treating for fleas is that when in the larvae stage, fleas are completely protected from any chemical that you may use.

Along with understanding the life cycle of a flea it is also important to understand how a flea problem occurs in the first place. If you have a flea infestation in your home, almost always the fleas were introduced into the home via animal or another human entering the house with fleas on them. For people with pets, that often means the animal is tracking in fleas when it goes outside into the yard. With fleas in the house, on the pet and outside the house, Solutions recommends a “3 Step Flea Free Program” which includes treating indoors, outdoors and any dogs or cats.

Once the areas to be treated have been identified, select the products that will be best suited for your unique situation. One vital piece of information to remember when combating fleas is that “vibration is key.” As previously said, when in the larvae stage, fleas cannot be eliminated by any pesticide. So, we must force the change from larvae to adult. Vibration is the key! Indoors, vacuuming the treated area every other day between treatments is recommended. This not only stirs the fleas up, it can even vacuum up existing fleas and flea eggs. Outdoors it is recommended to run your lawnmower over the yard prior to each treatment. One treatment every 7 to 10 days is recommended until all fleas are gone.  A good word of warning is that for the first 7 to 10 days while there are large amounts of vibration present in the treated areas, it may seem your flea problem is worse. Never fear, it will get better. Be sure to check out the flea control page on our website as well as check out the video to better explain a proper treatment. Once you have gathered up all the information, check out the products available to help you achieve a flea free home this summer.

There’s No Place Like Home

            After a May wedding, my wife and I were finally able to go on our honeymoon in November this past year. Despite the many suggestions that were thrown our way and the almost 200 countries we had to choose from, we decided on our original idea of spending a week in the economically diverse country of Belize. Belize is nestled in the north most corner of Central America on Guatemala’s eastern border. With a population of just over 356,000 (population of Houston is over 2 million), Belize is very much so a small country with severe poverty like most in Central and South America. The two main forms of work for those who live there are either working for the government or something within the tourism industry.

            Upon arrival into the Belize International Airport, a three hour drive was imminent for my wife and I in order to make it to our resort nestled in the Mayan mountains on the border of Belize and Guatemala. Along the way, the driver explained much of the natural landscape and the rich history of the Mayan people from long ago, part of what makes Belize such a popular tourist place. On this drive we even had the unique opportunity to visit the Belize national zoo. While much smaller than most city zoos here in the states, the Belize zoo offers an up close and personal experience with the animals and even the opportunity to touch them, as long as the animals allow it. After our stop to see the animals and have a quick bite to eat, we were back on the road for the last hour of the drive to our resort, Chaa Creek Jungle Lodge.

            Like most resorts, Chaa Creek offers many different activities to do while you are staying with them. My wife and I were able to ride horses through the mountains, learn about Mayan remedies and medicines, embark on a sunset canoe trip etc. However, of all the things we were able to do and see, including the howler monkeys that would wake us up every morning with their incessant howling; my most enjoyable experience was our night walk in which our guide helped us seek out Tarantulas residing on the resort.

            We set out well after dark with flashlights in our hands and hopes in our minds of catching a glimpse of just one of these furry eight-legged friends. The guide assured us that weather was right, and with little wind, they were sure to be out feeding on small insects. Just five minutes into our excursion, we spotted one. Not far off the path at all, its small eyes refracted a bit of light from the guides flashlight and gave away his location. A few minutes later, another and another! Throughout our night walk we learned much about the Tarantula; they can live up to 30 years in the wild and nighttime is when they are most likely to be out feeding. All in all, we saw about 20 spiders and were pleased with our detective work.

 The next morning over breakfast I could not help but wonder, were we really that lucky or was something fishy going on? It was not until a few days later as we were headed to the airport that I finally learned the truth. In any industry, there are what is called “tricks of the trade,” small little known facts that can make one’s performance that much better. Little did I know that our Tarantula guide had a little trick of his own. I suppose you could call it a slight of hand technique, but on our walk that night we learned that Tarantulas hunt at night. What the guide failed to mention is that Tarantulas have homes and they NEVER leave them! All the while I was amazed at our guide’s ability to seek out these eight legged, hairy critters, but his ability was nothing more than a trick. Even while feeding, Tarantulas never go past a few inches from their front door, they simply wait for their pray to come to them. Talk about a couch potato. The reality of it was that once the spiders were found, the guides could be sure they would be in that exact spot night after night, year after year. And not knowing any better, the tourists would continue to be impressed night after night, year after year.

All in all, my wife and I had a trip together that we will remember for the rest of our lives. The experiences were one of a kind and will be with us forever. While the habits of spiders can be a source of income for some, they can also be a nuisance for people like you and me. Spiders have a tendency to invade our homes at any time throughout the year. While most are harmless and even beneficial, most people do not want to see them crawling around. Spider control is easily attainable with just a few steps and important to learn about. After all, I am sure you do not want a spider camping out in that same little corner of your living room for the next 30 years just waiting for a meal to walk by!

Bugdom

Have you ever wondered what life would be like as bug? One minute Mr. Cucaracha is sitting there, peacefully enjoying the food you so graciously left for him from last night’s dinner. And then the next minute he is forced to read the short Calvin and Hobbes comic on the back of the funnies section in the Saturday paper. How did you know he would want to read that? Maybe he is just as concerned with the status of North Korea as you are and would have preferred the front of the newspaper not the back.

            Pest Control Technology magazine (PCT) published an interesting article in the March 2013 edition entitled, “Mr. Personality” in which the author alluded to the fact that behavioral patterns people see in insects may very well be linked to that insect’s personality. Several professors of Entymology, the study of insects, agreed that insects can behave in manners similar to humans and can even be considered “gregarious” or “bold,” and can even be trained similar to dogs.  Coby Schal, an entomologist at North Carolina State University said some insects (tarantula), can even be trained in a similar manner as dogs, a common household pet.

            So, let’s take this a step further and look at the more social insect, the ant.  

            Movies such as A Bee Movie or A Bug’s Life take an adolescent approach and mindset to a social insect’s habit and provide entertainment designed to appeal to children. So let’s take a “grown-up’s” approach. What is exactly does life include if one lived in an ant colony for instance? Within a colony of ants there is usually one queen (sometimes more) and thousands of workers and even some scouts (swarming ants). I suppose we can call the worker ants, the “blue collar ants,” and the swarmers (flying ants that seek out new places to colonize) are more of your “white collar,” perhaps a lawyer or even a doctor. This makes you wonder what makes the queen so special, huh? I envision queen ants to be much like their human counterpart Elizabeth II, refined, sophisticated, and OLD! But honestly, do ants have retirement plans, 401k’s? I mean, how do you plan for a life that most likely will last for 60 to 90 days? I suppose most work for two months or so and then retire for the rest of their lives. I sure would like a job like that!

            I envision there is a pecking order within the worker ants. Hazing must be a constant battle for those ants that are just a few days old and already thrown out into the real world by his/her illustrious queen mother. Well, whatever the case may be, the truth is that ants despite their class in their own society or length of life they live can be a nuisance to humans. From invading through window sills to making a home in a junction box, ants prove to be a worthy adversary for homeowners and control of the different species comes in many different fashions. So while they may only live for 60 days or so, rest assured that their Elizabeth II is hard at work producing thousands more and you may just want to do a little research and learn how to control these little guys. 

Begin Bugging

         

            If you were like most kids, you probably did not know it at the time, but you have been in the pest control business since you were a young child. It started off with the occasional “stomping” of an ant and rapidly evolved into a much more sophisticated, scientific approach of singeing some poor “rolly polly” with nothing but the sun and a magnifying glass. Now as an adult, you are much more like the person in the t.v. commercials clutching your chemical sprayer in the midst of a man vs. bug struggle happening on the battlefield you call your home.

But where can you find the tools to protect your home and the knowledge to use those tools effectively? How about a company that has been helping people just like yourself ever since? Solutions Stores is that place. Over the years, the company has grown quite the reputation in the Houston area for being the number one place to gain valuable information as well as professional grade products to eliminate any pest that may exist in the home or yard. 55 years later, Solutions Stores has made its way into the e-commerce world and this blog serves as a means to distribute knowledge to people all across the U.S. as more and more people find the internet as valuable tool to educate themselves.  You can learn about a particular insect that may be especially active during the current time of the year and even to see how the weather plays part in the lives of insects and weeds that may be found on your homestead. There are certain weather patterns that will make insects appear in just a matter of hours.

In addition to the blog, our website is full of text and videos to help you better understand the methods used today by professionals to help eliminate the certain bug or weed that you are dealing with. For all you online shoppers out there, using the information given, you can easily place any order you like and receive fast, free shipping! We carry thousands of products that cover every imaginable type of problem or pest you may have. There are over 900,000 different types of insects known to man and Solutions Stores has at least one product for all them. Okay, I might be stretching the truth but I am sure we have a product for at least 800,000 different insects. That’s a stretch too, but the point is you no longer have to spend the time (or gas) go to some store and speak with a person who works there to help you find what you need. You can spend just a fraction of the time and no gas online and find exactly what you need to help with your pest problem. In this day in age where every dollar matters, pest control around the home is just one of the ways families can cut back on expenses. Do not be fooled, with a few exceptions, homeowners can purchase the same professional grade products an extermination company would use around their homes and pay around 80% less each month.