Six Things That Might Be Inviting Cockroaches into Your Home

Bees are best known for pollinating flowers and for their ability to sting. However, the world of bees is so much more complex than that description suggests. There are about 20,000 recognized species of bees, and bees have been found on all continents except Antarctica.

Thankfully, there are only a few types you may see in your yard on a regular basis. It's important to know the differences between them so you can act appropriately according to the type of bee you see.

Honey Bees

There are actually seven species of honey bee, but all are very similar. These bees create elaborate hives in structures like hollow trees and rock crevices, and they live in large and intricately structured social groups called colonies. Honey bees are about 1/2 inch long with smooth black heads and bodies that feature alternating bands of black and amber.

Honey bees are very gentle and will not sting unless aggressively provoked. They do die when they sting a victim, and stinging requires that they leave behind their stinger and venom sac.

It is actually a good thing if you see the occasional honey bee in your yard, as these important pollinators are declining in number. If honey bees have built a hive in an inconvenient space on your property, your best bet is to have a bee specialist relocate the hive rather than having them exterminate these endangered insects.

Bumble Bees

Bumble bees are fuzzy-looking bees that are named after the buzzing noise they make while flying. They can measure up to one inch in length when mature. Bumble bees are usually black with yellow markings, and while the top surfaces of their bodies are hairy, the undersides are smooth.

Bumble bees are not normally aggressive, but they can sting when threatened - and, unlike honey bees, they do not die after stinging. While bumble bees are beneficial insects because they pollinate plants, they often build nests in spaces like sheds, wood piles and fences. Pest control experts can use insecticides to kill all bees in a nest and then remove the nest once it is free of bees.

You can make your yard less attractive to bumble bees by filling any holes in your sheds' exteriors. Keep all fences in good repair, and do not leave piles of leaves or grass clippings sitting around for more than a few days.

Carpenter Bees

Carpenter bees are large, furry bees that appear similar to bumble bees. However, unlike bumble bees, carpenter bees have hair on the undersides of their abdomens as well as on the top. They also lack yellow stripes - their bodies are amber brown and their legs and head are black.

Carpenter bees rarely sting, but because they burrow large holes into wooden structures in order to lay their eggs, they can cause serious structural damage to buildings and fences.

Carpenter bees are solitary insects; they do not live in colonies. However, even a single bee can do serious damage, so it's important to have a pest control expert come eradicate the bees as soon as you spot one. Fill in the holes left in wooden structures to keep these bees from coming back.

Mason Bees

Mason bees are small, fuzzy bees with black heads, amber hairs on their midsection and red-brown back ends. They are named for their tendency to build tunnels and nests in mortar. Like carpenter bees, mason bees are solitary insects - each builds its own nest.

Mason bees are very gentle and don't typically sting. They are important pollinators, so you should not worry if you see one buzzing around your flowers or vegetables. However, these bees can cause damage to brick structures, so you should call a pest control company if you think one is nesting in your mortar.

Seeing the occasional bee of any type is not a cause for concern. But if you think bees are nesting on your property, give the experts at Pest Control Services, Inc. , a call to take care of the problem.

Mosquitoes are more than just an annoyance. Experts have called them "the most dangerous animal in the world" due to the way they spread diseases like malaria, zika virus, and yellow fever. There's no doubt about it: having mosquitoes in your yard is a dangerous situation. Thankfully, there are four steps you can take to keep them away.

1. Eliminate Standing Water
Mosquitoes breed in standing, stagnant water, such as that found in puddles, bird baths, and shallow ponds. Eliminating any standing water on your property will help ensure they do not breed there, which should reduce the number of mosquitoes on your property dramatically.
If you have any low spots that frequently fill up with water, hire a landscaping team to fill them in or install a drainage system. If you have bird baths, change the water inside of them weekly. Keep lids on your trash cans, and do not keep open jugs, watering cans, or tires in your yard as these can collect water.
If you have a pond, keeping it mosquito-free will require some attention to detail. Remove any trees, weeds, or obstructions that may shelter the pond from the wind, as increased airflow across the pond will make it less appealing to mosquitoes. You can also try adding goldfish or koi to your pond; they eat mosquito larvae before the larvae have a chance to develop into adult mosquitoes.

2. Keep Your Pool Clean
Mosquitoes will not breed in a clean, chlorinated pool, so if you have a pool, be very careful to keep it clean. Check your chlorine and pH levels twice a week. Maintain the chlorine level between 1.0 and 3.0 ppm and the pH between 7.4 and 7.6. Empty the skimmer baskets often so that the organic debris they collect does not attract mosquitoes.
If you have a pool cover, make sure you do not allow it to accumulate standing puddles of water. If puddles do collect, such as after a storm, drain them promptly before they begin attracting mosquitoes.

3. Clean Your Roof and Gutters
Dirty gutters are a popular harboring point for mosquitoes. If you have a flat roof, they may also breed in water that puddles on the roof. Clean out your gutters twice a year to make sure they are flowing freely. This is easier than you might imagine. You simply climb onto a ladder and use your gloved hand to pull any leaves and debris from the gutters. Pour a bucket of water down the gutters after cleaning to make sure they're clear.
If you notice water pooling on your flat roof, have your roofing contractor come out and adjust the pitch of the roof--or fill in the low spot--to prevent future puddles from forming.

4. Have Yard Sprayers Installed
Even if you take care to prevent mosquitoes from breeding on your land, they may still breed on nearby property and visit your yard, biting you when you spend time outside. Installing sprayers to periodically spray the perimeter of your yard with insecticides will help keep them away.
Mosquito sprayers are typically installed every 10 to 15 feet along the edge of your property. The system releases a fine mist of insecticides twice a day--at dusk and dawn. The pesticides settle on the plants along the border of your lawn, and when mosquitoes land on these plants, they are killed. If you have a party in your backyard, you can give your yard an extra misting prior to the event to ensure mosquitoes stay away.
With the steps above, you can maintain your yard as a mosquito-free haven. Pest Control Services, Inc.  offers mosquito spraying services to customers in the Corpus Christi area. Contact us to learn more or to schedule your installation appointment.

Since mice are nocturnal, it is unlikely you'll spot one until after you have a full infestation on your hands. Instead, you'll want to keep an eye out for any evidence that a mouse has been lurking around your home.
The most obvious form of proof is mouse droppings. Once you come across droppings, you'll need to confirm that they are indeed from a mouse and then clean them up following the proper protocol to avoid contracting any rodent-related diseases.

Examine the Droppings

Without touching the droppings you come across, take a good hard look at them. You may even want to use a magnifying glass if you have one. Rodent droppings are relatively smooth and taper off at each end. Since rodents groom themselves like cats, they also swallow some hair, which can sometimes be found in their feces.
The educational institution goes on to point out that examining the size is the best way to tell the difference between rat and mouse feces. Rats are bigger in size than mice and their droppings reflect this. If the feces are 1/4 inch in length, they most likely come from a mouse, as rat feces tend to measure 1/3 inch.

Use Your Sense of Smell

Although mouse feces don't have a strong odor, you can use your nose to locate urine-soaked areas. This rodent's urine will smell like ammonia. If the urine has already dried in an area you suspect a mouse has visited, you can use a black light or an ultraviolet light to illuminate it.

Be Aware of Potential Diseases

Before you begin cleaning up the mice droppings, you'll need to be fully aware of the potential diseases that can be transmitted through the excrement. The following diseases are known to be contracted through coming in contact with mice droppings:

• Bubonic plague: Also commonly referred to as "Black Death," the bubonic plague is a bacterial infection that often presents with flu-like symptoms. Those infected will develop swollen lymph nodes, headaches, vomiting, and fevers.
• Murine typhus: Murine typhus is a form of typhus that develops as a result of the Rickettsia typhi bacteria. Common symptoms include a cough, rash, stomachache, loss of appetite, and muscle weakness.
• Spirochetal jaundice: When bilirubin levels rise in the bloodstream due to an infection with Leptospira icterohemorrhagica, a person has come down with spirochetal jaundice. The disease causes patients to itch and have yellow skin.
• Leptospirosis: Another bacterial infection, leptospirosis is serious and can lead to a host of complications. A few of these include meningitis, respiratory illnesses, and kidney disease. In some cases, leptospirosis can even lead to death.
• Rat-bite fever: Rat-bite fever is a bacterial infection that makes joints swell and ache. Additional symptoms include fevers with the chills, headaches, and wounds that are slow to heal.  
• Bacterial food poisoning: When mice urine or food droppings come in contact with your food, you can suffer from bacterial food poisoning. Sufferers may experience vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea, and bloody stools.

Use Caution When Cleaning Up the Droppings

In order to prevent contracting any mice related illnesses, it is best to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's guidelines on the matter. The CDC suggests donning a pair of cleaning gloves and soaking the affected area with a disinfectant for 5 minutes before using a paper towel to clean up the waste. After tossing the waste in the trash can, mop the floors with disinfectant and then remove the gloves and wash your hands with soap and water.
After you've successfully identified the droppings and disposed of them, you'll want to give Pest Control Services, Inc. a call. The professional exterminators are equipped with the necessary information and equipment to completely eradicate your home of these unwanted pests.