Category Archives: Household pests
Tiny wonders
Last week my wife and I went to see the latest Cirque du Soleil show called OVO. I had never been to one of these modern circus shows before, and the insect theme of the show (ovo is Portuguese for egg–as in insect egg) was the hook that my wife thought would get me out of the house. According to the official description, OVO looks at the world of insects and its biodiversity. The rather thin storyline is overshadowed by the spectacle of the show, but is centered… Read More →
Don’t invite bed bugs home this Christmas
Over the river, and through the wood, To Grandfather’s house we go; GPS shows the way to hotels to stay through the white and drifted snow. Over the river, and through the wood— Oh how the bed bugs bite! They sniff out our toes and bite our nose And hop in our luggage tonight. If you’re among the 10 million plus Americans planning a car trip this Christmas, don’t forget bed bugs. In case you haven’t heard, bed bugs have been as busy as Santa’s elves this year,… Read More →
Spider woes
I just received a question through our eXtension “Ask an expert” site that I think might be of general interest. It has to do with spiders. The person wrote: “I have a [lakefront] home… northwest of Fort Worth. The lake facing side of the house has a severe external spider infestation under the high eaves over a sizable deck. The spiders produce massive amounts of webs which must be removed with a pressure washer every few months, which requires 12 to 14 hours of uncomfortable labor. How can… Read More →
The truth about bed bugs
Forget the economy, forget major league baseball playoffs, forget fall elections, if you want to have a conversation that everyone is interested in, bring up the subject of bed bugs. These tiny blood-sucking parasites have finally reached celebrity status. If you don’t believe me, check out the Google Trends data below. Google Trends is a relatively new tool that allows you to see how many people are Googling a given subject on the Internet over time. Starting in 2004 with relatively little interest, the number of online searches… Read More →
Termite season
It’s spring in Texas and that means termite season. This year has reportedly been one of the busier termite swarm seasons for pest control companies. If you experience a flight of dark, winged insects with bodies just over 1/8-inch long, don’t ignore them. They could be a sign of termites attacking your home. To learn more about termites, check out the termite section of Insects in the City.
