Bug Superstitions: Insects Known to Bring Good Luck

Good Luck BugsDo you believe in bug superstitions? There are many signs and symbols in different cultures that are believed to either be good luck charms or bad omens. Many of these are related to insects, so before you seek out pest control for the home, consider the critters that might be able to bring you good luck!

Ladybugs

This is one of the most loveable insects around! When a ladybug lands on you, it’s considered a sign of good luck since you will be granted more patience and fewer burdens. Bug superstitions even say that if you are ill when a ladybug lands on you, it takes the illness away! You can wear a ladybug amulet to gain the same good luck. Bug superstitions also suggest that you count the spots on a ladybug’s back and that’s the number of happy months ahead. Of course, killing a lady bug is considered bad luck and should be avoided at all costs, so the superstition goes.

Crickets

For thousands of years, it has been considered lucky to have a cricket on the hearth, especially in Asian countries where crickets were once used as “watchdogs.” When danger approached, the cricket’s chirping would stop. Native Americans believed crickets brought good luck as well, and avoided mimicking the chirping out of respect for the insect. Bug superstitions suggest that it’s very bad luck to kill a cricket, even on accident.

Dragonflies

These insects are creatures of the wind and water, which means they represent change and subconscious dreams in many cultures. Prosperity, strength, peace, purity, courage, and harmony are other traits associated with dragonflies.

Scarabs

In ancient Egypt, bug superstitions existed as well. Scarab beetles represented the rising sun and a protection from evil for this civilization. That’s why these beetles were often represented in Egyptian art. The scarab is also a symbol of transformation, regeneration, and rebirth.

Butterflies

These beautiful insects are associated with dreams and fairytales. They are considered a symbol of transformation, since they are born from a cocoon after being mere caterpillars. Many people find inspiration from the butterfly and its ability to undergo extreme change.

Despite the good luck offered by these insects, many others simply wreak havoc on your home. For information about the Taexx system, termite control and other ideas regarding pest control for the home, please visit our website, pestdefense.com, or call one of our professionals at 855-855-4873. We also invite you to join us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube for additional information.

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Tough Bugs: What Makes Bugs So Resilient?

Tough BugsWhile hundreds of creatures in the insect world could be categorized as tough bugs, there are four that stand out as the toughest bugs in the animal kingdom. Here’s a look at HomeTeam’s list of four tough bugs. Thankfully, we don’t have to worry about most of them when considering pest control for the home.

German Roach

The German cockroach can thrive almost all over the world, except in very cold climates. They make the top list of tough bugs for two reasons. First, they are difficult to exterminate. This is because of the many nymphs produced from a single egg case, the short time span between birth and maturity, and their ability to hide incredibly well. Females also carry their egg cases around with them to prevent susceptibility to humans.

Second, German roaches are highly impervious to radiation. Humans can’t survive exposure to just 800 rems, but it takes a dose of 90,000 to 105,000 rems before you’ll see a German roach on its back.

Hercules Beetle

This is one of the largest and most famous rhinoceros beetle, which lives in Central and South America as well as the Lesser Antilles. You aren’t likely to need pest management services to get rid of a Hercules beetle infestation in your home, but these are tough bugs that you certainly don’t want to cross! The males feature “horns” that can grow longer than their bodies. These are primarily used to pick fights with other males for the right to mate with a female.

The name “Hercules” is appropriate for these beetles, since they are said to be the strongest creature alive for its size. A single beetle can carry 850 times its own body weight. That’s like a 180-pound man carrying 10 elephants on his back!

Red Velvet Ant

Also known as “cow killer ants,” female red velvet ants are actually wingless wasps. They live in the eastern and southern United States and deliver incredibly painful stings. The males, on the other hand, have dark, transparent wings and don’t deliver a sting. These tough bugs are very hard to exterminate, even if you stomp on them!

Locust

There are several species of grasshopper that are considered locusts. These bugs are most well-known for their massive swarming and catastrophic damage to crops. Pest management services need to use extreme care around crops for fear of damaging the food supply, which is the reason locusts are on the list of the toughest bugs in the world.

For more information about ridding tough bugs from your home, please visit our website, pestdefense.com, or call one of our professionals at 855-855-4873. We also invite you to join us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube for additional tips and ideas for pest control for

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The Power of Taexx | Taexx for New Construction

HomeTeam Pest Defense, a residential and commercial pest management service, discusses the power of Taexx for single and multi-family homes.

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Leaping Bugs for Leap Year

Leaping bugs for leap yearLeap year only comes once every four years, and in honor of the occasion, we’re highlighting leaping bugs and exploring how far they can jump! While the mere topic of leaping bugs may make you itch, they are actually quite fascinating insects with incredible athletic skills. Don’t worry – you can always call a pest management service if you ever spot hordes of these athletes in your home.

Fleas: These tiny little bugs measure only about one-sixteenth of an inch, but they can jump about 12.5 inches! That’s 200 times the length of their bodies!

This impressive feat is accomplished by a springing mechanism in their hind legs rather than muscles. It’s equivalent to a human being jumping 130 feet from a standing position.

Grasshoppers: These insects look like they were made for jumping! Those massive hind legs are like a powerful catapult that launches the grasshopper forward. Unlike fleas, grasshoppers rely on muscles and tendons to make their jumps possible. They are capable of jumping over 20 times their body length, which means a mature grasshopper can leap forward about 40 inches.

Springtails (aka Snow Fleas): Measuring about one-eighth of an inch, these little leaping bugs can jump impressively far. They use a different method of locomotion than the previous two insects mentioned in this article, a method that allows them to jump great distances. A tiny tail-like appendage, called a furcula, folds up under the abdomen and when the springtail is ready to jump, it thrusts the tail down and back against the ground, allowing it to jump forward up to four inches in a single bound. Superman may still have the springtail beat, but these miniature leaping bugs can even launch off water!

Jumping Spiders: As their name indicates, jumping spiders are great jumpers! They have four large eyes on their face and four smaller eyes on their heads. It gives them a great advantage in eyeing their prey. After they have stalked their prey within the appropriate distance, they can leap forward up to 40 times their body length and pounce on their prey. Thanks to this athletic ability and great eyesight, jumping spiders don’t have to wait for their prey to come to them.

For more information about our pest management service, please visit pestdefense.com or call one of our professionals at 855-855-4873. We also invite you to join us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube for additional tips and ideas for pest control for the home.

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What Type of Bug are You?

What type of bug do you think you are most like? Hopefully you don’t think your traits most closely match those of a mosquito, a black widow spider, or a termite. These are bugs worthy of calling a pest management service, but there are plenty of other fascinating insects that your personality may closely match. Read these descriptions and decide what type of bug traits match you best!

what type of bug are you butterflyYou are very social and well-liked but sometimes you feel the need to do something a little controversial. Popularity may be important to you, but you know it’s more important to be yourself. When you’re not showing off, you are a very sweet and caring person with a funny way of showing it. If this matches your personality, you are a butterfly!

You may seem ordinary and uninteresting to people who don’t you very well, but when the time is right, you can show off amazing hidden talents. You are a great communicator and definitely can shed the light on a dark situation. If this describes you, you are a firefly!

what type of bug are you mantisYou are very intelligent, inquisitive, patient, deceptively humble and respected by your peers. While this is true, you still tend to enjoy your alone time. If this sounds like you, you are a praying mantis!

You are cute and friendly and try to make the people around you feel included and accepted. Not much bothers you—you prefer to be carefree and relaxed as you expand your collection of odd knick-knacks and furry things. You make people laugh a lot, but they’re not always sure they really understand the joke. You know there’s a fine line between endearingly cute and irritatingly kitsch, but you have no idea where that line is anymore. Sound right? You’re a ladybug!

what type of bug are you waspYou are very aggressive and confrontational, but you will always stand up for the people you hold dear. Some people call you materialistic and arrogant, and they might be right. After all, you’re good looking and you know it, but you also think everyone else is jealous. Is this you? You’re a paper wasp!

You are a perky team-player who is always full of energy. You like to stick around other people and work really hard. You’re even willing to work overtime to do your part for the greater good. If this sounds like your personality, you are a bumblebee!

For more information about our pest management service, please visit pestdefense.com or call one of our professionals at 855-855-4873. We also invite you to join us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube for additional tips and ideas for pest control for the home.

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Bugs to Love – Beneficial Bugs

Bugs to love beneficial bugsIn the insect world, there are many beneficial bugs that help the environment, even if you would prefer that they stay out of your home. In honor of Valentine’s Day, here’s a look at some bugs to love.

Mantis: Also called a mantid, this insect is not worth calling the pest exterminator to get rid of. They spend their time in the grass or on plants where other bugs live because they are predators of harmful insects. The diet of a mantis includes moths, crickets, flies, grasshoppers and other mantids. Their predatory habits make them beneficial bugs to have in the garden.

Lovebug: This insect is black with a red thorax. They are most commonly seen flying in male and female pairs joined together, which is where their name comes from. Unlike their closest relatives—biting midges, mosquitoes, fungus gnats and sand flies—lovebugs are quite harmless. They don’t bite, string or pose a threat to your garden, but they might make a mess of your car. In fact, lovebug larvae are important for decomposing plant material to make rich soil.

Ladybug: You are probably already fond of the sweet little ladybug, with its bright red color and lovable black spots. Gardeners prize them for another reason, though: ladybugs eat aphids and other plant-destroying insects. In the 3- to 6-week life of a ladybug, it might devour 5,000 aphids. This harmless insect just got a little more lovable!

Bee: While this insect scares many people because of its stinger, there would be a whole lot less vegetation and flowers if bees weren’t around. Thousands of vegetable and flower varieties rely on bees for pollination. Plus, if you’ve ever enjoyed honey on your toast, beeswax in your cosmetics, or royal jelly in your dietary supplements, you have the bees to thank.

Kissing Bug: This grenade-shaped insect with an elongated head and reddish-orange spots along its sides has a sweet name, but it isn’t as sweet as other beneficial bugs. The insect gets its name from a habit it has of biting humans around the mouth. While this is an unpleasant characteristic of the kissing bug, they also prey on other harmful insects, such as bedbugs, making them more worth loving than other species belonging to the insect world.

For more information about pest management services, please visit our website, pestdefense.com, or call one of our professionals at 855-855-4873. We also invite you to join us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube for additional tips and ideas for pest control for the home.

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Mild Winters Bring Spring Bugs

Wild Winters Spring BugsYou’ve heard the saying “April showers bring May flowers”, but it could also be easily exclaimed: “Mild winters bring spring critters!”  This winter has been bizarre. The National Climatic Data Center reports that about 2,800 daily record highs have either been tied or broken across the country in January. The mild winter has been great for spending more time outdoors, but with Old Man Winter snoozing for a few months, it also means that there’s a good chance that more mice and insects survived, and will make their presence known this spring.

How do Insects Survive the Winter?

Bugs don’t have the body fat of mammals, but they do have incredible mechanisms within their bodies for surviving cold, wintry conditions. Some insects migrate to warmer climates, some huddle together for warmth in trees, and some go dormant as larvae or cocoons. Many insects, like mosquitoes and ants, prepare for the cold by making their own internal glycerol “antifreeze”. This self-produced chemical will protect them throughout the winter months. In spring, insect glycerol levels decrease (and the phone calls for pest management services increase!).

Is a Harsh Winter Harsh on Insects?

Even winters containing large amounts of snowfall are not indicators that bugs will die off. Blankets of snow can serve as just that…blankets for insects. As many types of bugs crawl underground, they can find cozy confines under the warm insulation of snow. For example, St. Louis averages 20 inches of snow each year yet subterranean termites thrive in this area. The weather condition that insects dread the most would be an extremely cold winter, or alternating freezing and thawing, with little to no snow cover keeping them warm. Those types of winter weather conditions often lead to more rapid insect mortality rates.

How should Homeowners Prepare for an Increase in Bugs this Spring?

As winter turns into spring, flowers bloom, trees blossom, birds sing, and insects reappear. Within your annual rite of spring cleaning, especially this year because of the mild winter, spring bugs need to understand that they are not welcome. The best thing that can be done for you and your family is to build a relationship with a trusted, experienced, and reliable company that offers pest management services. We, at HomeTeam Pest Defense, are very proud of the fact that during our latest customer satisfaction survey, 86.8% of our customers said that they would be “very likely” or “extremely likely” to recommend us to their family, friends, and neighbors.

For more information, please visit our website, pestdefense.com, or call one of our professionals at 855-855-4873. We also invite you to join us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube for additional tips and ideas for pest control for the home.

 

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Professional vs. DIY Pest Control

HomeTeam Pest Defense, a pest control management service, discusses professional vs. DIY pest control for the home.

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HomeTeam Exhibits at the 2012 International Builders Show

International Builders Show HomeTeamHomeTeam Pest Defense is proud to celebrate our 10th year as an exhibitor at the International Builders Show, scheduled Feb. 8-11 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.   The show, which runs Wednesday through Saturday, is the largest home building industry event in the world.  This annual event features product and service live demonstrations, world-class speakers, educational and fun networking events, plus live music and entertainment.

You can find us in the West Hall at booth #2254 where HomeTeam  will feature Taexx® built-in pest control system and subterranean termite products and services. HomeTeam is the third-largest residential pest and termite control company in the United States, and the No.1 pest management service provider to home builders.

Our unique Taexx built-in pest control product is installed in designated walls during construction. The system is designed to target household pests at point of entry. On a regular basis, HomeTeam professionals distribute efficient pest control treatments from locked and patented service ports on the outside of a home. The Taexx system has a low install cost, no impact on building cycle time and a high perceived value among homebuyers.

HomeTeam offers several termite control treatments for subterranean termites. During construction, HomeTeam applies a borate-based termiticide directly onto raw wood, concrete and foundation penetrations. Once dry, all treated wood can be handled normally since the long-lasting termiticide is saturated deep within. This termiticide sets up a repellent barrier that lasts for years. The termite control service applications provided by HomeTeam satisfy all state and local municipality requirements, and most importantly, satisfy all HUD lending requirements for termite pretreatments on FHA and VA loans.

The Sentricon® termite baiting system can be installed before or after home construction, and is a proven method for protecting homes and buildings from subterranean termites. There is no drilling in floors and foundations, no digging or trenching. The system uses only a few grams of active termiticide ingredient when and where needed. Trained HomeTeam technicians install the system and then monitor it on a quarterly basis from outside the home, meaning there are no scheduling hassles.

HomeTeam Pest Defense and the International Builders Show have been associated with one another for many years, and we are proud to be a part of this year’s conference as well! To learn more about HomeTeam and our pest and termite control products, visit www.pestdefense.com. For more details about the tradeshow, visit www.buildersshow.com.

Taexx® is a registered trademark of HomeTeam Pest Defense

Sentricon® is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences, LLC

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Pest Exterminator Stories

Pest exterminator storiesWhen you have a cockroach infestation, rodent problem, or termite invasion on your hands, a pest exterminator could quickly become your hero. However, technicians working for pest management services are more than just exterminators. At HomeTeam Pest Defense, we have plenty of pest exterminator stories that exemplify the amazing character of our employees. These stories are factual, but for the privacy of HomeTeam Pest Defense employees and customers, the names have been changed.

Timely Actions

One afternoon, Adam was returning to the HomeTeam Pest Defense office when he came upon an accident. He discovered a man bleeding from a head injury and losing consciousness. Adam talked to the man to keep him awake and held his head gently to prevent his injuries from worsening until an ambulance arrived. Adam’s timely actions and paramedic training helped him handle the situation calmly and professionally.

Roadside Compassion

Mrs. Thomas was on her way to a tennis match when her tire went flat. Two men pulled over on the premise of helping her. However, while one man accompanied Mrs. Thomas to the trunk, the other attempted to rob the vehicle of her belongings. When the men couldn’t find anything of value in the car, they attacked Mrs. Thomas and shoved her into the trunk of her car. Thanks to a safety latch on the inside, she was able to break free of her temporary prison once the men had driven off.

Mrs. Thomas attempted to flag down several cars until, finally, a HomeTeam pest exterminator, Rob, pulled up next to Mrs. Thomas and rolled down his window. Rob could see she was shaken so he stayed in his car to keep from frightening her further. Upon Mrs. Thomas’ request, Rob called the police and stayed at the scene until Mrs. Thomas felt safe.

Selfless Bravery

Dave was driving his route when he noticed a sudden cloud of dust just around a corner. He quickly realized that a vehicle had rounded the corner too quickly, drove off the road, and flipped over. He pulled over and saw a convertible on the side of the embankment. Dave and another helpful citizen held the car in place for about 45 minutes to keep it from falling down the embankment until an emergency crew arrived and safely stabilized it. The crew then used the Jaws of Life to extricate the driver while Dave stayed near and comforted the frightened driver. When the scene was over, Dave went on to complete his route for the day.

Alert Hero

Ben was performing pest management services at a customer’s home when he heard a commotion across the street. A man working with a chainsaw on a 16-foot ladder was knocked to the ground when a limb snapped. Ben immediately dashed over to find the man unconscious and the chainsaw still running. Ben turned off the chain saw, called 911, and stayed by the man’s side until an emergency crew arrived and transported him to the hospital.

We know you can trust our professional pest management service, and we want to prove it to you. Visit our website, pestdefense.com or call 855-855-4873 to find out more about the pest exterminators at HomeTeam Pest Defense.

 

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