A Mouse in the House

They are cute, but are they desirable? It is important to understand the potential problems that mice can cause when they live with us. Learn about mice and how best to prevent them from getting into your homes.

Hantavirus and Arenavirus

They are cute, but are they desirable? It is important to understand the potential problems that mice can cause when they live with these recently identified and potentially deadly diseases are associated with the droppings and urine of rodents. These rodents often live around and in homes. Just what precautions you should take are covered in this important article.s.

Rats and Human History

While the U.S. currently enjoys relatively few deaths and disease outbreaks from bugs and rodents, it has not always been that way. The history of the world has been altered many times by the critters we call “pests”, and it pays not to forget history.

Beneficial Flies

We think in terms of how “pesky” flies can be, but the bad ones are giving the good ones the wrong reputation. Most kinds of flies are actually very helpful to us and pose no problems at all. Here is a short article to cover a few of the common kinds.

Flies: Interesting Facts

While we may hate them we still have to admire their abilities. From big to small, most to least, here are some interesting bits of trivia on flies.

Why do Cluster Flies Cluster?

Our home is our castle, and may also be home to many other kinds of animals. Cluster flies are one of those that uses our homes as their winter habitat, and could suddenly appear by the thousands. In here you can understand why.

Fireflies & Lightning Beetles

Everyone easily forms the picture in their mind of a child with a jar full of summertime fireflies. But where does the light come from and why? Is it really a “fly”. Where do we find them? Fun article about a wonderful insect group.

Identification of Insects

With well over 1 million different kinds of insects already described, and estimates of maybe 10 times that still waiting to be discovered, how do you go about finding someone to tell you what kind of bug you have found in your yard or home? Here are some hints to make it easy for you.

Sharing Your House for the Winter

Once upon a time, there was a cave, and insects found refuge in the cave for their survival of winter weather. The modern-day caves are our homes, and a whole procession of bugs may find their way in. Here are many of the common ones for you to learn about.

Good Bugs, Bad Bugs?

With thousands of different kinds of bugs living around us, how do we tell the good ones from the pesky ones? The helpful roles of some common insects are covered so you can make the right decisions when you see them.

Roadkill Cafe & Its Guests

What could be more disgusting than a mass of writhing maggots? Still, these insects have a job to do, and without them and their feeding activities we’d have a serious problem in Nature. Humans have also found maggots to be pretty useful in some unusual ways.

The Flies That Ambush: The Robber Flies

For Nature Watchers it’s fascinating to stand back and observe the action. You might not even see the robber flies until they make their ambush on some unsuspecting bug that flies by. These are large and interesting animals.

Parasitic Flies

While the word “parasite” may conjure up images of nasty and undesirable organisms, in the world of insects the parasites can be some of our most important allies. Parasitic flies are among the leaders in the battle against the bugs.

Skeeter Eaters

Give presentations to elementary school children many times each year, bringing in displays of many kinds of large and small insects and other bugs, and teaching them about the lives of these important animals.

A Snakeflies In The Garden

Beneficial Insects.

Midges By The Millions

You may think you are being overwhelmed with mosquitoes, but many other little flying gnats can enter your home that do not bite and pose no danger to you other than being a nuisance. These may be “midges”, and several families of these mosquito-like gnats can be found around your garden and home

Mosquitoes: Biology & Prevention

Without a doubt one of the most terrible tragedies of humans throughout our history has been the untold millions who have died from diseases spread by mosquitoes. It is more important now than ever to understand these insects and how to prevent them in your yards and homes.

Mosquitoes: West Nile Virus

A disease that has swept across North America in just a few short years, killing millions of birds, thousands of horses, and a great many humans. Where did it come from, how is it spread, and how can we prevent the disease for ourselves and our family?

Mosquitoes: Interesting Facts

For such tiny little critters mosquitoes sure spread a lot of misery. These efficient animals have some amazing capabilities, and you’ll better understand why they can do what they do with this information.

Swine Flu, AIDS, and Mosquitoes

A recent reoccurrence of a dangerous strain of The Flu, called Swine Flu, brought out unfortunate speculations about the causes of it.

Leaf-cutting Bees

You look at your garden plants and find large sections of leaves mysteriously disappearing. Big, circular pieces have been removed for unknown reasons by unknown things. Could this be the work of the ambitious little leaf-cutting bees? Read more to find out.

Bees & Wasps: Interesting Facts

The group of insects that includes bees and wasps is a very large one, with many thousands of different kinds, and including some of the most important insects in Nature. Once again, their trivia and tidbits are fascinating..

Honeybees

The honeybee has been one of mankind’s workhorses, and has been so important for food and food production that humans have carried it with them as they migrated around the world. They also can be pest problems, and you’ll see why in this article.

“Killer” Bees

Myth or Reality? The news media and Hollywood have made great use of these insects, and now the truth is told about just what a “killer” bee is, where they are found, and how to deal with them if they are living in your area.

Bees In Their Burrows

Have you ever noticed the sudden appearance of hundreds of little bees in your yard, flying back and forth over the lawn or soil? Your garden may be better off if you leave them alone and enjoy them.

Yellowjackets: Where\’s the Meat?

“Meat bees” are a common and potentially dangerous insect to have around us, and they gladly will create their huge colonies in our homes. How to deal with them safely is discussed in this article.

Scary Horntail Wasps

Ever have that big bug flying around in your home, and wonder where it came from. Sometimes they come out of the wood your home is made from, and now the question is – should we be worried? Good information on these big wasps is presented here.

The Solitary Wasps

Not all wasps pose a threat to you or your family, even if they are creating their nests right there in your backyard, or under the eaves of your house. We can learn to appreciate the benefits of having many wasps living with us.

European Paper Wasp

Have you noticed some unusual wasp activity around your home lately? Perhaps your yard is now being invaded by one of the newest imports to the United States, a paper wasps species from Europe that has rapidly spread across the country. Read how this wasp can impact your landscape and our environment.

These animals are of great benefit to us with their insect-eating habits. However, they often find our attics and walls to be great places to stay, and there are problems and health risks associated with this co-existence. You can’t kill them, so what are your options for getting them to leave?

Bed Bugs

Small parasites that prefer to feed on human and animal blood. They derive the name because of where they are initially found, the bed.  They can cause spychological anguish, allergic reactions such as skin rashes. They reproduce extremely fast and infestation is rapid.

Bed Bugs can be found hiding:

• Bed frames
• Mattresses
• Furniture
• Dresser Drawers
• Between the walls
• Electrical Outlets

Bed Bugs are hard to get rid of by untrain individuals. The parasites are able to live up to 18 months without feeding.  Power Guard Pest Control uses the latest and most effective methods to eliminate infestations.

Carpenter Ants

Without a doubt one of the most terrible tragedies of humans throughout our history has been the untold millions who have died from dThey are big, they are busy, and they work at night, roaming through your home and chewing into the wood in the walls. Carpenter ants are some of the largest ants you may see in your home and yard, with the potential to cause damage you want to avoid. Learn about them in this article.

Red Imported Fire Ants

For those who have lived around this fire ant you know very well why it has that name. The bad news is that it is rapidly increasing its range in the U.S. How to deal with it is discussed in this article.

White-footed Ant

A tiny ant with a big nuisance value, so far a problem for homeowners in only a few of our states. Control of the white footed ant may be much harder than for all other ants, due to some strange differences in its lifestyle.

Ants: Interesting Facts

For such tiny bugs they sure have amazing lives and abilities. Here’s a chance to learn more about the bug we love to hate.

Ant Lions

These fascinating insects are all around us, and you very likely have walked past evidence of them many times without realizing what they were. Hollywood seems to have used them as the model for some of their futuristic ideas. Another helpful animal in the incredible world of insect diversity.

Ant Lions and Doodlebugs

“Doodlebug” – now there is a wonderful word, and you may even have heard it before, but really did not know what it refers to. You likely have also seen evidence of these curious little creatures, but again did not recognize that evidence for what it is. We are going to change all of that in this article.