Rodent Control Methods

If you often see small insects flying around your houseplants, it's likely you have a fungus gnat issue. The insects are attracted to the moist soil of plants, which provides them with an ideal habitat for raising their young. While fungus gnats are a nuisance, the adults themselves aren't inherently harmful to your plants—but the larvae they produce are. The insects produce offspring quickly, so it doesn't take long for a population of the gnats to take over. Luckily, getting rid of fungus gnats (and preventing future infestations) is simple when you're armed with the right tips and techniques. elenaleonova / GETTY IMAGES What Are Fungus Gnats? Fungus gnats are small, black flying insects that make their home in the moist soil of houseplants, as well as in greenhouse or nursery settings. "They are short-lived but can reproduce quickly, making them a bit of a challenge to eliminate quickly, says Darren Royer, integrated pest manageme...

Earwigs look for cool and damp environments, such as under paving stones, tree bark, dead logs, cracks in the soil, or buried deep inside flowers. Therefore, it is unlikely they will be an infestation in your home, but it is possible to see some stragglers inside with you. If you do see one or two taking up residence in your house, there are a few signs to indicate the presence of earwigs, like a foul smell, an attraction to bright lights, dead plants and leaves, and cold and moist locations. How to Find Earwigs in Your Home Although your warm home isn't ideal for earwigs, there's certainly a chance that they can enter your home without you noticing. Earwigs can crawl through cracks, gaps and holes, so checking poorly sealed doors and windows, unscreened vents and doors leading into crawl spaces is essential. They can also be placed inside unintentionally hidden inside bundles of newspapers, boxes, lumber, books and plants, so it's always a good idea to look over these ...

Raccoons are cute and clever, but they are turkey-egg-eating specialists. Studies have shown that a dense raccoon population can greatly impact localized turkey hatches and brood-rearing success. Keep that in mind while also considering that turkey populations are struggling in some areas of the county, especially west of US 19. In many areas, there are more predators than ever before, so it certainly doesn't hurt the nesting efforts of the local turkey population if some of the predators are taken off the landscape just before spring. If there's been a silver lining to declining turkey numbers, it's the rekindled interest in trapping. Despite a fur market that continues to be sluggish, many new trappers are hitting the field each winter with the goal of catching some predators and maybe helping a few more turkey eggs hatch. Learning to trap can seem intimidating, but nest predators like raccoons and opossums are easy to catch with minimal equipment. They're the perfect...

Champions of organic farming have long portrayed it as friendlier to humans and the earth. But a new study in a California county found a surprising effect as their acreage grew: Nearby conventional farms applied more pesticides, likely to stay on top of an increased insect threat to their crops, the researchers said. Ashley Larsen, lead author of the study in this week's journal Science, said understanding what's happening could be important to keeping organic and conventional farmers from hurting each other's operations. "We expect an increase in organic in the future. How do we make sure this is not causing unintended harm?" asked Larsen, an associate professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara. By contrast, the researchers found that when organic farms were surrounded by other organic fields, their pesticide use dropped, which the team thinks may be due to their shared reliance on bugs that are natural enemies of agricultural pests. Organic farms ...

You know, the most wonderful thing about social media and the internet is that everything you read there is true! Therefore, if someone you don't know posts a question, and someone else you don't know answers it, you can rest assured that the answer will be correct. Right? This naïve assumption is the basis for one of the most popular gardening myths making the digital rounds in recent years. It's a "safe, natural weed killer" made by mixing vinegar, Epsom salts, and Dawn dishwashing liquid. I won't provide the recipe because I pride myself in not promoting hogwash. Google it if you must. Mike Perkins / EyeEm/Getty Images Don't Assume Homemade Is Best Proponents of this homemade "weed killer" gush about its immediate results. "I sprayed the weeds with it yesterday morning, and they were brown and dead that afternoon!" Sounds great, but are they really dead? How Weed Killers Work The advantage that chem...

Sombra is shown looking through her database. Sombra, Overwatch 2's hacking, harassing, stealthy damage hero, has been one of my favorite characters on the hero shooter's roster since I started playing in 2019. Her cloaking and hack-based kit is distinct, and even after her rework leading into Overwatch 2, I've still had a lot of fun with her hit-and-run style. Well, Blizzard is reworking her in the game's seventh season, and I'll miss you girl, because this seems like a step too far. Sombra's rework in Overwatch 2 gives me pause In the original Overwatch and up until now in the sequel, Sombra has been able to place a Translocator device anywhere on the map and teleport to it as a get-out-of-jail-free card. The idea is she can get into an enemy's backline, hack a foe to briefly turn off their abilities, and then deal additional damage to the afflicted hero before making her escape. The Translocator sitting somewhere far away, most likely next to a healing pa...

When the seasons change, it can pose a big issue for indoor/outdoor pets and their homes. Even if your animal only goes out for potty breaks, they can still bring in pesky fleas. If you've experienced fleas in the past, you won't want to repeat the problem again. It's time to get ahead of things. As the weather gets colder, these parasites are looking for a warm body to call home. Flea treating your animals is always a good idea, but making your yard totally undesirable is even better. Here are eight of the best flea killers we found for your yard this season. A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites of 2024 The 8 Best Flea Killers for Your Yard 1. Adams Plus Flea and Tick Yard Spray – Best Overall Amount: 32 fluid ounces Active Ingredients: Permethrin Application Type: Spray Of all the other picks, Adams Plus Flea and Tick Yard Spray was our favorite overall. It is practical and easy to appl...

Pest control costs represent a wide range. You can buy a mouse trap for a couple of bucks or spend thousands of dollars to have a professional remove bed bugs and cockroaches from your home. Here are some of the major factors that affect pest control prices: Type of Service Pest control companies offer a few different services (at different price points) depending on your needs: Pest extermination involves setting traps, fumigating or spraying to kill the pests in your home (and ensure they don't return). The average basic extermination costs $175 . Pest removal is ideal when you have larger critters inhabiting your home, like squirrels in your attic. Costs may be higher since the company must set the trap and then return to retrieve the pest. Pest prevention is a recurring service you can purchase to prevent pests from returning. Regular treatments can repel pests and block entry points into your home. Monthly prevention typically runs between $50 and $75 . Freq...

PICTURE OF THE WEEK | January 23, 2023 Bill Johnson, Professor of Weed Science, Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University Marcelo Zimmer, Weed Science Program Specialist, Purdue University To people who use herbicides, the term 'resistance' is not new.  Like bacteria to antibiotics and insects to insecticides, plants can develop the ability to tolerate herbicide applications that at one time could control them.  The process of developing resistance is based on natural selection.  Variation in a plant's physiology or morphology can make it possible for the plant to survive a herbicide application.  The plant that can survive the herbicide application is allowed to produce the next generation with the same ability to survive the application of that specific family of herbicides.  Continued use of this herbicide or herbicides that are similar in their activity, will suppress the non-resistant (or sensitive) plants and allo...

A recent survey Forbes Home conducted found that nearly half of those surveyed said their home has experienced structural damage due to a pest infestation. If you have found yourself in this situation, or want to prevent it, it may be worth it to hire a pest control company for large infestations or persistent pest issues, especially if you have been unsuccessful in eliminating them on your own. Many pest control companies can give you a tailored plan for treatment after a thorough inspection of your home. Reputable companies have the knowledge and experience to support a treatment plan and may have access to more powerful products than you can acquire over the counter. It's an excellent idea to have a newly purchased house inspected for pests. If they're found, it's best to begin dealing with them immediately. An inspection is also a good idea anytime you suspect that pests may be present. If you see rodents, insects or evidence of either, it's time to call a pro...

Written by TJ Donegan , who has covered electronics, TVs, smartphones, parenting for 10+ years. Updated November 7, 2023 Controlling weeds like crabgrass in and around your lawn can be tricky, and nobody wants to accidentally use the wrong product and kill parts of their grass. We're here to help; we've used nearly every type of weed killer on the market, from selective herbicides that kill tough weeds (but not your lawn!) to non-selective ones like Roundup that will kill just about any plant they touch. There's no one weed killer that works "best" for lawns and grass, because the best weed killer for you is the one that works with the weeds you have, doesn't harm your desired plants, and is appropriate for your local ecosystem. All types, even organic weed killers, need to be applied carefully. That means following the label to the letter, using appropriate safet...

By Bob Vila and Jennifer Noonan and Teresa Odle | Updated Feb 23, 2024 4:27 PM We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Adblock test (Why?)

Figure 1. Hydrocotyle (dollarweed) intermixed with St. Augustinegrass. Notice the umbrella-like leaves with the stem connecting to the center of the leaf. Hydrocotyle , better known locally as dollarweed or pennywort, is a rhizomatous perennial with umbrella-like, long-stalked, scallop-margined, waxy leaves. The petiole (stem) is found in the center of the leaf. This characteristic helps define it from Dichondra , which has a C-shaped, smooth-edged leaf, with the petiole found at the edge of the C indentation. Hydrocotyle species in Mississippi include H. bonariensis, H. prolifera, H. ranunculoides, H. sibthorpiodes, H. umbellate , and H. verticillata . Dollarweed is most often associated with moist to wet sites. Cultural Control Whether in ornamental beds or turf, proper cultural management that favors desired plant material is the basis of all weed control programs. Previous research conducted in Florida indicates that reducing irrigation frequency may de...