PESTS
Browse By Tag
Fleas are irritating—not only for pets but also for people. If you have fleas in the house, you can usually expect so...
You can try to focus on the fact that spiders are theoretically beneficial to the home and garden, being that they sn...
Homes make strange noises on a regular basis, from groaning and creaking to popping and scratching. As a homeowner, you should be able to tell whether that noise ...
Sure, raccoons are sort of cute, but know this: If it feels threatened, a raccoon can be dangerous, particularly if i...
Like their closet-lurking cousins, pantry moths are destructive pests. Act fast before they eat through (and lay eggs...
Tineola bisselliella, the common clothes moth, wreaks havoc on wardrobes, destroying shirts and socks, pants and swea...
The good news: Bats are not aggressive. The bad news: If there are bats in your house, it's only a matter of time bef...
What's keeping you up at night? Basement flooding? Bathroom mold? What about termites?It's possible that among the ma...
Say goodbye to Stuart Little! A mouse infestation can be enough to make anyone skittish. Those pesky critters can carry a plethora of dangerous diseases and cause...
Modern mosquito repellents generally do a pretty good job of keeping the bugs away, but toxic chemicals often top the...
The stench of a skunk attack—it's unmistakable, even when you're in the passenger seat of a car, with the windows clo...
There's no mistaking when a mole or two have invaded your lawn and garden. Though you're not likely to see one above ...
Bedbugs haunt homeowners' nightmares like the bogeyman. These nasty little critters that feast on your blood while yo...
There's great satisfaction in making something you could just as easily purchase ready-made. Besides that special fee...
Roll out the welcome mat for friendly insects that will get on your garden's good side. While some insects like aphids and grasshoppers can wreak havoc on gardens...
Springtime and summer are lovely times of year, but they do usher in a host of seasonal hazards, perhaps none more fe...
There's nothing more annoying than having your summertime fun ruined by the buzzing and biting of the season's peskiest foes—mosquitoes. Before they breed, congre...
Summertime, and the livin' is easy—until stinging winged arthropods crash your backyard BBQ. Standard protocol calls for lighting a few citronella candles and rub...
Though deer look innocent, home gardeners know they can be a menace to plants and trees. Gardeners also know that bar...
You're not alone in wanting to get rid of cockroaches. These creepy-crawly insects are a major problem around the cou...
A terrific way to maintain good health is to stick to a diet chock-full of fruits and vegetables. But few things spoi...
Usually found marching along a kitchen sink, the tile near a baseboard, or outside on the porch by your welcome mat (some welcome!), ants are tiny and persistent ...
Termites and other pests can cause expensive damage. Here's what to look for. The sawdust-like accumulations of fras...
Homes make strange noises. They’re built of many different materials — glass, concrete, wood — that expand and contra...
None of us loves the idea of little Mickeys and Minnies scurrying around our homes. Some people insist they're cute, ...
Here's how you can tell if your house has termite damage. First, examine obvious areas of wood rot for termites. Some...
There are more than 2,000 species of termites, and chances are some of them live in your neighborhood. The most commo...
Fighting pests at home? The best offense is a clean, dry, and air-tight defense. The importance of sanitation cannot ...
The Tick-Borne Disease Alliance reports that as many as three-quarters of all Lyme Disease cases are caused by tick b...
Are you an amateur exterminator? Test your knowledge of these common house pests to find out!
Preventing and treating termite infestations is a top priority for many homeowners. Termite control is not a do-it-yo...
While Ratatouille might have been a runaway blockbuster film, no one wants rats in the house — or mice or squirrels o...
If your backyard and garden have become a buffet for deer, these 10 Bambi-resistant plants will encourage them to forage elsewhere.
Strategic landscaping choices can help you get rid of ticks, protecting your family and pets from the danger posed by these insects, even in the seeming safety of...
Every creature has its place in nature—I firmly believe that. But if that creature is a rodent, I want its place to b...
Do you suffer from seasonal allergies? A natural remedy waits in your backyard: locally produced honey. To date, scie...
No need to use chemicals—instead, use these herbal, fruity, or soap-laden solutions for problems with pests like ants, mice, and mosquitos.
Living in the city has its perks. But it also has its pests. From mice to roaches to bed bugs, dreaded pests can and ...
The advent of spring is generally welcome, but warmer temperatures also bring out unwanted pests, namely termites. Of...
We’re all drawn to the warmth and shelter of a cozy house, so it’s not surprising that critters like squirrels, oposs...
Most people react to deer, groundhogs, and rabbits with a smile acknowledging their adorableness. But gardeners know ...
It’s the time of year when garden pests become especially irritating. Your ripening harvest might be snacked on by ap...
Late summer’s when you see ‘em, but now’s not actually the best time to mess with a bee or wasp nest. The queen esta...
To control garden pests without using toxic chemicals, work with nature, not against it. LISTENListen to BOB VILA ON ...
Encouraging birds and bats to visit your yard is a great way to keep BUGS down without spraying. LISTENListen to BOB ...
Bob Vila recently contacted me because he had a bee infestation in his attic. I've made several visits to his house s...
Carpenter ants damage wood by hollowing it out for nesting. Unlike termites, wood damaged by carpenter ants does not ...
Carpenters replace a rotted deck, and a rotted porch column is reconstructed with concrete.
Damaged sill is replaced, the house is protected against insects and rot, and sliding doors with custom trim molding are installed.
Ken Micklow and Trent Culleny talk with Bob about native, storm-resistant gardening. Then Carm DiBella shows Bob an environmentally friendly termite protection s...
The restoration of the front porch continues with workers putting the decking down and replacing the old columns. In addition, anti-termite control stations are p...
The front porch is undergoing full restoration, due to excessive water and pest damage to the columns and other structural elements. Demolition begins and repair ...
Bob and contractor Bob Ryley join exterminator Dean Bailey (of Fowler and Sons) to discuss termite control in and around the garage. Also, concrete contractor Sha...
Bob reviews termite damage at the Naples project house and looks on as exterminators cover the home with a tent to enclose the space prior to fumigation.
Bob confers with contractor Al Stouse about the termite and dry rot damage on the roof overhangs. Next, Bob helps build and install new roof brackets, or outriggers.
Rick Kleiner (from the Southern Forest Products Association) joins Bob to talk about using pressure-treated deck members. Such lumber resists fungal growth, termi...
