Nobody wants to find a pest in their home, especially in large quantities. Unfortunately, as cold weather approaches, certain critters may find your home as a haven. The boxelder bug is one of these nuisances, and you should understand what they look like, what potential damage they can do, and if they can harm your family. Moreover, you need to know what to when you find boxelder bugs.

Boxelder Bug Identification

Boxelder bugs have an ovular shape and are about a half-inch long. Generally, they’re about as third as wide as they are long. These bugs look slightly flat and are primarily black but have orange or reddish-colored markings on their backs. This bug has six legs and wings with a head that’s thinner than their thorax.

These bugs lay yellow eggs, but the eggs change to red as the nymph develops. Once born, the boxelder nymphs look very similar to the adults but tend to be red.

Moreover, boxelder bugs look similar to squash bugs and milkweed bugs. Continue reading →

Millipedes may not present much of a threat to human beings, but they can still be a considerable annoyance in and around your home. These multi-legged creatures can infest houses, lawns, and gardens in enormous numbers, making your residence an unappealing place to live.

If you have limited experience with millipedes, you may not know what drives these pests into homes or what you can do to keep them at bay. To develop a better understanding of these odd-looking creatures, check out the answers to these frequently asked questions about millipedes.

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Even if the current pandemic has you staying home instead of planning your traditional summer camping trip, you still need to watch out for ticks. These small parasites can inhabit any area that provides sufficient hiding places and a plentiful supply of blood, either from pets or from humans.

It pays to understand tick infestations, from why they occur to how proper pest control and preventative measures can eliminate them. Here are some key points to help you protect yourself and your loved ones this summer. Continue reading →

No one wants pests in the house, and one of the worst areas to find pests is in a food pantry. Whether the pests come from your own home, a grocery store, or the original production plant, a few bugs can quickly multiply and create a major problem for your food pantry.

Learn about some of the more common bugs found in your pantry and ways to help treat the area and prevent an invasion of your food products.

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Insects are everywhere, but you don’t want them inside your home to run rampant. Spiders, in particular, bother many homeowners because they are often viewed as creepy and scary. Plus, many people suffer from phobias and fears regarding spiders. If you believe you may have spiders in your home, check out these four common spiders you can find in Illinois.

1. Cellar Spider

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Does your home have a Tapinoma sessile invasion? More commonly known as the odorous house ant, this pest is a problem you don’t have to live with. Take a look at the answers to the top questions homeowners have about odorous ants.

What Are Odorous House Ants?

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If you notice small teardrop-shaped insects in your home that have long antenna and are white to bluish-gray in color, you may be dealing with silverfish. While silverfish have a cosmopolitan distribution — meaning they can appear in many areas across the world — they can be a big problem if you live in Illinois. Read on to learn more about this insect, why it’s a pest, and what you can do to rid your home of them.

Why Are They Prevalent in Illinois?

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If you notice that your clothes are mysteriously deteriorating whenever you store them away for a long time, or you notice small worm-like creatures in your drawers and closets, then you might have clothes moths. Clothes moth larvae are extremely destructive and don’t discriminate between expensive and inexpensive fabrics.

Learn more about clothes moths, how to identify them, and what you can do to prevent them from destroying your clothes.

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Any time you shop secondhand, such as at a thrift store, you’re taking the risk that the previous owner of the item may not have been as particular about keeping things clean as you are. And even if the previous owner kept them clean, thrifted items could cross paths with infested items on their way to you.

If you buy a previously owned item, you risk brining home tiny hitchhikers. Here’s how to avoid pest infestations when thrift shopping.

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Chicago has a long history of dealing with rats and other rodents. But when rats threaten to invade and take over your house, you should take the situation seriously. Rats carry various pathogens that can harm the adults, children, and pets in your home.

Many different symptoms can signal a rat problem, including damaged personal items. Learn why rodents damage your personal items and what you can do about it. Continue reading →