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Pest control blog: page 7

Identification guides, what treatments cost, and what the public records say about pests and the companies that deal with them.

Articles

Pots of lavender, basil and lemongrass on a patioMosquitoes and ticks

Mosquito Repellent Plants: Which Ones Do Anything?

No garden plant has been shown to keep mosquitoes out of a yard. What the trials found for citrosa, basil, lantana, catnip and lemon eucalyptus, and...

October 12, 2026Citronella candle burning on a patio table at duskMosquitoes and ticks

Do Citronella Candles Work Against Mosquitoes?

Citronella candles cut bites a little, close up, and not much more than a plain smoky candle. What six trials found, how far they reach, and...

October 12, 2026Electric bug zapper glowing on a porch at duskMosquitoes and ticks

Do Bug Zappers Work? The Insects They Actually Kill

Bug zappers kill thousands of insects a night, but almost none that bite: 31 of 13,789 in one study. Why mosquitoes ignore UV light, and what...

October 12, 2026Honey spill beside a sugar bowl on a counterAnts

Sugar Ants: Which Ants They Really Are and How to Stop Them

'Sugar ant' is a nickname for several tiny US ants, most often odorous house ants. How to tell which you have, why sprays split colonies and...

October 12, 2026Spray bottle and cloth on a kitchen counterAnts

Does Vinegar Kill Ants? What It Does and Does Not Do

Vinegar kills the ants it soaks and wipes their scent trail, but the colony and queens survive. What the research says about vinegar, bleach, borax and...

October 12, 2026Flashlight on the gap under kitchen cabinets at nightRats and mice

How to Catch a Mouse: Trap Placement That Actually Works

Where to put mouse traps, which bait works, why glue boards and catch-and-release backfire, and what to do when a mouse seems too smart for your...

October 12, 2026Living room wall with a skirting board in the eveningRats and mice

Mice in the Walls: How to Tell, and How to Get Them Out

Night-time scratching in the walls is usually house mice moving in for autumn. How to confirm it, rule out rats, squirrels and insects, and get them...

October 12, 2026Essential oil bottle and cotton balls on a kitchen counterRats and mice

Does Peppermint Oil Repel Mice? What the Studies Actually Found

Peppermint oil repelled lab mice at first, then stopped working within a week. What the studies show about scent repellents, and what actually keeps mice out.

October 12, 2026Coneflowers and black-eyed susans in a summer gardenWasps and bees

Sweat Bees: Tiny Metallic Bees That Land on Your Skin

Small green or black bees that land on your arm for salt. Whether sweat bees sting, what gets mistaken for them, where they nest and how...

October 11, 2026White-tailed deer browsing on garden shrubsWildlife

How to Keep Deer Out of the Yard: Fences, Repellents and Plants

An 8-foot fence is the only sure fix for deer. What the trials say about egg-based repellents, electric and double fences, dogs, scare devices and deer-resistant...

October 11, 2026Horse grazing in a summer pasture by a pondFleas and biting bugs

Horse Flies and Deer Flies: Why They Bite So Hard

Why horse fly and deer fly bites hurt, what draws them to you, when each peaks, and the traps, hat patches and habits that cut bites...

October 11, 2026Florida roadside with wildflowers in springFlies, moths and pantry pests

Love Bugs: Why They Swarm Twice a Year and Ruin Car Paint

Lovebugs are harmless march flies that swarm twice a year across the Gulf states. When they fly, what attracts them, the car paint facts and the...

October 11, 2026