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For Property Owners: page 6

Practical guidance for homeowners, landlords and facility managers buying pest control services.

Articles

Bright Florida kitchen with a white counter and a bowl of fruit by an open windowAnts

Ghost Ants: Identification and Why Sprays Make Them Worse

Ghost ants are tiny two-tone tropical ants with many queens across many nests. How to identify them, which states have them, whether they are harmful, and...

October 29, 2026Clean kitchen at night with the under-sink cabinet open and the range hood light onCockroaches

Boric Acid for Roaches: How It Works and Where It Fails

Boric acid kills cockroaches slowly and roaches avoid visible piles of it. What the published trials show on speed, dose, sugar mixes and safety, and when...

October 29, 2026Quiet kitchen in daylight with an open window and a small fan on the counterRats and mice

Dead Mouse Smell: How Long It Lasts and How to Find It

Why a dead mouse smells, how long it lasts according to forensic carcass studies, how to find the body without wrecking a wall, and whether the...

October 29, 2026Rocky fast-flowing creek in a wooded valley at duskFor Property Owners

Dobsonflies and Hellgrammites: Bites, Size and Life Cycle

The eastern dobsonfly looks fierce but is harmless unless handled: only females and hellgrammite larvae can pinch. Size, life cycle, range by state and what to...

October 29, 2026Shaded backyard under oak trees in autumn light with a picnic table and fallen leavesLawn and garden

Puss Caterpillars: Why the Sting Hurts and Where They Live

The furry puss caterpillar hides venomous spines under its hair. How to recognise it and other stinging caterpillars, what Texas poison centre data says about stings,...

October 29, 2026Rain-darkened desert patio at dusk with puddles on flagstones and clearing storm cloudsSpiders and scorpions

Vinegaroons: The Harmless Whip Scorpion That Sprays Acid

The vinegaroon, or giant whip scorpion, is harmless: no venom, no stinger, just a mild pinch and an acetic acid spray. Where the three US species...

October 29, 2026Wooden backyard deck and stacked firewood beside a large tree at duskWildlife

Raccoon Poop: How to Spot a Latrine and Clean It Safely

Raccoon droppings are dark, blunt-ended tubes piled in latrines on roofs, decks and woodpiles. How to identify them, the roundworm risk to people and dogs, and...

October 29, 2026Sunny kitchen worktop with a glass of water and a small closed jar beside the sinkAnts

Borax for Ants: Does It Work and How to Mix It Safely

Borax kills ants as a slow stomach poison carried home in sugar bait, but only at low strength. The concentrations that work, the common mistakes and...

October 29, 2026Row of tall arborvitae beside a suburban driveway on a grey winter morningLawn and garden

Bagworms: How to Spot the Bags and Save Your Evergreens

Bagworms strip arborvitae, juniper and cedar from June to August. When to pick the bags, when Bt actually works, whether trees recover, and where bagworms are...

October 29, 2026Sunlit wooden deck with a bird feeder on a pole beneath tall oak treesWildlife

Squirrel Poop: What It Looks Like vs Rat Droppings

Squirrel droppings are rounded pellets about 3/8 inch long, shorter and blunter than rat droppings. How to identify them, what they can and cannot spread, and...

October 29, 2026Stucco house and block garden wall in the Arizona desert at duskSpiders and scorpions

Bark Scorpions: Arizona vs Striped, Stings and Where They Live

The Arizona bark scorpion is the one US scorpion of medical concern; the striped bark scorpion is painful but rarely serious. How to tell them apart,...

October 29, 2026Pale bedroom ceiling corner above a bed in soft evening lamplightSpiders and scorpions

Yellow Sac Spiders: Bites, Identification and Indoor Sightings

Yellow sac spiders are small, pale night hunters whose bite is painful but rarely more. How to tell them from a brown recluse, where they live...

October 29, 2026