Cooler temps are coming and so are the traditional Fall pests. Don’t let them think you have opened a nice, warm B & B just for them. They won’t insist on deluxe accommodations, they love the warmth & privacy of your walls and

Pest management can, at times, be a mind-numbingly repetitive profession. Each day brings calls about ants in the kitchen, which are usually treated the same way. Mice in the garage, drug store beetles in an old box of pancake mix, clover mite

They can visit your home during any of the warmer months, but there’s a good chance that you’re experiencing a fruit fly invasion right now, as summer gives way to autumn. Fruit flies can be frustrating, because their source is often difficult

Delaware health officials have reported that a crow found in New Castle County tested positive for West Nile virus, prompting concerns about whether the state’s thriving mosquito population could transmit the virus to humans.

Mosquitoes

Last week I asked our Facebook friends to suggest topics for this month’s blog post. The first response: Japanese beetles. Good one! We talk about ants, spiders, roaches, and bed bugs all the time, but have never posted an article about Japane

If you have pets, you probably already know — flea season is here. Few pests are more annoying or more difficult to eliminate, although insecticides designed for flea treatments are getting better all the time.

Fleas are tiny ins

At this time of year, hardly a week goes past without phone calls from nervous homeowners who aren’t sure whether they’re finding winged ants or termites in and around their home. “They look like ants, but they have wings,” they say. “What

Spring is here — at least for the moment — and the recent warm weather has brought an unusual pest out of hiding in many neighborhoods. The brown marmorated stink bug originated in Asia, but appeared in Pennsylvania in the 1990s. N

Selbyville, Delaware – April 3, 2014 – Brasure’s Pest Control kicked off its 44^th season on Thursday morning with a company meeting at its office on the corner of Lighthouse and Dickerson Roads. Thirty-two field technicians

One of the best-known insects, the “lady bug” — or lady beetle, or ladybird beetle — is also one of the most beneficial. Lady beetles eat a variety of pests, including garden-destroying aphids; one can eat as many as 5,000 aphids i

Here’s a ghostly pest, just in time for Halloween — but don’t worry, it’s no more scary than any other spider.

The ghost spider, which is one of many kinds of sac spiders, is common throughout North America. It is about 4-8 mm in size

There are approximately 4,500 species of cockroaches in the world. In our service area, we typically deal with five of them: the German, Oriental, American, Brown-banded, and Pennsylvania wood roach. Each has different characteristics and

Visitors to Delmarva often ask about the brown recluse spider. “Are they really that dangerous? Is it safe to allow my children to play outside? And how can I identify a brown recluse?” The fact is, there are brown recluse spiders on the Delma

Experts have been warning us for a few years about the possibility of a stinkbug invasion, yet, so far, the Delmarva Peninsula hasn’t been hit nearly as hard as neighboring regions. But there’s still plenty of time for the Fall of 2013 to chan

Sometimes, responding to a call about an unidentified bug can be a bit like solving a mystery. It can be hard enough to figure out where a particular pest is coming from, much less when the pest in question is nowhere to be found — or so

Contrary to popular belief, bats are related to neither rodents nor birds. They’re mammals of the order Chiroptera, and their webbed wings make them the only mammals able to fly. (Flying squirrels can only glide for short distances.)

No

Fall is just around the corner — in fact, we’re holding our annual fall meeting tomorrow morning — which, in our neighborhood, means that hundreds of thousands of acres of crops are being harvested and hundreds of thousands of rode

We don’t run into earwigs very often, but when we do, people have a lot of questions. These unusual insects are about 5/8 inch long, brown in color with reddish heads. They are easily identified by their large pincers, located on the end of th

Fruit flies are about 1/8 inch long, and usually have red eyes. They typically become a problem in the late summer and early fall, as they are attracted to overripe and rotting fruit and vegetables. Fruit flies breed in moist areas: garbage di

Autumn hasn’t arrived yet, but you could be forgiven for thinking it did this week, as temperatures dropped into the 60's and Thanksgiving suddenly seemed a lot closer. The cool weather might not be here to stay — yet — but sum

Few pests are more difficult to control than the common house fly, which is found all over the world. Between the seafood industry and the poultry industry, Delmarva has more than its fair share of flies. They enter structures, buzz around, la

Many people have a negative reaction to the word “pesticide,” usually because of what they’ve heard about synthetic products that haven’t been used in 20-40 years. (Ironically, the same people sprinkle two potent pesticides on their food: salt

It’s not uncommon, at this time of year, to find small nests of dried mud on exterior walls, especially in the corners of porches. Most people are aware that they are wasp nests, and tend to be concerned about the possibility of getting st

It can happen at any time of year. You haven’t visited the beach house in a while, and when you finally do, you discover tiny bugs all over the kitchen and pantry. Further inspection reveals that one box of pancake mix, in particular, is sever

There are many species of spider on the Delmarva Peninsula, but the subject of this post is possibly the coolest-looking of them all — and oddly similar in appearance to another Delmarva critter (and delicacy), the crab.

Gaste

Every summer we receive questions about large, red, fuzzy, dangerous-looking ants. As anyone who steps on one quickly discovers, these unusual pests pack a powerful sting. But what are they? And what can be done about them?

For starters

When I first heard about someone’s garage being full of dangerous brown widow spiders, I was skeptical. “Don’t you mean brown recluse?” I asked, assuming that the names of two venomous spiders, the brown recluse and black widow, had gotten mix

If you’ve never gone under a house (something that everyone ought to experience at least once), it’s possible that you’ve never even seen this pest, though there could be thousands of them in your neighborhood. Commonly known as “those wei

Spiders. They’re in and around practically every home and business, yet 50% of women and 10% of men are afraid of them.

Everyone knows a spider on sight. They’re sometimes mislabeled “bugs” — spiders are arachnids, not insects —

Each summer we’re asked about lawns being marred by numerous sandy hills. Sometimes they’re thought to be anthills, though most people connect them to what seem to be large bees or hornets buzzing around nearby. If this sounds familiar, there’

Few people have ever heard of the wheel bug, though it’s fairly common on Delmarva. It is large, about 1.5 inches long, but is well-camouflaged, being a dark gray or brown in color. And, though it flies, you might mistake it for a grasshopper

At this time of year, it’s not unusual for homeowners — especially those who live near wooded areas — to discover clusters of “daddy longlegs” on and around the house. These gentle arachnids, which are related to spiders, have smal

Any pest control company, and by extension its blog, tends to spend a lot of time talking about how to kill bugs. In fact, we talk about little else. But an equally important part of responsible pest management is knowing what isn’t a

The praying mantis — not the “preying” mantis, as some spell it — is named for its prayer-like stance. Technically, there are many species of mantis, and the praying mantis is only one of these species, but the nickname is comm

If you live in or around our service area, there’s a good chance that you’ve already noticed millipedes around your home in the past week or so, and maybe even found one inside, probably dead.

The name “millipede” is a bit of an exa

In our last post we debunked five common myths about bed bugs, but those are far from the only misconceptions about the frequently misunderstood pest. Here are five more myths we frequently run into, plus the facts.

“Bed bugs tr

Many Americans never knew that bed bugs were real until they began making a comeback just a few years ago. Consequently, these tiny blood-suckers are probably the most misunderstood pest. We run into myths and misinformation all the time; here

There are approximately 3,000 species of snakes in the world, ranging in length from four inches to a whopping thirty feet. Locally, the typical snake is about three feet long, though it’s not unusual to run into black snakes twice that long h

Our customers frequently ask questions about moles. What do they feed on? Why do they burrow so close to the surface of the ground, creating unsightly molehills in beautiful lawns and gardens? Should they purchase a poison, or a trap?

Silverfish are silver-colored insects, usually an inch long or less, which move with a fish-like motion and occasionally infest structures. They should not be confused with centipedes, which look somewhat similar. In some regions, they are cal

Each year, from late spring through summer, we receive dozens of phone calls from concerned homeowners who are certain that they’ve found a cockroach. “Our house is clean,” they usually insist, but some friend or relative works in a restau

Visitors to the Delmarva Peninsula are often surprised to learn that it is home to copperhead snakes, having erroneously assumed that they are only found in the South. But copperheads can be found throughout Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia &m

Last week I responded to a call about UFIs — unidentified flying insects — which had surrounded a house to the point that they were getting inside every time a door was opened. They looked like mosquitoes, but weren’t biting anyone

Spring has a way of drawing us out of our homes, into lawns and gardens, just looking for something to do out in the fresh air and warm sunlight. Perhaps you’re relocating leftover firewood, or cleaning out the flower beds, or preparing the ga

There are more than 12,000 species of ants worldwide, but locally we only encounter a few of them, including odorous house ants, pavement ants, and carpenter ants. Many species behave similarly, and are treated similarly, so some exterminators

They start appearing in early spring, after a bit of warm weather, crawling on the window sills: Tiny red bugs, so small that some people mistake them for dust. What are they? How are they getting in? How can they be stopped?

Th

As a young boy, I was always slightly afraid of the old sheds on the property during the summer, because each was guarded by several large, buzzing bees. Sometimes I would dash in and dash out. Other times I would linger outside, eyeing the ho

Since our last post was about ants, which are officially invading every house they can find a way into, this is a perfect time to focus on a somewhat similar-looking home invader: Swarmi

A few years ago, during an exceptionally dry summer, I told a customer that the ants in his kitchen and bathroom were seeking water. The following spring brought a lot of rain, and I found myself back in his kitchen, explaining that the la

Now that spring is beginning to feel like spring, you’re planning to visit beautiful Ocean City, Rehoboth Beach, or one of the many other beach towns on the East Coast. Or, it’s time to open up the beach house and prepare for the two dozen fam

When we use the term wood-destroying insects, most people think of termites immediately. After a moment of thought, some might remember carpenter ants and carpenter bees. But did you know that there are several species of wood-infesting be

Every industry has a unique lingo, its own language, that seems unintelligible to the layman, and pest control is no exception. Brasure’s technicians try to talk to homeowners in a way that is easy to understand, leaving technical terms to the

This is the first of several posts intended to educate readers about pesticides. This week we’ll focus on their history. In future posts, we’ll take a look at different kinds of pesticides, how they work, safety tips, myths and misconceptio

We’ve all tried to enjoy a summer evening outside, only to be chased indoors by hordes of biting mosquitoes. These plentiful pests can be a bit more difficult to control than others — like ants, for example — but the

What do carpenter ants look like? What distinguishes them from other ants?

Carpenter ants are large, ranging in size from 3/8 to 1/2 inch in length, and are usually dull black with fine yellow hairs on the abdomen. From a

Moles, which are related to field mice and other rodents, can be surprisingly difficult to get rid of. They damage lawns, gardens, golf courses, and fields with their burrowing, and leave behind unsightly molehills. Homeowners who attempt to c

Unlike nuisance pests that are unsightly but harmless, bacteria-carrying cockroaches pose a threat to public health and require serious attention, particularly in the restaurant industry. They’re good at hiding, good at reproducing, and able t

When bed bugs began making their comeback several years ago, they weren’t taken very seriously. Exterminators scoffed, and many homeowners reacted with amusement. Bed bugs, once a serious nuisance pest, had been wiped out with the help of chem

Bees and wasps are considered beneficial insects, but that’s of little comfort to the homeowner who is severely allergic to stings. And, allergies aside, no one enjoys being stung. In this post, we’ll take a brief look at several types of bees

Agkistrodon contortrix, better known as the copperhead, is a kind of pit viper that can be found in the eastern half of the United States, including the states of Delaware and Maryland. Every so often a customer (usually a visitor from an urba

A number of professional sources are predicting increased termite activity across the United States this spring and summer, primarily due to recent weather conditions.

A cold winter followed by a warm, wet spring is likely to prompt win

The Japanese Giant Hornet

What lives in Japan, is about the size of a human thumb, and can spray flesh-melting poison? You guessed it – the Japanese Giant Hornet, which is capable of killing animals and humans alike, though this doesn

Brasure’s Pest Control, Inc., completes Premium Protection Plan treatments between April and November each year, and while summers on Delmarva are often hot and dry (a good thing for pesticide applicators, if not for farmers), it is inevitable

Bed bugs are back, and everybody knows it. One can hardly watch the news these days without seeing a story about bed bugs, and they have become the number one money-maker for many pest control companies, particularly those which service resort

With the cooler weather that accompanies the final weeks of summer on Delmarva comes a rather unusual visitor: the wheel bug.

The gray-brown wheel bug reaches up to 1.5 inches in length, and is easily identified by its dorsal armor, which i

DDT stands for Dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane.

In 1939, Dr. Paul Muller discovered that DDT killed a number of insects (including mosquitoes), and patented it in the U.S. in 1943.

10% DDT dust was used by the U.S. Army in 1943 to

Dear Brasure’s,

I have been finding large, fuzzy, red ants in my yard. They’re almost an inch long! What kind of ants are these? Should I be concerned?

Jim
Ocean View

Thank you for the email,

This photo of insects on the underside of a squash plant leaf were sent to Brasure’s Pest Control, Inc., by Scott in Berlin. Note the eggs on the right. What are they?

Appropriately enough, they are called squash bugs (pictured are squ

An article in Saturday’s News Journal, one of the most-read newspapers in our service area, reported that Delaware has the second-highest incidence of Lyme disease in the nation. The causes behind this statistic are many, and not full

What is a bed bug?

Bed bugs are reddish-brown nocturnal insects, about 1/8 inch long, which feed solely on the blood of humans and animals. They normally go a few days between feedings, but can survive for up to 18 mon

What are termites? What do they do?

Termites are insects, about the size of ants (though not closely related to them), which feed mostly on dead plant material, including wood. For this reason, they can cause s

At Brasure’s, we’ve been asked a lot of questions about ants since we first started doing business in 1971. While it would take a book to list and answer all of them, here are a few of the most common ones.

Which kinds

“Last week, I started seeing hundreds of tiny bugs on my window sills. What are they?”

They arrive in great numbers in the early spring, entering homes through doors and windows, where they quickly become a nuisance. Cl

Of Mice and Men might have been a great American work of literature, and the two go well together in the book title, but the same doesn’t apply to our homes. In this post we’ll discuss how to take preventative action by mouse-proofing

One of the most commonly misidentified pests is the flying ant, which is frequently confused with the termite. These two insects can be about the same size and color, and possess similar wings. The difference? Several hundred dollars or more,

We’ve all tried to enjoy a summer evening outside, only to be discouraged by hordes of biting mosquitoes. These pests can be a bit more difficult to effectively control than others, but the extra effort required is necessary. In addition to be

Wet weather and warm days in early April mark the start of ant season on Delmarva. Whether it’s lines of foraging ants marching across your kitchen counter, or a lawn marked by anthills, these little insects often prove to be a nuisance that i

Brasure’s Pest Control – Coastal Maryland and Delaware - providing professional advice, tips and resources for pest and termite control and management, as well as occasional articles relating to mosquito control, basement and