Holes: How pests get in your home

Holes: How pests get in your home Winter is finally here held back by fall until the end of the year. As it gets below freezing at night we will begin to see uninvited guests wishing to warm their toes beside the fire. How will they get inside you ask?  Let’s look at some of…

Read More

Knoxville Pest Control in the Winter

Knoxville Pest Control in the Winter: What’s the Point? I have been providing homes with pest control in Knoxville for over 15 years.  During these years winter comes every time and I get the same questions. Why do I need pest control in the winter  in the Knoxville area when it is 10 degrees and…

Read More

Bed Bugs: Do I have them?

Do I Have Bed Bugs? #whatbugsme I truly hope you do not have bed bugs.  These little vampires feeding only on blood are so disruptive, they have replaced the cockroach as the most feared pest to have in your home.  Even here in Knoxville, bed bugs are a concern. How do you know if you…

Read More

Ladybugs, boxelders, kudzu bugs, and stink bugs Hiding In My walls

Bugs Hiding In My walls #whatbugsme                                    In the Knoxville area, ladybugs, boxelder bugs, brown marmorated stink bugs, and the new kudzu bug are overwintering pests many people have problems with.  Besides the annoyance and sometimes the smell, they are not a danger…

Read More

Insect Bites. What Bit Me?

bedbug 2Bbites

What Bit Me? #whatbugsme Bed Bug, Mosquito, Flea, Tick, or Spider Bites? It’s unsettling to find itchy red spots or bites on your body but what do you do about it? Most of the time it is no more than an annoyance. However some people are more sensitive than others and can have different reactions.…

Read More

Antlion Craters in my Yard?

Antlion craters in my yard? #whatbugsme Have you ever seen these holes in sandy soil around your house and wondered what they are?  They were obviously created by something for a purpose.  This is the trap constructed by an antlion, sometimes called the doodlebug. The larval form digs the crater in order to catch prey…

Read More

Inside VS Outside Service

Inside VS Outside service #whatbugsme Most aspects of pest control are misunderstood.  That’s ok but I want to change it.  It’s not like we have some magic book of secrets locked away in a vault.  In fact, you have access to most of the products we use but whether you are effective or not has…

Read More

Why does Pest Control Cost so much?

money

Why does Pest Control cost so much? #whatbugsme Why does Pest Control cost so much?  After all, you can go to wally-world, get some bug juice and hose the house down to your hearts content.  You will save some money and acquire a sense of accomplishment against mother nature.  Go to your spouse and rave…

Read More

The Zika Scare in Knoxville TN

mosquito swat logo3 1

The Zika Scare in Knoxville TN #whatbugsme I am sick and tired of the sensationalist media scaring my customers when it comes to Zika, West Nile, and Chagas disease.  You wanna know the worst part?  Even pest control companies are using scare tactics as well.  They should know better and be ashamed of themselves.  Sure,…

Read More

Treating in the rain?

simon kuznetsov igQx3ETkKZY unsplash

Treating in the rain? #whatbugsme Years ago we were like the mail man. Come rain snow sleet, or shine, we treated outside for the control of creepy crawlies. Take your hand away from your open agasp mouth and ask me why it’s a problem.  It’s not. And it never was.           These days if 1…

Read More

Common Pest Control Questions

kids dogs

  Common Pest Control Questions I get this question all the time. “Is it safe for kids and pets?”  Honestly, I answer a lot of questions. No stupid questions you ask?  No there are never any stupid questions on a subject you are not familiar with.  Learning is a beautiful thing. In fact I love to…

Read More

Why do I Have Bugs? #whatbugsme

2018 10 05 13.06.53 2

Why Do I Have Bugs? Are you sick and tired of these 4, 6, 8, or more legged creatures invading your home?  Your home is supposed to be your safe space where your own environment breeds comfort and safety.  Is something biting you, eating your birthday cake, or just giving you the willies? Let’s explore…

Read More

Diamotaceous Earth & Delusional Parasitosis #whatbugsme

alexandra gorn smuS jUZa9I unsplash Bed Bugs Phoenix Pest Control TN

        The expansive internet buzz on Diamotaceous Earth lately has proven to be a negative thing.  Everyone wants something effective, safe, and something they can do themselves.  DE is supposed to fit that bill.  It doesn’t.  Don’t believe me because Aunt Bertha told you it was great stuff?  Read this and this. But…

Read More

Why Bug Bombs Don’t Work #whatbugsme

foger2

          If I had a dollar for every time I met a new customer who told me they tried bug bombs before calling me I would be able to retire.  In every single case they used way too many creating a potentially dangerous situation, not to mention it didn’t work.   If it did, they wouldn’t…

Read More

Mulch, Pretty but Worthless

Mulch 2

Mulch #whatbugsme Here in East Tennessee and in many other places in the US we love our mulch.  Homeowners spend billions to make their landscaping look pristine and manicured. But why mulch? Why anything for that matter?  It may look great for a while but it must be constantly redone or touched up. Does it…

Read More

Bed bug Detection K9 dogs #whatbugsme

received 10157312502240710 28468594723 o

Bed bug Detection K9 dogs #whatbugsme Knoxville Pest Control We have all heard of bomb and drug sniffing dogs but have you heard of a bed bug sniffing dog? Today that is a reality. Bed bugs are sometimes tough to find even for a seasoned veteran like me and even then, my visual hunt for…

Read More

Bugs in my new House! #whatbugsme

9 070326093314

         Bugs in my new House! #whatbugsme You just moved into your new home.  It is clean, fresh, and empty.  This is the start of something beautiful.  Until you start seeing bugs.  Wait a minute, this house is brand new, it shouldn’t have bugs.  We haven’t even had time to dirty it or break anything. …

Read More

German Roaches #whatbugsme

german roach

German Roaches: #whatbugsme If you have called me out to treat German Roaches for you there are several things you need to know. Stop blaming the neighbors:  In our society everyone wants to blame someone else.  When it comes to roaches this will do you no good. Even if your neighbors are nasty and that’s…

Read More

Kissing Bugs & Chagas Disease #whatbugsme

Kissing bug DD3

Kissing Bugs & Chagas Disease #whatbugsme Occasionally a call will come into our office concerning kissing bugs but here is probably a better chance at winning the lottery than finding a kissing bug inside of your home. Not to discredit the importance of Chagas Disease; this potentially fatal disease is transmitted through the bite of…

Read More

I can’t kill it twice #whatbugsme

roach dead 2 e1516056547343

I can’t kill it twice #whatbugsme           During my years  in Knoxville pest control I have had many problems posed to me. Most of these I relish the opportunity to fix for my customers. Some problems have no fix just because that’s the way nature is set up and some solutions rest solely on the…

Read More