College is out, so if your college kid brought bed bugs back home from their dorm room, you may now start to notice signs of bed bugs in your home. It shouldn’t take you too long to notice a bed bug infestation, especially once these pests have begun to multiply and spread throughout your home. Unfortunately, even the…

We live in a state that sometimes seems like it has more than its fair share of the one thing that strikes fear into the hearts of many. Snakes! Some say they are just misunderstood, and that may well be true; but facing a snake in your home, near your children and your pets, might not…

Have you ever seen a termite swarm? It’s quite a remarkable sight to see, but with all the reproductive termites emerging and then swarming by the hundreds or even thousands, it is definitely cause for alarm. These pests devour all sorts of wood and can cause serious structural damage to your home and your belongings. Swarming termites do not physically hurt…

In this age of television shows and movies, it is hard not to imagine bats hanging by the thousands in a giant cave. And, since there probably isn't a giant cave anywhere near your Missouri home, you might be wondering, "where do all those bats go during the day?" Well, we can start by putting to…

While it’s easy to lose the attic, garage, basement or other rooms to some serious clutter, there comes a point when the clutter or hoarding becomes dangerous to you, your family and your home. By adding clutter to your home you are simultaneously adding shelter and hiding places to many dangerous pests. And once inside…

Before we dive into how dangerous springtails are, we first need to understand what springtails are and how to identify them.  What Are Springtails? Springtails are a 6-legged arthropod, closely related to inspects. These very small nuisance pests only grow to be about 1/32 to 1/8th of an inch in length; they are soft-bodied, wingless,…

When it comes to muskrats, people can have conflicting reactions. A homeowner who's house is near a pond may react with anger when damage is seen on their property by a muskrat. Another may be in awe because the coat they have been gazing at longingly is covered in muskrat fur. Yes, very different views of…

Fleas and ticks can be a serious problem for people all across the United States, including those living in St. Louis and Mid-Missouri.  Not only do we enjoy spending time outdoors, but so do our pets.  Unfortunately the more time Fido or Fluffy spend outside exploring the yard or nearby woods, the more likely they…

Mud daubers are a type of wasp that make their nests with mud. Many species of wasp are referred to as mud daubers, but they are called by other names as well – names such as dirt daubers, dirt diggers, dirt dobbers, dirt divers, potter wasps, or mud wasps. No matter what they are called, they…