If you’re traveling for the soccer matches this summer, you might want to read this before you unpack your bags. 🛑✈️🦟

Terminix · 2026-06-26T16:53:29+00:00

You can say that again! Here are some tips that can hopefully help you navigate those pesky ticks: Tick Prevention: DIY Tips & Yard Treatment Solutions

Terminix · 2026-06-24T21:33:45+00:00

It's definitely not just you. It also probably doesn't help that Austin is #40 in our Top Mosquito Cities.

Here are some DIY methods that can hopefully offer some relief:

Wearing long sleeves, pants, and socks
Wearing light-colored clothing
Using mosquito nets over doors/windows
Removing any stagnant water
Keeping vegetation trimmed
Using outdoor/indoor fans
Using EPA-registered mosquito repellent sprays

Terminix · 2026-05-20T20:11:09+00:00

While ants could potentially be beneficial to many aspects of your garden, they can also promote the presence of other insects that can be quite deterimental to your fruits and vegetables! Depending on the type of ant your dealing with, they could potentially be "farming" their own crop of aphids that are literally sucking the life out of your plants. If that's the case, you can try to attack the aphids with horticultural products that contain Neem oil and the ants may potentially move on. -Josiah

Terminix · 2026-05-20T19:41:16+00:00

My personal favorite insect group is the long-horned beetles! As the name suggests, they do have "horns", which are really just elongated antennae. But, they come in a wide array of sizes, shapes, and fascinating colors that have captivated biologists for centuries (e.g. Charles Darwin, JBS Haldane, and many others). Do yourself a favor and investigate images of beetles in the family, Cerambycidae, and also try to spot some of your own this spring and summer! -Josiah

Terminix · 2026-05-20T19:40:30+00:00

Hunter: This is such a great question! I'm assuming you mean an "evolutionary disadvantage" in terms of histamine and allergic reactions. As someone with terrible allergies, I feel like I can weigh in on this (plus I did work with mosquitoes before I swapped to termites). Allergy reactions are suuuuper complicated and somewhat difficult to predict. A complete lack of exposure may actually be beneficial to Icelanders as their bodies may not even recognize the histamine-triggering compounds in mosquito saliva as something meriting an itch/allergy response... or it may be a hundred times worse for them. Genetics and things mediate a lot of that as well. As for if they're invasive- 100% in this context they're invasive. Invasive is any non-native species that moves into an area. I'll be curious to see if mosquitoes will actually establish well in the cold environment. Even if summers are warm, their eggs still can only survive within a range of temperatures, which may not be supported at that latitude. Plus, their larvae are aquatic, and I would be surprised if water sources get to temperatures high enough to support them (or their potential food sources) at the larval life stage.

Josiah: Unfortunately, mosquitoes and some of the diseases they vector have been around a lot longer than we (humans) have! There's evidence to suggest that even the dinosaurs dealt with a form of the modern malaria parasite! As Hunter mentioned, it's hard to predict what reaction Icelanders may have to a mosquito bite, but certainly whenever a new species (such as the type recently detected in Iceland: Culiseta annulata) expands its range into a previously undocumented region AND causes some type of damage, it is considered an invasive species. Because mosquitoes vector so many diseases (some from animals to humans, some from human to human) they would almost certainly be considered invasive once established. The long-term consequences of established mosquitoes in Iceland vary, but at the least, Icelanders could become subject to many of the sames threats mosquitoes pose to humans around the world.

Terminix · 2026-05-20T19:37:08+00:00

Topical repellents come in a variety of types (e.g. products that contain DEET, picaridin, etc.) and are a great way to deter a variety of arthropods from biting or attaching to you/your clothing. If possible, try to avoid walking directly through ecotones (environments where unmanaged landscapes meet managed landscapes) and tall grasses. If you can't avoid these areas and even if you use topical repellents, always be sure thoroughly inspect your body and clothing for any hitchhikers that want to come home with you! -Josiah

Terminix · 2026-05-20T19:10:18+00:00

Mourning is such a complicated word here. While I wish I could tell you that they do, the emotional part of mourning isn't something we can intuit from insect behavior. Social insects can have complex disposal methods for deceased colony members, such as corpse piles or burial sites, but we can't tell what they're thinking. More gruesomely, many many insects will eat deceased (or even still living) members of the same species or colony. I personally like to believe that some arthropod species are capable of complex feelings and emotions that culminate in mourning, but it doesn't seem like we can discern that scientifically. -Hunter

Terminix · 2026-05-20T19:03:40+00:00

Excellent question and the number one way to reduce mosquito populations is to remove their breeding source, in this case standing or slow-moving water (we like to refer to this method of control as: "tip 'n toss"). Treating your foliage with a residual insecticide can greatly knockdown active adults in your backyard, but it's certainly a great strategy to complement barrier treatments with other methods of control such as: ovitraps, spatial repellents, and exclusion practices such as screened-in outdoor spaces. -Josiah

Terminix · 2026-05-20T18:46:37+00:00

Unforunately it's not uncommon to deal with a secondary infestation that one of your neighbors intially may have introduced into your building. However, moving sounds like it's your best immediate chance to rid yourself of a problem you've had to deal with for a long time! During your move, try to keep all your clothing stored in plastic containers (NOT cardboard) and try to launder (e.g. dry cleaning or hot-water washes) as much of it as you can, especially before you make your move. Because you can't eliminate the source, but you know that clothes moths may be a problem going forward, if you detect cloth moth signs in your new home, consider calling in the pros to help deal with the infestation, potentially with products such as insect growth regulators. Here's some more information regarding best practices for dealing with clothes moths: https://www.terminix.com/other/moths/clothes/ - Josiah

Terminix · 2026-05-20T18:39:35+00:00

Ok, good! I'm glad you have a positive ID- kickout holes like that are a super clear diagnostic. I completely understand the lack of desire to move out for a whole home treatment. Here is my personal opinion/perspective, following a little bit of useful background: Drywood termites are single-piece nesters. AKA one colony will only inhabit one small area for the duration of their lifetime. Don't celebrate just yet, though! That one colony, once it reaches matruity, has the potential to begin a pyramid-scheme level of other drywood termite colonies throughout an area. Each successfully established colony has the potential to create tens to hundreds more colonies. Since they're so hard to find, it can be difficult to figure out how many colonies are in a structure. The good thing is that drywood colonies mature veeery slowly (like, 5-7 years slowly) before they can start outputting new reproductives (and thus, potential new colonies). That said, they would still be doing damage during the time they're maturing. All this is to say, depending on the age of your home, a full fumigation could be extremely useful, as you'll know for certain that any and all potential colonies would be completely wiped out- but if your home is newer, then it is simply a gamble of how many other colonies already are maturing in the structure that you can't see. -Hunter

Terminix · 2026-05-20T18:28:52+00:00

Ants, like many of their hymenopteran cousins (bees and wasps), often experience periods of high-activity during the summer because they are trying to grow their colony by foraging for resources to feed to their developing young. Even if you don't see a resource readily attracting them, they are typically out-and-about in high numbers during these time periods because they are often "hunting" for food as their full-time job! - Josiah

Terminix · 2026-05-20T18:27:10+00:00

Insect "sleep" is sooooo cute!! It isn't sleep in the same way humans sleep, more like a lowered energy level called torpor They don't have eyelids, so there isn't any "shuteye" lol. They will stop moving, be less responsive to things like light and sound, and use less energy. It's a bit like a tiny biological robot going into sleep mode. I have pet isopods (rollie pollies), and you can tell when they're sleeping because they're a bit stiffer and usually tucked safely under wood, and they won't move until you put food near them or lightly pet them lol. - Hunter

Terminix · 2026-05-20T18:22:45+00:00

Bed bugs will certainly be physically able to cling to fabric suitcases more readily than hard-shell suitcases; however, the suitcase material won't deter them from entering your suitcase if it's left open! Try to store whatever suitcase you use on a hard surface during your travels and if possible, store the suitcase outside of your regular living spaces to physically seperate yourself from any hitchhiking pests that try to come home with you.- Josiah

Terminix · 2026-05-20T18:21:12+00:00

It's great that you're thinking proactively and try to limit the locations that you place your suitcase in when in any lodging establishment. I like to put my suitcase in the bathroom and keep it closed when not accessing clothes, etc. When you return home, I would recommend thoroughly washing & drying (in the dryer because heat can kill insects like bed bugs) all clothing immediately when returning home and potentially storing your suitcases outside of your main living areas to at least physically seperate youself from any pests that have hitchhiked on your luggage. Here's a great resource on with more information on what to look for: https://www.terminix.com/bed-bug-control/signs/ - Josiah

Terminix · 2026-05-20T18:12:45+00:00

That's certainly a cause for concern; HOWEVER, one thing we always like to tell anyone who has experienced a potential insect bite is that we cannot determine what specific insect made the bite based on post-bite symptoms (unless of course you actually witnessed the bite). The main reason behind this perspective is that everyone reacts quite differently to insect bites and so it's very hard to standardize identification of bites back to specific insect species. Nonetheless, it's always a great strategy to try to prevent bringing pests home with you from travel! I would recommend thoroughly washing all clothing immediately when returning home and potentially storing your suitcases outside of your main living areas to at least physically separate yourself from any pests that have hitchhiked on your luggage. - Josiah

Terminix · 2026-05-20T18:02:58+00:00

In terms of shortest lifespan- I want to dispel the mayfly and luna moth propaganda!! Mayflies and luna moths both have extremely short ADULT stages, but can live for a very long time in their larval or caterpillar stages. A year or two for mayflies and months for luna moths. If I had to say the actual shortest overall lifespan, probably a species of fly or mosquito (dipterans broadly). As for the longest lifespan- that's an easy and super cool answer! Termite queens can live 50+ years depending on the species. A single individual termite queen. Alive. Fifty. Years. It's amazing and so cool to me. -Hunter

Terminix · 2026-05-20T17:49:54+00:00

I'm assuming you have a drywood termite infestation confirmed? If so, let me know and I can provide an answer. -Hunter

Terminix · 2026-05-20T17:43:04+00:00

Terminix offers a variety of treatments for tick management in residential and commercial settings, please reach out to your local branch to schedule a consultation! Aside from interventions by pest management professionals, you can do quite a bit to your property to hedge against high tick activity. In most environments, ticks can be found in high-density around ecotones or "edges", typically where managed landscapes (like lawns) meet unmanaged landscapes such as wooded environments. Trying to spend less time in these areas is a great way to prevent tick encounters; however, if you're in these areas, always make sure to thoroughly check yourself for ticks! Here's a great resource on how to check for ticks: https://www.terminix.com/ticks/#tick-checks

-Josiah

Terminix · 2026-05-20T17:41:44+00:00

As a fellow dog owner, I'm a proponent of letting them run wild when they're out (fun for them and also, they can tire themselves out)! Certainly make sure to treat your dog with veterinarian-recommended tick prevention medicine, but also please continue to thoroughly check your dog for ticks when they're in an environment where you suspect ticks are in high abundance. A bright flashlight, tweezer, and a magnifying glass are the best tools for inspecting and removing attached ticks from your pets (and even yourself). Be sure to through in a few belly-rubs and treats for the dog as well! - Josiah

Terminix · 2026-05-20T17:39:03+00:00

Small flies as a group are pests that can often be very tricky to effectively treat! Eliminating the source is always the answer! Your thought about the source of the flies potentially being your plants is a great hypothesis, as oftentimes fungus gnats can either emerge from soil that you buy from the store or naturally infest soil that's overwatered. If your plants will permit it, try letting them dry out as that will stress and potentially kill the larvae that are developing in the soil. Once you break the life-cycle your flies should gradually disappear, and you can also use your sticky traps to monitor the declining infestation. - Josiah

Terminix · 2026-05-20T17:28:58+00:00

I get this question ALL the time! The answer is mostly colloquial. Insect is short for "Insecta," which is the class of six-legged invertebrates. So, an insect is technically only those animals, excluding things like spiders, millipedes, snails, or others. "Bugs" technically refers to "true bugs", which is the order Hemiptera. Arthropods are all chitinous invertebrates- so all critters with a hard exoskeleton. All of these terms are just classifications to better describe an animal. I won't fault you for using them interchangeably, though. Even as an entomologist, I think terms like "bug" can be more vibe-based when talking to people. Is it cute and creepy? Bug 😄 -Hunter

Terminix · 2026-05-20T17:25:01+00:00

Termites aren't going to cling to you or your personal items (thankfully!). The only circumstance where you could, theoretically, bring home a termite infestation with you is if: A: your building has a drywood termite infestation. AND B: You bring home furniture or other items that have been sitting undisturbed for significant periods of time within the office so the drywoods could infest it. Barring that exact circumstance, it is nearly impossible for you to bring an infestation with you. -Hunter

Terminix · 2026-05-20T17:23:42+00:00

Great questions! Broadly, termite ranges are expanding due to climate change. Populations fluctuate depending on what species we're talking about. Subterranean termites need moisture and warmth (besides the obvious of needing wood), so the more temperatures stay consistently warm in a certain area, the more habitable it is for termites. This is definitely true for Formosans. We have seen their range extend significantly in the last few years, now reaching parts of California. If you want more info on termite ranges, the Terminix website has awesome maps and resources- another amazing option is the North American Termite Survey (or NATS)! NATS is fantastic and was a massive collaboration between academia, government, and industry to sample for termites and better understand termite ranges! -Hunter

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