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Showing posts from August, 2015

6 Guinness World Records Involving Insects

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This week brings along with it the 60th anniversary of the  Guinness Book of World Records .   Best Pest Control at the Lake of the Ozarks  let this fact inspire us to look up the records that they recorded about insects.  All we can say is, we are thrilled that most of these are not found in our area! photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons Largest Species of Centipede The giant centipede of Central and South America can grow to 10 inches long. It is also known as the Peruvian giant yellowleg centipede. They feed on mice, lizards, frogs, and some have been known to eat bats. Largest Aquatic Insect The giant water bug can grow to just over 4-1/2 inches long.  It is found in Venezuela and Brazil, and it is a meat-eating predator. Greatest Insect Builder The termite earns this honor. In eastern Australia, people found termite mounds that measured 20 feet in height and 100 feet in circumference. Most Bioluminescent Insect Even though a firefly is small, it gives o

7 Ways To Keep Deer Away From Your Garden

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One type of animal control at the Lake of the Ozarks that is greatly needed is keeping deer away from your beautiful flowers and vegetable garden.  The deer in this area practically seem tame because they are so very comfortable in a yard. This can by very annoying if everything that you plant is gone every morning after it blooms.   Best Pest Control at the Lake of the Ozarks has a few tips to help keep your gorgeous landscaping in tact.   1. Install motion activated sprinklers. A surprise spray of water every time that a deer tries to enter your yard should annoy them enough that they keep their distance.  If they cannot reach your favorite plants, the plants will remain safe.  2.  Plant things deer do not like. Some plants are considered "deer-resistant" because it's not their favorite flavor or scent.  This doesn't mean it is fool-proof, but less likely that the deer will bother them.  Some examples are Daffodils, Forget-Me-Nots, and Buttercups.  Al

Bug Repellent Safety Facts

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If you venture outside to enjoy these lovely Summer days, you are guaranteed to encounter bugs.  While Best Pest Control at the Lake of the Ozarks can keep the bugs out of your home, it's harder to monitor them once you step into their home- the outdoors.   Putting the chemicals of commercial bug repellents onto your skin can be intimidating, but the more you know, the safer it is.  Here are a few facts about bug repellents, both natural and man-made, that can help you to feel more comfortable about using them.  DEET Deet is the most widely used bug repellent.  You should only use products with less than 30% DEET in them, and never use DEET on children under 2 months old.  A higher percentage of DEET does not mean that it's stronger, but only that it will last longer.  If you are able to reapply your bug spray regularly throughout the day, then one with 10% or less DEET should be sufficient.     PICARIDIN This is an odorless and synthetic product.  It

15 Interesting Insect Facts

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Best Pest Control at the Lake of the Ozarks is all about getting rid of the insects "bugging" you in and around your home.  Having insects on the brain all day though, we can't help but wonder about them.  Here are some interesting things that we found out when we looked.      1. Only about 1% of insects are actually harmful to humans.  Many are even beneficial.  (Nobody wants them creeping around the house though!) 2. Night butterflies have ears on their wings so they can avoid bats.   3. A fossil found of a cockroach was dated back to about 280 million years ago. 4. A cockroach can hold its breath for 40 minutes, and can even survive under water for half an hour.   5.  Only male crickets can chirp.   6. Watch out for those lady mosquitoes.  Only they bite, not the males.  7. A mosquito flaps its wings about 500 times a second. 8. Scorpions can live for more than a year without eating.  9.  The common garden worm has 5 pairs of hearts. 10. Flea larv