21 Oct 2022
Silverfish closeup

Silverfish: what they are and how to get rid of them

Silverfish (Lepisma saccharina) are wingless insects commonly found in and around the home. Covered in tiny fish-like scales and silver in color, it is easy to see how these little pests inherited their name. Silverfish are not dangerous to humans or pets, but are considered pests, nonetheless. They damage property, feeding on materials high in […]

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14 Oct 2022
Pests

Don’t let your lawn be a smorgasbord for pests

Maybe you’ve done everything right in terms of watering and mowing your lawn, but it still has problems. It could be that you notice patches of dead turf or yellowing. Something isn’t right. Consider that insect pests may be preventing you from enjoying the healthy, green yard you work so hard to achieve. It happens […]

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07 Oct 2022
Pill bug

The humble pill bug is no cause for concern

We all see them in the yard all the time. They go by various names: pill bug, roly poly, potato bug. But are these 14-legged creatures really a problem? Are they pests, friends or just neutral visitors? Terrestrial crustaceans The pill bug’s scientific name is Armadillidium vulgare (Latreille). It’s a crustacean, one of only a […]

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26 Aug 2022
Bed bug

Don’t let the bed bugs bite!

Uncovering an infestation in the home is enough to make anyone’s skin crawl, but nothing quite compares to the living nightmare of a bed bug invasion. That’s right, the parasitic bug that makes a home where you lay your head at night. As unnerving as it may be to even think of them, it is […]

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07 Jul 2022
Collage of Steve Lum pictures

Slug-A-Bug president Steve Lum notches 35th anniversary with company

By Jackie Lum Slug-A-Bug president Steve Lum has hit an impressive milestone this month: 35 years with Brevard County’s top pest-control company. Steve is nothing short of an American success story. I should know, I married him. He started life very poor, the oldest of four boys in the projects of Harlem. Steve’s father had […]

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24 Jun 2022
Bark scorpion

Florida bark scorpion: a creature best left alone

Many people think scorpions are a pest control problem only for the Southwest states. But scorpions do well here, too. Florida has at least three known species within its borders. The largest of these is the Florida bark scorpion. Growing up to four inches by adulthood, this nocturnal creature prefers to hunt at night, preying […]

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10 Jun 2022
Fruit fly

Fruit flies are harmless, but they drive us crazy

Pest control companies rarely get panicked calls from homeowners over fruit flies. They won’t sting you and they won’t destroy your house. But they are just plain annoying.  Fruit flies have a simple DNA sequence. They have only four pairs of chromosomes, but this basic pattern includes a powerful sense of smell and some serious […]

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31 May 2022
Lonestar Tick

Foil those troublesome Lone Star ticks

Concerned about ticks? With so much media coverage about the dangers of ticks, you’re probably aware of how harmful these arachnids can be. Among the most troublesome is the Lone Star tick. Here’s a short FAQ: Why should I worry? While the Lone Star tick does not transmit Lyme disease, it can transmit Rocky Mountain […]

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29 Apr 2022
A pair of lovebugs

Lovebugs: not very loveable

They swarm everywhere, peppering your car with their squashed bodies when you drive into a cloud of them. First discovered in Florida in the 1940’s, lovebugs are easily identified by the red spots just behind their heads and the fact that they often travel attached as mating pairs. While they are annoying house guests, they do not […]

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14 Apr 2022
Drain fly

Drain flies are small but annoying intruders

Drain flies are a common bathroom nuisance. They’re tiny, no larger than an eighth of an inch long. They have a light gray or a tan body color and their wings are a lighter color. They look fuzzy because their bodies and wings have long hairs on them. When they are sitting still, they fold […]

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