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Want pro tips and advice straight from the source?
Register to join our Ask a Pro LIVE interactive event on Thursday, September 26 at 1:30 EDT: Caleb will be taking your questions about all things pest control and offer his solutions for your unique pest issues!
You’ll leave this event knowing:
- Which pests will to be ready for this fall;
- How you can solve many pest issues on your own;
- How to know when it’s time to call in a professional;
- How to find the best pest control professional;
- The true extent of the damage pests can really cause, and how much it can cost you.
Welcome to Ask a Pro! We take your questions about home improvement, DIY, lawn and garden, and homeownership and answer them with the help of professionals. Our experts are vetted and verified—and they’re eager to share their knowledge.
Last month, BobVila.com readers submitted pest control questions on Facebook and Instagram, and via our newsletter. We hand-picked our favorites, and tapped Caleb Fabry of Town & Country Pest Solutions to help answer them. In this installment of our Ask a Pro series, Caleb tackles your questions about getting rid of pests of all kinds and sizes. He’ll also be joining us for our Ask a Pro LIVE webinar event about fall pest control.
Meet the Expert: Caleb Fabry, President of Town and Country Pest Solutions Inc.
Caleb Fabry serves as President of Town and Country Pest Solutions, a family business in Upstate New York that has been operating since 1986. Caleb and team specialize in the safe management of insects, rodents, and nuisance wildlife, for residential and commercial clients. The company is an active member of the National Pest Management Association and the National Wildlife Association.
To learn more about Caleb, check out Town & Country Pest Solutions Inc.’s website, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram pages.
Spiders are outside on my front porch about eight months of the year. My home is located near a pond. I’m thinking that’s why I’m getting so many spiders, but so solution seems to work. And I can’t even sit on my front porch to enjoy the beautiful weather. How can you help please? —Anonymous, via the newsletter
Caleb’s advice: Getting rid of spiders can be a challenge, especially near a pond, since they’re attracted to areas with abundant insects (their primary food source). It’s common to see a lot of spider activity around homes in these environments, but there are steps you can take to reduce their presence on your front porch.
First, keeping the porch area as clean as possible is key. Spiders love clutter, so regularly sweeping away webs and reducing outdoor lighting at night (lighting attracts insects) can help minimize their food sources.
Another method is applying a natural spider repellent like essential oils, which you can often find online or in some stores. This type of green product often requires weekly and bi-weekly applications to be effective, and it is also great for use around bodies of water.
Spiders reproduce quickly, laying egg sacs containing hundreds of baby spiders, so it’s important to be proactive before the population grows. They can also be persistent and build an entire web in just a couple of hours.
Another option is a general insecticide from a hardware store, but make sure the products are safe for use around water, as some of these treatments can quickly kill fish. One benefit is that the product can usually be applied once per month instead. Key areas to focus application on are lights, doors, windows, and other areas that can create shelter from rain. Using insecticides is typically discouraged because spiders are beneficial to the environment and can help reduce the population of pests and insects. Killing them can ultimately do more harm than good.
If you’re still having trouble, professional services can offer spider control services designed to reduce spider activity and prevent them from returning. Most professional applications and products can be applied every two to six months, depending on the situation and environment. Pros with the proper equipment can also reach higher areas and identify specific locations that are an issue. This way, you can enjoy your porch without the constant hassle of webs and unwanted visitors.
Hello! I would like your help to rid my backyard of lubber grasshoppers. They look like monsters! The worst part… Apparently, the solution is to “grab them” and put them in soapy water. —@mainly_weeds on Instagram
Caleb’s advice: Lubber grasshoppers can be intimidating, especially due to their large size and bright colors! They’re a common problem in many Florida backyards. While it’s true that grabbing them and putting them in soapy water is one of the recommended DIY methods, it may not the most appealing solution. The benefit they have is that they are full of nutrients and make excellent food sources for many other wildlife!
One way to control lubber grasshoppers is to catch them early in the season when they are still small nymphs. At this stage, they are much easier to manage. You can also reduce their numbers by removing any tall grasses or weeds where they like to hide and lay eggs.
For a more hands-off approach, you can use insecticidal sprays that are effective against lubber grasshoppers or a general insecticide for common insects with a residual. However, since they have tough exoskeletons and are resistant to many chemicals, these insecticides risk not being the most effective solution. Professional treatments are often the most effective solution. These solutions can also protect other insects and wildlife. It may be the best option if you have lots of plants that are being destroyed because of these nuisance insects.
I live in Northern Nevada, and I notice that in the warmer months, these small, tiny jumping bugs come up in the bathtub. We don’t get fleas around here because of the altitude, but these are just as tiny and just roam around until I wash them down with hot water. 😩 — Candy R. on Facebook
Caleb’s advice: It sounds like you’re dealing with springtails, which are common all over the United States, especially in warmer months. These tiny jumping bugs are harmless to humans but can be a nuisance when they show up indoors. They’re attracted to moisture, so you’re likely seeing them in your bathtub, where there’s plenty of humidity and water.
To reduce the number of springtails, the first step is addressing moisture. Check for any leaks or excessive humidity around the bathroom and tub, and make sure everything is sealed correctly. Use caulk around the bathtub, baseboards, windows, toilets, etc. Using a dehumidifier can also help keep the environment dry, making it less attractive to springtails. Ensure your bathroom fan is running properly, and that it is venting to the outside if possible.
You can also use insecticidal sprays to treat areas where you frequently see them, but because springtails reproduce quickly and tend to come in from outside, it may take repeated treatments to keep them under control. Insecticides will only be a temporary solution, and because of how fast they reproduce, they may not work at all.
Professional pest control services can help provide a more permanent solution beyond DIY by treating your home’s interior and exterior. A good pest pro will be a great investigator and can often help find the source or lead you to a more permanent solution. They should be trained well and will use highly effective products that target springtails at the source, control reproduction, and prevent them from making their way inside in the first place.
How do I repel mosquitos while still attracting other pollinators like bees and butterflies? —@anotherkimbrickinthewall on Instagram
Caleb’s advice: Repelling mosquitoes while still attracting beneficial pollinators like bees and butterflies can be a bit of a balancing act, but it’s possible! The key is to use methods that target mosquitoes specifically without affecting the insects you want around.
Start by planting mosquito-repelling plants like lavender, marigolds, citronella, and basil around your yard. These plants naturally deter mosquitoes but won’t bother bees or butterflies. Many of them, like lavender and marigolds, actually attract pollinators! Effective repellent treatments made from garlic seem to have a good effect on keeping them away.
You can also use fans or install mosquito traps in areas where you spend the most time. Mosquitoes are weak fliers, so even a gentle breeze from a fan can keep them away without affecting pollinators. Avoid broad-spectrum insecticides, which can harm all insects, and instead opt for mosquito repellents that are specific to mosquitoes. Additionally, cutting back tall grass and other plants, eliminating all possible areas where water can pool up, unclogging gutters, making sure tarps are not trapping water and that bird baths and old tires are free of water. Just a cup or two of water will be enough for thousands of mosquitos to breed.
For a more effective solution, professional mosquito treatments can target these pests without disrupting the rest of your garden. Pros use specialized products that are safe for pollinators but eliminate mosquitoes or stop them from reproducing, giving you the best of both worlds. Mosquitoes generally won’t be found on pollinating flowers, so there is never a need to spray these areas. They will likely be in tall grass or behind leaves on the lower parts of trees. A pro can evaluate the property and provide feedback on why they are most likely an issue. They will also point out critical areas, including breeding sites, that will help eradicate them at the source. A newer treatment many pros are using with really nice success is a product called in2care; these are placed by licensed applicators in specific locations around your property. They attract mosquitoes, stop the reproduction of new ones, and transfer the treatment to hidden breeding sites by themselves.
