Boxelder bugs (scientific name Boisea trivattata) are named after one of their primary homes, the boxelder tree. They are known to occasionally enter structures during the winter to stay out of the harsh cold. Although a nuisance pest, they are actually native to the United States. They are specifically found in the western and eastern United […]

Since we work in pest control, it’s easy to enter the frame of mind that all pests are bad or the world would be better off without certain pest species in it. It’s important to remember what pests are though. The term ‘pest’ is just an artificial name we give to insects that are disrupting […]

Red Imported Fire Ants have been an enormous pest problem. First introduced to Mobile, Alabama in the 1940’s, Fire Ants have rapidly spread throughout the southern United States. Their success in the U.S. can be attributed to both their large colony sizes and their aggressiveness in defending their territory and food sources. Since the 40’s, […]

Who Done It? A Case of Mistaken Identity Spring is just around the corner, and after a relatively mild and wet winter, we can expect a large number of pests to be waking up soon. With that in mind, we thought it would be a good time to take a look at some of the […]

Masked Chafer Beetles are small, dull yellow/brown scarab beetles. The adult beetles can be a nuisance pest, as they are highly attracted to lights and will fly en masse around the windows of your home. While the presence of the adult beetles can be rather annoying, the bigger threat is what’s likely happening right below […]

You don’t have to be a hoarder to benefit from a little spring cleaning. For some people, throwing things away can be liberating or even therapeutic. A few years ago, my mom asked if I wanted any of the toys from my youth. The child in me wanted them for the sake of nostalgia, but […]

Attic Pest Issues With the potential of an early spring being right around the corner, instances of attic pest issues will most likely begin to rise. It is one of the most secluded areas in a home, however, it can often produce the most pest issues. These are a few of the commonly encountered attic pests […]

What happens when scientists genetically engineer a fly and a mosquito in attempts to create an enemy for mosquito larva?? Not sure but it definitely doesn’t create lovebugs. Oddly enough, this has been a widely-held myth for decades. The myth suggested that University of Florida entomologists introduced this species into the Southeast due to a […]

With winter is in full swing, what better time could there be to take a vacation or cruise to a tropical destination? While the sun and sand may be therapeutic, a vector-borne disease most certainly will not be. Several mosquito-borne illnesses can be medically important to travelers. For good measure, it would be wise to […]

Essential Oils and Botanicals Over the next year, we will be writing several posts that focus on the myths surrounding DIY pest control. There are several interesting topics on the slate and for this post we will be addressing the use of essential oils to control pests. Essential oil(s) can be defined as any volatile […]

Another Christmas season has come and gone, hopefully spent with lots of time with family and friends, enjoying each other’s’ company – and lovely holiday décor. However, now that all the presents have been opened and the holiday feast is complete, the much-dreaded packing up must begin. The last thing you want next year when […]

Although it is not as popular as it used to be, millions of American families will use a real Christmas tree for their holiday decorations. Unfortunately, many insect species also call these trees home to ride out the cold weather, or overwinter, until the warm spring weather. By bringing these trees inside the warmth of […]

Entomophobia is the excessive fear of insects. Most of our customers suffer from this common phobia to some extent, which is why they trust us here at Cook’s to keep the insects out of their home. Because it’s October, and Halloween is right around the corner, we thought we’d take a look at why people […]

I am sure that everyone is familiar with the concept of crashing a party. It is a term coined from showing up to an event uninvited to partake in the festivities and on occasion, wreak havoc. So, with the weather cooling off and football season ramping up, we will be spending more time outdoors grilling […]

Have you walked by a garden or flowerbed recently and wondered why some plants have a sheen on them when it hasn’t rained recently? That sheen is actually a sugary substance called “honeydew” that is secreted from aphids. Aphids (Family: Aphididae) are soft-bodied insects that use their piercing sucking mouthparts to feed on plant sap. […]

Have you heard that the “daddy long legs” is extremely venomous? Have you also heard that the only thing keeping this creature from terrorizing all of humanity is its tiny mouthparts that are unable to pierce human skin? To complicate the matter, three different leggy beasts are called daddy long legs or granddaddy long legs […]

Spiders (and snakes) give people the heebie jeebies. There’s something about having too many legs (or not enough legs) that really unnerves people. The fact that some are venomous further expounds our fears. And, the bigger they are, the worse we tend to feel about them. Let’s talk about one of the world’s largest spiders. […]

The crevice weaver, or southern house spider, is a common nuisance spider found around human structures. The males and females exhibit sexual dimorphism, meaning that they look very different from each other. You might think they were two distinct species if you didn’t know any better. In addition to sexual dimorphism, there is also a […]

Spiders are feared and reviled, more so than even the most dangerous of insects. While having eight legs isn’t helping their creepiness factor, spiders are mainly feared for their venomous nature. Almost all spiders have venom, but only a few have venom potent enough to harm humans. In the South, the brown recluse is the […]

Not all spiders are fast and hairy. Think of the black widow: a jet-black, slender-legged, sleek and shiny spider. It is one of the few spiders with venom potent enough to harm a human. This fact, coupled with early laboratory observations in which females ate the males after mating, has led the widow to symbolize […]

The summer is definitely hot here, and it has been particularly brutal this year. Several heat records have already been broken across central Alabama, and heat indexes routinely surpass 100 degrees. For those working outside, this heat can not only be a burden, but a dangerous health concern as well. Just remember to drink plenty […]

Armadillos The nine-banded armadillo is a strange little mammal covered in bony, dermal plates. They have poor eyesight but a well-developed sense of smell and hearing. They are carnivores that specialize on worms and insects. Their foraging behavior leaves behind unsightly holes, much to the dismay of homeowners and landscapers. While mostly an aesthetic concern, […]

Not everything that lives in wood is a termite, and not everything that bores through wood is eating the wood. Consider the carpenter ant. There are many species of carpenter ants, but the most common house-infesting species is the black carpenter ant. It is uniformly black with yellowish hairs on the abdomen. Carpenter ants are […]

Spring. A time of rebirth, renewal, new life… and the resurgence of pests. We’re not the only ones enjoying the warming weather. The house mouse, house fly, and eastern subterranean termite are among the most troublesome pests to come with the changing of the seasons.