Innovative Pest Solutions Blog

Camel crickets go by many names: cave crickets, spider crickets, jumping spiders, sprickets, and more. Whatever you call them, they are one of the more unsettling pests homeowners deal with. This is because, by nature, they prefer dark and damp areas that people rarely spend time in—such as crawlspaces and unfinished basements. Camel crickets cannot bite or physically harm a predator in a...

Psocids are only about 2-3 millimeters long and are often overlooked by the naked eye. They are sometimes referred to as booklice when found among old books and other paper products that have been stored in a dark damp area; or as barklice when found in decayed trees, mulch, or on firewood. These pests prefer a warm and damp habitat and, therefore, are more numerous in the spring and summer mon...

“My yard and the exterior of my house seems to be infested with non-biting mosquitoes. How can I get rid of them?” This is a common question from homeowners who live beside permanent bodies of water which include swift moving streams, slow moving rivers, swamps, lakes and ponds, and especially run-off collection ponds. Midges look a lot like mosquitoes, but there are some differenc...

In the late summer in Raleigh, Durham and the Triangle area, we will occasionally get a call concerning these caterpillars, better known as the Orange Striped Oakworm. They rarely get inside a house, but they can become a nuisance on driveways, patios and sidewalks. Many are not noticed until they get squashed under someone’s foot. If you come across some of them, look around and you shou...

Springtails, a common pest here in the Raleigh/Durham triangle, are so small they often go unnoticed. They are sometimes found on countertops, inside bathtubs or sinks, and on windowsills. They are light colored, very small, and if you try to touch one they will spring into the air by way of its spring-like tail (the furcula) that it keeps folded under its body. Springtails can suddenly appear...

Is the moisture level too high inside my crawlspace? How do I know if its a problem or not? These are common questions that I hear from homeowners here in the Raleigh/Durham triangle area. Unfortunately the answers can be complicated. The two measurements most commonly used in determining moisture problems are the Relative Humidity of the air inside the crawlspace, and the Wood Moisture Content...