Learning Center

If you’ve spotted large, buzzing insects around your home, you might be wondering whether you’re dealing with bumblebees or carpenter bees. While both are important pollinators, only one poses a real threat to your wooden structures. Bumblebees are the fuzzy friends you want to protect. They nest underground and focus on flowers, not your deck. […]...

Most homeowners never see termites until it’s too late. These wood-destroying insects stay hidden underground and inside your home’s structure for years before causing visible damage. By the time you notice sagging floors or hollow-sounding wood, thousands of dollars in repairs might be waiting. But termites do leave clues if you know what to look […]...

If you’re asking “how do I get rid of rats in my house,” you’re not alone. In the DC metro area, especially in places like Old Town Alexandria, we get countless calls about rat problems. After nearly a decade in pest control, I’ve seen how quickly these issues can spiral out of control. Rats aren’t […]...

If you’ve noticed large, buzzing insects hovering around your deck or drilling holes into your home’s wood surfaces, you’re probably dealing with carpenter bees. These wood-boring insects are common throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, especially in Virginia, Maryland, and DC. Many homeowners wonder: do carpenter bees sting? After working as a registered technician for four years […]...

Finding water bugs in your home can be alarming. Many homeowners aren’t sure what they’re dealing with or how to get rid of them. After spending four years as a registered technician with our family business serving the DMV area for over 50 years, I’ve seen countless water bug issues. Most importantly, I’ve learned that […]...

When dealing with a rat problem in your home, understanding the differences between male vs female rats can make all the difference in your control strategy. After working as a licensed technician since 2015, I’ve handled countless rat calls throughout Old Town Alexandria and the greater DC metro area. What I’ve learned is that male […]...

Finding small, dark insects scurrying across your kitchen counter can be alarming. When you spot a baby German cockroach, you’re likely dealing with a growing infestation that requires immediate attention. These tiny nymphs signal that adult roaches have been reproducing in your home for weeks or months. Understanding what baby German cockroaches look like and […]...

Finding large hornets buzzing around your home at night can be alarming. If you’re seeing big, reddish-brown insects banging against your windows after dark, you might be dealing with a European hornet nest. These nocturnal giants have been spreading across Virginia, Maryland, and the DC area since the 1980s. In my four years as a […]...

Homeowners across the DC metro area call us every spring with the same concern: “I found red ants in my yard – are they fire ants?” This question comes up repeatedly because many people use “red ant” and “fire ant” interchangeably. However, these are completely different insects that require very different approaches. As a registered […]...

When most homeowners spot a brown spider darting across their floor, the first thought is often “brown recluse!” But after treating hundreds of homes across northern Virginia, I’ve learned that what looks scary is usually just a harmless grass spider. The speed and brown coloring of grass spiders can trigger immediate alarm, but these common […]...