​In this month's pest profile, we're talking about the velvet ant. While this pest is stunning in color and has a unique texture, it can be quite a danger. Although they're called velvet ants, they aren't actually ants at all. They're wasps that can cause a terribly painful sting. They get the velvet part of their name because of their bodies' dense fur, which makes them appear fuzzy. 

Spring is here, and summer is quickly approaching, which means you and your family will probably spend more time outside. While hiring Pestech of Greenville is the most cost-effective and efficient way to keep your yard and home pest-free this season, there are also several plants that will naturally deter pests. In addition to using our quarterly pest management services, we recommend that you add these types of plants around your landscape for increased prevention efforts. 

Here are ten plants and herbs that will help you have a pest-free yard naturally: ​

​Summer is a favorite season among many. Longer days and warmer weather mean more time spent outside. But unfortunately, several pests can ruin your outdoor fun. Some of the most common types we see here in North Carolina are mosquitoes. 
 
Mosquitoes date back as far as 400 million years. There are at least 2,700 known mosquito species in the world but only around 176 species in the United States. They feed on the blood of humans and mammals, but only female mosquitoes bite. For the most part, their bites are just annoying and extremely itchy. However, in some parts of the world mosquitoes can carry diseases like West Nile Virus, Malaria, and Yellow Fever. In certain cases, these diseases are deadly. 

In this Pest Profile series, we're highlighting fire ants. The clocks have moved forward an hour which means spring and summer are quickly approaching. While enjoying time outside, the last thing you want to deal with is a fire ant invasion.
 
Surprisingly, fire ants were brought into North America accidentally. They were brought in on a cargo boat from South America, which arrived in Alabama in the 1930s. Since then, they have spread aggressively, especially in the South, where warmer weather makes it easy for them to survive. Fire ants live in colonies, which can contain over 200,000 ants. Growing a visible colony this large takes several months. Colonies are typically comprised of female worker ant and one queen responsible for laying the eggs.