Elmer Bensinger
Pest Control Specialist
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Co-authored Articles (91)
How to
Make Homemade Cat Repellent
Whether you're a cat lover or not, it's always frustrating when cats mess around where they shouldn't. It may be your garden beds, your favorite house plant, or your living room couch, but if a pesky cat is scratching up...
How to Repel and Keep Pigeons Away Naturally
Effective, fast ways to deter pigeons from balconies, roofs, and more Pigeons might be entertaining to watch, but their droppings can cause damage to buildings or cars and spread diseases to people and other animals. If ...
How to Remove Frogs from Your Home or Garden
Fend off and prevent destructive amphibious pests Frogs reduce the insect population in an area and are relatively harmless, unless you're dealing with a species that is poisonous to pets. Introducing a few natural preda...
How to Remove & Kill Asian Lady Beetles (Plus, How to Keep Them Away)
Control infestations & prevent beetles from getting insideIf Asian lady beetles have started wandering into your home, there are plenty of easy steps you can take to eradicate the infestation. While these bugs have a bad...
How to
Repel Chickens
If you've ever had free-range chickens wreak havoc on your yard or garden, you know how much damage they can inflict in a short period of time. There are a few things you can do to discourage chickens from trampling, scr...
How to Clean, Degrease, and Whiten Bones
Safely handle, clean, and prepare animal bones for display Bones and skulls make great decor and jewelry, but it’s important to clean them first to make sure they’re safe to handle. The process may be slow, taking an...
Are Gophers, Groundhogs, and Woodchucks the Same? How to Tell These Animals Apart
Find out how size, teeth, and diet differ between gophers and groundhogs It’s brown, furry, and loves to dig…but wait, that could be a gopher or a groundhog! They might seem like versions of the same animal, but the...
How to Remove Ticks In and Around Your House
Easy ways to kill ticks and prevent them from coming backIf you just saw a tick crawling around your house, don’t worry! We have plenty of tips and tricks for how to get rid of these creepy crawlies. With this step-by-...
How to
Build a Dry Well
A dry well is an excellent way to divert water runoff from your roof away from your home and yard. Essentially, a dry well takes the water coming off of your home when it rains and drains it away from your home to a tank...
8 Natural & Chemical Ways to Get Rid of Maggots
Take care of infestations for good with these pest control tips When maggots get into your trash can or somewhere in your home, taking care of them quickly prevents them from growing into flies and spreading. No matter ...
How to
Kill Leeches
Leeches are typically water-dwelling invertebrates related to worms. They will feed by attaching themselves to a host and sucking its blood. If a leech attaches itself to your body, it can seem gross and be uncomfortable...
How to
Prevent Maggots from Getting in the Trash
Ever open the garbage can and yuck, there's an invasion of little squiggly white worms? Those are actually not worms but larvae. After mating, the female fly lies eggs in a meat source such as a dead animal on the ground...
How to
Make a Bird Trap
You cannot legally trap most birds in many states and countries. However, in a survival situation, or to do some basic population control in your yard, light trapping is permissible. Though you may need a permit, and you...
The Best Ways to Get Rid of Groundhogs & Their Burrows
Learn how to get a groundhog out of its burrow and stop it from digging a new one Has a groundhog burrowed under your yard or garden and made itself at home? Groundhog (woodchuck) holes can be eyesores in your lawn and ...
How to
Trap a Beaver
The North American beaver (Castor canadensis) is an aquatic mammal and the largest rodent native to North America. They are found across North America, including most (but not all) of both Canada and the United States. P...
How to
Trap a Rabbit
Effective techniques for catching or even hunting wild rabbitsRabbits, although often classified in the rodent family, are actually part of the Lagomorpha family, and live in forests and meadows. Rabbits often find their...
How to
Mix Cedar Oil for Pest Control
If you're dealing with fleas, ticks, and mosquitos, you probably want them gone yesterday! Instead of reaching for toxic pesticides which can get rid of the pests but harm pollinators, give cedar oil a try. Cedar horticu...
How to
Get Rid of Moths in a Closet
It's a perfect autumn morning and you've just reached for your favorite sweater only to discover that it's been eaten up by moths. This is super common, as the cool, dark environment of a closet makes it the perfect home...
How to
Rattlesnake Proof a Backyard
In dry regions worldwide, rattlesnakes may make their way into your backyard. To make your yard a poor rattlesnake habitat, try removing debris, mowing grasses and weeds, and getting rid of any rodents that live in your ...
How to
Cancel Aptive Pest Control
Get out of your Aptive pest control agreement without hassle If you have a contract with Aptive Pest Control that you want to get out of, it can feel like you have to jump through hoops to get anyone to help you. Many c...
