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Stink bugs! Stink bugs! Everywhere!

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They seem to be everywhere in Northern Virginia!! And maybe it’s just me but are they more concentrated in the Loudoun County area??

The sound of their wings flapping around indoors makes me skiddish with fear!

stink-bug

So what ARE these nasty things? Thought you knew it all? Well, did you know…..

Stink bugs belong to scientific order Hemiptera, whose members ” known as ; ” genuine error ;.

These include between 50,000 to 80,000 species of assassin bugs, planthoppers, leafhoppers, cicadas, aphids,and shield bugs. These errors have two characteristics in common: the piercing and sucking mouth parts and wings which are membranous and clear at the tips, but hard on the base.

Here are some facts and information about errors, along with tips on how to successfully eliminate these invasive pests from a garden, inside and outside the home.

Stink bugs are within a super family of insects called Pentatomoidea within the order of Hemiptera.

These errors as well as a shield for their errors form a shield known. The brown colored stink bugs are the most commonly seen insects. I am an agricultural pest, they eat the vegetation and ruin the crops completely.

Facts about Stink Bugs

  • Stink bugs are roughly the size of a pumpkin seed.
  • They have wings, six legs, antennas and have a variety of colors, but most have a mottled brown with a sign like back.
  • They are originally from the Insecta class, Hemiptera order, within the family of Pentatomidea, the Halymorpha halys, and the Anthropoda Phylum.
  • They eat plants, fruits and vegetables such as soybeans, peaches, tomatoes, ruined the product and making it impossible to sell.
  • They don’t hurt humans however they cause damage to plants, and crops.
  • These invasive pests emit a foul smell from the breast when they are killed, threatened or crushed.

Stink bugs also have another species is called Brochymena arborea which are bugs that look like a form of tree bark and this a camouflage effect to protect the species from predators. This shield-shaped bombs feed primarily on a wide range of fruit and vegetables, but there are some guys that are also useful because they attack other insects and eat the larvae of beetles and larvae of pests are farmers,.

Adult bugs goes into hibernation during the winter seasons but during the springtime they come out of hibernation. To survive this error to the harsh winter sleep and are known to survive up to a year in warm climates.

Tips on How to Get Rid of Stink Bugs

Start the treatment process outside by using chemical repellants such as horticultural oil, cyfluthrin, permethrin, cypermethrin or tralomethrin to spray around entryways, windows, crawl spaces, cracks, and crevices around the house. But before you protect these repellents, gloves and breathing mask, the possibility of inhalation Repellent.

Use a vacuum to clean up these bugs instead of crushing them as they will release their foul odor.

Empty the contents and discard the vacuum bag as far away as possible from home as a waste container or container.

Close up any open cracks and crevices inside and outside the home using caulk seal.

This prevents to reach the error-shaped shields interior of the house.

Remove weeds and foliage near the home as this is where the bugs usually host.

Scatter kaolin near and around the house or spray a mixture of kaolin solution. These stinker bugs will be unable to reproduce and feed on any plants or crops.

Consult a professional pest control certificate to be able to determine the best ways to protect and secure your home from future attacks by these invasive Stinkers are.

Getting rid of stink bugs

stink bug

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Categories: Home and Garden

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Is your swimming pool drowning out your potential buyers? (Part 3)

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In this last installment of the three-part series to preventing your swimming pool from drowning out your potential buyers (click here to see Part 1 or Part 2), I’ll talk about ways you and your real estate agent can minimize the apprehension some buyers may have to buying your home with a swimming pool and ways to increase the foot traffic of potential buyers to your home.

Let’s start with minimizing a buyer’s apprehension about the swimming pool.

The first thing that comes to the mind of those who have never owned a pool before is the safety factor. It’s a serious matter, to be sure, and a very valid concern, so start with looking at ways to improve, highlight and emphasize the safety features of your swimming pool. The second thing that usually comes to mind about swimming-pool ownership are the operating expenses involved. Presenting an estimated cost for running your pool can help buyers get a better idea of what to expect. Who knows, they may be pleasantly surprised! Lastly, I hear a lot of non-pool owners imagine or assume that it takes a lot of hard work to maintain a swimming pool. Outlining the steps needed to keep the pool clear would be very helpful to potential buyers. So now you know the main concerns, here are some tips that you and your real estate agent can follow to help make your pool a feature rather than a fear:

Addressing swimming pool safety concerns:

  1. Highlight any fencing that you may have that surrounds the pool. Make any repairs to fencing before showing your property.
  2. Point out the safety cover for your pool. If it’s automatic, make sure it is in good working condition. If it’s a manually installed cover, on an open pool, try to hang the cover so that potential buyers can see it’s condition. If the cover is in need of repairs, either have them fixed or provide the name of a reliable pool-cover repair shop in the area. Provide copies of the brochures or informational pamphlets regarding the safety features cover.
  3. Get a copy of the county regulations for owning a swimming pool. Emphasize what you’ve done to meet or exceed those regulations.
  4. Make sure that any door or pool alarms that you have are in working condition. Replace the batteries in these units, or better yet, upgrade to a newer model.
  5. Make sure the bolts holding diving boards, slides or ladders are in place securely.

Addressing swimming pool operating expense concerns:

  1. Outline estimated costs for opening and closing your pool.
  2. Outline estimated costs for any chemicals you use including the frequency that you use them.
  3. Have your real estate agent get estimated costs of a home warranty plan that covers swimming pools and spas. Maybe even offer to purchase the warranty for the buyers.
  4. Don’t forget to show your utility bills for the months your pool is open and running.
  5. If you have a pool that needs to be filled annually and you’re on city or public water, provide an estimated cost for that too. Some water companies offer a limited-time, discounted swimming pool fill-up-rate each Spring season. This could be huge savings to the future home owners.
  6. If you use a pool service for regular upkeep, make sure outline the service costs for the company you use and maybe even throw in estimates from other companies.

Addressing swimming pool maintenance concerns:

  1. If you do handle regular upkeep yourself, track frequency and how long it takes you for each task, like skimming the pool, vacuuming, back-washing filters, etc., and outline this information for buyers who’ve never owned a pool before — they would find this information useful. You can also emphasize the dollar savings of doing daily maintenance yourself versus hiring a company. Don’t forget to include the level of difficulty for each task.
  2. A pool surrounded by deciduous trees can scream “high maintenance cleaning”. Trim any overhanging branches to avoid the potential of having leaves fall into the pool. Doing so can minimize the amount of vacuuming that needs to be done and gives potential buyers the ability to visualize lower maintenance.
  3. Note the cost for chemicals needed for regular maintenance. Recommend vendors or suppliers, especially those that offer big discount coupons.

Once you gather all the information that a buyer would ask about owning a swimming pool, work with your real estate agent to present the information in an appealing brochure (no need to get fancy if you don’t want to). Have your agent emphasize the positives to owning a pool, i.e., if you live in a a neighborhood with no community pool, having a mini-vacation at the end of the day in the comfort of your own home, and emphasizing family time together by the pool. With the proper marketing your swimming pool could end up being a showcase feature!

So what’s a good trick to gaining more traffic to your home with a swimming pool? Pictures, pictures and more pictures. Nothing is more inviting than seeing a crystal clear swimming pool on a hot, sunny day. And if all else fails and buyers are still fine that owning a swimming pool is for them, have your real estate agent note in the multiple-listing-service description that it IS possible to fill that pool. A lot of landscaping or land developers are ready to give away fill-dirt rather than having to pay dumping fees to get rid of it.

Categories: Selling

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Is your swimming pool drowning out your potential buyers? (Part 2)

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If you’ve read Part 1 yesterday, you want to know what you and your real estate agent can do to make your home more appealing to the group of potential buyers who may be intimidated by owning a house with a pool. This is the second installment of a three-part series on ways to keep your swimming pool from drowning out your potential buyers.

First, your real estate agent should have already gone through your home and pointed out ways to make it sparkle like a showcase model home. If not, read some of my older posts for ideas. Once that’s done, don’t forget the front-facing curb appeal and exterior landscaping.

Now, start beautifying that swimming pool!! (Hopefully, you followed your real estate agent’s advice a planned your home sale around Spring time. Read here to find out why.)

  • Make sure the area around the pool is clean of dirt, trash and clutter.
  • Adding live greenery and flowers can enhance the appeal.
  • Make sure any patio furniture in place is clean and arranged in an inviting manner. (If you don’t have patio furniture, consider borrowing a set from a friend or renting a set.)
  • Make sure the water is crystal clear and the vacuum up any leaves floating on the surface of the water.
  • If you have a hot tub, consider investing in spa scents for open houses.
  • Ask your agent to stage take pictures of your pool area at night with the pool lights on and any exterior lights on as well.
  • If you have any floats left out, make sure they are clean for house showings or put them away.
  • If you have pets, make sure you clean up any potty messes that may be near or around the pool area to avoid negative smells from turning off buyers.
  • Try to have the pump turned on and operational, so that buyers can see that everything is in working condition.
  • If your swimming pool is fitted with a slide or a diving board, make sure that the bolts holding them in place are clean and secure.

Now that you’ve made the swimming pool area feel welcoming and inviting, read part three tomorrow on what to do to minimize fears buyers may have on buying a home with a swimming pool, and ways your agent can get more foot traffic to your home.

(This is the second installment of a three-part series on how to keep your swimming pool from drowning out your potential buyers when selling your home. Read part 3 – tomorrow)

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Categories: Selling

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Is your swimming pool drowning out your potential buyers? (Part 1)

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If you own a pool and your home is on the market, chances are that you’ve already eliminated a good portion of potential buyers.

Why?

Well, not everyone sees owning a swimming pool as a good thing. First and foremost, it can be a liability. Without the proper safety measures in place, in addition to those required by your county, that pool can put one’s safety at risk. Such a liability also means more home owners insurance is needed (some insurance companies won’t even accept pools with diving boards!). And people who have never owned a swimming pool before may also see it as an high-maintenance expense: water, chemicals, heating, etc.

So what can you, as a home seller with an installed pool, do to keep from drowning out your potential buyers?

First, don’t worry. There is bound to be someone out there who has the same desire as you to own a pool — if there weren’t, there wouldn’t be companies that sell swimming pools! Secondly, with the help of your real estate agent, market the positives and minimize the negatives.

(This is the first installment of a three-part series on how to keep your swimming pool from drowning out your potential buyers when selling your home. Read part 2 – tomorrow)

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Categories: Selling

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Rain, rain, go away, come again some other day!

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I know the rain is beneficial, but sometimes it’s gloominess is no fun and can damper the look of any home.

Plant some cheerful flowers in containers and place them near your front door, or in garden patches in the landscape of your yard. It will make your home look friendly and inviting — even on the most gloomiest of days!

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