K-9 Bed Bug Sniffing Dog On The News!

Posted on June 29, 2009 with 3 Comments

A Las Vegas Company, K-9 Sweeps located in Las Vegas has a K-9 Bed Bug inspecting dog. A news station in Las Vegas interviewed the trainer.

We wrote a post a few weeks ago on how to choose a K-9 bed bug inspecting company.

Extra Staff Hired To Keep Mice off Hospital Patients

Posted on June 29, 2009 with 1 Comment

Could you imagine being hospitalized, and having to worry about a mice chewing away at your ear? Pretty disgusting if you ask me. An 89 year old war veteran was a patient at an Australian Hospital. This problem was uncovered when a work found the man covered in blood one morning after mice got to him. Morphine had to be used after the incident to calm the man down.

Situations like these are unacceptable. The hospital should have been shut down immediate. The reason for the bad infestation was because the Environmental Protection Agency was preventing pest management companies from using poison for controlling mice in hospitals. Evacuating the hospital would have been an option of the pest control did not help the issue.

This hospital should have been using Integrated Pest Management techniques along with asking the EPA to use approved pesticides to control this problem.

Video Below.

New York’s Upper East Side was home to over 10,000 bees

Posted on June 29, 2009 with No Comments

After the queen bee left this massive hive, the massive hive followed her. This nest was located between 80^th and 81^st street. Around 8,000 to 10,000 bees were flying in a half block radius. “It was a three foot column of bees,” bystander Doug Becker, 40. A bee keeper for the New York City Police department captured most of the bees. He said that this was the largest swarm he has ever saw. The bees were brought to a bee keeping farm in Connecticut.

Source: NY Post

Picture Credit

Preventing Earwigs from entering your home or garden

Posted on June 24, 2009 with No Comments

As this rain continues, the pests that enjoy the moisture habitat will be thriving this summer. Earwigs are considered an occasional invader and are not commonly spotted in a home.

The term “earwig” is from Europe, implying that earwigs enter the ear of a sleeping person and bore into their brain. This is not true, and is simply just a myth. Earwigs have forceps that look like they could do serious damage. These are used to capture prey. Earwigs are fairly large, measuring in at 5/8” including the forceps located at the hind-end of their bodies. Their forceps can grow up to ¼.” They have a reddish head, lighter colored wing covers, legs and antennae. Thought they have wing covers, they are not a flying insect. Earwigs are nocturnal, so they are active at night.

Earwigs feed on dead plants and insects, and enjoy spending time under stones, logs and in mulch. Therefore, to cut down and possibly eliminate the risk of getting earwigs in and around your house it is imperative to use several Integrate Pest Management (IPM) methods to control Earwigs. On some occasions, earwigs can be found eating living plants in a garden.

Walk around your home and remove any dead plants, logs, wood piles, and stones from around the foundation. Over usage of mulch can attract earwigs because of how well it holds moisture. The goal is to create a low-moisture area around the perimeter of your home. Treatment by the technician is usually performed outside on the foundation of the home. Indoor treatment and the methods of treatment are always left to the discretion of the technician.

Rain = TICKS and Lyme Disease

Posted on June 23, 2009 with 7 Comments

As most of you know, here in the northeast we have been receiving a massive about of rain fall this month (June). We have said before, this rain will bring out high populations of Ticks, Mosquitoes and Carpenter Ants. These pests also carry diseases which are harmful to humans.

Ticks can carry Lyme Disease. When not spotted and dealt with, it can lead to major peoples. Residex was awesome enough to provide us with a great Q&A regarding Lyme Disease. Here is what they had to say…

1. What causes Lyme Disease and how would I contract it?

Lyme Disease is caused by a bacterium from a group of bacteria known as Spirochetes. Spirochetes are corkscrew-shaped bacteria that can actually bore into essential organs and other tissues of the body, and can go into dormancy for long periods of time. The Lyme Spirochete is called Borrelia burgdorferi, and it is transmitted to humans and pets by the black legged (deer) tick and the lonestar tick. When an infected tick bites, it transfers spirochete bacteria into the blood stream of humans and pets.

2. How will I know if a tick bite transmitted Lyme Disease?

There is an early warning bull’s-eye rash in the area of the bite that some, but not all, bite victims see. The other early warning sign is the embedded feeding tick itself. Unfortunately most victims of Lyme Disease never know that they were bitten by an infected tick, and go untreated until concerning health issues begin to manifest within the victim. Detection of embedded ticks is difficult because of the black legged tick’s extremely small size

3. What should I do if I find an embedded tick on my body?

The tick must be carefully removed either by a medical professional, or you can do it yourself or have someone assist you. A proper removal device is necessary to firmly grasp the tick by the mouthparts only and gently remove the tick from the skin. Do not grasp the tick by its abdomen because pressure will force the tick to regurgitate its gut contents, which may contain disease microbes, into the bloodstream. Save the tick for proper identification by a trained professional.

4. Are there removal methods that I should avoid?

Yes. Never use alcohol, lit matches, cigarettes, insecticides, repellants, gasoline, ammonia, or any other solvent or heat source to remove any embedded tick. All of these methods cause the tick to regurgitate the contents of its gut into the victim’s bloodstream, which further increases the likelihood of contracting a tick- borne disease.

5. What happens if I get Lyme Disease?

The nature of your illness will depend on the length of time that Lyme Disease goes untreated. Additionally, not all humans respond the same way to this very complex disease, and ticks can also transmit more than one type of disease with a single bite further complicating a proper diagnosis and treatment. Lyme Disease is a syphilitic-type condition that left untreated can cause severe debilitating issues both physically and mentally. This stage is known as chronic Lyme, and is very difficult to diagnose and treat. Early stages of Lyme Disease can be completely cured with common antibiotics issued by a medical doctor. However catching Lyme Disease in its early stages is difficult at best, and many physicians and laboratories lack the experience and testing protocols to properly identify the disease.

6. How can I prevent contact with Lyme Disease?

Currently there are only a few preventative measures to protect your family and self from contracting Lyme Disease and no method is guaranteed. Lyme Disease is a 49 State issue and not just a problem of the Northeast. At present time, it is known that black legged ticks and lonestar ticks are disease vectors of Lyme. Avoiding human contact with ticks is the critical element in prevention. Unfortunately there isn’t a human Lyme vaccine at this time, although there is one for your pets available through a veterinarian. So without a vaccine, all humans are vulnerable to this very serious disease.

7. Who is most at risk to contract Lyme Disease?

Since Lyme Disease is a disease of the active population who use the outdoors as their playground for sports, hobbies and other activities, children, athletes and outdoors adventurers are highly susceptible to coming into contact with disease carrying ticks. Playgrounds, parks, trails, fields and your very own backyard are the harborage areas for Lyme-carrying ticks. This condition is more related to the deer and mouse populations in these areas versus the human populations. The deer and the white-footed mouse are reservoir hosts of Lyme Disease, and wherever these animals are found, you are surely to find Lyme infected ticks. As deer and mouse populations go unchecked because of local and state regulations, the disease spreads at uncontrolled rates. Lobby your local and state legislators to get control of these out-of-control animal populations in densely human populated areas.

8. What is the most effective preventative control method available today?

An insecticide application to the lawn and wooded transition zone around your home is an effective method to kill ticks that are present in areas where humans and pets are active. These applications should be rendered by a licensed professional pest control operator with a deep understanding of tick biology and treatments. Most professional pest control operators understand the concerns of homeowners when applying insecticides in areas where pets and children play and use extreme care and sound judgment in the selection of the right product for your situation. Lyme-carrying ticks are a serious threat to public health, yet many legislators are banning the use of effective pesticides due to the unproven claims levied by special interest groups. Tell your state and local legislators that you demand protection against Lyme Disease, and effective pesticides are the only viable weapons for prevention at this time.

9. Are there any non-pesticide methods available?

Non-pesticide methods of prevention include staying out of areas where deer and field mice frequent including your yard, wearing white clothing for ease of detection, inspecting your body thoroughly after returning from areas where deer and mice live, using tick repellants on clothes and skin, maintaining a well-manicured lawn and removing all leaf and litter debris from the surrounding property, treating pets with a tick repellant, keeping field mice from entering the home or other out properties. All of these methods along with a residual insecticide application should be incorporated into a comprehensive tick control program. There are no guarantees that you or a family member will not contract Lyme Disease even if all of these methods are employed due to the number of variables outside of your control and the professional applicator’s control.

Lobby your elected officials to protect humans from the serious effects of Lyme Disease.

Written by Christopher Donaghy, Board Certified Medical Entomologist.

All rights to this information are reserved by

Residex, LLC, 2009.

www.residex.com

If you would like more information, or inquire about our Mosquito & Tick Abatement service please contact us at (800) 479-2284, email us, live chat us, twitter us or join us on Facebook!

Mosquito Breeding Area

Posted on June 19, 2009 with No Comments

We have had a lot of rain lately, so the mosquitoes, tick and carpenter ants will be out in full swing. We would like to give you a tip on keeping your landscape’s mosquito population to a minimum.

Get Rid of Stagnant Water

A perfect example is a bird bath. The picture on the right shows a typical bird bath in someone’s garden. While they do look nice, they attract mosquitoes. Other areas on your property that mosquitoes love are old tires. Old tires collect rain water and sit for months and even years. We previously wrote about foreclosed homes, and why they are perfect areas for mosquitoes, mainly because of the pool. Ensure that your pool is up kept properly to avoid breeding areas.

These are just a few tips on reducing the pest population on your property this summer. These tips are part of a program called Integrated Pest Management. IPM is a program designed that will keep pest populations to a minimum with reduced amounts of pesticides, and keeping a clean living area.

HOW TO: Maintain Trees

Posted on June 19, 2009 with No Comments

Arborist Inspecting A Leaf

Most Americans have a full landscape of trees that not only add value to the property but provide a quiet, comfortable, and enjoyable amount of living space. There are many ways that you can ensure trees continue to thrive and grow for hundreds of years to come.

There are several simple methods that people do not realize that can drastically contribute to the quality of life and health of a tree.

1. When planting a tree, make sure that you remove the burlap covers that comes from the nursery, or metal wire that hold the roots and dirt together.  This prevents gurdling roots from developing.
2. If you put mulch around your trees, use the “Mulch Volcano” method. At the bottom of the tree, mulch should be moved about six inches away from the tree.  This will ensure that the tree does not rot with the sitting much around it.
3. If you spot dead branches, perform “Dead Pruning” and cut all the dead areas off the tree. Call a professional if needed.

4. 

   Mulch Volcano

   Make sure that your trees don’t grow into each other. This will make sure that the trees get the proper sunlight needed to grow.

5. You should water trees like plants. Everything outside your home needs water to grow.

Along with those methods there are some that might not be possible for the average homeowner, and need to call a professional in. Some of these services include:

1. Fertilization, also called a deep root feeding. The arborist/technician will use a hose with a special attachment to inject the trees roots. This not only breaks up the soil compaction around the tree, but provide slow releasing nutrients, and make them readily available to the tree for proper grow and stimulation.
2. You can aerate around the bottom of trees to ensure moisture gets to the roots that lye below the ground. Compaction can sometimes be a major concern.
   

   Deep Root Feeding

3. Systemic Injection is where an arborist/technician will inject the tree’s vascular system with an insecticide to protect it from insects that feed on trees such as caterpillars, gypsy moths and beetles. Providing quicker, longer lasting results.
4. An Anti-Desiccant can be applied to trees that keep their foliage over the winter. In November and December and even in January. We recommend this service so that trees will not loose their moisture over the winter, during the cold whipping winds.  This is an application also utilized when moving trees, Anti-Desiccant will protect the tree during transplanting. Keeping the moisture in a tree is imperative to the trees life.
5. Horticulture Oil is great for the trees in late October/November. Also called “dormant oil” The oil, when applied will kill insects and their egg masses by smothering them and preventing them from overwintering on the branches.

*In the approaching two weeks keep an eye out for the emerging grubs, they have now developed into their adult stage of  Japanese Beetles. Plants and trees that Japanses Beetles feed on include, Japanese Maple, Norway Maple, Horsechestnut, Hollycock, Gray birch, American chestnut, Rose-of-Sharon, Shrub Althea, Black walnut, Flowering crabapple, London planetree, Lombardy poplar, Cherry, black cherry, plum, peach, Roses, Saasafrass, American mountain ash, American linden, American elm, English elm and grapes.

Ask The Pest Managment Professional!

Posted on June 19, 2009 with No Comments

We underdstand a lot of people have many questions about pests and what we do. We are more then happy to answer all of your questions. The best way of contacting us is Twitter or our live chat for pest related questions. We are very active on Twitter and feel that is the best place to ask so others with similar questions can become informed also.

So..Twitter at us using @NYPestControl, use a hash tag (#) relating to pest control anytime  or live chat with us during business hours!

Local Farms On The Rise

Posted on June 19, 2009 with No Comments

Project:Green Industry wrote a great article the other day about how local farms are on the rise across the United States.

The number of small farms is increasing in the United States and more importantly they are succeeding. John Ikerd, professor emeritus at University of Missouri-Columbia, told the St. Louis Dispatch that a fundamental change is occurring within the United States when it comes to smaller farmers. The newspaper reports that from 2002 to 2007, many of the nearly 300,000 new farms started in this country were small and operated by young farmers.

They say the top succeeding farms produce milk, poultry  eggs, fruit, and nursery’s. Because of this rise in local farms, John Deere has shifted their look on farms and started catering to the smaller farms, with different types of farm equipment.

If you are interested, the full article can be read here.

Enjoying your lawn this summer? Grubs are attacking

Posted on June 19, 2009 with 3 Comments

Summer is a great time to enjoy your beautiful lawn and landscape with your family. Unfortunately, grubs are going to enjoy it also, just not quite the same way. Grubs start down deep in the ground below the frost line until soil temperatures start to rise. As temperatures increase, grubs make there way up to the surface were they can find moisture and organic matter. This is normally about two inches below your lawn smack in the middle of your grass roots. As grubs feed, they destroy your lawns valuable root system. Symptoms and signs of grub infestations are; browning of turf areas, Birds, skunks and other animals digging in specific locations or lawn areas rolling up like a carpet do to a severed root system.   This is only half the story, as grubs are the larvae of adult beetles that feed on the foliage of your valuable trees, shrubs and flowers.

Timing and proper materials are imperative in achieving environmentally sensitive grub worm control. As mentioned earlier, grub larvae spend the winter below the frost line. As temperatures increase in the spring and early summer, grubs rise to the service in search of moisture and organic matter to feed on. Grubs feed for short period and then enter the pupa stage of development before emerging as adult beetles during the months of July and August. Adult beetles search for a food source, such as fruit trees, ornamental shrubs and flowers. Certain species like Japanese Beetles (green and purple metallic) feed in clusters causing total defoliation of certain trees and shrubs. All beetles have chewing mouth parts so leaves will appear eaten and not stippled. When feeding is complete, females will return to the soil and lay her eggs around mid August. The eggs will them develop into grub larvae and feed vigorously until soil temperatures cool and they move below the frost line. This is when grubs cause the most damage to your lawn. Most effective control of grubs’ occurs just after eggs are laid and larvae are small. Damage at that time is minimal and grubs are small and easier to control.

Controlling the adult beetle is also an option. By reducing the number of adult females returning to the soil to lay eggs can drastically reduce the number of grub larvae in the soil. This can be achieved by using environmentally sensitive controls combined with strategically placed allure traps.

If you have had grub infestations in the past, there is a good chance they will return annually to conditions that favor them. They also tend to stay with in a mile of the area they originated from.

J.P. McHale Pest Management, Inc has a Tree and Turf Division that is overseen by our University of Delaware Graduate Plant Pathologist, Douglas McHale. If you think you have grubs, or any other lawn or tree problem, please arrange a free inspection with us to determine your problem and show service options.

If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to call us, email us, live chat, Facebook or even twitter.

Picture source http://www.backtonaturellc.com/btn/web/faq_topic.php?ftopic=5