Finding and controlling termites and carpenter ants is no easy task. While they may be crucial to nature, these insects are causing problem after problem in modern homes. Carptenter ants are basically inevitable, they will at one time invade your home, but termites are a different story. They cause over two billion dollars in damage to homes every year.
There are two types of termites common to our area, dampwood and subterranean. These dampwood pests live in wood rather than underground chambers and are more common. The subterranean type feed on wood coming in to contact with soil, and may even create tubes connecting their homes to a nearby wood source. If these tubes are broken and removed, ants could get in and attack them, which is good for the homeowner. Wood should always be kept dry and rot free, and should also never be touching any part of your home. According to the Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides, it takes years for termites to infest your home badly enough for serious damage. If you remove or replace rotted sections of infested wood, it may temporary eliminate the problem.
In the Pacific Northwest, carpenter ants are much more frequent and do not feed on wood. Although they can be dangerous because their nests are difficult to locate, but will hollow the wood out, leaving behind frass (sawdust). One way to see if you ave carpenter ants is if these is frass or sawdust located on the floor. The NCAP recommends repairing any leaks, keeping shrubbery clear of exterior walls and foundation vents, and maintaining at least 12 inches of clean concrete between wooden siding and surrounding soil. Also, no wood should be kept underneath the home and gutters should be kept clean and clear. Follow these to save yourself from the hassle of termites and carpenter ants.
If you think you have a termite infestation or carpenter ants, please contact us. Both of these pests are covered under our Guardian Program.
We all know about the devastating earthquake and after shocks that occurred in Haiti. JP McHale is proud to donate cases of Mosquito dunks to the relief effort. Mosquitoes can carry West Nile Virus and Malaria. These dunks will be placed in any stagnant water (where mosquitoes love to breed) and will assist in the prevention of mosquitoes. The last thing that any residents of Haiti, or any relief workers need is West Nile Virus or Malaria while they are helping to rebuild the country.
If you would like to donate to the relief afford please visit the Red Cross’ website.
Scientists at Vanderbilt and Yale University have been working a proposed “Mosquito Nose Transplant.” What they do is take the nose of a mosquito, which is the center of their antennae which is filled with nerve cells and “odor receptors” that react to different compounds and transplant them to either frog eggs or fruit flies. The scientist have done a great job, successfully transplanting most of the nose. The key to this whole operation, however, is that these mosquitoes carry malaria, the deadly disease that affects 500 million people. They transplant these cells and put them into frog eggs or fruit flies. By doing this, they are trying to combat this disease that is crippling and killing millions of people.
The two strategies have produced similar results, but are different in the set up. The process of transplanting the odor receptors to the frog eggs complex. DNA is injected into the eggs, while the odor receptors are put on the outside of the egg. The process with the frog eggs is rapid, very sensitive and you get a precise measurement. The fruit fly takes up to 3 months to engineer with the odor receptors in their antennae. However, despite the length, there are advantages to the fruit fly process. You can study compounds that don’t dissolve in water as well as detecting chemicals in the receptors rather than exciting them. The result of these studies have been encouraging. There are some compounds that will attract the mosquitoes more than humans do and also compounds that will repel the mosquitos. These developments are encouraging in the prevention of the spreading of malaria, a disease that kills millions.
The state of Wyoming is getting on edge about a possible grasshopper outbreak this summer. Grasshoppers, in large numbers will eat the grass that is necessary for food for livestock.
“The Agriculture Department has $2.5 million in the governor’s recommended budget for emergency insect management. That money has been going to combat mosquitoes that carry West Nile virus.” – Hank Uhden Dept. of Agriculture
The department goes on to say that fighting Mosquitoes is more important because if the direct impact on human life, however they will allocate some of the funds to grasshopper control.
“There are more than 120 species in Wyoming, and 12 are harmful to crops and gardens, he said.” – Hank Uhden Dept. of Agriculture
In an effort to encourage “urban agriculture” New York City’s Board of Health may soon lift the ban on bee keeping in the city.
“Bees had been placed on a list of harmful “wild animals,” that includes lions, pit vipers, and crocodiles, under the city health code. Fines can range between $200-$2000 for maintaining a rooftop hive…”
Today, honey goes for around $10 a pound; each bee colony can make up to 150 pounds! New Yorkers have up until February 10th to submit complains against the proposed lift of the ban. The Heath Board will vote in March 2010 to finalize the bill.
Thanks to Debbie, we have found that the actual count was 400-500 crickets. WISTV.com still reports 7,000 but the salisburypost.com reports the lower number. Read the salisburypost.com article here.
A senior prank went wrong…Pest Management Professionals were called into a Rowan County school district in North Carolina because of the criminal acts of eight students. The students release over 7,000 crickets into the area where 10th graders attend classes. All of the students were charged with breaking and entering by police, and suspended from school.e
Crickets are a summer pest that will enter homes when there is heavy moisture present. When present, they can be a huge nuisance because of the sound they make. Read more about crickets in our pest library.
This YouTube video is a bit old, but it is very interesting. On a normal Sunday, this man was stung multiple times by wasps, and was very close to death if it wasn’t for the fast-acting wife. He was allergic to the wasps, but was not aware of the allergy at the time.
This is the time of the year queen wasp’s drop below the leaf litter to prepare for over wintering activities. They abandon their existing colony of wasps leaving working wasps without a leader.
Worker wasps try and find new colonies, but will be turned away at the door, because the pheromones do not link up. They will then take harborage around pools, parks and homes and become easily agitated.
To combat this, buy wasps traps, baited with orange soda or grenadine. Place these traps away from your sitting area. Eliminate sugar harborages such as dirty garbage receptacles.
This weekend was a hot one! It was nice to finally get a hot weekend with no rain. Humidity and little to no cloud cover made temperatures hit 90 degrees. This is where we start to see a lot of pest activity in and around homes.
If you don’t have an air conditioner, run a dehumidification machine to take the moisture out of the air.
Outside you will see paper waspnests in the eaves of your house and under gutters. These must be removed. Yellow jackets will be present under the ground, and will be disturbed by a lawn mover or someone stepping on it.
Mosquitoeswill be out, ensure you have no stagnant water on your property (bird baths, old tires & clogged gutters.
As always if you wish to have us give your property a free inspection, give us a call at (800) 479-2284. If you already are on our Home Pest Prevention program, contact us to schedule an appointment for service.
There are two types of termites common to our area, dampwood and subterranean. These dampwood pests live in wood rather than underground chambers and are more common. The subterranean type feed on wood coming in to contact with soil, and may even create tubes connecting their homes to a nearby wood source. If these tubes are broken and removed, ants could get in and attack them, which is good for the homeowner. Wood should always be kept dry and rot free, and should also never be touching any part of your home. According to the Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides, it takes years for termites to infest your home badly enough for serious damage. If you remove or replace rotted sections of infested wood, it may temporary eliminate the problem.
In the Pacific Northwest, carpenter ants are much more frequent and do not feed on wood. Although they can be dangerous because their nests are difficult to locate, but will hollow the wood out, leaving behind frass (sawdust). One way to see if you ave carpenter ants is if these is frass or sawdust located on the floor. The NCAP recommends repairing any leaks, keeping shrubbery clear of exterior walls and foundation vents, and maintaining at least 12 inches of clean concrete between wooden siding and surrounding soil. Also, no wood should be kept underneath the home and gutters should be kept clean and clear. Follow these to save yourself from the hassle of termites and carpenter ants.
“Bees had been placed on a list of harmful “wild animals,” that includes lions, pit vipers, and crocodiles, under the city health code. Fines can range between $200-$2000 for maintaining a rooftop hive…”
This is the time of the year queen wasp’s drop below the leaf litter to prepare for over wintering activities. They abandon their existing colony of wasps leaving working wasps without a leader.
This weekend was a