I still remember the first time I saw the 1950’s movie about nuclear-mutated ants threatening to take over the world. I was quite young and impressionable, and I’ll admit the movie was a little scary. Think about it, GIANT ANTS! A hard, bulletproof exoskeleton, the ability to carry many times their own weight, and huge mandibles that could squish little humans! Yikes.
Well thank goodness we don’t have to worry about giant nuclear ants. Instead, we are faced with countless miniature ants that infest our homes and structures (some tradeoff!). Judge them not by their size, ants are considered to be the most successful of all insect groups with approximately 12,000 species worldwide. They occur in all terrestrial habitats around the world and outnumber many animal species. They are closely related to bees and wasps, sharing both physical characteristics and social organization with these groups. That is, ants exist in eusocial (truly social) societies that provide cooperative care for young, maintain a reproductive division of labor and have overlapping generations.
A common ant example in the minds of many homeowners is the carpenter ant. A black or otherwise dark bodied species, carpenter ant workers vary in size from about 1/4 to 3/4 inch (3.5 to 13 mm) in length. Like all insects, they have three body parts and six legs. They have a diverse diet, feeding on many kinds of plant and animal foods that are either living or dead. During the hot summer months (right about now!) they tend to forage for food at night, making their presence unknown to unsuspecting homeowners.
Carpenter ants nest in a number of different locations: stumps, hollow logs, telephone poles, fence posts and structural wood. Indoors they might target windowsills, doors, roofs, porch columns, or other hollow structures such as pipes. Nests in a home could be a satellite colony, a smaller collection of ants that do not have an actively reproducing queen and are instead a break from the larger parent colony.
Contrary to popular belief, carpenter ants (and carpenter bees for that matter) do not actually eat wood, but use it strictly for nesting. In order to feed and derive nutrition from wood, insects such as termites require a symbiotic relationship with microorganisms to digest cellulose. Not having this mutualism prevents ants from eating wood, but not from destroying it! In fact, ants can be a little picky when it comes to the wood they infest. They specifically target moist wood that is partially decayed and easy to chew through with their mighty mandibles. This means that carpenter ants are a product or indicator of a structural problem (water damage), and not necessarily the initial cause of the damage. The first thing to do when you suspect a carpenter ant infestation is to identify sources or moisture: clogged gutters, roof leaks, cracked pipes, etc.
As a kid (before the trauma of Them!), I enjoyed watching ants follow their strictly defined paths. Although carpenter ants sometimes diverge from this behavior and forage randomly, somehow they always find their way home and use pheromones, chemical communication signals, to navigate. When they arrive home, they kindly share the bounty of their harvest with others in the community via a process known as trophallaxis. It’s a fun word, say it out loud: Tro-pha-laxis. This term describes the exchange of nourishment between two insects, and in ants occurs mouth to mouth (indeed there are other ways this happens in the insect world…). This behavior has been targeted by scientists, successfully reducing the amount of product necessary to control damaging ant species. Regardless of whether baits (sugary or salty depending on the time of year) or sprays (with particles ingested during insect grooming) are used, our products make their way into the ant digestive system. Back at the nest, these products are spread throughout the colony via trophallaxis, eventually killing not just workers, but the larvae and queen. Control of the entire colony is therefore possible by strategic placement of baits, eliminating the need for wholesale spraying of large areas to wipe out a nest.
This article is written by Erick D. Smith, a blogger from Southern California and writes about various home improvement topics. Check out Colonial Pest Control’s website!
Termite Extermination
Termites can be a homeowner’s worst nightmare, as they live off the wood that is so important to the foundation of a residence. Signs of infestation may include holes in wood, dirt tunnels, sagging doors and an accumulation of insect wings. Once they are inside a home, they may also cause damage to walls, carpets and other materials. Termites invade millions of homes per year and cause billions of dollars worth of damage in the process. Many homeowners are now desperately looking for ways to fight back and keep their homes intact. Fortunately, a number of termite extermination services are on hand to help combat the problem.
Barrier Services
Termite control services can help families combat the problems termites create. Professionals may use low-toxicity liquid termiticides in the extermination process. These chemicals immediately kill the insects and keep them from returning for years. Chemicals are used both inside and outside the perimeter of the home. Those used outside serve to block any termites from further coming in contact with the property and those used inside kill existing pests.
Bait Services
A more recent development, baiting, is used by many local Massachusetts termite control services. This includes the use of plastic tubes that contain wood. These tubes are then placed in the grounds surrounding the home. Baits are then inspected for any termites that crawl inside. Any tubes containing termites have the wood replaced with termiticides. This form of treatment acts slowly, as it must allow the affected termite to crawl back into the colony. Once there, the termite will in turn transfer the toxins to other termites, eventually leading to the destruction of the colony and resulting in a highly effective result.
Other Professional Services
For heavily infested homes, termite gas products may be used. In this case, all residents and pets will need to leave the home during this process while the home is tented for several days. Food will also need to be safely sealed and stored to prevent contamination. No one will be allowed to reenter the home until it is safe to do so. These gases leave no harmful residue.
Various forms of eco friendly termite extermination options have been developed in recent years. Thermal treatments pump extremely hot air into enclosed spaces that will kill termites and their eggs. Orange oil is another substance that can be injected into the wood and is fatal to termites while harmless to humans.
Prevention
Homeowners can also do their part to stop termites by educating themselves about the environment these insects prefer. It is essential to keep damp areas away from the home as termites seek out water. Old wood piles are breeding grounds for termites and should be removed as quickly as possible. Also remove any wood debris from yards, such as limbs that have fallen from trees. Another preventive measure is pre-treatment of wood on the home. However, the effect may only last up to a few years, often resulting in more drastic measures needing to be taken later. Since the most effective extermination treatments will last up to five years, be sure to consider a follow up plan with your professional service to prevent future problems. By taking preventive action against termites now, you can save plenty of money in home repairs later on down the road.
Today I tagged along with a technician who installed the Sentricon Termite Systems we use to monitor and treat termites. Check out the album on our Facebook for all of the pictures!
If you have a termite problem and would like to have JP McHale talk to you about your customized termite control plan, give us a call! Contact us by phone 800-479-2284, email, live chat, twitter, or facebook for an inspection!
In past years, termites have been a big factor in the real estate industry. Depending on a home’s past history, the pests could make or break a deal. But now there is another pest new homeowners have to worry about; bed bugs. An outbreak of bed bug cases have been seen recently throughout the country in major cities, hitting New York City hard. Not only have apartments and homes been infested, but the pests have made their way to public structures. Clothing stores, movies theaters, office buildings, and even hospitals have been shut down due to bed bug infestations. Although bed bugs are not a health threat, they are a hard pest to get rid of and the emotional strain of having them is unbearable. People want to sleep well at night but if they suspect bed bugs, they can easily be traumatized or lose sleep over it. Nobody wants these pests to hitch a ride into their home, so people are becoming more aware of how to prevent getting bed bugs. New York City has already passed a law requiring landlords to provide the bed bug activity within the last year to tenants who want this information. It is only a matter of time until more cities adopt this law and it is enforced in all homes throughout the US. A potential buyer could love a house but turn down the deal because of prior bed bug infestations.
Luckily, JP McHale Pest Management can help. We offer a human and canine inspection that can detect exactly where the bud bugs are located. We will treat accordingly and leave your home bed bug free. We offer a canine and human inspection to detect exactly where the bed bugs are located. We are the leading Westchester pest control company and serve the tri-state area. Contact us by phone 800-479-2284, email, live chat, twitter, or facebook for a canine or human inspection!
A local South Carolina paper published an article last week about the growing issue of termite infestations in homes. Many homeowners are not aware when termites are eating their house from bottom up. It’s not until they see one small hole that they discover a colony of thousands of termites feasting in their house. The article describes how termites slowly became a big problem in the Daniel Island area in South Carolina from the destruction of Formosan termites. Here in the Northeast we experience Eastern Subterranean termites that are just as destructive. If you notice your wood floors sinking or your walls getting hollow, that might be an indication you have termite issues. People do not realize the extensive harm termites can do to a home. Most insurance companies do not cover termite damage, so it’s worth your money to have a yearly service. Your house is most likely to get damaged by termites than hurricanes, fires, or storms, but people do not realize that. JP McHale is a Westchester pest control company that can conduct an inspection for your home or building to check for termites. Simply contact us by phone 800-479-2284, email, live chat, facebook, or twitter.
young and impressionable, and I’ll admit the movie was a little scary. Think about it, GIANT ANTS! A hard, bulletproof exoskeleton, the ability to carry many times their own weight, and huge mandibles that could squish little humans! Yikes.
This article is written by Erick D. Smith, a blogger from Southern California and writes about various home improvement topics. Check out 
