Guest Post: Is it Flying Ants or Termite?

Posted on June 18, 2010 with 2 Comments

Here is a great article by Veronica Davis about the differences between Flying Ants and Termites.

Veronica Davis is a freelance copywriter for businesses online. She works extensively with a host of real estate related entities and Realtors, helping them with their website content, blogs, social media and marketing. She currently writes for a Long Beach pest control company and contributes to several sites. She has worked with a large range of clients over the years, from helping small site owners establish a profitable presence online to blogging for Planet Green.

Is it Flying Ants or Termites?

Getting rid of pests in and around your home can sometimes be quite the headache. Flying ants and termites can be difficult to differentiate. If you think you have termites or flying ants, here are some ways that you can make sure you know which of the two are actually invading your property.

Body Shape

If it’s termites that are giving you problems, they will have a body that seems to be one piece or segment. You won’t really be able to tell any hourglass shape or “waist” on a termite. Flying ants on the other hand, will have different segments that make up their body. You can clearly see where the shape curves in, forming a “waist”.

Wings

Both termites and flying ants have two sets of wings. If you look closer though, you will see that either all the wings are the same size or that one pair is larger than the other. Flying ants will have one pair of wings that is larger than the other and their wings are pretty much clear. The two sets of wings in termites are both the same size and they’re larger to closer match their body size. Their wings have more of a milky appearance and you will probably notice a lot of veins.

Antennae Differences

You can also tell if it’s flying ants or termites by looking at their antennas. Flying ants will have antennas that are bent in kind of an “L” shape. A termite’s antennae will poke straight out, with no curves or bends.

These are some of the differences that will help you determine just what kind of pest you’re dealing with. But these are pretty small details. So a magnifying glass will definitely come in handy. If not possible, then you can also take a photo and enlarge it. The last thing you can do is if you think you have termites, look for their pathway tubes. Look in your basement or down in any crawl space to look for brown/tab mud tubes. These are created by the termites for easy access to food from their nesting areas.

Guest Post: How to Keep Woodworm and Beetles from Damaging Home Furniture

Posted on April 23, 2010 with No Comments

The following article is from Jim Beadman. Jim is the Managing Director of Construction Chemicals UK Ltd, who are experts in their field – from basement conversions for the serious renovator to DIY timber treatment products for protecting your home from insects and mold. With depots around the UK and an in-house chemistry specialist, they are the ideal partners for anyone wishing to undertake a renovation project, amateur or professional. When Jim isn’t working full-time helping people to transform their homes, he uses his experience to create articles which can be found around the Internet and organizes charity events from his home in Leicestershire, UK.

While looking at damage to wooden furniture, it may appear that wood has simply grown old and started to decay over time.  Without proper maintenance of wooden furniture, this possibility is not unlikely, yet woodworm or other insect infestation may be the real cause of the damage.  There are a number of ways to deal with a woodworm infestation, while the methods of prevention are just as easy to handle and will offer peace of mind to any homeowner.  In addition, installing wood in any area of your home should be accompanied by certain measures.

Maintaining Furniture Will Help Prevent an Infestation

Most experts in the field point to maintenance as one of the best ways to avoid having a problem with wood-boring beetles like woodworm.  For some types of insects, damp wood is the target, so it is important to keep on eye on furnishings and floors when maintaining a home in medium-to-damp climate.  Finishing all types of wood in your home is a good way to keep the surfaces dry and woodworm and other beetles out.  Homeowners have to be careful of rafters and older flooring, which is usually unfinished.  Otherwise, when seeing a change in the color or texture of some piece of wooden furniture, the way to react is by re-finishing the surface as soon as possible.

Methods of Treatment upon Noticing an Infestation

Once you notice the deterioration of some piece of wooden furniture or flooring, the time to act has arrived.  The process should begin by identifying the type of insect causing damage to the wood.  Each different insect will have a specific treatment recommended.  Sprays and coatings for the common furniture beetles are widely available, though removal of the wood pieces may be advisable as well.  The decision to spray an insecticide fog into the exposed areas may also appeal to a homeowner, though this method will introduce a lot of chemical material into the home.  To make sure the right plan of action is followed, a manual which helps identify the type of insect should be consulted.  Once the infestation is properly identified, the timber treatment should begin immediately to avoid further damage.

Methods of Prevention when Starting from Scratch

Many homeowners will consider how to protect hard woods years into the future when installing flooring or shelves.  The best way to avoid infestations is planning from the very beginning.  Borates can be applied to wooden pieces to keep the surface protected and unappealing to wood-boring insects.  Even unfinished pieces of wood will benefit now and in the future from a borate treatment.

The same approach can be taken to soft wood substances, including floor joists and the studs present in any wall.  Once woodworm gets into wall studs, damage can turn from moderate to severe in a very short time.  Replacing the pieces of damaged wood should be handled right away, while treatments of all other pieces of soft wood in the vicinity should be given a borate treatment.  Check back on these areas shortly after applying treatment to see if the infestation has been properly addressed.

How to Build Green and stay Pest Free – Guest Post

Posted on August 24, 2009 with 1 Comment

This gust post was written by Brittani over at Eden Pest Technologies located in Washington, thanks again Brittani!

With all the attention being paid to building green – it seems that green services should be given more credit. After all, how much good does building green offer if the services provided do not support the green objectives originally intended?

Eden (Integrated Pest Management) is a perfect example. If a house was built to minimize volatile gases then pesticides should not be regularly applied to the structure. Therefore, a green program for pest management is what should be provided.

When considering a green option for pest management, three areas are critical for consideration: method, materials and motive.

1. Method of application is the most important of the three. The core of Eden’s IPM method is our four levels of control: Physical exclusion of the pest from the structure, habitat modification by removal of pest conducive conditions, mechanical controls like traps, nets, etc.; and minimal use of pesticides.
2. Materials, even those considered safe or natural, could be used in a manner that will harm the environment and the people in it if not applied correctly. Eden’s green option, the Natural Choice Program, offers materials that are EPA Exempt and Organic; designed to work with nature… not against it.
3. Motive builds loyalty and trust. Eden is proud to offer sustainable solutions to clients’ pest concerns.  Solving problems through our proven IPM method is what motivates and moves this company forward. We strive to be successful in all we do. Making sure our customers are completely satisfied is Eden’s number one goal.

Integrated Pest Management, or IPM, embraces best practices and methods that include careful inspection and monitoring, incorporating long term and non-material tactics with careful pesticide use – and evaluating those tactics for improvement.

It’s important to find the pest management professional that truly understands the importance of your environment and can not only help you create it but displays similar values in their business approach.

Wooly Aphids – Guest Post

Posted on August 17, 2009 with No Comments

This post was written by Nathaniel over at Evans Pest Management, located in San Francisco. Thanks again, Nathaniel.

Wooly aphids are one of the more stubborn insects to infest trees. Some species feed on bark or roots causing cankers and burls to develop on tree limbs. On roots, nodular masses of gall tissues may form. The species that feed on foliage cause leaves of infested trees to curl, distort, and discolor. Many species secrete honeydew which results in blackish, sooty mold on foliage or pale waxy secretions which drip copiously onto everything beneath the canopy of the infested tree. (This can be very messy!)
Wooly aphids are most commonly a problem on apple, ash, oak, and elm trees.

These tiny insects (about a tenth of an inch in length) can be more easily identified by the damage they do than by their actual appearance.

If you notice that any of the above descriptions match what appears to be happening with your trees, call for professional help immediately. Homeowners without professional equipment can do little to control such stubborn pests. There are quite a few different products that a qualified pest management professional can apply, in season and at the necessary rates. When made correctly, these applications can control wooly aphids quite effectively, whereas, left unchecked, they may eventually kill a tree or entirely ruin its aesthetic value.

Interested In Writing For Our Blog?

Posted on August 14, 2009 with No Comments

Are you in the pest management industry or a similar industry? Do you receive services from us? An average homeowner? Do you blog?

Write a guest post for us!

People have done it before with us. Writing a guest post will further educate our readers and your readers, and expose our blogs that much more. We will be happy to write a post for you back. Please email me or tweet @NYPestControl and we will arrange things.

Guest Post: The California Tarantula, The Gentle Giant

Posted on August 3, 2009 with No Comments

When we all think of California the first thing that comes to mind is sand, surf and movie stars, but what about California’s wildlife? We have our share of wildlife, from Bears to even tarantulas.

The California Tarantula (Aphonopelma sp.) can be found throughout California in areas such as the California desert, the Central Valley, many state and regional parks including Mount Diablo State Park. As most tarantula’s they are docile, and only if provoked they may rear up in an aggressive posture to give you a warning. Now by no means would I recommend trying to handle one in the wild, attempting to handle one could result in a bit or you injuring the tarantula. Always keep in mind they are afraid of us just as much as we are to them.

The Aphonopelma sp. Can be seen in hordes, love struck male tarantulas searching for their mate, that forms the annual “tarantula migration” hikers, park goers and even those driving in vehicles witness this migration across paths, paved roads and trails each and every year in September and October.

California Tarantulas are terrestrial, meaning they burrow and make their homes under ground, a tell tale sign of a tarantula burrow is webbing on the ground outside of their hole.  Tarantulas are very fragile, sure they are big, but… if a tarantula falls from 6 inches it could be severely injured and a fall from a foot it will most likely be fatal.

Just as most tarantulas, the California Aphonopelma sp. Is not poisonous.  If bitten swelling will appear, it will be painful for several hours, reactions vary from person to person, and some have harsher reactions than others. In any event if bitten while out adventuring I would recommend seeing a doctor.

If you are ever faced with a tarantula in your home, before smashing it you may want to try and trap it then release it back into the wild, they are not out to get us they just get lost sometimes! I hope this has given you a little bit of insight on the tarantula.

This was a guest post written by Clark Pest Control, located in California.  JP McHale Pest Management thanks them for writing a great post for us!

Picture Source

Our Guest Post On AZPest.com’s Blog!

Posted on July 28, 2009 with 1 Comment

Earlier today Caleb from Arizona Pest Control wrote a guest post on our blog about scorpions. In exchange we wrote an article about carpenter ants for his company’s blog. Please check out both posts, and I hope to do something like this again in the future.