Stories From the Field: Watch Out for That Dumpster!

Posted on July 26, 2010 with No Comments

Last week, one of our technicians was servicing a condo complex when he had a run in with a wildlife animal.  The tech was about to pull out of the complex after servicing a condo when he noticed a lady was struggling by the dumpster.  She could not lift her garbage bag up so the tech went over to help her. Right when the lady opened the dumpster a raccoon jumped out and darted past the two.  The lady jumped back and ended up falling down!  The tech helped her up then left the complex.  When you take out your garbage, make be alert of animals!  Rodents love to camp out in the trash so be alert if you go near a dumpster.

Snakes, Spiders and Aphids in Your Christmas Tree?

Posted on December 23, 2009 with No Comments

As Christmas is only two days away, many Americas have live Christmas trees in their family room to celebrate the holiday. These trees smell and look amazing after they are all set up and decorated. One thing you need to understand, these trees are from the forest (duh). When these trees are cut down, there is a high chance a few insects call this tree home, most commonly Spiders and Aphids. Though you may have inspected the tree before buying it, “…it’s all about the eggs that the adult insects and arachnids laid on the stems of a tree in late summer or fall.” The presence of insects can actually be a good thing. You will ask..WHY? The presence of insects and their eggs will show the minimal use of pesticides used on these trees, which is the center piece of your home during the holiday season.

Many reports also mention that wildlife has been found in Christmas trees. Bird nests and snakes are among the most popular found in these trees. Wildlife can be a bit more scary then a spider or two…could you imagine a snake popping out of your tree while decorating it?

This is not to scare you, just to inform you. Take a good look at the Christmas tree before you buy it and ensure you don’t see a snake or bird’s nest in it. If an insect has laid eggs on this tree, most likely these eggs will die when the tree is placed inside your warm home.

JP McHale Pest Management Inc. would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!

Penn Live.com first wrote about these Christmas tree horrors.