Carpenter Bee Control

In the late-spring and early summer, homeowners often notice large, black bees hovering around the outside of their homes. These are probably carpenter bees searching for mates and favorable sites to construct their nests. Male carpenter bees are quite aggressive, often hovering in front of people who are around the nests. The males are quite harmless, however, since they lack stingers. Female carpenter bees can inflict a painful sting but seldom will unless they are handled or molested. Despite their similar appearance, the nesting habits of the two types of bees are quite different. Bumble bees usually nest in the ground whereas carpenter bees tunnel into wood to lay their eggs. Bare, unpainted or weathered softwoods are preferred, especially redwood, cedar, cypress and pine. Painted or pressure-treated wood is much less susceptible to attack. Common nesting sites include eaves, window trim, siding, wooden shakes, decks and outdoor furniture Carpenter bees over-winter as adults in wood within abandoned nest tunnels. They emerge in the spring, usually in April or May. After mating, the fertilized females excavate tunnels in wood and lay their eggs within a series of small cells. The cells are provisioned with a ball of pollen on which the larvae feed, emerging as adults in late summer. The entrance hole and tunnels are perfectly round and about the diameter of your finger. Coarse sawdust the color of fresh cut wood will often be present beneath the entry hole, and burrowing sounds may be heard from within the wood. Female carpenter bees may excavate new tunnels for egg laying, or enlarge and reuse old ones. The extent of damage to wood which has been utilized for nesting year after year may be considerable.        Control__________________________________________ Carpenter bees prefer to attack wood which is bare, weathered and unpainted. Therefore, the best way to deter the bees is to paint all exposed wood surfaces, especially those which have a history of being attacked. Wood stains and preservatives are less reliable than painting, but will provide some degree of repellancy versus bare wood. To further discourage nesting, garages and outbuildings should be kept closed when carpenter bees are actively searching for nesting sites.

FIRE ANTS According to the Washington Post, October 11,1999 issue, a 5-day-old baby was attacked indoors in its crib and died of fire ant stings. A 2-year-old attacked in his home suffered eye damage. Also reported, was the death of two elderly Mississippi nursing home patients. Fire Ants arrived in the United States 60 years ago. Their stings can kill both animals and people. It is important that Fire Ants be eradicate around structures where there are immobile individuals (including the ill, the handicapped, infants and elderly). These individuals are unable to escape the sometimes fatal stings of the Fire Ant.     Bug Zappers They're called ultrasonic devices, electronic pest control systems, micro vibration devices, electromagnetic pest repellers. They claim to use high frequency sound waves, seismic vibrations, orelectromagnetic output to repel insects, rodents, moles and virtually any pest. They have one thing in common... They Don't Work! Although the manufacturers will argue otherwise, that's the conclusion of researchers, pest control experts and the federal government. There is no credible scientific evidence that shows that these devices have any significant repellent effect. Some of the product manufacturers have been prosecuted by EPA or the Federal Trade Commission for making false claims. University studies (Ballard & Gold, Univ. of Neb) have shown that cockroaches are not repelled by ultrasound. A 1990 scientific study (J. Econ. Entomol. 83(6) 2306-2309) showed that ultrasonic collars sold to repel fleas on dogs and cats have no effect on fleas. While many manufactures have dropped their claims of insect control, they still claim that the devices will repel rodents. Dr. Robert Pierce, Wildlife Specialist at the University of Missouri says., " While mice are easily frightened by strange or unfamiliar noises, they quickly become accustomed to regularly repeated sound. Ultrasonic sounds, those above the range of human hearing, have very limited use in rodent control because they are directional and do not penetrate behind objects. They also lose their intensity quickly with distance." Rodent control expert and consultant Dr. Robert Corrigan says "There are many ultrasonic and other vibration-producing devices in the marketplace and sold through various magazines that claim to repel moles, voles, gophers, and other mammals from yard and garden areas. All such devices, however, have absolutely no value in controlling pests (including insect Pest)  Buyers Beware!!!     THE TERMITE COLONY New termite colonies are established when winged males and females from a parent colony emerge in flight or swarm. The male helps the female establish the nest and remains with her throughout life. The King and Queen meet and dig a chamber into the soil, usually near wood, then seal off the opening and mate. The queen starts laying eggs, and may live up to 25 years and lay more then 60,000 eggs in her lifetime. Nymphs, workers, and soldiers are produced in the colony. Supplemental King and Queens may be produced to help develop the colony. Once the colony reaches a certain capacity, winged re-productives swarm, starting the cycle once more. One billion dollars Damage Yearly Termites astonishingly create $1,000,000.00 worth of damage each year. This number exceeds damage caused by fires and tornadoes combined. Termites are the most threatening to homeowners in southern states. Becoming most abundant in moist, warm soils containing plenty of food, subterranean termites feed mostly on cellulose, which comes from many sources. These termites require protection from the elements and can build extensive mud tunnels that they travel through extending from their nests to their food supply. One of the reasons the dollar amount of damage created by these insects is so enormous, is that the damage done is most often not visible to the homeowner. Termites "honeycomb" through wood and beams slowly, methodically, rarely breaking through the surface. As a result, their attacks go undetected for years. Loose trim, cracked plaster, and weak floor and ceiling joists are signs of termite infestation. Don't let this happen to you call Budget Pest Control today!       July/August 1993 - Budget Pest Control NewsLetter vol. 2 /No. 3 Protect Yourself from Brown Recluse Spiders Brown recluse spiders are primarily structural pests, living inside and around buildings. These spiders move from attics and wall voids into the living areas of homes starting in late April and May. This movement coincides with their breeding season. Young spiderlings can be found moving about in June. Often homeowners are not aware of these infestations because brown recluses are active mostly at night. They over-winter outside in unheated buildings, under the bark of trees near houses as well as inside homes. Brown recluse are more active April through October, but may be seen crawling any month of the year. The recluse forages for food at night, rather than trapping its victims in a web. In doing so, it may crawl over sleeping people. If the spider is brushed, or if a person rolls on top of the spider, the victim may be bitten. Persons are bitten when they put on clothing, shoes, hats or gloves in which a brown recluse is hiding. Also, a person can contact these creatures while working in the attic, garage, shrub beds, or lumber piles around the house. They are not aggressive and will run for cover if you turn on a light or root them out of a hiding place, but will readily bite if touched. Homeowners can reduce harborage areas by removing all empty cardboard boxes and sealing all storage boxes with masking tape. Control of this venomous spider requires extensive preparation by the homeowner and extremely thorough structural treatment of cracks and crevices, voids, room perimeters, garages, attics, basements, crawl spaces, exterior treatments and treatment of out buildings. Such treatment may require several hours to perform, using techniques developed specifically for this pest. Ordinary retail aerosols and liquid sprays do not effectively control this pest. Many insecticides are repellent and do not affect spiders as they do insects. Brown recluse spider control requires help from professional pest control firms. An entomologist or qualified professional should make a detailed inspection and draw up a service plan for treatment. If you suspect a brown recluse infestation, Budget Pest Control's qualified professionals can make the proper identification, examine the structure, place spider traps and monitor any spider population in your home or office and make recommendations for treatment. More than fifty percent of the homes in Oklahoma and Kansas have brown recluse infestations, to one degree or another. Bites from recluses are frequent enough to be a health hazard. A quarterly service and monitoring program is scheduled after the initial service to make certain that the spider population is completely eliminated. A money back warranty will be issued to all quarterly or monthly customers after four months. This allows time for spiders to move down to the treated areas and contact our control materials. If brown recluses are not effectively controlled after this initial period of four months, the price of the last service rendered will be completely refunded and extra services will be made until no more brown recluses are seen or trapped. The client is requested to provide a specimen for positive identification.

Black Widow Spiders Bites Widow spiders have a neurotoxic venom which causes symptoms throughout the body. The actual bite is hardly noticeable or may feel like a pin prick. However, it is soon followed by pain, muscle cramping, sweating, weakness, nausea, and can progress to breathing difficulties and heart irregularities. Death from a black widow bite is rare, but small children and the elderly are at the greatest risk. Reactions to a black widow bite vary widely from person to person. Anyone bitten by a black widow should seek immediate medical attention. The bite of a sac spider usually results in a localized reaction limited to redness, swelling, and a burning sensation which may last up to an hour. Some people may experience a general reaction. In some cases, an ulcerated sore may develop that can take weeks to heal.  The brown recluse bite can result in large, ulcerating sores that can take weeks to heal. The actual bite is often relatively painless or even unnoticed, but is followed by a burning sensation that can last for an hour. In the hours after the bite, the area reddens and a pus-filled blister forms. The venom cuts off the blood   Living a nightmare?? Constantly crunching, creepy cockroaches Vol.2/No. 1 January/February 1999 There's something about the way they scuttle this way and that, as you flip on the light switch in the bathroom or kitchen. Somewhat like a break on a billiard table. But what they actually are, are cockroaches, scurrying into the recesses of your walls. These cockroaches are the survivors of a lineage that dates back 350 million years. They feed on almost anything, including book bindings, soap and glue. They are ever on guard to escape from approaching danger. In fact, they have body hairs that are extremely sensitive to air currents and sound vibrations. Their long legs and lightning reflexes help them to dash to safety. And while many species have wings, most household types do not fly. While the presence of cockroaches can be overwhelming at times, we should be thankful that of the 55 species of cockroaches in North America, only five can be thought of as household pests in the U.S. Cockroaches like to hang out in the kitchen and bathroom because of the accessibility to water. Most cockroaches can live for a week without water, and four weeks without food, which is why when you do see them, they usually go for water first. These creepy creatures can stay in hiding for extended periods of time, and if you begin to notice them more and more, then it is because their numbers have grown so large in hiding that they are crowded for space. Pest control research experts say cockroaches are a proven health hazard. The carry harmful micro-organisms that can contaminate food supplies. They have been known to pass dysentery, typhus, boils and salmonella to humans. Furthermore, they can cause allergies in sensitive individuals. There's another way to know if you have cockroaches, other than seeing them, and that's if you find tiny black specks (cockroach droppings) in the corners of your cabinet, inside and under your sinks and even on the rubber insulation around the door of you refrigerator. Cleaning helps keep cockroaches away. Don't let your sink fill with dirty dishes, and don't have a lot of clutter and food strewn around. Keep your bathroom dry. But cleaning won't necessarily keep these critters away. Some of the cleaner homes can still have cockroaches since they can be brought in with paper bags, cartons and wooden crates. Because cockroaches can become resistant to some pesticides, Budget Pest Control uses boric acid powder. Cockroaches can not become resistant to boric acid and it lasts almost forever, controlling cockroaches for a longtime, except in highly humid and wet areas. One additional cleaning recommendation is that a thorough cleaning is necessary before an application is made. Since the cockroach must come in contact with the materials through their feet; having grease and dust on the floor will absorb the pesticide or prevent it from sticking. Cockroach” in another language: Spanish—la cucaracha Russian—tarakan German—kuchenschabe Italian—blatta Swedish—mort Chinese –chang-lang Japanese-abula mushi   Malaria And DDT Malaria is now infecting 500 million people, an  2.5 million die in poor nations each year.   Dr. Donald Roberts, a professor at the Department of Preventative Medicine/Biometrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS), Betheda, MD, along with several colleagues have researched malaria controls method in the Americas. Studies compiling statistics from Brazil, Peru, Guyana and Ecuador, reveal dramatic decreases when small amounts of the chemical DDT is used inside homes to repel mosquitoes that carry the parasite which causes malaria. Guyana malaria rates, where reduced amounts of DDT was used showed malaria rates increased 12 times from 1984 to 1991, while Ecuador, where DDT use was increased in 1993 reveals a great decrease in malaria infected individuals.     Dr. Roberts states that "The policies and strategies of the World Health Organization, the Pan American Health Organization, and national donor agencies contributed to the successful control of malaria from the late 1940s to the late 1970s; however the policies and strategies of these organizations have changed. In 1979, the World Health Organization Expert Committee on Malaria developed a new malaria control strategy which de-emphasized vector control and emphasized case detection and treatment.     DDT has been linked to environmental harm, and possibly a danger to birds and other wildlife. Many countries banned DDT in the 1970s. Several health organizations from industrialized nations, including environment groups, world wide have pressured developing countries to stop using DDT. Recently, however Richard Liroff, Director, World Wildlife Fund's Alternatives to DDT Project, stated "There is broad agreement that DDT should not be banned globally until we are absolutely convinced that the countries that are using it have affordable, effective alternatives."     In Ecuador, the average cost to treat home walls in 1997 was $1.44 per household. Malathion, another pesticide which repels mosquitoes was five times more expensive.     For more detailed information go to http:/www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol3no3/roberts.htm   Bubonic Plague Creating Ghost Towns   According to an article in the Associated press, 3600 acres of prairie dog towns have died off on a remote Belknap Indian Reservation in Montana. While the presence of this bacteria that causes the plaque is not new to this area, John Grentsen, a wildlife biologist for the federal Bureaus of Land Management states: "Right now, it's a serious wildlife health issue and it's something the public should be aware of." This near epidemic is also endangering blackfooted ferrets and rare mountain plovers.  Bubonic plaque, which is the bacteria Yersinbia Pestis, is transmitted by fleas. Other animals known to carry the disease are dear mice, rats, badgers, coyotes, bobcats and antelope. Health Officials advise people to stay away from the plague area and keep themselves and their pets flea-free. Symptoms of the plague include swollen and tender lymp glands accompanied by fever, chills, headache and extreme exhaustion. Prompt treatment with modern antibiotics are effective against the bubonic plague.-- West Nile Virus Two elderly women from Staten Island, NY increa West Nile Virus death toll. Along with their weaker immune system, and the fact that both women were known to spend a lot of time outside contributed to the victims deaths. Staten Island birds escaped last year's outbreak, according to Dr. Neal L. Cohen, the city's health commissioner, leaving them more vulnerable this year while birds in other areas have since developed immunity to the virus. The wetlands of the island create an effective breeding ground for mosquitoes. The city will continue spraying pesticides, including aerial spraying by helicopter in non-residential areas.     Fungus Gnats Fungus gnats are very common, small non-biting flies that normally go unnoticed. They are completely harmless, except they are an annoyance by their presence. Fungus gnats are frequently quite plentiful outdoors in fungi, damp soil and decayed vegetable matter. Though fungus gnats occasionally wander in from outdoors, a persistent problem with this nuisance in the house indicates an indoor breeding site. The immature stage of the fungus gnat is a small white maggot that lives in very moist areas high in decaying organic matter. This habitat may occur indoors with houseplants or in slow-running drains, moisture accumulation cracks and crevices, refrigerator drain pans, and other places where fungi and slime accumulate. Indoor household insecticide aerosols can be used to control the adult gnats. However, this treatment has to be repeated to catch all of the gnats as they emerge and does not usually result in complete control. Controlling the maggots by locating and eliminating the breeding site gives the best results.  When houseplants are infested, it is often because they are overwatered. Fungus gnats cannnot survive in houseplants if the soil is permitted to dry out almost to the leaf-wilting point between waterings. Otherwise, houseplants insecticide spray can be applied to the surface of the soil and around the edge of the pot. As a last resort, a solution of malathion insecticide can be applied to the soil surface, in place of a regular watering, as a soil-drench treatment. This should be done after taking the plant outdoors. Sources of maggot other than houseplants (drain, water-soaked areas, etc.) should be cleaned or dried. In the case of slow-moving drain, physically cleaning the drain with a stiff brush will be of more benefit than chemical drain openers.--     Feed the Birds, Protect the Seed Due to the long lasting snow cover, many people have purchased birdseed. If you store the seed for any length of time, grain beetles may infest it. Place the seed in the freezer to kill grain insects. Consider storing the seeds in a sealed container.     Just The Facts A species of armadillo that is a frequent pest in Texas and other Gulf coast states bear exactly four babies of the same sex which are genetically identical. The U. S. species of armadillo is a natural reservoir of bacterium which causes leprosy. More than 10 million homes each year require termite treatment. Mosquito males do not bite. Mosquitoes are attracted to the color blue twice as much as any other color. Adult fleas can live up to 1 ½ years before feeding, but must feed before mating. There are 1600 species of fleas worldwide. Fleas have been around for 60 million years. In an agricultural document called the Geoponica, the Greeks advised that people who found themselves in a flea-infested area should cry “Ouch! Ouch!” and no flea would touch them   Swarming Termites or Ants? Many customers call us, and ask us how to determine if a flying insect is a termite. Sometimes it takes a very close look. Termites have a thick waist. Their abdomen is joined to their middle body region or thorax. All ants have a distinctive waist. Ants antennae are elbow shaped, while termite antennae look like a string of beads. Swarmers have two pair of long narrow wings and nearly equal in size and length. Ants have two pairs of wings also. Their wings have visible cross veins and the back pair of wings are much shorter than the front pair. A colony of subterranean termites is large, ranging from 60,000 to 1.5 million. The colonies consist of the queen, king, winged swarmers, soldiers and workers, much like an ant colony. Worker termites are small, from .1-.25 inches long, and are a creamy color. Soliders are twice the worker’s size, and usually have a dark head with long jaws. Property owners normally see the swarmers, or winged reproductives.  Swarmers will emerge from the colony once a population reaches around 10,000. Large colonies may release several groups of swarmers. Conditions that seem to encourage swarmers are warming temperatures and spring rains. When swarmers emerge, they can travel up to 1/4 of a mile. When the female lands, she breaks off her wings and begins to emit a pheromone which attracts a male. If a male finds the female swarmer, he will then break off his wings, mate by touching the female, and will mate with her for life. If the conditions close by are suitable, the first offspring will take over the colony maintenance and food gathering, and the queen reverts to only producing eggs, which can be 1,000 eggs per day by her forth year of life.