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Sep/Oct 2010 Newsletter
Last Updated on Tuesday, 31 August 2010 21:25 Written by Mark Puglisi Monday, 30 August 2010 18:54
Argentine Ants Moving Indoors
It is shaping up to be another busy fall season for Argentine ants. These invasive ants arrived on coffee ships from Brazil around 1890. They quickly spread and are so successful that they drive out our native, less aggressive ants that have smaller colonies.
With no significant natural enemies, Argentine ants are thriving in the U.S. Their colonies have multiple queens, which mean they can multiply faster. Rather than fighting with neighboring Argentine ant colonies, their colonies cooperate and form huge super colonies. You might say all Argentine ant colonies are just one big happy family - which means big trouble for humans and the environment. Studies are showing that aggressive and invasive pest like Argentine ants have a very negative impact on native ecosystems.
Argentine ants invade homes year-round whenever outside it gets too wet, dry, cold or hot, they tend to come indoors. But in the fall two things happen that exacerbates the problem. Their natural food supply, made up largely of sweet honeydew produced by sucking insects like aphids, starts to dwindle after being abundant since spring. At the same time, the ant population has been constantly growing throughout the spring and summer, so by fall their colonies are HUGE and they hunt even more aggressively - like in your kitchen - for other food sources.
Because Argentine ants are constantly re-invading from other areas, regular treatments are needed to stop new colonies from setting up camp in and around your homes. If any of your neighbors or friends are experiencing problems with this or other ants, ask them to call us to control them. We're ant experts, and here to help!
Termite Misconceptions
Too often we humans ignor dangers around us, and end up suffering the consequences. We often do that with termites.
People often don't realize just how destructive termites are - they cause about five billion dollars of damage every year in this country. A mature colony of some kinds of termites contain as many as several million of these wood-destroyers - an incredible numbers of mouths to feed!
Without realizing it, people inadvertently help these costly pests when they build structures that concentrate wood (wood is like steak to termites) where termites can easily get to it. It is a mistake to think concrete stops them - it only slows them down. Concrete foundations develop cracks, some of which are hidden, and concrete has holes in it where pipes and electrical wires enter the home.. Sooner or later termites find these gaps, unless the home is being protected with our treatments.
People also do many things that actually increasethe ability of termites to enter a structure. They let plants grow too close to the foundation, and the roots eventually crack the concrete. They let wood stay in contact with the ground, giving termites direct access to their food. And they do many other things that encourage termites, like allowing moisture problems to continue, and leaving form boards, firewood, or other wood laying on the ground.
Don't assume your home is termite free. Call us if you have not had your home professionally inspected recently. This is the wisest defense against these aggressive and destructive pest.
Rodents Can Cause Fires
Rodents often amass piles of hoarded food that they consume later. These stashes can become fire hazards as well as a food source for insect pests.
Recently a fire damaged the kitchen of a home having a problem with mice in New Hampshire. Upon closer inspection, fire inspectors found the cause of the fire - a rodent had stashed a pile of dog food around the dishwasher's heating element, pump and fan. The hoarded food prevented the dishwasher from ventilating properly.
Although dishwasher fires are uncommon, experts estimate that about half of all structure fites of "undetermined orgin" are caused by invading rats and mice. This is due to their habiths of hoarding food, building nest of easily flammable materials, and gnawing on almost anything, including electrical wire.
July/Aug 2010 Newsletter
Last Updated on Monday, 30 August 2010 18:53 Written by Mark Puglisi Friday, 28 May 2010 20:48
Ant Season is Upon Us!
Every year we hear stories about huge numbers of ants invading buildings. As ants experts, we are never surprised by these stories. The fact is, ants are a problem year-round, but it's at this time of the year that ant colonies are growing larger as each week passes.
Ant problems continue to be the #1 pest problem in the country, with more households complaining about them that any other pest. They are almost a universal problem, partly because there are so many different kinds of ants. While some species nest outdoors, many other often bring their entire colony indoors. They are quite adept at finding a way inside
Ants coming inside may have already nest, or they are looking for food or moisture. Scout ants quickly alert the colony when they have found a good food source. Ants eat basically what we eat, plus other foods. They have definite food preferences. Some are sweet-eating ants, others look for high-protein foods, or oils, grease, and fats, and others will switch, depending on the colony needs, from sweets to proteins within just a few hours.
Killing ants one by one is useless. The queen produce eggs faster than you can pick off the worker. The entire colonies need to be controlled; how that is done depends on which ant species you have. Call us if you are having ant problems.
Preventing Termites Now
Each year, termites and other wood-destroying pest cause many billions of dollars worth of damage in the United States! So it is well worth your time to make steps to prevent damage from these costly pests and protect your investment in your home:
* Reduce excess moisture.
Termites, like carpenter ants, are much more likely to attack moist wood that sound, dry wood. Repair leaking pipes and roof leaks, and make sure rain gutters are draining properly. You may need to install cement aprons at the bottom of your downspouts to water flow out. Do not allow shrubs or vines to partially block air vents.
*Reduce termite food.
Dig out any tree stumps and large roots. Make sure firewood piles are off the ground and away from your home. Remove wood mulch around your foundation and replace it with a gravel mulch.
* Eliminate wood touching.
Earth to wood has always lend access to any structure. Termites are much more likely to find and attack such wood, and their entry into it is usually hidden from view. Wood siding, untreated posts under foundations and porches, fence posts, flower boxes, etc., should never come close to or touch the ground.
* Have an inspection
for wood destroying organisms. Call us today for an inspection if you have not had one recently or are not under a termite service agreement with us-this is the single most important step you can take to prevent damage, save money, and give you peace of mind.
Ripe fruit on trees or on the ground in the summer and fall becomes food for yellow jackets, wasps, ants, flies, and a host of other insect pests, as well as rats, raccoons, and other animals. Keep ripe fruit picked on trees and picked up from the ground to avoid attracting and feeding pests.
Ant Invaders Change Ecosystems
A new study looks at one of the problems pests cause when they invade new areas. It is now well known that when Argentine ants (originally from South America) move into new area, smaller numbers of native ants are overwhelmed and displaced by the numerous invaders. Unlike Argentine ants, some of the native ants are known to have an important role in nature as seed dispersers. The study found that 92 percent fewer native ant seed dispersers after Argentine ants moved in.
Such a drastic change in seed dispersal means that invaders like Argentine ants could cause a shift in plant diversity that can change the makeup of an entire ecosystem. More and more, we are beginning to understand that invasive species like insects and rodent pests have a very negative effect on native ecosystems.
Watch the Mulch
That mulched area so many homes and businesses have around their foundation may look attractive, but it can also attract pests. Mulch hold in moisture, creating a place that many pest like termites, ants, and sowbugs love. Gravel is preferred because it is less likely to harbor pests than a mulch of bark or other organic material. However, test have shown that even covering like pea gravel keeps soil more moist underneath it, and termites and other pests prefer these moist areas.
Our recommendation is that dry, bare soil is preferable to any kind of mulch close to the foundation, but if you are going to apply mulch, make it a thin layer so the soil dries out more quickly underneath it, rather than the 3 to 4 inch deep layer most gardening books recommend. Also make sure that sprinklers are not continually wetting the area close to the foundation--let it dry out as much as possible.
May/ June 2010 Newsletter
Last Updated on Friday, 28 May 2010 20:48 Written by Mark Puglisi Tuesday, 30 March 2010 20:05
Spider Facts & Solutions
When the movie Arachnophobia hit the theaters in 1990, it was an instant hit-bigger that anyone could imagine. Of course it was pure fiction, or mostly so. there is simply no such thing as deadly drone spider that fan out and kill everything in their path. Nonetheless, the movie hit on a deep-seated fear in humans. Surveys consistently show that spiders are some of the most feared creatures in the world.
There are over 3,500 kinds of spiders in the U.S., but only about 50 bite humans, and only a few are medically important. The most important ones are the black and brown widow, hobo (aggressive house), and yellow sac spiders. There are actually five species of widow spiders, and 13 of recluse spiders in the country, but the other species are either less common, have less potent venom, or are less likely to bite. A number of other spiders can cause varying amounts of local reactions, such as redness, swelling, and itching at the bite site.
Besides the bites, the main problem with spiders is that there can be so many of them, especially in the summer. None of us like spiders crawling around our homes, building sticky and ugly webs that need cleaning up. But spiders are so common, and an infestation can start so easily-simply by spiders crawling thro0ugh a crack, or young spiders catching a breeze and using it to "parachute" to your home on a silk strand-that regular professional treatments are needed to keep spider number under control.
Termite Prevention is Wise
Termites are among the most damaging and costly of all pests. Their damage to structures now causes an astounding five billion dollar a year in this country alone.
One reason termites can cause so much damage is that homeowners are often unaware for years that termites are eating their home. Most homeowners first see termites when they swarm, but a young colony doesn't send out swarmers until it is three to five years old. By the time swarmers are seen, termites may have caused substantial damage. Worse yet, an indoor colony often releases swarmers outdoors, so the homeowner never sees them.
How fast do termites work? A typical mature colony of 240,000 subterranean termites (some colonies ae much larger) consumes an average of about 20 grams of wood in a 24 hour period. This convers to about 16 pounds of wood removed each year per colony. You can be sure the wood was put there for a purpose, so removing it definitely weakens a structure.
Like a slow spreading cancer, it's much better ti catch the problem early. That's why it's important to have us do a regular, professional inspection to detect termites and other wood-destroying pests, as part of a preventative maintenance program to secure and protect your home.
Catching these pests sooner rather than later means you spend far less to control them. In addition, catching them early means the wood-destroyers have done less damage, which can save you thousands of dollars in repair costs. Benjamin Franklin would agree this is an especially wise investment!
Your Questions Answered
Q. What is the best way to remove a bee stinger?
A. everyone from beekeepers to physicians have been teaching that bee stingers should be scraped out rather than pulled out. This advice is based on the theory that if you try to pull out a stinger, you pinch the attached venom sac, forcing more venom into the wound.
Even though this seems to make sense, it turns out to be wrong! Recent studies have shown that how fast a stinger is removed. The longer the stinger remains in your skin, the more venom it pumps into you, resulting in a larger welt.
Contrary to popular belief, venom does NOT get pumped in when the venom sac is pressed. There is a valve-like system, not influenced by squeezing, that pumps in venom. So next time someone gets stung by a bee, don't stop to argue about the best way to get the stinger out-just get it out QUICKLY!
This news is especially important for people who have dangerous allergic reactions to bee stings.
Pests can be hidden in many places, and can be a possible HEALTH HAZARD. Get rid of pests and keep your house and yard HEALTHY & CLEAN. Nobody wants their home and yard covered with POISONS, endangering their children, pets and the environment.
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*There is a small fee for rodents, stinging and biting mystery pest. These fees are refundable with a contracted service.
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