Posts Tagged ‘ProBest Pest Management’

Ants have it going on, do they succeed because they are social?

You may recall that Carpenter Ants are my nemesis and thankfully we don’t have very many of these ants in Arizona. But this story talks about their complex social structure.

“A particular genus of carpenter ants (Camponotus fellah) exist in a complex social structure, where their first jobs see them caring for the queen and her offspring, and as the ants age many of them wind up working at more and more of a distance from the big cheese, according to an academic paper released this week.” By Jack Clark in San Francisco.

Carpenter Ants don’t really eat the wood but spend countless hours excavating throughout the wood and that might be your home. So if you have them call a Pest Management Professional right away.

Algae may be key to Malaria and/or Cholera

Washington: Biologists at UC San Diego demonstrated last May that algae can be engineered to produce a vaccine that blocks malaria transmission. The result – the mice developed Immunoglobulin A (IgA) antibodies to both the malarial parasite protein and to a toxin produced by the cholera bacteria.

The study is published online in the Applied and Environmental Microbiology website at http://aem.asm.org.

Key facts

• Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected mosquitoes.
• In 2010, malaria caused an estimated 660 000 deaths (with an uncertainty range of 490 000 to 836 000), mostly among African children.
• Malaria is preventable and curable.
• Increased malaria prevention and control measures are dramatically reducing the malaria burden in many places.
• Non-immune travellers from malaria-free areas are very vulnerable to the disease when they get infected.

Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites. The parasites are spread to people through the bites of infected Anopheles mosquitoes, called “malaria vectors”, which bite mainly between dusk and dawn.

What are centipedes? Spiders or insects?

This Arizona Centipede is actually an arthropod (arthropods are organisms that have segmented bodies, a jointed skeleton and paired jointed limbs. They include such creatures as spiders, centipedes and insects) that has an elongated body with one pair of legs per segment. So really neither spider or insect but a creature all it’s own. They range in size from less than an inch to several inches. The smaller, brown and tan, common desert centipede does bite, it can be painful but not deadly to humans.

The centipede is one of the oldest animals on Earth having evolved into the form it is today, millions of years ago. The centipede has been found in fossils dating over 400 million years old.

Remember, venom = active, poison = passive. Call 1-800-222-1222 Poison Control for additional information.

Bathrooms and Termites, why?

After learning about termites in Florida (I spent 8 years in Central Florida) I know that they really are drawn to water sources much like any animal or insect. Food, water and a place to live, that’s what they need and that’s what we need. So especially in Florida – abundant with water and bathrooms were the place I had more serious issues.

Here is Arizona I think the one thing that’s helps termites beyond the normal water, food etc is the footprint of homes. This footprint allows heat reduction and some water which allows termites to live within the shadow of us. So keep an eye peeled for signs of termites and you will be one step ahead of the game if they ever invade your home. Here is a list of things to look for:

• Tunnels or tubes inside or out, inside could be very small but dirt is always present with Subterranean termites.
• Drop tubes coming from your ceiling.
• Baseboard that looks eaten from inside out, they won’t eat paint so it looks wrinkled.
• I suggest an inspection by a Pest Management Professional – here is a great place to find one http://www.pestworld.org or just give ProBest Pest Management a call at 480-831-9328 or 623-414-0176

You never know where bug activity will spring up, I believe this is Bandelier National Monument in New Mexico

I love hanging out in New Mexico and of course you all know I love my bugs, so its wonderful when they just happen to be active and nearby. Carpenter ants are my nemesis and should not be dismissed as just another set of bugs. While not eating wood, they can damage it by making their home inside of it. I have run across these ants only one time so far in Phoenix and that is OK by me.