Dr. Bug, Author at Arizona Pest Control - Pest Management Services - Gilbert Termite Inspection

I wouldn’t buy a mattress without purchasing an encasement.

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Why am I lazy, I’m blaming it on my genes?

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I’m really not lazy but since everyone blames everything else on something else, I might as well think it to be hereditary. I do hate the gym but work is another matter, I love what I do. This study was of course done on rats “Study suggests laziness could be hereditary.”

By studying a population of rats over ten generations, researchers came to the conclusion that there is such a thing as a genetic predisposition to laziness, at least among rodents.

Since this video somewhat shows a rodent doing pushups I decided I had to share it. No rodents were harmed during the making of this video and this is my favorite video.

Nolans Cheddard Cheese – Seriously Strong

IPM – Integrated Pest Management resources

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One of the biggest reasons that I home seal is to pass along education information – Knowledge is Power. This site is full of great information and can be used for all types of circumstances.

Have you read the news lately about bugs?

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I’m truly amazed when it comes to what kids do, I think the biggest thing I ever remember doing as a kid was to push my curfew. Of course I was a great kid, just saying! But have you read about kids crushing up Bed Bugs and smoking them – well its all a hoax – Snopes.com. My first thought when I did hear this story on the radio was where are they getting all these Bed Bugs from?

Origins: April 2014 saw the proliferation of Internet accounts, based on a purported local television news spot from Phoenix station KNXV, reporting the latest alleged shocking schoolyard trend: kids smoking or injecting crushed bedbugs to get a cheap high from a hallucinogenic substance (PH-417) supposedly contained within those critters:
Read more at http://www.snopes.com/horrors/parental/bedbugs.asp#H3eGijCxUuuLrwoB.99

The latest news story concerns “Beezin” teens supposedly slatering eyelids with Burt’s Bee lip balm to experience tingly high.”

Bed Bugs hiding under wallpaper

Origins: April 2014 saw the proliferation of Internet accounts, based on a purported local television news spot from Phoenix station KNXV, reporting the latest alleged shocking schoolyard trend: kids smoking or injecting crushed bedbugs to get a cheap high from a hallucinogenic substance (PH-417) supposedly contained within those critters:
Read more at http://www.snopes.com/horrors/parental/bedbugs.asp#H3eGijCxUuuLrwoB.99

It’s not always about the Scorpions, how about visiting Arizona? Organ Pipe and Ft Huachuca

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Organ Pipe National Park and Ft Huachuca

First off these places are a distance to get to especially from Phoenix, so plan on spending some time out. Just a guess but it also is over a hundred miles apart.

To the local Native Americans, the land of Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument was an important cultural center. Hohokam trade routes bisect what is now the monument, and allowed for ease of movement through the Sonoran Desert as people looked to acquire resources and trade with neighboring cultures. To the O’Odham people, the fruits of saguaro and organ pipe cactus provided food during the hot Sonoran summer.

Here is a list of animals you might be lucky enough to see includes:

Mountain Lion,
Mule Deer,
White-tailed Deer,
Desert Bighorn,
Sonoran Pronghorn,
Javelina,
Lesser Long Nosed Bat,
Coyote,
Jackrabbit,
Kangaroo Rat,
Packrat,
Quitobaquito pupfish,
more bird species than can be listed and
several species of reptiles, including Rattlesnakes.

Fort Huachuca, constructed in 1877, was one of a chain of forts established to guard southern Arizona against the Chiricahua Apaches, led by Geronimo.

The Puzzle of Pest Management.

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I love those shows on TV about crime, I always try to solve it before the end. Probably why I enjoy Pest Management – “the attention is in the detail”, right?

How did those termites gain access into the ceiling?

There is a mouse in the house and how did it get in?

There are moths flying in the pantry, did we bring them home?

Did we pick up our fruit or did we encourage rodents into our yard?

So become a detective and stop those pests from getting into your home, home-sealing is a must plus it will help save money on heating/cooling. Put the puzzle together and solve the buggy issues.

Photo by PPMA

The Japanese, the bugs and me!

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Maybe its because I had a chance to interact with Japan in my early days – I went to a BSA World Jamboree in 1972 and I feel close to their culture. I enjoyed the mulitple visits over the years and glad I was a part of possibly saving some of these hsitoric buildings. But this got me to thinking as I watched the only sports that I watch throughout the year – The Little League World Series. The Japanese are very regimented in their training, style and honestly they are like a very well oiled clock. I have had the chance to work with many talented people from Japan in regards to termites. That same spark is there among 11 – 80 year old Japanese. I looked at temples and buildings that had termite damage and hoped that we could preserve those structures. Formosan termites are capable of doing some severe damage if not stopped. The great thing is that technology continues to work toward that goal and people around the world all must work together.

Here are just a few pictures of some of the work I looked at in Japan.

How about some new words for you bugophiles?

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Laurel Hansen Ph. D. is an Instructor in Biology from Spokane Falls Community College and is in my opinion one of the USA top research experts on Carpenter ants or probably ants in general. Some new words from this last weeks PestWorld conference in Phoenix, AZ.

Polygyne – many Queens or describing a hive or colony (social insects) that has more than one active queen.

Polydomus – many homes or living in more than one nest, as certain ant colonies.

She presented a very instructional PowerPoint on Tramp Ants – a diverse group of invasive ant species which have become established widely across the globe. As we travel, move or just transport certain things across the country we may accidentally transport certain bugs or other stuff into an Eco-system which might not do to well with a new species. One of those species has created some real problems in various places in the U.S. like the Crazy ants or Rasberry crazy ants

National Pest Conference – Phoenix, AZ. A home sealgers view.

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They are taking down the booths and all the exhibits and they are shipping them back to corporate headquarters and the folks are heading home, so was it any fun?

I always have fun when I’m at a bug conference, I enjoy meeting or seeing people I haven’t seen in awhile. I love attending the classes on leadership, marketing and of course new bug stuff. But again I love seeing my ole friends and share the tales of the bug issues we faced since last year. This year my task was to meet up with the people that either read my home seal or share FaceBook stuff or maybe people that ask questions.

FaceBook has opened the world or maybe a better explantion is that it has made the world smaller. I get asked questions about how we do business in the U.S. and get asked questions about the different types of bugs etc.

Maybe we can all learn something here about the pest industry and world issues. maybe we can all get along and quit complaining about things. Anyway to all my friends that I got to see this last week and the others who couldn’t make it to Phoenix for “PestWorld 2013” thanks for the fun and maybe next year we will see you in Orlando, FL. Here are a few pictures I took of all the fun.

QualityPro Booth

QualityPro Booth with Fred Willey (Invader Pest Management) and Caleb Tannenbaum (Marketing For The Future)

NPMA Board Session

Yes I voted…

This is just way to cool, scorpions under black light are fluorescent?

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Thanks to David H. for the pictures, I just love these black-light pictures.

Boy the scorpions this year have really been on the bad side of things, lots of calls and lots of scorpions getting into homes. Maybe its the rain or maybe the heat but these scorpions are crawling towards your home and eventually they will get in. A home-seal is really the best move towards keeping them out. Here is my list for keeping them out.

Home-seal including the garage door seal.
Reduce harborage, that’s where they live and hangout like block walls and any crevice or crack.
Reduce their food, pest control.
Black-light them at night and remove them – less equals a good thing.
Don’t let trees touch the house, super high-way for all kinds of bugs.
Don’t clutter the foundation, don’t put sheds against the house – leave a space.
Don’t think that a one time anything will work – you must stay be consistent with all the above.