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What are the most dangerous pest in Arizona?

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Dangerous?

I know that the title can be subjective, what is and can be hazardous? I think something that can bite or sting is right up there. It could be a dog, snake or bug or someone who is driving recklessly. But in my day to day it’s the bugs that can be the most dangerous. Let’s say you’re cleaning the garage, you put your hand into a box handle and something bites you. That is bad news cause it could be a Black Widow spider. I personally would rather be stung by a scorpion than bitten by a Black or Brown Widow. So wear gloves (IPM) and always protect yourself when gardening or moving stuff. That storage shed that you haven’t been in for 1+ years might hold a few bugs or pests including honeybees.

Scorpion dangerous?

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gj7lhB53Uh0[/embedyt]

Mosquito habitat in your yard?

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Is your yard the mosquito habitat and with all the debate going on about Zika virus, maybe we need to figure out where they are breeding? I have seen beer bottles with an inch of water holding up to 25 wiggler mosquitoes, so anything with standing water tends to be the culprit. Check your property first, then start to spy other areas that me well be the cause. There are different species and they do different things. One mosquito will travel 1 mile for food, while another likes to stay close and feed. What time do they tend to bite, all these little things helps the Pest Management Professional to decide on the treatment protocol. Did you know that adult mosquitoes make up part of the diet of some insect-eating animals, such as birds, bats, adult dragonflies and spiders.

So first off walk around the house see if there is anything holding water – pour it out.

Check old tires, they are notorious for holding water.

Check drip or flood irrigation. I know we live in AZ but some areas are constantly wet, so check low lying areas.

Think about tree notches.

How about water meter boxes?

Don’t just look down, check gutters as well.

mosquito habitat

The Ghost of Scorpions Past!

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Is it a Ghost or to much Diatomaceous Earth?

Ghost or an imprint of a scorpion on a couch at a new clients home? Do you how it happened, not exactly sure how this happened but here is my 2 cents. The scorpion was either in the attic or the ceiling and fell and then deposited dust onto the furniture. So how do you scorpions get into the attic?

These pests crawl in under the stucco where that jtrim attaches to the foundation, they then crawl up the wall into the attic and fall out in any opening that is available. That is how in my opinion how you find them in toilets, bathtubs and showers, because that material makes it impossible for them to climb on. So a home seal is the best protection to keeping them out of your house.

ghost scorpions

It’s bee season – are you prepared?

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Season, when are the honeybees active?

Spring Season, maybe the Summer. Honeybees here in Arizona can swarm year round. So no big surprise that the owner noticed a lot of honeybees flying in and out from his deck. It was a great idea to save some money, instead of laying concrete they built a deck with wood. The Honeybee’s also thought it was a great idea, so they decided to set up shop and build a nice fortress for their babies. It was all such a great idea until the dog got stung.

Honeybees don’t realize that they are building near or on a deck, they see a nice void and decide to make it home. I think they would rather be higher off the ground but we really don’t have predators like anteaters or honey badgers in Arizona. The only thing that they wouldn’t like is us, a little noise or commotion and it might trigger them to attack, especially if they are Africanized, more prone to agitation.

Once a month or at the very least check your home and property for signs of a pest infestation – as always Bee Prepared!

season

Bed Bugs ideas and protocols

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Bed Bugs ideas & protocols

Bed bugs are on the rise and there is not a chance they are going to be stopped soon. So be prepared to look, smell and advise somebody if you think you have found them.

Bed Bug Prevention from National Pest Management Association

Vacuum suitcases after returning from a vacation.
Check your bed-sheets for tell-tale blood spots.
Consider bringing a large plastic trash-bag to keep your suitcase in during hotel stays.
Carry a small flashlight to assist you with quick visual inspections.
Never bring second-hand furniture, especially mattresses and box springs, into a home without thoroughly examining for signs of a bed bug infestation. You might consider having a pest control professional inspect the furniture as it is difficult to detect an infestation if you are untrained.
Regularly inspect areas where pets sleep for signs of bed bugs.
Bed bugs are elusive creatures, so it is imperative to seek professional pest control to address an infestation.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGGmJSd__ns[/embedyt]

bed bugs

Pesticide Label, read it please.

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Pesticide Label – Dateline: July 2015

Read the pesticide label, why you ask just read the story and lets be safe.

Owners of a Wok restaurant in Sunnybank, Queensland Australia decided to perform pest control on their own. The placed 24 aerosol bombs in their restaurant and BOOM!

“They send up a vapour or an aerosol so what happens is they’re highly explosive so you have to follow the manufacturer’s instructions,” he said.

Just an example is a fogger we use, 6 oz. fogs/treats approximately 5000 cubic feet of unobstructed space 25′ x 25′ x 8′. Now just for the record I want to explain how and why we might use a fogging device.

Very seldom do I use a fogger and usually only on flying insects. My opinion is that it might drive the bugs deeper into walls and hiding areas.
Depending on circumstances placement is essential to functionality.
Lets use an example of German roaches, if you treat the area with a liquid first and get the roaches running a final step might be a fogger.
Read and follow all label directions.

911 call pesticide label

I absolutely hate stories like this, don’t you?

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Stories – Fact or Fiction?

Have you heard the stories? As many of you are aware I hate spiders, without any doubt the Brown recluse spider is right at the top of my list. I’m always the first to mention that is is very important to know your enemy, so even though they may not be in Arizona or Pennsylvania it is important to know that they may travel. “Venomous spiders close Pennsylvania elementary school” In Arizona we have a Brown spider, related to but isn’t the dread Brown Recluse. So just to reiterate, if your in the bug biz – know your enemy even if it doesn’t live in your area.

Photo by PPMA

Happy Halloween!

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Happy Halloween

Halloween should be my favorite holiday, right? All the spiders and bug things. Anyway, BOO! As an adult I remember that we used to go out with beer cups and Trick or Treat for booze. As I think back I think it was better than the candy. But just think about the bugs or things that scare you. The things that go bump in the night.

I noticed this tow accessory, I think I need one. Oh and just for the record the hourglass is on the wrong side…

OK what do you see?

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Well if you guessed Drywood termites pellets, you guessed right? Those little brownish colored things at the bottom of the picture are the fecal remains of wood eaten by Drywood termites. Subterranean termites mix their fecal material with the mud/soil and construct mud tunnels or tubes while Drywood termite fecal pellets are kicked out of their colony. These little pellets have little ridges and are fairly easy to identify. Drywood termites which are located within structures are often tented and just a side-note not usually a very big deal in Arizona but we do have them here. The more water we bring in, such as flood or drip irrigation helps to increase the humidity level and allow these termites to gain a strong-hold here. Even after a fumigation takes place, those pellets will continue to fall out – so the only real way to know that you still have them is by an actual swarm. Just one more thing to keep you from sleeping!

By the way this is generally not a “Do It Yourself” project, unless you are able to remove all the wood. In the case above it was a small shed, which I would just remove and rebuild. Which by the way falls into my model of IPM.

Water collecting, is it attracting mosquito’s?

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Water at your front door?

Is the water attracting mosquitoes, I would say yes, and this is near a front door. So guess who will be accidentally drawn into the house when they open the door? We also sell a device which plugs into a socket with a light that attracts and then a glue-board. Quite handy for when flying things actually get into the home. I would encourage you to think about location and you might have to be creative on treatment options. Mosquito dunks may be an idea? Any ideas? A little thought with IPM in mind, maybe a screen door and actually those dunks are an IGR (insect growth regulator) no poison.