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So you got Bee’s what do you do?

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So you got Bee’s what do you do?

 

We have talked about my opinions about Do It Yourself (DIY) bee control, here in Arizona the rule of thumb is that all bees are Africanized. What does that mean to the general homeowner? My opinion is don’t mess with them at all. Why do I say this, the is my biggest reason – once you have pissed them off there are no take backs. You can’t start over, they will be upset and nasty for hours. Why would or should this concern you? Let’s say you begin the project, you hit them with a can of bug spray, they become nasty and attack the neighbor’s dog and then you notice kids coming down the street! Africanized Bee’s will follow you for 1/2 mile, stinging anything they can. They also don’t give up very easily, once a bee stings you they release a pheromone and that alerts any bee nearby to attack. An average 200 pound person can possibly take 1000 stings or die from a single sting.

I have seen this first hand, we attempted to get rid of a colony that was huge – at least 100,000 and we decided to use our tank in the back of the truck for a quicker kill. These bees were highly agitated and  continued to sting for hours, thank goodness we had bee suits on.

And now the rest of the story….

     

So, as is often the case, we kill the bees and secondary pests take over. Its not always easy to decide if you should open the wall or not. If the bees are recent invaders, I would leave it alone. If they have been there awhile it is probably a good thing to open the wall. Secondary pests like cockroaches, wax moths and ants may soon find there way into the sticky but sweet honey and that may be when your real nightmare begins.

Most Poisonous Insect in the World

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How about the Olympians of the Bug World?

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How about the Olympians of the Bug World?

Olympic Games 27 July – 12 August Official London 2012 website http://www.london2012.com/

The Olympic Games are soon to begin in London and I thought this was the perfect time to discuss some of the bug world super stars.

  1. Fleas are well known as the insect world best jumpers, they can jump up to  1200 to 2200 times their own body length, making the flea one of the best jumpers of all known animals (relative to body size), second only to the froghopper. According to an article in Science News, “researchers with the University of Cambridge in England have shown that fleas take off from their tibiae and tarsi—the insect equivalent of feet—and not their trochantera, or knees.
  2. Dung Beetle -After months of grueling tests, a species of horned dung beetle takes the title for world’s strongest insect.The beetle, called Onthophagus taurus, was found to be able to pull a whopping 1,141 times its own body weight, which is the equivalent of a 150-pound (70 kilogram) person lifting six full double-decker buses. While the study researcher knows of a mite that can take on a hair more, that organism is an arachnid, not an insect. On the other hand, rhinoceros beetle can carry 850 times its own weight. To put that into perspective that would be like one of us lifting a 65 ton armored tank.
  3. If you want to know the record holder for the fastest insect in the world, then you’re in the right place. The fastest insect in the world are divided into ground speed and flying speed. The fastest insect on the ground is the cockroach. In an experiment carried out at the University of California, Berkeley in 1991, an American cockroach registered a record speed of 5.4 kilometres per hour (3.4 mph), about 50 body lengths per second, which would be comparable to a human running at 330 kilometres per hour (210 mph).
  4. The fastest flying insect is the dragon fly. It was claimed that the Southern Giant Darner flying at nearly 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) in a rough field measurement, but a more reliable record shows a 35 mph speed.

 

So stand back and watch the insects for their size they may be fast and furious…

Have You Hugged Your Pest Professional Today?

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Have You Hugged Your Pest Professional Today?

April is National Pest Management Month    

For more than 30 years, April has been celebrated as National Pest Management Month, recognizing the professional pest management industry for its role in protecting public health and property from significant pest threats.

“Many people may not realize the important job pest professionals perform every day. Whether it’s salvaging a termite ravaged home, giving someone back the ability to sleep after eliminating a bed bug infestation or ensuring food warehouses and restaurants are free of disease-carrying pests, we are grateful for all that these men and women do every day,” said Missy Henriksen, vice president of public affairs for the National Pest Management Association (NPMA).

The NPMA is also encouraging people to brush up on common household pests including termites, ants, spiders and bed bugs this month.

Termites: Termites feed on the cellulose found in wood and paper products and cause more than $5 billion in property damage every year. With termite season upon us, homeowners should be on the lookout for swarmers (winged termites), which serve as a warning that a colony may have already settled inside.

Ants: Ants are the number one nuisance pest in the U.S. and are among the most difficult to control. According to a new NPMA survey of pest professionals, spring and summer are the busiest seasons for ant-related service calls. Ant infestations are most common in office buildings, restaurants, apartments and condos and single-family homes.

Spiders: While spiders tend to elicit fear in many people, only a few pose serious health threats to humans. For example, both the brown recluse and black widow spiders can cause painful bites that are especially dangerous for children and the elderly, sometimes causing gaping wounds and fatal reactions.

Bed Bugs: Bed bugs continue to plague Americans as they infest hotels, schools college dorms, residences and other places where people gather. A 2011 survey, conducted by the NPMA and the University of Kentucky found that 99 percent of pest professionals had encountered bed bugs in the past year; a number that has steadily risen over a 10-year period.

In an effort to encourage public education about this resilient pest, NPMA is launching “Bed Bug Awareness Week,” April 22 – 28, as a part of National Pest Management Month to spread awareness, promote public vigilance and provide essential prevention advice.

“With summer travel around the corner, NPMA is reminding travelers to be vigilant wherever they go and to be mindful about bed bugs’ hitchhiking nature.  A few simple prevention tips can go a long way in saving travelers from an infestation when they return home,” noted Henriksen.

For more information on National Pest Management Month, Bed Bug Awareness Week or for information on common household pests, please visit Pestworld.org.

The NPMA, a non-profit organization with more than 7,000 members, was established in 1933 to support the pest management industry’s commitment to the protection of public health, food and property.

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Fantasy World of Ants…

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Fantasy World of Ants… by Andrey Pavlov

These photo’s are absolutely incredible  and you must see them. I found these photo’s on the website http://www.telegraph.co.uk

Amazing and a must see.

University of Arizona Insect Collection

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University of Arizona Insect Collection

Established in the 1940’s as a small collection dealing with agricultural pests, it has grown to one of the largest and most comprehensive research collection of arthropods in the southwestern United States.

Great resource site for checking out those pests that hang out in the Southwest and yes we are talking about insects…

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