All posts in “bites”

What is wildlife control?

 

Most of us enjoy the occasional wildlife that we encounter but without some form or measure of keeping them at bay, we might have a bad encounter. You see the shows on TV where someone decides to take a picture of some creature and the creature feels threatened and attacks. It is never by the way that lone little bird, it is the Grizzly Bear that people want the picture of. Bears can run fast so unless you have a friend with you, that bear will catch your but and eat you. That therein lies the problem – they are animals and wild creatures.

I had a friend whose family raised a raccoon and this raccoon was still wild and got into trouble frequently. I’m reminded of this as we encounter wildlife in our day to day work. It is impossible to know for sure but these animals don’t know the difference between your home and a tree. It also becomes a problem when we feed them, then they become accustomed to handouts. One of my favorite little spots to visit is Monetzuma’s Castle and they used to have squirrels until one day when a squirrel bit the hand that was feeding it.The squirrel just sees the food and if isn’t given the food in a manner that it is used to it lashes out and bites.

skunktrap

This also applies to letting a wild animal live in your home or shed, birds and other wildlife carry parasites and once the animal is gone where are the bugs going to go? Wild animals also carry fleas and ticks and the same applies, they will seek out a new food source and that could be you. So don’t allow animals to live in your attic, if you hear something it is time to investigate.

 

Hospitals sharing more than health

 

Bed Bugs Invade Hospitals

 

Bed Bugs continue to show up in weird and strange places. So do you have a plan before you vacation or stay in a hospital?

  1. Keep an eye out for bugs or fecal spotting on beds or sheets. If you notice something mention it to staff.
  2. If you place clothes in drawers just be sure to leave the suitcase in the garage and wash/dry everything.
  3. If you bring items home, check them for Bed Bugs.
  4. If you encountered bites, have someone check them before checking out of hospital.
  5. If you accidentally find them at home call a Pest Management Professional immediately.

bed bug male, female, and eggs

 

Why do opossums play dead?

Why do opossums play dead?

 

Cause they can, no just kidding… Opossums when threatened or scared will appear as if dead. They lie very still, stiff limbs and a fixed stare appearing to be quite dead. Don’t even think about picking one up, they are vicious and can really bite with extreme force.

opossum

Opossums are marsupials, they have a prehensile tail and they will eat just about anything including fruits and dead stuff. Female opossums often give birth to very large numbers of young, sometimes up to 13 and often live 2 – 4 years. Have you ever encountered an opossum?

What is Rabies?

raccoon1    What is Rabies?

 

Rabies is a deadly viral infection that is mainly spread by infected animals. Rabies is spread by infected saliva that enters the body through a bite or broken skin. The virus travels from the wound to the brain, where it causes swelling, or inflammation. This inflammation leads to symptoms of the disease. Most rabies deaths occur in children. Untreated, rabies can lead to coma and death.

Can snakes cause rabies, the answer is no – only warm blooded animals carry the virus. You can still become sick from a wound caused by a snake, just make sure to clean the wounds really well. Rabies causes about 55,000 human deaths annually worldwide. 95% of human deaths due to rabies occur in Asia and Africa. Roughly 97% of human rabies cases result from dog bites.

In the Southwest, rabies shows up mostly in bats followed by skunks. However, it is estimated that fewer than 1% of bats carry rabies.

What is the best advice – stay away from sickly looking animals, don’t touch or handle wildlife. There is a reason why they are called wildlife…

Rattlesnakes and pest control

Rattlesnakes and pest control

 

Rattlesnakes just come with the territory out here in the Wild, Wild West and we do occasionally run across one or two or more a year. I try my hardest to relocate them, it’s not their fault that they get into our yards. They are usually just looking for food (rodents, ground squirrels etc) and they get trapped into enclosures or pool areas.  We have them in electrical or water meter boxes, pool or drop down embankments and sometimes even in garages. A word of caution – don’t try this on your own! This takes skills and equipment and a very steady hand.

So let’s talk about two of the most dangerous – rattlesnakes…

  1. Mojave rattlesnake – probably the most dangerous rattlesnake, it’s venom is neurotoxic. Generally found in the southeast of Arizona and with the expansion of its territories we could encounter them more often.
  2. Western Diamondback rattlesnake – one of the largest venomous snakes in the U.S. and rivals its cousin the eastern Diamondback rattlesnake. It tends to be very aggressive and is one of the most common snakes in the Southwest.

    

There is an excellent book by Carl Ernst “Venomous Reptiles of North America” which I suggest you read if interested in snakes.  I keep this book handy to identify any snake I think are dangerous or venomous.

Quote! ProBest Pest Management…

Quote! ProBest Pest Management

Quote

Photo by PPMA Quote

The number 1 Killer of Mankind = mosquitoes.

Malaria No More is determined to end malaria deaths. We’re helping the world get it done by engaging leaders, rallying the public, and delivering life-saving tools and education to families across Africa. Wouldn’t it be great to end a disease that continues to kill millions each and every year. This disease alone has killed more people and probably animals than anything else in the age of mankind. With the possible exception of that giant meteor I guess. Zika, dengue, chikungunya, filarial worms and yellow fever are all transmitted to humans by the Aedes aegypti mosquito.

Get rid of them

Put screen on windows and doors.

Get rid of breeding areas.

Use bug spray

Protect children with netting over cribs

 

Got Bed Bugs – Call ProBest Pest Management!

I really think I can handle this on my own, what must I do?

I must emphasize that this really a job for a Professional Pest Management company – you need the proper equipment to tackle this problem. You must kill adults and eggs. If you don’t, it can make it more of an issue later for the Pest Management Technician. ProBest employs a Commercial steam machine, vacuum and the proper pesticides used according to Label and Material Safety Data Sheets instructions. We also sell box spring and mattress covers, “climb up” bedbug devices and other products designed to help you with this problem. Please call our office or speak to a technician about these products. Fogging and the use of bug bombs will not work and often drive these pests deeper into cracks and crevices.

Check out our website for further information https://callprobest.com/bedbugs

Stay away from snakes, incidents on the rise in Arizona.

Stay away from snakes, incidents on the rise in Arizona.

 

Reports on the rattlesnake bites in Arizona on the rise” By Associated Press Originally published: Aug 21, 2012 – 3:39 pm reported by the The Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center 1-800-222-1222 Prevention Tips

Tips for staying safe from snakes…

 

  1. All snakes are not bad! Many snakes eat rodents and help to keep down populations.
  2. Wear gloves while out gardening.
  3. If your hiking pay attention to your surroundings. Wear long pants and boots, if your in an area known for being infested knee length boots are probably the good call. Also you can carry a hiking stick. If you hear a rattle stop and listen, determine the location and back away if possible. You can encounter all kinds of wildlife while hiking as well as Africanized Bees.
  4. If the snake is on your property call a Pest Management Professional to remove it, it is not necessary to kill it.
  5. If bitten call 911 immediately – remain calm, don’t panic. Get to a hospital or get treatment ASAP.

Here is a great site for sounds and pictures California Herps and Southwest

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