All posts in “pest”

Down tubes and termites

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Desert termites – yep these little gals are a bit on the weird side. They look for food  24/7/365 and they build tubes up and down. Instead of having to go back the same route, they go down possibly to save time on getting back to the ground and their source of water or moisture.

Termites are not generally a Do It Yourself pest issue, so call a Pest Management Professional for the best plan to keep them out.

What do you want to know by ProBest Pest Management!

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Earwigs and the real facts:

 

I remember as a kid watching the Twilight Zone and being freaked out by the Episode 60 where the earwing gets inside somebodies ear. (Not sure this link will work for everybody – Hulu) – I was scared to death with this story. Then came star Trek with that giant weird looking earwig thing being put into Chekov’s ear.

  • Earwig received its name due to the myth the earwig would crawl into your ear if you slept on the ground.
  • Those weird looking things on their tail are used as weapons, against smaller insects.They are practically harmless to humans.
  • Noctural, hunting at night.
  • Eat both live and dead plant material and insects.
  • There is no real evidence that they transmit disease or harm humans or animals, despite their nickname pincher bug.
  • Earwigs also have two penises! Both are larger than it’s body and if it needs the second one just in case one of them snaps off!

 

What do you want to know by ProBest Pest Management!

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What do you know about daddy-long-leg spiders?

  • Remember the story about Daddy-Long-legs being extremely venomous. For true daddy-long-legs, the opilionids, the myth is certainly false, and for the daddy-long-legs spiders it is certainly not based on known facts. I found a site that has all the facts UCR Spider Site.
  • In fact, the Daddy Longlegs is not technically a spider, although it is an arachnid.
  • They are among the most widely found spiders in any household.
  • Most spiders mate by use of pedipalps but this one has a penis, which makes it different from spiders.
  • Though they prefer to live in damp climates, they can survive in deserts as well.
  • Commonly known as cellar spiders or harvestman.

Is pest control necessary?

 

Every once in awhile somebody hits me with this statement, I can answer it with just a few short words:

Scorpions

Ticks

and those other occasional pest like mosquitoes, flies and roaches….

 

The statistics are there if you want them. But as I have mentioned often, bugs have killed way more of us than anything else. As I have said numerous times you don’t always have to use pesticides. There are those that would say you never ever should use pesticides. There are times and a place for the use and sometimes it is just cost effective to do it plain and simple. IPM or Integrated Pest Management is the best way – it just makes you think about it in a way that makes complete sense. Use what you have by ways of home-sealing, door sweeps etc and if you must, then use some pesticide. (Always read and follow Labels, SDS and labeling use directions).

Recently the ticks have become unbelievable – sometimes just 100’s in a home. Just a few weeks ago Flagstaff had some issues at a camp –  “Tick-borne disease temporally closes Flagstaff’s Camp Colton“. Maybe they should consider Tick Boxes TCS

I know there are those that think some type of oil will kill everything, they just don’t last and seldom work as a true pesticide does. But again I realize that not everyone will agree but do you have some opinions or facts I’m not aware of?

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What do you want to know by ProBest Pest Management!

DrBugKVBdidyouknow1

A few facts about Dry Rot:

  • Dry rot is the common name for wood destroying fungus and despite its common name ir will generally attack damp timber.
  • Dry rot will only affect timber that is damp, typically affecting timber with a moisture content in excess of 20%.
  • Wood needs 4 things to decay; water, oxygen, food (wood), and favorable temperatures (40F – 015F).
  • It is essential to understand that water is fundamental to the growth and survival of not only dry rot but all wood destroying fungi; wood decay cannot occur, exist or survive without it!
  • Not all wood, wood siding, wood decking and wood trim made from cedar, redwood or other species famous for durability are if fact rot or decay resistant . As a side note termites will eat cedar, I’ve seen them in mulch.

Pigeons can be a nuisance, what can you do?

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When is one too many? Pigeons tend to gather where they feel safe and by the looks of this home – this is the one. I personally thinks it is time to call ProBest Pest Management 480-831-9328 or 623-414-0176.

  • Pigeons will eat anything.
  • They can live 3-5 years.
  • Mate for life.
  • Average speed can be over 75 mph.
  • Considered to be the #1 pest bird problem in the U.S.
  • A single pigeon can create over 25 pounds of feces each year.

Recent question on Pest Control… Carpet Beetles

probestpestmanagementDSC06525qq   Ask Dr. Bug…..     ImageFile061

 

One of the high lights of my career is when I’m asked to identify a bug, to each his own but I enjoy that part of the job. A guy pops into our office with this little critter and its up to me to identify and possible deduce where it came from and out to control it.

So here are the clues – its a larva, usually they do the damage. Notice the hairs, its important. How about those hairs on the end, its really important. So did you guess right – its a carpet beetle larva. The hairs on the end or butt are the extremely important clue, hope you did well but if you didn’t you always have me.

Send me a picture to [email protected]

Do me a favor don’t smooosh it to bad, it makes it difficult when they are way bigger than normal.

Legislative Days for the pest control industry.

 

I recently had the opportunity to attend Legislative Days, hosted by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) and FMC. A few high-lights include a chance to shake hands with a few people who have been in the news Pat Buchanan, Donna Brazile and Rand Paul.

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I’ll have a few better pictures later (this was by cell phone camera). But I want to thank FMC for the opportunity to attend on their dime and to the NPMA for hosting and running a great program.

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How does Pest Control relate to Public Health?

 

Pest Control = is the regulation and/or management of a species defined as a pest, usually because it is perceived to be detrimental to a person’s health, the ecology or the economy.

Public Health =  science and practice of protecting and improving the health of a community, as by preventive medicine, health education, control of communicable diseases, application of sanitary measures, and monitoring of environmental hazards.

 

We have often talked about the things that have killed more humans than anything else – #1 mosquito = malaria, dengue fever and fleas = bubonic plague.

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What do you want to know by ProBest Pest Management!

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What is up with flies and dead things?

  • The life cycle of flies play an important role in the decomposition of dead bodies and in nature this is how dead animals etc are turned back into soil and nutrients.
  • It’s not just flies but beetles and other bugs help to turn flesh into soil nutrients.
  • Blow flies are most often associated with dead things.
  • Blow flies can find dead flesh within minutes.
  • A fly maggot mass can reduce the body weight of a dead animal by 50% in a few weeks.
  • The study of this is called Forensic Entomology and concerns the time and manner of death.
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