All posts in “ProBest”

Danger lurks for field technicians.

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Danger Will Robinson Danger, remember those words from the robot on “Lost in Space”? Well I was minding my own business looking into a shed/cabinet when guess who decided I was just to close for comfort. The Emu started pecking at my Webster broom that I was using to knock down spider webs and dust from the shed.

I think all field people think about what can attack, but normally you are thinking dog or even the bees or wasps. Its funny because I knew she was there but I think she was just checking me out and my broom seemed like a easy target – better the broom than my head? How many times have I hit my head on an awning or table top, how many times have I fallen into a gopher hole? Well, I’m not telling more more than enough, so be careful out there.

 

So if you work in the field – beware of those things that might be inquisitive?

“Get out, remember that line from Amityville haunted house?

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One of the scariest movies in my opinion, but let me assure you if my house started talking I would move. What does this have to do with bugs – “Spiders force family from upscale Missouri home“? Well this would have good enough for me to move out of my house, no questions.

At a civil trial in St. Charles County in October 2011, University of Kansas biology professor Jamel Sandidge – considered one of the nation’s leading brown recluse researchers – estimated there were between 4,500 and 6,000 spiders in the home.

Did he just say 4500 to 600- spiders – OMG, luckily there is a Pest Management Professional in town.

“There’ll be nothing alive in there after this,” said Tim McCarthy, president of the company hired to fix the problem once and for all.

Brown recluse spider photo by PPMA

Brown recluse spider photo by PPMA

DIY yourself and the many GREEN products, do they work?

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DIY or Do It Yourself products and your ability to attack the unknown enemy – bugs. The article “Essential Oils fail at killing BedBugs” puts the light on those “natural products.

 

I have said it numerous times, those “GREEN” products might work at the moment they are sprayed but generally they don’t have a residual which is essential to the long-term effect of something like BedBugs. If you can see the bug it may work fine if you spray them directly but there is NO long term effect.

 

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Bedbug nymphs by PPMA

 

 

 

U.S. Forest service shuts down National Forest in N.M. why you ask?

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The National Forest Service shuts down a National Forest in Northern New Mexico and this little mouse also lives in the White Mountains of Arizona. “Forest Lands closed to protect Mouse”

 

Critical areas include portions of the Apache Sitgreaves National Forests in both New Mexico and Arizona.

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Photo from www.fs.fed.us provided for information on advisory

Some one called me late to the party, what’s going on with the pigeons?

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The first thing I noticed beside the number of pigeons was all the mess on the garage door. I was sure what was going on but they were pretty content just hanging out in this community. What can you do to keep the population of pigeons down in your neighborhood?

  1. Obviously #1 would be not to feed or encourage them.
  2. Keep nesting sites unavailable to them, this would include hardware cloth and spikes if necessary.
  3. Stationary owls don’t work, they become accustom to the devices.
  4. Poisoning is not the answer. I’ve heard of people throwing mothballs into their nesting areas, this could be extremely dangerous to other critters and children.

Ohh ohhh what’s that poppin up through the carpeting?

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Yep it’s termites, not surprising to anyone in the business. If there is a crack in the foundation slab then it is probable that you might get termites breaching the slab. That slab crack serves at a gateway right into your home and very little except termiticide will stop them for good. I suggest Termidor HE,

State-of-the-art molecular technology dramatically improves the transport of the Termidor HE Copack active ingredient into the soil creating an Enhanced Protection Zone.

It utilizes an advanced nonrepellent, or “undetectable,” liquid technology that termites cannot see, smell, taste, or avoid.

Cooler weather might bring in the rodents.

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Well the heat is finally going away and the cooler weather is right around the corner. Thank goodness – I’m not sure it was the heat or that humidity but whatever I’m thankful it is getting cooler.

Termites continue to pop up around the valley and if the weather doesn’t get real cold the pests will continue. So now would be a great time to tackle those little chores around the house to prevent pests from getting in. What can you do?

  1. Home seal.
  2. Check sheds or other structures.
  3. Repair window screens or door screens.
  4. Install door thresholds or sweeps.
  5. Install garage door seals.
  6. Trim trees away from home.
  7. Repair drip or flood irrigation systems.

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Tricky BedBugs

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Damn BedBugs, they are sneaky and will hide in any hole or crevice. Click on the picture and see if you can find the bedbugs in the hole. What should you look for if you think you have an infestation:

  1. Red or black spots on bedding material.
  2. Adult Bedbugs are the size of a apple seed, babies are much smaller and see through.
  3. Smell of iron (result of blood).
  4. Don’t just look at the bed check the cracked paint, wallpaper, any crevices in wood or holes in computer desk.

If you’re not sure, don’t waste time. The longer you wait the faster the problem can get out of hand. Check the following site http://www.pestworld.org for more information.

Checking waterbeds for BedBugs

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Well I have to say you learn a lot here in the field, when checking a waterbed it is important to completely take the bed apart. Every square inch of the bed needs to be taken apart and carefully inspected for bugs.

So lesson learned – you must be diligent in your endeavor and track down those pesky BedBugs. This picture above is the plywood that holds up the mattresses or waterbed. Check out All Things BedBugs

New hotel design inspired by bugs

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National Geographic photographer Ingo Arndt‘s new book Animal Architecture shows how animals and insects from around the world build intricate structures from nature’s raw materials.

I love when people are inspired by insects or animals in general and this book takes a look at that angle. I think that termite mounds are a perfect example of this, it allows air flow including heat and built in air conditioning. I’m going to purchase the book and see what else is building their way into the future.

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Elm Sawfly photo by PPMA

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