Two things caught my attention about this article “Tree falls on home and kills woman“.
Termite photo by PPMA
Mud dauber wasp – Every once in a while we get a call from someone thinking they have termites. The picture is a mud dauber wasp, the female constructs this nest out of dirt. Shen then paralyzes a few spiders and deposits an egg within – providing lunch for her offspring. Mud daubers don’t generally sting or defend their nest but that isn’t a reason to harass them because they can sting if provoked. You might find them collecting water to help build their nest.
Just wait for the baby wasp to hatch out or use a shovel to dislodge the mud nest.
Take a look at the termite mud tube – it is amazing but it came down the drywall, past the baseboard onto the foundation slab and then catty corner away from the expansion joint.
Just think of the skill it takes to build a mud tube and especially at a angle. I’m impressed. OK termites have been at this for over 250 million years but it is still artwork!
Rodents in general need to work down their teeth and this is often done on materials harder than their teeth. Every once in awhile I’ll notice some wiring on pool equipment that looks like it has been chewed on. This last month in Paris, France this habit took on dangerous overtones when a train accident occurred. Rats nibbled on signalling cables and this prevented a light to function correctly. “Rats blamed for rail accident“, luckily no one was killed but 40 people were injured.
Photo by Univar
Sometimes when addressing a termite issue in a home, it really pays to know your stuff. I look at distance from the outside of the home, I look for cracks and often times I have an idea of where they are getting access. I usually write notes to the technician to give my opinion because the adage is generally correct – 2 minds are better than one.
I have mentioned before if you are replacing carpet or tile and you find cracks in the slab – it is better to be proactive dealing with termites. Always better to drill before the new floor goes down. I really hate messing up a newly installed floor – call and ask for our opinion. ProBest Pest Pest Management 602-249-7378
They are munching at wood 24/7/365 and frankly speaking you know it’s just a matter of time before they get to your home. Termites consume wood or cellulose and convert it into energy to live. So what should you look for:
You know that I’m not a big fan of spiders, maybe the reason I got into the pest control or bug business. Some researchers in the UK explained why we might be hard wired to fear them. “Why do spiders scare us so much? Just for the record he states in his article that “a few spiders in the UK are poisonous” while in fact he should have said venomous.
The real point is how the toxin is delivered. Venom must be delivered through a bite, sting or puncture while a poison could be the entire body or parts of the body.
So don’t just pick up a bug if you don’t know what it is. Several bugs look nice but may contain some sneaky parts or secretions that might you sick.
So lets have a little test here – Paper wasp – Poisonous or Venomous?
This little termite mud tube popped up inside a kitchen cabinet, actually came up the inside crack from the stem wall of the home. Homeowner quickly spotted the activity and gave us a call to perform a termite treatment on their house.
Always be on the lookout for mud or dirt staining with your home, termites build mud tubes or tunnels on the outside foundation wall to gain access into the house.
What do you know about daddy-long-leg spiders?
I love this little place Cave Creek, its mainly one road but it is action packed with some unique places. From the Horny Toad to the Buffalo Chip Saloon and many places with shopping for one and all. There are so many places to see it would take all day, so plan a day trip and enjoy the
Try the fried chicken at the Horny Toad oh and by the way check out the El Encanto Mexican Restaurant (they have a pond in the middle of the place with ducks and turtles) – these are the few I’ve tried so far but all have been right up there with some great food and drink.
