All posts in “ticks”

Lyme Disease – the debate

Comments Off on Lyme Disease – the debate

Lyme Disease


Lyme Disease

Lyme Disease Great article on debate whether it is a chronic disease. Study may suggest some correlation to Global Warming – OK I said it. The disease also imitates other nefarious like chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia and mulitple sclerosis.

When walking pets keep an eye out for ticks in high grass, when arriving home checks pets and yourself for parasites etc. Birds can introduce ticks into back yards and dog parks, so be careful even at your own home. Also be sure to check out NPMA or National Pest Management Association for updates on tick activity across the USA.

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2015/05/06/lyme-disease-debate-can-condition-be-chronic/?intcmp=ob_homepage_dont_miss&intcmp=obnetwork

Did you know that rodent teeth continue to grow?

Comments Off on Did you know that rodent teeth continue to grow?

This story is from Grant County, Washington and just highlights the need to understand rodents. I have on occasion had people tell me “I don’t care if I have rodents or birds in my attic”. “I don’t care if they are under my crawlspace, they are not bothering me”. Well maybe not today but how about tomorrow? What happens when they leave, what parasites do they leave behind? What damage can be done to the structure? “911 outage in Grant County possible caused by rodents”

  1. Rodents incisor teeth continue to grow and they need to keep them in check.
  2. Fleas, ticks and other critters make their homes in the nest or on the bodies of wildlife.
  3. Animals/wildlife seek shelter within our homes but it is very important to keep them out. They produce feces, urine and other bodily secretions daily – you don’t want or need them in your home.
  4. Mice urinate almost continuously, if this becomes airborne you have the chance to breath it in. This is how Hanta Virus is spread.

Home-sealing is a key to keeping them out.

StormShield

All the talk about Ebola, what are the most dangerous viruses?

Comments Off on All the talk about Ebola, what are the most dangerous viruses?

 

With all the talk about Ebola this last month DW author (Helena Schwar)website wrote a very interesting article “Top 10 most dangerous viruses in the world“.

#3 Hantavirus – rodents

#5 Lassa virus – rodents

#7 Crimea-Congo fever – ticks

#8 Machupo virus – may be transmitted by rodents

#9 Kyasanur Fiorest virus – ticks

#10 – Dengue fever – mosquitoes

 

So do you see a pattern here, I do and its related to my job – Public Health Professional. We are very fortunate here in the U.S., we don’t have as many issues with these pests as some countries do. So stop and think about what we could do to protect ourselves even further against these deadly viruses.

probestpestmanagementImageFile087

Is pest control necessary?

Comments Off on 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?

probestpestmanagementImageFile087probestpestmanagementImageFile087probestpestmanagementImageFile087

What do you think are the World’s Deadliest Insects?

Comments Off on What do you think are the World’s Deadliest Insects?

 

I ran across this story from back in February 2014 “8 Deadliest Insects in the World.” My guess was correct as I frequently mention it in many of my bug presentations. So what do you think are the top eight? Go ahead and take a good guess.

I asked this question just this last week at the Nature Camp, can you name the bugs that bite or sting here in Arizona?

  • Honeybees
  • Wasps
  • Scorpions
  • Mosquitoes
  • Ticks
  • Assassin Bugs
  • Bed Bugs
  • Some flies

Somedays you get the bear and sometimes the bear gets you?

Comments Off on Somedays you get the bear and sometimes the bear gets you?

 

ProBestPestManagementDSC05488

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m sure you’ve heard this old adage, but why is it that people don’t believe me when I tell them bug facts? Well I’m being a bit facetious but sometimes I get frustrated. I was talking to a property manager about 2 years ago and she said she gets tired of people dumping furniture in dumpsters because the Bed Bugs are jumping out of them. I tried to convince her that that wasn’t possible. It was in July and the temperature within that dumpster must have been over 150, the only way they were getting out was if someone jumped in a brought them out. Recently someone said their friend told them that ticks can drop on you from trees. The only way that happens is at about the height of an animal, not from the pine cones or higher.

 

Tick, tock is it time for ticks?

1 Comment

 

ImageFile087ImageFile087ImageFile087As our weather becomes hotter and hotter, ticks become more active and need food. Guess what, that is an animal maybe your dog or cat or maybe you. I had a question today and wasn’t sure how to answer it – customer asked about ticks in her pine tree? Ticks when born seek a meal and will climb to a height on average with an animal. So maybe 4-6 foot at the most and they do not drop from trees when they see an animal, I don’t think their eyesight is that good.

probestImageFile087probestImageFile087probestImageFile087

 

Here are a few tips for you and your pet.

  1. When hiking keep an eye out for pests, when you arrive home check yourself and your pet.
  2. Know what to look for and the difference between ticks and Bed Bugs.
  3. If you decide to use a Pesticide on your pet, bring that to the attention of your Pest Management Professional. For example if you decide to use a product with Fipronil and then the Pest Operator uses that product in the yard there could be some concerns.
  4. Check out this website – very informative. www.peteducation.com and specifically this page “Ingredients in Flea and Tick Control Products“

probestImageFile087

Birds and their damage.

Comments Off on Birds and their damage.

probestpestmanagement20140425_124037     probestpestmanagement20140425_124340

So you just noticed that birds or something is getting into your attic, well if you ignore it maybe it will just go away? Probably not, but even if you fix the problem that might not be the end of it. Birds, critters or even pests can cause other problems. The animals might have parasites and once you get rid of them the parasites might come down from the attic looking for food. That might be you!

So one of my suggestions would be to do periodic checks of your property, look up and down. Look for openings or rub marks (like the picture on the right), or for feces buildup on your home (left picture). My recommendation is to do monthly or at the very least quarterly checks of your property.

Most insects are a benefit to man, what are the bad ones or good ones?

Comments Off on Most insects are a benefit to man, what are the bad ones or good ones?

 

I think if we had to say bad, the number 1 bad guy would be the mosquito and #2 would probably be the flea. But what about the good ones, such as honeybees except when they attack and ants. Some may fit into both categories such as honeybees – great honey and they pollinate but may also sting and hurt. I guess I can think of the good and bad as somewhat of a trade off, we need pollination and yet people die from bee stings each year. Termites are essential in the forest, composting trees and wood into vital nutrients within the soil.

Top 5 bad in my opinion

  1. Mosquitoes
  2. Scorpions
  3. Fleas
  4. Flies
  5. Rodents

Top 5 good in my opinion

  1. Honeybees
  2. Ants
  3. Butterflies or Moths
  4. Ladybugs
  5. ____________      Can you name a few more?

44_Bumble Bee

Contact Us