All posts in “venom”

I’m always confused about this – are you? Coral Snake or Lookalike…

Comments Off on I’m always confused about this – are you? Coral Snake or Lookalike…

 

 

1175346_631922836841453_1656663952_n

 

I saw this on FaceBook and thought maybe just maybe if I shared this little saying – somebody would remember it and take care. So maybe print this off and save it someplace that you can see it often to remind yourself. Or better yet, “Don’t touch anything without knowing what it really is”.

So has anybody watched that show called “Snake Salvation” – “They shall take up Serpents” Mark 16: 17-18

I know your not ever to talk about Politics or Religion, Politics would it even matter – I don’t think we can do anything these days about it and Religion – we all have our beliefs. If you want to dance around with snakes who am I to say no, honestly I wouldn’t do it but hey that’s me. What I will do is come to your home or business and with a very long snake grabber, grab and take away the snake.

ProBest Pest Management •425 W. Guadalupe Road #110 • Gilbert, Arizona 85233 • 602-249-7378 or 623-414-0176

Don’t kill snakes they provide a valuable service by eating and keeping rodent populations in check.

Tarantula venom – maybe a new insecticide?

Comments Off on Tarantula venom – maybe a new insecticide?

 

Last week on my way into work (38.5miles) I caught a story on tarantula venom being used as an possible insecticide. It appears that in Australia the dreaded tarantula has a protein within the venom  that can also kill prey insects that consume the venom orally. “Australian tarantula venom contains novel insecticide against agricultural pest”

These and other insect pests reduce global crop yields by 10-14% annually and damage 9-20% of stored food crops, and several species are resistant to available insecticides.

Once again I mention that pesticides (by the way is this Organic or Green?) are important and essential to all manners of life on earth, so new ideas are very important. Opinions?

poison

Science discoveries continue

Comments Off on Science discoveries continue

 

“Fire ant venom as a Fungicide”

In their experiments, the researchers used sophisticated extraction techniques to obtain purified amounts of piperdeine and piperidine from the venom glands of both red and black imported fire ants.

In this case they are testing the venom, several ant species use different techniques to tend gardens of fungi so I wonder how this would work?

HYA10_02 Photo provided by Univar PPS

Where will bees take up residence?

1 Comment

 

We all need to bee aware in Arizona and pretty much all of the South U.S. This is an example of why, this picture is a water meter box and if you look close you will see honeybees going in and out of the entrance . What would happen if children were playing and ran across the lid, or fell on the meter box?

probestpestmanagementIMAG0605

 

What would happen if you decided to check your water meter box and lifted the lid without seeing the bees, catastrophe well maybe? So please see the checklist below and use caution in and around your home!

  1. Check your home monthly especially in the Spring and Fall, check eaves and roof-line.
  2. Check your property, sheds and storage.
  3. Keep an eye out for meter boxes or electrical boxes.
  4. If a swarm enters your property and alights on a tree branch, wait – they may move. If they go to and from your home, then it is time to call.
  5. Remember bees don’t know a dog house from a tree.
  6. Remember if you decide to treat, you can’t call the bees back once they are excited and upset.

What are centipedes?

Comments Off on What are centipedes?

What are centipedes? Spiders or insects?

 

probestpestmanagementIMAG0212

This Arizona Centipede is actually an arthropod (arthropods are organisms that have segmented bodies, a jointed skeleton and paired jointed limbs. They include such creatures as spiders, centipedes and insects) that has an elongated body with one pair of legs per segment. So really neither spider or insect but a creature all it’s own. They range in size from less than an inch to several inches. The smaller, brown and tan, common desert centipede does bite, it can be painful but not deadly to humans.

The centipede is one of the oldest animals on Earth having evolved into the form it is today, millions of years ago. The centipede has been found in fossils dating over 400 million years old.

Remember, venom = active, poison = passive. Call 1-800-222-1222 Poison Control for additional information.

Kudo’s to Phoenix Magazine

Comments Off on Kudo’s to Phoenix Magazine

Kudo’s to Phoenix Magazine

 

They recently ran a story on “Sticker Shock” December 2012 by Tom Marcinko in Phoenix Magazine on the new Scorpion anti-venom. We ran a home seal “Face the Facts” back in August 2011 on the new technology including the new anti-venom. So how about a few “Did you know that?”

  1. Scorpions typically eat insects, but their diet can be extremely variable—another key to their survival in where they live.If you can get rid of their harborage (where they hide, or where their food hides) it will help control them.
  2. The venom, a neuro-toxin, it is held in a gland at the tip of the tail and is injected through its stinger to kill prey by affecting the central nervous system. Sometimes they can sting us by accident, always wear gloves and never put your hands where you can’t see.
  3. Rain or the lack of rain, cold or the lack of cold can make the scorpions here in Arizona move and cause a few problems. I suggest homesealing your home.
  4. The time to know about scorpions is before you are stung, read the stories above and take care!

Rattlesnakes and pest control

Comments Off on 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.

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

1 Comment

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

Contact Us