Mosquito and Tick Diseases Triple in 12 Years
If it seems like every time you turn around there’s a new tick disease that’s just surfaced or warnings about a brand-new disease being spread by mosquitoes. It’s true. www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2018/p0501-vs-vector-borne.html CDC, the Centers for Disease Control, has just released a report detailing reported illnesses from ticks and mosquitoes in the years from 2004 to 2016…
Read MoreCarpenter Bees! Woodpeckers don’t help!
The spring activity of carpenter bees generates concern primarily because the bees are large, and the male can be noisy and threatening although he can’t sting. Carpenter bees, though, are solitary bees and are not part of a colony. The bees are usually seen in pairs although several pairs can be working the same area.…
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Pressure Treated Wood vs Termites
People think that pressure-treated wood is protected from termites and decay, so they can use it with abandon. While that might be true in the short term, even pressure-treated wood is susceptible to termites in the long term. Construction codes in the U.S. state that pressure-treated wood is considered to be “termite-resistant”, not “termite-proof”. Pressure-treated…
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Recognizing Termite Damage
Wood that has been damaged by subterranean termites will have a honeycombed or layered appearance when broken open since these termites prefer to eat the softer springwood, leaving the summerwood. Galleries in the wood usually run parallel to the grain and are messy, containing a mixture of solid and digested wood, and soil. Gallery walls…
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Termite vs Ant
Termites or Ants? Termite reproductive and other large ants, reproductive are very similar and difficult for the untrained to tell apart. Both are black with two pairs of wings. The three main visible differences are in wings, waist, and antennae. Ants have a larger front pair of wings with a second smaller pair beneath. Termites…
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Getting to know the Fruit Fly
The most common small fruit fly is Drosophila melanogaster, and it and D. simulans are known for their large, bright red eyes. A newer pest is the dark-eyed fruit fly (I am seeing more and more of this one, but manly in commercial kitchens), actually a group of related flies, including D. repleta, with darker…
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Wood to ground contacts
When landscaping a property it is important to understand things that could cause unwanted insects or termites. Soil or Mulch Buildup – Excessive soil or mulch against brick walls or siding at the foundation provides a protected gateway for termites to enter a structure by bypassing the treated soil beneath. Raised Foundation Planters – Landscaping…
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Fall Invaders
Occasional invaders is one term that we use to describe those pests that enter structures periodically, and only under certain circumstances. They are not permanent indoor residents that are able to successfully reproduce indoors. Most occasional invaders are normally outdoor pests. Some are foundation pests found in mulch, woodpiles, and plants around the perimeter of…
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Bed Bug Bites, More than you wanted to know…
Although bed bugs will feed on other animals if they have to, they prefer human blood. All active stages of bed bugs feed on blood: nymphs, and adult males, as well as Although bed bugs will feed on other animals if they have to, they prefer human blood. All active stages of bed bugs feed…
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