Midwestern Maintenance

            Comprised of 3,794,000 sq. miles, it is no wonder that our country is so diverse. Every region and major city is known for something. If you are like me, then any time you go on a trip, you are probably most concerned with what type of food is the area known for and where are the best restaurants in town that you can indulge in. Lucky for me, have lived in both Kansas City and Texas now, so I have had my fair share of delicious BBQ. The sauces in Kansas City are phenomenal, but if you are a beef brisket kind of a person, than you might just prefer Texas style BBQ instead. My point is this, because our country is so vastly different, habits and trends in one region may be completely different than another.    

            Let’s take lawn care for instance; do you know how many types of grass a typical American home’s yard could be made of? Across the country, there are at least a dozen common grass types. In general, they are divided into warm season and cool season grasses. Typically speaking, In the Midwest, you will have your cool season grasses which include: Kentucky bluegrass, Ryegrass, Bermuda, Fescue, Zoysia and so on. These types of grasses should be cared for differently than the St. Augustine grass that most folks have across the southern United States. Herbicides are just one of the many instances where what is used in the south can potentially be different than what you use in the north.

            A selective herbicide such as Clear Pasture is an excellent choice for broad leaf weeds in both warm and cool season grasses. If you live in the Midwest and are constantly battling with clover and dandelions, the active ingredient Triclopyr 4, which is in Clear Pasture, is an excellent candidate for eliminating those pesky weeds. But it will work great on almost every type of broad leaf weed you have including Poison Ivy or Poison Oak. You will want to be careful around shrubs or other plants you do not want to harm as Triclopyr 4 can be harmful to those plants.

            On the other side of the fence there are products like MSMA Target 6 Plus which should be used in consideration of the type of grass that is in your yard. MSMA is designed to work on grasses with thinner blades. Zoysia and Bermuda are two good examples. These two species of grass are much more common in the Midwest. MSMA Target 6 Plus may be a good option for you if your yard is comprised of a thin blade grass as it will not only target broad leaf weeds, but it will also eliminate pesky weed grasses such as Crabgrass, Johnsongrass or Nutsedge.

            Keeping your yard free of weeds can really have an impact on the look of your lawn. But since quite a bit of time and money is spent in maintaining a lawn, you will want to research and use products that are designed for your region. And when your Saturday household chores are through, always treat yourself to the local eatery that your town is known for. 

Summertime Rodent Control

            Every year is marked by four distinct seasons. Each season has its own unique characteristics that help us distinguish one from the other. Fall is when the leaves on trees and other plants begin to change colors and fall to the ground. While the colors in nature all around us are changing, cooler temperatures are ushered into the world as well. Winter is usually marked by shorter daylight hours and cold temperatures with most of North America seeing at least a few inches of snow throughout the winter months. Then springtime rolls around and provides us with hope that indeed even after the long, harsh winter, life will prevail. Soon plants and animals will be up and about making their presence known everywhere. Summer marks the end of a school year for children and teens everywhere. Pools open up and the daylight hours lengthen into the late evening. Earth’s seasons change behavioral patterns of both humans and animals alike. Likewise, rodent behavior and patterns are affected by the changing weather and temperatures as well. There is typically an increased amount of rodent activity noticed during the winter months. Just like humans tend to spend less time outside when the temperatures drop, so rats and mice would prefer not be outside either. Buildings and homes offer great refuge for rodents from freezing temperatures and snowstorms. So, how does the behavior of a rat or mouse change in the summertime? The answers are simple, but just as rodent patterns change, so should your baiting programs change as well. I have three tips that if you give them a try as the warm months approach, your home or other structure should stay rodent free so you can spend less time wondering what damage they may be causing and more time relaxing at the lake.

1.      Keep Vegetation on your Property Tidy:  This is something that often goes overlooked, but is necessary in effective summertime rodent control. Summer months consist of warmer temperatures and moisture (rain). These conditions are what fuel plant growth. Un-kept landscaping and yards are prime habitats for rats and mice. Thick grass and weeds provide great protection and shelter for rodents, so remember to trim and keep grass and other plants around the perimeter of your home or structure nice and neat.

2.      Introduce a water source in their environment: Just like the cold temperatures will drive rodents inside during the winter time, lack of a water source will also drive and rats and mice indoors during the summer months in order to find water. While this may seem backwards, by providing water for rodents outside, you are decreasing the likelihood of them needing to make their way inside for a glass of water.

3.      Consider using soft bait that will hold up better in warm temperatures: If you are using rodent bait stations around the perimeter of your structure, you may want to consider a soft bait rodenticide such as Resolv. During the summer months, temperatures in bait stations (that are typically black in color), can easily climb over 100 degrees. Traditional wax baits will melt which are not only far less palatable to rodents, but also a burden to clean up. Soft baits will not melt and due to the higher moisture content, will continue to stay palatable to our little furry friends when temperatures are at their highest.

Take some time to study your environment. Effective rodent control during the summer months can be achieved simply by changing out some of the techniques you use during the colder months. Always use proper safety equipment as well as consult the product label on any rodenticide you decide to try. Happy Hunting! 

Product Spotlight: Zenprox E.C.

Product Spotlight: Zenprox E.C.

            Each year, literally dozens of new insecticides are put on the shelf. All manufacturers claim to have the next best thing since sliced bread. The fact of the matter is most of the products available to you and me are going to be effective exactly like the manufacturer says they will be. The difference in these products lies in what the abilities or allowances of the product are. You can find these differences within the product label which by law must be present on every container of every product sold. Variations between products can be slight or significant, before you purchase your next bottle of insecticide, take some time to examine the label for the product(s) you are interested in. If you were to take a look at the label for Zenprox E.C. made by Zoecon Professional Products, you just might like what you see.

            Zenprox E.C. is designed to be both versatile and effective. The main active ingredient is Etofenprox which does the killing of the bugs. In addition, Zoecon added Piperonyl Butoxide which asks as an accelerant for the Etofenprox allowing it to work that much faster. So what else is good about Zenprox E.C? The answer to that answer is simple. Once you have read the label, you will see that this product can be sprayed indoors and outdoors. Indoors it can be broadcasted on most surfaces to eliminate a number of pests. Broadcasting indoors is something that only a handful of products will allow you to do. So what else? The “what else” is that it can eliminate over 25 different species of insects from ants to Bed Bugs. Do you still need more? Okay, well in addition, Zenprox E.C. is what is called a non-repellent insecticide. This has its own added bonus as well. What this means is that once this product has been applied, the bugs have no idea it is there. Yes, most bug sprays dry clear and Zenprox is no different. But, the vast majority of insecticides can be smelled by the bugs and once noticed, they will steer clear of them. But since bugs cannot sense a non-repellent such as Zenprox, the population will just continue to crawl all over it and if they are social insects such as ants or cockroaches, it will be transmitted from one roach to the next without them even noticing it.

            Doing your own pest control around the house is simple. With just a little research, you will be able save yourself hundreds of dollars over hiring a professional to come out and treat your home. As it is with your car, or any equipment you own, a little preventative pest control maintenance around the house will go a long ways in protecting you from a serious infestation and potentially damage to your home from insects. So the next time you are in the market for a bug spray to use around the house, check out Zenprox E.C.; it just might be better than sliced bread. 

Essential Inspections

Essential Inspections

          Over Memorial Day weekend, my wife and I celebrated our one year anniversary. We kicked the trip off by leaving work a little early Friday (always a good start to any occasion), hopped in the car and ventured of to Lake Travis nestled in the hill country near Austin in central Texas. We had everything figured out. Since it was Memorial Day weekend, we were able to take advantage of a three day weekend for our trip. The car was packed the night before and we had a cooler ready to carry our champagne and top piece of our wedding cake to commemorate our anniversary like tradition has taught. We had the hotel picked out and reservations made to stay lakeside for all three nights. In addition to hotel reservations, we had also scheduled plans to rent a jet ski as well as take advantage of the amazing zip lines located just a few miles from our hotel.

            Despite all odds, we managed to make it out of Houston on a Friday afternoon without hitting a lick of traffic. For those of you not familiar with the Space City, that never happens. So yes, our trip was off to a fantastic start, we were doing everything right and it just seemed like it was going to be great. And now that we are back home I can honestly tell you that apart from the much needed rain the Austin area received on Saturday, we had a fantastic trip. There would only be one thing I would change. After checking into the hotel, in usual fashion, we lugged our luggage up to our room on the fifth floor. And that is when we made one drastic mistake. We forgot to inspect the room for bed bugs! Now I know some of you may not think that is a big deal. I mean we were staying at a nice resort; surely a nice resort would not have bed bugs right? WRONG! Do not make the mistake of thinking bed bugs are particular about which hotels they stay, because they do not care! Bed Bug populations are on the rise. In 2011, 99% of all pest control companies in the U.S. noted receiving at least one call for bed bug infestations. These insects know no boundaries. They are spread primarily through travelers and tourists but can also be transmitted through Laundromats and used furniture as well.

            So the next time you go on a trip, no matter what rating the hotel/motel you are staying at has received, you will want to expect your room before even opening your suitcase. So how do you inspect for Bed Bugs? The answer to that is simple. In a hotel room, the two best things you can do are:

1. Check all seams around the mattress and all joints, cracks, and crevices on the box springs. 
2. Take drawers out of furniture (dressers, nightstands, etc.) and check runners and joints. 

Bed bugs are not so small in size that they cannot be seen with the naked eye. It is often recommended to take a flashlight when you go on trips to help you better examine. I can promise you this; the burden of inspecting your room before you unpack is a small price to pay versus dealing with bed bugs in your home.  

What do you know about Dad?

What do you know about Dad?

          Spiders have been around since the beginning of time and humans have coexisted with them ever since. Due to the nocturnal nature of most spiders, people have little to no contact with them on a daily basis. I personally am not a big fan of our eight legged arthropod friends, but if given a choice between an arachnid and a snake, I would choose the arachnid almost every time unless we are talking about a Hobo or Black Widow spider. Both species are notoriously known for being highly poisonous and potentially deadly to humans. Human contact with either species is more common than you might think. Another species that we come into contact on a more frequent basis is the Pholcidae or more commonly known as the Daddy Long Leg. This is the guy that you will commonly see just hanging out around the house, whether on the back porch or just in the corner of your kitchen surveying the area. Well, not to worry with just a little research, you will be able to see Pholicidae is not around to bother you; rather it is just rummaging around looking for a meal to eat.

            Daddy Long Leg Spiders, also known as Cellar Spiders are unusually shaped. Most spiders have legs relatively proportional to their bodies. But Daddy Long Legs have legs that can grow up to 50 millimeters long for a body that is only 2-10 millimeters. The long legs give it a height advantage for viewing purposes as well a menacing appearance to its prey. Speaking of prey, while like most spiders, the Pholcidae use webs to capture some prey, it also preys on other spider species and will attack those spiders while feeding on prey of its own. Daddy Long Leg Spiders contain a strong toxin that could actually kill a human. So why have no humans died?

            Actually, while their bite could be lethal to humans, it actually lacks fangs large enough to penetrate a human’s skin. Good for us, bad for other spiders and insects that happen to stumble upon this guy. And the Daddy Long Leg can be stumbled upon just about anywhere. As a matter of fact, the only continent you cannot find this guy is Antarctica due to the year round cold temperatures. With a spider that can be found just about anywhere, it makes me wonder if the concept of Pangaea was really reality once upon a time on earth.

            Spiders can be especially difficult to control around the home. Most chemicals that you can be to spray around your house for bugs are contact insecticides. Meaning the insect comes in contact with them which will lead to death. Because spiders have longer legs and bodies are raised slightly off the ground, not as much chemical comes into contact with the spider. Products containing Cypermethrin are great options for spiders. Cypermethrin has been around for many years and has proven results. 

Subterranean Submission, Product Spotlight: Bora Care

Subterranean Submission

Product Spotlight: Bora Care

            A termite infestation is a bad deal for everyone. No one wants to deal with termites and often times it is very expensive to have a professional company come out and treat the soil around your foundation to eliminate the problem. And when it comes to buying a house, you most certainly will want to find a reputable home inspector that will be able to pick up on any sign on termites invading and destroying the home. But if you are in the market for a new construction home, then you have a great opportunity to do some preventative work to your home and prevent termites from ever being a problem.

            Bora Care is that opportunity. This product contains Borates or Boron which is a naturally occurring element on earth. If you are into being green, then this is one of the greenest products out there. Many of the new “eco-friendly” products are not making a good reputation in the effectiveness category; Bora Care, however, is. To make this product even better, it is not harmful to mammals or birds, just bugs. Designed to be applied directly to the wood, Bora Care is applied to all studs for both interior and exterior walls, once the roof has been put up.

As you can see, once mixed, the finished product is sprayed approximately 24 inches (2feet) up on each and every 2X4. An alternative to a Bora Care pre-treatment is treating the dirt that the house will be built on. In order to do this, the soil needs to be treated before the foundation is poured. While this has been an effective option in the past, you run the risk of many things occurring. First, as equipment comes in to begin building the foundation, disrupting the soil can cause breaks or gaps in the soil where the chemical has been applied, leaving “holes” that termites can later use to enter your home. Another danger is that over time the chemical will begin to break down in the soil and render itself ineffective. With Bora Care, you do not have to worry about that. The Borates us a unique carrier to actually penetrate the wood and become absorbed by it; the only circumstance that will render Bora Care ineffective is if the wood becomes inundated with water that will actually draw the product back out of the wood.

This technique of pre-treating a home has only been around since the early 2000’s but in its short time has proven itself valuable. In addition to the peace of mind that it can provide you, using this product on your home will offer a unique selling point should you decide to part ways with the home later on down the road. But if not, it is hard to put a price on peace of mind. And peace of mind is exactly what you will get if you invest in Bora Care to permanently treat the wood in your home.  

Protecting Your Investment

Protecting your Investment

          A home for most people is the biggest purchase they will ever make in their lifetime.  If you play your cards right and remember three most important rules in real estate: location, location, location, this large purchase will hopefully turn out to be an investment as well. So what can you do to protect this purchase against things that may drive down the value? Well of course you are required to have homeowner’s insurance that will protect you from natural disasters such as tornadoes. Or if you are my aunt, homeowners insurance will also protect you from an ice machine in your refrigerator that decides to quit while you are on vacation and pour water into your kitchen for 12 straight days! Unfortunately, homeowner’s insurance does not protect you from everything. After all as the owner, should you not be responsible for at least a few things? And if you are purchasing a new construction home, most builders will require you to be responsible for a few things as well.

            So, yes you are responsible for a few things that could cause damage to your home, new construction included. One of those things is Termites. We are all afraid of them. Those pesky little insects that make their way into our homes without us even noticing; and unfortunately that can be there for years before you pick up on them and have already caused horrific damage. So how can you prepare your new home to battle termites?  The answer is simple, pre-treatment. But, there are many different types of pre-treatments, so you will want to pick the one that is right for you. A pre-treatment is a preventative measure that you can do during the construction of your new home. Essentially you are taking out an “insurance policy” for your house against termites.

            There are three major forms of pre-treatment work that can be done: Soil treatment, perimeter treatment and structural treatment ( applied to the wooden studs themselves). A soil treatment is often times the most affordable method to give your home protection against termites. Before the slab for your home is poured, you can hire (or do yourself) a licensed pest control technician to come out to your home site and apply termiticide to the soil the foundation will eventually be poured on. This technique gives you a great head start against termites that could eventually invade your home. The next option and most often used is a barrier treatment that is done around the foundation itself. After the slab has been poured, either yourself or professional can go around the foundation and dig a trench that will serve as the barrier. The chemical will be applied to the trench at the appropriate rate that can be found within the product’s label. Afterwards the dirt will be filled back in. This method can offer years of protection against subterranean termites depending on the product used. The last method can only be achieved by a handful of products. Bora Care or Tim-Bor can be applied directly to the wooden studs for all first floor walls of your new home. Both products are made from Boron, a naturally occurring element. When termites come across this stuff, they become dehydrated and die. This is an excellent method for long term control of multiple species of termites. 

Plant Invading Pests

Plant Invading Pests

As a kid growing up, bugs were always cool. A simple roly poly could provide entertainment for most kids with ease. It did not take much for me to be distracted by a lonesome ant meandering his way across the front porch when I was young. When you are a small child, it is those simple things that make the day great. Now as a grownup it is simple things that make life a nightmare. Insects invading the landscaping you have poured time, sweat AND money is one of those simple things that can really put you in a bad mood. Some insects just provide the nuisance factor and unpleasant to the eye to witness crawling all over your almost ripe tomatoes. Others on the other hand, can be detrimental and even deadly to a plant. So what types of bugs are you likely to see and how can you get rid of them? There are many answers to both, so let’s just go over a few.

Everyone loves a good homegrown tomato. The fact of the matter is the ones you get in the grocery store just do not taste as good as one straight out of a vegetable garden. So if you like to grow tomatoes, please send me some! And if you enjoy watching them grow and ripen, chances are you have witnessed the Boxelder bug crawling around on your tomatoes.

No need to worry, this black and orange creature will not do any harm to your tomatoes, but that does not mean they are not still disturbing to look at. A product containing permethrin, such as Viper Dust is an excellent choice to apply to vegetable and fruit plants to keep bugs like this guy away. No matter what pesticide you choose, be sure to wash the fruits or vegetables well.

While the boxelder is not harmful to the plants, there are still many other insects that are. Once you have spotted the first sign of this miniscule yet menacing pest, you will want to get in gear and eliminate him immediately. The White fly is particularly abundant in the gulf coast states.

Evidence of the Whit fly is nothing more than small whit oblong dots that appear on the foliage of all types of plants. But be aware, this small insect will engulf your plant rapidly and over time will kill its host plant. Once you have first noticed that White Flies are attacking one your plants, you will want to apply a pesticide as quickly as possible to keep the bug from transferring to surrounding plants. An excellent pesticide is going to be any sort of Organophosphate such as Malathion. Malathion is designed to be applied to most plants and after determining the correct mix rate for white fly, spray all the foliage on the plant to a moistened state. There is no need to drown the plant in the solution, but the more foliage you treat the better. This may require you to stand on a ladder to reach some more difficult areas in taller plants such as palm trees. Before you use any pesticide, just remember to always read the label on the bottle and then apply the product appropriately. 

What a Great Garden

What a Great Garden

            Having a beautiful vegetable garden is no easy task. Just like building a house, you have to start from the ground up. The soil is the key component to growing great greens, or reds. Most state universities offer reasonably priced soil testing, and for you Texans the Aggies have a great program. Once you provide them with a sample, these programs will analyze your soil and send the results back to you. These results will help you to learn what your soil is lacking. From there, determine what needs to be present in the soil to help the plants that you want to grow have the best opportunity to be fruitful.

            Now that you know what your soil contains, the next step is to map out where you will plant the different types flora. Often times, most recommend a beginning on the south or east sides of your property as these sides will get the “best” sunlight. Knowing what type of plants do well in your region is important as well. For instance if you want to plant an apple tree, but live in south Louisiana, you might want to reconsider. And if you live in Iowa and your dream is a grapefruit tree, well, then you better move to Florida.

            So now you have used your green thumb to plant your garden and now it is time to tend it or manage it. Organizations like the National Gardening Association provide valuable sources of information from planting times to how to properly prune your crops. Just like we eat, plants require food as well and most often it comes in the form of fertilizers. Of course many people even start a compost pile which is very easy to do and provides hearty topsoil for your garden that will give your plants the food they will need to yield beautiful crops.

            With all of this you cannot forget the most important source of live for all plants and animals, water. Watering your plants is the only way they will survive. Monitoring rainfall will help you know if your plants are getting sufficient moisture or not. When Mother Nature deprives your plants of water, you will need to step in and do it yourself. For larger gardens, soaker hoses or irrigation drips are great choices to water all of your plants easily and effectively. You can even make homemade watering spikes using two liter soda bottles.

Pruning and thinning plants is equally important as watering. Allowing certain plants to grow too thick or too tall will inhibit growth of fruit in the long run. Because the different species of plants are so vastly different, you will really want to research each specific plant to learn how and when they should be thinned out.

So there you have it, gardening can be a rewarding way to spend your time and when done properly, it can also be bountiful. Before you begin to plant, do a little research; learn what plants will do well in your geographic location and how to take care of them.

Which Weed Killer?

            When it comes to springtime nuisances, nothing can be more of an eyesore than weeds in your yard. But we both know they do not stop there. You are just as likely to see a weed in your flower bed or poking its head out in your driveway just to catch some rays. There are literally thousands of species of weeds worldwide and while some are more common than others, you may not always encounter the same ones. And because learning every species of weed that can invade your lawn and landscaping would be an arduous task to say the least, I would say having a good grasp on the different types of available weed killers will go a long way in helping you to determine which product is right for you.

            If herbicides were anything similar to the animal kingdom, then the three broadest categories would be: Pre-emergent, Post-emergent, and soil sterilants. Pre-emergent herbicides are designed to hinder growth of weeds. It does this by penetrating the soil and hindering seeds of plants from germinating. Pre-emergent herbicides usually have a residual, meaning that once applied, if done so properly, it will remain in the soil and continue to be effective for a period of time. Most people will apply pre-emergent herbicides such as Oryzalin 4, three times a year. There are two important things to remember when using pre-emergent herbicides: 1. they can be applied over any existing plant life, whether it is grass or ornamental shrubs and flowers. 2. Pre-emergents only keep weeds from germinating. If you spray a pre-emergent herbicide over existing weeds, it will not do anything to help remove them.

            The next type of herbicide is a post-emergent herbicide. Post-emergent herbicides are designed to kill weeds once they have already made their presence known. This type of weed killer will not prevent any new plant growth. A product like Clear Pasture is a great choice for someone who wants to eliminate existing weeds in yards. Within the family of post-emergent herbicides there are two classes: selective and non-selective. A great example of a non-selective would be Round Up. We have all seen the commercials of the guy hovering over weeds that have grown up through the expansion joints in the driveway. Non-selective herbicides are great for eliminating weeds in places where you are not concerned with what the product lands on. On the other hand a selective herbicide is the type you will want to use in areas that you want to kill the weeds but not other plant life such as grass. Most selective herbicides specifically target broadleaf weeds. Common examples of broadleaf weeds are clover, dandelions and poison ivy for instance.

            The last category of herbicides is called soil sterilants.  These are almost never used in residential areas and depending on the active ingredients, some soil sterilants will keep any plant life from growing for up to eight months. Soil sterilants not only keep new plants and grasses from growing, but also eliminate any existing plant life.

            Herbicides are important tools for lawns and landscaping in all situations. They are also very easily misused. Be sure to read the label instructions on any product you intend to use to ensure you will not kill any plant you do not want to. 

Dropping Like Flies, Product Spotlight: Maxforce Flyspot

Dropping Like Flies

Product Spotlight: Maxforce Flyspot

To put it simple, this product flat out works. Humans are similar to insects in that when the weather warms up, we become more active. Winter weather and temperatures keep us inside most days, but as soon as the first bit of springtime shows up were ready to be free from our indoor prisons. Likewise, all matters of insects begin making their way out into the world to do what they do best, bother us. Some insects can cause damage to our property, others for the most part go unnoticed just trying to live their lives, and yet there is a third kind. This kind of insect prides itself on bothering humans. It could be anything from a cockroach scurrying across the floor to an ant crawling around on the kitchen counter. But my personal insect that I have grown to detest is the fly. This nuisance pest seems to take joy in landing on you just long enough to bother then take off and disappear just before your hand lands on his hand. And after he is done with that, he might decide just to stop by your hot dog on a sunny afternoon as you have your back turned from the table. Yes, the fly seems to be indestructible. They must have at least a million eyes looking at every direction possible because you can never seem to hit them. I have not yet mastered the art of catching a fly in mid air. Fortunately there is a solution that does not require lightning fast hand. No, the only equipment necessary Maxforce Flyspot is a spray bottle.

            Over the years, granular baits for flies have proven themselves effective. Best used around doors to restaurant kitchens or near dumpsters, fly baits can also be used in and around homes as well. But if you are looking for something a little easier that will go unnoticed yet still have the flies falling to your feet, then this spray on product is something you should consider. Maxforce Flyspot contains Imidacloprid which is a rapid killing insecticide. For residential homes it is labeled for outdoor use, such as patios. Each 2 oz. packet is designed to be mixed with 16 oz. of water. Then, just spray spots sporadically on the walls and other surfaces around your patio. Fly Spot is a sugar based product with a highly attractive pheromone that is easily sought out by flies. When it dries, the spot will not be noticeable; except to the flies of course. Once a fly lands on the bait and feeds on it, the insect will have approximately 60 seconds before it takes a final fall. So yes, the term “dropping like flies” is an accurate description when discussing this product by Bayer. This is the same manufacturer of the Bayer Aspirin which I would venture to guess most have heard of. So before you have friends and family over for a barbeque this spring, take a packet of this product and make some applications around your patio and you will be pleasantly surprised when the flies before this bait over your hot dog

  

Time Keeps on Ticking

Time Keeps on Ticking

            If there has ever been an underrated pest, the tick is it. Despite its size, the tick can be menace to anyone that comes across one. With a total of 800 different species worldwide and around 200 in the United States alone, naming them can be a chore and controlling them can be a nightmare.

            There are two main categories of ticks in the world, soft ticks and hard ticks. Soft ticks will generally be found on birds and some mammals, while hard ticks are the ones most likely to bother humans. Most likely, you will come into contact with potentially four different species; dog ticks, black-legged ticks, deer ticks and wood ticks. The places you can run across them are more common than you might think. For those who like to spend time camping or hiking, it is always important to thoroughly inspect yourself for ticks upon returning home. Still, you may very well find a thriving infestation in your yard or yes, even inside your home. Do not make the mistake of thinking ticks cannot survive indoors. Studies have proven they can live out an entire life inside a home. Brown dog ticks have even been known to be more difficult to treat than bed bugs. Without proper prevention, a population of ticks can appear in a short amount of time. A female tick will produce up to 6000 eggs before dying. Those offspring will reproduce and the problem will add up in a hurry. Of course, this is not all you should be worried about. Several credible sources have done studies proving Lyme disease is on the rise in the U.S., and of course it is carried by ticks.

            According to the Lyme Disease Association, there has been a 148 percent increase in tick-related complaints. Only successful direct marketing firms see those kinds of gains. The Massachusetts Department of Health has reported similar findings. Since 2010 in Massachusetts alone, there have been anywhere from 12,000 to 14,000 reports of Lyme Disease each year. Signs of Lyme disease begin as circular discoloration appearing on the skin surrounding the tick bite. If not treated properly, Lyme disease can affect many areas of the body including the brain. An offshoot of Lyme disease is the potential to develop Meningitis which has proven as potentially deadly to humans. The bulk of this recent epidemic is occurring in the northeast, but is slowly leaking its way into the Midwest. Large populations of deer and other mammals assist in the spread of the disease as they can also carry ticks that will drop off during the animal’s normal travels.

            Now that spring is here and summer is not far behind, people will begin to spend more time outside. So do your due diligence, and inspect yourself each time after you come home. If you have plans to go camping, spray yourself with an insect repellent containing Deet. It is recommended to wear longs pants and be sure to spray shoes and ankles well. Ticks have always been around and should not act as a discouragement to spend time outdoors, but do your best to protect yourself and possibly do a little prevention work around your home to keep this overlooked pest away. 

Escargot Anyone?

Escargot Anyone?

Now I have never had snail before, but depending on whom you ask (my wife for instance), it can be delicious. Usually served as an appetizer in French cuisine, Escargot has found its way into many seafood restaurants as well. But this tiny creature has found its way into the news recently as a new species has arose in Texas. This new species is not only big news, but big in size as well.

 Kids are told by their parents to stay away from a lot of things; drugs, strangers, stray dogs and the list goes on and on. But who would have thought that parents all around in Houston would be telling their children to stay away from snails? Of course this is no ordinary snail; it is a rather large species of snail known as the Giant African Land Snail. This invasive species was most recently found in Houston, and undoubtedly found its way there via one of the millions of shipping containers that hit the docks throughout the year. So what is it about this large, yet innocent looking creature that has caused so much alarm to bayou city families as well as large news outlets?

            This particular species of snail grow up to 18 cm long and can lay up to 1200 eggs a year. This snail has been declared as especially detrimental to eco systems not natural to its existence. They consume over 500 different types of plants and now that they are found in Houston, it is assumed that a significant effort will be utilized to keep the snail population from growing. The Giant African Land Snail (GALS) has existed in Florida for years now but is currently in the wild and has not made its way into contact with humans.

            Citizens of Houston have been warned not to pick up or touch a GALS as they are common carriers of meningitis as well as another infectious disease that has been known to cause harm and in some cases death. If you live in the Houston area and have spotted a GALS, it is recommended that you get in touch with the Texas Department of Agriculture.

            Houston knows all too well what it means to be dealing with an invasive species. Around six or seven years ago the term “Crazy Ant” began to be thrown around, as citizens began finding large populations of a new type of ant invading their homes. Colonies of this species of ant number in the thousands and on numerous occasions will cause electrical circuitry to short out as they tend to build homes in electrical junction boxes.        

            It is safe to say that with each female giving birth with up to 120 offspring a month, Houstonians will have their work cut out for them trying to keep the GALS at bay. And unfortunately, they probably will not make a good appetizer to entertain guests with. Serving up a dish of Meningitis is not a good way to keep friends.

Product Spotlight: Alpine WSG

Product Spotlight:

Alpine WSG

            Long since known as “The Chemical Company,” BASF is known worldwide for delivering quality effective products to a large number of industries. In the pest control industry, their products have been nothing short of excellent as well as varied. While most companies specialize in one or two areas of pest control, BASF has developed products for essentially anything. Their products consist of Aerosols, liquid insecticides, insect baits and even airborne insect traps such as the Vector Fruit fly Trap or 4 Allure Moth trap. A slogan on the home page of their website states, “We create chemistry for a sustainable future.” So in a politically heated market such as the Pesticide industry, what is BASF doing to allow for a sustainable future?

            The answer to that question is their Alpine branded line of products.  The active ingredient in this line of insecticides is Dinotefuran and has been deemed a reduced risk product by the Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A.). This is great for people like you and I who need an effective product but ideally one that is also less harmful to the environment. In total, there are eight Alpine products currently made by BASF. Once again, they are a wide variety of products ranging from dusts, to bait to aerosols. And since Dinotefuran is a non-repellant, which means the insects do not even know it is there, these products have a much better rate of reaching a larger number of the targeted insect population. And the newest of the Alpine products to hit the market is Alpine WSG, or Water Soluble Granule.

Alpine WSG comes in easy to use packaging, simply tear the sachet and pour directly into your sprayer. According to label instructions, it is recommended to mix anywhere from 10 grams to 30 grams per gallon of water. This product is labeled for Ants, Bed Bugs, German Cockroaches, Spiders, Mosquitoes and fleas just to name a few.

            As diagram depicts, this eco-friendly product can be sprayed just about anywhere and will kill just about everything. While reading the label, I learned that indoors it should be used mostly as a crack and crevice or void application. Outdoors it can be used in many more places, but the best part about the label on this product is that it tells you exactly where you can spray for the main insects you are most likely to use it for.

            It seems as though there will be many changes in the realm of killing bugs over the next few years, but products like this one ensure that no matter what direction pest control goes, there will always be effective products available to take care of all pest problems. Continue to follow my posts throughout the year so you can stay up to date on current pest control products and tactics. If you ever have any questions, email us or give us a call using the information on our homepage. Also, do not forget to check out or Pest Control Videos and watch along as Keith teaches some great techniques to help you get rid of whatever is bugging you that day.

To Bee or not to Bee

To Bee or not to Bee

            With talk all across the country of the severe downfall in populations of honeybees all across America, many scientists, farmers and other theorists have offered explanations of what might be leading to the sudden loss of honey producing bees. While most say it is directly related to certain types of chemicals, still others believe it is directly related to disease within a species of insect that is highly social with each other only greater increasing the effectiveness of the disease. Amidst all of this, there is even a new type of business that has emerged; bee outsourcing. A select number of beekeepers have began traveling the United States with their hives and for pay will help crop farmers pollinate the plants that would normally be pollinated by wild honey bees. All across the southwest though, a new species of bee has made its way up from South America, the Africanized Bee. One cannot help but wonder if this new species has played a part in the catastrophe that is harming the bees’ native to this country.

            Originally produced by cross-breeding African honey bee with a European honey bee, this particular species has made its name in the U.S. as being a highly aggressive species. The Africanized bee has a larger than usual number of soldier bees and thus is more likely to be protective of its hive that houses a queen bee lethal enough to kill off the queen bees of other species. The spread of this bee in the U.S. began in the early 90’s in south Texas and just 13 years later can now be found in 7 states and essentially all of the southwest. So what, if any, connection is there between this species and the dying off of the American honey bee?

            Since I am not an Etymologist and have done no research on the matter I can only speculate on the matter. But if there is a connection to Africanized bee and the decline of the American honey bee, then perhaps this it. If you are Darwinist, then this might fall right in line with your thoughts. When settlers came to America from England, they brought along a number of things that were foreign to Native Americans. From silverware to clothing, large boats to books, oh and do not forget disease. Yes, the settlers brought over diseases that the Indians had never experienced before and because of this, their immune systems could not handle the new infections which often times resulted in death. My point is, is it possible that the Africanized bee has done the same to our native species? Perhaps this new disease that our bees have no protection against has spread like a wildfire in a drought? As the range that this new bee covers expands, so has the American bees population declined; maybe they are linked. And if you are a Darwinist, then you would say that it is simply natural selection running its course. If the species is meant to survive, it will go on as such.

 

Skeetercide

            If you have been keeping up with this blog, then you have probably read my last post about mosquito prevention; if you have not, you should probably read my last post and come back to this post regarding products and tools you can use to kill this annoying pest once he has made his home in your backyard.

            In the last post, we learned what conditions are conducive to mosquito breeding and hatching. Now that we know these areas, we should try to remove them or, at the very least, treat them if removal is not an option. For areas that hold water and cannot be removed such as birdbaths, fountains, small fish ponds, horse troughs etc., you need a product that can be placed directly in the water without harming animals and fish.  Zoecon has just what the doctor ordered. Altosid Pro-G is a granular-based growth regulator designed to be placed in areas that hold water without fear of being detrimental to animals such as birds, fish or mammals. Mosquito larvae develop into full adults while in still water like the places I described above. When placed in bodies of water, Altosid actually sterilizes and kills the larvae – preventing them from developing into adults. This is a great product, and once applied, will remain effective for up to 21 days. Be sure to read the label instructions for proper usage and application rates.

            Now that we have tackled the water retention areas, it is also important to treat the shady areas.  Great examples of shady areas around your yard would be flower beds, trees and shrubs. Mosquitoes are most active around dawn and dusk, meaning they will most likely take up residence in the shady areas during the heat of the day. Consequently, the heat of the day is when you want to treat! Using a product like Cyzmic CS is a great option.  Using the proper mix rate when spraying shady areas every two weeks will maximize effectiveness. Like most insecticides, Cyzmic CS is non-selective, i.e., it will kill other pests such as bees if they come in contact with Cyzmic. This is important to remember when spraying areas such as flower beds, where bees like to frequent. Try your best to spray the shaded areas, and avoid the flowers and other plants bees help to pollinate.

            Finally, the Cadillac of mosquito control:  Automatic Timed Misting System. This great little setup is ideal for people who spend a lot of time in their yard and do not want to spend that time swatting at mosquitoes. Most systems use a 55-gallon drum filled with water to carry the misting insecticide through the tubes and nozzles placed around the yard. Set and intended to run twice daily (dawn and dusk), misting systems are extremely effective at eliminating the mosquitoes around your home. A misting concentrate such as Vector Ban Plus is a great choice to use. One half-gallon container is all you need for 55 gallons of water.

            Any one of these products is great way to help you get started combating mosquitoes this spring. Mosquitoes are not only a nuisance, but can also be dangerous as they carry many diseases such as lethal West Nile Virus.