How DEET works

Posted on June 19, 2009 by The Bug Doctor

N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide is more commonly known as the chemical DEET and it is used by nearly 100 million people per year in the United States alone. Developed for the military in 1946 it wasn’t made for public use until 1957. There are about 150 products that contain DEET available to you and I and have anywhere from 4% to 100% of this active ingredient. There is no age restriction on the use of this product as studies show no ill effects to children if the user follows the instructions on the label. According to the EPA there are no undesirable side effects in the short term use of DEET but if any adverse reactions occur you should wash it off and seek medical attention.

Although DEET is universally accepted as a excellent mosquito repellant scientist are still debating just how it works. You would think this would have been something they figured out back in 46 but apparently they were just happy with the results or maybe came to a conclusion that later was disproved but not replaced with the correct answer. In any event it is something that hasn’t been much improved on for some 63 years.

How DEET works; Theory One

The first camp of scientists theory is that the chemicals in DEET block the receptors of mosquitos and they simply cannot detect you. This idea is the one most accepted even though we know that mosquitos and other blood sucking pests find their prey by body heat, visually, carbon dioxide (or breath) and odors. On the surface you might be hard pressed to explain that mere ‘blocking’ of their receptors could repel a pest who can hone in on your heat and also see you but I could easily understand the masking of odors or c02. I’m no scientist and for years I believed this theory without giving it much thought and for 50 years it has not been challenged for probably the same reason.

How DEET works; Theory Two

Just in the recent months researches from the University of California,Davis have come up with what they believe to be the answer. It does have something to do with odor but not the masking of it or the jamming of the mosquitos senses but rather it just makes you smell bad to the mosquito and they simply avoid you.

When explaining the methods used one researcher put it this way;

First they identified a single olfactory neuron on one of the bug’s antennas that responded to DEET. Then, using a different way to deliver the chemicals to the mosquitoes, they tested the neuronal response first with the attractant alone and then in combination with DEET. There was no difference in response, suggesting that the DEET had not affected the receptor. “This clearly shows that there was no jamming,” Dr. Leal said.

Ordinarily this wouldn’t be such a big deal to you or I but in the mind of a scientist it can open up a whole new way to approaching pest control solutions. Researchers can now work with other chemicals that can achieve this goal that may be even more effective and work on a wider array of insects. Perhaps in the near future we may simply hang a small pellet around our neck or put it in our pocket rather than slathering up all our exposed skin with the aerosol spray. Maybe pests such as bed bugs in hotel rooms can be held at bay with something that produces a noxious smell that only they can sense. Time will tell but for now it seems we’ve added another brick to the foundation that was laid over 60 years ago.

Posted in Pests in the news | 1 Comment

The Acrobatic Ants Easy Elimination

Posted on June 17, 2009 by The Bug Doctor

The Acrobatic or Acrobat ant is one that is found throughout the United States and there are quite a few different species. Heaviest concentrations are found in the south and in some northern areas they are little or no consideration pest wise at all.

The acrobatic ant gets his name in two ways; one is the workers habit of raising their abdomen high up when disturbed looking much like an acrobat or ballerina. The other is their habit of walking along edges of buildings, cable lines, tree branches and the like. Much like a high wire act you can observe hundreds of them going to and from a home on a telephone wire or other such connection. The best way to identify this ant is to view its abdomen from the top, it resembles closely the shape of a heart. Why they didn’t name it the cardiac ant I’m really not sure.

These ants almost always nest in wet areas especially wet wood such as fascia, soffit, fire wood, rotten tree branches or water damaged and decayed wood. The colonies tend to be small in the northern states but can be quite numerous in places like Florida.

Normally the acrobatic ant is happy outside but on occasion they will invade a home in search of food. They are both protein and sweet eaters and will often be found going after Aphids on a plant or tree. They are able to sting and bite especially when disturbed but I’ve had a few hundred of them on me at one time or another and have never been more than tickled.

The reason acrobatic ants are relatively easy to eliminate is two fold.

  • Number one is that you can easily spot them as they travel in long trails and follow them back to the nest. Large colonies may have several of these lines but they all lead back to home base.
  • Termidor is labeled for this ant and use of this product can sometimes eliminate the need to track the ant to its destination. Apply Termidor to a sufficient amount of visible ants and let them do the rest of the work for you. The ‘transfer effect’ of this product uses the habits of grooming and communication between ants to spread the product to the rest of the colony and soon all the ants will die whether you psychically sprayed them or not. Termidor is not a ‘knock down’ pesticide so spraying them will not result in immediate death, just complete elimination sometime later.(time depends on colony size)

The bad news for do it yourself pest control people is that Termidor is not readily for sale to you. This means that you’ll need to either hire a licensed professional or spend the time trailing along with the acrobatic ants until they reveal their nest site. Sometimes this can be high in a tree or past your property line which can put you in a dilemma.

You can at that time choose baiting for this ant but I find they aren’t always in the mood for one type or another. One bait that they almost always take to is Terro ant bait. When so inclined they will take to it like thirsty cattle to a pond. With this approach you may need to repeat baiting for several days and each time you do you should see less ant activity until it has stopped altogether.

Of course if you find the nest or just decide to spray that can be successful as well. Most sprays labeled for ants will work just be sure to hit all the trails as far as you can follow them. If you find the wet wood they were living you should simply remove it or alter it in such a way that the wet condition will cease and any ants that survive will go elsewhere to establish a new home.

A few jobs I’ve recently done involved spraying the base of trees, long fence lines and of course all the entry points such as gutters and lines coming into the home. These clients were infested almost beyond belief and there was no place on the property that didn’t have a trail of acrobatic ants. Just by using these few techniques we cleared them out seemingly overnight.

If your area is prone to these high infestations I might suggest calling your local pro so he can make short work of your problem as well. That way the only acrobats you see from now on will be when the circus rolls into town.

Posted in Ants | 3 Comments

Potato recipe getting rid of Fungus gnats

Posted on June 16, 2009 by The Bug Doctor

In our quest for the latest technology and precision pesticide application mankind will spare no expense or effort to come up with a fail proof method or device to rid us of unwanted pests. Sometimes we need to lean back just a bit and listen to the wisdom and time tested truths that our older generation would love to impart if we would only take time to listen. This little gem comes from a sweet little old lady from some 20 years ago. To look at her you might think she was a bag lady or living on the streets but she had wisdom in a number of things and she imparted some useful pest control tips I still use to this day.

Fungus gnats can be quite bothersome although they are basically harmless. Some of an exterminators worst calls are for gnats and for the do it yourself pest control person it can be as equally maddening. A quick sweep of the web and you can get confused about which pest you have especially if you are trying to identify teeny tiny gnats. Without the correct identification most people try all sorts of different methods before they finally stumble upon the right one that eliminates the problem. I believe sometimes the gnats basically ‘run their course’ and disappear naturally but we coincide the sudden vanishing with our pest control method and from then on are convinced we have the answer.

What a fungus gnat looks like

Fungus gnats most closely resemble the mosquito only much tinier, normally black but some can be grayish. They aren’t the greatest fliers and tend to hang around your potted plants and can often be seen running on the leaves and stems.

Life Cycle

Thankfully the adult Fungus gnat only lives about a week but in that short time she may lay 100 to 150 eggs. These are laid in strings with about 40 eggs per and begin to hatch about 4 days later. The larvae (maggots) are the biggest problem even though we seldom see them. They live for about 14 days and eat the heck out of your plants root system and then move up the stem. From there they move into the pupae stage which lasts about 4 days. The adult emerges and the cycle begins again.

Control

The most obvious control is prevention and that is as simple as not over watering your plants. If you develop a case of Fungus gnats the first thing you should do (after you move the plants outdoors) is to reduce watering. Sometimes you can have good luck with sprinkling Diatomaceous earth on the soil and the tiny sharp shards will cut the larvae thus eventually kill them. They feed in the top layers of the soil so you may need to mix it in slightly. Yellow sticky cards can reduce the adult population somewhat but won’t cure the problem. Pesticides aren’t really recommended because you need to cut off the life cycle and filling the air with a fog or aerosol may make you feel like you’ve done something but it’s hardly worth it to kill a few adult gnats.

Potato Control

This brings us to the use of a potato. The larvae just can’t seem to resist the sight of a freshly cut potato laying on top of the soil. They will move to it very quickly and begin feeding like hungry rats in a dumpster. Simply cut medium thick chunks or slices of a potato and place it on the soil of your potted plant. In 3 or 4 days remove the slice and put in another. Repeat this process until you find no more larvae in your tasty potato trap.

Years ago Dan Quayle got in trouble because he couldn’t spell the word potato and insisted on adding an ‘E’ to it. It was a sixth grader who set him straight which would seem an unlikely source to teach this highly educated man. In today’s world with all our sophisticated equipment and products to solve our pest problems perhaps we should also look to a seldom used source, our seasoned citizens who’ve walked ahead of us all this time.

Posted in Flies and Gnats | 8 Comments

Bugs in your gutter

Posted on June 15, 2009 by The Bug Doctor

When is the last time you’ve cleaned your gutters? If you’re like me it’s not something you look forward to and you make the usual excuses until the time comes that you can no longer put it off. This may mean that leaves and debris mixed with water have sat up there for weeks on end or even months. This organic material breaks down over time and actually becomes dirt which can not only house insects but I have found small trees growing in gutters as well as gobs of earthworms crawling in the rich nutrient mix.(I have no idea how a worm gets in a gutter but it’s true) This combination makes for an irresistible soup for all kinds of insects and if unchecked large infestations may begin making their way into your home.
Continue reading →

Posted in Choosing a pest control company | 7 Comments

Trashing the competition

Posted on June 13, 2009 by The Bug Doctor

This may just be a bug a boo of mine but I hate it when a sales person puts down his competitor. Maybe it’s that I don’t like sales pitches to begin with but if I have to stand there and listen to trash talk or gossip about another company from someone I begin to tune them out and go to my ‘happy place.’

This happens in any industry I’m sure but in pest control it seems quite common. Maybe it is because the person has called out this new company who’s not quite living up to their expectations already so it’s easy to pile on or perhaps it is a new sales tactic that since I’ve been out of the morning sales rah rah environment for so long, I never heard about it.

When I present my services I almost never mention the other guy, how do I know the ins and outs of that company and why should I make a comment on hearsay or secondary gossip that can’t be proven. I’m often asked about so and so or my program is compared to theirs which would be an easy lead in to start slinging negative arrows but I never take the bait. I do point out the differences sure, but not to the point of running someone down.

Does this bother you? Are you turned off by this type of conversation or do you think it is something important that can help you make a buying decision? Take a moment and give your answer with this quick poll and let us know what you think.

Thanks for reading.

Posted in Choosing a pest control company | Leave a comment

There are bugs in my camper/ 15 minute treatment for your RV

Posted on June 12, 2009 by The Bug Doctor

Camping is fun and so many people enjoy the great outdoors and still have all the comforts of home. RV’s have come along way over the years and now have satellite TV, elegant furnishings, large comfortable beds and rooms that slide in and out that can instantly create a large living space but are still functional while you are driving.

One problem with camping out that will never change is the encounters with bugs. Not only the mosquitoes and gnats that can plague you as you hike or sit around the campfire but also the ants, roaches, spiders and any number of pests that may try and invade your home on wheels. Let’s face it you are going straight into enemy territory and unless you plan ahead you could have your trip ruined by pesky hoards of insects.

We all remember to bring the bug spray for our bodies, containers to keep the food secure and even protective clothing. That can be bit to organize but do we take the time to consider treating the RV?

I’m often asked to treat campers for insects but unfortunately only after my customer gets back from a week of fun where they picked up some insect hitchhikers. It could be sugar ants trailing all over the counters or a spider hanging out by the bathroom exhaust fan whose waiting for that huge roach to show himself again. I always find this interesting because it is sometimes a bug that I have never seen before. One such occasion I found a ‘Deer Killer’ which is a insect from the Arizona region. They are a really scary looking bug and for several months after that discovery I would find smaller Deer Killers in my clients home so they obviously unpacked a few.

How to treat your RV

Your camper or RV is really not to difficult to do pest control on because of it’s size and it shouldn’t add much of a burden to your check list.

 

  • Start with the exterior storage compartments. I would put ant and roach disk bait stations in the back corners out of the way. Maxforce makes these types of baits and they can take a lot of abuse while keeping the bait in tact. Consider mouse bait such as D Con for the compartments that will have hoses or electric lines running out of them. Mice are excellent climbers and may use this as a ‘ladder’ to gain access. Leave the box closed to avoid spillage. The mouse will easily chew through the cardboard anyway.
  • Inside you can use the same insect stations in similar compartments and definitely in any pantry where food will be stored. Under the sink is key, both in the kitchen and bath. There may be a void where the pipes go through the base and for that area you may want to use a residual aerosol or light dust. Most newer RV models are well sealed so you may not need to do a lot of void treatments. Another box of D Con mouse bait might be something to consider if you can squeeze it in somewhere safely. Leave it closed for the same reason stated above. It’s best to spray liquid insecticides should you decide to before you leave. The residual will last through the trip and I doubt you want to carry a gallon sprayer with you.
  • The only things you may want to bring along would be a aerosol can of insecticide for that occasional wasp or huge roach and a small baggy of granules that can be resealed once opened. The insect granules are great for a soil barrier to keep bugs from marching up and into the camper. Make sure to sprinkle all around the tires and special attention where any hoses or lines might touch the ground.

 

This should be more than enough for you to enjoy your camping experience without pesky bugs invading your space. It’s difficult to know specifically what you may encounter so don’t be dismayed if you have some ants that ignore your bait or you find a Deer Killer sunning himself on your dash board. Besides, you’re suppose to be roughing it anyway. Just grab the Raid and give him a shot and then get the remote, put your feet up on the recliner and grab some chips. I hear there’s a Bear Grylls survival marathon on TV.

Posted in Pest proofing series | 5 Comments

The technician carousel

Posted on June 11, 2009 by The Bug Doctor

Let’s face it, letting someone into our home to provide a service is an act of trust especially if you allow that person access to just about everything and can’t or don’t follow his every move. Unlike a plumber who may come in and just work under the bathroom sink or a repairman working on your TV, pest control technicians usually go through every room. They see just how you live and snoop about in their quest to make you bug free. Quite often the bug man will hand the homeowner a lost earring or misplaced item that he found under the bed while looking for insect evidence. You might raise an eyebrow if the plumber did that.

Most people are of the trusting nature and allow service men and women to do their work but for a new pest tech it’s not unusual for a client to ‘pal’ around for the first time or two while getting to know this person who’ll be servicing their home. Once a trusting relationship is established the homeowner hardly ever goes with them because they are comfortable in the service they provide and satisfied that he or she has their best interest in mind.

Many PCO’s (pest control operators) stay on their routes for a long time and get to know their customers very well. Besides insects they both talk of family, friends and experiences so that not only a business relationship but also a personal one grows. Not that they go out to dinner or exchange Christmas gifts but they do become like friends.

Then one day the company sends out a new PCO and the first question is, “What happened to John?” Maybe he was promoted, moved, got fired or quit but in any case the homeowner feels a little betrayed and now uneasy because he has to go through the process of learning about this new guy. It’s a little rough for the new arrival because he’s almost always compared to ‘John’ and he’ll have to prove himself worthy and keep reassuring the client by his actions and words. Eventually they both settle in and it all works out. That is the best case scenario.

The other end of the spectrum is that in the course of one year maybe two, is that ‘Johnny was replaced with Bill who then left and Sara took over but then Tim got the route only to disappear and have Jim show up. This can be quite disconcerting to anybody and quite often leads to dissatisfaction regardless of how good the service is from any or all the techs. I’m not sure what the percentage of people who cancel their bug service is due to changing personnel but I do know I receive my share of new customers for that reason. Confidence is a fragile thing when you’re never sure who is coming out to your home.

I’m not saying this doesn’t happen in the smaller companies but it does seem to be a problem more for the mega giants than the ‘mom and pop’ operations. Obviously the biggest reason is family companies don’t usually fire their brother and the sister may get a promotion but she’ll still be running the route, she’ll just have a nice new title now. Employee retention has always been a issue for larger companies and it’s not restricted to pest control.

Early in my career I was given a route and it took me months to get it organized, under control and the complaints down to a low level. I guess I did a good job because 9 months later I was asked to do the same on another route. I did that 3 or 4 times until I was finally given the commercial route. I suppose having to now get up at 4 am almost every morning was my reward for my organizational skills. With each new route I had to start at square one proving myself to new and unsure faces. It was just as hard for me as I’m sure it was for my new clientele.

In my business now I purposely send out my techs to different routes. Our office lets the client know ahead of time and that Kevin will be back the next time but he had a scheduling conflict so he can’t make it. We assure them that Jason will do a good job and they will like him as well. This eases the shock should a permanent change ever be made and I’m pretty sure we all have met most of our customers. I even get disappointed sometimes when I see a old customer of mine that I had for years and the first thing they ask is “Where’s Kev? He still works for you? Right? He is coming back?”

I thought they would be glad to see me, after all I serviced their home for years. My disappointment quickly turns to satisfaction however because I realize my guy’s have built a solid relationship with ‘their’ customers and that is a very good thing.

I never want to experience the downfalls of the technician carousel but I wouldn’t mind becoming a huge mega company one day. I suppose I’ll need to have about 100,000 more children to keep my formula in tact and of course expand my parking lot. Maybe for now I’ll keep it as it is but I wonder, does Kevin have any brothers?

Posted in Choosing a pest control company | Leave a comment

One Tip Every ‘Snowbird’ Should Know (Plastic Wrap Your Toilet)

Posted on June 9, 2009 by The Bug Doctor

As northern states wake up from the slumber of winter, snowbirds everywhere begin packing their bags and stowing their sunshine gear for the trip home. A ‘snowbird’ is usually a retiree who lives in a northern state but has a home in the south that they come to in the fall to escape the harsh winter. Conversely they head back home in the late spring to enjoy the milder summers and to catch up with the grand kids.

Most snowbirds go to great lengths to get their homes ready for the months it will be empty. All the lawn furniture gets put in the shed and locked away, phone lists are updated for the neighbor who’ll be watching over the place and all the necessary calls are made to the cable company, post office and water companies to arrange for the service to be suspended. Another favorite maintenance chore that almost all of them do is to put several pie tins or other such container filled with mothballs and charcoal all throughout the house. The charcoal or some use kitty litter is suppose to keep the moisture in check while the moth balls are intended to chase any and all bugs away. From the amount some use I think it would keep even an elephant out of the home.

A lot of my customers are snowbirds and even though they shore up their home in a similar manner they still leave me a key or arrange for the neighbor to let me in. Leaving no obvious stone unturned the typical snowbird doesn’t want to have bugs whether they are there or not but there is one tip that almost everyone forgets.

Plastic wrap your toilet

Silly as it must sound the commode is a main artery into your home and if left unprotected it provides free entry for roaches or anything else that may find itself in the plumbing system. As stated snowbirds or anyone leaving a home empty for long periods of time will turn off the water. This is a smart thing to do to avoid flooding from broken pipes but once the water is no longer flowing and the bowl of the commode goes dry it becomes Interstate 75 for unwanted pests.

Whether you are on city water, shared cistern or private septic system doesn’t matter as roaches (especially American and Australian roaches) thrive in those sewer environments. The constant supply of food and water makes it perfect for them and they really never have to leave the dark abyss if they don’t want to. With your absence however the daily food delivery dries up and they begin looking for new sources. Able to follow air currents with ease they make their way up the pipes and emerge into your home.

Once inside these roaches usually die off quickly for the lack of food and water as well as the treatment barrier they run in to. That’s little consolation for the homeowner when they arrive back at their winter retreat only to find tons of dead roaches all over the place.

For my customers I always give them tips on how to seal up the home for the time they are gone.Some listen and have very few problems while others feel that they are paying me and that should be ‘my job’ to keep the bugs out. Even for the folks who take my advice there is one thing that seldom gets done and that is to put plastic over the commode thus sealing it off and keeping the roaches out. Either way those are the homes I usually have to pick up 15 to 20 (or more) dead roaches every time I go. It’s hard to convince someone that you’ve been diligent in your service while they were away when every step you take across the kitchen floor sounds like you’re walking on croutons.

This simple and easy step is something you should consider even if you have a professional pest control service. All the spray in the world is great and even treating the empty bowl will help but the residual life of the chemical won’t be long and there isn’t a whole lot of products that are labeled for use in plumbing anyway.

Today I ran across three such snowbird accounts and two took my advice and one did not. One even had a variation of the plastic wrap I had not seen before. They filled a zip lock bag with water and placed it over the commodes bottom drain making a very effective barrier. The other who did not remember my tip had at least twenty roaches that I cleaned up and so I went into the cabinets and found the plastic and wrapped it for her. Her home has only been vacant for a short time so you can see how quickly things can escalate. All the pictures in this article are thumbnails and you can click to enlarge. Almost all of the dead roaches are American roaches and each of these homes get treated every two months. While my clients were home not one of them ever had so much as an Earwig inside so you can imagine the horror if they came home to such a mess.

I encourage all of my clients to look at my site and endeavor to teach everyone the virtues of good pest control and pest proofing their homes. Looks like I’ll need to do some more of that in a couple of months when this one gets back or maybe she’s reading this article right now and recognizes her commode. Either way she’ll know I was there by the lack of bugs and perhaps the surprise if she goes to use the potty without looking first. (oh boy-I hadn’t thought of that)

So after you have put the plastic Flamingos away for the summer don’t forget the other plastic that should now be on your list.

The plastic used to seal up your toilet.

Posted in Pest proofing series | 9 Comments

Baby spiders, grown up fear

Posted on June 8, 2009 by The Bug Doctor

Spiders illicit such strong emotions and frantic behavior from so many otherwise level headed people. The mere sight of a spider will send these phobic people into an instant tizzy and actually cause uncontrollable physical reactions. Shortness of breath, unable to move, upset stomach or they begin sweating profusely. This list represents more of the arachnophobia we usually think of but there is also the more moderate and even mild reactions that I suspect more people have rather than what see in the horror movies.

Still for almost everyone the sight of a spider can trigger deep emotions or reactions that aren’t on an everyday display until one of these misunderstood creatures crosses our path. I’m no psychologist but I believe that fear of spiders or even fear in general is more of a learned behavior than something innate.

I have been doing pest control so long that I have literally watched some of my customers kids grow up. As young kids they would love to follow the bug man and scream with glee when we came across a spider or crazy looking bug. They would get nose to nose with it and grab a jar or box to try and catch it. Fast forward 20 years and when I see them their attitude towards bugs have changed a lot. Very few are curious anymore and some are indifferent, at least I think they are as they give me a wave and point to a bug with their I Pods attached to their heads and thumbs a blaze in a texting marathon. Others however are suddenly frantic about bugs and don’t ever want to see one because if they do the fear they now have runs rampant. Maybe it is learned from movies or peers or perhaps it is the parents teaching over the years but most often it is unfounded and it was not part of their mind set so many years ago.

Probably the most reaction I see people have when it comes to spiders is when they see the babies

It usually happens when an adult is spotted and the person grabs a shoe or can of Raid and tries to kill it. What they didn’t see was the hundred or so baby spiders (spiderlings) riding on the mothers back and once struck the babies begin to scatter in all directions. This exodus for safety seems to elevate any fear they had through the roof. Suddenly the can of Raid hits the floor and the shoe gets tossed as they run away screaming or perhaps become frozen with fear.

At that point my phone rings and this dire emergency cannot wait, even if they mustered up the courage to hose the room with the entire contents of the can and every spider’s seems to have succumbed to the spray. The vision of hundreds of tiny poisonous arachnids won’t be denied and they need service NOW. No amount of consoling phone conversation will do and even when our tech arrives it’s very difficult to calm their fears.

The unexpected can throw anybody for a loop but to have a couple hundred 8 legged devils suddenly stampede off the back of the mortally wounded mother is just to much for most people. As I said, I’m no psychologist and I didn’t even spend the night in a Holiday Inn but maybe a little shock therapy might do you some good. From the safety of your keyboard you can watch these baby spiders in action and feel completely safe. Perhaps by watching them for awhile you might realize your fears are something you can conquer and you can stop sleeping with the can of Raid by your bedside.

MAYBE NOT

The truth about Americas most deadly spiders” is a free e-book which you can choose to download and read at your leisure. Simply sign up for my also free newsletter and it’s your to keep. This is the first of many detailed writings that I have planned and I truly hope that you’ll enjoy it and use the information to keep your home spider free. If you missed the sign up box when you logged onto my site simply fill out the newsletter request form at the right of this page and shoot me an e-mail and I’ll get it right to you.

Information is a powerful thing and I hope together we can put to rest any undue arachnophobia’s.

Grab Your Free Copy Below

Posted in Spiders | Leave a comment

Pincer bugs aka Earwigs

Posted on June 7, 2009 by The Bug Doctor

Over the years as a bug man you get pretty good at figuring out what bug a customer is trying to describe just from a few tell tale words. Of course there is the other side to this where they say. “It’s black and has wings and I think it has teeth,what is it?” Then maybe even the best of us need a little more information.

The earwig is one that is almost always described as having ‘pinchers’. Technically it’s ‘pincers’ but nobody really calls them that. Some will say they are on the front and others will tell you they are the size of a pair of pliers but pinchers none the less is always a key word that leads me to an answer for my client.

The pinchers on an Earwig are almost completely harmless, I say almost because they can arch their backs and give you a wee tiny prick. So on the scale of harmless they are about a 0.001.

Actually the pinchers are used in their little world for defense, capturing and holding the prey that they catch so they can eat them and it’s also how you can tell the boys from the girls. For the most part Earwigs eat just a little of everything including plant leaves, other insects, dog food, garbage or organic material. Usually the leaf damage they do is very little and you wouldn’t notice much if any of your pets food missing if it weren’t for the occasional Earwig who gets trapped in the slippery bowl.

Preferring to feed at night this insect would rather be left alone but their high need for moisture can bring them into our homes from time to time. There are occasions where the ‘nuisance’ becomes a full fledged invasion and that is about the only time you really need to consider some type of control method.

The $64,000 dollar question / How to get rid of Earwigs?

I’m often asked this question and I see it on forums and comment sections of web sites all the time. The biggest reasons that Earwigs are entering your home are for food and for moisture. Eliminate those two and you’ll be left with only the few who just wander in by chance. Now you might be saying, “I don’t live in a moist house, why would they come in my home?” The answer is simply that they don’t know your home is not some Mecca for a nice moist bed of leafy green plants they can eat. They just know that outside it may be to dry and they’ve got to go on the move to find what they need. Or sometimes the sprinkler head may be pointed towards your home and the excess moisture in your mulch allows them to build up in large numbers and as they wander they find a crack or slip in under the door thinking they’ll find much of the same environment inside. Regardless the common denominator is the moisture and they are always in search of it. Food is the other reason and there is not much you can do about plant leaves or organic material. You can however try to limit leaving pet food just outside the door or inside next to the sliders. They will find it every time and once they have their fill it’s off to your bedroom to hopefully catch the Tonight show with Conan O’Brien.(He’s quite good) There are other helpful hints in this category that you can read up on that will help a great deal. Most often a simple crack and crevice treatment and a little baiting outside will be all that’s required from your pest control professional and the problem should subside. One other home remedy that I hear works quite well is to dampen some newspapers and roll it up. Place the paper just outside where you think you have Earwigs and they will crawl into the papers seeking moisture and die. I’m not sure if it’s the ink that kills them or the story about the economy on page two but according to some old timers I know, they say it works.

Whenever I see an Earwig in my home I almost always try to scoop him (or her) up and put them back outside. The benefits of having them far out weigh the need for getting out my 300 feet of hose and blasting the exterior of my house with 30 gallons of insecticide. I used to pick them up with my fingers but then I got pinched a few times so now I use a dust pan or piece of paper. I guess you might say I have a low pain tolerance.

Posted in Earwigs | Tagged , , , | 287 Comments

Invisible Pest Control At Theme Parks

Posted on June 6, 2009 by The Bug Doctor

This past week my family and I had the most wonderful time playing in the theme parks of beautiful Orlando Florida. Either I’m getting older or the rides are definitely pushing the envelope because I’ve never felt more G-forces in my life. If you get a chance you have to try out Sea Worlds new Manta ride and you’ll see what I mean.

As I’ve done for the past 25 years I always look around for signs of pests, pest control and what companies are servicing the area I’m visiting. This trip was no different and my family’s reaction is always the same. They keep walking and pretend they don’t know me as I’m inspecting the exterior rodent station or other evidence I see along the way.

What amazes me about these huge complexes is the complete lack of bugs. Sure Disney has a huge mouse problem but that critter is about 6’3 and I leave him and his wife alone. But as I sit on a bench or walk the grounds I see no ants, earwigs, crickets or roaches of any kind. What’s more I see very little evidence in the way of pest control service at all.

A few years ago we did the Disney parks and my brother in law wanted to take a tour behind the scenes of a hydroponic garden. It was there that I learned some of the secrets of how they keep the grounds virtually pest free.

Part of the pest control program was grown right there in small tanks in a back room. Parasitic wasps were being raised and let go to take care of all sorts of pesky insects that otherwise would populate out of control and make the guests stay miserable. These beneficial insects are harmless to humans and seek only their prey and soon die off. UN noticed by the millions of visitors per year they kill untold numbers of bugs and no one is the wiser. In our tour I did notice a few Max Force ant bait stations which gave me hope that I wasn’t too far out of their league in the pest control world.

For this year’s adventure we did mainly the water parks and Sea World and it was pretty much the same. Near ‘City Walk’ however we did come across a budding horde of bees which was being handled quite nicely. Instead of calling out the National Guard and exterminating the beneficial bees they simply roped off the area and put in a large cardboard carton type pot. The bees took to it right away and showed no sign of wanting to leave. I’m sure once established they would remove the carton and spare the bees from a toxic fate while giving the guest’s a safe photo op during the time they were there.

The only other evidence I saw this time of pest control service was while I was on top of a huge water slide. Down along the fence line I could make out large rodent stations placed about every 50 feet or so. Once down the slide I couldn’t see any stations, only the beautiful landscaping and surroundings.

I’m sure no one has counted the hundreds of thousands of ice cream cones that have hit the sidewalk and the little children who begin instantly crying for Mom and Dad to shell out another $ 4.00 for another one or the 20 tons of pizza crumbs that fall to the ground each week. You might have an easier time counting the ants that come out of the wood work heading to clean up this bountiful feast. That would be, zero and even if there were the grounds crew are right there cleaning it up even before it begins to melt. Even as I sat relaxing on the beaches of Discovery Cove waiting my turn to swim with the dolphins there was neither an ant to be seen nor a mosquito to swat at.

I did see a few birds that found refuge in the rafters of Shamu stadium and the ‘no roost’ wiring to keep them away but I’m sure that won’t be for long when the secret pest control operators find the breach in their control techniques. Pigeons are considered ‘rats with wings’ to most who know of the disease and filth they carry but I did not even see one of them. (Seattle could take a lesson)

In the behind the scenes tour I asked who did the service at the Disney parks and they would only say that “they had a program in place” and used only natural means of pest control. Sea World employees were equally ‘mum’ on how or who it was done by. My guess is that they have their own in house crew headed up by some extremely sharp people and perhaps contract out only when needed. I’m also convinced that they rely heavily on the skills and efforts of the parasitic wasps. With so many different people from around the world who have different allergies, tolerances to pesticides etc. they would be required by law to post signs of pesticide applications and I have never see a single posting. While any traditional service would be done after the parks closing their natural methods could be working all day long with no ill effects to anyone.

The only thing I can think of that traditional pest control operators have done on the same scale would be the recent Olympic Games in China. Rentokil which is the 3rd largest pest control company in the world was hired to keep the games pest free and it was quite the under taking. The service actually started the previous year and measures were taken to kill immature stages of insects before they could complete their lifecycle and come out right around the time the torch was lit. Many natural methods were used and even some of the largest air dam doors were installed at the stadium entrance where the marathon runners would enter for the last leg of their race. Hundreds of technicians were flown over and even some were sub contracted from other companies. They worked hand in hand with Chinese employees and together this mammoth job was done with very few outbreaks.

I’d like to commend the technicians and the people behind this hugely successful job and tell them how impressed I am that given the sheer numbers of insects that live and breed in Florida that they are doing the impossible. I wouldn’t mind taking a leave of absence from my work to go and learn just how they do it. I’m sure I wouldn’t impress them much with my knowledge of glue traps and how I can hide them so only a mouse will get caught or how my baiting techniques for roaches are better than most. I’d love to shake their hands to say a job well done but I can’t.

I can’t because for the most part, these pest control professionals are invisible and their hands are really small.

Posted in Tools of the trade | 8 Comments

Green Mouse Droppings

Posted on June 5, 2009 by The Bug Doctor

Did you know that mice can produce 150 droppings per day? That’s a lot of running to the bathroom. Well, maybe you don’t want to hear this or maybe you know it already. Mice poop almost anywhere they are. Running across your dish strainer, in your silverware drawers or running up a wall it just doesn’t seem to matter.

The intestinal tract of a human is about 30 feet on average and while the house mouse’s is proportionally similar their bowel activity is far greater than ours. The metabolism of a mouse is very active and they defecate almost constantly. It never ceases to amaze me just where I find mouse droppings and how many.

Quite often we get concerned customers who call and say they’ve found green or red ‘turds’ in their homes. “This has to be some sort of exotic animal or maybe a roach from Madagascar they exclaim, it can’t be the common house mouse”. Convinced they have some rare or abnormal creature they are eager for a pest control professionals help.

Within minutes your friendly pest control technicians narrows down the answer and has the proof in his hands that came from behind your refrigerator or under the sink. It’s a box of D-Con or some other mouse bait and the feed pellets are a nice emerald green. It’s easy to see that a mouse (or two) has been eating there because they have left some fine powdery crumbs behind and perhaps gnawed on the box itself. Usually there isn’t any droppings in the box contrary to their habit of ‘going # 2 anywhere anytime.’ Mice are generally a clean animal as far as personal hygiene they just don’t care much for yours. D-Con bait is usually green in color while the other most widely used color is red. So if you are seeing these colorered droppings you know that those mice have eaten your baits.

It’s difficult to say that red or green droppings mean the mouse has gotten a lethal dose or not from the baits since food passes through their systems so quickly. What you can surmise however is that they have accepted the bait (which is usually not a problem) and if they haven’t got enough already, they’ll be back for more.

In most situations we are happy to see the decorated mouse fecal matter because we know that we may be near the end of the infestation. One thing that demoralizes PCO’s everywhere however is where we find these baits. It’s one thing to have your target pest get into your lethal box of rodenticides but it’s a whole different matter when your puppy or other non intended animal finds a box of brightly colored bait in the open and fills his belly.

While green poo is a great sign for a mouse infestation, it’s a horrible thought when man’s best friend produces these brightly colored signs of death.

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Posted in Rats and Mice | Tagged , , , , , | 24 Comments

Convert your sprayer into a professional applicator tool

Posted on June 2, 2009 by The Bug Doctor

For most people a sprayer is just a sprayer and not much thought is put into it. Whether it sprays erratically or too much doesn’t matter as long as it gets the bugs all wet and kills them dead or so the saying goes.

Having a quality spray can make a huge difference in your effectiveness and goes along way in the safety department as well. Notice I didn’t say a “quality sprayer” but a “quality spray.” You don’t need to spend the full $ 300 plus dollars to get a professional sprayer but you may want to invest a little time, effort and just a few bucks to give you the accurate pin point application tool you’ll need in your war on bugs.

The problem with almost all hand pump sprayers you can buy is that the choice of spray patterns is very limited. Basically the do it yourself sprayer goes from a thick, sloppy pin stream for cracks and crevices to an uneven, equally sloppy cone pattern that is used for treating larger areas such as carpets for fleas. Both patterns are extremely heavy and use a lot of material fast, plus there is very little help in between the patterns as you spin the spray head to adjust. The thick pin just gets thicker and the cone spray gets thinner and eventually you are just spraying a perfect circle around your wrist.

There are better spray bottles available but they are usually the squeeze trigger type that siphon and pump liquid as you are repeatedly squeezing the trigger. Although it can produce a nice tight pin stream or even a decent fan spray pattern its major downfall is that all that squeezing (pumping) makes it impossible to be very accurate. If you have a lot of spraying to do your arm will get very tired quickly and that just increases your off target application.

Now you might be saying “what’s the big deal and why does it matter? The area still gets sprayed right?”

I guess that may be fine if you are spraying weeds or ant mounds but if you are attempting a German roach job in and around your kitchen you are going to need to be careful not to over-spray and causing a dangerous mess that’s difficult to clean. Roaches are extremely keen already about avoiding pesticides so if you just slop it around the area you may just be doing more harm than good in more ways than one. Flea treatments are meant to cover larger areas but uneven sprays can cause staining and excess wetness is never good especially if you are treated furniture.

The control of a professional sprayer

You friendly bug man knows all too well the benefits of having a sprayer that can deliver the exact pattern or stream that you need. With a quick adjustment of the spray tip you can go from a fine pin stream for the smallest of crevices to a nice wide fan spray that can quickly cover large areas in an even metered way. The treatment is so much more exact and deliberate with little waste and mist that can go off target. Rather than a large puddle in the corners of your home or dripping baseboards that every curious puppy loves to lap up, you get an even professional application that hits its target every time.

What sprayer should I use

As of this writing I haven’t found anything better than a professional hand pump tank sprayer to get the job done. The two major brands are B&G and Chapin sprayers and thankfully for the do it yourself pest control person they are available for purchase if you’re willing to do a little hunting. Auction sites such as Ebay always have more than a few of these tanks for sale. You might get quite the deal with auction sites but most often I find the price even goes higher than if you just ordered through the company themselves.

Now so far this can’t be that much help for you, this is suppose to be a place where you can get money saving tips and spending over $300.00 for the occasional pest job you’re going to do doesn’t quite seem to fit this theme.

Modify your current sprayer

The answer for most people is to take the best attributes of a professional applicator and combine it with what you already have. I do this with our backpack sprayers and it works very well. We use large backpacks for our exterior treatments and have the same problem as you do with the store bought sprayers. The wands that come with the standard backpack have the same under performing tips and I hate using them. The B&G sprayer is Ok for exterior but you can’t pump it up enough to reach the really high peaks and you end up filling up your sprayer about every other job. To gain the same benefits as the indoor sprayer and the backpack I simply attach a wand from the B&G to my backpack. You can do the same with your hand held pump sprayer for about half the cost and transform your sloppy applications to a pin point accurate treatment applicator that won’t fail you.

The same auction sites will have just the wands for sale and depending on the length you want you may get away with $100.00 or less. Make sure to do your due diligence and ask questions to make sure they are in good working order. The shorter the wand the lower the price for the most part and for pest control purposes longer doesn’t always mean better. Just make sure the tips (which are brass) have clear working holes where the different spray patterns come out. You may want to check the manufacturers sites for prices but you’ll soon learn that most of the cost in a professional sprayer is in the wand itself.

How to attach the wand

Most hoses that are used for hand held spray tanks are about 1/4 inch, if yours is much different you may need to purchase a reducer or coupler to make the connection. For our backpacks I don’t do anything to fancy. I simply cut cleanly or remove the hose from the stock wand. Apply a little silicone or grease to the inside hose end and slip a small hose clamp over the hose. The base of your new wand is threaded and you can go through the process of buying threaded couplers which would be ideal but most hoses will allow you to simply force the end over the threads with a little twisting until none of the threads are visible. Then you simply move your clamp up to the joined area and tighten with a screwdriver.

Now your old plastic underachieving sprayer is ready for action. Your crack and crevice treatments will never be better and the flea jobs you perform will rival the best any pro might do. This may seem like to much effort but converting your old sprayer and gaining the superior control over what and how much you spray will make you a true believer, one might even say, you’ve been converted.

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Termite inspector damage (why inspectors tap wood)

Posted on May 30, 2009 by The Bug Doctor

A disgruntled homeowner was once asked how his termite inspection went and if he had any damage?
He replied;

I ended up with damage alright but it wasn’t from termites. The inspector checking for them drove a screwdriver into all of my baseboards and window sills! Who’ll fix that?

This unfortunately is a common problem and it can be much worse than that. For some reason there are wdo (wood destroying organism) inspectors who must think it is there right or duty to gouge your baseboards, wood trim and bang dents in your drywall in the name of termite inspecting. They may use knives, screwdrivers, awls or picks but whatever the tool is the only damage visible when they are done poking around is from them.

I’m not sure what the rules or laws are in every state but for the most part I’m sure this type of invasive probing is not in the ‘spirit’ of what is allowed. In Florida you are only suppose to pry or probe when visible evidence is present of a wdo and then only enough so you can make a positive id. Anything else is considered defacing property and besides that it is mostly unnecessary.

A visual inspection

The biggest knock on termite inspectors is they can only see about 10% or less of any structure they inspect. You can’t see through the drywall to view the studs, you’re not required or sometimes even able to move all the furniture away from the walls and even the attic with all of its exposed roof trusses has half or more of its termite food hidden by insulation. Termite inspections are meant to be visual inspections only and as such an inspector who is already limited is even more so restricted if he relies on just his vision alone.

What most states have done for this dilemma is added verbiage to their rules that allow for ‘tapping’ of wood trim and baseboards. This added language is supposed to aid the technician in his quest to find hidden damage and galleries that termites have caused by their feeding. What has happened for the most part is inspectors interpret this to mean they can beat the daylight out of your home and repeatedly stab at its exposed wood with no regard since in their mind, ‘it falls under the job description.’

Sound thinking

You might think that the tapping would produce a special hollow sound and that is what the inspectors are listening for. To a point you are right, severely damaged wood does give off a hollow sound when tapped. I can even hear it at times when I’m treating with a liquid sprayer and the pin stream hitting the frail wood gives a distinct noise. What tapping really exposes however is the weak wood and the thin baseboard or trim that gives way when firmly struck. At that point an inspector is well within the definition to probe just enough to confirm or even rule out termites. In no description or modicum of common sense should it allow you to rip half the baseboard away just because of a small area of weakened wood.

Using other methods to probe

A good inspector uses more than just a screwdriver and as a matter of fact he usually uses the handle of the screwdriver for tapping and only the blade when he deems it necessary to probe. Other non invasive tools may be a moisture meter that can detect the presence of excess moisture inside the walls. Subterranean termites require about 20% moisture when they leave the soil and if they can’t find it they’ll bring it up in the form of soil. They even construct mud tubes that help them keep in the precious moisture that they need. Your hands and fingers are another excellent way to feel for abnormalities and after years of experience you can find termites with your sense of touch. I’m constantly running my hands around window and door frames feeling for bubbled paint or soft wood. A magnifying glass is a must for any inspector’s tool kit as it will allow you to see even the tiniest detail of evidence that only termites leave behind. Small picks like dental tools and a hacksaw blade for retrieving evidence from the thinnest of cracks. Termite collection devices to physically suck termites and termite evidence out of small exit holes or exposed galleries are also crucial. Bore scopes can be great but they have yet to make one small enough that also has its own light source to really be effective. I have one that can fit into a 1/16 inch hole but it doesn’t help much when all I see is black.

There are very expensive tools such as thermal imaging, listening devices, X-ray equipment and even dogs that can greatly enhance the inspection non invasively but these are out of reach for most and consumers are unwilling for the most part to pay higher prices to justify the expense.

Nothing however beats field experience regardless of the tools because without it you wouldn’t be able to know just ‘where’ to direct your efforts.

Inspections can and do involve probing and sometimes since the wood is damaged badly already or with the homeowners permission it is acceptable to ‘dig in.’ But to damage otherwise sound trim boards and cause unsightly difficult to fix and permanent marks is uncalled for.

Posted in Termites | 1 Comment

Selling a house with termite history

Posted on May 28, 2009 by The Bug Doctor

Let’s face it, in this housing market when you get an interested buyer the last thing you need is for them to walk because of termites. They may love the home, day dream about sitting on the back porch and watching the sunset through the tree line you planted years ago and the schools and neighborhood couldn’t be better. Just when it gets down to negotiating a price and deciding which title company to use they see in your paper work an old receipt for some termite work and that starry gaze off the back of the home turns into a horrified look of terror as they wonder if the house will still be standing after closing. People have a wide variety of reactions when it comes to bugs and it most often is a sale killer if the words

termites back in 06

are whispered out somewhere in the walk through in the interest of full disclosure but you really hope they didn’t hear you. This is a HUGE investment for anybody and you can and should try to handle it in such a way that everybody knows what the full history of the house is and why it is a sound investment. This is for both your protection and theirs.

I’ve seen all sides of this situation and have been the hero who’s saved someone from a bad purchase and the evil inspector whose been called every name in the book. Depending on which side of the transaction you’re on usually tells you who called me what. (I’ve been both at the same time which is quite the feat)

There have been a few times where people have actually tried to cover up damage and hide termite evidence but they usually have done such a poor job that I spot it quickly. One man even painted over the rather obvious termite mud tubes on the piers of his home, I guess he thought that just last week I was a news paper route delivery boy and just got this job. Others go to great lengths to cover the damage with new wood or paneling to try and get their ‘clear’ report. I guess they figure when and if the damage is discovered that my companies insurance will happily pay the bill while they are off scot free. Since by law I have to keep my records for 7 years I take my inspections very seriously just like any good inspector and it is far and few between that I miss in this situation. I am human however and I probably have been duped a time or two which really doesn’t say so much about me as it does the wretched seller who wanted to save a few bucks in such a callous way.

Ok, so here you are and you want to put your home on the market but you know you’ve had termite issues and perhaps damage. What do you do to prevent the seller from running away when you disclose this information?

 

  • Have any and all documents together in one folder ready for them to look at. Even if you are no longer under a termite guarantee or contract pull out all the records. If you are still current have the recent receipts on top showing the service you received and don’t hide any retreats that may have occurred. If there are no records at least look to see if there is a ‘treatment sticker’ (usually on the fuse box) and call that company and see if they can send you any copies. Disclosure verbally is hard to prove in court but things in writing perhaps even with a signature that they saw it can’t be denied.
  • Show them exactly where the known activity was and how it was rectified. If you had damage and had it repaired, show them the paperwork and go to the same lengths as described above. Also give them the insider tip on how the bugs gained access and how you fixed it so that would never be a problem again.ie. A leaky gutter or siding that went below grade that you’ve since cut away.
  • Be honest about what happened and have both realtors present when you disclose. Don’t hide anything for sure but you don’t have to re-live the horror either. Be calm and positive about the steps you’ve taken and get it out there in a way that’s easy to digest.
  • Get it in writing that you have disclosed this information. A simple note on a piece of paper will do with their contact information that you’ll use to let the termite company know of their ‘new customer’.
  • Insist on the buyer choosing a termite company to do the wdo report-this is very important. Using ‘your guy’ may be a noble gesture and besides he may do it for free since he’s in charge of the account anyway. Don’t do it as any lawyer or judge will smell ‘conflict of interest’ even if it is not true.
  • Consult your realtor if you have one because they know how to deal with these things but never play the ‘hush hush’ game because that gets you nothing but trouble.

 

Another fact that needs to be talked about is that women buy houses and not men. Guy’s will laugh off that dangling 2×4 with bugs swarming out of it thinking they can handle it with a few swings of the hammer. It’s when they get in the car on the ride to the next house that their wives let them know. “I won’t be living in any termite infested house, are you crazy?” The ladies rule the roost on this one and like it or not that is a fact of life. Talk directly to the lovely lady who has the power and let her know that everything was taken care of and that the home is safe and secure and you’ll be that much farther ahead of the game.

I’ve done pest control in many parts of the country and each state seems to have the same motto.

There are only two types of homes in (your state here). Those with termites and those who are going to get termites.

You can add one more line to this over used cliché.

The third type is those who had everything taken care of and this beautiful safeguarded home is ready for you to move in to.

Posted in Termites | 9 Comments