Ants have a green thumb? According to an article in Scientific Magazine, ant farmers, like their human counterparts, depend on nitrogen fixing bacteria to make their gardens grow. It’s amazing how many human methods are already being used by animals!
Usually in my reports about “bad bugs” and trees the culprit is some exotic import. Not this time. A tiny native walnut twig beetle found in California, Arizona, and New Mexico known as “Pityophorus juglanois” was first discovered in 1959 as just another bark beetle, has recently been associated with the death of walnut trees all along the west coast as far north as Washington and Oregon, as for east as Idaho and Utah.
The little critter doesn’t do much harm, but it is suspected it carries a new disease coined “thousand cankers disease.” There is concern that the disease itself is exotic and that it may spread east to the white (English) walnut industry (where our edible walnuts are grown) and to the Black walnut trees of the northeast praised for its wood in veneers and furniture. So far No control is known… Stay tuned.
The male Oriental roach is approximately 1 inch long and females are approximately 1 ¼ “long. They are a dark red brown to black when mature. The nymphs (young) are light brown but darken with age. The male wings cover only about 75% of the body and the females only have small wing pods.
Oriental cockroaches are not common pest in homes. They can be abundant in sewers and commercial facilities, e.g. prisons, restaurants, hospitals, office and apartment buildings. Indoors, in homes, they can become abundant in damp secluded places such as crawl-spaces, basements and drains. They can over winter outside even in cold climates, where they live in, leaf litter, ground covers, under stones and other debris.
As with other cockroaches management programs should include seal up, caulking, sanitation such as removing their habitat as example, stored boxes etc… Baits and pesticide applications can be useful in their control. To find out more about our cockroach management programs, request a free consultation.
These insects are about 1/2” to 5/8” long when mature. They are found throughout the country and are extremely difficult to control because the female successfully raises the young which mature rapidly and reproduce. Some infestations are in the thousands in a very short time – Also known as the commercial roach, they are found in all commercial buildings where food, and water is available and occupied by man. Because they are able to reproduce so rapidly they are known to become resistant to pesticides.
They are transported to homes from infested grocery bags ect. They feed on all types of human food mostly at night and rest during the day in protected area usually in the kitchen and bathrooms. Heavy infestations may be found any where that is moist and warm however and may forage for food and water during the day.
Because German cockroaches are so difficult to control newly introduced products including food bags and appliances should be closely inspected to prevent infestations. Control is difficult at best. Sanitation, liquid and dry pesticide applications along with baits will help reduce this pest. Often, it is best to leave this troublesome cockroach in the hands of professionals.
Millipedes (Parasulus venustus) and other species, there are many; all have 2 pairs of legs on each body segment. A few years ago in the late spring they become so numerous in the mid west so as to create headlines in the papers and head aches for scientist like me. To this day we are not certain what caused the phenomena.
They are occasionally building invaders though its unlikely they multiply in the indoors. If you have a problem with them consider modifying your landscape. They are organic feeders and are especially faun of moist decaying leaves and mulch that is piled to deep against the foundation. Mulch reduces weeds improving soil and benefits plants but too much to close may create millipede and insect problems for your home.
Florida hotels are changing their inspection policies to actively let inspectors into rooms to search for bedbugs. A new policy by the Department of Business and Professional Regulations, Division of Hotels and Restaurants, which provides for inspections, formal warnings and a prohibition on renting bed bug infested rooms is being instituted.
The state department created its new policy after consulting with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other agencies nationwide according to the Orlando Sentinal.
The old law allowed they could only tell the hotel to remedy the problem because they had no authority to do more.
Chinch bugs are the most important lawn insect pests of St. Augustine grass. Lawn damage most often occurs in very hot dry weather but can occur anytime, usually in the sunniest areas of your grass. There are several home owner products that are labeled for chinch bugs in your lawn. Be careful to follow the label directions so it is safe for you and your St. Augustine lawn. Cinch bug damage is often confused with other lawn diseases.
Be careful with your diagnosis. If you have any further questions, “Ask the Doc”.
According to Howard Russel, Michigan State University Diagnostic Services, late summer is the time when problems with yellow jackets peak. Late summer is when they rear next year’s queens so they tend to be less tolerant towards those of us that venture too close. Also, queen rearing requires sugars and not protein (insects they fed on earlier in the year) so they tend to be closer to us with our fruit and soft drinks during this time of year.
According to Howard Russell, Michigan State University Diagnostic Services, late summer is the time when problems with yellow jackets peak. Late summer is when they rear next year’s queens so they tend to be less tolerant towards those of us that venture too close. Also, queen rearing requires sugars and not protein (insects they fed on earlier in the year) so they tend to be closer to us with our fruit and soft drinks during this time of year.
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