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Action Pest Management |
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Commercial - Residential - Industrial |
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Pest Information |
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· Ants · Stinging Insects · Ticks · Roaches · Spiders · Stored Product Pests · Termites · Mice & Rats · Fleas
Pest ants are usually divided into two groups based on their typical nesting preferences, either wall-nesting or ground-nesting ants. The biology and habits of each species are different, so a detailed knowledge of these for each species is necessary for effective control. The five most common wall-nesting ants are the carpenter and, crazy ant, odorous house ant, Pharaoh ant and the thief ant. The most commonly encountered ground-nesting ants are the Argentine ant, pavement ant, little black ant, velvety tree ant and fire ants. Ant control is a 5-step process: 1. Correct identification. 2. Location of the nest(s). 3. Baiting. 4. Perimeter barrier treatment. 5. Non-chemical control methods such as sanitation to remove ant food, removal of plants attractive to ants, changing landscaping to discourage ants and/or plants attractive to aphids (plant lice), tree and shrub trimming to eliminate entrance via branches, reducing moisture sources including condensation, sealing pipe and utility line entrances and replacing outside hollow-core doors with solid doors. STINGING INSECTS include bees, hornets and wasps, which are for the most part a very beneficial group of insects, being the major pollinators of flowering plants and helping to reduce the numbers of many insect pest species. These insects are categorized as being either solitary or social. Solitary species are those who members live independently of each other. Social species are those who live together in colonies or nests and which have an adult division of labor or caste system composed of workers, queen(s) and periodically, males. The more common solitary groups include the carpenter bees, cicada killers, digger wasps, mud daubers, potter and mason wasps, spider wasps and velvet ants. The more common social groups include the bumblebees, honeybees, hornets, paper wasps and yellow jackets. It is necessary to know which group of bees, hornets, or wasps you are encountering. Recognition of whether they are solitary or social and their particular nesting habits is essential for safety and control. Since bees, hornets and wasps are beneficial, control should only be done where there is an immediate threat to people or their pets or when peace-of-mind is required. TICKS are of great concern to the public not only because of their annoying and often painful bites, but more importantly because many are carriers of pathogens which cause diseases affecting humans and domestic animals. For example, ticks carry Rocky Mountain spotted fever, encephalitis and Lyme Disease. Tick control is usually a 5-step process. 1. Correct identification of the blood-feeding pest(s) involved. 2. Prevention. This consists of denying access into the structure of wild animal hosts or in the case of flying insects, to the insects themselves. 3. Reduction of on-host parasites. 4. Indoor control. Begin with sanitation to mechanically reduce pests. For ticks, this means removing or cleaning up harborage debris, cleaning or disposing of pet bedding, and vacuuming where appropriate. Sanitation is followed by the application of an appropriately labeled pesticide and/or Insect Growth Regulator to cracks and crevices. 5. Outdoor control. Begin with sanitation to mechanically reduce the number of pests. Depending on the pest involved, this may consist of debris removal, keeping the grass and weeds mowed, removal of bird nests from the structure and/or the elimination of alternate hosts and their harborage within 100 yards of the structure. Sanitation is followed by the application of an appropriately labeled pesticide and/or IGR. ROACHES have changed little during the millions of years they have been around. Most species are of tropical or subtropical origin. Although they are not social insects, they are gregarious or commonly occur in groups. They will feed on practically anything of nutritive value. Not only is their mere presence a nuisance but they are known to be capable of carrying many common diseases as well as causing allergic reactions in many people. The more common roaches that inhabit man’s dwellings are the American, Australian, brown, brown banded, German, oriental, Pennsylvania wood and the smoky brown. By far, the most common is the German cockroach. It is advisable to know the cockroach species being encountered because cockroaches vary in their food preferences and living habits. They spend about 75% or their time in crack and crevice harborages into which they can just squeeze. The most preferred harborages are those of the proper size that are located nearest food and water sources but which are warm and have a high relative humidity. Cockroach control includes prevention, good sanitation, inspection, initial insecticide application and a follow-up or maintenance service. SPIDERS are household pests. Wherever their food is available, spiders are likely to be found. All spiders are predators, feeding mainly on insects and other small arthropods. In the United States only two spider groups are considered dangerous to man, the black widow spider and brown recluse spider. Outside, black widows commonly live in protected places among and under stones and pieces of wood, in firewood piles, under decks, in hollow stumps and trees, in rodent burrows, and less often in low tree branches or shrubbery. Favorite places are dry man-made structures including barns, outhouses, hothouses, sheds, meter boxes, brick veneer, barrels and woodpiles. Indoors, they are typically found in seldom-used parts of garages and basements and in crawl spaces, preferring the more cluttered areas because they provide more harborage for their prey, which consists primarily of insects. Their webs are usually 1 foot in diameter. Outside, brown recluse spiders are typically found around rocks, piles of inner tubes, utility boxes, woodpiles and under bark. These spiders have been found in such places as outside rodent bait stations and infesting cedar shake roofs. Inside the home, they can be found in almost any undisturbed area to which they can gain access. They are most commonly found in boxes, among papers and in seldom-used clothing and shoes, although they can be found in corners, underneath tables and chairs, or in crevices such as those found along baseboards, doors and window moldings. Hence, storage areas such as closets, bedrooms, attics, crawl spaces and basements are the areas of greatest occurrence. They typically run for cover when disturbed. Bites have been reported to occur when putting on seldom-used clothing or shoes, when cleaning out storage areas and by rolling on the spider while in bed. STORED PRODUCT PESTS are commonly referred to as pantry pests. The beetles are the largest and most important group of stored product pests. The moths are the second largest group and second in importance. The mites are the next largest group but are usually of minor importance. In the home, good sanitation is the key along with the immediate transfer and storage of products packaged in paper, cardboard, or plastic bags into tight sealing jars or Tupperware-type containers; spices are usually all right in their metal or glass containers. A vacuum cleaner or synergized pyrethrin aerosol can be used to remove and/or kill exposed adults. After all debris has been removed from pantry cracks and crevices, an appropriately labeled residual insecticide should be applied. If the infestation source is not found in the kitchen or pantry, then check the closets, dresser drawers and display areas for jewelry and decorative items made from nuts, ornamental corn, or various grains and seeds. Other situations that support stored product pests include rodent droppings, bird nests, dead insects in attics, wall/ceiling voids, light fixtures, wasp nests, stored furs and woolens, as well as dry pet food and wild bird seed. TERMITES are social insects and live in colonies, which are usually located in the ground or in wood. Most termites feed on cellulose from wood and wood by-products such as paper. Subterranean termites have three castes: worker, soldier and reproductive. The question is often asked as to how many years are required before a newly-constructed building will show signs of a termite infestation. If a colony is started by a pair of subterranean termite swarmers at the time of construction, at least 3 or 4 years are required before even a few swarmers will be produced. Evidence of damage may take longer. However, if the structure is built over or close to a strong existing colony of subterranean termites, hundreds of swarmers may appear within a year. Also, in this situation, substantial damage might be noticed within a year. Termite control begins with a thorough inspection of the structure. Then a pesticide barrier is placed between the termite colony and the wood of the structure. The building’s owner is responsible for the elimination of wood-to-ground contact and rigid foam board, form–to-ground contact, above-ground moisture sources that might support secondary colonies, and the reduction of crawl space humidity through vents and/or polyethylene soil cover. MICE AND RATS The house mouse is the most commonly encountered and with the Norway and roof/black rats are among the most economically important in the rodent family. House mice are not only a nuisance, in that they damage/destroy materials by gnawing, but they eat and contaminate stored food. They are also of human health importance as disease carriers or vectors. Territory size varies but it is usually relatively small. If food and shelter are plentiful, they may not travel more that 4-5 feet from their nests. Mice are inquisitive. During the daily territorial patrol, they will explore anything new or changed and establish new travel routes if needed. Mice are nibblers and eat only small amounts of food at any one time or place. Although mice will eat many kinds of food, seeds are usually preferred. There are 2 main feeding periods, at dusk and just before dawn, with many other “mini” feeding times in between. They will sample new foods but return to the old food unless the new food is preferred. Their preferred nesting sites are dark, secluded places where there is abundant nesting material nearby and little chance of disturbance. Nesting materials include paper products, cotton, packing materials, wall/attic insulation and fabrics. Mice are nocturnal in habit. They require an opening of greater that ¼ inch to gain entry. Norway rats usually nest in basements and the lower portions of buildings, in piles of debris or merchandise as long as it is not disturbed. Once established, Norway rats tend to follow the same route or pathway between their harborage and food and/or water sources. As often as possible, they follow vertical surfaces, which their long whiskers can contact. The roof rat is smaller than the Norway rat. It not only damages/destroys materials by gnawing and eats and contaminates stored food, it is also of human health importance as a carrier of disease organisms. Although they will eat practically anything, roof rats prefer fruits, vegetables, and cereals. Runways along vertical surfaces will usually look dark or oily where the animal’s fur makes contact with the vertical surface. FLEAS have been responsible for spreading bubonic plague and indirectly transmit typhus and tapeworms. There is only one good way to treat fleas in the home. A liquid treatment throughout the house and infested areas, with a backup of an aerosol treatment. |
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P.O. Box 411 Centerville, Iowa 52544
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