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Go to Pests in the News

Termites
It's swarm season!
While working
around the yard be sure to watch for signs of termite activity. These
include mud tubes on foundations and also damaged wood, don't let
your guard down just because you haven't had a swarm. Also look
for small wings on window sills or doorway threshold. Wings are evidence
of termite activity. Be sure to not allow any structural untreated-wood
to come in contact with the soil. Even treated wood should be inspected
periodically for signs of activity, especially larger dimensional
lumber used for support piers.
Mature termite
colonies start new colonies by means of swarming, which is the colony's
release of alates (winged
reproductive termites) in great numbers. Colonies usually
take several years of development before they will actually swarm.
During this time before first swarms they focus on building their colony.
An indoor swarm means that the termites are very likely infesting the
structure. It's a good idea to get the building inspected and make a
determination of whether or not a treatment is necessary.
Infestations can also start from roof areas where conditions permit
alates (swarmers) to start a colony.
Unfortunately,
in South Carolina we have a more damaging termite spreading through
the state. This termite is the formosan (Coptotermes
sp.) while our native species is the Eastern Subterranean (Reticulitermes
sp.).
In 2000 formosans were found in Rock
Hill and they have been infesting structures
in Charleston for many years causing millions of dollars in damage.
They also have spread into North Carolina in the Spindale/Ruth area
of the state. These termites do considerably more damage in a shorter period of
time. It's
best
to
take action when
these
are
found. Formosans can swarm year-round but they usually occur in
the evening which sets them apart from our native species.
The best
preventative measure is to have your home inspected annually by a
professional. Today's termiticide treatments provide a shorter period of
protection lasting only three to seven years but pest control companies
have many new effective tools at their disposal to combat this menace that
causes over $2 billion dollars in damage per year in the United States
alone.
Again, the
most important measure for structural protection from termites is
detection which simply involves having a professional
annual inspection of your property.
Ants
These structural invaders are searching for
food and moisture around homes, and
inside too. Think of them as nature's army - constantly
patrolling and searching. Many pesticides merely scatter and/or splitter
their nests or colonies creating an even more difficult situation to
control them. We often hear of homeowners getting so frustrated with
ants that they try remedies which are downright dangerous. It's
often crucially important to fully understand the specific type of ant in
order to control them. Call in a professional to safely eliminate these
pests.
Spiders
These structural invaders are setting up their webs in protected areas around homes, and
inside too, to capture their prey. Knocking webs down alone won't deter their
persistence. A properly placed application will stop them and their prey
from gaining access to your home.
Bedbugs
Bedbug infestations are on the rise. Pest control companies have reported a
tenfold increase in bedbug service calls in Florida since 1999 and NC State
also reports an increase in these insects being sent to them for identification.
Bedbugs have been associated with filthy conditions but this isn't so and even
upscale hotels can have infestations. The increased use of Integrated Pest
Management techniques in pest management are thought to be the cause. Practices
such as the use of baits, which target specific pests like the cockroaches,
leave secondary pests in the ecosystem uncontrolled, allowing them to flourish.
Mosquito
The very wet weather has mosquito populations
proliferating.
There are many steps you can take to help reduce their populations.
Here is a link to the Clemson
information web site West
Nile Virus Info . Many Pest Control Companies
also have mosquito control programs. For those looking for controlling
mosquitoes on their own, here is a word of caution from the University of Florida
which also holds true here, "Recently,
there has been a number of products advertised as mosquito traps.
One type generates carbon dioxide to lure the mosquito and then sucks
it into a bag. Other derivations use octenol as an attractant. The
devices range from a few hundred to fifteen hundred dollars in cost.
Gas and octenol must be replaced at various intervals. Researchers
are currently investigating the efficacy of these units. However,
one might want to keep in mind that there are 77 different species
of mosquito in Florida, and each of these varies in what host they
bite, the time of day they feed, and how far they can fly. One of
the species which is a primary biting pest for homeowners is the
Asian tiger mosquito. This species is not attracted by carbon dioxide
or octenol. At this point, no evidence exists that these traps can
play a noticeable role in the decline of mosquito populations". Note:
The FTC has something to say about these devices also -->
FTC
News Release
EPA Information on
Outdoor
Residential Misting Systems
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Go to Pests in the News

Spiders
These structural invaders are searching for protected areas around homes, and
inside too, for an over-wintering area. Knocking webs down alone won't deter their
persistence.
Rodents
This is the time of year when rodents, including squirrels, also look for a more
hospitable environment to over-winter. They certainly
prefer your home over living outdoors. Steps should be taken to
seal entryways and preventatively prepare for their invasion.
Rodents can also do serious damage to wiring and other important items
of your home or business. Pest management companies are prepared
and knowledgeable in dealing with these pests.
Lady
Beetles
Question - What are more numerous and more obnoxious than a roomful of
Presidential candidates?
Answer - A roomful of Asian lady beetles
(joke's creator's name withheld at his request, he works for the
government)
Every year when we get our first freeze these
persistent pests invade your home. They seem to know of their
demise should they not succeed. To find more info on them here is a
link to info.
Termites
While working
around the yard be sure to watch for signs of termite activity. These
include mud tubes on foundations and also damaged wood. Also look
for small wings on window sills or doorway threshold. These are evidence
of termite activity. Be sure to not allow any structural untreated-wood
to come in contact with the soil. Even treated wood should be inspected
periodically for signs of activity especially larger dimensional
lumber used for support piers.
Mature termite
colonies start new colonies by means of swarming, which is the colony's
release of alates (winged
reproductive termites) in great numbers. Colonies usually
take several years of development before they will actually swarm.
During this time before first swarms they focus on building their colony.
An indoor swarm means that the termites are likely infesting the structure.
It's a good idea to get the building inspected and make a determination
of whether or not a treatment is necessary. While working around the
house, keep an eye out for mud tubes on the foundation or hollow sounding
wood, don't let your guard down just because you haven't had a swarm.
Infestations can also start from roof areas where conditions permit
alates (swarmers) to start a colony.
Unfortunately,
in South Carolina we have a more damaging termite spreading through
the state. This termite is the formosan (Coptotermes
sp.) while our native species is the Eastern Subterranean (Reticulitermes
sp.).
In 2000 formosans were found in Rock
Hill and they have been infesting structures
in Charleston for many years causing millions of dollars in damage.
They also have spread into North Carolina in the Spindale/Ruth area
of the state. These termites do considerably more damage in a shorter period of
time. It's
best
to
take action when
these
are
found. Formosans can swarm year-round but they usually occur in
the evening which sets them apart from our native species.
The best
preventative measure is to have your home inspected annually by a
professional. Today's termiticide treatments provide a shorter period of
protection lasting only three to seven years but pest control companies
have many new effective tools at their disposal to combat this menace that
causes over $2 billion dollars in damage per year in the United States
alone.
There
have been recent improvements in both termite baiting systems and in
termiticide tools. A new termite baiting system is being introduced by
Whitmire Micro-Gen which nearly eliminates termite disturbance in the
baiting process, a problem most systems incur. It also has a greatly
improved station design which provides for an overall more effective system.
Again, the
most important measure for structural protection from termites is
detection which simply involves having a professional
annual inspection of your property.
Bedbugs
Bedbug infestations are on the rise. Pest control companies have reported a
tenfold increase in bedbug service calls in Florida since 1999 and NC State
also reports an increase in these insects being sent to them for identification.
Bedbugs have been associated with filthy conditions but this isn't so and even
upscale hotels can have infestations. The increased use of Integrated Pest
Management techniques in pest management are thought to be the cause. Practices
such as the use of baits, which target specific pests like the cockroaches,
leave secondary pests in the ecosystem uncontrolled, allowing them to flourish.
Mosquito
The very wet weather has mosquito populations
proliferating. Until cold enough weather is here to impact mosquito
populations we'll continue to have to deal with their persistent nuisance.
There are many steps you can take to help reduce their populations.
Here is a link to the Clemson
information web site West
Nile Virus Info . Many Pest Control Companies
also have mosquito control programs. For those looking for controlling
mosquitoes on their own, here is a word of caution from the University of Florida
which also holds true here, "Recently,
there has been a number of products advertised as mosquito traps.
One type generates carbon dioxide to lure the mosquito and then sucks
it into a bag. Other derivations use octenol as an attractant. The
devices range from a few hundred to fifteen hundred dollars in cost.
Gas and octenol must be replaced at various intervals. Researchers
are currently investigating the efficacy of these units. However,
one might want to keep in mind that there are 77 different species
of mosquito in Florida, and each of these varies in what host they
bite, the time of day they feed, and how far they can fly. One of
the species which is a primary biting pest for homeowners is the
Asian tiger mosquito. This species is not attracted by carbon dioxide
or octenol. At this point, no evidence exists that these traps can
play a noticeable role in the decline of mosquito populations". Note:
The FTC has something to say about these devices also -->
FTC
News Release
EPA Information on
Outdoor
Residential Misting Systems
| |
|
|
January 15, 2008 -
Giant Fossil Rodent Found in Uruguay Weighed More Than a
Car
By Bill Faries - Bloomberg News
A fossilized skull found at a beach in Uruguay belongs to
a newly identified species of rodent that weighed more than a ton and
roamed the estuaries of South America alongside saber-toothed tigers.
``Some of the living giants in Africa, the hippopotamus and the
elephants, get this big, but there aren't many land creatures that are
larger,'' said Ernesto Blanco, who teaches biomechanics at the
Universidad de la Republica in Montevideo, Uruguay. ....... |
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Nov. 2, 2007 - Mite Bites Plague Fayetteville FamilyFayetteville
— Imagine waking up to something biting you all over. That
scenario was a reality for one local family, who said their house was
infested with bugs that were hard to kill.
Piles of clothing, blankets and kids’ toys marked "contaminated" told of
the nightmare that has plagued the Kounas family for the past five
weeks. The problem started with birds.
“It’s gotten so bad, we were throwing things out,” said Michelle Kounas.
“I felt like something was in my hair, and there was a burning
sensation.”
Kounas said she and her two children were covered in bites...... |
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September 13, 2007 -- Enormous Spider Web Found In Texas
Science Daily —
An arachnaphobe’s worst nightmare, the gauzy,
insect-laden web drew more than 3,300 curious visitors over the
three-day holiday to this 376-acre park on the shore of Lake Tawakoni,
50 miles east of Dallas. On Labor Day, the park recorded 1,275 people
visiting just to see the web.
“When I first saw it,” said Park Superintendent Donna Garde, “I was
totally amazed. What ran through my mind was that this looked like
something out of a low-budget horror movie, but I was looking at
something five times as big as what you’d see on a Hollywood set.”...... |
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July 31, 2007 CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Snake Bites Toddler At
Charlotte Park
A 15-month-old boy was rushed to the hospital after
being bitten by a python in a popular Charlotte park.
Christine Abdelmonem and her son, Adam, were picnicking in Freedom Park
Monday afternoon when the toddler went to go play near some ducks.
That's when Christine says she felt something tug on her son's leg.
She looked down and saw a 3-foot ball python grasped onto her son's
right calf....... |
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Jul 30, 2007 Cincinnati, OH -- City Of Cincinnati
Battling Bed Bug Problem
The Society of St. Vincent DePaul successfully helps clients by
providing food and help with things like utilities, but there's a
problem that keeps bugging the agency . . . bedbugs.
The Cincinnati Health Department is trying to tackle the growing growing
problem in the city.
The health department said it has received nearly 200 complaints from
residents so far this year.
"We actually do home visits to people who need assistance and find
people who basically are going into apartments that are empty," said the
Society of St. Vincent DePaul's executive director, Liz Carter. "It's
because people have bed bugs and they've just cleared out their
apartment of all their upholstered furniture, sleeping on the floor.
They don't have a couch to sit on." ...... |
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Jul 25, 2007 FORREST
CITY, Ark. — Woman Finds 3-Foot Python in Cabinet
Firefighters helped remove a three-foot python from a home after a woman
collecting plastic bags for a food pantry found it while cleaning a
cabinet.
Lula Sain called a neighbor for help, but "when he came in and saw it,
he almost jumped out of his skin." Fire Capt. Jimmy Sandage eventually
collected the non-venomous snake.
"Once I walked in and saw it, I knew it was a python. It had wrapped
itself up into a ball, and you could barely see the head. It never gave
me any problems," Sandage said...... |
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July 20, 2007 Los Angeles -- Residents: Tree That Crushed
Cars Was Termite-Infested
Workmen spent much of the night removing the remnants of a large tree
that split apart in Panorama City, crushing two cars.
Residents say they were startled, but not surprised. The tree came down
on Burton Street in Panorama City about 4 a.m. Friday morning.
Residents say the tree was infested with termites, and they had
complained to City Councilman Tony Cardenas' office that it posed a
danger to anyone living nearby.
While two cars were destroyed, no one was injured in the tree crash
which also brought down power and telephone lines...... |
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July 3, 2007 HOLLYWOOD, Fla.
A Hollywood man is in critical condition after being bitten by a
venomous snake.Officials said they believe an
eastern diamondback rattlesnake bit the man on Sunday evening.
But the man didn't receive treatment until family members took him to
Hollywood Memorial Regional Hospital on Tuesday.
"He's got swelling, discoloration to his arm where he reported being
bitten, and he is having some bleeding disorders," said Jeffrey Robb
with Miami-Dade County's Venom Response Unit.
The man will be treated with anti-venom, but doctors said he could see
some long-term effects, like kidney problems, because of the delay in
treatment..... |
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Article |
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Jun 16, 2007 (CBS 3) BRISTOL TOWNSHIP, Pa.
No Sign Of Large Killer Snake In Bucks Co.
Although Bucks County officials spent Friday evening searching for a
large snake, it is still on the loose. The snake is suspected of eating
several small pets and has residents on edge.
Bristol Township officers caught a nine-and-half foot snake Wednesday,
but another spotted Friday morning, remains on the loose.
Officers believe the roaming reptile, growing in length and legend, is
either a Boa constrictor or a python..... |
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May 5, 2007
ALBANY, Ore.
Doctor Finds Spiders in Boy's Ear
--These guys
weren't exactly Snap, Crackle and Pop. What began as a faint popping in
a 9-year-old boy's ear -- "like Rice Krispies" -- ended up as an
earache, and the doctor's diagnosis was that a pair of spiders made a
home in the ear..... |
Full
Article |
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01/17/2007 BY RICHARD
GENTILVISO - Queens, New York - Bedbugs Are Biting In Some
District 30 Schools
The first report of bedbugs in the district was on Oct. 5,
2006. Since then, an integrated pest management program recommended by
the U.S. Environmental Protection Administration has been followed in
classrooms where bedbugs have been found..... |
Full
Article |
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01/07/2007 By Andrea Kelly and Erica Meltzer - Tucson,
Arizona
Rats surface in toilets in one Midtown area -
Residents in one Midtown neighborhood are learning to look
before they sit.You think roaches coming out of the sewer are a
problem? For the past 10 years, small white rats have been swimming
their way up into toilets in the Blenman-Elm Neighborhood, just east of
the University of Arizona....
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12/14/2006 The Daily Telegraph By Nigel Adlam in
Darwin
School teacher Kate Poole called for help when she found her
toilet was blocked – and couldn't work out why.
A plumber peered into the porcelain bowl – and found a huge
snake looking back at him.....
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12/12/2006 HERMISTON, Ore.
Woman bitten by spider loses 10 lbs. of skin
A small spider bite turned out to be a big
problem for Cindy Pettey..... |
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Article
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11/3/2006
NEW YORK (AP)
'SNL' star sues over bedbugs in her loft
When Saturday
Night Live performer Maya Rudolph and her
family moved into their new apartment, nobody
warned, "Don't let the bedbugs bite." .....
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Article
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Nov 2, 2006 INDIANAPOLIS
A 10-year-old girl who was diagnosed with Indiana's first
confirmed case of rabies in nearly half a century died Thursday,
a hospital spokeswoman said.Shannon
Carroll had been bitten by a rabid bat in June and had been
hospitalized since early October, said Riley Hospital for
Children spokeswoman Jo Ann Klooz said.
More than 30 of the girl's relatives, friends and
classmates were offered injections to prevent the spread of the disease.
Some parents whose children attend the girl's school in Bourbon, 25
miles south of South Bend, worried about possible exposure since rabies
can stay dormant for more than a year.
Rabies is a viral disease transmitted to humans and
other animals through saliva, usually in a bite. It attacks the brain
and nervous system and typically leads to death once symptoms appear.
Human-to-human transmission of rabies is possible
through direct contact with saliva, health officials said.
State records show Indiana's last human rabies case
was in 1959.
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Sept 25, 2006 CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa
A western Iowa woman is recovering from the shock of finding a
drowned bat in her tea mug — after she sipped from the cup all
day.The brown bat, about the size of two tea bags, was found
a few weeks ago by a 60-year-old Woodbury County woman, said
Chuck Cipperley, an environmental director for the Siouxland
health office in Sioux City. |
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