Aug 15, 2011 | Wildlife
There are more than 130 species of mason bees found across North America. The mason bee gets its name from its mason-like habit of carving out sections of mud or plant fiber that is chewed into paste and using it inside their nests. These bees are most active from spring to late summer and are found in heavy forested areas.
As with many other types of bees, mason bees collect pollen. Mason bees prefer the pollen from the flowers of fruit trees. In some area, mason bees are cultivated to pollinate orchards. This particular bee is a hard worker! 2 or 3 females can pollinate the equivalent of an apple tree in one season. Mason bees are not harmful creatures. Although they have stingers, they do not attack unless they are handled and feel as though they are in serious danger. They are so non-threatening that they do not even defend their nests.
Mason bees can range from black to metallic blue or green. They are known to be good flyers, even flying in cool or rainy weather. They are attracted to hollow nests in wood and flowers but do not hollow these nests out themselves. They find nests that have been previously hollowed out by other wood boring insects. This can be soil, wood, even empty shells. Every female is fertile and constructs her own nests. Unlike many other bee species, there are no worker bees in the mason bee family. Once the female bee is finished laying her eggs, she plugs the entrance and seeks out another nest. The female bee lays the female eggs in the back of the nest and the male eggs toward the front. Once the bees are ready to leave the nest, the males emerge first and then wait on the females. Once the females come out, they mate and the males die.
Jul 11, 2011 | Going Green, Wildlife
It seems that every year we have more yellow jacket nests that are not ground nests but are up under siding or behind brick, etc. In the past most of us would dust, foam it or use something else along those lines. Adam Vannest, Northwest Exterminating’s Monroe Service Center Manager, has recently been using a new approach that has been very successful in eliminating those hard to reach/access nests. Not only is this a new approach, but it is also a green option to control yellow jackets. If nothing else, it’s one heck of a show.
Next time you have a yellow jacket nest in a wall void or behind siding use a rat glue tray to block the entry for a second just long enough to snag one yellow jacket. Then, leave the glue board as close as possible to the entry point. As each yellow jacket gets stuck he stings the glue board and sends off the pheromone for reinforcements. As each yellow jacket comes and gets stuck and stings, it multiples the scent. Leave the trays for a little while until you see no more activity. The remaining larvae will die, and the nest will dry out.
This treatment is not only highly effective but entertaining as well! We guarantee a good show!
- A recent photograph showing yellow jackets stuck to glue boards
Caution: Wear protective clothing or bee suit when placing glue boards. For maximum safety, call the experts at Northwest Exterminating to control yellow jackets.
Jul 1, 2011 | Wildlife
Every day this week when my dog has gone outside, he has been greeted by a wasp. Luckily, they leave each other alone and go on about their business. After asking around the offices here at Northwest Exterminating, it seems that some of our customers may be seeing these same nuisance pests around their lawns.
One of the more common wasps in our area is the digger wasp. Digger wasps are found in lawns in the US and Canada in early morning and disappear in the evening. Digger wasps can be up to 2” in length with black bodies that usually include a band of either red, yellow or white. The digger wasp flies above lawns that are infested with scarab beetle larvae. The female digger wasp will sting the scarab larva to paralyze it, attach their eggs, and then builds a cell around the paralyzed larva…eventually feeding off of this. This act is how the digger wasp gets its name – from the fact that the female digs into the ground to locate the scarab larvae.
The good new is that it’s a fair fight between you and the digger wasp. These wasps are not social wasps and usually travel by themselves…meaning it’s you against the one wasp. Lucky for you though…digger wasps rarely sting people so you can chalk up the score to YOU -1, WASP – 0.
Although digger wasps do not pose a real threat, they are still a nuisance. Besides, who wants to get close enough to a wasp to identify if it’s a digger wasp or another more dangerous wasp. To treat for digger wasps in your yard, it is most beneficial to treat for the scarab larvae that they feed off of.
For treatment options, please call Northwest Exterminating at 888.466.7849 or visit us online
Jun 24, 2011 | Pest Control, Wildlife
You know the words…we all sang it as kids:
I’m bringing home a baby bumble bee
Won’t my Mommy be so proud of me
I’m bringing home my baby bumble bee –
OUCH!! It stung me!!
These large, furry bees may look cute but just like the song implies…they’re not so cute when they decide to sting!
Bumble bees have a distinctive large, clumsy appearance and are easily recognized by their black and yellow fuzzy appearance and the buzzing sound that they make when they fly. Their stingers are relatively smooth with small barbs which is what makes their sting so painful. Worker bees are usually between 1/4-1″ while the queens are 3/4-1″.
There are 51 species of bumble bees throughout the US and Canada. Bumble bees are social creatures that like to stay near their nests or colonies. The queen bumble bee will find a nest area in the spring after she has overwintered throughout the colder seasons. Nest locations are often made underground in abandoned mouse nests or on grass clumps and covered with loose grass on top. A mature bee nest can contain anywhere from 50 to 400 bees; the largest recorded nest contained 756 bees with 385 larvae and/or pupae. Different species will attack nests of other species for possession of the nest, killing the queen and taking over the nest. In late summer, males and new queens are reared in the nest. Once the new queens emerge, they mate and find a suitable place to overwinter. Males, workers, old queens and virgin queens die off with the colder weather.
Although bees can be an annoyance by gathering around our flowering plants and the potential threat of a sting, bumble bees are beneficial for the pollination of our flowers. However, if a nest is located near a structure or a recreational area, control is needed. People who are sensitive to insect venom or have known allergies should exercise extreme caution around bumble bee nests. Appropriate protective apparel should be worn when trying to locate or control bumble bee nests.
For your safety, call the experts when trying to locate and control bumble bee nests. Call Northwest Exterminating at 888.466.7849 or visit us online.
Jun 10, 2011 | Pest Control, Wildlife
Dog fleas are a common problem whether you have dogs or not. The dog flea got their name because of their favorite hosts…dogs, but that doesn’t mean that just because you don’t have a dog, that you don’t have dog fleas. Like other fleas that can be found in the home, dog fleas cause discomfort by biting and can carry several diseases for dogs and people such as plague, tapeworm and murine typhus. Although fall is the most common time for fleas to appear, in many areas they can live year around.
The dog flea is a flat, wingless creature that is brownish black or black, and can have a tint of red when it is full of blood. Female dog fleas lay 4-8 eggs after each blood meal which means up to 500 eggs in their lifetime. Flea eggs are oval, whitish and go through four life cycles which takes 2-3 weeks to complete. The eggs are deposited on or between hairs or in bedding material. When the dog shakes, the eggs fall off which is why eggs are often found where dogs sleep and not on the actual dog themselves.
One common misconception is that you have to have a pet to have fleas indoors. This is untrue. Fleas have a 6” vertical jump which enables them to jump on shoes, pant legs etc. Many people are surprised when they return from vacation or go into a vacant home and find a flea infestation. This is possible since adult fleas can live months without food (except for females who must have a meal before they produce eggs). Only 5% of the flea population is actually on your dog, the rest are in your home. (Source) Dog fleas can also be found on rabbits, skunks, opossums, occasionally on rats and rarely found on cats.
Prevention tips for dog fleas:
- Normal vacuuming – Make sure to vacuum floors, upholstered furniture, where pets rest and under furniture. Immediately empty vacuum bag, seal shut and dispose outdoors for your trash provider to retrieve.
- Treat pets – Treat your pets with flea prevention by taking them to your veterinarian, the groomer, or using over the counter medication.
- Shampooing carpet – Shampooing carpet can be more beneficial than vacuuming alone.
- Keep out wild animals – Wild animals such as rodents and opossums should be prevented from entering the structure and appropriately trapped.
If you are having trouble with fleas, please call the professionals at Northwest Exterminating. We will ensure that the inside and outside of your home is treated properly for the protection of your family and your pets.
Sources:
http://www.dogsonly.org/dog_fleas.html
NPCA Field Guide to Structural Pests
Apr 8, 2011 | Pest Control, Wildlife
It’s spring time so there is a good chance that you are seeing those large black bees and those large holes and tunnels in your wood. Those are carpenter bees that have been living in those holes and tunnels throughout the winter and are emerging in the spring time to find places for new nests…which mean new holes and tunnels in your wood. Carpenter bees are often confused with bumble bees but the upper surface of their abdomen is bare and shiny black; while bumble bees have a hairy abdomen with at least some yellow markings.
Carpenter bees drill through wood to build nests where they stay all winter and throughout the spring until they find a new nest or emerge to mate. Although male bees tend to be aggressive, often hovering around people who are near their nests, they are mostly harmless since they do not have stingers. On the other hand, females can inflict a painful sting but rarely do unless they are being handled or bothered.
You may find piles of wood underneath the hole where the bee has drilled their nest. Carpenter bees prefer to make their nests in bare, untreated or weathered wood. Wood that is painted or pressure-treated is much less susceptible to a carpenter bees nesting. Common areas for nesting include window trim, facia board, siding, wooden shakes, decks and outdoor furniture.
The best control for carpenter bees is to treat or paint all exposed wood surfaces. If you are using a spray, it is best to spray at night, while wearing protective clothing, when bees are less active to reduce your risk of being stung. Each hole should be treated individually if the bees are inside the holes. If they are not in the hole, seal, paint , etc. the hole so the bees cannot return.
And of course, if the problem persists or if you are just not up to the task, call Northwest Exterminating.
For more information on carpenter bees click HERE
