Six Facts You Didn't Know About Bed Bugs

If you follow the news and have seen all the attention bed bugs have received in the past few years, you might think you know all there is to know about this pest: They feed on humans while they sleep, they cause itchy, red bumps and they are hard to get rid of! But these pesky insects have a lot of secrets that you might be surprised to learn.

1.    Bed bugs can live anywhere.
When most people think of bed bugs, they think of hotels. But the truth is, bed bugs can thrive in single-family homes, apartments, hospitals, college dorm rooms, office buildings, schools, buses, trains, movie theaters, retail stores and just about anywhere that humans are. In fact, according to the “Bugs without Borders” study, 89 percent of pest professionals report treating bed bug infestations in single-family homes, and 88 percent report treating bed bug infestations in apartments/condos. Respondents also report other common areas, with 67 percent treating bed bug infestations in hotels/motels, 35 percent in college dormitories, 9 percent on various modes of transportation, 5 percent in laundry facilities, and 4 percent in movie theatres.

2.    Bed bugs aren’t just city dwellers.
Contrary to popular belief, bed bugs are not just in big cities or third-world countries. They are found in all 50 states. The “Bugs without Borders” survey found that 17 percent of pest control professionals report treating bed bugs in the Northeast; 20 percent in the Midwest; 20 percent in the South; and 19 percent in the West. However, the incidence of bed bugs is three times higher in urban areas than in rural areas due to factors such as larger population size, apartment living and increased mobility, which are conducive to the rapid spread and breeding of bed bugs.

3.    Bed bugs are hardy.
These pests can live for several months without a blood meal. This means they can linger in furniture, bags and suitcases for a long time until they are near a human host again. In addition, bed bugs can survive temperatures of nearly freezing to 122 degrees. Because of this, bed bugs are not a pest that can be treated with DIY measures. Professional pest control is the most effective way to treat an infestation.

4.   Bed bugs are smart.
As a survival instinct, bed bugs are elusive. They know to stay out of view during the daytime, hiding in mattress crevices, box springs, baseboards, behind electrical switchplates, in picture frames, and even behind wallpaper. But at nighttime, the carbon dioxide we exhale often tempts them out of their hiding spots.

5.    Bed bugs are methodical.
Bed bugs have a predictable feeding pattern. Once a bed bug finds a host, it will usually feed for 5 to 10 minutes until repletion. Sometimes the pattern of bed bugs feeing is jokingly referred to as breakfast, lunch and dinner as bites will often be found in a pattern. But the bite marks they leave behind – often in clusters or in a row on exposed skin on the chest, arms or legs – are telltale signs of a bed bug infestation.

6.    Bed bugs could have a degree in anesthesiology.
People often wonder why a biting bed bug doesn’t wake up its human host when it feeds. The answer is that components in bed bug saliva act as an anesthetic and promote increased blood flow at the bite site, making the feeding process quick and nearly painless.
After feeding, bed bugs move to secluded places and hide for 5-10 days. During this time, they do not feed but instead digest their meal, mate and lay eggs.


If you have a bed bug infestation, don’t try to treat it alone. Instead, contact a licensed pest professional who is trained on the (unique, often sneaky) habits of bed bugs. They will be able to inspect your home and recommend an effective course of treatment.

 As always Servall Termite & Pest Control is here for all of your pest control and home repair needs. Contact us today at one of our four convenient locations or visit http://www.servallpestcontrol.com


Source:Pest World

Keeping Your Home Bug Free For The Holidays

The holiday season is upon us and amid all the joy and celebrations some people may be dealing with unwanted guests. The thought of bed bugs in your home or carried by visitors can cause unnecessary stress during the holidays. By following a few simple steps you can reduce the risk of encountering bed bugs.

For many of us, the winter holidays are an important time to enjoy time with family and friends. Isolating yourself or others due to issues with bed bugs is unnecessary and not a healthy or practical way to deal with a bed bug situationf you are having a party and are worried about bed bugs here are some simple steps to take:

• Do not put your guests’ coats or bags on your beds. There may be bed bugs on these items and they could move from these items onto your bed.
  • Clean out your front closet and use for guests coats and bags during the party. If you are worried about bed bugs you can vacuum the closet after the party to reduce the risks. If you use a vacuum to capture bed bugs, seal and dispose of the vacuum bag as soon as you are done.
  • If space is limited, place a sheet over the bed before putting any coats on the bed. As soon as possible after guests leave, place the sheet in a dryer on medium-high heat for at least 20 minutes and vacuum the bed. See Laundering Items to Kill Bed Bugs and Vacuuming to Capture Bed Bugs for more information.
  • Place shoes on a plastic mat near the door. This plastic mat can be washed with hot soapy water once guests have left.

Prevent Bed Bugs from Entering your Home with Overnight Guests

If a visitor is coming to stay and you know they had (or have) bed bugs, there are precautions that you can take. Remember that people do not usually carry bed bugs on their bodies, but bed bugs will sometimes hitch a ride on clothes that people are wearing. However, bed bugs are more likely to be on personal belongings, such as bags, purses, luggage, laundry, wheelchairs, and similar.

You can take these precautions to reduce the chance of bed bugs entering your home:

• When guests arrive at your home be prepared to immediately:
  • Ask your visitor to change into clean clothes.
  • Launder all their clothing; see Laundering Items to Kill Bed Bugs.
  • Place suitcase/bags into a plastic box or large plastic bag which can be tied shut.
  • Wipe shoes with a damp cloth and hot water (not hotter than 120 F), or if possible place in a dryer. Some dryers have shoe racks designed for this purpose
  • Wipe down plastic or wood items with a hot, damp cloth,immediately throwaway boxes and wrapping in a sealed plastic bag.

Traveling and Dealing with Bed Bugs

If you are going to stay with friends or family who have been dealing with a bed bug infestation you can reduce the risk of bringing bed bugs home by:

• Putting mattress encasements on the bed you will be using, or ask your host to do so.
• Not putting your suitcase, clothing or other personal items on the bed. If possible keep these items distant from the bed.
  • Bring a couple of large plastic bags and store your suitcases inside the bags.
• After returning home, immediately launder your clothing, or seal in a plastic bag until you are able to do so.

Above all, do not panic! Bed bugs are in society and they usually become a problem when people are not cautious. With a few simple steps, bed bugs are easily preventable and should not become an all-consuming worry as we approach and enjoy the winter holidays. Please remember to enjoy this special time of year with your family and friends.

As always Servall Termite & Pest Control is here for all of your pest control and home repair needs. Contact us today at one of our four convenient locations or visit http://www.servallpestcontrol.com

Overwhelming evidence shows pesticides are destroying bees

As reported recently by the U.K.'s Guardian, a new study published in the journal Nature is the latest in a long line of recent studies to show that common crop chemicals are destroying bee populations worldwide, which will also eventually destroy much of the world's food supply if left unaddressed. And even though at least two-thirds of the world's bumblebee population is now likely dying off as a result of combined pesticide exposures, regulatory bodies in the U.K., the U.S., and elsewhere continue to deny that these harmful chemicals need to be banned.

A much greater threat than so-called global "climate change," the decline in bee populations due to pesticide and herbicide exposure is one of the most serious environmental threats in the world today. Without bees, food crops that rely on these important insects for pollination will wither and die, causing widespread food shortages. For this reason, ecology experts are urging government authorities to rediscover their consciences by standing up against this chemical-induced insect genocide, which has the very real potential to eventually unleash human genocide.

One of the ways in which they are accomplishing this is by drawing attention to studies like the recent Nature study, which clearly illustrates the fact that bees are severely threatened by combined exposures to multiple pesticide chemicals. Since bees encounter potentially hundreds of pesticide chemicals in real-world conditions, studying such exposures in a laboratory setting was the goal of the new research.

"Work in my lab is building on previous work looking at neonicotinoids, the systemic pesticides that are used extensively in agriculture at the moment," said Nigel Raine of Royal Holloway, University of London, author of the study, in a recent video report. "What we're doing is we're looking at the effects of multiple pesticides, not just the neonicotinoids but also pyrethroids, which is the sort of situation that bees are faced with in the field. They visit multiple crop species which may have different pesticides applied to them."

 

Most bumblebees die after being exposed to both pesticides

After closely monitoring bumblebees exposed to low levels of two different pesticide chemicals for four weeks, Raine and his colleague Richard Gill observed that individual bee performance suffered considerably. Combined exposure to both neonicotinoids and imidacloprid, two common pesticide chemicals, caused worker bees to perform at levels far lower than other bees. And it is precisely the cumulative effect of exposure to both chemicals, which many previous studies involving bees have failed to address, that is the most striking.

Another interesting discovery was the fact that two-thirds of the bees exposed to both chemicals ended up dying, compared to just one-third of those not exposed to both chemicals. This further illustrates the fact that previous studies analyzing the effects of only one pesticide chemical, and for just a few days rather than several weeks, ignore the actual, real-life exposures to multiple pesticide chemicals that many bees throughout the world face.

Many industry-funded studies, after all, which have been used by government regulators to approve these dangerous chemicals in the first place, erroneously conclude that certain pesticide chemicals are safe simply because they did not necessarily elicit immediate harm during the few days in which their effects were studied. Pesticide harm often takes weeks to be observed, which makes Raine's study far more accurate in its assessment of long-term pesticide damage in bees.

As always Servall Termite & Pest Control is here for all of your pest control and home repair needs. Contact us today at one of our four convenient locations or visit http://www.servallpestcontrol.com!
Source:Natural News

Pest Free Holiday

The holiday season is filled with decorating, baking and celebrating with family and friends. Unfortunately, many pests, including rodents, pantry pests, spiders and mites, have been known to try to join in the holiday fun. The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) urges consumers to take precautions against pests that may invade their homes via decorations, firewood and baking ingredients.
“Everyone enjoys the festive spirit of the holidays. Unfortunately, as we bring beautiful parts of nature indoors to decorate and warm our homes, we could be rolling out the red carpet for pests, as well,” says Missy Henriksen, vice president of public affairs for the NPMA. “Ants, spiders and more can easily be brought in on firewood, Christmas trees and other greenery. Mice can be smuggled in through boxes of decorations and baking ingredients can harbor pantry pests. By taking a few preventative steps, homeowners can keep their homes safe and healthy for their families this holiday season.”
To keep pests from spoiling your family’s holiday fun, the NPMA offers the following tips:

• There are many Christmas tree pests. Inspect live, fresh cut evergreen trees, wreathes and garlands for spiders, insect nests or eggs before purchasing. Shake greenery outdoors to remove any pests before bringing them inside. 
• Store firewood at least 20 feet from the home on a raised structure, such as concrete blocks or poles.
• Unpack decorations outdoors so pests aren’t released into the home.
• Check expiration dates on ingredients before use and only purchase food in sealed packages that show no sign of damage.
• Store freshly baked sweets and opened ingredients in airtight containers.
• Add a bay leaf to canisters and packages of dry goods like flour and rice - the pungent scent repels many pantry pests.
• Repack decorations in durable, sealed containers that pests can’t chew through.
• If an infestation occurs, partner with your local, licensed pest professional.

As always Servall Termite & Pest Control is here for all of your pest control and home repair needs. Contact us today at one of our four convenient locations or visit http://www.servallpestcontrol.com!

SOURCE:NPMA

Protect Your Home from Winter Pests

Simple steps to guard against intruders

Winter months bring frosty temperatures, gusty winds and slippery sleet and snow, sending people indoors to seek warmth and shelter.  The chill in the air may also send a few uninvited pest guests into your home, too.

Most homeowners don’t think about winter pests until they see signs of an infestation, at which point treatment becomes more difficult. The best way to keep pests out of your home in the cooler months is to take preventative action before you have a problem. 

Pests such as rodents and cockroaches seek food, water and shelter in the winter – all of which can be found in the comfort of your home.  In fact, smoky brown cockroaches can sense a temperature decrease of only five degrees, and chilly temperatures are a signal to them that it is time to move indoors.  Unfortunately, rodents and cockroaches can cause alarm and threaten the health of you and your family.  These pests can spread disease, contaminate food and even trigger allergies.

Follow these steps to pest-proof your home this winter:

• Tightly seal all entry points: Monitor for cracks, crevices or gaps in siding, door and window screens, and around pipes, as these areas can serve as entry points for pests.  Both rodents and cockroaches can enter your home through tiny gaps – rats can squeeze through quarter-sized openings, and mice can fit through dime-sized holes. 

• Trim branches, plants and bushes: Vegetation near a home can serve as a natural pathway indoors for pests.
• Inspect firewood: Some ant and cockroach species nest in firewood, so be sure to store it on a raised platform away from your home and inspect it before bringing it inside.
• Keep mulch away from your home: Pests such as cockroaches are attracted to moisture-rich habitats, including mulch.  Harrison recommends storing mulch and firewood at least two feet away from your home.
• Practice good sanitation: Keep counters and dishes clean, and don’t forget to tightly seal leftovers and rinse recyclable containers prior to storing.  Empty garbage bins and vacuum frequently to avoid attracting pests.

If you do see signs of pests in or around your home, call Servall Pest Control to determine the most effective treatment and control methods!

As always Servall Termite & Pest Control is here for all of your pest control and home repair needs. Contact us today at one of our four convenient locations or visit http://www.servallpestcontrol.com!

Thanksgiving tips: Keeping your kitchen clean

There's a turkey in the oven, cranberries on the counter and enough potatoes to feed a small army boiling on the stove. Add in guests popping into the kitchen for a snack and nieces and nephews underfoot and Thanksgiving can get pretty chaotic.

That makes it all the more important to stay clean and organized as you're preparing your Turkey Day meal, North Carolina State University food safety expert Ben Chapman says in a new video. Having a system -- such as a rule that plastic cutting boards are for meat and wooden ones are for veggies and fruits -- can help.

"You want to make sure that you keep everything separate," Chapman said. "Any contamination that might go onto one cutting board is contained."

After you've thawed your turkey and unwrapped it, your next steps should be to clean and sanitize the utensils, cutting boards or platters that have touched raw meat, Chapman said. These are two different steps. Washing using dish soap will get rid of debris and juices. Sanitizing with a spray bottle of one tablespoon of bleach diluted in water will kill nasty microbes.

One thing you shouldn't wash, Chapman said: Your turkey. People often rinse their bird under the sink, but that does nothing to get rid of pathogens and can actually spread them. [Video - Thanksgiving Food Safety]

"The velocity of that water can spray those pathogens up to a yard away from your sink," Chapman said.

Cooking thoroughly will kill any bugs on the outside of your bird, Chapman said. If there are feathers or other grime on the turkey, patting it down with a paper towel is the safest bet.

Pre-washed bagged lettuce is another food that can skip the rinse, Chapman said: "You can't do anything more in your kitchen here to reduce risk."

As always Servall Termite & Pest Control is here for all of your pest control and home repair needs. Contact us today at one of our four convenient locations or visit http://www.servallpestcontrol.com!

Source: cbsnews.com 

Pest invaders causing billions in damage

 

WASHINGTON, DC - A potential threat may be lurking in the billions of tons of cargo that come into the nation every year. Customs and Border Protection inspectors are on the front lines. What they're looking for may be smaller than the naked eye can see but can cause extensive damage.

FOX5 went along with agricultural specialists at the Port of Baltimore. They're on the hunt every day, searching with flashlights, splitting wood, and sifting through rice. "I'll be searching underneath the plastic," one of the inspectors tells us.

They're not looking for drugs; they're looking for bugs capable of widespread devastation. "We find something usually every day," said David Ing, an agriculture specialist supervisor with Customs and Border Protection, although most are not dangerous. It's his job to prevent invasive pests from getting into the country. "Most people might not think of it until it becomes an outbreak," Ing said.

They can only search a small fraction of the containers that come in. These insects which can hitchhike in cargo are more dangerous than you think. Every year invasive species cause up to $100 billion in damage in the United States, more than Hurricane Katrina. "We're looking for high risk cargo that comes into the country," said Ricardo Scheller, Baltimore Port Director for U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

This year the agency intercepted six insects never seen before in Baltimore, including a dangerous beetle last week discovered for the first time anywhere in the country. They can be tiny and hard to spot, some of them smaller than a grain of rice. "You could have crops that are destroyed in the United States, you could have an interception of a pest or a plant product that, you know, could make people sick," Scheller said.

Just look at what the brown marmorated stink bug has done. It's a native of China, first spotted in Pennsylvania nearly 15-years ago. The stink bug spread along the east coast, finding refuge in homes and trees during the winter and then emerging in late summer to feast on crops. Maryland farmer Bob Black's Catoctin Mountain Orchard was hit hard this year. "You can see when the stink bugs will have already sucked some of the juice out of the cells," he points out as workers harvest his apple crop.
On close examination, the darkened indentations are clearly visible. A large percentage have the markings of a stink bug bite. These cannot be sold in stores, where they would fetch the highest price.
They are damaged goods. He'll have to sell these apples for juice. "There's more damage than what I anticipated," he said surveying the bins. He'll get only have the price he would for an apple that was bite free and sold in stores.

The problem with invasive pests like this is there are no natural predators here. So farmers have to spray to keep the crop damage down, that increases their costs, a cost which is passed onto you in the food you buy. The cost of this year's crop damage he says is "a million dollar question." He's sorting through now, trying to decide whether he'll need to file an insurance claim.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Inspection Service or APHIS for short helps identify suspicious bugs. Anything found at the ports or airports comes here. The danger isn't just to crops. Giant African snails now multiplying in Florida can spread deadly diseases. "One of the biggest problems we've found is that they're big and they eat a lot but they also carry parasites. They're bad for humans. I believe you can die from the parasites," said Jim Young, an entomologist with APHIS.

On the East Coast, APHIS is fighting the emerald ash borer and Asian long horned beetle which are wiping out trees en masse. "It can happen pretty fast. That's why it's important that we find these quickly so we can put them down before they get too out of hand," said Paul Ijams, the APHIS state plant health director.

Once an invasive pest gets into the country, it can cost billions of dollars to eradicate if it's even possible. The USDA is now experimenting with a type of wasp that may prey on the stink bugs, but there are good species of stink bugs that the wasp may wipe out too.
At Bob Black's farm, the USDA set up a line of traps at the edge of his fields trying to find a way to stop them. "We still don't know rhyme or reason of why they're feeding, when, where," Black said with frustration.

Meanwhile back at the port, one of the inspections resulted in a discovery. It's a beetle in a tile shipment from Italy. "We did find one hitchhiker, but he may be dead," the agriculture specialist said. He put the bug into a glass vial, covered it and waited to see if perhaps it came back to life in the warmth but it didn't. It turned out to be harmless and the shipment can go out. Cargo found with invasive pests are fumigated or sent back. It's the first line of defense in what is now a multi-billion dollar bug battle.

Read more: http://www.myfoxdc.com/story/20058202/pest-invaders-causing-billions-in-damage#ixzz2CDoYVrZh

Source: myfoxdc.com

The Challenges of Non-Traditional Pests

Non-traditional pests are impacting the pest management industry more than ever before. Whether a regionally introduced pest, like the kudzu bug or the brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), or a global resurgence like the bed bug, these pests have brought to light challenges that must be overcome. Our industry, and more importantly our service professionals, must be able to address these challenges to be successful.

One of the first challenges faced when dealing with non-traditional pests is a lack of information on those pests’ lifecycles. As all pest management professionals are aware, and according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) definition, the basis of an Integrated Pest Management program is a comprehensive knowledge of the pest’s lifecycle. With most of these non-traditional and introduced species, our knowledge of lifecycles is limited to information on how they interact in natural environments. Knowledge of how the pests will react in new environments — environments where they are increasingly found — is far from comprehensive. In the absence of natural predators, with an abundance of resources and a more favorable environment, history has shown that these pests tend to thrive in many cases.

The IPM Challenge. The BMSB is a perfect example. When first encountered as a structural pest, it was believed that based on information from its native environment, that existing control practices could limit its expansion. Unfortunately, BMSBs thrived, producing up to five generations per season, causing surges of insects into homes throughout the mid-Atlantic region. Unfortunately for businesses receiving calls from consumers overwhelmed by the BMSB, this lack of information posed a challenge in creating an effective IPM program.

Another pressing challenge has been the availability of effective materials for the control of non-traditional pests. Many industry products are not specifically labeled for the pests we are trying to control and therefore are not legal to apply. The kudzu bug is an example: first encountered in Georgia in 2009, the kudzu bug has steadily increased its range every year since. For an exterior application to be made, the site of the application must be listed on the label. However, there are many states that require the specific pest be listed on the label, regardless of the site. As the kudzu bug continues its trek across the United States, professionals, manufacturers and state regulators will need to take a look at these products and regulations to make a determination on how to best proceed in an effective and legal manner.

New Frontiers. Even the resurgence of the bed bug has highlighted the challenges encountered with the use of non-traditional IPM practices. Most notable is the use of canine scent detection teams as an inspection tool, a strategy that has gained momentum in the industry. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of such a method is often questioned in the absence of a singular certification program to verify its effectiveness.

In fact, a simple Internet search will provide information on many different organizations offering training and certification. Even the NPMA website provides information and links to three different canine inspection certification organizations. Businesses also must contend with the additional costs of caring for and training the dog and its handler.

Another bed bug challenge for our industry has been the increased use of heating equipment to control bed bugs, which has been well documented. While temperature modification is not a new practice for pest management, it has recently become the preferred method for control of bed bugs. Like traditional pests, the challenge for the industry has been an overreliance on older, inaccurate information regarding the bed bug’s lifecycle and reaction to heat. Newer information has allowed professionals to develop IPM strategies for more effective control of pests.
Non-traditional pests are having an impact on our industry and will continue to do so. There is much more to learn.

As always Servall Termite & Pest Control is here for all of your pest control and home repair needs. Contact us today at one of our four convenient locations or visit http://www.servallpestcontrol.com!

Source: pctonline.com

Cleaning Up After a Flood

As the coastal surge retreats and storm Sandy sweeps away from New York City, Pennsylvania and upstate New York, the destruction is far from over. Flood clearance will be encumbered by wind warnings and a wintry cold front which is likely to produce heavy rain, snowfall and local flooding. Some areas may also be without power until next week.

If you are in a high risk flood area take steps now to prepare your home against flooding by raising home appliances such as washing machines and fridges at least 12 inches off the floor – cinder blocks work well. Check you are fully insured for flood damage – on many insurance policies this is optional so make sure you have opted in. Just a few inches of water can create major damage to your home or premises as this interactive tool from the National Flood Insurance Programme demonstrates.

 If you are not insured federal disaster assistance can be an expensive route to take as a loan can comprise tens of thousands of dollars that must be paid back with interest. In contrast flood insurance is a few extra dollars a month.

If you do have to make a claim be prepared by making a full inventory of all your possessions, take photographs and put receipts in a safe place out of the reach of water. Don’t forget to check your car insurance too – a car can easily be carried away by two feet of water.

After a flood there is a chance that rodents have been flushed from their nests and will be looking for shelter which offers food and warmth. Be extra vigilant and shore-up any damage which allows access for mice and rats. Mice can squeeze through a hole the size of a pencil so fill any gaps with wire wool and seal with DIY Spray foam.

Flood Water Is Contaminated

Remember that flood water is contaminated and the same grade as sewage so use a mask, sturdy gloves and safety glasses to clean your property and belongings. Be sure to clean your hands thoroughly after coming into contact with flood water or may you risk contracting a flood water disease.

The World Health Organization holds that “the only epidemic-prone infection which can be transmitted directly from contaminated water is leptospirosis, a zoonotic bacterial disease. Transmission occurs through contact of the skin and mucous membranes with water, damp soil or vegetation (such as sugarcane) or mud contaminated with rodent urine. The occurrence of flooding after heavy rainfall facilitates the spread of the organism due to the proliferation of rodents which shed large amounts of leptospires in their urine.” An outbreak of leptospirosis occurred in Santa Fe in 1998. In October 2010 Andy Holmes, the British Olympic Gold Medalist rower, died from leptospirosis, also known as Weil’s Disease.

Anything which has come into contact with flood water should be considered contaminated. Washing clothes and soft furnishings on a high temperature with an antimicrobial solution will sanitize them. Scrub all hard furniture which has come into contact with flood water and spray with an antimicrobial. Anything which cannot be saved or cleaned thoroughly such as electrics and books should be thrown away.

 As always Servall Termite & Pest Control is here for all of your pest control and home repair needs. Contact us today at one of our four convenient locations or visit http://www.servallpestcontrol.com!

Source: deBugged

Protect your ash trees from pests

In the seemingly never-ending invasion of exotic invasive pests, 2012 brings us the Emerald Ash Borer.

And while this critter may not be the economic and aesthetic destroyer that it was in the Midwest 10 years ago, it may still be significant for some tree owners in Virginia.

After the initial Virginia detection of EAB in Fairfax in 2003, it was hoped that eradication efforts were successful. However, further areas have been detected since 2008, and in 2012 this exotic flat-headed borer has sprung up in nearly every corner of the state.

This summer EAB has been confirmed in the counties of Buchanan, Caroline, Giles, Hanover, Lee, Prince Edward, Stafford and Warren, adding to the already quarantined areas of Arlington, Charlotte, Clarke, Fairfax, Fauquier, Frederick, Halifax, Loudoun, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Pittsylvania and Prince William counties and the cities of Alexandria, Danville, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas, Manassas Park and Winchester.

As a result, the entire state has been defined as the quarantine area, which now allows green (non-heat treated) ash lumber and ash wood products, as well as hardwood firewood to move freely within the state. For additional information about the Emerald Ash Borer Quarantine call the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services at 804-786-3515.

So what does this mean for southeast Virginia. Well, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service’s Forest Inventory and Analysis data reveal that the volume of ash in our non-urban forested landscape is rather small. The entire state is estimated to have 187 million ash trees, with most of them being predominantly in the western portion of the state and the Piedmont.

However, ash is a very valuable timber species used for furniture, flooring and most notably baseball bats. Forest landowners with significant ash volumes may want to step up their vigilance in monitoring their trees with the reality of a forced harvest under less than prime conditions.

More significant for the general population and general public around the southeast Virginia area are the number of ash trees in yards and urban areas that will be affected. Some may choose to fight for their favorite tree, and there is a solution for possibly saving an individual tree.

The EAB larvae live and eat the living, conductive tissue just under bark ultimately severing the lifeline between the sugar producing leaves and the vital roots. This provides both a challenge and an opportunity.

The challenge being that external sprays and natural predators have little to no effect. The good news is that systemic — meaning contained inside the plant — insecticides work well, and these are easier to apply, have a longer active life and are very precisely targeted to only bad bugs feeding on the plant.

Imidacloprid is the main insecticide labeled for EAB control. This can be poured around the tree and is then taken up by the roots where it is then effective within the cambium tissue where the borer larvae feed for the greater portion of the year.

This is effective, however, it must be done every spring. So continuing maintenance costs are a factor.

EAB is the “poster-bug” for the “Do Not Move Firewood” ad campaign. This common sense approach is quite applicable to avoid the spread of insect eggs that reside under the bark of trees. However, most people don’t think about that because they are out of sight, out of mind.

Instead most people see many dead solid hardwood trees, which equals a fantastic source of fuel wood. But when these bug eggs are on a truck and hauled 100 miles, the range of this pest is rapidly expanded.

Then when that firewood consumer loads a few pieces in their sport utility vehicle to use for a scouting campout that’s 100 miles away, the spread continues.

This practice too can be taken too far as most species of wood are moved harmlessly, but sometimes it’s best to get in the habit as firewood species can be hard to identify by the general public.

Unfortunately, like gypsy moth, stink bugs, bed bugs, etc., it seems the EAB is here to stay, and it will impact the face of our forests in a significant way.

 As always Servall Termite & Pest Control is here for all of your pest control and home repair needs. Contact us today at one of our four convenient locations or visit http://www.servallpestcontrol.com!

Source: Neil Clark, Southhampton County Extension Agent

tidewaternews.com

What once was most unusual can turn into threatening pest

Sometimes, introducing exotic plants and animals into a habitat is the equivalent of throwing a wrench into the cogs of a machine: In some cases, the machine continues to operate, but at a much-reduced efficiency. In other cases, the machine shuts down completely.

 Exotic — also called “invasive” — species are nothing new. A variety of animals and plants has been introduced to North America in the 500-plus years that the continent has been explored, settled and developed.

 Some were introduced on purpose, others by accident. These introduced species are collectively known as “exotic” species because they’re not indigenous to North America. The opposite of exotic is “native.” Native species are the plants and animals that were the original inhabitants of our landscape.

 Some exotic plants such as kudzu and fescue are well-known to people, but there are many others. Some have become so common that we don’t realize they’re not from around here.

 Take, for instance, the two most common types of crabgrass found in Midwestern yards (and the types you’re probably trying to get rid of in yours) — hairy crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis) and smooth crabgrass (Digitaria ischaemum). Neither is native to North America: They were introduced here, probably in the 19th century.

 On the animal side, zebra mussels and Asian carp are highly publicized exotics that have made the news as threats to aquatic habitats in parts of the United States.

 Gypsy moths and emerald ash borers are well-known non-native tree pests that pose both habitat and financial threats to forests in the eastern and central parts of the country.


 One of our less-publicized exotic animals is the house mouse (Mus musculus).
This common pest, which is the mouse species we commonly encounter in homes and other domestic dwellings, wasn’t here when Europeans arrived. It had numerous introductions to North America via the ships of explorers and colonists.


 Though the exotic species that have come here are varied, the reasons they’ve become abundant are similar: Exotic species were introduced into areas that had none of the natural controls (browsing animals, predators, harsher weather, etc.) that kept them in line in their native lands, and, as a result, these newcomers flourished.

 This abundance has often come at the expense of native plants that formed the foundation of our habitats.

 When exotic species invade an area and crowd out the plants and animals that occurred naturally in that location, habitats often change for the worse: The insects that were attracted to native flowers go elsewhere, the native birds can’t find nesting areas because they’re occupied by exotic birds and other animals that needed these species for some part of their life cycles are also negatively affected.
Wise conservation practices using native species pay by enriching our economy and quality of life. Conversely, exotic invasions can have negative financial repercussions.

 Gypsy moths and emerald ash borers are already having an effect on the timber industry. When exotic plants such as musk thistle, spotted knapweed or Johnson grass take over pastures and fields, they can turn what had been money-making acres into financially unproductive tracts of land.

 As always Servall Termite & Pest Control is here for all of your pest control and home repair needs. Contact us today at one of our four convenient locations or visit http://www.servallpestcontrol.com!