This was a first sighting for me in this particular environment.  Can you identify these impressive creations and who made them???  I’ll give you a couple of hints!

1.  Something will happen in these forms when the get warmed by the sun.

2. They are formed to allow the builder to survive above ground.

Hydrex Pest Control will give a 10% discount up to $100 if you can identify these forms!

Any guesses?  Aside from Pest Control Pro’s! : ) 

I never know what type of soil dwelling creature I may run into when I lift the bait from these stations.  I run across things like centipedes, sow bugs, skinks and so on.  This week I had two notable encounters. The first I identified as it was luckily crawling back down into the station.  I could see that it’s spiny tail was curled up over it’s back and I watched it’s hind legs crawl away from me into the dark hole. Yes, it was my first scorpion sighting in a Hex-pro station.  My heart raced a little faster for a moment and then I began to wonder what it would be doing down there.  I have always thought of scorpions as heat seekers, so I researched a bit.  Although they prefer temperatures from 68 – 99 degrees, they can survive freezing temps and do seek shelter under rocks, logs IN HOLES etc.  Did you know that some species can live up to 25 years?!

My second exciting find made a sound before I could see his huge dark eyes.  It was a spotted salamander!  Absolutely adorable, and they do actually make a high pitched little squeaking sound when startled or touched.  The little guy just sat on the edge of the station staring at me, as if he were asking, ” Now what? It’s awfully bright out here…”.  I gently pushed him back into the station and adjusted the bait so I wouldn’t squish him.

So all and all an interesting week in the field.  Please let me know if YOU have any cool creature stories that you would like to share!

The Russian River is raging, and the redwoods become more dense and taller. 

This is a typical call during this weather, ants, trying to get to drier ground.  Rodents taking refuge in garages, walls, outbuildings.  But in no way is this a typical place.  The silence of the redwoods, the sound of the rushing river, we are so lucky to have a service business in the North Bay. Rain?  Bring it on! : )

It was almost exactly a year ago that I posted a blog about a swarm of honey bees in Scottsdale Arizona that were blocking the entrance to one of our favorite Gelato shops.

We are heading back down to Scottsdale next week to see if we can spot another swarm! Oh and to take in a few Giants game while we’re there and all. ; )

So last week, the buzz around Scottsdale was about a swarm of bees that actually put the Giants vs. D’backs game on hold for 41 minutes! Apparently the bees thought they could do a better job defensively! After visiting the field they stopped by the Giants dug out to give Coach some advice! Whatever they told him really worked! Giants blasted the D’backs 11- 1.  Bocchi may be hoping for a bunch more swarms this season!

http://www.alamogordonews.com/natsports/ci_20101090

I thought it would be fun to post some pictures of what I think are some of the more remarkable camouflages.  I would love to see pictures that you have captured or seen that you think are super cool camo moths or butterflies!

This is the Camo moth I see most often. It looks just like the bark on the oak trees surrounding our house. Amazing!(right)

The incredible Pandora Sphinx! Can you make her out among the leaves? (left)

Who do you think is the winner?  Or do you have a better shot?

At Hydrex Pest Control we receive many calls from customers who are afraid they may have termites.  I thought it might be helpful to go over what the most common termites look like in their various stages of development, so here we go.

The two most common termites we encounter in California are the subterranean and the drywood. Subs, as we affectionately refer to them, live in the ground and are attracted to moisture.  They consume cellulose (wood) and travel through mudtubes. Subs are very destructive and  some species colonies have been known to consume up to 15 pounds of wood in one weeks time!  A large well established colony can have up to 7 million members.

Their caste system consists of workers, soldiers, winged reproductives a Queen and a King.  People generally notice them when the reproductives swarm.

These are specimens of subterranean workers and a winged reproductive.

Drywood termites live in the wood and do not require contact with soil. Their colonies are much smaller, usually a few hundred to a thousand. The most obvious sign of infestation are the kick holes they create as they tunnel through wood, leaving a small pile of  frass which looks like sand pellets outside the hole.

They have the same type of caste system as the subs and both types of swarmers can be mistaken for ant swarmers.

Drywood reproductives

You can capture an insect and have it identified by a pest control company or you can call out a professional to do a limited or a full inspection of your home.  At Hydrex we offer free limited inspections and also full inspections for a fee.

It is very important that you identify termites as soon as you suspect you may have them.  You’ll want to get your house treated to stop the termites from doing any further damage.

Hope this helps you spot them!

Let’s start with the least problematic species the little black house ant, aka; sugar ant.  These guys form trails heading from their entry point to a food source generally in the kitchen or garbage area.  They can also be seen trailing outdoors and nest both inside and out. They prefer to nest in decayed wood but are also known to nest in voids or cracks in cement.  

Although they are a nuisance, they do not cause damage to your house and can be controlled with baits.  Many of our bi-monthly pest control clients started the service to control ant invasions.  You can help prevent ant infestations by moving kitchen garbage outside, keeping counters clean and food sealed up tight.

Odorous house ants actually emit and odor similar to the smell of rotten coconuts when crushed. They generally go for sweet foods. Even though the name suggests these pests are common in the home, they are actually more of an outdoor pest. They can nest in walls voids in the home, but are usually found outdoors in nesting locations similar to other ants; under rocks, logs, planters, etc.  These ants are also considered a nuisance pest and do not physically damage the house.  Baiting can sometimes be difficult, because of this ants reluctance to take different types of baits.

Argentine ants are also very common and considered more of a problem because they can be difficult to control and because they can bite!  These ants are about 1/16th” long and can build nests under just about anything.  These ants sometimes crawl through dead animals or garbage, so they can be carriers of disease.  Argentine ants can be found indoors and out.  They trail heavily to and from food sources. Inside they eat just about anything that can be found in the kitchen, while outside they eat things like other dead creatures, honeydew from other insects and bee honey. They nest where there is a source of moisture, like under a kitchen sink, or in inside a potted plant. Outside you can find nests under rocks, garbage cans, concrete, or any place moist and sheltered from light. 

Spraying and baiting in combination is the most effective method of control for these pests. It is essential that garbage is stored well if it can not be disposed of right away.

Lastly let’s look at the carpenter ant which actually can do damage to your home. Carpenter ants frequently make their homes by hollowing out wood to make galleries and nests, which is how they got their name. Carpenter ants tear wood and clear it out for nesting, they don’t actually digest it like termites. These ants can also nest in wall voids, or other types of voids and build galleries through wood in your home. They feed on the same sorts of things other ants do; other insects and household food items. Typically larger than most other ants, the size of a carpenter ant can be an indication of the size and maturity of its colony.  Bigger ants come from more mature colonies.  

Keep an eye out for warning signs you may have a carpenter ant infestation. You may see the swarmers or their wings around window areas, workers foraging for food, or the debris pushed out of the galleries by the ants. This debris is called frass. It collects in small piles and looks like sawdust. Frass can include bits of other building materials or insect body parts. Sometimes the makeup of the frass can be a tip off as to where the ants are nesting. Look for darker colored frass indicating nesting in decaying wood, or pieces of wall insulation or foam insulating board.

If you suspect you have carpenter ants it is important to have a pest control professional come out and take a look.  If the nest is outside, a barrier should be sprayed around the house as well as localized treatments for the ants inside. If the nest is determined to be inside the home it can be controlled with traditional injections of pesticide in aerosol or dust form.

Well that is plenty of ant info for now. If you have any questions, feel free to give us a call at Hydrex Pest Control of the North Bay at (877) 696-1670!

This discovery may help answer some of the questions surrounding CCD or colony collapse disorder which has been being studied across the country since 2006.

SFSU biology professor John Hafernik has stated that at this time, the fly parasite has only been found in honey bee hives in California and South Dakota.  In an article written by Hafernik and colleagues in PloS One, they make the point that because this is an emerging parasite and because we transport commercial hives all over the U.S., there is a real danger that the parasite could spread throughout North America, potentially destroying huge numbers of bee colonies.

Apparently the fly lays its eggs in the bee’s belly and about seven days after the bee dies, fly larvae emerge from between the bee’s head and thorax.  One of the most interesting parts of this story is that after the bees have been invaded, they abandon their hives and head towards light.

Stay tuned for more information on the plight of the honey bee!

Look who is coming to Christmas dinner along with 2,000 of his closet friends!!!!  It’s that time of year and I don’t mean the holidays.  When the nights get cold or wet, the ants start heading indoors. The other thing that can attract them besides your cozy fire is the gingerbread cookie crumbs around the kitchen garbage can or that splash of eggnog that Uncle Charlie left on the counter.

Your best defense against an ant invasion is to clean up well and keep the inside garbage empty.  Also, keeping your pets food bowl elevated and putting an absorbent mat under their water dish will help eliminate some easily accessible food and water sources for the ant.

You can also check your house for cracks along walls or floors and use caulking to block access ways for the ants.  Weather stripping along the bottom of doors can also be helpful.  If you find that you have a real infestation going on, call your local pest control professional to perform and inside and outside treat and get it under control.  Many people use a regular monthly or bi-monthly pest control service to stay on top of ants and other pests like silverfish, fleas and even rodents.

So if you are sneaking Aunt Betsy’s fruit cake into the kitchen trash, remember to empty it daily to keep the ants from marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah! 

Happy pest free holidays to all!