Occasionally, we receive requests to treat people’s pantry for pests.  The requests are usually for “weevils” or “those little moths”.  In the pantry, they are typically stored product pests, the most common of which are the drugstore beetle, cigarette beetle, weevils (granary, rice, maize), flour beetles (red and confused), sawtoothed grain beetle, and Indianmeal moth.  Believe it or not these guys are all pretty easy to tell apart under magnification.

For the most part, all these pests live and reproduce in your stored food.  So the question is how do we spray for them?  The answer is we don’t. Sanitation is the proper method for control in a home pantry (i.e. You have to locate the infested food items and throw them away).  You may also vacuum up any spilled food in the pantry.

How did you get the infestation to begin with?  You’re clean and organized right?  Well there are three things that can put you at greater risk for an infestation.

1. Pet food

Pet food is often stored for long periods of time in stores, which leaves them open for infestation.  Also, pet food can get spilled behind racks at the stores and cause a recurring infestation.  We have noticed that the problem is especially bad with bird seed.  The best way to avoid this problem is to store all pet food in sealed plastic containers away from where you store your human food. This is good advice to keep rodents away too, please don't keep an open bag of dog food in your garage!

2. Buying Bulk

The same rule for pet food applies to bulk purchases.  There is a chance for infestation at the store level, and if you buy way more than you need, your own storage can become infested over time.  Again, store any bulk stuff in sealed plastic containers.  Another option is to store it in the freezer as this will stop any infestations from developing.

3. Buying unique items from International Stores

Generally this is along the same lines as the first two, but definitely worth mentioning.  International stores may keep all their rarely purchased items for a long time, leaving them susceptible to infestation. We see folks with large canvass sacks full of grains or rice that is often the problem.  The solution is the same, use sealed plastic containers and/or keep these purchases in the freezer.

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Remember, it’s not always just this short list of items that you need to look out for.  If you have a pantry infestation, you must check everything and throw it out if found to be a problem.  We’ve seen issues arise from tea bags, cereal, grains, rice, flour, sugar, almost anything in bags, and even some sealed up better than that.

News Flash!  The Indianmeal moth is one pantry pest we will soon be able to treat.  There have been recent advances in control using mating disruption, or MD.  MD has been used for years in agriculture against codling moth - a.k.a. the worm in the apple.  Using MD, Indianmeal moth pheromone dispensers are used to permeate the air with their pheromone.  With so much “love” in the air, it is impossible for the moths to find each other, putting a stop to reproduction. Don’t worry, it has no effect on humans or even other insects. Right now, this method is gaining popularity in Industrial areas, and will soon be launched in residential applications.  My uncle, Bill Lingren, owns the company that is developing it, Trece, Inc.!  Is that insider trading?

It's the time of year when everybody loves being outdoors and enjoying what brief stint of Spring we may get.  Many people decide to build, or already have, decks in their backyard to hold that hot tub, or table, or just to have a little cabana to hang out in.  Well, people are not the only creatures that love decks!  Many different types of pests, rodents, and snakes love decks so here are some easy tips to follow to minimize your risk.

1.  Do not let wood from the deck directly touch the ground.

• Termites will find that wood and move in quicker than you realize.
• Build the deck on top of concrete bases to eliminate wood to soil contact.

2.  Do not attach the deck directly to your house, or allow the deck to obscure the view of the foundation.

• Again, termites will find their way in and there's no way for us to tell if they're getting into the house without a clear view of the foundation.

3.  Do not leave any large access points to get under the deck.

• Rats, mice, possums, skunks, armadillos, cats....the list of possible intruders goes on and on.

4.  DO leave an access panel or door for the pest control guy to treat under the deck.

• This will help us when treating for cockroaches, scorpions, spiders, earwigs, pill bugs, fleas etc.)

Follow these simple tips to ensure you won't have to deal with more annoyances after completing your deck, cause we all know there are probably plenty of annoyances just in building the deck alone!

One of the services we provide at Venus Pest Company that people don't think about is pest control for outdoor weddings or other outdoor events.  We cannot control that "forever hold your peace" pest, but stopping fire ants, mosquitoes, wasps, or flies from ruining your event is not a problem.  A couple wedding chapels use us for rodent control as well, because the last thing you want are rats running across your wedding party!  Typically, we can treat the week of the wedding and get control of all the pests, so the guests are relaxed and comfortable.

We invited Amy McKay Rodriguez, owner of All Things Planned in College Station, Texas, to write a guest blog on outdoor weddings.  These tips really are amazing and could save your outdoor wedding...pay close attention to #3!  If you or any friends or family are planning an outdoor wedding or any other outdoor event (BBQ, pool party, birthday), please give us a call or share our blog with them and help save the day!  And now, a word from Amy McKay Rodriguez with All Things Planned...

The Great Outdoor Wedding

Living in the great southern state of Texas, chances are you've been to an outdoor wedding or you may even be planning one yourself. Down here, we love the outdoors and our beautiful landscape can make the perfect backdrop for an outdoor wedding. However, there are things you must consider when planning the great outdoor wedding. Below are five tips to ensure that your outdoor affair will be one to remember.... 

I recently attended two conferences where data on Altriset was presented, a new product out on the market for control of termites.  The first thing you need to know about Altriset is that it is a green insecticide, super green really.  In fact, I would argue it is the “greenest” insecticide on the market right now.

No Signal Word

If you look at most household cleaners, detergents, or a variety of other products (including insecticides), you’ll find a “signal word” in large bold print.  This is an indication of how toxic the product is and you’ll typically see CAUTION, WARNING, or DANGER.  The EPA allowed Altriset’s registration WITHOUT a signal word.  Even organic insecticides have a signal word!  What does that mean?  Alriset poses little or no threat to humans or otherwise, except termites.

First aid instructions:  No worries.

Altriset does not require any specific first aid intervention if anyone is accidentally exposed.  Wow!

Gloves, goggles:  Who needs ‘em?.

The person applying Altriset is not even required to wear gloves or protective eyewear.

Give bees a chance

Altriset is not a significant risk to bees, earthworms, birds or even fish.  The only caution issued here is with aquatic invertebrates.  I am guessing this means things like dragonfly larvae or daphnia can be affected.

How does it work? 

Okay, so we know people and animals are safe, but what about the termites?  I sat through no less than 15 presentations from independent University researchers, Pest Control Operators, and a couple of DuPont representatives that prove yes, it slaughters termites.  In fact, if I have to sit through another presentation, I might not be as nice next time I talk about Altriset...it works, I get it!

Altriset targets receptors on the termites’ muscles that we don’t have and must also be metabolized by the termites before it can even work.  Those two factors make it incredibly toxic to them but not to us.  The effect on the termites is an immediate stoppage of feeding, then slowing and loss of coordination, then finally death.

This effect is actually fun to watch (if you’re an Entomologist) and is demonstrated in this video.  The video was made by Dr. Phil Koehler at the University of Florida.  Ink from some pens mimic the termite trailing pheromone, so they will actually follow a line drawn from a pen like they are following another termite.  In the video, Dr. Koehler exposed termites to different levels of Altriset and recorded them following or trying to follow the line.  It’s a lot like watching a field sobriety test on an episode of Cops.  The more they are exposed, the more drunk they appear and eventually are left paralyzed.

Venus Pest Company is offering Altriset treatment for termite control right now as one of our Bee Green Pest Control services.  The pricing is quite similar to that for our conventional termite treatments with Termidor, which is why we’re so excited to be able to offer this new service.

I came across an article recently entitled "Don't Do It Yourself: 8 Jobs You Should Leave to the Pros."  The list is actually pretty interesting, and right on in my opinion. Among those listed are things like;

• Electrical Work
• Tree Removal
• Pricing Heirlooms
• Oil Changes 
• Read the full article and see the rest of the list here.

Number 8 on the list, and the topic for today's conversation is Pest Control, or "Getting Rid of Bugs" as it was phrased in the article.  This got me to thinking about some of the crazy things I've seen people do since I've been in pest control.  As the article states, it's not always as easy as just throwing down some pesticides in certain areas to get rid of pests in or around your home.  Different insects react differently to specific pesticides, ants versus beetles for instance.  Or cockroaches versus fleas.  Some are easily susceptible to residuals left behind by treatments, some must be contacted directly by pesticides to feel any effects.  Some insects are properly controlled using repellent pesticides, and some must be controlled using non-repellent pesticides.

The list of variations is not a short one I assure you, which is why it is critically important that you have a professional assist you when it comes to cleaning out your home or workplace of insects or other pests.  Often we see people try it themselves and take multiple cracks at it before finally calling us in for help.  One of my favorite lines I like to hear is, "I've been battling these things for months!"  Clients of ours are quite often surprised, and maybe a bit frustrated, when they find out that one call to us, and a quick assessment and treatment by one of our professionals is all it would have taken to solve their problem.  One call, one appointment, and it will most likely cost less than what you spent on all the stuff from the hardware store.  Not to mention all the heartache and significant others' complaining you have to deal with, it's really not worth it in the long run.  We have specific, targeted treatments designed by a Board Certified Entomologist, Dr. Scott Lingren, that we guarantee will solve all of your pest issues, typically in one visit.

Now let's talk about what some people do wrong when trying to do it themselves.

• Misidentification of pest
  • Doing so could result in an improper treatment and could potentially make the problem worse, or at best be a huge waste of time and money.
  • You're still left with a pest infestation.
• Over use of product
  • Not only does a little bit go a long way in most cases, but by applying more product than recommended by the label could be harmful to the environment, or worse your family or pets.
  • This would include the use of "bug bombs" inside your home and other remedies, why would you want to spray or fog this stuff all over all of your belongings?
• Miss the source of the infestation
  • Often where the pests congregate or nest is not where you see them, they have to search out food the same as we do.  So, simply treating the areas where you might see something pop up will not necessarily cure your problem as they could be living elsewhere.
  • Some insects have multiple colonies within one structure, or will scatter to create multiple colonies without eradicating the problem at all after an improper treatment.

Worst of all is what people are actually willing to spray or dump in and around their homes to deal with some situations.  We pride ourselves on environmentally friendly programs and strive to protect your homes and workplaces without putting any people, animals, or anything else in the environment at risk.  Technology really has come a long way in recent years where we can now effectively cure peoples' pest problems without putting anyone at risk, but it does still take proper techniques and the right materials, which only comes from a professional.

 Earlier this year we wrote about foraging bees in the Spring.  Each year as plants and flowers begin to bloom, there is always an increase in foraging bee activity as they gather pollen.  Oddly enough, the same thing happens in the Fall as we typically see an increase in foraging bees.  Why does this happen in the Fall?

Here's a message from Dr. Scott explaining why and what you should do if you see a lot of bees around your home or business.

This time of year, the nectar sources for honeybees are rapidly vanishing as plants prepare for winter. If you have a plant that is flowering right now, it is probably covered up with honeybees. Also, outdoor parties featuring a lot of sugary drinks may be plagued with bees trying to steal some coca cola or margarita. These bees can be a nuisance, but are not aggressive. You really have to mess with them to get a sting and they won't attack you as a group. There is no way to control foraging bees. The bees you see may be originating from several colonies as far as 2 or 3 miles away.

Remember bees are essential to life on this planet. From the honeybeeproject.com, it is estimated that thirty-three percent of everything that reaches the American table owes a debt to the honeybee. Over 90 fruits and vegetables including apples, melons, nut crops, cherries, berries, avocados plus alfalfa and clover seed for cattle feed are dependent upon honeybee pollination.

The best thing you can do is to just be careful. Pay attention to your drinks so you don't swallow a bee. That's not fun. Also be aware of the bees you see flying around. Try not to squish one or you might get a sting.

It's a good time to teach your kids about bees and what good they do. The kids will be mesmerized with the large number of bees and you can get really close to them without danger. Teach them that bees can be dangerous when defending their hive. The best thing to do if ever attacked by bees is to cover your face with your hands, run away, and get inside. Jumping in water does not work. You are better off to just keep running further away.

While they are busy pollinating these fall blooming plants, let's thank the little bees for their hard work and let them be bees!

So, from us here at Venus Pest Company, thanks!

Dr. Scott Lingren, BCE

There was an article at http://fireant.tamu.edu/ recently where they debunked a new myth that is spreading on how to kill fire ants.  Somehow it got spread across the internet, where everything is true right?  Then it got picked up by news outlets and spread even more, all without a credible source or any testing of any kind.  The claim…pouring club soda over a fire ant mound will eliminate the entire colony, including the queen, in 48 hours.

Ok, this one has already been debunked but it’s still included here for comedic purposes.  Below are three common misconceptions on how to get rid of fire ants. 

• Club Soda

o   The carbon dioxide in the soda is supposed to choke out all the oxygen and suffocate the ants in the colony, including the queen.

o   If you’re lucky, you might drown a few ants with this trick, but otherwise you will achieve nothing more than some “impressive bubbling action.”

• Soapy Water

o   You’ll actually kill more ants with this one than club soda between drowning a few and the actual soap taking a few out as well.

o   The soap will actually get you some mortality but its effects are very short lived and will have to be repeated many times.  Not really worth the effort if you ask me.

• Rice

o   This theory suggests that fire ants will take in the rice, eat it, and die when their stomachs explode from the expanding rice.

o   The problem is you have to trick the ants into eating the rice with a different ingredient, they are not naturally attracted to foods that will kill them.

o   Finding the right way to make this work is not worth the effort when extremely effective baits are available.

We’ve written about a couple of these as well as other theories for natural and organic pest control in The Truth About Natural, Organic, or Green Pest Control.  As previously mentioned, baits have been consistently proven to be the best form of fire ant control.  It’s also been proven that broadcast treatments are more effective than individual mound treatments.  Fire ants can forage several hundred feet away from the mound so they’ll pick up bait from a large area.

Lastly, please don’t pour gasoline on an ant pile and start a mini bonfire.  Granted, you’ll probably kill the mound, but it’s never a great idea to pour gasoline in the ground.  That’s all the Dr. Suess we have for this week.

If you need help with your fire ant control, call Venus Pest Company and ask us about the Texas 2-Step Program.

Founded as Venus Organic Company by Dr. Scott Lingren, BCE, our focus has always been on finding the most environmentally friendly ways of controlling pests in homes and businesses.  Although our services have grown, and the name changed to Venus Pest Company to reflect that, our core values have not changed.  Providing the most effective pest control services while minimizing harmful effects on the environment is still at the heart of everything we do.

As part of our commitment to PESP, we are subject to auditing and accountable for measurable results for the promotion of IPM and reduced risk pesticides.  Our commitment includes:

• Performance Tracking

  • Annual reporting

  • Must demonstrate measurable improvements

• Education

  • Public Outreach Programs

  • IPM training and education programs

• Responsibility

  • Aligning our communications with PESP’s message of environmental stewardship

  • Institutionalizing IPM across the organization

• Participation

  • Demonstrating involvement PESP activities and the IPM community

Our Environmental Stewardship Activities

All our services have always been based on the principals of IPM; our Bee Green^TM service takes that one step further by using only pesticides classified by the EPA for low environmental risk.  To learn more, please visit our IPM and Bee Green^TM pages.

We have also overhauled our internal and external operations to ensure our minimal daily impact on the environment.  Among other things, we have implemented a new recycling program, more fuel efficient vehicles, and energy improvements to our facilities to prove our dedication and commitment to sustainability.

 Our society's ever increasing environmental awareness has driven a booming desire for green products and services, and the pest control industry is no exception.  A green product or service is defined as one that protects or improves the environment.  However, green should not be confused with organic, which infers that the product or service is natural.  Natural does not necessarily mean environmentally friendly either, especially if the end result of going organic is a greater use of energy.  Venus Pest Company was originally founded as Venus Organic Company as Dr. Scott Lingren saw the growing need for environmentally friendly services.  Although we have expanded to become Venus Pest Company with many options available, doing our part to protect the environment is still at the heart of everything we do.

You can find many theories out there regarding natural or organic pest control and some will actually work, although most will leave you scratching your head.  Even still, remedies that will actually kill pests on contact often do not truly eliminate a pest infestation and offer no residual, or long term control of the pests.  Here is a review of a few organic or natural methods of pest control that we have come across.  We want you to know which methods can be effective, but would also like to leave you with some realistic things to consider about them.  Our Bee Green^TM pest control service was developed to satisfy both the need to control pests in your home or business and the desire to protect your families, pets, coworkers, and the environment.  For more information on each, read The Truth About Natrual, Organic, or Green Pest Control.

• Plant Oils - Rosemary, Citrus, Thyme, Pyrethrum, Basil etc. 
  
  • We use citrus oils on occasion when we need a quick knockdown kill and cannot use any insecticides, like on an fire-ant mound at a day care while children are playing.
  • There is no residual, or long term control offered and they usually have very strong odors.
  • They act fast and dissapate fast.  Spraying a wasp nest will kill any wasps currently there, but within minutes other wasps that were away from the nest can land safely.
• Diatomaceous Earth - Made up of the remains of tiny sea creatures.
  
  • This abrasive material is supposed to control insects by scratching their waxy under belly and causing dehydration.
  • It claims 48 hours to 1 week to control cockroaches, but we haven't seen that.  It is so slow acting that we would argue that it doesn't work at all.
  • Don't waste your time on this one.
• Spices - Cayenne Pepper, Cinnamon, Peppermint, Mint Tea Bags, Cucumber Peels etc.
  
  • Some insects will avoid things like cayenne pepper and will not cross a line laid out in front of an entry point, like ants coming out of a wall into your kitchen for instance.
  • It is nearly impossible, and probably not a good idea, to leave piles of spices or tea laying around if you have pets or children.
  • The insects may avoid one spot, or multiple spots if you want to spread cinnamon all around your house.  But you still did nothing to control them, they're still in your walls foraging for food.  How long before they find a new entry point somewhere else?  Don't forget insects are excellent climber
• Soapy Water
  
  
  • Soapy water will have similar benefits to plant oils or spices.  You can achieve some mortality, and soapy water won't last in the environment.
  • Moderate efficacy and no residual, or long-term control, meaning increased applications and energy use.
• Rice for Ant Control
  
  • The theory holds that if you spread rice around an ant mound they will take it in, eat it, and die when they're stomachs explode from the expanding rice.
  • How do you get the ants to eat the rice?  Ants are not naturally attracted to eat rice, so you have to somehow trick them with a different ingredient to eat the rice.
  • Finding the right way to make this work is not worth the effort when extremely effective baits are available.

• Integrated Pest Management (IPM) - In this 2002 study, Green & Breisch described IPM as the central technological paradigm for achieving pesticide reform and demonstrated IPM strategies reduced pesticide use by more than 90%.  Be sure that any pest control company you hire can clearly define IPM and how they use it.

• Bait - Unlike cayenne pepper and other things that might repel insects from a particular location, baits will be taken back and shared throughout the nests, eventually gaining complete control of the pests.

• Insect Growth Regulators (IGR) - Because they specifically target insects, IGRs are not harmful to other organisms.  They are most often used against cockroaches, fleas, bed bugs, mosquitoes, and termites.

• Boric Acid - Sounds scary, but this naturally occurring insecticide dust has been used for almost 100 years.  It is slow acting, but has a very low toxicity to humans and animals, and is very long-lasting.

• Indoxacarb / Dinotefuran - These are two recent synthetic insecticides that have received fast track registration from the EPA because of their low environmental risk.  Showing great promise for the future of green pest management, we began using Indoxacarb in 2009 as part of our green service offerings.

• Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.) - Bacillus thuringiensis is an insecticidal bacteria that is so specific that certain strains of it only kill one species of insect.  It is invaluable against mosquito larvae because it can be applied directly to water and will ONLY kill mosquito larvae, commonly called mosquito dunks.

• Spinosad / Abamectin -  Derived from bacterial fermentation, these two natural insecticides are used mainly in baits against ants or cockroaches and in animal applied products for controlling parasites.  Spinosad is the active ingredient in some flea medications for your pets.