Oh New Jersey...

....aren't we the lucky ones?!

Just when you thought you were home free of the dreaded cicadas, there's a new bug in town! What is it you ask? Will it make loud noises at dusk? Will there be strange recipes for us to use it in? Will we find them all dead on the ground in piles?!

Who knows!

What we do know is that the Asian Mosquito is moving on in!

This mosquito is really quite bothersome. It lives in New Jersey (as well as many, many, MANY other locations) and is known to carry quite a few diseases including West Nile and Yellow Fever. This mosquito is very different in appearance compared to others: it is black with white patterns on the body. The most major difference between these mosquitoes and others is that they will attack at any time of day, not just at night like most other mosquitoes.

So how about we talk about where these insects hang out? The females will lay eggs near (not next) to stagnant water. This means that if your neighbors have a pool and the house is empty, thus creating stagnant water in the pool... be on the look out! Any man made ponds that don't have any kind of movement.... Definitely a danger zone!

If you think you have a mosquito problem and are noticing some issues, please make sure you contact your local pest control business right away (that's All-Way Pest Control if you're in New Jersey)! You could have a problem that leads to severe health issues!  Also, please support small, local businesses... They are the bread and butter of where ever you live!


And some humor for your viewing pleasure.... Comic!

Weird but True: Cicadas!

Yay for my first weird but true post! This is going to focus on cicadas because, well, there is plenty of stuff out there that makes you stop and go "Wait.... Really?" And this blog is here to show that yes! It is true!

First up: The man who made music to the sound of cicadas. His name is David Rothenberg. Here is his wikipedia page. Followed closely with his personal website which you can find right here! Now for a quick overview. David graduated from Harvard and Boston and now teaches Philosophy and Music at NJIT! He is a jazz musician and apparently loves putting bug sounds to music. Now for what you really want to hear:

Click me now! Click me RIGHT NOW!



Next up: Are you into cooking? Do you enjoy trying out fancy new dishes? Does your taste palette need expanding? Well I have the recipes for you!

Yummmmmmmmmy!


Yummy! How about some cicadas in your soup? A lovely cicada sandwich perhaps? Or if you only like chocolate, a decadent cicada peanut butter cup?

And for those of you who are unsure about this whole process and who are grossed out by them:
 

Cicadas

It's been a good long time don't you think? Life certainly does get in the way.... but no worries! I'm back and we're going to spend this blog talking about cicadas!

Did you know that this is the year of the 17 year cicadas? If you didn't, I will explain:

Cicadas only show up every 17 years. 17 years ago, the cicadas emerged from the ground in this area. They swarmed with all the males wanting to find a female partner (it always seems to be for that reason huh?). They find a mate, do their thing, and then promptly die. The females then lay their eggs in the trees where they hatch and then go into the ground where they hang out there for another 17 years.... Only for the cycle to start all over again. Sounds like fun right?

Not so much.

Cicadas are quite the nuisance. They are loud and when they die, they are all over everything. Not only that, but we're not talking about a few buzzing around the yard. We're talking about hundreds of these bugs. These bugs can be so loud when in a group, they can reach 100 decibels.

For more information on the 17 year cicadas, click here: http://www.foxnews.com/science/2013/05/16/cicadas-east-coast-march/

To see a video with a cicadas as the star and to hear the noise you'll hear (keep in mind this is ONE) click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mah26og11ms

More soon! :)

Carpenter Ants, 2.0

Alright, here comes our second post on carpenter ants. Everyone, stop what you're doing and listen up! Carpenter ants are a big deal!

First of all, carpenter ants swarm in the spring. This is because this is when they are mating and looking for a new place to live. When the queen ant (who is winged) lands in a place they want to nest, they almost immediately lose their wings and start to burrow (NOT EAT!) the wood they are going to be living in.

Carpenter ants are most active at night (as with most insects) and can be found anywhere in your house that has damp or weak wood. Sometimes when you spot ants you are able to follow them to their nest in the house, therefore making it easier to eliminate the problem.

It is important to note that carpenter ants are JUST AS DANGEROUS TO STRUCTURES as termites. Although carpenter ants don't eat the wood, they do destroy the wood. Here is an example of what carpenter ants do to wood:

In order to help control carpenter ants and make sure that they do not come in to your home, you can take a few precautions. Make sure that trees and other plants are not touching your home as the ants can use a tree they are living in as a bridge to your house. Also, make sure that you take care of any leaks within your house immediately as carpenter ants LOVE wet wood.  Also, make sure that if you're storing firewood during the summer it is AWAY from the house and off the ground. Carpenter ants LOVE firewood.

As always, please call your local pest control company if you have or suspect you have a problem. If you live in New Jersey give All-Way Pest Control, Inc a call!! :)

Carpenter Ants, Version 1.0

Hello! Today's blog: Carpenter Ants.

Why? Because this is the time of year you have to start worrying about them.

The Facts!!

1. There are 9 different types of Carpenter Ants that live in the United States

2. Each colony was started with just one queen ant. She stays in the nest and raises her baby ants by feeding them saliva (eww!)

3. A colony of ants can average around 2,000!

4. Carpenter Ants don't actually eat the wood! They burrow holes and use the wood in other places around the nest while eating other insects, meat, fats, and sugary foods.

5. Carpenter Ants usually enter your home or business through previously wet and damaged wood

More soon! :)

 

 

http://www.pestworldforkids.org/ants.html

Signs of Termites

And we're back for round 2 of the posts about Termites!

This blog post will focus on how to recognize and identify a termite infestation in your home. This is not the easiest process and you should consult a termite or pest control specialist in your area (that would be All-Way Pest Control if you're from New Jersey or parts of PA! :) ) if you suspect an infestation or if you're concerned that one could occur. The following tips will help you identify if such a problem exists.

(All information is from http://www.termites.com/damage/detection-signs/)

There are many, many signs of termites but several of these could be and are usually overlooked by homeowners. They are mud tubes, droppings, bubbling paint, peeling paint, and hollow or damaged wood.

1) Mud Tubes

    Mud tubes are very thin tubes that are, obviously, made of mud. They are most easily visible on doors. Unfortunately, these tubes can also be found under siding and in cracks of foundation. This makes the tubes much more difficult to find.

2) Droppings

    Termite droppings are called Frass and you will see a large pile underneath wood that has been infested. These piles appear because termites will clean out their nests and push the droppings out of the nest onto the floor (at least they take care of their living space). 

3) Bubbling/Peeling Paint

     Termites like moisture. As a result of this, when they build their nests in your wood they need to bring in moisture. When the moisture is brought into the nest, paint will bubble and peel from that moisture. This is a difficult way to look for termites because bubbling or peeling paint could also be a sign of water damage. If  you see bubbling or peeling paint, first look for a water leak. If none is found, please call a professional to look into the situation as this could be the first sign of termites.

4) Hollow/Damaged Wood

    Here are two pictures of what damaged wood from termites looks like. This first is less extreme damage than the second.

Hopefully this information has been useful. Again, call you local pest control company if you are concerned about a termite infestation as damage can occur VERY quickly (see previous post for the number of eggs laid by the queen a day). If  you have any questions or comments leave a comment in the comment section or send us an email!

It's been so long..... and Termites!

Wow everyone! So sorry for my lack of posts lately. Things have gotten pretty busy around here, especially with spring right around the corner! I promise to be much better about getting posts up weekly so that you have interesting and exciting information to read!

I figure that we will start off the Spring Series of posts with an exciting one: Termites!

Let's begin with facts about termites shall we?

1. Termites are not considered part of the ant family (although they are quite commonly called ants) but are actually part of the cockroach family.  

2. Females can lay up to 2000 eggs a day!!!! (And you wonder why you have so many in your house...)

3. Males and females mate for life, which can be up to 45 years

4. Termites have specific jobs: worker and soldier termites work to do the Queen's bidding

5. The nests of termites are divided into specific chambers including a nursery for the hatching eggs and an area where water is collected

In our next post we'll talk about what to look for with termites and what happens when you find some!