Here's a cartoon for your viewing pleasure!
Monday, December 24, 2012
Merry Christmas!
I wanted to wish all my readers a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!
Here's a cartoon for your viewing pleasure!
Enjoy!
Here's a cartoon for your viewing pleasure!
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Cluster Fly
Well hello everyone! It's been a busy time with the Holidays taking over but I'm back to do a post about the infamous Cluster Fly.
Ahh, yes. These flies are just precious. As a whole, Cluster Flies are not necessarily dangerous pests (ie: these are not like the common house fly that can spread disease). On one hand, they are just an annoyance. They fly around pretty lazily compared to a normal fly: they will randomly hit in to people or other objects because they aren't paying attention or perhaps they just don't care.
Who knows really?
But anyway, the issue occurs when the insects start to die and are not easily found; this is most usually because the flies like to "cluster" together in the attic during the winter. The flies die, are not found, and then will start attracting various other types of pests that are more dangerous.... such as beetles and rodents. That is not good!
Cluster Flies will enter your home or business through the smallest cracks and crevices you've ever seen. They then lazily fly about your house until they find a warm spot to "cluster" together and hang out for the rest of the cold months. In order to prevent them, as usual, make sure that there are no cracks or crevices outside your home that they can wiggle through. Also, you should NOT use a fly swatter on these annoying flies; when squished, they will leave a foul odor and cause a greasy stain. If you suspect an infestation of Cluster Flies, call your local pest control company for assistance!
Visit our website http://allwaypestcontrol15.wix.com/allwaypestcontrol for more information on us if you're in the New Jersey or Pennsylvania area!
 | |||
| http://www.thesuffolkpestcontrolcompany.co.uk/pest-help/cluster-flies |
Ahh, yes. These flies are just precious. As a whole, Cluster Flies are not necessarily dangerous pests (ie: these are not like the common house fly that can spread disease). On one hand, they are just an annoyance. They fly around pretty lazily compared to a normal fly: they will randomly hit in to people or other objects because they aren't paying attention or perhaps they just don't care.
Who knows really?
But anyway, the issue occurs when the insects start to die and are not easily found; this is most usually because the flies like to "cluster" together in the attic during the winter. The flies die, are not found, and then will start attracting various other types of pests that are more dangerous.... such as beetles and rodents. That is not good!
Cluster Flies will enter your home or business through the smallest cracks and crevices you've ever seen. They then lazily fly about your house until they find a warm spot to "cluster" together and hang out for the rest of the cold months. In order to prevent them, as usual, make sure that there are no cracks or crevices outside your home that they can wiggle through. Also, you should NOT use a fly swatter on these annoying flies; when squished, they will leave a foul odor and cause a greasy stain. If you suspect an infestation of Cluster Flies, call your local pest control company for assistance!
Visit our website http://allwaypestcontrol15.wix.com/allwaypestcontrol for more information on us if you're in the New Jersey or Pennsylvania area!
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Diapause -- What?!
Well hello everyone! Today's post is going to be a bit different. Did you know that insects are capable of something called diapause? What this means is that insects are able to alter the chemical balance of their blood and therefore live through the winter. They are, in short, able to almost change their blood to anti-freeze. How crazy is that?
Many insects do this: Grasshoppers, potato beetles, silkworms, and the monarch butterfly are just a few examples of insects that are able to utilize this ability.
So what happens when diapause occurs? The insects are able to slow down; the younger the insect, the more slow it becomes. For example, for a larvae insect, they will "sleep" or hibernate throughout the entirety of the winter. For more adult insects, they will have diminished need for eating and will stop growing. This is very important for them in order to survive the harsh winter climate. These insects will then live between the bark of a tree, in between areas of siding, or in your house. At the end of winter, once the weather remains warm, the insects will "wake up" and return to their normal state of living.
This is a picture of what monarch butterflies look like during diapause:
Yeah, those lumps there would be the butterflies. They are huddled together during their time in diapause.
Hope you enjoyed this little update! More soon!
Many insects do this: Grasshoppers, potato beetles, silkworms, and the monarch butterfly are just a few examples of insects that are able to utilize this ability.
So what happens when diapause occurs? The insects are able to slow down; the younger the insect, the more slow it becomes. For example, for a larvae insect, they will "sleep" or hibernate throughout the entirety of the winter. For more adult insects, they will have diminished need for eating and will stop growing. This is very important for them in order to survive the harsh winter climate. These insects will then live between the bark of a tree, in between areas of siding, or in your house. At the end of winter, once the weather remains warm, the insects will "wake up" and return to their normal state of living.
This is a picture of what monarch butterflies look like during diapause:
 |
| Wikipedia |
Hope you enjoyed this little update! More soon!
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Indian Meal Moth
Well, time for a fun new bug. This one is called the Indian Meal Moth.
It could almost be cute.... almost.
Anyway, the Indian Meal Moth is that pesky moth that you can sometimes find when you open your cabinets or pantry. Although the word "moth" presents imagery such as this:
This is NOT that kind of moth. The Indian Meal Moth is an incredibly destructive insect. This moth will hang out in cereal, bread, pasta, nuts, dried fruit, and more. Often times, food will become webbed together. It is EXTREMELY important if you open a container and have a moth fly out to dispose of any and all containers of food that are not completely sealed. The Indian Meal Moth can also be hard to get rid of once it has spread outside of food containers: they make cocoons and live on the ceilings in different rooms of the house or warehouse.
Keep all your flour products and dried foods in tightly sealed containers! This will help prevent larva from entering your food and spreading!
More updates soon! Keep reading!
 | |||||
| Wikipedia |
It could almost be cute.... almost.Anyway, the Indian Meal Moth is that pesky moth that you can sometimes find when you open your cabinets or pantry. Although the word "moth" presents imagery such as this:
This is NOT that kind of moth. The Indian Meal Moth is an incredibly destructive insect. This moth will hang out in cereal, bread, pasta, nuts, dried fruit, and more. Often times, food will become webbed together. It is EXTREMELY important if you open a container and have a moth fly out to dispose of any and all containers of food that are not completely sealed. The Indian Meal Moth can also be hard to get rid of once it has spread outside of food containers: they make cocoons and live on the ceilings in different rooms of the house or warehouse.
Keep all your flour products and dried foods in tightly sealed containers! This will help prevent larva from entering your food and spreading!
More updates soon! Keep reading!
Friday, November 30, 2012
Rat Facts!
Since this week was so busy and I neglected the blog a little (Sorry!!), I figured we would extend Rat Week in to Rat Weeks. There will be a new pest posted Sunday!
So, drum roll please...... SOME FACTS ABOUT RATS!
1) Rats can be very lovable and social. They love to be around humans or other rats and will often sleep next to each other. When they are alone, rats often become sad and depressed. So when you find one rat you're likely to find more!
2) Rats are extremely intelligent. Once they figure out a path or way to get to something they want, they aren't likely to forget it
3) There is an entire temple dedicated to the rat
4) An adult rat can fit through an opening the size of a quarter (most adult rats are between 6-10 inches long depending on the breed)
5) Most rats breed within their own family: They will mate with brothers, sisters, and even young! This is what makes the rat so prevalent!
(Source: http://oddstuffmagazine.com/some-interesting-but-strange-facts-about-rats.html)
Hope you enjoyed my list! Anything you're shocked about? Talk about it in the comments section!
So, drum roll please...... SOME FACTS ABOUT RATS!
1) Rats can be very lovable and social. They love to be around humans or other rats and will often sleep next to each other. When they are alone, rats often become sad and depressed. So when you find one rat you're likely to find more!
2) Rats are extremely intelligent. Once they figure out a path or way to get to something they want, they aren't likely to forget it
3) There is an entire temple dedicated to the rat
4) An adult rat can fit through an opening the size of a quarter (most adult rats are between 6-10 inches long depending on the breed)
5) Most rats breed within their own family: They will mate with brothers, sisters, and even young! This is what makes the rat so prevalent!
(Source: http://oddstuffmagazine.com/some-interesting-but-strange-facts-about-rats.html)
Hope you enjoyed my list! Anything you're shocked about? Talk about it in the comments section!
Friday, November 23, 2012
Knowing you have Rats
Well, I hope that everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving! I know that ours was good! But now, back to business. Here is the post that I promised you.... How to know that you have rats!
Rats are able to adapt easily to their surroundings. Generally, we see rats as most active during the hour following sunset and before dawn; however, rats can alter their patterns of nocturnal behavior in order to cope with human activity. Many people believe that rats are nocturnal creatures but this is NOT always true, they just tend to move more frequently at night because that's when their predators are least active.
Norway rats prefer to live in burrows next to buildings rather than actually IN the building. This is significant because blocking homes and businesses from holes is not helpful in keeping out the Norway rat; they will still find a way in. The way to be rid of the Norway rat is by eliminating the nest they are living in outside the building.
In a large infestation around a farm, for example, grain bins may collapse. The rats will burrow under and around areas that can be covered with vegetation or cobwebs, making it very difficult to locate the nest.
Rats will exist and live where there is food. Once the food, old and new, is removed, the rats will end up leaving or dying.
So how should you go about looking for signs of rats? Look for bite markings in the basement, under sinks, or in your kitchen. Pay attention to sudden electrical problems as rats LOVE eating wires. Overall, if you suspect something is amiss, GET HELP! A professional will be able to tell you for sure if you have an infestation, where it is located, and the best course of action.
Rats are able to adapt easily to their surroundings. Generally, we see rats as most active during the hour following sunset and before dawn; however, rats can alter their patterns of nocturnal behavior in order to cope with human activity. Many people believe that rats are nocturnal creatures but this is NOT always true, they just tend to move more frequently at night because that's when their predators are least active.
Norway rats prefer to live in burrows next to buildings rather than actually IN the building. This is significant because blocking homes and businesses from holes is not helpful in keeping out the Norway rat; they will still find a way in. The way to be rid of the Norway rat is by eliminating the nest they are living in outside the building.
In a large infestation around a farm, for example, grain bins may collapse. The rats will burrow under and around areas that can be covered with vegetation or cobwebs, making it very difficult to locate the nest.
Rats will exist and live where there is food. Once the food, old and new, is removed, the rats will end up leaving or dying.
So how should you go about looking for signs of rats? Look for bite markings in the basement, under sinks, or in your kitchen. Pay attention to sudden electrical problems as rats LOVE eating wires. Overall, if you suspect something is amiss, GET HELP! A professional will be able to tell you for sure if you have an infestation, where it is located, and the best course of action.
Monday, November 19, 2012
The Norway Rat
This week, we're going to talk about the Norway Rat. This rat is the most common rat found in cities today. An interesting tidbit on the Norway Rat? It is NOT originally from Norway! The rat actually came out of Central Asia and was most likely classified in Norway, thus the name "Norway Rat."
Aww, so cute right?
This rat is one of the larger rats that can be found: an average adult is on average 16 inches in length (including tail) and about 12 ounces. The media really enjoys making these rats out to be bigger than they actually are. In fact, the largest Norway Rat ever found was in North Carolina, and it weighed 1.36 pounds!
What are other common names for the Noway Rat, you may be asking. Common names include: brown rat, sewer rat, barn rat, wharf rat, and water rat. Yes, these are the rats that are equally as common off a boat (how they came to America) as they are in the sewer in the city, as the are in a barn in the country.
Next post will be about what to look for in regards to knowing if you have rats. Check back soon!!
Aww, so cute right?
This rat is one of the larger rats that can be found: an average adult is on average 16 inches in length (including tail) and about 12 ounces. The media really enjoys making these rats out to be bigger than they actually are. In fact, the largest Norway Rat ever found was in North Carolina, and it weighed 1.36 pounds!
What are other common names for the Noway Rat, you may be asking. Common names include: brown rat, sewer rat, barn rat, wharf rat, and water rat. Yes, these are the rats that are equally as common off a boat (how they came to America) as they are in the sewer in the city, as the are in a barn in the country.
Next post will be about what to look for in regards to knowing if you have rats. Check back soon!!
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