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!

Silverfish

www.silverfishbugs.net

So let's chat about silverfish.

Silverfish are scaly, usually gray insects that crawl around (or scurry really) around your home. They prefer damp areas such as the bathroom, basement, or areas of your kitchen that are wet (think: under the kitchen sink). As you can see by the picture, silverfish actually do kind of, if you squint, resemble a fish. They have scale like covered bodies and a rounded face. When they move, silverfish are incredibly fast and the shake back and forth, much like a swimming fish.

Silverfish will eat almost anything in your house or business that contains sugar or starch. This includes books, paper, sugar, coffee, and even clothing and glue! When a silverfish has been eating something of yours, it will often look like a caterpillar has eaten it instead: envision a hole in a leaf where a caterpillar has eaten and that's what your book or starchy food will look like. 

It's hard to tell how many silverfish you have in your home or business because of how quickly they can multiply. If you find a silverfish, make sure that you move the items that it was eating to a dry area. These insects are nocturnal, so it's not very likely that you'll see them during the day unless you move something that they are living in.

If you suspect an infestation, call your local pest control company. If you're in New Jersey or Pennsylvania, visit www.allwaypestcontrol.com for more information!