From the monsoons of Arizona to Gustav in Louisiana there is rain a pouring in the southern portion of the United States.  Subterranean termites love moisture and often times become more active because of it.  You can either perform an investigation utilizing the tips I am going to give you about identifying termite infestations or you can contact Bulwark Exterminating for a free termite inspection. (1-800-445-9313)

How to identify Termites

• A temporary swarm of winged insects in your home or from the soil around
  your home.  The opening in the mound is generally very large.  They will often times be crawling very fast along the grounds too.  The insects are preparing to mate.  Termites tend to swarm in the Spring.
• Any cracked or bubbling paint or termite droppings.
• Wood that sounds hollow when tapped.
• Mud tubes on exterior walls.  These are utilized by subterranean termites to get from their underground abode to the softwood they are dining on.
• Discarded wings from swarmers.  Look at the wings they will be identical in opposed to carpenter ants who will have different sized wings.  Termite will have four wings that are generally twice their body size.
• Termites have straight bodies with no petiole. (waist)

Ground Bee Control

If ground-nesting bees and wasps can be ignored and their tunnels tolerated, do so since they are valuable in agricultural production and helpful by controlling pests in nature. If nests are in locations undesirable and stinging is a great possibility, control is justified. During the day, carefully watch where the nest entrances are located. After dark, tunnels and the surrounding area can be treated with dusts of carbaryl (Sevin), bendiocarb (Ficam D) or diazinon when the nest is in the ground. Use pyrethrins, permethrin, resmethrin or propoxur (Baygon) when the nest is in the side of a building. Other lawn and garden insecticide sprays can also be used, but dusts have the advantage of not soaking into the soil. Those who are allergic to bee stings, should contact a licensed, professional pest control operator to perform the control job. Always read the label and follow directions and safety precautions.

Source:Keith L. Smith, Associate Vice President for Ag. Adm. and Director, OSU Extension.

Yesterday evening I left work and drove East into the eye of the monsoon.  The gray clouds were thick and scary looking, to the west of me it was raining so hard there was no visibility.  I recently read a short article that stated that the Box Elder Beetle population is extremely bad this Arizona monsoon season.  The article was produced by a local Arizona ABC affiliate and I must say that it would be a complete waste of time if you were to read it.  Let me summarize the article for you in so many words:

Reporter: “Beware the Box Elder Beetle they are everywhere.“   Atomic Pest Control Expert: “Don’t worry…they don’t harm anything, just wait them out…and slap some silly putty on any cracks your home may have.”

I guess I may be expecting too much from an ABC affiliated story.  Here is a little background on the Box Elder Beetle and some tips on how to control them.

Quick Facts…

• Boxelder bugs are a nuisance in and around homes from fall through early spring.
• The bug overwinters as an adult in protected places such as houses or other buildings.
• Removing female boxelder trees is the most permanent solution to the problem, although this may not be practical or desirable.
• Laundry detergents offer safe, effective control when applied directly to the insects.

The boxelder bug overwinters as an adult in protected places such as houses and other buildings, in cracks or crevices in walls, doors, under windows and around foundations, particularly on south and west exposures. In the spring when tree buds open, females lay small, red eggs on leaves and stones and in cracks and crevices in the bark of female boxelder trees. The eggs later hatch into young nymphs that are wingless and bright red with some black markings. These young bugs usually are found on low vegetation near boxelder trees until seeds are formed on the tree, on which they start to feed.

Boxelder bugs are primarily a nuisance pest, annoying residents by crawling on exteriors and inside dwellings on warm fall and winter days. They also may stain draperies and other light-colored surfaces and produce an unpleasant odor when crushed, but these are not major problems. They do not reproduce during this period. They may attempt to feed on house plants but do not cause any damage. On rare occasions, they have been reported to bite humans.

The most permanent solution to the boxelder bug problem is the removal of female boxelder trees from a neighborhood, although this may not be practical or desirable. Because boxelder bugs usually overwinter near the trees that they feed on, the removal of one or two problem trees may help. Screening or sealing cracks or other entrances into the dwelling is important. Once boxelder bugs have entered the home, control becomes more difficult.

When the bugs begin to congregate on building exteriors, these areas (including all resting and hiding places) may be sprayed with residual insecticides. However, most insecticides registered for treatment of building exteriors are not that effective against boxelder bugs. Laundry detergent and water mixes are cheap, safe and effective when applied directly to boxelder bugs. Drawbacks of detergent sprays are that they will kill only if they contact the insect directly, and they may damage vegetation.

Use a vacuum cleaner to control bugs that have entered the house. Household insecticidal aerosols and many household spray cleaners also are effective when applied directly to individual Insects. These measures provide temporary relief only. Bugs may continue to enter the home as they move about on warmer days throughout the fall, winter and early spring. Nuisance infestations should be finished by late May, as the boxelder bugs have either died or moved back to the host trees.

Source:F.B. Peairs, Colorado State University Extension entomologist and professor, bioagricultural sciences and pest management.

– Monday, August 04, 2008

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1, 2008 — On July 25, Wildlife Services (WS), a program within the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) to strengthen its cooperation and coordination on wildlife damage involving nuisance birds.

“The National Pest Management Association always has been an important partner for Wildlife Services,” said Bruce Knight, under secretary for USDA’s marketing and regulatory programs. “This agreement will ensure an even stronger relationship between our organizations by working together to address problems caused by nuisance birds, such as European starlings, house sparrows and pigeons.”

The agreement culminates more than a year of discussions between WS and NPMA and establishes regular meetings and communication between the two organizations while recognizing WS responsibility for the control of invasive species.

Under this agreement, entities and individuals seeking assistance with nuisance bird problems will continue to have the choice of using pest management companies or seeking WS help to respond to damage concerns. WS will not actively seek to become involved in the control of nuisance birds in areas where pest management companies have the established capacity to meet consumers’ needs. The MOU complies with the 2008 Farm Bill Manager’s Statement encouraging APHIS to enter into such agreements with private industries.

WS actively researches and develops contraceptive agents and other control techniques for birds, such as pigeons and geese, and will provide training to the NPMA on new techniques as they are developed. The NPMA, with more than 5,000 members, was established in 1933 to support the pest management industry’s commitment to protect the public’s health, food and property.

Source: USDA

I often write about the good that bugs do for the environment.  I have respect for the pests that we control and have grown fond of how insects impact our environment.  I read an interesting article that may change the way you feel about termites.

Here it is:

By KRISTEN GELINEAU, Associated Press WriterWed Jul 30, 4:01 AM ET

Lost in the rocky, remote Australian Outback, a former pest exterminator faced dehydration and death. Desperate for food, he turned to what he knew best — bugs, he said Wednesday.

Theo Rosmulder, 52, managed to survive for four days by feasting on termites and other insects before local Aborigines happened upon him Tuesday and brought him back to civilization.

A weary-looking Rosmulder told reporters that he found some relief from hunger at a giant termite mound. “I just hit the top of the termite nest off and got stuck into them,” Rosmulder said.

“Termites don’t taste too bad,” he said at a news conference in the southwestern Australian mining town of Laverton.

Rosmulder was suffering from dehydration but otherwise in “surprisingly good condition,” Western Australia state police Sgt. Graham Clifford said. He said the insects and termites provided Rosmulder a bit of moisture and some protein.

“He kept eating what he used to kill,” Clifford said.

Rosmulder had been searching for gold with his wife and a group of other prospectors about 80 miles north of Laverton, police said.

On Friday, he became lost after heading out alone, armed only with a pocketknife, flashlight and a metal detector, Clifford said. His prospecting group called police Friday night after he failed to return to camp.

Police launched a large search operation at first light Saturday morning, with dozens of searchers combing 77 square miles of the rocky desert terrain by land and air.

“The chap did say he saw planes on a number of occasions and waved items of clothing, but they didn’t attract the attention,” Clifford said.

Rosmulder said he managed to get some rest during his ordeal. “Found a hollow in the rocks where the kangaroos slept and crawled into it, got a few bushes over the top of me and stayed the night,” Rosmulder said.

On Tuesday morning, a couple members of a local Aboriginal community who were out shooting spotted Rosmulder about 6 miles from his camp. He was still holding onto his metal detector.

“It was just magic,” he said of his rescue. “I just collapsed.”

Rosmulder was treated and released from Laverton Hospital the same day, authorities said. Rosmulder told officials that he planned to continue his gold hunting vacation.

“Why not?” Clifford said with a chuckle.

Researchers, growers and Industry specialists from 22 countries are sharing the latest research into the use of Brassica species, such as mustard, radish, or rapeseed, to manage soil-borne pests and weeds – a technique known as biofumigation, according to eurekalert press release.