Fun Fact Friday: Myth About Mice

Do mice and rats have skeletons made of collapsible cartilage?  People assume that because rats and mice can fit through tiny spaces, they must have some special kind of collapsible skeleton with rubbery bones.  Nope.  They have your average every day skeleton.  So how do they do it?  I mean rats (smaller ones not giants) can fit through a hole the size of a quarter and mice can of course fit through even tinier places.

Well, the bottom line is, even though they are moving fast, they gauge whether or not they can fit through a hole before diving in.  And how do they do that?  Whiskers baby.  It's all about the whiskers.  So rodents will feel with their whiskers (by sticking their nose in a hole) before diving in, if they won't fit they quickly dash to another place, where they will fit.  If they do fit, they dive right in and disappear much to the discontentment and disgust of people everywhere.

So how do they actually fit?  Well, it's simple.  Rats and mice are kind of torpedo shaped and they are designed for digging burrows and moving through tunnels.  Considering that burrowing and tunneling is what they do, it makes sense that tiny holes and spaces are no issue for them.  So there you have it.  If you've been told about, or read about the magical all cartilage collapsible skeleton of rodents, it's a myth.  Like all vertebrates, they have skeletons made of bones, joints and cartilage- and it doesn't come apart or collapse to allow them to pass through small spaces.

What CAN they do?  Well, the truth is they can wiggle and squeeze their way into some pretty tiny spaces- and they can do it fast.  They are capable of expelling some air from their chest cavity to better fit in tiny spaces and they are smaller than they look (kind of like a person can suck in their stomach to fit into smaller jeans).  Even short fur makes rodents look a little bulkier than they actually are.  They use their skeletal structure to their advantage, but they do not have a special collapsible skeleton made entirely of cartilage.

In the wild, they have small tunnel entrances into their burrows to camouflage and keep their burrows hidden from predators.  Being able to quickly dash and dive into a tunnel, hole, small space is part of what they do naturally, whether they are in the wild or alongside people.

Grasshoppers and Crickets: Fun Fact Friday

For fun fact Friday today, we have grasshoppers and crickets!  While I don't get called out to treat for these bugs here in Portland, OR or Vancouver, WA.  I still think they are interesting.  One reason (which happens to be our fun fact for the day)?  Some grasshoppers, katydids and crickets actually have ears on their front legs.  The ears are located in the knee joints.  If people were crickets I bet they'd be really careful about what they whispered into an ear.  A knee-jerk reaction would really hurt!

Crickets, grasshoppers, katydids and locusts can really be a problem in some places though.  Here's a video about katydids, called Mormon Crickets, in Colorado, done by National Geographic.



While I don't deal with these bugs, there are plenty that I do take care of.  If you are having pest problems in Vancouver, WA, Portland, OR, Seattle, WA and the surrounding area, please give me a call!  I'd be happy to help you out.  Bedbugs, mice, rats, spiders, ants, whatever the pest, we'll develop a custom pest control plan for you.

Micah Wood
Peak Pest Management LLC
www.peak-pest-management.com
micah@peak-pest-management.com
Portland 503-998-4322
Vancouver 360-607-1933
Seattle 206-790-8285

Roaches Again | Fun Fact Friday | Pregnant for Life

First of all, I want to give you this little gem: There are cockroaches in Central and South America that are 6 inches long. 1/2 a foot.  I'll let that sink in for a moment before I move on to today's fun fact.  Not all cockroaches are pests, in nature they serve important roles (otherwise why would they exist? right?).

Okay, moving on to today's fun fact.  In some (I didn't check this for ALL) species of cockroaches, females mate once and then are pregnant for life.  That's right. Pregnant for life.  I can't pretend to understand this, but I know that my wife would not enjoy being pregnant for life.  It's not that they WHOLE process was miserable-- there were miserable moments to be sure.  It's just at the end of 9 months she was ready to be done.

Cockroaches don't get that (although let's be realistic, they also don't have all of the feelings and emotions that people do).  But nevertheless, they have some babies and then are STILL pregnant, with the next batch of cockroach babies.

Here is a video about the topic of cockroaches:


If you are experiencing a cockroach infestation, I understand that cockroaches are not a laughing matter.  Cockroaches and transfer a number of diseases that are harmful to people, by contaminating food sources.

These speedy pests can be really upsetting.  I am not just going to throw this information out there, if you are having a problem with cockroaches and would like some help, I'd be happy to help.  Peak Pest Management offers a wide range of pest control services for all of your pest control needs.  Cockroaches, mice, rats, fleas, ants, carpet beetles, and bedbugs are just a few pests that we see and help people get rid of all the time!

Give us a call, we'll help you out.

Micah Wood
Peak Pest Management
www.peak-pest-management.com
micah@peak-pest-management.com
Pest Control Portland- 503-998-4322
Pest Control Seattle-  206-790-8285
Pest Control Vancouver- 360-607-1933

Pheromone Trails | Pest Control | Fun Fact Friday

Have you ever wondered why ants march in a line?  How bees remember which hive belongs to them? How wasps know to swarm when someone or something has been stung? Why rodents and other pests need to be treated regularly and a "one-time" treatment won't be effective? How animals and insects find mates?

The answer (or at least part of the answer) to these questions is pharomones.  By origin, pheromone can be translated to mean to bear (or transport) hormones.  Pharomones are used by many insects and animals including many social pests, including ants, rats, mice, bees, termites as well as many other pests.

Pharomones can be used to mark a trail to food.  With ants it is particularly noticable because they literally march in lines from their nest to a food source.  The trail that the line follows is marked with pheromones.  Rodents such as mice and rats will also leave pharomone trails from the nesting area to the food source.

Another use for pharomones is alarm.  Bees and wasps make the alarm pharomone easy to recognize.  When one bee or wasp stings a potential threat, they also release pharomones to attract other bees and wasps to join them in the attack.  This is especially true if a sting happens near a nest.

Furthermore pharomones are used by many insects and animals to attract a mate.  If you've ever wondered why there is an icky swarm of mating bugs, the answer is pharomones.  They are attracted together by pharomones.

Pharomones have other functions that I am not including in this post, but I just wanted to detail why pharomones are important and give some "fun" facts about them.  If you have ever heard a pest control professional refer to pharomones or pharomone trails and wondered what on earth they were talking about-- here is a pretty good basic idea of the function of pharomones.

This video has a very visual way of showing how ants communicate using pheromones.


For all of your pest control needs, Peak Pest Management has a solution!  If you're having issues with pests please give me, Micah, a call.

Micah Wood
www.peak-pest-management.com
micah@peak-pest-management.com
Pest Control Portland 503-998-4322
Pest Control Vancouver 360-607-1933
Pest Control Seattle 206-790-8285
We have similar information on our website blog.  Click here to check it out.

Box Elder Beetles | Nuisance Pests

Sometimes in my profession I learn about trends in pest control on the job.  Sometimes a trend is obvious in my every day life aside from my profession like this weekend. We attended a birthday party at a family friend's home.  When we got there, I noticed a few box elder beetles around.  Then, the back door had 20 or so box elder beetles on it.  Because pest control is what I do, I asked about them.

Come to find out, at times during the day there are literally thousands of them that come and cover one side of the house almost entirely.  Our friend said "Yeah, they are a real nuisance!"  I hear this statement often.  Not only about box elders, but ants, spiders, mice, rats etc.  I think this is why there is a whole category of pests in pest control called "nuisance pests."

Box elder beetles outside, in warm months, often go unnoticed.  They don't cause problems for people outside and during the summer.  However, as the temperatures drop, box elder beetles often try to move indoors-- in homes and businesses to overwinter.  Typically they move in such large numbers that they can actually cause damage by staining things like curtains and walls etc. with their excrement.

Box elder beetles don't bite or cause structural damage.  It is often the fact that they collect in such large numbers that causes concern.  A huge mass of box elder bugs moving in to overwinter just in time for the holiday season in typically not the type of guest most people welcome!

Along the same line of trends in pests, I have also noticed it seems to be a big year/season for spiders. Spiders are a pest that I help people out with year round.  People often ask me to take care of spiders at the same time as other pests.  If I'm out for another pest whether it is ants, mice, rats, fleas etc, I will give a good discount for taking care of spiders at the same time.

Micah Wood
360-607-1933
503-998-4322
206-790-8285
micah@peak-pest-management.com
www.peak-pest-management.com

Mice | Fun Fact Friday | Mouse means:

The English word for mouse is derived from a Latin word that is derived from a Sansrit word... or so I've read in multiple places.  I'm not going to bore you with the details. For one thing, I like people to read my blog.  Another? Oh, I don't really remember the details because it was kind of boring to read through. But I waded through boring word derivitives all to bring you this:

The word mouse means theif.  Why yes, this is in gold!  Why?  Oh because I thought this little nugget of information was golden!  Or because I wanted to spice things up by changing the color of the text for a little while.  I heard somewhere it helps keep people interested in what you're saying...  How's that working for you?

Anyways, yes, mouse means thief.  It is a very fitting name for a mouse, because they get into things, steal food, steal materials to make their nest etc.  Perhaps the worst thing they steal? Sanity and peace of mind!  Okay maybe not really sanity, but peace of mind? Yes!  Mice are disconcerting little creatures that cause people, who otherwise behave normally, to shriek and jump onto chairs... And not only in cartoons or on tv...  This happens in real life too, I have witnessed it.  And no it was NOT me.  I do not shriek and jump onto chairs-- in my line of work (you know, helping other people deal with these and other pests), that would probably not go over well.  I may or may not have family members who shriek at the sight of a mouse... and they may or may not also sprint away as fast as they possibly can.

Mice in the home cause people to lose more than a little peace of mind because they can contaminate food, ruin clothing and materials, carry fleas and disease and scurry quite quickly under doors and furniture.  A mouse nest in my home would not be well tollerated and not just because pest control is my profession.

Just for fun here is a National Geographic clip on rats. 1 mating pair can have up to 15,000 decendents in a year.  This video is from India, where most people will not kill rats...  But still, undisturbed, this is how rats multiply!



For trouble with mice, or rats, give me a call.  I'll help you out.

Micah Wood
Vancouver 360-607-1933
Portland 503-998-4322
Seattle 206-790-8285
www.peak-pest-management.com
email me micah@peak-pest-management.com

Rodents of Unusual Size | Fun Fact Friday

The idea of rodents of unusual size (or ROUS) from The Princess Bride did not originate in the imagination of film makers.  There are in fact rat like rodents of unusual size.  These rodents are called nutria, or coypu, beverat (beaver rat), river rat, ragondin or castorino depending on where they are seen.  In North America we refer to them as nutria. 

Nutria are found around the world and mostly near water.  They are herbivores-- eating mostly stems and wasting large portions of the plants they feed on.  Although nutria are not the only rat like large rodent, they are possible the most widely known.

These rodents can be up to two feet long (not including the tail which can be as long 18 inches) and weigh in at 20 pounds!  While they don't compare to the gigantic rodents in the movie The Princess Bride, I can't say I've met a lot of people who would be comfortable around a 2-foot-long-20-pound rodent.

Nutria have been a pretty big problem in the Northwest because they are non native and invasive.  There have been issues with nutria in urban areas and parks-- and the issue is some times exacerbated by people feeding the nutria.

It is best not to feed or try to take care of nutria as they pose a risk to natural wildlife, water quality and can be a danger to people in situations where people have been feeding them.  Here is a short clip on youtube about nutria.



I don't really see a lot of nutria here in Portland and Vancouver or up in Seattle, and because they don't typically invade homes and businesses-- they are outside of my area of expertise.  I do deal with a full range of rodents that do infest homes and businesses in our service areas.  For pest control for Rodents in the northwest, give me a call, drop me an email or check out our website for coupons.

Micah Wood
www.peak-pest-management.com
micah@peak-pest-management.com
360-607-1933
503-998-4322
706-790-8285

Rats, Bedbugs, Fleas, Bees | A Day in the Life

A Day in The Life of a Pest Control Technician

 

Any given day can hold endless possibilities of the various pests I'll run into on the job.  I'll tell you the truth, I like variety in my day.  If I didn't, this wouldn't be the job for me.  There is nothing mundane or boring about driving out in my pest control truck and saving the day.  Yes, that's right, saving the day.  Not in the same way as a super hero, or law enforcement, doctors, emergency workers and military, but still-- I do save the day.

 

On a relatively busy day I might go out on up to seven or eight calls. Sometimes in pest control I'll have a trend for the day-- like 3-4 of the same sort of job and maybe one or two other pests.  But other times my day is completely varied.  Because typically I might see four or five different pests on a busy day, I'll run through a list of pests that I see regularly.

 

• Rats and mice are a common call. This is the call I most often take early in the morning and late at night. People do not like rodents! Understandably so, because rodents can carry a number of diseases as well as fleas. Rodents can really contaminate a home or business and people are often anxious for a solution when they see one.  Often I will fill my early morning time slots with rodent jobs.
• Bees (well, really mostly wasps and yellow jackets but the call is often for "bees") are kind of a specialty.  Up until I said to a customer "I almost never get stung,"  it had been a really long time since I was last stung.  The day I said that I got stung 6 times.  I'm not really complaining, it's just a hazard of the job-- from time to time stings happen.  When I don't get stung, I can take care of a basic "bee" call pretty fast.  During the summer and early Autumn I can have 3-4 calls in one day-- all for bees and wasps.
• Bedbugs are another call that can come in the middle of the night or early in the morning.  Bedbugs creep people out.  The thought of being bitten while you sleep can cause a person to lose more than a little sleep.  People who call in about bedbugs and end up having a flea infestation are some of the happiest and most relieved customers I have ever met.  Although the number of bedbug cases I see is on a steady rise, I do encounter many people who suspect bedbugs but are relieved to hear it is something else.  Although bedbugs and fleas are very different, both bite and I do see both bedbugs and fleas on a regular basis.
• Fleas and pets go hand in hand.  It makes sense that customers with a flea infestation in the home are often concerned about the health and safety of their pet.  At Peak Pest Management, we are also concerned about the health and safety of the pets and people in the home.  We choose the safest and most effective products available.
• Spiders are one of the pests that make me feel like I'm saving the day.  Spiders are a very real fear for many people and although we do have relatively few poisonous spiders here in the northwest, the ones we do have (namely hobo spiders) can be aggressive.  A happy customer is a customer who no longer has to worry about spiders invading their home.
• Ants and termite calls come in on a regular basis as well.  Ants can be a nuisance, or they can be a structural pest depending on the type of ant.  Carpenter ants and termites (not an ant) are structural pests that cause real and expensive damage when left untreated.  People sometimes confuse carpenter ants, termites and even powder post beetles.  All three cause structural damage and it can be hard for a person to differentiate which pest is causing problems.  A Pest Control Professional, like myself, is trained to recognise the differences in these pests, not just by what they look like, but by other evidence that is left behind by structural pests.

Because I am just talking about "a Day in the Life," I won't go into detail about these pests or list out everything I have ever treated for-- or even everything I've done this week.  Honestly that would probably be pretty long and it would eventually get boring.  Maybe another day I'll write about my experiences with ridiculously smart squirrels and funny and unusual calls.  But for today, there's just a sampling of what I might do in a day-- at this time of year.

 

I'm here, any time, for all of your pest control needs.

 

Micah Wood

Peak Pest Management

www.peak-pest-management.com

micah@peak-pest-management.com

503-998-4322

360-607-1933

206-790-8285

Fun Fact Friday | Fireflies | How And Why Do Fireflies Light Up?

Fireflies are interesting and intriguing to adults.  To children they seem down right magical.  So, is there a scientific reason that fireflies light up and glow?  According to a six year old I know it is a combination of faith, trust and pixie dust but that has more to do with Tinkerbell than science!

The chemical process that gives fireflies their glow is called bioluminescence. 

"When oxygen combines with calcium, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and the chemical luciferin in the presence of luciferase, a bioluminescent enzyme, light is produced." (www.scientificamerican.com).
 

Basically when reading I found that the fireflies have a gene called LUC gene.  And the presence of a substance called Lucifrase in their cells.  These drive the chemical process, using oxygen and/or nitrous oxide, that produces light.

An interesting fact about fireflies is that the light they produce is "cold" light.  Their organs would not sustain the heat involved if fireflies produced "hot" light.

Here is a youtube video of a firefly caught by a spider.



And here is a video of fire flies in action.


Because it is fun fact Friday we're not focused on pests in our writing today!  But, as always I am available for pest control services for all kinds of pests including, spiders, ants, fleas, termites, cockroaches, mice, rats, bedbugs and more!  Give me a call if you need pest control service in  Portland, Vancouver or Seattle.

Micah Wood
Peak Pest Management
503-998-4322
360-607-1933
206-790-8285
www.peak-pest-management.com
micah@peak-pest-management.com

---

Branham, Mark: Ask The Experts "How and Why Do Fireflies Light Up?" Scientific American 5, September 2005 http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=how-and-why-do-fireflies

Environmental Science "How do fireflies light up?" How Stuff Works 1998-2012
http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/life/zoology/insects-arachnids/question554.htm

Genetic Science Learning Center. "What Makes a Firefly Glow?." Learn.Genetics7 September 2012 http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/begin/dna/firefly

High Flying Bugs : Fun Fact Friday

For fun fact Friday I'm straying away from pests like ants, bees, spiders, wasps etc.  To bring you a fact about one of the most beautiful insects.  The butterfly!  Here it is:  Some butterflies have been observed flying as high as 20,000 feet altitude.

Here is a youtube video on mutant butterflies from near Fukushima.  Scientists believe that when insects are strongly affected by radiation, humans will be even more affected.  Insects are highly resistant to the effects of radiation.


If you are having trouble with pests like mice, rats, ants, bees, fleas, wasps, termites or other pests and need pest control service in Portland, OR, Vancouver, WA or Seattle, WA.  Please give me a call!

Micah Wood
Peak Pest Management LLC
503-998-4322
360-607-1933
206-790-8285
www.peak-pest-management.com
micah@peak-pest-management.com

---

Encyclopedia Smithsonian: Most Incredible Insects www.si.edu

Pets, Fleas, Flea Medication, Flea Free Home

In the spring and especially summer months pets tend to spend more time outdoors.  Being outdoors creates the possibility of bring in fleas.  Many pet lovers treat their furry family members for fleas and then experience an influx of fleas inside the home.  This is normal.  Because the flea medicine protects the pet from fleas, the fleas that would normally be on the pet are now in the house and occasionally jumping on and biting people.

Many people are embarrassed to call about fleas, thinking that people can "have fleas."  Fleas will not infest a person like they infest a pet, but they will bite and rapidly multiply in a home.  Flea eggs take a few days to hatch and are often in carpet, pet bedding etc. not just on the pets. Flea larva are blind remain hidden in dark areas while feeding on organic matter (including dead insects, plant matter and fecal matter).  After various stages as larva, fleas will move into a pupa stage and finally emerge as an adult flea.  It is only after a meal (of blood) that this parasitic insect is able to lay eggs.

Fleas are nothing to be embarrassed about.  Fleas are all over the place, and our enviroment during the spring and summer months is pretty much the perfect climate for fleas to thrive.  If you treat your furry family members for fleas and then start seeing larger numbers of fleas in the home, it might be a good time to call Peak Pest Management for an affordable, pet and kid safe flea treatment for the home.

Besides fleas, the warm summer months also tend to bring out the ants, bees, spiders, mice, rats, wasps and yellow jackets! If you're having pest problems this summer let me help you out! I'll get rid of your pests so you can enjoy the great weather while it's here!




Micah Wood
Peak Pest Management
503-998-4322
360-607-1933
www.Peak-Pest-Management.com
micah@peak-pest-management.com

House Flies | Tasty Feet | Fun Fact Friday

House Flies are obnoxious!  Open the doors during summer to let in a breeze and you're almost certain to get one or two (or even more) flying through your house!  NOT FUN!  Okay but there is a fun fact about flies: 

Flies can "taste" with their feet.  Their feet are 10,000,000 times more sensitive to sugar than the human tongue.

Seriously!  I read this information at http://www.pestworldforkids.org/flies.html which is kept by the national pest management association and also cross checked it on the website of the Smithsonain Department of Systematic Biology.

So...  Now that you have the fun fact, you might be thinking, awesome.  Great!  So glad they can taste with their feet, Micah, now HOW DO I AVOID OR GET RID OF THEM?!?

Tips to Avoid Common House Flies:

• Use mesh screens on windows and doors.
• Take out the trash regularly.
• Clean up pet messes immediately (as these are a major breeding ground for flies).
• Keep a clean home.

Tips to Get Rid of House Flies:

• Follow the "tips to avoid."
• Find, clean and sanitize areas where flies are known to be.
• Eliminate food sources for flies, which is anything warm and damp.  Disgusting as it is, flies are particularly drawn to pet waste because of the strong odor.
• For common house flies in homes, rarely is it necessary to use professional pest control, unless it is an extreme infestation.

For any pest control questions or for pest control service for flies, or other pests (common summer pests include ants, bees, wasps, fleas, yellow jackets, hornets, mice and rats) please give me a call!

Micah Wood

Peak Pest Management

503-998-4322

360-607-1933

www.Peak-Pest-Management.com

micah@peak-pest-management.com

 

Sewer Rats-Pest Control Downtown Portland

Rats are very common in Portland, OR.  Some pest control experts suggest that where there are people-- there are rats.  This is because rats are attracted to the food and garbage of humans and their pets.  The most common rat in the Portland/Vancouver metro area is the Norway Rat.  Although the name might suggest otherwise, the Norway Rat origins trace back to China.  The Norway Rat is also referred to as the brown rat, sewer rat, common rat, street rat, among other names.  These rats are found on all continents with the exception of Antarctica and are concentrated in the same areas as humans.  

Some common Rat Questions and Answers:

• Can rats really come up through the toilet?  Rats can swim, live in sewers and often do come up through toilets.  As disconcerting as that might be, it is true.  Keeping the toilet lids down, if you are in an area prone to sewer rats can encourage a rat to go back down the pipes in to the sewer.
• How small of a space can rats fit through-- some rats are BIG?  A rat can fit through a crack that is slightly larger than 1/2 inch-- even though they can be up to a foot long and weigh in at just under a pound.
• How common are Rats in Portland?  Rats are very common in any area that there are people-- specifically urban areas.  It has been said of Portland, that you are never very far away from a rat.
• Are rats associated with diseases?  Rats are commonly associated with many diseases and commonly carry fleas which can host other diseases.  
• Do rats jump? Yes.  Not just in theory, I have seen rats jump.

Because Rats can be associated with various diseases and other sanitation problems when they are in areas where people live and eat, it is important to give proper attention to a rat infestation as soon as it is discovered. If you suspect rats in your home or business please give Peak Pest Management LLC a call or visit the website at www.peak-pest-management.comwww.peak-pest-management.com.