Spiders Called Goliath: Goliath Bird-Eating Spider

You know when something is called Goliath it is going to be big.  Well, when it is the Goliath Bird-Eating Spider, this translates to dinner plate sized.  Not dessert, not salad, nope full on dinner plate sized folks.  That is one monstrous spider.

Although research shows they rarely eat birds and mainly focus on insects, these spiders are capable of making a meal of rodents, frogs, lizards, bats, birds and even some snakes.  The Goliath Bird-Eating spider will not seek to attack a human, although they will bite and/or throw nasty barbed hairs.  I hear the bite is similar in affect to a wasp sting.  The hairs cause an itchy rash on the skin and can damage eyes and mucous membranes.

With inch long (give or take) fangs these spiders make a formidable foe and despite being nearly blind they're pretty good on the defense too.  Check out this youtube video by National Geographic.

   

From a pest control stand point, these guys aren't an issue.  In fact some people choose to keep these and other tarantulas as pets.  The Goliath Bird-Eater is native to northern South America, so we North Americans should not run across one of these guys in the wild.  Pet stores? Maybe. Backyards? Unlikely- unless your neighbor had a pet and turned it loose in your yard!

If you're dealing with pest spiders as unwelcome guests in your home, give me a call and I'll be happy to help you out.  In fact we, at Peak Pest Management, are running a summer special.  $99 for inside or outside spider treatment.  Same deal with ants.  Bees, wasps and yellow jackets are also typical summer pests.  We'll remove a nest for $99 or you can get a full treatment with a guarantee and not have to worry about these stinging pests in your yard!

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

Mosquito Eaters- The Truth Is Out

Mosquito Eaters: The Truth is Out.  They Do NOT Eat Mosquitoes.

Mosquito Eater, Mosquito Hawk, Crane Fly, Giant Mosquito...  Did you grow up calling them mosquito eaters?  I did.  And it wasn't until I began learning more about pests and pest control that I found out the truth...  They do not eat mosquitoes.  In fact, the larva, often called leather backs, can be a pest that chomps down on the roots of plants.  Have you ever noticed brown patches in the lawn?  It could be caused by crane fly larva destroying the root system of the lawn.

Do Crane Flies Bite?

No.  Crane flies, unlike their tiny look-alike, do not bite. They really don't do much of anything.  They don't live very long, they don't eat your yard or other plants, they just mate, deposit eggs and die.  The depositing of eggs is the problematic part.  Because as the eggs hatch into larva and the larva begins to eat, the root systems of your lawn could be at risk.

Are Crane Flies Helpful? 

Crane flies are not actually helpful as far as eating other pests etc.  Crane flies do not eat mosquitoes, they do not kill mosquitoes, they don't eat or kill any other bug.  So all those years of people telling you, leave that mosquito eater alone, he is going to eat mosquitoes.  Yeah, not true.  You could have killed those suckers and it wouldn't have made one bit of difference as far as mosquitoes are concerned.

Are Crane Flies Going to Hurt Me?

 
 Well.  They are a nuisance pest if they flock indoors.  To keep crane flies out, keep screens in good repair, and keep the screen doors shut.  If they come in, they are not going to hurt you.  They won't bite you.  They may flap and flutter around in your face and annoy you, but they won't hurt you.

Pest Control Issues?

Are you dealing with a pest?  I'm not just talking about crane flies at this point.  Ants, Bees, Fleas, Spiders, Mice, Rats, Bedbugs, Carpenter Ants, Termites, Flies, Wasps, Yellow Jackets, Hornets?  For all of your pest control needs, Peak Pest Management offers the affordable local option. 

Micah Wood
Peak Pest Management LLC
503-998-4322
360-607-1933

 

Caterpillars That Look Like Snakes! Need a New Phobia?

Snakerpillaphobia- the fear of caterpillars that disguise themselves as snakes.

 Yeah, I totally made that up, but who's with me, these guys are a little more than slightly creepy.  I mean look at them!  Go ahead, watch the video.




This video appears to be of the snake mimic hawkmoth caterpillar.  They are not really found in our part of the world, so if these guys are keeping you from a picnic, rest assured, you'll not likely find one here in the greater Portland area.  The picture below is identified as a snake mimic hawkmoth caterpillar over on Mail Online.

Now I do have to say, as a pest control professional, in my research of this creepy crawly, I found far creepier caterpillars that can do things like spray acid and hook poisonous barbed hairs into a person (or predatory creature).  

I know you won't be calling me for these guys, but if you're having issues with other pests give me a call. The typical summer pests include bees, spiders, fleas, wasps, yellow jackets, ants and rodents.  Plus bedbugs are still bugging people around Portland, Vancouver, and surrounding areas.  I'd be happy to help with any pest issue you might be dealing with.

Micah Wood

Peak Pest Management LLC

503-998-4322

360-607-1933

Bedbugs Live Where?!?! Fun Fact Friday

When you hear the term bedbug, if you assume that bedbugs infest and live in beds, you are like most people.  But guess what? Bedbug infestations reach further than the bed.  In having a conversation with a friend of the family, I came to the realization that people as a whole are very misinformed as far as where bedbugs live and what they can infest.

Something I've commonly heard- "Oh, if I get bedbugs, I will burn the bed!"

Guess what happens when you bring your brand new bed into the house?  The brand new bed gets infested and here's why: Bedbugs do not just infest beds.  Some places that bedbugs commonly infest:

• Dressers
• Bedside Tables
• Head and Foot Boards
• Wall Voids
• Base Boards
• Debris Near Beds (Laundry, Books, Toys, Garbage, etc)
• Couches
• Chairs
• Etc

If bedbugs can/do infest all of these places, getting rid of an infested bed does no good at all.  Getting rid of a bed and buying a new one is often more costly than pest control measures to treat for bedbugs, and it is far less effective considering the fact that the new bed will become infested with bedbugs without proper pest control measures.

Something else I have commonly heard is people relating bedbugs to lice.  People's homes can be infested with bedbugs but a person does not have bedbugs infesting their person.  That does not mean that a person who's home is infested will not take bedbugs to other places, it is entirely possible and even likely to happen. Bedbugs can hitchhike on clothing, shoes, luggage, briefcases etc.  But a person will not have bedbugs crawling about on them throughout the day as they go about their business.

Additionally I have heard bedbugs being related only to poor housing or low quality hotels/motels.  While a bedbug problem can and sometimes does become bigger in these places because the cost of treatment can be a deterrent when finances are tight, bedbug infestations happen across the board.  Bedbugs are often brought home by people who travel for business. Doctors who may have patients bring them in to hospitals/offices can take bedbugs home. Any professional that is inside of peoples homes is at a greater risk for bringing bedbugs home.

In order to maintain better control of bedbugs, people need to be informed.  There is plenty of misinformation available on the web.  I recently read on a popular and well trusted site that bedbugs are no longer a problem in the United States.  This information is just not true.  There was a time when bedbugs were almost unheard of here, but they are on the rise in a serious way.

If you are having trouble with bedbugs, spiders, fleas, ants or other pests, give me a call.  I'd be happy to help you out.  Mention this pest control coupon and blog post when you call to schedule your (free) inspection for $50 off a full bedbug treatment by Peak Pest Management.

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

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

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

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

Fun Fact Friday | Featured Photographer | Spiders, or Rather Spider Webs

Okay, I am so excited about this blog post for Fun Fact Friday!  Not only because I get to share a fun fact or two about spider webs, but because I get to share this amazing photo by our family friend Susan Estes.  Water drops on a spider web is incredible to see in person. You don't often find a photo that captures it, but this photo is an exception.  Enjoy!  And then keep reading below for some interesting facts on spider webs.

Spiders and their webs baffle people; scientists and everyone else.  Here are a few fun facts about spider webs:

1. Spiders' silk, while still inside the spider is a water soluble liquid.  Once the spider pulls the silk, it becomes a non-water-soluble solid. As you can see in the photo above, the water droplets do not saturate the web, but bead up on it.  Scientists do not think that the change takes place as a reaction to air.  They rather speculate that as the spider pulls the thread it changes the molecular structure.
2. Spiders do not become entangled in their own web.  The reason for this is attributed to a number of factors.  Including claws on the end of their feet and the fact that spiders use more than one type of silk to build their web.
3. Spiders silk being researched because of the incredible strength and ability to absorb impact.  The strength of spider silk is compared to steel and Kevlar.

Micah Wood

Peak Pest Management

503-998-4322

360-607-1933

206-790-8285

micah@peak-pest-management.com

www.peak-pest-management.com

---

References and Credits:

How Do Spiders Avoid Getting tangled in Their Own Webs?, Every Day Mysteries
Fun Science Facts From The Library of Congress. www.loc.gov

Susan Estes, Water Drops on a Spider Web

Notes:

If you have an interesting photo that is relevant to this blog and would like to have it featured, please email submissions to micah@peak-pest-management.com.

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

Caterpillers, Moths and Jumping Beans | Fun Fact Friday

Have you ever seen a little novelty item box of jumping beans for sale and wondered what the trick is that gets them to jump around in that little box?  No trick needed.  Inside of the beans are actually the caterpillars of bean moths. 

So if your kids are begging for pets and you're just not ready to get them one, you could go with a pet bean.  You could even ease your way into jumping beans by starting with a regular old every day bean (provided that your children are either quite young--or old enough to laugh about it.)

That is all for Fun Fact Friday today!  Hope everyone has a fun, safe, pest free weekend.  If it isn't pest free and you'd like it to be-- give me a call!  Spiders, bees, ants, fleas, mice, wasps or any other pest control need-- give me a call!

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

Yellow Jackets, Bees, Wasps, Hornets | Summer's Least Favorite Pests

Stinging pests are some of the most common pests that bother people during the summer.  Part of this is because people are outside more often in sunny (and partially cloudy but not torrential downpours) weather. Another part of this is that bees, wasps, yellow jackets and hornets tend to die off and/or overwinter and emerge again in spring and summer.

Bees and Wasps alike play important roles in their natural environment.  Bees help to pollinate plants and wasps help to keep down other insect population numbers.  They are, none the less, a pest when they enter into our living space.  Wasps and bees alike can sting and/or bite-- making them a pest that is most feared by children (and adults alike).

Often the behaviors of people who are afraid of these stinging pests encourage a sting.  Some good ways to avoid being stung include:

• Avoid slapping at bees, wasps, yellow jackets and hornets.
• Avoid flailing your arms trying to keep the stinging insect away, this actually encourages a sting.
• Avoid sitting at picnic tables that are right next to garbage cans where yellow jackets and other wasps tend to scavenge for foods-- especially if you are afraid of stinging pests and prone to slapping at them.
• Generally leave the bees and wasps alone and stay away from their nests.
• If there is a bee or wasp nest in or around your home call Peak Pest Management to help you out!

(If you have a bee allergy or suspect you have a bee allergy this advice does not replace any that the doctor has given, it is simply a list of suggestions based on observation.)

For bees, wasps, yellow jackets, hornets and other common summer pests (like ants, spiders, box elder beetles, fleas, flies and more) please give Peak Pest Management a call or email!  We will help you get rid of or prevent pest problems!

Micah Wood

Peak Pest Management

www.Peak-Pest-Management.com

micah@peak-pest-management.com

503-998-4322

360-607-1933

Fun Fact Friday: Deadly Spider or Completely Harmless

"Daddy-longlegs are the most deadly spider in the world, but their fangs are too short to inject venom into humans."

Have you ever heard that phrase? TOTAL MYTH on multiple levels.  Daddy-longlegs are not even spiders, there is a daddy-longleg spider, also called a cellar spider, but the arthropod called daddy-longlegs is not actually a spider. They are from the Order Opiliones.  They do have eight legs, but differ from spiders on many levels, including NOT HAVING ANY FANGS.  That's right, they have NO fangs whatsoever. Meaning? No venom.  They largely live under fallen trees or rocks and scavenge for food and are not even commonly seen by most people.  Further separating them from spiders, they do not build webs or produce silk.  There are other details about difference, but this blog could get REALLY BORING REALLY FAST if I keep going on and on so I'll move on.  Now that that is out of the way, lets chat about daddy-longleg (or cellar) spiders.

There is NO scientific proof whatsoever to support the statement that Daddy-Longleg spiders have extremely poisonous venom.  No scientific research has been done.  For whatever reason, no one has volunteered to be injected with the spider venom.  Also noteworthy, no one has volunteered to do the injecting (something about medical code of ethics etc.).  Furthermore, there has been no research even on mice and daddy-longleg spider venom.  So considering the complete lack of proof about the level of toxicity in the venom, the statement is false because it is not supported by scientific research.

Another fact worth visiting as far as daddy-longleg spiders go is that they have the same fang structure as the brown recluse spider (which is clearly able to bite humans) so it is not even proven that they are not capable of biting humans-- the opposite is actually more supported scientifically speaking.  There may be a difference in muscle structure and strength between the brown recluse and the daddy-longleg spider causing one bite to penetrate and the other not, but again, nothing scientifically proven.  NOTHING BASED IN FACT.  Below is a quote in an article by the University of California Riverside Entomology Department.  And below that is a link to a much more in depth and informational article about the daddy-longleg myth.

"For true daddy-long-legs, the opilionids, the myth is certainly false, and for the daddy-long-legs spiders it is certainly not based on known facts." 

University of California Riverside 

 http://spiders.ucr.edu/daddylonglegs.html

Spiders: 5 Tips to Reduce Spiders Indoors

Spiders, let's face it, these creatures are creepy!  Spiders are a common pest control issue.  Pest control professionals in the northwest see and treat for spiders regularly about 10 months out of the year.  While there are far more virtually harmless spiders than there are deadly ones, the deadly ones give all spiders a bad name!   There is a reason this pest is featured on a specifically creepy holiday.  I don't know about your house but in mine, if a spider goes zipping across the wall (or floor, or ceiling) someone is shrieking at the top of their lungs (and no, it's not me)!  Luckily for my family, dad/husband is a pest control professional, so it is a rare occasion that a spider has the opportunity to enter my home!  Here are a few tips to keep your home free from spiders.

• Keep laundry and clutter off of the floor.  The longer a pile of laundry, toys, papers etc. sits untouched, the more likely it is that it will become home to a creepy crawly eight-legged beast spider.  Keeping laundry rotating through and up in laundry baskets or hampers is one way to minimize the draw.  Keeping toys in bins and papers filed also decreases common indoor dwelling areas for spiders.
• Regularly sweep and vacuum especially areas with less traffic.  Most people are pretty good about keeping regularly trafficked areas of the house swept and vacuumed because there is a constant reminder that it needs to be done.  It is also important when sweeping and vacuuming to make it to the dark forgotten corners of the hallways and closets, behind and under furniture, and any place that can be dark and forgotten for a long period of time.
• Regularly dust and remove cobwebs.  Regularly dusting and removing cobwebs and dust from furniture, in corners etc. much like sweeping and vacuuming is a way to keep under-trafficked areas of the home from becoming forgotten welcoming homes to spiders.
• Regularly go through and purge items that are sitting unused and keep stored materials in air tight containers.  Keeping stored materials loose or in bags and boxes is inviting not only to spiders but a wide variety of other pests.  Purge unnecessary items and papers on a regular basis. For those things that need to be stored for much of the time, choose air tight storage containers that are more difficult for spiders and other pests to inhabit and infest.
• Have a regularly scheduled spider and or general pest treatment indoors.  You may want to treat both indoors and outdoors if you live in an area prone to spider infestations.  If you have an array of unwanted pests and or spiders it is a good idea to have a regularly scheduled spider or general pest treatment with a local pest control company. Click here for coupons in Portland, OR and Vancouver, WA

With these few basic tips, you should be able to keep your home free from spiders.  Most professional pest control companies can schedule regular maintenance for spiders and general pests.  A maintenance is a good option for preventing future infestations from happening and keeping a maintenance schedule is often a much more cost effective option than waiting for a problem to get bad before making the call.