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.

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

Termites | Bugs People Eat | Fun Fact Friday

Around the world there are bugs that "eat" people.  Mosquitoes, bed bugs, ants (yes really), etc.  But what might be less well know is that around the world, people eat bugs- sometimes as a dietary staple.  Here in the United States, it is less common, although people do eat bugs as a joke, on a dare, or by accident-- generally speaking though, bugs are not a common ingredient in our food (yet).

Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines Entomophagy:

Entomophagy : the practice of eating insects
 

 Because bugs are very nutritious and take very little effort or resources to raise, the practice of eating insects (or entomophagy) is being encouraged amoung young people and environmentally concious people.  Here are some commonly eaten bugs:

• Grasshoppers
• Cicadas
• Ants
• Termites
• Aquatic Insect Larva
• Wax worms
• Dragonflies
• Wasp Larvae
• Moth Pupa
• Palm Weevil Larva
• Cirina forda Westwood larva
• Damsel Flies
• Crickets
• Compost Beetle Larva

Bugs are eaten around the world. They are fried as a snack or appetizer, used in soup or stirfry as a protein, boiled, boiled and dried, and even eaten raw.  There you have it.  For fun fact Friday, around the world, and increasingly in the united states, people are eating insects as a regular part of their diet.

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

---

Merriam Webster Online Dictionary: "Entomophagy" www.merriam-webster.com

Mott, Maryann. "Bugs as Food: People Bite Back." National Geographic News. 16 Apr. 2004. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/04/0416_040416_eatingcicadas.html.

Unger, Lana. "Bug Food: Edible Insects - Insect Snacks from Around the World." The University of Kentucky College of Agriculture. 26 Jan 2009. http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/dept/bugfood2.asp

Termites | Oregon | Pest Control

Termites | Oregon | Washington

Are Termites a Pest Control Problem in the Northwest?

 

Termites are a problem infesting homes in the northwest.  Subterranean termites are common in Portland, Vancouver and Seattle.  We at Peak Pest Management LLC are trained to look for the signs of termite infestations.

 

Some facts about termites:

• Termites are a structural pest.  This means that they are a real threat to the structural integrity of a building because they digest and destroy wood.
• Termites are generally white- light brown.  Although termites are NOT ants, they are often refered to as "white ants."
• When there is a termite infestation present in a building, you may or may not notice the telltale signs of mud tubes depending on their location.
• Termites digest wood.  Unlike Carpenter Ants, who excavate wood to build nests and trails, termites actual food source is wood.

Some myths about termites:

• Although I am not able to pinpoint the source of this myth, there are people who believe that termites cannot survive in the northwest.  This myth is unfortunately not true, termites are alive and well and causing problems in the northwest and the rest of the united states.
• Termites and carpenter ants are one and the same.  Termites and carpenter ants are very different.  Although both are structural pests, they are completely different.  Termites are not an ant.  Biologically, termites and ants are very different.  One key difference is that termites eat wood and carpenter ants excavate.
• Termites have short lives.  A royal couple can live upwards of 50 years.  And a termite colony can grow to over one million individual termites.  Although, most worker termites do have much shorter lives than the queen and king.

Termite Treatments

If you suspect that you have a termite problem in your home or business, Peak Pest Management LLC has a custom, affordable pest control plan for you.  At Peak Pest Management we strive to have the latest research and information on effective treatments for termites and other pest control issues.  If you're having an issue with termites or other pests please feel free to give us a call.  Our service areas include Portland, OR, Vancouver, WA and Seattle, WA and surrounding areas.

 

 

Micah Wood

503-998-4322

360-607-1933

206-790-8285

micah@peak-pest-management.com

www.peak-pest-management.com

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

Termites-- Possible lifespan: Fun Fact Friday!

Termites are fun right?  Okay no, they are certainly not. But here is a fact that I ran across that I found very interesting.  Reproductive Female Termites may live up to 45-50 years! 50 YEARS!  Knowing this, it is no wonder that termite colonies can grow to include over a million individuals.  As a pest control professional I am constantly searching for information about the pests we encounter.  In that searching I came across some interesting information about one of the most dreaded wood destroying structural pests.

Not only do reproductive females live up to 50 years in favorable conditions, I also read that reproductive males can live up to 45 years.  Although the average lifespan for termites is 2-3 years, termites often live well beyond this predicted lifespan.  Termites are divided into three social castes.  Workers, which are responsible for building and maintaining the nest and feeding and grooming the other two castes; Soldiers which are responsible for defending the nest; and reproductive, which are responsible for procreation.

An interesting fact about the soldier caste of termites is that while their large head and jaw serve them well in defending the nest it makes it impossible for them to feed themselves.  Soldier and reproductive termites must rely on the workers to be fed.

Besides being known for destruction (here in the US), in some countries in Africa gigantic termite mounds (up to 9 meters tall) are actually tourist attractions.  And from the pictures, they are quite impressive!  Termites are very beneficial in the break down of decaying plant matter, as it is their food source.  However, when it comes to wood structures, like houses, business buildings, wooden play structures, etc.  Termites are a very detrimental pest as they eat through the wood in a structure they cause structural damage that (give ample time to eat) can be quite costly to repair.