CREATURE OF THE MONTH

CREATURE ARCHIVES

TOP TEN PESTS

PEST CONTROL TIPS

INSECTICIDE SAFETY

TERMITE BAITING SYSTEMS

OTHER INTERESTING SITES

MYTHS and MISCONCEPTIONS:

 MYTH: Insect light traps need little attention once they are installed....except to occasionally change the

glue boards.

Other information about light traps:

Light traps should be serviced and cleaned once per month to make sure the glue boards are not filled

with dead insects.  If this is the case, the chances of

getting the full benefit of the traps are negligible. 

Traps should be cleaned, glue boards replaced and

reflective surfaces washed and cleaned in order to

be successful in insect population reduction.

The black light bulbs (they actually cast a bluish hazy

light which attracts insects) should be replaced on a

yearly basis to maintain a strong beam.

Light traps are superior to insect killers which use

electricity to kill insects, if, as previously stated, the

glue boards are replaced as necessary and the light

traps are cleaned regularly.

Electrocution insect killers often cause the insect to

explode, showering the surrounding area with insect parts.  They are not recommended for restaurants

or food prep areas.

BED BUGS and their increasing population.

Bed bugs are making a comeback and are becoming a real problem all
across America.  These little bloodsucking parasites are not only a big
nuisance but cause sores that, when scratched, can cause an infection.

During the last half of the 20th century, the widespread use of various
insecticides kept the lowly bed bug at bay....but now with the tighter restrictions on insecticide application, and the more widespread use of
baits and integrated pest management techniques, bedbugs are once
again a great concern to those in the health field.

The graphic, above, shows a female, adult, bed bug.  She is capable
of laying up to 400 eggs during her lifetime, at a rate of 4 to 5 per day.
These eggs are lain in well protected, dark, areas, such as behind
pictures, under baseboards, in cracks and crevices around beds and
in the upholstery of chairs and other furniture pieces.

 The male adult bed bug is shown above, and in the graphic located below, you can see a bed bug nymph.

Bites from bed bugs show up as tiny red bumps and should not be
scratched.  To do so might cause infections.  Use steroid creams and
antihistamines to relieve itching.  The use of antibiotics may be needed
in extreme bite cases.

Call a professional pest control technician if you suspect your home has
bed bugs.  They have the equipment and know-how to rid your house
of bed bugs before it becomes infested.