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Showing posts from July, 2011

Ant Problem in the Kitchen, Home or Apartment

ants feeding on sugary bait Sooner or later almost everyone experiences ant problems in their home or apartment. Ants often invade kitchens first but can spread to other areas of the home as well. They are several different species of tiny black/brown ants that enter homes in search of food and water. Ant colonies can be located in the soil around and beneath the structure but they can also be in the walls and/or ceiling . Ant Colonies and Ant Control All ants live in complex, highly organized colonies where workers gather food and water for the developing young and the egg-laying queen. The trick with any successful ant control program is to use the worker ants to collect food for the colony that has been combined with an insecticide. The bait is fed to developing young and the queen thus disrupting the entire colony. Spray insecticides, on the other hand, do not work well against household nuisance ants because ants can detect and avoid areas that have been treated .

Tiny Jumping Bugs In Homes and Yards - Springtails

close-up of springtail/collembola I get questions through my 'Bugs site every week about tiny jumping bugs in people's homes . The questions usually start something like: " I've found tiny jumping bugs on my _____, what are they and what should I do? " Since there are only a few small insects that actually jump or hop when disturbed this question is pretty easy to answer even without a good photo. These tiny critters are called springtails , or collembola , and they are not really insects at all but rather primitive soil micro-arthropods (a distinction that is only of interest to an entomologist!). See Springtails In Homes and Gardens for more pictures and life history. Springtails live in soil where they feed on bacteria, fungi, and occasionally plant roots. They are harmless to plants and even beneficial to healthy soils. Very large populations can build in highly organic soils. They are most often noticed following heavy rains when they are washed

Tiny, Yellow, Biting Bugs

a thrips next to a leaf vein Have you every felt a sharp pinch while outside during summer only to find a tiny, yellow, sliver-like bug when you investigate the bite? These bites are from a tiny insect called a thrips (the name is always plural; one thrips, many thrips). Thrips normally feed on plants with very sharp, knife-like mouthparts. If they happen to land on us they can bite causing a sharp, stabbing pain. The bites are annoying but completely harmless and are more common in mid- to late summer. Unfortunately, insect repellents don't work against thrips. Continue reading to discover ways to avoid thrips bites at our 'Bugs website . Thrips can be important plant pests where they damage leaves and in some cases even infect plants with a virus. Greenhouse growers in particular often treat their crops with insecticide to prevent thrips damage. drawing showing feathery wings

Bugs That Look Like Bed Bugs

bed bug (drawing) Bed bugs are pretty easy to distinguish from other insects that you may find around homes. First, since bed bugs can't fly they are confined to areas near the floor and often close to places where people sleep. You won't find bed bugs crawling across the floor or flying around a light! Second, bed bugs are large enough to be easily seen, about 1/4" as adults, and are a distinctive chestnut brown color . Take a look at this page for close-up pictures of bed bugs actually feeding. bed bug hiding places, bites Bed bugs hide during daylight hours in cracks and crevices around bedding and in folds of mattresses. These areas will also generally show dark stains caused by their fecal matter (digested blood, see drawing below). Finally, bed bug bites look like bad mosquito bites on most people. Some people, however, don't show the characteristic bites and some lucky folks hardly react at all. nearly full grown bed bug ~ 1/4" If bed bugs

Tiny, White, Bugs In Homes - What Are They?

mold mite (drawing) Have you ever found tiny white bugs crawling on the kitchen counter or over a sack of pet food, or on your computer keyboard, or in some similar situation? The bugs are too small to see clearly and are often described as "salt" or "sugar" that moves ! If you look very close, with a magnifying glass, you'll probably see long "hairs" from tiny round whitish bodies. There are a couple of things that people describe this way but in my experience mold mites (or mould mites) , also called grain mites , are the most common. These tiny mites feed on mold that grows on damp surfaces so are almost always associated with excess moisture and mold growth in one way or another. Their presence in kitchens can indicate a leaky pipe or leaky dishwasher. Mold mites don't bite or cause any real harm but some people will experience an allergic reaction to large numbers of mites similar to dust mite allergy. In fact mold mites are relate