Bug Blog
Ants Vs Wasps – and the winner is!
Army ants, known for their aggressive foraging techniques, will go to long lengths to get what they want. The name army ant or legionary ant are named for their foraging groups, known as “raids”, in which huge numbers of ants forage simultaneously over a certain area. The army ants do not build permanent nests rather the ant colony moves almost continually over the time it exists. Amazing pictures show how millions of army ants’ work together to invade a hornet nest. As the invasion takes place, the weight of the ants walking upside down causes the ants to loss grip on the soffit yet the shear strength and bond between the ants creates a hanging bridge. When this type of attack happens, most of the hornets escape but the ants do not leave until they’ve completely plundered the honeycomb, carrying hornets, and their pupae, larvae and eggs. For ants, it is more effective to follow the trail over a bridge that goes down and then up than in an inverted upside down walk. Also, it is more likely that upside down the ants can’t carry significant loads.
gogreenpestcontrol.ca Randy Bilesky BsF CPA Tsawwassen Delta Ladner B.C.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ants-vs-wasps-winner-randy-bilesky/?published=t
Ticks and Allergies to Steak
As with any tick bite, don’t panic when getting it out but also realize that you may develop alpha-gal allergy – tick-bite-induced allergy to red meat. Only some people who’ve been bitten by ticks develop an allergy to alpha-gal, a substance in red meat. There’s no cure for red meat allergy, which include various kinds of red meats, and even sometimes milk. So, wear bug spray if you’re going to be in an area where ticks are common. The use of insect repellents with 15 to 30 percent deet, 20 percent picaridin, or 30 percent oil of lemon eucalyptus will provide the greatest protection. Wear long pants and long sleeves, and tuck your pants into your socks. Keep your lawn grass cut, because ticks love tall grass and clean up brush and weeds. Check yourself for ticks at the end of every day and run the clothing through a cycle in a hot dryer to kill any ticks that may be clinging on, and leave your shoes outside in the sun.
gogreenpestcontrol.ca Ladner Tsawwassen Delta B.C. Randy Bilesky BsF CPA
https://business.google.com/u/2/posts/l/09867655829811115361?hl=en-CA&utm_source=google&utm_medium=MerchantPanelCreatePostAction&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiQyMKqqtHcAhXVIzQIHbNmDdcQ47sCMAB6BAgFEAc
Japanese Beetles – 3 myths busted
Japanese beetles feed on and destroy nearly everything in a landscape, but opinions differ on the best way to battle them – pesticides, picking them off by hand or pheromone traps. Here are three myths.
- A) Traps lure Japanese beetles from kilometers around. No! Most attractants lure beetles from no more than 100 meters, the traps only lure beetles that are already near the yard.
- B) Traps make things worse by luring more beetles than they hook. No! Traps are placed incorrectly. Don’t place the traps next to ornamental plants, set traps about 9 meters from plants to lure the beetles away preferably next to a non-flowering tree or shrub.
- C) Insecticides will kill off Japanese beetles. Yes but they kill beneficial pollinators. Pheromone traps provide a visible means of combating Japanese beetles without having a negative effect on the environment. Traps are effective in one yard alone, but it’s better if they are also in surrounding yards as well.
Yellow Jackets: What not to do!!!
Now is the time of year that Yellow jackets are most aggressive. Taking precautions at this time can help you avoid being stung. Look before you sip your drink. Yellow jackets are attracted to sweet foods and drinks like soda and juices.
Cover trash containers and keep them away from eating areas. Yellow jackets forage in garbage for food scraps and drink containers. Wear heavy clothing when walking in wooded areas. Yellow jackets can sting through lightweight fabrics.
Use our Yellow jacket traps at least 20 feet away from your outdoor activity areas, to keep the yellow jackets away from where you are. Try to remain calm in the presence of yellow jackets. Move slowly and deliberately and gently brush the yellow jacket away if it lands on you. Ok, now are the things you should NOT DO! Swat at yellow jackets. They are more likely to attack and sting when aggravated. NOT DO! Smash a yellow jacket. When crushed, they give off an alarm pheromone that can cause others in the area to attack. NOT DO! Yellow jackets are attracted to perfume, scented hairspray or lotion, or brightly colored clothes if you are going outdoors. NOT DO! Let children play in overgrown or wooded areas. These are prime nesting sites for yellow jackets. Call us at Go Green Pest Control to remove a yellow jacket nest; this can be a very dangerous task for an unskilful individual.
Yellow Jackets – Designed by the Devil
The yellow jacket is one of the most menacing insects known to man. These brightly colored wasps possess a fiery sting and bite seemingly out of proportion to their size. Yellow jackets aren’t ‘bees’, and they’re definitely not friendly. So what makes them so dangerous? 1. They’re aggressive. Yellow jackets are more aggressive than other stinging insects such as wasps, hornets, mud daubers or bees. 2. They can sting AND bite. Since yellow jackets don’t lose their stinger, they can sting numerous times, and will do so unprovoked. In fact, they usually bite your flesh to get a better grip as they jab their stinger into your skin. 3. They’re defensive. Yellow jackets vigorously defend their nests. They will assign a “guard” to stand watch at the nest opening and alert the colony to a threat. Swarm attacks can occur when someone accidentally steps in, hits, or even comes too close to a nest. Attacks of hundreds of yellow jackets from underground nests can also be triggered by ground vibrations – thus, mowing lawns can be hazardous during the late summer season when colonies are large. 4. They sting you for no reason. Even if you’re minding your own business and nowhere near a nest, yellow jackets don’t care — they’ll sting you anyway! 5. They’re scavengers. Yellow jackets are a common pest at picnics and other outdoor activities. They scavenge for meat and sweet liquids, which brings them into frequent contact with humans with ample opportunity to sting. 6. Their sting packs a punch. For people who are allergic, one yellow jacket sting can be deadly. But even if you don’t have an allergic reaction, the sting is plenty painful.
https://gogreenpestcontrol.ca/yellow-jackets-d…ned-by-the-devil/
gogreenpestcontrol.ca Randy Bilesky BsF CPA Delta Ladner Tsawwassen B.C.
Bald Faced Hornets – Packing a Punch
The bald-faced hornet gets its name from its strikingly white face and black and white body, technically is actually a yellow jacket. The coloured patterns and markings on the abdomen identify the role each hornet has in the colony. The bald face workers are relatively small in size compared to the queens which are the largest members of bald-faced hornet colonies. Adult bald faced hornets feed on nectar, pollen, meat, caterpillars, aphids, and their competitors – yellow jackets and wasps. Because of the way they so aggressively protect their nests, these stinging creatures are rather dangerous. In the world of most painful insect sting, the bald faced is right behind bullhorn ants and fire ants. I am often asked how I can prevent these hornets from building a nest in my yard. The answer is always the same – you can’t. Short of removing all foliage from the yard, prevention of bald-faced hornets is impossible to achieve. But, reducing access to overwintering sites indoors can be done by finding and sealing all cracks in the foundation of your home. And finally, tightly seal all garbage containers and trim shrubbery and trees to reduce the number of potential nesting sites.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/bald-faced-hornets-packing-punch-randy-bilesky/?published=t
gogreenpestcontrol.ca Ladner Tsawwassen Delta B.C. Randy L. Bilesky BsF CPA
https://gogreenpestcontrol.ca/bald-faced-hornets-packing-a-punch/
Ants!!!! Sugar and Baking Soda mix
gogreenpestcontrol.ca Ladner Tsawwassen Delta B.C. Randy L Bilesky BsF CPA
Drain Flies: Bleach or Plumber?
Summer is the time of year that we start to see fruit flies, but are they fruit flies or drain flies. Both seem to appear in the heat of summer and can be difficult to get rid of. Drain flies can be identified by their very hairy bodies. They thrive in dark, damp conditions and often find an ideal home inside a drain, in floor or a sink drain, sink overflow or another area open to plumbing. They don’t bite but their presence can exacerbate asthma in some people. These flies lay their eggs in the organic film that lines drain pipes. Homeowners don’t notice a problem until adult drain flies appear in kitchens and bathrooms. Many people believe that pouring bleach down the drain gets rid of drain flies but it might kill a few larvae but bleach passes quickly down the drain and does not penetrate the thick build-up where eggs are deposited. Also, bleach is corrosive at full strength and might not be suitable for older pipes. Some homeowners might research drain flies on google and after trying bleach might follow up with ammonia. This mixture can create chlorine gas, which is fatal if inhaled and pollutes waterways. To get rid of drain flies you need to use a drain cleaner that has enzymes that eats away the film coating that drain flies eat and lay their eggs in. This treatment is both safe and does not harm plumbing.
gogreenpestcontrol.ca Ladner Tsawwassen Delta B.C. Randy Bilesky BsF CPA
https://gogreenpestcontrol.ca/drain-flies-bleach-or-plumber/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/drain-flies-bleach-plumber-randy-bilesky/?published=t
