Pest Control St. Louis

Termites

The termites are a grouping of eusocial insects usually classified at the taxonomic rank of order Isoptera (but see also taxonomy below). Together with ants and some bees and wasps which are all placed in the separate order Hymenoptera, termites divide labor among gender lines, produce overlapping generations and take care of young collectively. Termites mostly eat dead plant material, more often than not in the type of wood, leaf litter, soil, or animal dung, and about 10% of the estimated 4,000 species (about 2,600 taxonomically known) are economically significant as pests that can result in serious structural damage to buildings, crops or plantation woods. Termites are major detritivores, particularly in the subtropical and tropical regions, and their recycling of timber and several plant matter is of considerable ecological importance.

As eusocial insects, termites reside in colonies that, at maturity, number from several hundred to several million individuals. Colonies use a decentralised, self- organized systems of activity guided by swarm intelligence to exploit food sources and environments that couldn't be accessible to any single insect acting alone. An ordinary colony contains nymphs (semi-mature young), workers, soldiers, and reproductive individuals of both genders, quite often containing several egg-laying queens.

Termites are sometimes called white ants, though they're not intimately linked to true ants.

female that has flown, mated, and is producing eggs is known as a queen. Likewise, a male that has flown, mated, and stays in proximity to a queen, is termed a king. Research using genetic methods to work out relatedness of colony members is indicating that the though. In the families Rhinotermitidae and Termitidae, and perhaps others, sperm competition does not appear to occur (male genitalia are very easy and the sperm are anucleate), suggesting that one male (king) more often than not mates within the colony.

At maturity, a primary queen has as a big capabilities to lay eggs. In physogastric species, the queen adds an excess set of ovaries with each molt, resulting in a greatly distended abdomen and increased fecundity, often reported to extend to a production of more than two 1000 eggs a day. The distended stomach adds to the queen's body length to several times more than before mating and reduces her ability to move freely, though attendant workers provide assistance. The queen is widely regarded a primary source of pheromones helpful in colony integration, and these are thought to be spread through shared feeding (trophallaxis).

The king grows only slightly larger after initial mating and continues to mate with the queen forever. This is totally different from ant colonies, in which a queen mates once with the male(s) and stores the gametes always, and the male ants die shortly after mating.

Pest control in St. Louis appears to be booming due to the very dry season. http://blog.2niceguys.com had a link to a commentary showing how destructive termites actually are in addition to pictures of termites hatching.

The winged (or 'alate') caste, also called the reproductive caste, are by and large the only termites with well-developed eyes (although workers of some harvesting species do have well-developed compound eyes, and, in other species, soldiers with eyes quite often appear). Termites on the way to becoming alates (going through incomplete metamorphosis) form a sub-caste in certain types of termites, functioning as workers ('pseudergates') and likewise as potential supplementary reproductives. Supplementaries have the ability to replace a dead primary reproductive and, at least in a few species, several are recruited once a primary queen is lost.

In areas with a different dry season such as St. Charles, MO, the alates leave the nest in large swarms after the first good soaking rain of the rainy season. In other regions, flights can happen during the year or more commonly in the spring and autumn. Termites are nearly poor fliers and are readily blown downwind in wind-speeds of less than 2 km/h, shedding their wings right after landing at an acceptable site, where they mate and attempt to form a nest in damp timber or earth.

How to remove moles

Moles are ideal for leaving a lawn in total shambles with all the tunnels and tunnels (AKA run-ways), as their known in the pest control industry.

Another huge concern with a mole problem stems from causing problems to gardens. Moles feast on grubs, that is a big problem in the Midwest. Jefferson County exterminator expert from 2niceguys.com offers some important tips regarding these pesky little animals. And that is to limit a mole's ability to feed in your yard or garden. If you remove the critter's food source, then the critter will find it's way to someone else's yard. You can get grub control, that is a chemical that can be applied and is ready at many DIY stores.

Moles love beetle larvae, earth-worms and its favorite treat is the tasty grubs discovered beneath the soil. Moles typically don't injury to the vegetation because of their weak jaws.

Jamil from 2niceguys pest control in St. Louis says, “Detecting which mole tunnels are busiest is your first step to do away with moles.”

Of all the mole species, there are a couple ways to detect whether or not mole tunnels are active. The first path for finding the “shallow digging moles” is to locate a straight runway and stomp on it using your foot. If the mole is still active in that area, you will realize that the run-way will be repaired in about 24 hours.

Another method is to place a few sticks around the areas where you see a lot of of large molehills. As soon as you have discovered a spot where the earth gives way, you've found an involved tunnel.

Once you have found an engaged tunnel you can get rid of the mole with a pit-trap. The pit-trap technique consists of simply digging your distance to the mole tunnel, being mindful not to cause too much damage. Then, excavate enough earth to fit either a huge jar or coffee can into the tunnel in such a way that the can is level with the bottom of the tunnel. Cover the tunnel with whatever will best keep light out, and check the trap once or twice a day. If you catch the mole, you can release it somewhere far away and survive knowing you didn't hurt the little critter.

So you have a lively mole tunnel in your sights, but catch and release isn't the way you want to remove moles. Well, fortunately for you there are a number of very effective mole killing traps on the market today. You have a choice between whether you would like to cut the mole in two, choke the mole to death, or impale the mole. Victor

Acrobat Ant

Latin Name: Crematogaster ashmeadi

Traits: Medium sized, mostly shiny ant with heart shaped stomach that is oftentimes bent up over the thorax when ant is disturbed.

Color: Color variable from light reddish brown to brown or black.

Other: Slow to moderately fast moving ant. May forage in tight foraging trails much in-line with white-footed ant trails, but only acrobat ant bends the stomach up over the thorax. Acrobat ants also slow to a snails pace than white-footed ants when disturbed.

Habitat: Acrobat Ants are located in the Southeastern US (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia), but can be found in parts of Missouri

Like all ants, the acrobat ants may produce winged, reproductive individuals (males and ladies) called swarmers. These sexually developed adults emerge from an established colony, usually in the fall, to disperse and begin new colonies. The swarmers are harmless, but they could be the first indication of an infestation. Special therapy of swarmers beyond vacuuming or sweeping them up is not required.

Outside the home, you will normally find Acrobat ants in a mixture of dead and decaying timber. Firewood seems to be one of their preferred homes. In all cases, the wood they occupy will be dead. The acrobat ant never inhabits a nutritious or live piece of timber, which is why they like a few of the woodworkings around your house. They have a nasty trait of creating cavities in timber, in particular when that wood is moist. They will even nest in foam heat retaining material board if conditions are right. One way to name their intrusion into your wood is to look for sawdust or other frass materials around suspected nest areas.

Several types of small to medium-sized ants are occasional pests in and around the home. One of these is named the acrobat ant owing to how the worker ants carry their abdomens above the rest of the body as if they were performing a balancing act. Acrobat ants are slightly longer than 1/8th inch. They vary in color from yellowish brown to dark brown, and the heart-shaped stomach is typically darker than the remainder of the body. Magnification is required to see a pair of spines on the back edge of the middle section of the body that helps identify this ant from other species. The characteristic of the workers to carry their abdomens up when they're disturbed is more than likely the best way to name this species.

Acrobat ants may nest both outdoors and indoors. Outdoor nests are most often in dead and decaying wood like logs, stumps, dead trees limbs, firewood and hollow tree cavities. They could nest in damp soil beneath leaf litter or rocks. The small worker ants readily enter buildings through fractures around windows and doors and different openings. Trails of workers may be viewed moving between the nest and a food source. Acrobat ants feed upon an assortment of foods, including other insects and sweets.

When acrobat ants nest indoors they are usually inside timber or cavities kept moist with water from leaks. They may also nest in foam heat retaining board or sheathing. As they excavate the large galleries used as nest sites, sawdust might be deposited near the nest area.

How to Get Rid of Acrobat Ants?

According to a Pest Control company in St. Louis, acrobat ants entering from outdoors may be managed by sealing the outside cracks through which they enter, using a residual insecticide barrier along the foundation, or by treating the ant nest if the location can be established through careful inspection and observation.

Ant colonies living within the walls should be treated by eliminating any moisture problems (if present) and by injecting household insecticide spray or dust into infested wall voids. An exterminator may take care of this or for small problems, you can do it yourself. It could be necessary to drill small holes to achieve this treatment.

Insecticides containing pyrethroids are available to homeowners for outdoor use. Always follow labeled directs.

Go to your local retail merchant to locate a ready-to-use insecticide labeled for ants. Read and follow the directions on the label.

Termites

The termites are a grouping of eusocial insects usually classified at the taxonomic rank of order Isoptera (but see also taxonomy below). Simultaneously with ants and some bees and wasps which are all placed in the separate order Hymenoptera, termites divide labor among gender lines, produce overlapping generations and look after young collectively. Termites mostly eat dead plant material, more often than not in the type of timber, leaf litter, soil, or animal dung, and about 10% of the estimated 4,000 species (about 2,600 taxonomically known) are economically significant as pests that can cause serious structural damage to buildings, crops or plantation woods. Termites are major detritivores, particularly in the subtropical and tropical regions, and their recycling of timber and other plant matter is of considerable ecological importance.

As eusocial insects, termites reside in colonies that, at maturity, number from several hundred to several million individuals. Colonies use a decentralised, self- organized systems of activity guided by swarm intelligence to exploit food sources and environments that couldn't be accessible to any single insect acting alone. A normal colony incorporates nymphs (semi-mature young), workers, soldiers, and reproductive individuals of both genders, often containing several egg-laying queens.

Termites are often times called white ants, though they're not intimately linked to true ants.

female that has flown, mated, and is ovulating is referred to as a queen. Likewise, a male that has flown, mated, and remains in proximity to a queen, is termed a king. Research using genetic methods to work out relatedness of colony members is indicating that the though. In the families Rhinotermitidae and Termitidae, and possibly others, sperm competition does not seem to occur (male genitalia are very simple and the sperm are anucleate), suggesting that just one male (king) more frequently than not mates within the colony.

At maturity, a primary queen has as a big capabilities to lay eggs. In physogastric species, the queen adds an excess set of ovaries with each molt, ending in a greatly distended stomach and increased fecundity, often reported to extend to a production of more than two 1000 eggs a day. The distended stomach increases the queen's body length to several times more than ever mating and reduces her power to move freely, though attendant workers provide assistance. The queen is widely regarded a primary source of pheromones useful in colony integration, and these are believed to be spread through shared feeding (trophallaxis).

The king grows only slightly larger after initial mating and continues to mate with the queen for all times. This is totally different from ant colonies, in which a queen mates once with the male(s) and stores the gametes always, and the male ants die shortly after mating.

Pest control in St. Charles, MO seems to be booming due to the very dry season. http://2niceguys.com had a link to a writing showing how destructive termites actually are as well as pictures of termites hatching.

The winged (or 'alate') caste, also called the reproductive caste, are more often than not the only termites with well-developed eyes (although workers of some harvesting species do have well-developed compound eyes, and, in other species, soldiers with eyes often appear). Termites en route to becoming alates (going through not finished metamorphosis) form a sub-caste in particular sorts of termites, functioning as workers ('pseudergates') and likewise as potential supplementary reproductives. Supplementaries have the ability to exchange a dead primary reproductive and, at least in some species, several are recruited once a primary queen is lost.

In areas with a different dry season such as Saint Charles, MO, the alates leave the nest in large swarms after the first good soaking rain of the rainy season. In other regions, flights may occur for the duration of the year or more commonly in the spring and autumn. Termites are virtually poor fliers and are readily blown downwind in wind-speeds of less than 2 km/h, shedding their wings right after landing at an acceptable site, where they mate and attempt to create a nest in damp wood or earth.

It is about this time of year that folks start seeing insects wandering around inside their houses. One or more of the more noticeable of these insects is the carpenter ant.

These chunky black ( sometimes red and black) ants can range from twenty five percent inch for worker ants up to three-quarters of an inch for the queen. Like all species of ants, carpenter ants have a constricted hourglass waist and elbowed antennae. These traits distinguish them from the thick-waisted termites with their straight antennae. Ants are intimately linked to bees, wasps, and sawflies.

Carpenter ants share with just one annoying habit with termites. They construct broad nests in wood, including logs, stumps, tree trunks, telephone poles, and, regrettably, buildings. Nests are usually begun in deteriorating timber that has been exposed to moisture. Often, the colony will extend its nest to adjacent, sound timber.

The colonies of carpenter ants are oftentimes long lived. A single fertilized queen founds each colony. She establishes a nesting site in a cavity in timber. She then rears her first brood of workers, giving them food to eat salivary secretions. She does not leave the nest nor feed herself throughout this period. The workers who are reared first assume the task of gathering food with which to feed the younger larvae. As the food supply becomes more constant, the colony population grows very rapidly. A colony does not reach maturity and become capable of producing young queens and males until it contains 2,000 or more workers. It could take a colony from 3 to 6 years or greater to reach this stage. Annually thereafter, the colony will continue to produce winged queens and males, which leave their nest and conduct mating flights in the spring and summer.

While termites actually eat and digest wood, carpenter ants simply chew and tunnel through it to build their homes. Carpenter ants rarely cause structural damage to buildings, although they can cause significant damage over a timescale of years because nests are so long lived. Damage by carpenter ants can leave household structural wood ready to accept fungus, rots, and several styles of decay. Some recent evidence suggests that they can likewise cause encompassing damage to foam insulating material. If faced with chewing through hard timber or soft insulation to constructor your nest, which would you prefer?

Finding carpenter ants indoors in the wintertime is an indication that they are nesting somewhere within the walls or floors of the building. This is owing to the truth that carpenter ants, like all insects, are cold blooded. Ants active in the winter has to be originating from a warmed source. Even if the air temperature outside is freezing cold, heat from the sunlight or your furnace or timber stove may warm your house walls and stir overwintering ants to activity. Ants located in the spring and summer are often invaders wandering in from outdoors looking for food or drink. In the spring, carpenter ants go through a mass-mating or swarming behavior. During this moment carpenter ants raid houses looking for sweets, because one of their normal sources of sugar, the sweet honeydew from aphids, is not accessible until the weather warms up.

The critical aspect in carpenter ant control is treating the nesting area. Locating the nest site is very seldom easy and there are times perhaps it is out of the question to locate the nest. The most likely sources of carpenter ants are window and door frames and sills, shower and tub enclosure walls, and kitchen and bath plumbing walls.

One or more of the goals of Integrated Pest Management and a good reason we encourage carpenter control by direct nest treatment is to limit the amount of pesticide applied. Oftentimes, we can find the ants to be of assistance to with the therapy.

Their zest for sweets can be their downfall. About the most efficient ways to control carpenter ants is to set out poison baits. Attracted to the sweet taste, the worker ants collect the bait and bring it back to the colony, where they share it with the developing larvae and the queen.

It may be important to be aware what sort of ant you are coping with since some ant species prefer different foods. Baits are formulated to work with certain species and will most likely specify which ones on the label.

Acrobat Ant

Latin Name: Crematogaster ashmeadi

Characteristics: Medium sized, mostly shiny ant with heart shaped abdomen that is oftentimes bent up over the thorax when ant is disturbed.

Color: Color variable from light reddish brown to brown or black.

Other: Slow to moderately fast moving ant. May forage in tight foraging trails close to white-footed ant trails, but only acrobat ant bends the stomach up over the thorax. Acrobat ants also run slower than white-footed ants when disturbed.

Habitat: Acrobat Ants are located in the Southeastern US (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia), but can be seen in parts of Missouri

Like all ants, the acrobat ants may produce winged, reproductive individuals (males and women) called swarmers. These sexually developed adults emerge from a founded colony, ordinarily in the fall, to disperse and start new colonies. The swarmers are harmless, but they could be the start of an infestation. Special treatment of swarmers beyond vacuuming or sweeping them up is not required.

Outside the home, you will generally find Acrobat ants in a mixture of dead and decaying wood. Firewood seems to be one of their preferred homes. In all cases, the wood they occupy will be dead. The acrobat ant never inhabits a wholesome or live piece of wood, that is why they like a few of the woodworkings around your home. They have a nasty habit of creating cavities in timber, particularly when that wood is moist. They will even nest in foam heat retaining material board if weather is right. One way to recognize their invasion into your wood is to search for sawdust or other frass materials around suspected nest areas.

Several types of small to medium-sized ants are occasional pests around the home. One of these is named the acrobat ant because of the way the worker ants carry their abdomens above the rest of the body as if they were performing a balancing act. Acrobat ants are slightly longer than 1/8th inch. They vary in color from yellowish brown to dark brown, and the heart-shaped abdomen is commonly darker than the remainder of the body. Magnification is needed to see a pair of spines on the back edge of the middle section of the body that helps identify this ant from other species. The characteristic of the workers to carry their abdomens in the air when they are disturbed is probably the best way to name this species.

Acrobat ants may nest both outside and indoors. Outdoor nests are most often in dead and decaying wood like logs, stumps, dead trees limbs, firewood and hollow tree cavities. They may nest in damp soil beneath leaf litter or rocks. The small worker ants readily enter buildings through crevices around windows and doors and several openings. Trails of workers may be viewed moving between the nest and a food source. Acrobat ants feed upon a selection of foods, including other insects and sweets.

When acrobat ants nest indoors they are usually inside wood or cavities kept moist with water from leaks. They may also nest in foam heat retaining board or sheathing. As they excavate the large galleries used as nest sites, sawdust might be deposited near the nest area.

How to Get Rid of Acrobat Ants?

According to a Pest Control company in St. Louis, acrobat ants entering from outdoors may be managed by sealing the outside cracks through which they enter, using a residual insecticide barrier along the foundation, or by treating the ant nest if the location can be determined through careful inspection and observation.

Ant colonies living within the walls should be treated by eliminating any moisture problems (if present) and by injecting household insecticide spray or dust into infested wall voids. An exterminator may take care of this or for small problems, you can do it yourself. It could be necessary to drill small holes to achieve this therapy.

Insecticides containing pyrethroids are around for homeowners for outdoor use. Always follow labeled directs.

Visit your local retail merchant to discover a ready-to-use insecticide labeled for ants. Read and follow the directions on the label.

Argentine Ant

Latin Name: Iridomyrmex humilis

Features: It is a small, dark-colored ant about 3 mm (1/8 inch) long that invades homes looking for food and water..

Color: dark-colored

Other: It is in addition light to dark brown in color, and it has six legs, as with other insects. The Argentine ants' antennae have twelve segments. The thorax joins the abdomen by a thin pedicel, a thin stalk.

Where can they be discovered? Outdoors in soil, under timber, slabs, debris, mulch, or in branches and cavities of trees and shrubs

Shallow, 1- to 2-inch deep mounds in open, often disturbed habitats, either moist or dry

The most commonplace ant in southern California is the Argentine ant (Iridomyrmex humilis). This ant can likewise be found in the lower eastern US area. According to Wild (2004), this species was originally described in the genus Linepithema by Mayr in 1866; consequently, the right binomial should be Linepithema humile. It is a small, dark-colored ant about 3 mm (1/8 inch) long that invades homes hunting for food and water. They are specifically fond of sweets, but will feed upon practically any food. They love hard boiled eggs and carry small yellow clumps of yolk back to their nest in endless ant columns.

These ants are really well adapted to urbanized areas of the US with mild climates and well-watered gardens. They pose an important threat to native wildlife by upsetting fragile food webs. They are specifically formidable because of their aggressive behavior and the enormous size of their colonies which can literally "team up" with other colonies.

If you live in southern California, you in all probability have seen endless single file columns of uninvited six-legged guests walking through your home. They follow a pre-marked pheromone "scent" trail initially established by scouts who were looking for goodies in your pantry. Although they choose to outdoor life style, they primarily enter houses for food and water. They are fond of sweets, tuna, syrups (even cough syrup), juices, eggs, dead spiders and rodents, puke, faeces and possibly any other living tissue they can find. They are basically scavengers and they play a valuable role in the natural ecosystem–but preferably in Argentina. In hot, dry weather they often times search your home for water, including washroom faucets and drains. I once followed an ant safari into my restroom where they were neatly stacking their precious cargo of tiny eggs inside my toilet tank. They also relish the "honeydew" secretion of aphids, and look after their aphid friends from natural predators. In the fall months as the nights get chilly, they once again seek the warmth and shelter of your cozy home.

The first Argentine ants set foot on U.S. soils in the late 1890's, as coffee ships from Brazil unloaded their cargo in New Orleans. Being prolific breeders and constantly busy, they moved across the southern half of the United States. A single colony might comprise 10,000 female workers, and there could be hundreds of colonies around your house; the complete number of ants could also reach a million. Although they cannot sting, they can bite; yet, they are only about 3 mm long and there tiny mandibles are too small to hurt humans. But, internationally of insects, these ants are truly a living terror. They are very aggressive and readily overtake other ant species, even ants that are much larger and with powerful stings. Argentine ants are relentless and merely outnumber their adversaries until the enemy colony is destroyed. They even attack paper wasp nests under the eaves of a house, forcing the enormous wasps to flee their nests in terror. Even nests of large carpenter bees are no match for these relentless ants. A "killer bee" nest probably couldn't withstand an invasion of Argentine ants. They also will attack bird nests, driving off the mom bird and killing the helpless young. One possible redeeming quality about these little warriors is that they could attack dry- wood (aerial) termite colonies in your home. I have experienced this Lilliputian massacre in a termite infested table in the Palomar School greenhouse.

Most ant colonies are very highly territorial, and will fight different colonies of the identical species. Since Argentine ants in the United States originated from the original colonizers in Louisiana, they're all closely linked with alike DNA. They evidently will accept ants from different colonies as guests of their gigantic family. In point of fact, Argentine ants from different colonies will actually "team up" and attack together in vast swarms. They only outnumber and overpower their enemy.

Argentine ants have become a difficult threat to the coast horned lizard (Phrynosoma coronatum) in southern California. The main food source for these endangered lizards are native harvester ants, particularly the California harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex californicus). I spent a number of years observing this interesting red ant while maturing in San Gabriel Valley, and I am in a position to personally testify that it has a painful sting. As of 2006, this large red ant is seldom seen in urbanized areas of coastal southern California.

California harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex californicus), primary diet of coast horned lizard.

Urbanization has certainly been a factor in the demise of California harvester ants, but an even better factor leading to the elimination of native ants and coast horned lizards is the aggressive Argentine ant. Apparently the horned lizard is not fond of Argentine ants, and it's actually attacked by them in enormous swarms. Colonies of Argentine ants need a damp area to survive, and have not invaded some of the dry habitats where native harvester ants and desert horned lizards (P. platyrhinos) still live. Naturally, they can readily colonize urbanized desert areas inhabited by people. Well-watered gardens with stepping stones and concrete slabs provide the idea living requirements for these ants. In their native Argentina they live under rocks.

Coast horned lizard (Phrynosoma coronatum).

Argentine ants are a terrible nuisance in gardens and orchards as they tend and look after scale insects and aphids. They even carry aphids to the tender buds of your prized roses. In return, the ants consume a sweet secretion from the aphids called "honeydew." In addition, swarms of these ants will invade orchard trees, destroying the fruit crop. This is specially serious in figs (Ficus carica) where the symbiotic pollinator wasps are destroyed.

Metallic green fig beetles (Cotinus texana) gorging themselves inside a fleshy, ripe syconium of the Calimyrna fig (Ficus carica). Although masses of minute, aggressive Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) are likewise foraging in the syconium (white arrow), the beetles are safe by their tough, impervious exoskeleton. These attractive beetles spend their juvenile larval stage in the land, often beneath manure piles, compost and haystacks.

As reported by entomologist David Faulkner, if you have a 10 x10 foot (3 x 3 m ) patio slab, you could have a million or more individuals and perchance 20 or 30 queens. They get along fine because they're all connected with the original colonizers in Lousiana, perhaps from the original gravid (pregnant) female who arrived there. Workers live a month or more as adults, but queens live up to 10 years or more. With other ants, when the queen dies, the one-queen colony dies because no more ants are being produced. With multi-queen Argentine ants, another queen simply moves in and takes over the role of the deceased queen. In fact, a queen from San Diego would in all likelihood be accepted in a colony elsewhere in California.

Argentine ants (Linepithema humile): A wingless queen and several workers. Although these ants are only 3 mm long, they're very aggressive and quickly annihilate other ant species, even larger ants with powerful jaws and stings. They overpower other species by their sheer numbers. Argentine ants in the U.S. are descendants of original colonizers that entered Louisiana in the late 1890's, as coffee ships from Brazil unloaded their cargo in New Orleans. U.S. populations are so closely associated that different colonies with multiple queens can literally merge together into supercolonies. Image taken with Nikon D-90 and 60mm Micro Nikkor AF-S F/2.8G ED Macro Lens using a Phoenix Ring Flash; hand-held at 640 ISO, F-32, 1/125th sec.

In their native homeland of Argentina, different colonies of Argentine ants are not so friendly to each other because their DNA has developed much greater variation. Neighboring colonies may fight one another, even though they are just 200 yards (200 m) apart. Also the're a great many native predators in Argentina, including fungal parasites and bacteria. The narrow genetic variability that has kept all the California populations on friendly terms may eventually backfire attributable to abnormal inbreeding. Perhaps some day these ants may not have the genetic variability to conform to a changing environment.

How To Control Invasions of Argentine Ants"

Empty your trash often and make sure your home has no crums and food particles that might attract ants. Make certain that food containers are tightly closed, without residual traces of the food on the sides of containers. These ants can even get into screw-top jars without seals. They follow the spiral threads until they're inside!

Avoid using toxic aerosol insecticides inside your house–unless you don't care about your lungs or your bone marrow.

Try spraying a deodorant detergent (Pine Sol

Grey Squirrels are about 18 ins long nose to tail. During the wintertime months the grey squirrel can be identified by its salt and pepper body, tan specks in its tail and its white belly. Its body color changes to a yellowish brown during summer months. The grey squirrel has small ears and a large busy tail. Those located in Ontario and Quebec have a more dominate black color in their fur while those in the US have grey as the more dominate color. Albino squirrels have been located on occasion, but are unusual. Grey squirrels use their tail for balance when climbing trees, as a blanket during winter months, and likewise as a correspondence tool by flicking it back and forth to alert danger and to give its position to other squirrels. The grey squirrel gets it name from the Greek words skia, meaning shadow, and oura, meaning tail, because when it sits upright the tail curves up to their rear and shades them from the sun.

The Grey Squirrel and Red Squirrel are considered tree squirrels; ground squirrels include Arctic Ground Squirrel, Thirteen Lined Ground Squirrel and various others in the land squirrel group, Order of Rodents (Rodentia.)

Although the grey squirrel spends the majority of its life climbing and descending trees, it gathers the majority of its food from the land during the night-time hours. Found in forests and urban areas, the grey squirrel slides sideways around tree trunks to keep out of sight of its predators and also remains perfectly still at times to make itself more hard to see. Briskest at dawn and dusk, the grey squirrel gathers different kinds of food during each season. During the early spring it gathers maple tree buds, in the summer months it gathers berries, wild fruits, seeds, nuts and apples and during the fall it eats nuts, acorns, hickory nuts, butternuts, walnuts, beechnuts and pine seeds. They also eat insects, caterpillars and bird eggs. The Grey squirrel finds its food by employing its sense of smell.

Adult grey squirrels breed twice a year usually January to February and June to July. Women sit at the top of trees and make a "duck-like" call to have the males attention. Male adults then gather below the female who ensues a chase from tree to tree. Once she stops running, she mates with the male leading the pack. After mating, the male has no role in helping with the young. Female grey squirrels have one to six babies per litter. At birth the babies are called "pinkies" since they're born blind and without fur. They gain their hair at around three weeks old and are then called kits, kittens or pups. Once a kit is twelve weeks old, it leaves the nest. The nest of the grey squirrel is manufactured in the cavities of trees often times in used woodpecker holes. If there are no cavities available, the grey squirrel will build its nest between tree branches. The outside the nest is produced from twigs and leaves, while the inside is produced from moss, grasses and bark. During the winter months, the man and female grey squirrel share a winter den, still in the summertime they each find their own separate den. The males children's play room is normally larger than the females.

The enemies of the grey squirrel are weasels, red foxes, bobcats, wolves, raccoons, snakes, hawks and owls. The grey squirrel carries ticks, lice, fleas, tape and round worms and scabies that gets rid of their fur leaving them vulnerable to common colds and infections.

The grey squirrel can become a nuisance if found in attics. They also unearth bulbs in gardens, drive birds far from feeders and cause injury to crops. They destruct woodlands by stripping the bark from tree trunks and branches leaving the trees susceptible to disease and starving themselves for nutrients.

Introduced in Great Britain and parts of Europe in the early 1800s, the grey squirrel has been pushing the red squirrel out of its habitat by competing for resources. Grey squirrels are larger and stronger, can put on more fat to survive the cold winters and therefore hoards more food. They also are more adaptable to their environment and have been identified as a way to carry the Parapox Virus which red squirrels are not immune to. As a result of these reasons, the red squirrel is now listed on the endangered species list in Europe.

How to eliminate moles

Moles are ideal for leaving a lawn in total shambles with all the tunnels and tunnels (AKA run-ways), as their known in the pest control industry.

Another huge concern with a mole problem stems from causing problems to gardens. Moles feast on grubs, which is a big trouble in the Midwest. Saint Charles, MO pest control expert from 2niceguys.com offers some important suggestions regarding these pesky little animals. And that is to limit a mole's ability to feed in your yard or garden. If you remove the critter's food source, then the critter will find it's way to someone else's yard. You can get grub control, that is a chemical that can be employed and is available at many home improvement stores.

Moles love beetle larvae, earth-worms and its favorite treat is the tasty grubs discovered beneath the soil. Moles typically don't damage to the vegetation because of their weak jaws.

Jamil from 2niceguys pest control in St. Louis says, “Detecting which mole tunnels are busiest is your first step to do away with moles.”

Of all the mole species, there are mainly two ways to detect if mole tunnels are active. The first means for finding the “shallow digging moles” is to find a straight runway and stomp on it with your foot. If the mole is still active in that area, you will recognize that the run-way will be repaired in about 24 hours.

Another way is to locate a few sticks around the areas where you see a large number of of large molehills. As soon as you have found a spot where the earth gives way, you've found an active tunnel.

Once you've found an energetic tunnel you can do away with the mole with a pit-trap. The pit-trap technique incorporates simply digging your way into the mole tunnel, being mindful not to cause too much damage. Then, excavate enough earth to fit either a huge jar or coffee can into the tunnel in such a way that the can is level with the bottom of the tunnel. Cover the tunnel with whatever will best keep light out, and check the trap once or twice a day. If you catch the mole, you can release it somewhere far away and survive knowing you didn't hurt the little critter.

So you have a lively mole tunnel in your sights, but catch and release isn't how you want to get rid of moles. Well, fortunately for you there are several very effective mole killing traps on the market today. You have a choice between whether you would like to cut the mole in two, choke the mole to death, or impale the mole. Victor

Argentine Ant

Latin Name: Iridomyrmex humilis

Traits: It is a tiny, dark-colored ant about 3 mm (1/8 inch) long that invades homes on the lookout for food and water..

Color: dark-colored

Other: It is in addition light to dark brown in color, and it has six legs, as with other insects. The Argentine ants' antennae have twelve segments. The thorax joins the stomach by a thin pedicel, a thin stalk.

Where can they be discovered? Outdoors in soil, under timber, slabs, debris, mulch, or in branches and cavities of trees and shrubs

Shallow, 1- to 2-inch deep mounds in open, often disturbed habitats, either moist or dry

The most common ant in southern California is the Argentine ant (Iridomyrmex humilis). This ant can likewise be found in the low eastern US area. As reported by Wild (2004), this species was originally described in the genus Linepithema by Mayr in 1866; consequently, the proper binomial ought to be Linepithema humile. It is a small, dark-colored ant about 3 mm (1/8 inch) long that invades homes looking for food and water. They are specially fond of sweets, but will feed upon practically any food. They love hard boiled eggs and carry small yellow clumps of yolk back to their nest in endless ant columns.

These ants are exceedingly well adapted to urbanized areas of the US with mild climates and well-watered gardens. They pose an essential threat to native wildlife by upsetting fragile food webs. They are specially formidable because of their aggressive behavior and the enormous size of their colonies that can literally "team up" with other colonies.

If you reside in southern California, you likely have seen endless single file columns of uninvited six-legged guests walking through your home. They follow a pre-marked pheromone "scent" trail firstly established by scouts who were searching for goodies in your pantry. Although they choose to outdoor life-style, they primarily enter houses for food and water. They are fond of sweets, tuna, syrups (even cough syrup), juices, eggs, dead spiders and rodents, puke, feces and just about any other living tissue they can find. They are basically scavengers and they play a valuable role in the natural ecosystem–but preferably in Argentina. In hot, dry weather they often times search your house for water, including washroom taps and drains. I once followed an ant safari into my bathroom where they were neatly stacking their precious cargo of tiny eggs inside my toilet tank. They also relish the "honeydew" secretion of aphids, and look after their aphid friends from natural predators. In the fall months as the nights get cold, they once again seek the warmth and shelter of your cozy home.

The first Argentine ants set foot on U.S. soils in the late 1890's, as coffee ships from Brazil unloaded their cargo in New Orleans. Being prolific breeders and constantly on the go, they moved across the southern half of the US. A single colony might comprise 10,000 female workers, and there can be many hundreds of colonies around your home; the entire amount of ants could reach a million. Although they cannot sting, they can bite; all the same, they are just about 3 mm long and there tiny mandibles are too small to hurt humans. But, globally of insects, these ants are truly a living terror. They're very aggressive and readily overtake other ant species, even ants that are much larger and with powerful stings. Argentine ants are relentless and simply outnumber their adversaries until the enemy colony is destroyed. They even attack paper wasp nests under the eaves of a house, forcing the enormous wasps to flee their nests in terror. Even nests of large carpenter bees are no match for these relentless ants. A "killer bee" nest probably couldn't withstand an encroachment in Argentine ants. They also will attack bird nests, driving off the mother bird and killing the helpless young. One possible redeeming quality about these little warriors is that they might attack dry- wood (aerial) termite colonies in your house. I have observed this Lilliputian massacre in a termite infested table in the Palomar College greenhouse.

Most ant colonies are very highly territorial, and will fight different colonies of the identical species. Since Argentine ants in the United States originated from the original colonizers in Louisiana, they are all closely linked with alike DNA. They evidently will accept ants from different colonies as guests of their gigantic family. In point of fact, Argentine ants from different colonies will in reality "team up" and attack together in vast swarms. They simply outnumber and overpower their enemy.

Argentine ants have become a difficult threat to the coast horned lizard (Phrynosoma coronatum) in southern California. The main food source for these endangered lizards are native harvester ants, particularly the California harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex californicus). I spent many years observing this fascinating red ant while maturing in San Gabriel Valley, and I can personally testify that it features a painful sting. As of 2006, this large red ant is seldom seen in urbanized areas of coastal southern California.

California harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex californicus), primary diet of coast horned lizard.

Urbanization has certainly been a aspect in the demise of California harvester ants, but an even greater factor leading to the excretion of native ants and coast horned lizards is the aggressive Argentine ant. Evidently the horned lizard is not like Argentine ants, and is in fact attacked by them in enormous swarms. Colonies of Argentine ants need a damp area to survive, and have not invaded some of the dry habitats where native harvester ants and desert horned lizards (P. platyrhinos) still live. Of course, they can readily colonize urbanized desert areas inhabited by people. Well-watered gardens with stepping stones and concrete slabs provide the idea living requirements for these ants. In their native Argentina they live under rocks.

Coast horned lizard (Phrynosoma coronatum).

Argentine ants are a terrible nuisance in gardens and orchards as they tend and look after scale insects and aphids. They even carry aphids to the tender buds of your prized roses. In return, the ants consume a sweet secretion from the aphids called "honeydew." In addition, swarms of these ants will invade orchard trees, destroying the fruit crop. This is especially serious in figs (Ficus carica) where the symbiotic pollinator wasps are destroyed.

Metallic green fig beetles (Cotinus texana) gorging themselves inside a fleshy, ripe syconium of the Calimyrna fig (Ficus carica). Although masses of minute, aggressive Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) are also foraging in the syconium (white arrow), the beetles are protected by their tough, impervious exoskeleton. These attractive beetles spend their juvenile larval stage in the ground, often beneath manure piles, compost and haystacks.

According to entomologist David Faulkner, if you've a 10 x10 foot (3 x 3 m ) patio slab, you may have a million or more individuals and possibly 20 or 30 queens. They interact fine because they're all connected with the original colonizers in Lousiana, perhaps from the original gravid (pregnant) female who arrived there. Workers live a month or more as adults, but queens live up to 10 years or longer. With other ants, when the queen dies, the one-queen colony dies because no more ants are being produced. With multi-queen Argentine ants, another queen simply moves in and takes over the role of the deceased queen. In point of fact, a queen from San Diego would in all likelihood be accepted in a colony elsewhere in California.

Argentine ants (Linepithema humile): A wingless queen and various workers. Although these ants are only 3 mm long, they're very aggressive and quickly annihilate other ant species, even larger ants with powerful jaws and stings. They overpower other species by their sheer numbers. Argentine ants in the U.S. are descendants of original colonizers that entered Louisiana in the late 1890's, as coffee ships from Brazil unloaded their freight in New Orleans. U.S. populations are so closely related that different colonies with multiple queens can literally merge together into supercolonies. Image taken with Nikon D-90 and 60mm Micro Nikkor AF-S F/2.8G ED Macro Lens using a Phoenix Ring Flash; hand-held at 640 ISO, F-32, 1/125th sec.

In their native homeland of Argentina, different colonies of Argentine ants are not so friendly to one another as their DNA has developed much greater variation. Neighboring colonies may fight each other, even though they are only 200 yards (200 m) apart. Also there are quite a few native predators in Argentina, including fungal parasites and bacterias. The narrow genetic variability that has kept all the California populations on friendly terms may eventually backfire because of excessive inbreeding. Perhaps some day these ants might not have the genetic variability to conform to a changing environment.

How To Control Invasions of Argentine Ants"

Empty your trash often and ensure your property is free of crums and food particles that may attract ants. Ensure that food containers are tightly closed, without residual traces of the food on the sides of containers. These ants can also enter screw-top jars without seals. They follow the spiral threads until they are inside!

Try not to use toxic aerosol insecticides inside your house–unless you don't care about your lungs or your bone marrow.

Try spraying a deodorant detergent (Pine Sol