Pest Control St. Louis

Preventing Diseases in Fruit Trees

If you maintain any pitted fruit trees such as plums, peaches, or cherries, I'm sure you know that those sorts of trees are much subject to diseases than any other type. While the fruits are delicious, it may be rather hard to live with all of the maladies that can plague the life of everyone who has ever grown one of those sorts of fruit trees.

The principle ailment that you will hear around the most is known as “Brown Rot”. This is a fungus that attaches to most of the leftover fruits after the picking season is now over. Not just does it look disgusting on the leftover fruits, but it is in addition can come back on the newer fruits, rendering them inedible (unless you love eating fungus). To avoid this malady, you should prune your trees often to encourage good air circulation. Buildups of moisture are the chief grounds for the brown rot. Also when you are done picking for the season, you should remove all of the leftover fruits in the tree or on the floor.

A cytospora canker is a disgusting dark, soft area on tree branches. Gum protrudes through the bark, along with a huge callus. The pathogen which causes these cankers usually enters the tree through older wounds. If you prune all of the sprouts that occur in late summer, cankers will have a harder time making themselves known within your tree. When you prune, always allow the wounds to heal naturally as opposed to use the wound dressings that you can buy at gardening stores. I've learned that these usually do hardly any to help any situation, and only help make the tree look unnatural.

Those planting plum trees might handle something called Black Knot. The signs of black not are rough tumors or growths that can be seen on the tree's branches. If you see some of these, you ought to immediately chop off the branch it has attached to. If you use branches for mulch usually, don't for this one. This complaint can easily re-enter the tree if it is within a particular distance.

Almost everyone who has ever maintained a cherry tree has dealt with the “Cherry Leaf Spot”. It usually shows itself when there are old dead leaves accumulated on the ground. Preventing this ailment is fairly simple. All you need to do is be fairly diligent in raking up all of the leaves that fall from your tree. If you have already seen signs of the ailment, you should destroy all of your raked leaves. If not, then you can try them as mulch.

When your fruits ripen and become ready for picking, you ought to always be completely finished with picking within 2 weeks. It is better to daily go outside and pick all of the new ripe fruits, along with any that have fallen off of the tree or are starting to rot on the tree. So this way, you will prevent bees and wasps from becoming too dependent on your tree for nourishment.

Growers of fruit trees are incessantly faced with diseases and pests to worry about. Nevertheless, if you take the right safeguards then you can avoid the majority of them. You should likewise look for any diseases that have been affecting your area, and attempt to take steps to prevent those as well.

Argentine Ant

Latin Name: Iridomyrmex humilis

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

Color: dark-colored

Other: It is also 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 found? Outdoors in soil, under wood, 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 also be located in the low eastern US area. As reported by Wild (2004), this species was originally described in the genus Linepithema by Mayr in 1866; therefore, the proper binomial ought to be Linepithema humile. It is a tiny, dark-colored ant about 3 mm (1/8 inch) long that invades homes searching for food and water. They are specially fond of sweets, but will feed on 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 can be 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 delicate food webs. They are specially formidable attributable to their aggressive behavior and the huge 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 laid down 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 like sweets, tuna, syrups (even cough syrup), juices, eggs, dead spiders and rodents, puke, feces and almost any other living tissue they can find. They are fundamentally 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 restroom 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 protect their aphid friends from natural predators. In the fall months as the nights get very cold, they once more 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 freight in New Orleans. Being prolific breeders and constantly active, they moved across the southern half of the US. A single colony may contain 10,000 female workers, and there may well be many colonies around your home; the complete number of ants could reach a million. Although they cannot sting, they can bite; nonetheless, they are simply 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're very aggressive and readily overtake other ant species, even ants that are much larger and with powerful stings. Argentine ants are relentless and just outnumber their adversaries until the enemy colony is destroyed. They even attack paper wasp nests under the eaves of a house, forcing the massive 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 could not 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 might attack dry- timber (aerial) termite colonies in your home. I have seen 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 same species. Since Argentine ants in the United States originated from the original colonizers in Louisiana, they are all closely related with the same DNA. They apparently will accept ants from different colonies as members of their gigantic family. In fact, Argentine ants from different colonies will actually "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 primary 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 provides a traumatic 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 greater factor leading to the liquidation 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 a few 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 because they tend and protect 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 particularly 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 earth, 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 get along fine because they're all associated 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 greater. 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 probably be accepted in a colony elsewhere in California.

Argentine ants (Linepithema humile): A wingless queen and several workers. Although these ants are merely 3 mm long, they are 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 intimately linked 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 because their DNA has developed much greater variation. Neighboring colonies may fight each other, despite the fact that they are simply 200 yards (200 m) apart. Also there are quite a few native predators in Argentina, including fungal leeches and bacteria. The narrow genetic variability that has kept all the California populations on friendly terms may eventually backfire owing to abnormal inbreeding. Perhaps some day these ants might not have the genetic variability to adapt to a changing environment.

How To Control Invasions of Argentine Ants"

Empty your trash often and ensure your property has no crums and food particles that may attract ants. Make sure 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!

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

Preventing Diseases in Fruit Trees

If you maintain any pitted fruit trees like plums, peaches, or cherries, I'm sure you know that those sorts of trees are much vulnerable to diseases than any other type. While the fruits are delicious, it may be rather difficult to live with all of the maladies that can plague the life of everyone who has ever grown one of those types of fruit trees.

The principle disease that you will hear about the most is referred to as “Brown Rot”. This is a fungus that attaches to most of the leftover fruits after the picking season has finished. Not only does it look disgusting on the leftover fruits, but it also can come back on the newer fruits, rendering them inedible (unless you love eating fungus). To prevent this malady, you should prune your trees often to inspire good air circulation. Buildups of moisture are the principle cause of the brown rot. Also when you are performed picking for the season, you ought to eliminate all of the leftover fruits in the tree or on the ground.

A cytospora canker is a disgusting dark, soft area on tree branches. Gum protrudes through the bark, along with a large callus. The pathogen which causes these cankers usually enters the tree through older wounds. If you prune all of the sprouts that occur in late summer, cankers will have a harder time making themselves known within your tree. When you prune, always allow the wounds to mend naturally instead of use the wound dressings that you can purchase at gardening stores. I've discovered that these usually do hardly any to help any situation, and only serve to make the tree look unnatural.

Those planting plum trees might manage something called Black Knot. The symptoms of black not are rough tumors or growths that can be observed on the tree's branches. If you see any of these, you ought to immediately chop off the branch it has attached to. If you use branches for mulch usually, don't for this one. This complaint can readily re-enter the tree if it is within a particular distance.

Virtually everyone who has ever maintained a cherry tree has answered the “Cherry Leaf Spot”. It usually shows itself when there are old dead leaves accumulated on the ground. Preventing this complaint is fairly easy. All you have to do is be fairly diligent in raking up all of the leaves that fall from your tree. If you've already seen signs of the disease, you ought to destroy all of your raked leaves. If not, then you can make use of them as mulch.

When your fruits ripen and become ready for picking, you should always be completely finished with picking within 2 weeks. It is better to daily go outside and pick all of the new ripe fruits, along with any that have fallen off of the tree or are beginning to rot on the tree. So this way, you will prevent bees and wasps from becoming too contingent upon your tree for nourishment.

Growers of fruit trees are incessantly faced with diseases and pests to worry about. Yet, if you take the right safeguards then you can avoid the majority of them. You should also search for any diseases that have been affecting your region, and try to take steps to prevent those as well.

Acrobat Ant

Latin Name: Crematogaster ashmeadi

Characteristics: Medium sized, mostly shiny ant with heart shaped abdomen that is sometimes 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 abdomen up over the thorax. Acrobat ants also slow down than white-footed ants when disturbed.

Habitat: Acrobat Ants are found in the Southeastern US (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia), but can be located 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 a founded colony, normally in the fall, to disperse and begin new colonies. The swarmers are harmless, but they might be the start of an infestation. Special therapy of swarmers beyond vacuum-cleaning 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 healthy or live piece of wood, that is why they like some of the woodworkings around your property. They have a nasty characteristic of creating cavities in wood, in particular when that timber is moist. They will even nest in foam insulating material board if weather conditions are right. One way to recognize 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 as a consequence of the way the worker ants carry their abdomens above the remainder 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 rest 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 habit of the workers to carry their abdomens uphill when they're disturbed is probably the best way to recognize this species.

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

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

How to Get Rid of Acrobat Ants?

As reported by a Pest Control company in St. Louis, acrobat ants entering from outdoors can be managed by sealing the external crevices 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 may well be essential to drill small holes to accomplish this therapy.

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

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