Pest Control St. Louis

Carpenter ants are a nuisance by their presence when found in parts of the home like the kitchen, bathroom, drawing room and different quarters. When 20 or more large winged and/or wingless ants are discovered indoors, in the daytime near one location, it is workable that the colony is well established in the house and the nest may have been extended into sound wood, sometimes causing structural damage. They do not eat wood, but often remove quantities of it to expand their nest size. Still, if only 1 to 2 large wingless ants are erratically crawling, they might simply be foraging for food with the nest located outside. Outdoors, they are frequently seen running over plants and tree trunks or living in moist, partly rotten timber stumps. Nevertheless, carpenter ant inquiries rank first over all other household/structural pests in Ohio.

Identification

Carpenter ants are among the biggest ants located in homes and reside in colonies containing three castes consisting of winged and wingless queens, winged males and different sized workers. Winged males are much smaller than winged queens. Wingless queens measure 5/8 inch, winged queens 3/4 inch to the tips of their folded brownish wings, small minor workers 1/4 inch and large major workers 1/2 inch. Workers have some brown on them while queens are black. Workers have large heads and a small thorax while adult swarmers have a smaller head and large thorax. Carpenter ants have a smoothly rounded arched (convex) shape to the peak of the thorax when looked at from the side and a pedicel between the thorax and abdomen consisting of only one segment or node. They have constricted waists, elbowed antennas and the reproductive's forewings are bigger than the hindwings, transparent or brownish and not easily removed. Adults are commonly black with some species red, brown or yellow occurring on parts of the body and legs. Eggs are about 1/8-inch long, cream colored and oval. Larvae are legless and grub-like, later pupating in tough silken, tan-colored cocoons erroneously referred to as "ant eggs."

Life Cycle and Habits

Queen Worker

Winged female and male carpenter ants (swarmers) emerge from mature colonies usually from March to July. After mating, males die and fresh fertilized females (mated for keeps), generate a new colony in a tiny cavity in timber, under bark, etc. and each lays 15 to 20 eggs in 15 days. The egg stage takes about 24 days, larval stage 21 days and pupal stage 21 days or about 66 days from egg to adult at 70 to 90 degrees F. Cool weather may lengthen this period up to 10 months. The colony does not produce swarmers until about three years later. A mature colony, after three to six years, has 2,000 to 4,000 individuals. During the first hatch, larvae are fed entirely by a fluid secreted from the queen's mouth where she does not take food, but uses stored fat reserves and wing muscles for her nourishment. The few workers emerging from the first incubate assume duties of the colony, collecting food, excavating galleries to enlarge the nest and tending the eggs, larvae and pupae of the second generation. Workers regurgitate food for nourishment of the developing larvae and queen. She has few duties except to lay eggs.

In later generations, workers of different sizes are produced (polymorphism) into major and minor workers, that are all sterile ladies. Males formed are winged swarmers. Larger "major" workers guard the nest, battle intruders, explore and forage for food while smaller "minor" workers expand the nest and look after the young. workers, when disturbed, carry off the larvae and pupa, which has to be fed and tended or they die. In a mature colony, there is typically one queen with 200 to 400 winged individuals produced as swarmers. Workers have strong jaws and readily bite (sharp pinch) when contacted.

Nests are commonly established in soft, moist (not wet), decayed wood or often times in an existing timber cavity or void area in a structure that is perfectly dry. Workers cut galleries in the wood, expanding the nest size for the enlarging colony. Galleries are occasional, usually excavated with the timber grain ( sometimes across the texture) into softer portions of the wood. The walls of the nest are smooth and clean (sandpapered appearance) with shredded sawdust-like wood fragments, like chewed up toothpicks (frass), carried from the nest and deposited outside. These piles of timber fragments, often found beneath special openings (windows) or nest openings, may contain portions of insects, empty seed coats, etc.

Carpenter ants do not eat timber but excavate timber galleries to rear their young ants and carry aphids to plants, placing them on leaves for the output of honey dew. The food diet is of great variety (omnivorous) of both plant and animal origin like plant juices, fresh fruits, insects (living or dead), meats, syrup, honey, jelly, sugar, grease, fat, honey dew (aphid excrement), etc. They feed readily on termites and usually never exist with them in the home. Workers are known to forage for food as far as 100 yards from their nest.

Control Measures

The most important and often most challenging part of carpenter ant control is locating the nest or nests. Once the nest location is discovered, control is very simple and simple. Occasionally more than one colony is present in the structure or on its grounds, so a thorough inspection is extremely important. Steps to a successful inspection include an interview with members of the family, inspection indoors, inspection outside and sound detection.

Interview

Often children and adults of the residence know where ants are seen, where huge numbers are most prevalent, movement patterns, moisture in the structure, moisture problems of a past era, if swarmers were seen, location of sawdust-like material in piles, populations outdoors, etc.

Inspection Indoors

Nests can be found in either moist or dry timber. Nevertheless, carpenter ants prefer to nest in moist wood with a moisture content considerable over 15 percent, often a consequence of rain, leaks, condensation, etc. Structural wood is about 12 to 15 percent moisture. A moisture meter can find wet places to pinpoint possible nest locations. Inspect behind restroom tiles, around tubs, showers, sinks, dishwashers, washing machines, refrigerator drip pans, etc. Check wood tormented by moisture from contact with the soil such as steps, porch supports, siding, seepage from plugged drain gutters, chimney flashing, wooden shingle roofs, hollow porch posts, columns, leaking window and door frames, window boxes, crawl spaces, pipes, poor pitch of porch roofs, flat deck porch roofs, under porches, attics, etc. Occasionally, nests are found in dry environments, such as hollow veneer doors, curtain rods, small void areas between the door casing and ceiling, false beams, or under insulation in attics. Search for damaged timbers, swarmers in spider webs, timber piles indoors, piles of wood debris ejected from the colony (pencil sharpener shaving-like), "windows" or small opening to a nest, etc. Gently tap floor joists, etc. with a hammer. A nest cavity gives a hollow ring. A knife blade will penetrate the wood if infested.

Baiting

Some might use tiny piles of sugar at two or three feet intervals around the kitchen, bathroom, etc. in attempt to determine where the nest can be found. Others use drops of honey or corn syrup placed on the rear of masking tape. Make observations late at night, following ants back to their nest entrance.

Flushing Agent

A household aerosol spray, containing pyrethrins and piperonyl butoxide, applied directly into cracks, crevices or holes, will excite the ants (repellent action) causing them to come running out informative the presence of their nest in some cases.

Inspection Outdoors

Search for ants traveling from a tree or stump to the structure. They might travel over tree branches or vines touching the roof, electrical and telephone wires, fences with the house, piles of firewood, logs, or railroad ties nearby or hollow living trees with entrance knot holes, etc. Workers are most active in the evening (midnight), traveling from their nest to a food source following trails but no particular trail leading directly to the nest. They do establish chemical (pheromone) trails.

Sound Detection

An involved colony may produce a different, dry rustling sound ( sometimes loud), close to the crinkling of cellophane. It can be heard in a wall when standing in a room. A listening device, like a stethoscope, may be of use when conditions are quiet and outside noises are at a nominal amount. Even a cat may hear noises in the home a consequence of ant mandibles (jaws) not from chewing wood or eating food, but as their form of communication, in particular when the colony is disturbed.

Prevention

Homeowners should trim all trees and bushes so branches do not touch or touch the house. Correct moisture problems such as leaking roofs, leaking chimney flashing, or plumbing, poorly ventilated attics or crawl spaces and blocked gutters. Replace rotted or water-damaged timber and get rid of wood to soil contact. Remove dead stumps within 50 feet of the home, if practical, and repair trees with damage at broken limbs, and holes in the trunk. Seal fractures and crevices in the foundation, particularly where utility pipes and wiring occur externally. Be certain to shop firewood off the earth clear of the house and bring in barely enough firewood (first examining it) to be used quickly . Consider non-organic mulches near the house in heavily infested ant areas. High moisture conditions must be wiped out to help control carpenter ants, prevent future attacks and prevent " wood decay" fungus infection.

This journal comprises pesticide testimonials that are dependent on change any time. These testimonials are provided just as a guide. It is invariably the pesticide applicator's responsibility, legally, to read and follow all current label directions for the specific pesticide being used. Due to constantly changing labels and product registration, some of the testimonials given in this writing may no longer be legal by the time you read them. If any information in these recommendations disagrees with the label, the recommendation must be disregarded. No endorsement is meant for products mentioned, nor is criticism meant for products not mentioned. The author, The Ohio State University and Ohio State University Extension assume no liability resulting from the application of these testimonials.

Argentine Ant

Latin Name: Iridomyrmex humilis

Features: It is a tiny, 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 found? 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 frequent ant in southern California is the Argentine ant (Iridomyrmex humilis). This ant can also be located in the low eastern US area. According to Wild (2004), this species was originally described in the genus Linepithema by Mayr in 1866; consequently, the proper binomial should be Linepithema humile. It is a small, dark-colored ant about 3 mm (1/8 inch) long that invades homes in search of food and water. They are especially 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 are exceedingly well adapted to urbanized areas of the United States with mild climates and well-watered gardens. They pose a difficult threat to native wildlife by upsetting delicate food webs. They are especially formidable attributable to their aggressive behavior and the huge size of their colonies that can literally "team up" with other colonies.

If you reside in southern California, you likely have noticed endless single file columns of uninvited six-legged guests strolling through your house. They follow a pre-marked pheromone "scent" trail first off established by scouts who were searching for goodies in your pantry. Although they choose to outdoor lifestyle, 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 organic material they can find. They are essentially 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 bathroom faucets and drains. I once followed an ant safari into my washroom 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 very 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 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 can be many hundreds of colonies around your house; the whole number of ants could reach a million. Although they cannot sting, they can bite; still, they are merely 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 are 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 huge 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 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 seen this Lilliputian massacre in a termite infested table in the Palomar College greenhouse.

Most ant colonies are very 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 intimately linked with alike 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 serious 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 a number of years observing this interesting red ant while grown up in San Gabriel Valley, and I am in a position to personally testify that it has 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 resulting in the excretion of native ants and coast horned lizards is the aggressive Argentine ant. Apparently the horned lizard is not fond of Argentine ants, and is in reality 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 safeguard 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 earth, 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 might 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 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 probability be accepted in a colony elsewhere in California.

Argentine ants (Linepithema humile): A wingless queen and a number of 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 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, although they are just 200 yards (200 m) apart. Also there are many 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 owing to abnormal inbreeding. Perhaps some day these ants may not have the genetic variability to adapt to a changing environment.

How To Control Invasions of Argentine Ants"

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

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

Try spraying a deodorant detergent (Pine Sol

Carpenter ants are a nuisance by their presence when located in parts of the home such as the kitchen, bathroom, parlor and several quarters. When 20 or more large winged and/or wingless ants are found indoors, in the daylight near one location, it is achievable that the colony is more developed in the house and the nest may have been extended into sound timber, often times causing structural damage. They don't eat timber, but often remove quantities of it to expand their nest size. Yet, but only if one to two large wingless ants are erratically crawling, they could simply be foraging for food with the nest located outside. Outdoors, they are regularly seen running over plants and tree trunks or living in moist, partly rotten wood stumps. All the same, carpenter ant inquiries rank first over all other household/structural pests in Ohio.

Identification

Carpenter ants are among the largest ants located in homes and live in colonies containing three castes consisting of winged and wingless queens, winged males and various sized workers. Winged males are much smaller than winged queens. Wingless queens measure 5/8 inch, winged queens 3/4 inch to the tips of their folded brownish wings, small minor workers 1/4 inch and large major workers 1/2 inch. Workers have some brown on them while queens are black. Workers have large heads and a tiny thorax while adult swarmers have a smaller head and large thorax. Carpenter ants have a smoothly rounded arched (convex) shape to the top of the thorax when considered from the side and a pedicel between the thorax and abdomen comprising of just one segment or node. They have constricted waists, elbowed antennas and the reproductive's forewings are bigger than the hindwings, transparent or brownish and not easily taking away. Adults are commonly black with some species red, brown or yellow occurring on areas of the body and legs. Eggs are about 1/8-inch long, cream colored and oval. Larvae are legless and grub-like, later pupating in tough silken, tan-colored cocoons erroneously remarked as "ant eggs."

Life Cycle and Habits

Queen Worker

Winged male and female carpenter ants (swarmers) emerge from mature colonies usually from March to July. After mating, males die and newly fertilized females (mated forever), establish a new colony in a tiny cavity in timber, under bark, etc. and each lays 15 to 20 eggs in 15 days. The egg stage takes about 24 days, larval stage 21 days and pupal stage 21 days or about 66 days from egg to adult at 70 to 90 degrees F. Cool weather may lengthen this period up to 10 months. The colony does not produce swarmers until about three years later. A mature colony, after three to six years, has 2,000 to 4,000 individuals. During the first breed, larvae are fed entirely by a fluid secreted from the queen's mouth where she does not take food, but uses stored fat reserves and wing muscles for her nourishment. The few workers emerging from the first brood assume duties of the colony, collecting food, excavating galleries to enlarge the nest and tending the eggs, larvae and pupae of the second generation. Workers regurgitate food for nourishment of the developing larvae and queen. She has few duties except to lay eggs.

In later generations, workers or various sizes are produced (polymorphism) into major and minor workers, that are all sterile females. Males formed are winged swarmers. Larger "major" workers guard the nest, battle intruders, explore and forage for food while smaller "minor" workers expand the nest and care for the young. workers, when disturbed, carry off the larvae and pupa, which must be fed and tended or they die. In a mature colony, there is usually one queen with 200 to 400 winged individuals produced as swarmers. Workers have strong jaws and readily bite (sharp pinch) when contacted.

Nests are usually established in soft, moist (not wet), decayed wood or sometimes in a current wood cavity or void area in a structure that is perfectly dry. Workers cut galleries in the timber, expanding the nest size for the enlarging colony. Galleries are intermittent, usually excavated with the timber grain ( often times across the cereal) into softer portions of the wood. The walls of the nest are smooth and clean (sandpapered appearance) with shredded sawdust-like timber fragments, like chewed up toothpicks (frass), carried from the nest and deposited outside. These piles of timber fragments, often found beneath special openings (windows) or nest openings, may contain portions of insects, empty seed coats, etc.

Carpenter ants do not eat wood but excavate wood galleries to rear their young ants and carry aphids to plants, placing them on leaves for the manufacture of honey dew. The food diet is of great variety (omnivorous) of both plant and animal origin like plant juices, fresh fruits, insects (living or dead), meats, syrup, honey, jelly, sugar, grease, fat, honey dew (aphid excrement), etc. They feed readily on termites and usually never live with them in a home. Workers are known to forage for food as far as 100 yards from their nest.

Control Measures

The most significant and often most challenging part of carpenter ant control is locating the nest or nests. Once the nest location is discovered, control is very simple and simple. Sometimes more than one colony is present in the structure or on its grounds, so a thorough inspection is extremely important. Steps to a productive inspection include an interview with relatives, inspection indoors, inspection outside and sound detection.

Interview

Often children and adults of the residence know where ants are seen, where large numbers are most prevalent, movement patterns, moisture in the structure, moisture problems of earlier times, if swarmers were seen, location of sawdust-like material in piles, populations outdoors, etc.

Inspection Indoors

Nests can be located in either moist or dry timber. Nonetheless, carpenter ants prefer to nest in moist wood with a moisture content considerable over 15 percent, often caused by rain, leaks, condensation, etc. Structural timber is about 12 to 15 percent moisture. A moisture meter can find wet places to pinpoint possible nest locations. Inspect behind restroom tiles, around tubs, showers, sinks, dishwashers, washing machines, refrigerator drip pans, etc. Check timber affected by moisture from contact with the soil such as steps, porch supports, siding, seepage from plugged drain gutters, chimney flashing, wooden shingle roofs, hollow porch posts, columns, leaking window and door frames, window boxes, crawl spaces, pipes, poor pitch of porch roofs, flat deck porch roofs, under porches, attics, etc. Sometimes, nests are located in dry environments, such as hollow veneer doors, curtain rods, small void areas between the door casing and ceiling, false beams, or under insulating material in attics. Look for damaged timbers, swarmers in spider webs, timber piles indoors, piles of wood debris removed from the colony (pencil sharpener shaving-like), "windows" or small opening to a nest, etc. Gently tap floor joists, etc. with a hammer. A nest cavity gives a hollow ring. A knife blade will penetrate the wood if infested.

Baiting

Some may make use of tiny piles of sugar at two or three feet intervals around the kitchen, restroom, etc. in attempt to determine where the nest is located. Others use drops of honey or corn syrup placed on the back of masking tape. Make observations late at night, following ants back to their nest entrance.

Flushing Agent

A household aerosol spray, containing pyrethrins and piperonyl butoxide, applied directly into cracks, crevices or holes, will excite the ants (repellent action) causing them to come running out informative the presence of their nest in some instances.

Inspection Outdoors

Look for ants traveling from a tree or stump to the structure. They may travel over tree branches or vines touching the roof, electrical and telephone wires, fences with the house, piles of firewood, logs, or railroad ties nearby or hollow living trees with entrance knot holes, etc. Workers are most active at night (midnight), traveling from their nest to a food source following trails but no particular trail leading directly to the nest. They do establish chemical (pheromone) trails.

Sound Detection

An energetic colony may produce a unusual, dry rustling sound ( sometimes loud), much in-line with the crinkling of cellophane. It may be heard in a wall when standing in a room. A listening device, like a stethoscope, may be of assistance when conditions are quiet and outside noises are at a minimum. Even a cat may hear noises in a house the result of ant mandibles (jaws) not from chewing wood or eating food, but as their form of correspondence, particularly when the colony is disturbed.

Prevention

Homeowners should trim all trees and bushes so branches do not touch or come in contact with the house. Correct moisture problems such as leaking roofs, leaking chimney flashing, or plumbing, poorly aired attics or crawl spaces and blocked gutters. Replace rotted or water-damaged timber and eradicate wood to soil contact. Remove dead stumps within 50 feet of the house, if practical, and repair trees with damage at broken limbs, and holes in the trunk. Seal fractures and crevices in the foundation, especially where utility pipes and wiring occur from outside. Be sure to shop firewood off the land far from the house and bring in only enough firewood (first examining it) to be employed quickly . Consider non-organic mulches near the house in heavily infested ant areas. High moisture conditions must be eliminated to help control carpenter ants, prevent future attacks and stop " wood decay" fungus infection.

This journal incorporates pesticide recommendations that are subject to change any time. These testimonials are given just as a guide. It is always the pesticide applicator's responsibility, legally, to read and follow all current label directions for the specific pesticide being used. As a result of never stand still labels and product registration, a few of the suggestions given in this writing may no longer be legal by the time you read them. If any facts in these recommendations disagrees with the label, the recommendation must be dismissed. No endorsement is meant for products mentioned, nor is criticism intended for products not mentioned. The author, The Ohio State University and Ohio State University Extension assume no liability resulting from the application of these suggestions.

Preventing Diseases in Fruit Trees

If you maintain any pitted fruit trees such as plums, peaches, or cherries, I'm sure you recognize that those sorts of trees are much subject to diseases than any other type. While the fruits are delicious, it can 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 disease that you will hear around the most is known as “Brown Rot”. This is a fungus that attaches to nearly all 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 return on the newer fruits, rendering them inedible (unless you enjoy eating fungus). To avoid this malady, you should prune your trees often to encourage good air circulation. Buildups of moisture are the main reason for the brown rot. Also when you are carried out picking for the season, you ought to eliminate 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, together 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 permit the wounds to get better naturally rather than 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 cope with 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 any of these, you should immediately chop off the branch it has attached to. If you use branches for mulch usually, don't for this one. This ailment can simply re-enter the tree if it is within a particular distance.

Nearly everyone who has ever maintained a cherry tree has handled the “Cherry Leaf Spot”. It usually shows itself when there are old dead leaves accumulated on the floor. Preventing this complaint is fairly simple. 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 should be able to make use of 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, together with any that have fallen off of the tree or are starting to rot on the tree. By using this method, you will prevent bees and wasps from becoming too reliant on your tree for nourishment.

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

How to remove moles

Moles are great for leaving a lawn in complete 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 problem in the Midwest. Saint Charles, MO 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 get rid of 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 accessible 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 harm to the vegetation thanks to 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 two ways to detect if mole tunnels are active. The first path for finding the “shallow digging moles” is to find a straight runway and stomp on it using your foot. If the mole is still active in that area, you will notice that the run-way will be fixed in about a day.

Another technique is to locate a few sticks around the areas where you see a lot of of large molehills. Once you've discovered a spot where the earth gives way, you've discovered an involved tunnel.

Once you have discovered an engaged tunnel you can eliminate the mole with a pit-trap. The pit-trap technique incorporates simply digging your way into the mole tunnel, being cautious 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 an energetic 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 a number of very effective mole killing traps in the marketplace today. You have a choice between whether you would like to cut the mole in half, choke the mole to death, or impale the mole. Victor

Argentine Ant

Latin Name: Iridomyrmex humilis

Features: 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 commonplace ant in southern California is the Argentine ant (Iridomyrmex humilis). This ant can also be found in the low 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 searching for food and water. They are specifically like sweets, but will eat 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 United States with mild climates and well-watered gardens. They pose an important threat to native wildlife by upsetting breakable food webs. They are specifically formidable thanks to their aggressive behavior and the massive size of their colonies that 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 searching for goodies in your pantry. Although they choose to outdoor life-style, they primarily enter houses for food and water. They're fond of 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 frequently search your house for water, including bathroom 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 very 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 busy, they moved across the southern half of the US. A single colony might incorporate 10,000 female workers, and there might be many colonies around your house; the entire amount of ants could reach a million. Although they cannot sting, they can bite; all the same, 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'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 huge 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 encroachment in 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- timber (aerial) termite colonies in your house. 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 identical species. Since Argentine ants in the United States arose in the original colonizers in Louisiana, they are all closely associated with the same DNA. They evidently will accept ants from different colonies as guests of their gigantic family. In 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 serious 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 interesting red ant while aging in San Gabriel Valley, and I can personally testify that it provides 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 elimination of native ants and coast horned lizards is the aggressive Argentine ant. Evidently the horned lizard is not fond of 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. Obviously, 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 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 perhaps 20 or 30 queens. They interact fine because they're all linked 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 just 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 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 one another because their DNA has developed much greater variation. Neighboring colonies may fight one another, even though they are simply 200 yards (200 m) apart. Also the're a great many native predators in Argentina, including fungal parasites and bacterium. The narrow genetic variability that has kept all the California populations on friendly terms may eventually backfire due to excessive inbreeding. Perhaps some day these ants might not have the genetic variability to adjust to a changing environment.

How To Control Invasions of Argentine Ants"

Empty your trash often and make certain your home is free of 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 also get into screw-top jars without seals. They follow the spiral threads until they are inside!

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

Try spraying a deodorant detergent (Pine Sol

Argentine Ant

Latin Name: Iridomyrmex humilis

Features: 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 also light to dark brown in color, and it has six legs, like all 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 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 frequent ant in southern California is the Argentine ant (Iridomyrmex humilis). This ant can also 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; as a consequence, 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 in search of food and water. They are specially like sweets, but will eat 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 essential threat to native wildlife by upsetting breakable food webs. They are especially formidable as a result of their aggressive behavior and the enormous size of their colonies which can literally "team up" with other colonies.

If you reside in southern California, you in all likelihood have observed 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 prefer the outdoor life-style, they primarily enter houses for food and water. They're like sweets, tuna, syrups (even cough syrup), juices, eggs, dead spiders and rodents, puke, faeces and almost any other organic material 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 search your house for water, including washroom taps and drains. I once followed an ant safari into my washroom 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 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 load 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 could be many colonies around your house; the total number of ants could also reach a million. Although they cannot sting, they can bite; nonetheless, they are merely 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 simply 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 encroachment in 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 may attack dry- timber (aerial) termite colonies in your home. I have seen this Lilliputian massacre in a termite infested table in the Palomar School greenhouse.

Most ant colonies are very territorial, and will fight different colonies of the same species. Since Argentine ants in the US arose in the original colonizers in Louisiana, they're all intimately linked with alike DNA. They evidently will accept ants from different colonies as guests of their gigantic family. As a matter of 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 serious 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 fascinating red ant while aging in San Gabriel Valley, and I am able to personally testify that it has 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 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 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. 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 because 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 likewise 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.

As reported by entomologist David Faulkner, if you've 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 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 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 point of fact, a queen from San Diego would in all probability be accepted in a colony elsewhere in California.

Argentine ants (Linepithema humile): A wingless queen and several workers. Although these ants are just 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 one another as their DNA has developed much greater variation. Neighboring colonies may fight one another, even though they are just 200 yards (200 m) apart. Also there are quite a few native predators in Argentina, including fungal leeches and bacterium. 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 make certain your house has no crums and food particles that might 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 home–unless you don't care about your lungs or your bone marrow.

Try spraying a deodorant detergent (Pine Sol

Argentine Ant

Latin Name: Iridomyrmex humilis

Features: It is a small, 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 discovered? 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 commonplace ant in southern California is the Argentine ant (Iridomyrmex humilis). This ant can likewise be located in the lower eastern United States area. As reported by Wild (2004), this species was originally described in the genus Linepithema by Mayr in 1866; consequently, the right binomial ought to be Linepithema humile. It is a small, dark-colored ant about 3 mm (1/8 inch) long that invades homes on the lookout for food and water. They are specifically like 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 a difficult threat to native wildlife by upsetting sensitive food webs. They are especially formidable owing to their aggressive behavior and the massive size of their colonies which can literally "team up" with other colonies.

If you live in southern California, you probably have seen endless single file columns of uninvited six-legged guests strolling 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 prefer the outdoor lifestyle, they primarily enter houses for food and water. They are like sweets, tuna, syrups (even cough syrup), juices, eggs, dead spiders and rodents, vomit, stools and just about any other organic material they can find. They are essentially scavengers and they play a valuable role in the natural ecosystem–but preferably in Argentina. In hot, dry weather they frequently search your home for water, including washroom taps 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 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 cargo in New Orleans. Being prolific breeders and constantly active, they moved across the southern half of the US. A single colony might incorporate 10,000 female workers, and there may be hundreds of colonies around your home; the complete number of ants could also reach a million. Although they cannot sting, they can bite; nonetheless, 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 are 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 huge 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 College greenhouse.

Most ant colonies are very highly territorial, and will fight different colonies of the same species. Since Argentine ants in the US arose in the original colonizers in Louisiana, they are all intimately linked with very similar DNA. They evidently will accept ants from different colonies as guests of their gigantic family. In 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 an important 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 growing up in San Gabriel Valley, and I am able to personally testify that it features a agonizing 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 a greater factor resulting in 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 reality 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 because 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 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 likewise 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 could have a million or more individuals and perchance 20 or 30 queens. They interact fine because they're all linked 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 probability be accepted in a colony elsewhere in California.

Argentine ants (Linepithema humile): A wingless queen and a number of workers. Although these ants are simply 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 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 each other as their DNA has developed much greater variation. Neighboring colonies may fight each other, despite the fact that they are just 200 yards (200 m) apart. Also there are lots of native predators in Argentina, including fungal parasites and bacterium. The narrow genetic variability that has kept all the California populations on friendly terms may eventually backfire because of abnormal inbreeding. Perhaps some day these ants may 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 house is free of 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 are inside!

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

Try spraying a deodorant detergent (Pine Sol

Grey Squirrels are around 18 inches long nose to tail. During the winter months the grey squirrel may 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 huge busy tail. Those found in Ontario and Quebec have a more dominate black color in their fur while people in the United States have grey as the more dominate color. Albino squirrels have been discovered from time to time, but are unusual. Grey squirrels use their tail for balance when climbing trees, as a blanket during wintertime months, and in addition as a correspondence tool by flicking it backward and forward 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 behind them and shades them from the sunlight.

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 ground squirrel group, Order of Rodents (Rodentia.)

Although the grey squirrel spends most of its life climbing and descending trees, it gathers the majority of its food from the earth during the night-time hours. Located in forests and urban areas, the grey squirrel slides sideways around tree trunks to shut out of sight of its predators and in addition remains perfectly still every now and then to make itself more tough to see. Briskest at dawn and dusk, the grey squirrel gathers various kinds of food during each season. During the early spring it gathers maple tree buds, in the summertime it accumulates 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 get 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 produced in the cavities of trees now and again 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 made of twigs and leaves, while the inside is produced from moss, grasses and bark. During the wintertime months, the man and female grey squirrel share a winter study, even so in the summertime they each find their own separate study. The males study is commonly larger than the ladies.

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 takes off their fur leaving them susceptible to common colds and infections.

The grey squirrel can become a nuisance if located in attics. They also dig up bulbs in gardens, drive birds away from feeders and cause injury to crops. They destruct woods by stripping the bark from tree trunks and branches leaving the trees susceptible to disease and going hungry 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. Owing to these aspects, the red squirrel is now listed on the endangered species list in Europe.

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 that 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 frequently than not in the sort 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 result in serious structural damage to buildings, crops or plantation woods. Termites are major detritivores, especially in the subtropical and tropical regions, and their recycling of timber and different plant matter is of considerable ecological importance.

As eusocial insects, termites live in colonies that, at maturity, number from several hundred to several million individuals. Colonies use a decentralised, self- prepared 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 regular colony incorporates nymphs (semi-mature young), workers, soldiers, and reproductive individuals of both genders, quite often containing several egg-laying queens.

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

female that has flown, mated, and is ovulating is known 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 determine relatedness of colony members is indicating that the though. In the families Rhinotermitidae and Termitidae, and perchance others, sperm competition does not appear to occur (male genitalia are very easy and the sperm are anucleate), suggesting that 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 a surplus set of ovaries with each molt, ending 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 increases the queen's body length to several times more than previously mating and reduces her ability to move freely, though attendant workers provide assistance. The queen is widely regarded a source of pheromones helpful in colony integration, and these are considered spread through shared feeding (trophallaxis).

The king grows only slightly larger after initial mating and continues to mate with the queen for keeps. 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 Saint Louis appears to be booming due to the very dry season. http://blog.2niceguys.com had a link to an article showing how destructive termites actually are as well as pictures of termites hatching.

The winged (or 'alate') caste, also called the reproductive caste, are generally 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 times appear). Termites on the path 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 some species, several are recruited once a primary queen is lost.

In areas with a distinct dry season such as St. Louis, the alates leave the nest in large swarms after the first good soaking rain of the rainy season. In other regions, flights can come about all through 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 a satisfactory site, where they mate and attempt to create a nest in damp timber or earth.