Angie’s List Recognition
We are proud to have received the 2012 Angie’s List Super Service Award for “achieving and maintaining a superior service rating on Angie’s List throughout 2012 as determined by Angie’s List members”.
We get a lot of new clients from Angie’s List. Fortunately, after these clients try us, they leave positive reviews on the Angie’s List website which leads to even more new clients.
Thank you Angie’s List!
Plug-in ultrasonic devices for pests
The following ad is for a “plug in” ultrasonic bug and mouse repeller. I posted it to let people know that this is a big hoax. These do not work. The FTC is all over these guys and similar companies. But, they just go out of business and change the name. Then start all over again. There have been many University studies that show these plug in boxes are useless. Don’t waste you money!!
http://www.changemanner.com/images/scaleyamyt.jpg
Riddex Riddex
Riddex Digital Pest Repeller
The patented Riddex Pulse uses patented Digital Pulse Technology, powered by a Freescale Microprocessor, to help create an irritating environment for pests inside your walls.
No poison or dead bugs to clean up, it’s designed to chase roaches and rodents out of your
house while helping preventing future pests from entering. Riddex Pulse is 100% safe and cruelty-free!
Riddex
Tick Removal
Spring is here and the ticks will soon be showing their heads.
Here is a good way to get them off you, your children,
or your pets. Give it a try.
Please forward to anyone with children, hunters or dogs;
or anyone who even steps outside in summer!
A School Nurse has written the info below–good enough
to share–and it really works!
“I had a pediatrician tell me what she believes is the best
way to remove a tick. This is great because it works in
those places where it’s sometimes difficult to get to with
tweezers: between toes, in the middle of a head full of
Dark hair, etc.”
“Apply a glob of liquid soap to a cotton ball. Cover the tick
with the soap-soaked cotton ball and swab it for a few
seconds (15-20); the tick will come out on its own and be
stuck to the cotton ball when you lift it away.
This technique has worked every time I’ve used it
(and that was frequently), and it’s much less traumatic
for the patient and easier for me..”
“Unless someone is allergic to soap, I can’t see that this
would be damaging in any way. I even had my doctor’s
wife call me for advice because she had one stuck to her
back and she couldn’t reach it with tweezers. She used
this method and immediately called me back to say
Spring Break Destinations on Orkin’s Top 50 Bed Bug Cities List
Here is a non-scientific poll regarding bedbug infestations in various cities according to Orkin. Since Orkin does not have a strong presence in all cities (like Kansas City), the numbers are probably skewed. That said, since Orkin and Terminex are the only firms that cover most of the United States, it is probably the best data available.
Here goes……
Orkin, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Rollins Inc. (NYSE: ROL), today announced its top 50 bed bug cities for 2011, and several of them are popular spring break destinations. Last year, Orkin’s parent company, Rollins, which operates seven pest control brands, saw a 33.6 percent increase in bed bug business compared to 2010. The following cities are ranked in order of the number of bed bug treatments Orkin performed from January to December 2011 along with their shift, if any, in ranking compared to January to December 2010.
1. Cincinatti
2. Chicago
3. Detroit (+1)
4. Denver (+2)
5. Los Angeles (+20)
6. Columbus, Ohio (-3)
7. Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas (+43)
8. Washington, D.C. (-3)
9. New York (-2)
10. Richmond/Petersburg, Va. (+6)
11. Houston (-1)
12. San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose, Calif. (+35)
13. Cleveland/Akron/Canton, Ohio (+1)
14. Boston (+4)
15. Dayton, Ohio (-7)
16. Las Vegas (-1)
17. Honolulu (+55)
18. Baltimore (-6)
19. Raleigh/Durham/Fayetteville, N.C. (+9)
20. Philadelphia (-9)
21. Atlanta (+24)
22. Lexington, Ky. (-13)
23. Syracuse, N.Y. (+25)
24. Miami/Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (+27)
25. Colorado Springs/Pueblo, Colo. (+19)
26. San Diego (+13)
27. Seattle/Tacoma, Wash. (-3)
28. Omaha, Neb. (-11)
29. Buffalo, N.Y. (-16)
30. Pittsburgh (-3)
31. Indianapolis (-12)
32. Milwaukee (+6)
33. Charlotte, N.C. (+13)
34. Charlotte, N.C. (+13)
35. Louisville, Ky. (-3)
36. Hartford/New Haven, Conn. (-16)
37. Grand Junction/Montrose, Colo. (+30)
38. Knoxville, Tenn. (+4)
39. Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo/Battle Creek, Mich. (-17)
40. Nashville, Tenn. (+15)
41. Sacramento/Stockton/Modesto, Calif. (+24)
42. Des Moines/Ames, Iowa (-13)
43. Salisbury, Md. (+46)
44. Albany/Schenectady/Troy, N.Y. (-23)
45. Cedar Rapids/Waterloo, Iowa (-22)
46. Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn. (-20)
47. Lincoln/Hastings/Kearney, Neb. (-17)
48. Salt Lake City (-8)
49. Charleston/Huntington, W.Va. (-13)
50. West Palm Beach/Ft. Pierce, Fl
Los Angeles moved from 25th to 5th, San Francisco moved from 47th to 12th and Honolulu was not in the top 50 list at 72nd in 2010, but now ranks 17th. Miami/Fort Lauderdale, Fla. also jumped in the rankings from 51st to 24th along with West Palm Beach, Fla., which was not in the top 50 in 2010. New Orleans, La. ranked 31st in 2010 and is no longer in the top 50. Also no longer in the top 50 are Sioux City, Iowa; Fort Wayne, Ind.; Davenport, Iowa/Moline, Ill.; Austin, Texas; Norfolk, Va.; Champaign, Ill.; Springfield, Ill.; and Tulsa, Okla.
“The changes in some cities’ rankings show bed bugs continue to be a problem in most areas of the U.S.,” said Orkin entomologist and Technical Services Director Ron Harrison, Ph.D. “Several of the top 50 cities have large, busy airports, and there could be a correlation between increased travel and bed bug activity. The changes could also be because the bed bug population is increasing overall, or even because the public is becoming more aware of bed bugs and has become better adept at identifying them.”
Bed bugs can multiply quickly, so early detection is critical to preventing a larger infestation. And since infestations can be difficult to control, Orkin advises vacationers to take the proper precautions before enjoying spring break activities to avoid contact with and spreading the blood-suckers.
“Bed bugs can be found in other places than the bedroom,” warns Dr. Harrison. “They’re great hitchhikers and tend to settle where people sleep, particularly in hotel rooms, but they can also crawl into personal belongings and make their way into planes, gyms, offices, stores and worse, your home.”
According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, bed bugs can carry more than 30 different human pathogens, but there is no evidence that bed bugs can transmit diseases. Their bites can; however, leave itchy welts on their victims. Red marks or swelling may also develop.
“One thing that’s not a factor is sanitation,” said Dr. Harrison. “Be sure to do some investigating when you arrive at your hotel, whether it’s a one-star or a five-star property. Bed bugs are nocturnal and resemble apple seeds in size and color, so check mattress seams, sheets and furniture, behind baseboards, electrical outlet plates and picture frames for small reddish-brown spots and lightly-colored molted bed bug skins.”
When traveling, think of the acronym S.L.E.E.P. to remember the following action steps to help avoid bringing bed bugs home with you:
Survey surfaces for signs of an infestation, such as tiny rust-colored spots on bed sheets, mattress tags and seams and bed skirts.
Lift and look for all bed bug hiding spots, including underneath the mattress, bed frame, headboard and furniture. Typically, they come out at night to feed, but during the day, they are most likely found within a five-foot radius of the bed.
Elevate your luggage on a luggage rack away from the bed and wall, since bed bugs can often hide behind head boards, artwork, picture frames and electrical outlet panels.
Examine your luggage carefully while repacking and when you return home. Always keep luggage off the bed and store it in a closet or other area, far away from your bedroom.
Place all your clothing from your luggage immediately in the dryer for at least 15 minutes at the highest setting upon returning home from travel.
This information was taken from the Orkin Website.
Warm winter may result in more pests this year
USA TODAY had a front page article on Feb 24, 2012 regarding whether or not the warm winter will result in more bugs this Spring and Summer. It got me thinking, because I get asked this question quite often. The question has a lot of merit. Most winter seasons (at least in the Kansas City area) get down below freezing several times. This would have a negative effect on most insects and spiders because they lay eggs and the eggs only hatch out under good environmental conditions. Just one freeze that killed one egg sac would result in tens or hundreds of immature insects hatching out. Now, multiply that by millions of different species of egg sacs around the entire geographical area. Since all those egg sacs were saved from the freezing conditions this year, it seems plausible that this will be a very “buggy” year. Many of the pests we deal with, primarily live inside, like Brown Recluse spiders, silverfish and Indian meal moths. Those would probably not be affected. However, insects like ants, termites, crickets and millipedes that live primarily outside, will be thriving this year. This is not meant to put a scare in anybody. But, if you are one to treat your home periodically for pests, you probably have a better chance of getting a grip on them if you treat a little earlier this year.
Gunter wins another award
Gunter Pest and Lawn has been awarded the prestigious 2011 Angie’s List Super Service Award, an honor bestowed annually on approximately 5 percent of all the companies rated on the nation’s leading provider of consumer reviews on local service companies.
“Our Super Service Award winners are the cream of the crop when it comes to providing consistently high quality customer service, as judged by the customers who hired them,” said Angie Hicks, founder of Angie’s List.
“We couldn’t be more proud of our team here at Gunter. Winning the Super Service Award for the 5th time was a total team effort and an unwavering commitment from Gunter employees to providing top notch customer service!” -Jay Gunter Besheer, President
Angie’s List Super Service Award winners have met strict eligibility requirements including earning a minimum number of reports, an exemplary rating from their customers and abiding by Angie’s List operational guidelines.
Service company ratings are updated daily on Angie’s List, but members can find the 2011 Super Service Award logo next to company names in search results on AngiesList.com.
Rodent Facts
* Rats and mice usually live anywhere between six (6) and 36 months.
* Roughly half of all mammal species (2,000 +) are rodents.
* There are approximately 4,000 rodent species divided on the basis of their anatomy into three (3) sell-defined groups, or suborders, and more than 30 families.
* Rodents are the only placental order (except for bats) to reach Australia without human introduction.
* Male and female rats can complete their courting ritual and entire romantic relationship in less than a minute.
* A group of rats is often called a mischief.
* Although certain mice are known for short life spans due to predation, populations are maintained through constant reproduction.
* Rodents are worldwide in distribution and are found in almost every terrestrial and freshwater habitat, from the Arctic Ocean to the hottest deserts.
* Rabbits and hares were once classified as rodents because of their large, chisel-shaped incisors. But, because they are very distinct anatomically and have a long, separate evolutionary history, they are now classified in an order of their own (Lagomaorpha).
source: PEST MANAGEMENT MAGAZINE
Interesting Positive Review
Here is a review from one of our clients on Angie’s List. We have many good reviews, however, this one stuck out because the writing was so interesting.
Work Completed Date:
July 13, 2011
Hire Again:
Yes
Approximate Cost:
$290.00
Home Build Year:
1990
Description Of Work:
Ant extermination.
Member Comments:
Over the last several years, I went from thinking of ants as the innocent, industrious little worker insects they are to loathing them with the same ferocity I feel toward politicians every Leap Year. The ants decided one spring to invade my house and remain until freezing weather. . .what? Closed the roads between my kitchen and their colonies? They returned every mid-March, in greater numbers than the previous season, despite ant cups, ant sprays, peppermint soap, cinnamon sticks, and one hired gun who, after 12 months of failed treatments, left the premises, never to be invited back, saying so perceptively, “Maybe you live on an anthill.”
The recurrent drama between my family and the family Formicidae had to end. It was depressing, anger-provoking and expensive in terms of useless cleaning agents and ruined food. I had just signed up for Angie’s List and decided Pest Control would be a good place to begin. Based on my research with Angie, the Better Business Bureau and other sources, I determined Gunter Pest Management was the company I would use. When I called for an appointment, scheduler Deb told me it would be almost two weeks before I could get on their calendar, which I should have realized, since a recent article in the Kansas City Star newspaper indicated the metropolitan area was being terrorized by our own nemesis,the odorous house ant. Although I was disappointed at having to wait, I was glad that Deb didn’t try to squeeze me into an already full workload, which I think shows Gunter’s consideration for their staff by allowing them adequate time to properly do their job and a recognition that each client’s business is important.
I asked Deb about pricing options, discounts, policies, materials used, and pet safety. (You may have gotten the idea from what I wrote above that we were carelessly spraying every cabinet and baseboard in sight and tossing ant cups about like rose petals. Not at all. We care about our pets’ health, as well as our own. Spraying was done judiciously and always outdoors; and indoor traps were secreted as inaccessibly as possible from a curious dog or cat.) (We subsequently consulted our veterinarian, who reassured us about the products used by reputable pest-management firms.) I chose Gunter’s annual Diamond program, which gave me the initial indoor-outdoor treatment and three additional outdoor follow-up treatments, one each quarter. However, anytime I determine a return visit–either in or out–is needed, I have only to request it, and my Gunter technician will come back. Yes, MY technician–the one you start with is the one you keep, which speaks of continuity and commitment. I don’t feel that I’m being shuffled among techs or that I have to try to explain a predecessor’s actions. The cost of the Diamond plan, normally $320, was discounted $30 for Angie’s List members or new customers presenting a coupon from Gunter’s webpage.
At our first appointment on July 13, technician Steve impressed me with his professionalism (on time, wearing a uniform shirt); knowledge of his business (he explained his procedures and answered my questions thoroughly); customer-service attitude (he was efficient but took the time needed to properly treat all the areas we agreed to AND he respected my desire for caution around our furry little housemates); and by his appreciation of his work and respect for his employer. He said we may start seeing an improvement that same evening but certainly within 24 hours. What an understatement! Steve completed treating the main floor, i.e., the ONLY floor of our house, the attic, garage and outside foundation at about one o’clock; by six o’clock, we couldn’t find a single ant, dead or alive, in the kitchen nor in any other part of the house.
A few days later, we noticed ants swarming around the floor mat inside the front door. It was Saturday, but I called before Gunter’s office closed to schedule a return visit for the following Tuesday, July 19. We scrubbed the floor mat and entryway floor and held the ants at bay with my peppermint concoction until Steve could come back in three days. He was just as cheerful and professional as he’d been the week before, this time redoing select areas of the outside foundation. That treatment took care of us until just recently, when the ants tried sneaking in the back door to hang around the kitchen trash can and stores of dry cat and dog food. Steve made his second return trip two days ago, on August 31, to treat the foundation under the deck. . .and he’s still smiling when he arrives at our door. I asked him this week about preparing to bring my house plants indoors in the fall, after their summer vacation in the ant-infested outdoors, and Steve explained how he would treat the soil and the timing involved. Before I could suggest that I’d call Deb for an appointment, he said, “Of course, I’ll be back for your quarterly treatment by that time and will take care of it then.”
Maybe you can tell–I’m a sucker for good customer service delivered by competent people and reputable companies. I waited until now to write this review because I wanted more than one encounter on which to base it. I wanted to know if the quality I saw in Gunter and its team was sustainable, and apparently it is. From the simplest of ideas–like scheduling in two- or three-hour blocks of time so the customer isn’t kept waiting all day and then being punctual–to not overpromising but keeping the promises you do make, Gunter seems to have figured it out.
Gunter selected as one of KC’s fastest growing companies
The June 2011 issue of the Kansas City Business Journal bizjournals.com selected Gunter Pest Management #18 on the list of Kansas City’s fast growing firms. Below is the rest of the list. Most of the growth came from our acquisition of Modern Fire Safety LLC (www.modernfiresafety.com). Modern Fire Safety, a wholly owned subsidiary of Gunter, was a strategic move to strengthen our commercial business. Businesses can now get their pest services and fire safety (extinguishers, exit lighting, kitchen systems, etc) from one vendor. Another fast growing segment of our business is our lawn service which complements mostly our residential clientele. Our lawn service revenues increase 58% from 2010 to 2011. The combination of our Pest, Lawn and Fire services has placed us in with an elite group of other Kansas City businesses who made this list. Most of the credit goes to our great staff of techs and office personnel, who makes it all happen. Also, thanks to all our clients out there for using our services and putting us on this list.
The list:
(1) Gragg Advertising Inc.
(2) JMA Information Technology Inc.
(3) Digital Evolution Group
(4) Platinum Realty
(5) Perfect Output of Kansas City LLC
(6) Cable-Dahmer Chevrolet Inc. (incl. City Chevrolet)
(7) USA800
(8) NIC Inc.
(9) James Engle Custom Homes
(10) SKC Communication Products
(11) 7strategy
(12) DuraComm Corp.
(13) Great Plains Energy Inc.
(14) Treat America Food Services
(15) AOS – Alexander Open Systems Inc.
(16) ECCO Select Corp.
(17) Central Packaging
(18) Gunter Pest Management
(19) Technology Group Solutions LLC
(20) Controlled Environment Products Inc.
(21) The HNTB Cos.
(22) Allegiant Networks LLC
(23) Entertainment Properties Trust
(24) NetStandard Inc.
(25) Short’s Travel Management
Termite Facts and Trivia
Did you know…
*Termites build the largest nests of any insect.
*Termites can not “eat” wood. Termites require the help of single-cell organisms in their guts to digest cellulose (wood).
*Ants are termites’ main predator. Ants can attack termite colonies or termite workers looking for food.
*Termites have lived on Earth for approximately 250 million years.
*There are approximately 45 species of termites in the United States.
*There are more than 2,300 species of termites worldwide.
*Worker and soldier termites are blind. Only termites that have become fully mature – reproductive termites develop eyes.
*Termites communicate through pheromones (chemical signals) and vibrations caused by head-banging.
*Termites are social insects that live in colonies with caste systems defining roles and responsibilities: reproductives, workers and soldiers.
Source: www.termites.com
Great insect photography
http://myrmecos.net/
If you are interested in looking at insect photos and info, go to this website. I loved the shots.
Termite info
In the Kansas City area, the type of termites we have are Eastern subterranean termites (Reticulitermes flavipes)
I am often asked how large an average size termite colony is and how can you determine its size?
Experts differ on this question, because subterranean termite colony sizes vary by factors that include species, location and the age of the colony. As a rule of thumb, a desert subterranean termite colony (Heterotermes aureus) might number 80,000; an Eastern subterranean colony (Reticulitermes flavipes) might number 250,000; and a Formosan subterranean colony (Coptotermes formosanus) might number 1 million. Research for the Sentricon® Termite Colony Elimination System, dating back more than 15 years, has focused on the amount of bait required to eliminate a typical colony. For example, the Eastern subterranean termite is the most common species in the United States. Research has shown that 65 grams of Recruit® IV termite bait is sufficient to eliminate a typical Eastern subterranean termite colony. One Recruit HD termite bait device contains 150 grams of bait and is, therefore, sufficient to eliminate more than two Eastern subterranean termite colonies. The important point for a homeowner to know is that the Sentricon System provides proven termite colony elimination and ongoing preventive protection when installed and maintained according to the label.
Post Press Release Post-Notes
The press release was from the 8/1/10 purchase of Modern Supply (now known as Modern Fire Safety, LLC).
As a follow up, the entire operation was moved March 1, 2011 to 212 W 72 St, KCMO, 64114 to join Gunter Pest Management at their headquarters. An 8,000 sq ft shop was set up to accommodate “walk-in” traffic for those who wish to purchase fire extinguishers or have their fire extinguishers inspected, tagged and/or updated. This is particularly valuable to those businesses or residents who want to save money by bringing their extinguishers in, rather than pay a service fee for us to go to their location. Although there are competing fire safety businesses in the Greater Kansas City area, Modern Fire Safety is the only fire safety business located in Kansas City, MO. Modern Fire Safety services fire extinguishers and fire suppression systems in the Eastern half of Kansas and the Western half of Missouri.
Press Release
Gunter Pest Management acquires Modern Supply to broaden their commercial services.
Kansas City – August 23, 2010
On August 2, 2010, Gunter Pest Management, led by Jay Gunter Besheer and his father, Norman O. Besheer, purchased the assets of Modern Supply, a fire safety company. The new name of the company will be Modern Fire Safety, LLC, and will be a wholly owned subsidiary of Gunter Pest Management.
Modern Supply was founded in 1947 by Buck Cramer and later operated by his wife, Nancy Cramer, who will stay on as the acting general manager of Modern Fire Safety. Modern’s facility will remain located at 1001 Cleveland in Kansas City, where it has operated since 1951. Modern Fire Safety has 8 full-time employees and specializes in the inspection and installation of fire extinguishers, commercial kitchen fire suppression systems and emergency lighting devices and equipment. Modern also conducts fire safety training for office staffs and other commercial entities.
Gunter Pest Management, known for their Green VW Beetles that they drive as service vehicles, is headquartered in Waldo and was founded in 1950 by L.R. Gunter. Gunter is currently owned and operated by the founder’s grandson, Jay Gunter Besheer and his father, Norman O. Besheer.
Gunter offers pest management and lawn care services to over 60,000 residential and commercial clients in the Greater Kansas City Area. As a result of the acquisition, Gunter will be able to offer a broader spectrum of services to their commercial clients. Instead of working with multiple vendors, commercial entities will be able to consolidate their pest, lawn and fire safety services with one vendor.
When asked to comment on the new acquisition, Jay Gunter Besheer noted that “We feel fortunate to have the opportunity to add Modern Supply and their whole staff to the Gunter team. Combining two of the oldest service companies in Kansas City, will create a synergy that will ultimately be beneficial to all of our clients”.
More information regarding Gunter and/or Modern can be found at http://gunterpest.com and http://modernfiresafety.com.
###
Contact:
Mr. Jay Gunter Besheer
President
Gunter Pest Management
Website: http://gunterpest.com
Looking for ways to improve our service
Every day I walk into my job, and I count myself extremely lucky to work alongside the talented, driven people who make up the staff of Gunter Pest Management, Gunter Lawn Care and Modern Fire Safety, LLC (our subsidiaries). Gunter has had a lot of success over the past 61 years, but we still have the urge and the responsibility to get better. As our staff explores new ways to expand and improve our services, we have found ourselves constantly searching for ways to add value to our service – especially in these time of economic hardship. Should we give more for the money? Should we discount our services? Should we bundle our pest/lawn/fire safety to lower the total costs to our clients? I think the answer is to hold the line on fees, while improving our services any way we can. Obviously, we haven’t survived and thrived over 61 years by hiring inferior employees, or by slouching on customer service, but we can still do better. If you are one of our clients and have any suggestions on how we can be just a little better, please let me know. I’m all ears!
Getting noisy out there
What’s all the BUZZ about? Most likely what you’re hearing are the Cicadas (males) in your trees and around your neighborhood.
You may also see what some refer to as a “MONSTER” flying pests flying around your yard too!..Have no fear as those “MONSTERS” are working hard to rid the Cicadas from the trees. These are really wasps and referred to as “cicada killers”. You also may be seeing holes (the size of your finger) with dirt shooting along the side of the holes in your yard. NOTE: if you’re seeing larger holes in your yard without dirt along the sides of the hole you may have “chipmunks.”
We’re getting calls about huge monster looking bugs flying around backyards and panicking families. Have no fear, what you’re seeing most likely are the “CICADA KILLERS” (WASPS). They’re in full force around Kansas City. Cicadas are sometimes incorrectly called harvest-flies or “locusts”. Some emerge on 13-year cycles and some emerge on 17-year cycles. Brood emergence’s usually contain more than one species. The periodical cicadas are all similar in appearance: 1 to 1.5 inches long including the wings. The eyes, legs and margins of the wings are orange. Periodical cicadas sing and fly in spring, whereas other species of cicadas are active during the summer. Read on if you would like to learn more…
Biology:
After spending from 2-17 years in the soil, cicada nymphs dig their way to the surface (sometimes constructing mud “chimneys” up to 3 inches tall). In late May or early June, the nymphs eventually crawl to the trunk of a tree or some other object and cling there. Soon the insect molts into the winged adult stage, leaving behind the cast skin. Adults are active during daylight hours.
Egg laying scars on stem Adult Males begin to sing with a shrill buzzing noise to attract females. After mating, females use their sawlike ovipositors (for laying eggs) to split open the bark of hardwood twigs and insert eggs in two rows. Damage by cicadas is from the tiny slits made during egg laying. If there are many, dying tips of branches may be noticed. This is normally not a major problem for large trees. After 6 or 7 weeks the eggs hatch and tiny ant-like first stage nymphs drop to the soil to burrow in for the next 2 or more years (periodical cicadas develop for 13 to 17 years). While in the soil, the nymphs feed on the roots of many kinds of trees.
Farming and urbanization of suitable habitats have reduced the populations of many cicadas, and it is thought that some broods of the 13-year and 17-year cicadas may be extinct. To learn more about cicadas, go to the University of Michigan site: http://insects.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/fauna/michigan_cicadas/Periodical/
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Ants, ants and more ants
Few pests are harder to get rid of once they have established themselves in your home. If you are tired of stumbling upon a swarm of ants on a regular basis, you will need to make a concentrated effort to keep these uninvited guests away.
* Shut down the Ant Buffet! The reason the ants are coming into your humble abode is because it is a free for all (at least it was at some point in the past, and they are hoping it might be again). The cleaner you keep your house the less they will have to eat, and the more they will look elsewhere for goodies.
* Squish the Scouts. Colonies regularly send out lone ants to look for food sources. If you see an individual ant strolling across the coffee table, don’t let it back to the colony alive. It will let the colony know where you spilled the apple juice. If the scout makes it back to the nest and brought back some friends, they will be following a scent trail single file.
* Seal windows, doors, and cracks the ants crawl through with caulk. An added benefit for this is better temperature control and lower energy bills.
* Bring down the nest. If ants continue to raid your home, you are going to have to raid theirs. If you are able to locate the nest, you can pour boiling water into it. If you don’t know where they are coming from, your alternative is to bait.
* Ants love aphids. Treat outdoor plants for aphids during the spring and summer months and ants will have less to hang around for.
If these tips don’t help, give a us a call at (816) 444-BUGS or visit our website at www.GunterPest.com.
Carpenter Bees. A few facts.
Description: Carpenter bees are large (1/2” – 1” long). They look similar to bumble bees. They differ by having a bare, shiny black abdomen compared to bumble bees.
Biology: Adults overwinter in their galleries (holes in wood) that they excavate. They emerge in the Spring to mate. The female Carpenter Bee prepares a nest by excavating a new site or cleaning out an existing tunnel/hole. She lays eggs and 30 or 40 days later, the adults emerge.
Habits: Carpenter Bees bore holes into wood to create a tunnel or hole in which to raise their young. Unlike other bees, they are not social in nature. The entry hole that they form is 3/8’ – ½” in diameter. We usually find them in unpainted wood like around decks. Softer woods, like pine and cedar are preferred.
Control: We usually do Carpenter Bee treatments early in the morning around 7:00 am, because they are less active at that time. We treat the holes and affected areas with a residual pesticide, then we fill the holes with caulk or wood putty. This usually does the trick, but sometimes we have to return to treat a few more holes if the infestation is heavy. Our termite guys (Brian & Matt) do hundreds of these jobs every Summer.
Little moths flying around kitchen area
Do you ever get little moths flying around your home – usually around the kitchen or garage?
Chances are, you have Indian Meal Moths. Indian Meal Moths (I.M. Moths) are smallish moths with a broad grayish band across the bronzy appearing wings. They won’t eat your clothes. They are food pests. They feed on grains and grain products, like dried fruits, cereal, spaghetti, seeds – especially bird seed and dog food.
They prefer grains that have been processed and stored for awhile.
The female I.M. Moth lays 200-400 eggs. When the eggs hatch, the larvae disperse. Within a few hours, the larvae attach themselves to cabinets and walls by spinning cocoons in the vicinity of where the food is. The length of the larval period is wide-ranging, from 13 to about 300 days, depending on food availability and temperatures.
When the larvae hatches out, the adults (moths) appear and that is when most people find them.
When we treat for them, we usually use a residual spray to kill the larvae and adults, plus a fog and a growth regulator. We also set out pheromone traps to attract and control them.
BIG TIP! Most people get I.M. Moths by buying 5# + quantities of bird seed. This seed sometimes has I.M. Moth eggs in it when you purchase it and they hatch out after you bring it home. Most people store their bird seed in the garage (which is usually close to the kitchen). That is why you see them a lot around the garages and kitchens. The best thing to do is to freeze the bird seed for 2-3 weeks before you start using it. That will freeze the eggs so that they won’t hatch out. Your birds won’t mind the extra protein 
. I you find them in food grains like corn meal, cereal, spaghetti, etc, you can do the same thing. Just freeze it. If you don’t stop the cycle, the I.M. Moths will continue to reproduce and lay more eggs, resulting in more adult moths, etc, etc.
Give me a call if you need any more info about these pesty little moths.
Here is a great link to interesting bug info!
http://www.npr.org/2011/04/25/135638924/where-to-find-the-worlds-most-wicked-bugs?sc=emaf
Sometimes, in the “boring” world of insects, we overlook the fact that many insects are unusual and interesting. Hope you enjoy.
