We are getting hot and wet, and we are beginning to see some serious insect problems.
1. Mosquitoes — We have been known to call them the Louisiana state bird, but only in jest. With the change in temperature and the heavy rains, water is everywhere. This is all the mosquito needs to begin to build large populations. Since most species need only a few days to complete their life cycle, get ready for these blood suckers to greet you each time you go outdoors. Although only the female requires a blood meal to produce eggs, at times they seem to find you by the hundreds. Not only will they aggravate you outdoors, but they will fly right in each time the door is opened to aggravate you indoors. They are capable of transmitting a couple of diseases, and care should be taken to reduce their feeding on you. Several repellents can be applied to the body, but keeping as much of you covered as possible when outdoors is best. Some new outdoor repellents released by a small heating unit and help to prevent mosquito attacks. Many hunters use the larger versions, but now there is a small clip-on form for individual use and some lantern forms for use at parties or while relaxing outside. Remember to remove all standing water and to refresh bird baths and such every couple of days. Flower pots with saucers and old tires are prime examples of things that need to be kept free of standing water. Figure 1.
2. Midges — These small flies are often mistaken for mosquitoes. Like mosquitoes, they are attracted to lights, the larvae develop in water, and their body shape and coloration are very similar to mosquitoes. The one characteristic that helps separate the two is the bushy or feather-like antenna. That is the easiest way to separate them. But if you look closely, they do not have a piercing, sucking mouthpart, so they do not bite. Figure 2.
3. Carpenter bees — These bees drill perfect ¾-inch holes in wooden materials from the fence post to the shovel handle to exposed beams or overhangs as well as wooden lawn furniture. The bees themselves are excellent pollinators, but their nesting habits leave a lot to be desired. Anything unpainted and wooden is likely to be drilled into and used as a nesting or brood-rearing site. The tunnels they drill are several inches long and over time can cause structural damage. The tunnel is drilled, then the female goes out and collects a ball of pollen, puts it in the end of the tunnel and lays an egg on it, and then seals off the section and repeats this process several times until the tunnel is filled. The larvae develop, and the next generation is ready to emerge. If the tunnels were not extended when reused, the damage would be minor. But with the extension of the tunnels, the integrity of the wood becomes a question. Winds have been known to blow over fences, shovel handles have broken, and lawn furniture can collapse when used. In some instances where heavy infestations occurred, wood has been torn up by woodpeckers feeding on the larvae in picnic tables and in window frames. The best management is to paint the wood or use wood treated with borates. Where existing infestations are found, a pyrethroid insecticide with liquid soap sprayed in the holes in late afternoon or at dusk helps to remove the present population. Figure 3.
4. Deer flies & horseflies – These blood-sucking flies can create misery for both man and animal. They are vicious and relenting in their attacks in quest of a blood meal. Only the female is a blood feeder; the male feeds on pollen and nectar from flowers. They are usually associated with a water environment because the larvae are aquatic and predaceous. They vary in size from small to medium to large rather stout-bodied flies. The blood meal, like mosquitoes’, is required for egg production. They are powerful fliers and have a flight range of several miles. There are 350 species in North America. Figure 4.
5. Fleas – These wingless little insects are a pest of man, animals and birds. They are blood feeders. Some can transmit disease, and some are intermediate vectors of certain tapeworms. The body is flat, and all hairs and spines on the body project backwards. They are also excellent jumpers. Females are capable of laying 400 to 500 eggs during their life, but only four to eight after each blood meal. The eggs are not glued to the hairs of the host but merely laid between hairs or in bedding where the animal sleeps. Thus, eggs can be dropped throughout the area in which the animal moves. The larvae are organic feeders and can be found in cracks and crevices or the nap of rugs. They feed on organic debris but require dried fecal blood from the adult fleas to mature. Larvae require a high humidity and one to two weeks to several months to go through three instars. At maturity the larvae spin a pupal case from surrounding debris and can develop in 4-14 days or take up to a year under harsh conditions. The adult begins to seek a blood meal on the second day after emergence but can live several months on body fat. Once on a host they usually remain there and feed, mate and lay eggs unless dislodged. Although they have preferred hosts, they will bite and can survive on other hosts. They are easy travelers and will jump onto shoes or pants and other materials for a ride home. Management is a four-part process: remove sources of fleas such as rodents and other wild animals from premises, treat the pet, treat the house and treat outdoors. If infestations are heavy, it may require two to three insecticide applications to effectively remove the problem. Figure 5.
6. Mayflies – These harmless insects are on occasion so abundant that their sheer numbers can cause problems. Their collection under lights on roadways can lead to skidding and slipping tires and unforeseen accidents or even people slipping as they walk through them. Mayflies are easy to recognize because the wings are triangular and held straight up over the body. They usually possess two long, hair-like tails at the end of the abdomen. The larvae are aquatic and are often found around water sources. These are the only insects that molt again after reaching the adult stage. Figure 6.
7. Overuse of pesticides – There have been several incidents this spring with the overuse of pesticides indoors. This has led to calls about something crawling on individuals and making them itch and burn. Initially there is a pest problem with fleas, roaches or other small insects. In many cases, pyrethroids have been involved. Some people can withstand one of two treatments to manage a pest population, but on occasion the treatments become excessive to get rid of the problem quicker. This leads to a reaction from the overuse of the material. People continue to feel what they refer to as biting, which in reality is a reaction to the spray. It can cause a burning, stinging feeling along with an occasional rash. In cases where repeated calls occur about a pest problem that has been treated several times but no pests problems are found, it may be necessary to inquire about the number of sprays used and recommend a different approach. Where this happens, the best method of checking the situation is to try to remove the excessive sprays by cleaning where possible with a mild Clorox solution (2%) or by steam cleaning the carpets. The use of doctor-recommended ointments for the discomfort of the itching and burning will assist greatly.
Until next month
Dale
[Image: Mosquito feeding]
[Image: Mosquito look-a -like]
[Image: CArpenter bee problems]
[Image: Deer flies-horse flies]
[Image: Human and animal pest] | [Image: Mayfly adult.]
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