Thank you to all of our friends and customers that have helped us become such a success in northern Arizona

Thanks

Kody Robinson
Arizona Bug Company

The Elegant Bush Katydid lives in the Sonoran desert among the desert scrub. They feed on various desert plants but do take a likeing to mesquites. This insect can often be found on the side of houses in the morning because they are atracted to lights at night. True masters of camaflage as you can see in the picture. It always amazes me how they even get the aging leaf patterns on their wings.

One thing we really pride ourselves on here at Arizona Bug Company is our ability to create some of the nicest spray equipment around. My business partner mentor and long time friend is probably one of the most talented guys I know when it comes to keeping us running with state of the art gear. He builds all of our spray rigs from scratch so we can have them just the way we want them. Recently we acquired two Ford Rangers to add to our ever growing service fleet and built two nice spray rigs to outfit them. Here are some pictures of the build process so you can see how much work goes on behind the scenes to keep us up to date with some of the nicest gear in town.

Vesper bats are the common bats we see flying at dusk in Arizona. They are insectivores that use echolocation to hunt.  It is quite common for these bats too cause unsightly staining from fecal matter and urine on houses in overhang area’s. Bats are protected here in Arizona and are considered beneficial. Deterring them from an area is the only method of control allowed by the Arizona Game and Fish. You can try mechanical, electrical and liquid deterrent I have had limited success with all. Mechanical is physically sealing the area from bat entry. This is sometimes extremely difficult to do and can be expensive but if done correctly is the most effective. Electrical is the use noise emitting devices that disrupted the bats from flying to an area. I have used these with some success but some people find the noise emitted disturbing. Liquid is by spraying a product like Liquid fence in the area bats are landing it seems to work good for short term but smells bad during application and needs to be applied frequently. Please check out the pictures of some common Arizona bats and the staining they can cause.

While working in Sedona Arizona this past week during the monsoon season we came across these subterranean termites swarming out of the ground to take flight. I put together this little video so everyone could see this phenomenon. Enjoy

Closeup of Blister Beetle on Hand

Blister beetles get their name because of they have a defensive secretion made up of cantharidin. There are over 7000 species known worldwide and they come in many colors, shapes, and sizes. The adults typically feed on a wide variety of plants and flowers and the larva enjoy grasshopper eggs. They can cause damage in gardens and crops because they will feed on the leaves of your plants. You generally don’t want to handle them bare handed because if they become agitated they can release the blistering agent.

Large Blister Beetle on Mans Glove

A Female Black Widow Spider

The Black Widow Spider has to be one of the most recognizable spiders. She is named black widow because oftentimes she will eat the male after mating. The bite of a male widow is not considered dangerous but a little nip from the female widow can be very dangerous to humans. The web of this spider is erratic in nature and very sticky and the strands are very strong.

My experience with the Black Widow has been – if you give her space she will run and hide from you. The main two ways I see people get bit are getting too close if she has a egg sac, and putting their hands in areas that the spider is hiding.

If threatened this spider will bite or if she has eggs she will protect them. I often find these spiders in children’s outdoor toys that have not been played with for awhile. I always encourage parents to check these toys regularly. They are almost always outdoors or in garage entry points but can make it inside from time to time. The most common way for them to come in is when you carry them in on something that had spent some time outdoors.

Nests usually have a few dozen workers, but can get rather large if not treated and removed. In the Fall when it gets cold, new young queens will burrow into the ground to over winter waiting for spring to do it all again. The young queen doesn’t reuse the old nest in the spring but starts over by building a new one.

The pictures here are actually some microscope shots of wasps in development inside the nest. Thought it was interesting since most people never get this close to them.

Banded Alder Borer Beetle

Living in the high desert of Arizona you come across some strange insects. This fun looking guy was found by my technician Tory. He is called the Banded Alder Borer Beetle. It is in a family of beetles known as the longhorn wood boring beetle. They can be found from Alaska to Arizona. They  reach sizes of about 25 to 35 millimeters. The larva of this beetle feed on dead hardwood trees. They are not considered a pest but I wanted to share such a cool looking insect.

Three Ladybug Larva on a House

Beginning to see a lot of ladybug larva in the Verde Valley right now. Everybody is familiar with the adult version of this bug but not many know what the babies look like. Ladybugs feed on aphids and other garden pests. One common misconception about the ladybug is that as it ages it gets more spots, when in fact they are born with the number of spots they will have. There are about 500 different species of ladybugs in the United States. Ladybugs received their name from catholic farmers, the farmers prayed to the Virgin Mary for help with the crop-destroying insects. A few days later, the lady bug showed up. The farmers named the beetles “the Beetles of our lady” and they later became known as ladybugs.

Ladybug Larva Outdoors with Spots Showing

Beehive Beneath a Log in Prescott

As we start to get into the full swing of spring, it’s a good time to walk around our homes and check stuff out. We find many times that beehives will go unnoticed until the foragers start to get active. In the spring, worker bees will be very busy gathering pollen from all the new flowers in the high desert.

Beehives can become very aggressive as they grow larger because the bees want to protect all their hard work. Coming in contact with a beehive is where people and animals get into trouble. Bees, when threatened in their home, will protect it in large numbers. This is when bees becomes very dangerous – they will alert the hive to attack and once agitated it takes them a long time to calm down.

Beehive in Wall in Sedona

Take a look at the pictures to see a couple of hives that we removed from homes in Prescott and Sedona. Always call a bee removal professional to handle any established hives around your home. Arizona Bug Company will give you a free estimate for beehive removal.

Crack in Cinderblock Wall Lets Rodents Into the House

With the warmer days we’ve been having, and Spring approaching, there’s been more rodent activity here in Sedona and the Verde Valley. This homeowner in Sedona complained of hearing noises in the wall at night when they went to bed. Rodents can access your home through the smallest of openings and will often nest in areas they find as shelter. The trick is to seal off any access points. When you walk around your house, inspect the exterior and look around for anything that may be broken or misplaced. The broken cinderblock pictured made for an easy access point for the critters to get in.

Repair Cracks in Walls to Keep Rodents Out

These pictures show what a little time and some concrete can do at preventing rodents from getting into your home. If you think you have rodents getting into your home and would like a free consultation for rodent removal or prevention, please call us at Arizona Bug Company.

Subterranean Termite Damage in Flooring

We were called about subterranean termites in Clarkdale, AZ today and couldn’t have come across a more textbook infestation. The owner of this home was unaware of these little guys until they discovered a water leak at this plumbing trap. The termites had concealed themselves in the wall, leaving very little evidence of their presence until the wall was removed to get at the plumbing. You can see in the photos the amount of damage they managed to accomplish before they were discovered.

Evidence of Subterranean Termites in Drywall

In the photo of just the white drywall take a look at the line on it that goes virtually unnoticed. This is were the termites have eaten the paper out from behind the texture. Termites will eat the softer cellulose generally before going after the harder wood.

Subterranean Termite Burrow in Drywall

These guys will be treated with a application of Termidor and we also want to make sure the water leak is fixed to remove any excessive moisture from the area.

Tarantula Hawk Wasp

I saw a Tarantula Hawk (a big black wasp) hunting for tarantulas in some rocks in a customers’ garden, but by the time I ran back to the truck for the camera and got back to it, the wasp was gone. But Ed Bustya found a dead one and sent these photos along. It’s a bit dried up and missing some legs, but it still looks pretty “buggy.”

Underneath a Tarantula Hawk

Pack Rat Damage in Attic

Simple fixes can keep pack rats out of your attic area. Please see the picture shown here because it reveals a hole that pack rats use to get access into your home. If you think you’re hearing noises at night in your attic area, please have it checked out by a pest control professional.

I know I’ve said it before, but an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Make sure there are no entry points by covering any holes, such as the soffit vents, with wire screen. Also try to keep all landscaping materials cut back away from the home. Rodents will often use trees or tall shrubs adjacent to the roof to gain access to your roof top.

Bed Bugs Originally Brought in by Guests Infest a Motel Mattress

I wanted to do an article in defense of the hospitality industry. Lately these places have been getting a lot of bad press about bed bugs. There are many web sites out there where users can report bed bug sightings. This behavior is a little unfair, seeing as the bed bug is brought in by the people that stay there.

The real question should be, what protocol are hoteliers taking when they get an infestation? The only true defense to protect their properties from a bed bug infestation would be to not rent the rooms out at all! Bed Bugs are non discriminatory, they will infest anywhere they can locate a food source. I wouldn’t let a report of a room having bed bugs stop me from renting a unit, but rather I would ask the staff what protocol they use to eradicate the infestation.

Bed bugs are a problem that is going to be here for a long time and educating ourselves on the topic is the best defense. Please check out all of our bed bug articles as they will help in understanding this pest a little better.

Owlet Moth on Screen - Photo by Richard Evnen

The moth shown here is referred to as the Black Witch. It’s in the family of moths known as owlets. There are about 35,000 types of moths in this family. One interesting fact about the owlets is many of the caterpillars have the ability to feed on poisonous plants. Generally these moths fly at night and will often be found hanging out by outdoor lighting. These guys are one of the bigger moths and will reach wing spans of about 7 inches. Not really considered a structure pest but are fun to look at.

Bed Bug Mattress Stains

Here’s another in our series of articles about bed bugs. Once you know you have bed bugs, the most common question is – how to get rid of them?

First off call a professional. I have been dealing with this pest for years and there is a learning curve for them. There are three popular methods right now for controlling them. Chemical, heat, and a combination of the two.

Bed Bug Chemical Treatment

Treating Bed Bugs with chemicals has been around for a long time. DDT may be a thing of the past but chemical applications are still popular. When approaching a treatment with chemicals you need to do four things. Flush them out, Knock them down, put down some residual and regulate their growth. The advantages to this style treatment are it’s cheaper than heat treating and you have residual when done. The disadvantages are higher chemical exposure, longer down times because chemicals need time to be effective and some Bed Bugs are building a resistance to pesticides.

Bed Bug Heat Treatment

Heat treating is one of the new methods that companies are turning to for many reasons. Bed Bugs, like many other bugs, die rather quickly once they reach a certain temperature. The heat kills all life stages of the insect. The advantages of heat are no chemical exposure, shorter down times for infested rooms and quicker kill than pesticide once optimum temperature is reached. The disadvantages are more expensive than a chemical treatment and no residual left behind.

Bed Bug Adult and Nymph by Penny

Heat and Chemical Combo Treatment

This method here seems to be the best of both worlds. Using pesticides in the cracks, crevices and lower room surfaces to give you some residual protection in the room. Then bring the room up to temperature with the heating units to kill off the Bed Bug population. The advantages are reduced chemical exposure, shorter down times and residual protection. The only disadvantage to this method is if you are a bed bug.

In summary, bed bugs are here and they are going to be a problem for a while. Educating yourself on them will help understand what you’re up against if they ever make it into your home. Call a professional and ask questions. The only dumb question is the one never asked.

Bed Bug Head and Mouth

Our articles about bed bugs continues. Once the bed bugs are hidden away in your bedroom, how do they find you, and how do they feed on us without us noticing?

Bed Bugs are attracted to us by carbon dioxide of our exhaled breath and our body heat. If you ever look at a room that is infested by bed bugs, you will notice that the largest concentrations of them are located at the head of the bed. They prefer to feed at night in a dark room but will feed in a room that is lit up if they are hungry.

Bed Bugs use a piercing sucking mouth configuration – take a look at the microscope picture here and you can see the business end of this hungry little pest. A bedbug pierces the skin of its host and injects saliva that contains anticoagulants and anesthetics, then withdraws the blood of its host. Once they are done feeding they will return to their hiding area. You will often find black staining in these harborage areas. This is actually liquid fecal matter that stains the mattress when they excrete it.

Bed Bugs in Mattress Batting

Our series of articles about bed bugs continues. Bed bugs are starting to show up everywhere, even here in the Verde Valley and in Sedona. We’ve had calls from residences as well as local businesses. How did they get in?

Bed Bugs get carried into your home by a host. The thing that really assists these bugs in their survival is their ability to go long periods of time with no food source. The Bed Bug under the right conditions can go up to 18 months without food. So what happens is they hide and wait for a unsuspecting host to come along. You could pick them up virtually any public place – just watch the news, or check out our bed bugs in the news, and you’ll hear of libraries, hotels, hospitals, dorm rooms, clothing stores, inns, bed and breakfasts, movie theaters, resorts, etc. All these places have been reporting Bed Bug infestations.

Once you have them, they start multiplying – a pregnant female bed bug can lay up to 5 eggs a day. Those eggs hatch in about 10 days and mature after about 40 days. The average female bed bug will lay about 300 to 500 eggs in her lifetime. Once the bed bug infestation gets going with some reproductions, it doesn’t take anytime at all to have a serious problem on your hands.

Bed Bug Hiding in Mattress Batting

Here’s another in our series of articles about bed bugs. Most of us in Arizona and the United States haven’t had to deal with bed bugs for decades. Now they’re showing up everywhere and it makes us wonder, where the heck did they come from?

Everything we read blames two things on the resurgence of the bed bug. The increase of foreign travel and the banning of DDT. It seems that back during WWII the use of DDT was one of the key ingredients at virtually eradicating this pest from the United States. But now with DDT gone by the wayside, more people traveling than ever before, and people choosing to use integrated pest management over preventive programs has given the bed bug just the edge it needed to reestablish itself. Bed bugs really don’t have anything to do with filth like some other structure infesting insects. All the bed bug needs is a place to hide and a host to feed on.

Bed Bug Underside

Bed Bugs have been in the news a lot lately, (see our new page Bed Bugs in the News)and we’ve been getting calls about them more frequently now. So I’ve put together a few articles about bed bugs and what to do about them. To start it off, let’s talk about the origin of bed bugs.

Many people ask where the bed bug came from and the best explanation I can find is they came from caves. It seems that there is a closely related bug called the bat bug that feeds on bats found in caves. The theory is that man and bats shared these caves and that over time the bed bugs’ taste changed from bats to man. The theory is open for debate, but it is the best explanation I’ve found. Regardless, they are here and are very difficult to control if you don’t use the right equipment.

It may seem like a cheaper alternative to put rodent bait in those areas but everything comes at a price. I get several calls a year when people use this method and then suffer from odor and fly infestations. Rodent baits placed on the exterior work very good at helping control rodent population on a home that has been sealed properly but skipping the home sealing step always results in a frustrated homeowner when the dead rodent smell appears. If you have a rodent problem, never be afraid to get several estimates and ask lots of questions. There is a coupon for a Free Rodent Inspection on our Pest Control Discounts page.

The Black Widow is a very shy spider and will almost always seek shelter if threatened. The only time I see this spider become aggressive is if she has an egg sack. The way most people get bitten by the Black Widow is when they put their hands unknowingly in her hiding place. I rarely find her inside unless the house has been vacant for a long period of time or she was brought in on something that was outside.

The one that seems to startle people the most is the giant desert centipede. This is another predator insect that we encounter in the high desert regions that has the potential to sting.

We also get a lot of cockroaches around the exterior that will come in the home from time to time. Getting a good general spray in the spring time really aids in keeping the Oriental and American cockroaches from over populating. Keeping the population controlled of the insects scorpions and spiders eat does aid in reducing the number of predatory insects your area can effectively support.

People often ask if there is anything on the market that will kill a scorpion and the answer is yes. I have found many products that will kill scorpions, some with faster knockdown than others. I have posted several blogs on chemical formulations and how they work to help explain what makes different products more effective than others. When moving to the Cottonwood or the Verde Valley, always ask lots of questions if you choose to go with a professional exterminator.

Orb Web Spider

This orb weaving spider has an orb web that is designed to specifically catch flying insects. The thing that really makes this spider interesting is the zig zag pattern it makes in its web (please see picture). They call this pattern a stabilimentum and scientists aren’t really sure what its function is on the web. It has been debated that it adds to the overall strength of the web, or it may be there to help birds and mammals see the web to avoid going through it. Some say it is there to help camouflage the spider that hunts from the center of the web, or it is used to actually attract prey. Nonetheless I’m sure the garden spider knows exactly why they put it there.

Shieldback Katydid

A few weeks ago I posted a blog with this katydid’s vibrant green leaf mimic cousin. I wanted to post the picture of this Shieldback Katydid to show you the color difference between these two katydids. The one shown here has a long sword like ovipositor at the rear of its abdomen indicating that it is a female. She uses this as a egg laying tube to place her eggs deep in the soil out of harms way. Also notice her long thread like antennae that is longer than her body. This particular katydid is also flightless since it lacks wings.

Common Flea Up Close

We have been seeing a few fleas in Prescott and Prescott Valley, so I thought maybe it would be a good time to do a little blog on them. Fleas are actually a parasite that are attracted to body heat and carbon dioxide much like the bed bug. They also feed on the blood of mammals like bed bugs, but one interesting fact is they have been known to transmit disease unlike the bed bug. The Flea was responsible for spreading the bubonic plague “AKA The Black and Death” and is also known for carrying typhus virus along with a few others. An infected flea generally can transmit diseases two ways, one is through their bites and the other is from infected fecal matter.

The flea is a wingless insect but as you can see in the picture they have some monster legs that allow them to jump long distances. If you think you have fleas, your best bet is to call in a professional to deal with them.

Walkingstick Insect Looks Just Like a...Stick!

The Walkingstick is a slow-moving, plant-eating insect that spends most of its days hiding in the very plant that it eats. If disturbed this insect will sometimes play possum staying motionless until trouble passes. They develop by gradual metamorphosis meaning they go from egg to nymph to adult. The nymph generally looks like a smaller version of the adult and feeds on the same food source. The head on this insect is generally longer than it is wide. They start to show up in the Verde Valley mid to late summer.

Common Ground Snake

Groundsnakes are little snakes I get a lot of calls about when the baby snakes get into the house. A lot of people mistake it for a baby coral snake, but they are harmless. They get bigger, but the ones I see generally are about the same size as the one pictured. They prey mainly on insects so having them around the house is like having a personal organic pest control technician on staff. If you come across a groundsnake in your home it’s best just to get him into a dust pan and place it back outside.

Gopher Snake Lying on the Road

I found this Gopher Snake lying in the road warming his body. This is actually common behavior for gopher snakes and most other snakes because it helps them to digest their food. Gopher snakes are beneficial to us because they keep the rodent population down. If you come across a Gopher snake it’s best just to admire it and let it go about its business as the organic rodent control expert in your yard.

Cicada Exoskeleton Shed

Everyone hears the cicada buzzing in the trees this time of year. They’re especially noisy in the trees around Courthouse Square in Prescott. What some people don’t know is that this insect starts its life underground feeding on the roots of trees. When the conditions are right, they will crawl out of the ground and shed their exoskeleton – kind of like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon. The only difference is cicadas are dead ugly and make a lot of noise in the trees. Here is a picture of what is left after they shed their skin. You will often find these exoskeletons attached to sides of building and trees.

Green Tree Cricket or Thermometer Cricket

I don’t see these little summertime green Tree Crickets very often. They spend most of their time on plants feeding on insects. It’s been said that if you count the number of chirps you hear from this cricket at night in thirteen seconds, then add forty to it, you will get a pretty close estimate of the temperature (in Fahrenheit). So they also call this little green guy the Thermometer Cricket.

Hercules Beetle and Rhinoceros Beetle Side by Side

I have people get these two beetles confused all the time, so I took a picture of them together so everyone could see the difference. In the photo, the Hercules beetle is the one on top. Most of the time people think the Hercules beetle is the Rhinoceros beetle. The Rhinoceros beetle’s horn is a little harder to notice and is not as large as the Hercules beetle. From the side, the Rhinoceros beetle’s horn looks very much like the head and horns of a Rhinoceros. The side view of the Hercules beetle looks a lot like the shape of a bottle or can opener. Both of these beetles only have the horns on the male of the species. Another difference is the Rhino beetle adults do not feed, while the Hercules beetle feeds on the sap of trees.

Orb Weaver Spider Web in the High Desert

Every time I see an Orb Weaver Spider and their orb web I think of Charlotte’s Web. They make a distinct spiral wheel-shaped web, or “orb,” that most people like to see. When spraying around homes I like to move these guys if they are too close to the house. There are many variations of the orb weaver spider and their physical appearances may vary but they all construct that telltale familiar Orb web. These webs can actually span up to eight feet when made by some of the larger spiders of the species.

Here in Arizona, the larger orb webs that I see average probably around two feet. The webs are constructed of a stretchy silk that they lay out in a spiral pattern. The orb weaver spider builds this web to catch flying insects. The spider pictured I believe is called the Spotted Orb Weaver.

Orbweaver Spider in Its Web

Very Green Pest Control Expert at Arizona Bug Company

All kidding aside, what exactly is green pest control? If you ask 10 people, generally you will get 10 different answers. A lot of people will say that if it’s natural, it’s green. They’re probably thinking that natural things are not harmful to the environment. But what they don’t realize is that there are plenty of things that occur naturally in our environment that are toxic. For instance Strychnine, which is a potent poison that can kill animals and humans, is all natural. Strychnine comes from the seed of a tree that is native to India. The Median Lethal Dose (LD₅₀) of Strychnine is around 16mg per 1kg of body weight. What this means is if a 90 kilogram person (approximately 200lbs) orally consumes about 1400 milligrams of Strychnine, they would have a 50/50 chance of survival. So is this natural, but very toxic compound green?

Or does green mean a product that is safer to use in the environment than another? The pesticide Permethrin, which is a synthetic version of natural Pyrethrin (extracted from Chrysanthemums), has an LD₅₀ rating of around 450mg to 1kg of body weight. So with that product, in theory, a 90 kilogram person (aprox 200lb) would have to consume about 40,500 milligrams orally for the same 50/50 chance at survival. That’s 27 times more Permethrin to reach the median lethal dose than Strychnine. So is permethrin greener than strychnine because it’s not as lethal, even though it’s synthetic, not natural?

These are questions that I have a hard time finding the answer to in this industry.

One thing I have found for sure is that when the word green is placed on the front of a service, it comes at a price. This has definately been a buzzword that has a higher price attached to it.

All Natural Pest Control

The best things I have found in pest control that are considered “green” to me are really simple. First off, clean up any debris around the home, seal cracks and crevices, and reduce moisture around the structure. In essence, what you are doing is making your environment less attractive to pests. Pests, much like us, are opportunistic and will take advantage of things in their environment that help them survive. If you take away their resources, you reduce the population that your area can effectively support – and that can help save you some “green”.

Giant Desert Centipede - photo by Vinny Calabrese

The Giant Centipede is the largest centipede in North America and can be distinguished by the dark coloring at both ends of his body as shown in the picture. This Centipede is larger that the Multicolored Centipede I posted pictures of last week. They can bite or sting so try to avoid them if possible. Unlike most insects that take shelter during the day, these guys can be found day or night. Usually centipedes are found under objects in locations where crickets and cockroaches would find shelter. A good general spray around the home is recommended and helps eliminate both the food source and the centipedes.

Desert Blonde Tarantula

The Arizona Desert Blonde Tarantula is probably one of the most misunderstood spiders out there. They get a bad rap just because of their sheer size. They become very active in the summer months when the males start looking for mates. If you ever see about a quarter-sized opening in the ground with silk for a door, you’re probably looking at the home of a Desert Blonde Tarantula. Although these spiders have large fangs that they can bite with, they seldom do. Generally their first line of defense if harassed is to brush small irritating hairs off from their abdomen with their rear legs. These hairs will cause a itchy sensation if you come in contact with them. After a good monsoon rain you can often find these spiders walking on the road surface.

Katydid Insect - photo by Vinny Calabrese

The Katydid is one of my favorite insects. They are a true master of camouflage when they are in a tree canopy. This leaf mimic often goes unnoticed unless they find themselves on a contrasting surface like the one shown in this picture. They are more closely related to the cricket than the grasshopper. The Katydid produces a clicking sound by rubbing the bases of the forewings together and much like the cricket are vocal at night when trying to attract a mate during the summer months. You will locate these guys at night hanging around the outside lights sometimes. They are not really considered a structural pest and should be enjoyed when found.

Side View Plains Lubber Grasshopper

Top View Plains Lubber Grasshopper

I was spraying out in Camp Verde today and came across this big fellow – the Plains Lubber Grasshopper. This is a flightless grasshopper that feeds mainly on plants but will eat a smaller insect if they can catch it. They can attack farm fields in great numbers and cause crop damage but around the house they are generally not much of a concern.

The funny little pink flaps with black dots on his back are actually his wings. After seeing them I guess its easy to understand why he can’t fly. These guys seem to reach their greatest numbers in late summer and early fall.

Side View of a Hercules Beetle

Top View of a Hercules Beetle

The larva of this monster beetle develops in rotting wood and I’ve read that they prefer the rotting wood of sycamore trees. I don’t find Southwestern Hercules Beetles very often and located this one on a routine pest control job in Lake Montezuma, which is an area that happens to have sycamore trees. He is very impressive and at first glance you would think he could pinch you very hard with his claw looking apparatus. He uses this horn to joust with other males when he competes for a mate, and to scrape away the bark of the tree to produce sap for the female to come feed on. So I guess they show off their muscles and then take their date out to dinner.

They are really no concern for a home owner and there is no pest control method recommended but i thought he was impressive enough to share with everyone.

Praying Mantis Egg Case

We get asked a lot what this little thing is on the side of the house. It is the egg case of a Praying Mantis.

Drywood Termite Swarmer and Harvester Ant Swarmer

We get many questions every year about what is swarming in the Verde Valley and Prescott quad cities. I found these two swarmers and thought they would be a good picture to post. The one on the left is a Drywood Termite Swarmer and the one on the right is a Harvester Ant Swarmer. Please see our Common Arizona Pests section for more Information

Top View of a Southwest Desert Centipede - Multicolored Centipede

Underside View - Southwest Desert Centipede - Multicolored Centipede

The Southwestern Desert Centipede is one of the bugs everyone loves to hate. I haven’t met anyone that doesn’t get a little creeped out when this guy walks across the floor at night. I actually acquired this one from my eight-year old daughter. She was playing outside during her school recess and found this Multicolored Centipede. I don’t recommend picking them up because they will sting, so she asked for a teacher’s assistance and couldn’t wait to bring it home to show me. That’s my girl (her mother was so proud).

These guys are active year round, like to hunt at night, and can run very quickly if they feel threatened. You will often find them under things when out working in the flower beds so be aware of their presence. They are a predator insect and feed primarily on other bugs but will occasionally feed on a small lizard, snake, or rodent.

This particular Centipede is called the Multicolored Centipede and can reach sizes of about 4.5 inches. As I said before, I do not recommend handling this insect because it will it will give you a painful sting with venom ducts that are located by the head in modified legs called prehensors. If you have a problem with this insect call your local pest control professional for assistance in getting rid of them.

Praying Mantis on a Pomegranate

Mantids seem to be an insect that everyone likes to see. Even though their function in life is basically the same as a spider, most people don’t have a phobia about them like they do arachnids. They have a unique look with their prayer-like forelegs that gives them the ever popular name praying mantis. This unique insect also has the ability to turn its head – a characteristic not found on other insects. These bugs have a single ear located on their thorax that helps them avoid birds and other predators but it doesn’t develop until they mature into adulthood.

They will eat just about anything they can catch and can stay very still just waiting to ambush their prey. If there is a lack of food the praying mantis will even dine on each other and the female often does eat the male after mating. This bug becomes most common in the high desert around mid August and can often be found on the side of our houses near a light source at night, hunting insects. Supplied are a couple of pictures, the first one is a picture of a praying mantis camouflaged on a pomegranate it was taken by my daughter Skylar at age 6 and the other is of their egg case. We often seen this egg case stuck to the side of the house like the one shown here.

Praying Mantis Egg Case

Bed bugs can be found anywhere in the room but the highest concentrations tend to congregate by the headboard. Check around the mattress and box springs, paying special attention to the plastic corner protectors on the box spring. I always seem to find them hiding in the protectors if the room has them. When you get home, launder your clothing before putting it in your room and dry it on high heat. Some folks make the mistake of bringing their suitcase in the house after vacation and throwing it on the bed to unpack, giving the bugs a chance to get into and and hide in your bed. So after you’ve been traveling, keep items coming into the house away from your bed until they have been gone through to help reduce your risk of them living with you.

Bed bugs feed at night while you are sleeping. If you start to notice itchy welts on your skin and think you have a Bed Bug infestation call a pest professional, Trying to control these pests on your own generally results in frustration.

Termite Pellets and Swarmers

People always ask what to look for around the house to tell if they have a termite infestation. If you have a Drywood termite problem, you will find piles of pellets that look like sand. Many times you will clean it up only to find a few days later another pile. It’s actually not sand at all but termite fecal pellets (yup, termite poop).

We have supplied a couple of pictures to show what they look like in actual size and zoomed in on. We have also supplied a picture of a drywood termite swarmer. Many times if you have a colony inside the home you will notice swarmers climbing in the windows trying to get out of the house. Drywood termites live in the wood they infest and do not return to the soil like a subterranean termite. Treating them should be left to a termite profesional in your area.

Drywood Termite Pellets Magnified

Drywood Termite Swarmer and Pellets

Harvester Ant

Many of us see the big crater-looking nest that the Harvester ant creates in our yards. When you get near it they come out in droves and try to climb up your legs. What a lot of people don’t know is that they can actually sting like a Wasp! On their abdomen just like a bee or wasp they have a stinger and they are not afraid to use it. Please see the picture of the stinger – I know its a little blurry but gives you an up-close look at the business end of this ant. These colonies can actually live up to 20 years and have around 10,000 ants in the colony – that’s a lot of stings!

Harvester Ant Stinger

Cicadas Make a lot of Noise for a Little Bug

Ever wonder what that annoying buzzing sound coming from your tree is? Well it could be a Cicada. The Grand Western Cicada or sometimes called the Bush Cicada is what you may be hearing. The larva of this noisy fella feeds on the sap in the roots of trees until it becomes an adult then it comes out of the ground climbs a tree and starts its love call. That buzzing that drives us crazy is actually “all the rage” if you’re a female cicada. The adults actually don’t feed, they just are looking for love.

Another Noisy Cicada

High Desert Pest and Weed Control

If left unattended, the decomposing plant matter can become home to lots of little critters. One example is the false chinch bug. This bug likes to feed on a high desert weed plant called the London Rocket, which is in the mustard family. When the weed is green and vibrant, the false chinch bug thrives on it and feeds. When the plant starts to dry up and we get hot and dry in the desert, these bugs start to look for higher humidity and cooler shelter. Then, you’ll find the false chinch bug all over the sides of the house. As far as being a pest they are just a nuisance and not much else, but a little prevention by cleaning up the weeds early can keep their population down.

Call Arizona Bug Company for for all your High Desert Pest Control needs.

The American and Oriental roach like the outdoors and really have no reason to be inside – they just end up there from time to time. The best way to avoid an overpopulation of these guys is to have your home treated earlier in the season. Generally, when you start to notice them, the population is already well established in your yard outside.

Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

These spiders are a big gentle giant and get a bad reputation because of their size. A lot of times after a heavy monsoon rain you can find them walking across the roads. Have only heard of them getting into homes when doors or windows are left open.

EC or emulsified concentrate, simply put, is a liquid mixed with water to create a finish solution. They don’t have all the bells and whistles of the newer CS and SC formulations but are still very effective and generally a little cheaper than their newer cousins. The pros are that they are cheaper to use for jobs that require a large quantity like a termite pre-treat and they don’t stain as easily as a Wettable Powder (WP). The cons are they have a tendency to be absorbed by a porous surface and they don’t seem to have as long of residual as SC, CS and WP. Some examples of EC concentrates are Demon EC, Cynoff EC, Permethrin Pro, Prelude.

WP, or wettable powder, is simply that it is a powder that gets mixed in liquid and is applied through a sprayer. The pros of a WP are fast knock down of insect population and long residual life of the product. The cons are it leaves behind a white film on the surface that has been sprayed. Some examples of wettable powders are Cynoff WP, Tempo WP, Demon WP.

SC and CS formulations are what they call micro encapsulated suspended concentrates. They provide active ingredient in what’s basically a small bubble that suspends itself on the surface for the target pest to pick up as it crawls over it. The pros of SC and CS are long residual, low odor and non staining. The biggest con to these guys is their more expensive to use than the others. Some examples of SC and CS formulations are Cy Kick CS, Demand CS, Temprid SC, Cyzmic CS, and Termidor SC.

All of the product types mentioned above have their niche and when used together can provide you with a barrier around your home that will help keep your family safe.

The good thing about the Black Widow is for the most part she is a very shy spider and a web hunter. I find that the first time we go out to spray, most people are unaware that they even have a Black Widow around their house until we bring it to their attention.

Just like in the story Charlotte’s Web, the young widow spiders will put some silk out and use the air currents to float to their new home. For the Black Widow it is generally “location, location, location.” They generally like to pick a spot that’s secluded and dark but has good hunting for insects around it. Some of the areas we find Black Widow spiders are water boxes, crawlspaces, hose bibs, patio furniture, BBQ grills, garage doors openings and kid’s toys. We find that when kids toys get left outside for long periods of time the Black Widows will hide in their cracks and crevices. Generally, a thorough visual inspection will alert you to her presence. Look for her web – it is an erratic, messy, sticky construction of silk strands that will go to a secluded area so she can hide during the day.

When we provide pest control services for you, we always list the compound we used by brand name on the invoice, which are the same as those in the MSDS & Labels page.

Today we’ve added labels and MSDS’s for two more insecticides, Cyzmic CS and Maxforce FG granules.

When you discover these little winged creatures pay attention to where they are at. If they are out by the porch lights I wouldn’t get too worried. That is generally a sign of some termites that came into the lights from somewhere else out in the environment. If they are inside the house crawling on the windows, you may want to give your bug guy a call to take a look around. This can sometimes be a sign of a colony that is located in the structure. This year we have been called out on two jobs in Sedona and Cottonwood that had termite swarmers being found inside by the windows. When we looked a little closer both places had drywood colonies in the crawlspace area.

Another thing to figure out is, is it an ant or a termite? The easiest way is to look at the antennae. Ants will have a 90 degree bend in their antenna but termite’s antennae will be straight. Also, termites have four wings of equal length and ants have different lengths with the front two wings being longer.

The fun part for us was pulling each magazine out of the rack and dissecting their colony layer by layer. What we discovered was that termites are kind of like electricity. What I mean is they take the path of least resistance. They had come up through a small crack in the floor and started eating into the bookcase. The termites then discovered the soft cellulose that the magazines had been made of, stopped eating the bookcase, and went after the Arizona Highways magazines.

The good part the story is they did not do as much damage to the bookcase as they could have because they found something they preferred. The bad part to the story is they destroyed some vintage Arizona Highways Magazines.    

The pictures provided give you a before and after look of a rodent clean-up job. Every job is different and always get a few good estimates before making your decision. Ask the technicians what it is they plan to do and see if the will provide you with before and after pictures for your own peace of mind. Not many homeowners want to crawl into these areas with us to see for themselves what’s going on, so a few simple shots with a camera can let you see.

Prickly Pear Cactus Flowering

Being in the pest control business we get to see a lot stuff but nothing ever gets you like the beauty the high desert brings in the spring time. The same little plant that if you touch it on accident will stick you with irritating barbs can produce some of the most beautiful flowers. I just thought it would be nice to share with everyone. The century plant picture was taken in Sedona and the other cacti picture was taken in Cottonwood.

Century Plant Blooming

Devil Scorpion (Stripe Tail)

Thick short claw

Wide body

Tail segments short and thick

Stripes on the tail

Bark Scorpion

Thin long claw

Body is narrower

Tail segments long and skinny

Stinger has a secondary smaller barb on it

Honey Bee Swarm Cluster in a Tree

This time of year it’s common to run across a bee swarm. In the spring, a Honeybee hive will split, with part of the hive staying behind with a young queen, and a portion of the hive joining the old queen to find a new nesting place to form a new hive. The group that leaves with the queen is called a “swarm.” If it is the first swarm of the season, it is called the “prime swarm.” Later in the season, the hive may swarm again, in what is called an afterswarm, but they are not common.

The most likely way someone might encounter a bee swarm is in a “swarm cluster,” which is where the bees, usually hundreds of them, will cluster together and appear as a group to be hanging from a branch or along a branch and the trunk of a tree.

Bee Swarms in the Verde Valley

Honeybees Swarming in a Cluster

Last week, there was a bee swarm reported in Clarkdale, which we’ve included photos of. It stayed put for a couple days, then moved on without requiring removal. It’s fascinating to see how the swarming bees hang together when they’re in a cluster.

Bee Swarm Removal

Most of the time, a bee swarm is pretty docile and will move on in a day or two, but if you’re concerned about your safety, or are concerned about children or pets disturbing the swarm, then call us about a bee swarm removal. We also remove bee hives and you can use our coupon to get a free estimate on beehive removal.

Drywood Termites

The Drywood termite is the primary termite that we get called out on most of the time here in the High Desert of Arizona. The cycle starts when two alates (swarmers or winged termites) pair up and create a nuptual chamber in a piece of drywood. The Drywood termite colony tends to be slow growing and a lot smaller in size than the subterranean termite. The most distinguishing characteristic of the Drywood termite is the pellets. These are small granules of wood that they will push out of the nest through kick-out holes. The small granules are actually termite fecal matter – this is unlike the subterranean termite that has liquid fecal matter.

Drywood termites are a little harder to treat than Subterranean termites for the following reason. The Drywood termite lives within the piece of wood its consuming, unlike a Subterranean termite that relies on mud tunnels to commute back and forth between soil and structure. In a traditional subterranean termite job, the goal would be to treat the soil around the structure to basically cut off their route into the home with a chemical barrier. But since the Drywood termites don’t return to the soil, treating them in this manor would do nothing to them. The two primary ways to treat the Drywood termite has been threw fumigation and spot treating.

Fumigation is the process many refer to as tenting. It is when you basically wrap the structure to be treated in tarps. Once you have it airtight, you fill the structure with a sulfuryl fluoride gas (aka Vikane). The nice thing about this procedure is it kills everything. The downfall to this treatment is its very expensive and it has no residual in case there is a re-infestation. You also have to be out of the home when the treatment takes place. So there is also that to consider.

Spot treatment is basically the art of pin pointing an active colony and treating that area to kill the colony. There are several ways to accomplish this task - the most popular being foaming and spraying. I personally like to use products with either fipronil (aka Termidor) or imidacloprid (aka Premise). Both of these products are categorized as Non-Repellents so the colonies will continue to work in the treated areas. The workers will transfer the products through the colony by the termite’s natural socialization. The benefits of spot treating Drywood termites are it’s a lot cheaper than fumigation and there is a residual left behind to help prevent future infestation in that area. The downfall to this type of treatment is that it doesn’t treat the entire structure.  

So if you live in the High Desert of Arizona and you think you have termites as a pest in your home, call a termite professional and have us properly identify them. We will go over your options with you and help you make the right decision.

Western Diamondback Rattlesnake Coiled

Living in the High Desert we deal with more than the insect pests. We also will see the occasional rattlesnake when hiking or even doing simple yard clean up in our back yard. The three most common that I have come across over the years are the Western Diamond Back, Black-tailed and the Mohave Rattlesnakes here in Yavapai county. Out hiking with your pets, be alert and use your senses. Around the home, use your common sense. The two main things a rattlesnake is seeking most of the time is food and shelter. Get rid of garbage, weeds, and brush piles that snakes and rodents could live in. That will make your property less attractive to snakes and their food source.

So what do you do if your pet encounters a snake? Well if they haven’t been bitten,  try to remove yourself and the pet away from the area as quickly and safely as possible. Call either the Fire department or a local pest control operator to come help with the situation. If you can, after you have secured your pet away from the snake try to keep a eye on the snake from a safe distance to see if he moves off. There is nothing harder when we show up on the scene and the snake has changed locations and we don’t know where he went. By keeping the snake’s location known, it helps resolve the problem quickly and safely. Probably 80% of the time if we lose the snake’s location we never find the snake. They can move out of a area fairly quickly once disturbed. Remember they want to see you just about as much as you want to see them.

If your pet does get bitten, try to keep it calm and restrict its movement as much as possible without stressing the pet out. Call your Veterinarian ASAP and get your pet to them immediately. I recently had some really good friends and clients have their black lab, named Rhett, get bitten while out in the back yard at their Cornville home. Rhett was bitten on the paw by a small Western Diamondback and almost immediately started showing signs of distress. His owners acted quickly in calling the Vet and got Rhett settled down. They also noticed that Rhett was starting to run a fever so they tried to keep him cool while getting him to the Animal Hospital. This Vet did use anti-Venom on the dog to help reverse the effects of the Venom. I went to visit Rhett and his owners the next day and he was already getting that Labrador spark back in his eyes. So remember when living in the High Desert, we will encounter rattlesnakes from time to time.  If you or a loved one (fury or not) gets bitten, seek medical attention immediately!

So what is the advantage as a home owner? Simple answer – equipment. You don’t need to go to the store and buy tanks, hoses, pumps and nozzles to spray a liquid, or try to use that little spray mechanism that comes on the mixed ready-to-use store-bought liquid formulations. Another area they have an advantage is in higher moisture areas like lawns and heavily landscaped areas that retain a lot of moisture (what I’ve found living in Arizona or at least the Cottonwood Area that we do not get a lot of areas of higher moisture in the High Desert).

So what are its limitations? It can be a little difficult to treat cracks and crevices with a granule and they can be a little messy. Always wear the proper safety gear when using them as with any pesticide. You can find safety information on the label.

Some popular active ingredients used in insect granules is Lambda Cyhalothrin, Deltamethrin, Bifenthrin, Cabaryl and Permethrin. The common trade names you will see in the stores are Sevin, Ortho Bug B Gone, Demand G, Cyonara LP, Deltagard, Bifen LP, Talstar PL, All Pro and Martin’s Lawn & Perimeter to name a few.

So what’s proper placement you ask? Generally a good rule of thumb is if it looks like Christmas in July around your house (like it snowed), you our your pest control professional may have gone a little overboard. When it comes to pesticide, the more is better line of thinking doesn’t always work. When powder is put down heavy, I find the pests will avoid it and your pets and children will not. Dogs smell everything and kids want to put their finger in it. Not to mention the white staining that some products cause can be very tough to clean up after the powder is put down. A very thin application that you can just barley see will do the job.

My personal opinion on dust is it works really good in places that are out of the elements and out of reach of pets and children. In Prescott and the Verde Valley, we get a lot of spring wind and dusting on the exteriors can put the dust in a lot of non-target areas as the wind carries it. So before you or you pest professional dusts, ask yourself what you are trying to accomplish. You can find more information on proper dusting at the Bayer website.

Ants

Ants to me are like feeding a three year old – what i mean is, if you give them what they want to eat they will eat it. If you give them something they don’t want, they won’t touch it. Ant’s preferences also change – sometimes they want carbohydrates and sometimes they want protein. Figuring out what they want is the hard part – as a homeowner you really don’t want to go to the store and spend a bunch of money on different baits to see if they like it. If you go with a pest control professional, ask them the price and what type of guarantee do they give? You may find it’s cheaper to hire your local pest control guy when dealing with ants.

Cockroaches

Cockroaches are a little different – they are like your fat uncle at the family reunion that wants your aunt to bring him his food. They do not want to go too far to eat. One thing with roaches is they will usually eat what’s closest to them rather than travel for something they like better. If you have the German Cockroach (this is the one we find in our kitchens) the biggest problems you will face is getting the bait to them and eliminating competing food sources. These little guys hide everywhere and are extremely difficult to control. If you decide to bait them, I recommend one of the baits with Fipronil or Imidacloprid.

With Ants, Termites, Crickets and German Cockroaches, if performed correctly, baits are very effective.

Dusting works good for Insects that find harborage in cracks and crevices. 

We will cover the use of liquid formulations in controlling pests and we will go over the different formulations of SC, EC, CS & WP. 

Granules may not be as popular as they once were in the days of Diazinon but still can be very effective if used at the right time and for the right pest.

We have a lot of different Pests here in the high desert around Prescott and the Verde Valley and have many ways to handle them all.

Check out the new section on Spiders, where you can learn more about spiders commonly found here, including Tarantulas, Crab Spiders (they look like baby tarantulas, but they’re fast), Black Widows, and the Arizona Brown Spider (also known as the Brown Recluse or Violin Spider).