Pest Control and Bug Exterminator Blog

Pollination plays a crucial role in food production, which means that bees are intricately tied to the success of the process. Over the last decade, however, concern for these small pests has grown increasingly urgent, as bee colonies continue to see huge hive losses. The EU took action recently decided to ban neonicotinoids, the most popular insecticide in the world, for two years. Many believe that neonicotinoids are linked to the hive losses, including the European Food Safety Agency.

Beekeepers, charged with the task of moving hives into California to fertilize almond trees this year, scrambled to make that process happen. The situation on the west coast highlighted an issue that could have far-reaching consequences around the world. What does it all mean?

California Almond Orchards

Almonds are big business in California; they are the number one overseas agricultural export. The orchards are laid out across hundreds of thousands of acres, and in order to make sure the trees are pollinated properly, approximately one and half million bee colonies must be brought in to do the job. This year, because of the hive losses, the pollination process was only achieved through a nationwide plea to bring in the necessary number of bees.

Concerns For Food Production

The almond orchards are unique, in that they need a significant number of bees in order to complete the pollination process. Therefore, although other crops have not yet been affected by hive losses, they will be if the current trend does not begin to reverse itself soon. Some beekeepers reported losing half of their hives this year, and the bees that were left were not always as efficient and effective as bees from previous colonies.

The European Commission is certainly taking the situation seriously. They recently decided to ban neonicotinoids, the most popular insecticide in the world, for two years. Many believe that neonicotinoids are linked to the hive losses, including the European Food Safety Agency. The move comes as scientists are speaking out about how a shortage of bees will affect worldwide food production. While neonicotinoids are certainly not the only factor in play, they do seem to confuse bees and make them less likely to find their way back to their hives. They could also make the pests more susceptible to diseases. Still, there is some debate about exactly how harmful neonicotinoids really are.

U.S. Reaction

In response to EU’s ban and concerns raised by a number of commercial beekeepers and environmental advocacy groups, the Environmental Protection Agency is taking a second look at neonicotinoids. One way they hope to protect bees is by cutting back on how much neonicotinoid-contaminated dust is sprayed at planting time, since bees are particularly likely to come across the insecticide at that time.

Neonicotinoids are used prominently in the United States, particularly on corn, cotton, rice, grains, fruits and vegetables. The insecticide was widely accepted in the 90s because the risk of human exposure is low compared to previously used products. However, neonicotinoids remain present as plants grow and develop, which means there are a number of ways that bees could be exposed to them, something that was not considered when the insecticide was first introduced. Because of how frequently neonicotinoids are used, wild and domesticated bees are exposed to the insecticide often, which makes for a very uncertain future. Still, while neonicotinoids were present in damaged hives, the exact reason for hive losses can’t yet be pinpointed.

The only thing we know for certain is that there will be fewer bees this year than in years past. As the issue becomes more serious, both private citizens and Odessa pest control technicians are doing their part to help. Wild bees making a “nuisance” of themselves are more likely to be relocated than destroyed, which certainly helps. However, the losses of domesticated bees may be too great to overcome.

About the author: Chris is a blogger for a Texas based pest control company.

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Guest Post Published by Thomas Ballantyne

Western Honey Bee (Photo credit: Aditi-the-Stargazer)

A recent study by St. Louis’ Washington University School of Medicine has indicated that we are one step closer to a cure for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This news gives hope to the 34 million people worldwide, who are currently living with HIV or AIDS.

Bee Venom Can Destroy HIV

A study conducted at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, and published in the journal Antiviral Therapy, claims that the common bee may be the answer to killing off HIV; the virus that leads to the development of AIDS.

Bee venom carries a toxin called melittin, which has been proven to destroy the human immunodeficiency virus. The toxin works by poking holes in the virus’s outer layer. This outer layer envelope protects the virus; and without it, the virus eventually dies. Furthermore, this toxin found in bee venom kills HIV while leaving the other cells in the body unharmed.

Because the bee venom toxin attacks the virus’ outer layer, the virus is likely unable to develop a resistance to the melittin. Researches believe that this development may make it more effective than other HIV drugs, which the virus eventually develops a resistance to. Current HIV drugs only prevent the virus from replicating and do nothing to kill it off like the bee toxin does.

How The Process Works

Nanoparticles that are smaller than HIV are infused with the bee venom toxin, melittin. These melittin infused nanoparticles then fuse with the HIV’s viral envelope. The melittin forms little pore-like attack complexes and ruptures the envelope, stripping it off the virus, attacking a natural physical property of HIV. Hypothetically, there isn’t any way for the virus to acclimatize to that. The virus has to have a protective coat, a double-layered membrane that encompasses the virus.

Molecular bumpers prevent the nanoparticles from harming the body’s normal cells, which are much larger in size.

HIV Particle (Photo credit: AJC1)

How The Bee Venom Toxin Is Administered

If you are living with HIV or AIDS, the solution won’t be as simple as getting stung a couple dozen times by a honey bee. Remember, the melittin, or bee venom toxin must be in the form of a nanoparticle; and it needs to be in a highly concentrated form.

Currently, scientists and researchers are looking at implementing the bee toxin in the form of a topical gel, and also administering it intravenously. The gel is for HIV prevention, while intravenous injections will treat those already infected with HIV or AIDS.

Potential Cures To Other Diseases

Since melittin attacks double-layered membranes arbitrarily, this concept is not limited to HIV alone. Many viruses, including hepatitis C and B, rely on the same kind of protective envelope and would be vulnerable to melittin-loaded nanoparticles.

Additionally, research has revealed melittin-loaded nanoparticles to be successful in killing tumor cells. This is potentially a huge step in cancer research, with almost unlimited medical adaptations.

Bee venom has been used to treat arthritis and other painful conditions as well.

Honey bee with tongue partially extended (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Bees & Their Venom

Bees are a very valuable group of insects that still have much to teach us as a society. They play key roles in pollinating flowering plants, and help in controlling the numbers of many other species of pests.

While being beneficial insects, bees do carry toxic venom. The main component of bee venom responsible for pain is the toxin melittin. Histamine may also contribute to pain and itching after a bee sting.

Out of the 54 reported insect deaths each year, 14 are caused by bee stings. Bee sting deaths are usually only common when the victim has an allergic reaction to a bee sting.

HIV & AIDS

HIV destroys T-cells, which are the white blood cells vital to sustaining the functionality of the immune system. As HIV attacks these cells, the person infected with the virus is less equipped to fight off infection and disease, ultimately resulting in the development of AIDS. Most people who are infected with HIV can carry the virus for years before developing any serious or deadly symptoms. Over time, HIV levels increase in the blood while the number of T-cells decreases. It’s about this time an individual living with HIV becomes very ill, and can eventually die.

According to recent data, more than 34 million people are living with HIV/AIDS worldwide. Of these 34 million, some 3.3 million are under the age of 15 years old. Each day, almost 7,000 people contract HIV around the globe.

Let’s hope this bee venom research is a solution to a disease that is affecting so many worldwide.

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Anthony Ball

When was the last time you saw a monarch butterfly?

Think about it…

You may be thinking for awhile.

Growing up I used to watch in awe as these beautiful black and orange Monarch butterflies fluttered around my dad’s garden; and watched in amazement as they fed on my mom’s hummingbird feeder. I also remember growing them in elementary school, enjoying them develop from caterpillar to butterfly. I miss those days. Now that I’m grown I can’t remember the last time I saw one of these elegant creatures.

The truth is, butterflies like the Monarch butterfly have seemingly become more and more rare across North America. Monarch butterfly numbers are down almost 60 percent this year, marking the third straight year of a decline in numbers. Why are these beautiful butterflies disappearing?

The Decline In Monarch Butterfly Populations

Every winter, Monarch butterflies migrate from the United States and Canada, down to the fir tree forest mountains of Central Mexico. It’s during this migration when scientists perform an annual census to get an accurate count of the butterfly’s numbers.

This last winter, the Monarch butterfly populations were down almost 60 percent by most accounts. Shockingly, the butterflies covered just 2.93 acres of forest; down from 7.14 acres last year.

Since the inception of the butterfly census some 20 years ago, this is the lowest number of Monarch butterflies ever accounted for. This last migration also marked the third straight year of a decline in the number of butterflies; and a decline in six of the last seven years.

Scientists estimate that there are now only 1/15 the amount of butterflies in North America, and this has them worried. Some cities in Mexico that where used to seeing hundreds-of-thousands of Monarch butterflies each winter, are now seeing zero. This is alarming! The decline in Monarch butterflies is now a statistical long term trend.

Theories Behind The Monarch’s Decline

The World Wildlife Fund, who sponsors the annual butterfly census in Mexico, has offered a few theories behind this 15 percent decline in butterfly populations.

Decline of Milkweed. Experts agree that the decline of milkweed, in which the Monarch feeds, is one of the biggest contributing factors to the decline of Monarch butterflies. The loss of milkweed in the Monarchs’ summering areas in the United States and Canada also make it difficult for the butterflies to lay eggs. The few offspring that do hatch do not have enough food to grow to maturity.

Illegal Logging. The Monarch butterfly has a private reserve established for their wintering grounds in Mexico, but that hasn’t stopped some companies from illegally taking the Monarch’s much need fir trees. Illegal logging has devastated as many as 1,140 acres a year in the reserve.

Herbicides. Herbiciding of corn and soybean fields kills the butterflies’ much needed milkweed, in which they feed.

Unusual Hot & Dry Weather. Unusual hot or dry weather can kill the Monarch’s eggs, which in turn, means fewer adult butterflies.

Drought In Mexico. Monarchs don’t drink any water throughout their long migration until the reach Mexico, and the mountain streams in the area have been affected by drought and human use.

Agricultural Practices. The diversion of water and the use of pesticides to control milkweed have had negative effects on the Monarch’s survival. Without abundant water and milkweed, the butterflies die off because of hunger and dehydration.

Saving The Monarch Butterfly

The United States, Canada, and Mexico need to face the fact that it is their collective behavior that is killing the migratory phenomenon of the Monarch butterfly. No one country is to blame. These three countries need to work together to solve this problem.

Agricultural practices may need to be changed to give the Monarch’s a better supply of food and water. Herbicide usage needs to be addressed. Illegal logging activities need to be cracked down upon; with a more sever penalty for breaking the law.

Contact the World Wildlife Fund to see what they are doing to help save this beautiful butterfly, and to get more information on what you can do to help.

http://worldwildlife.org/species/monarch-butterfly

The Monarch Butterfly

The Monarch butterfly is possibly the most recognizable butterfly in the United States, so much so, that it’s the state insect of Alabama, Texas, West Virginia, Vermont, Idaho, Minnesota, and Illinois. They are also one of the most beloved insects in the entire world. Monarch butterfly enthusiasts often times plant gardens of milkweed to attract feeding butterflies.

Adult monarchs have been seen on a large variety of different nectar plants, but prefer that of the milkweed. They are often seen in meadows, fields, parks, gardens, trees, and roadsides.

The Monarch butterfly might be best known for its migration, which is an inherited trait. Every winter, Monarch butterflies migrate from the United States and Canada, down to the fir tree forest mountains of Central Mexico. No butterfly lives to make the round-trip. The millions of Monarchs cluster so densely on tree boughs in the reserves of Mexico; researchers don’t count their individual numbers, but rather measure the amount of forest they cover. It’s quite an impressive site.

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Anthony Ball

WARNING! If you ever want to enjoy an Oreo cookie ever again, don’t read this article.

Pictures have surfaced on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Tumbler of a spider that has allegedly been found inside of one of America’s favorite snacks… The Oreo Cookie!

Spider Found Inside Oreo Cookie

Photo Courtesy of Facebook

The Oreo spider pictures come with the following caption:

“This is why you always take Oreos apart before eating them, always. Now think of all the Oreos you’ve ever eaten foolishly.”

After seeing the above picture, the public is left wondering if the Oreo was found this way by the consumer, or it was an easily replicated hoax. Is it real or fake?

The idea of finding a spider in your favorite milk dunking cookie is not unbelievable–After all, we have evidence of a maggot stuffed cookie.

Theories On The Oreo Spider

• It’s fake. Somebody untwisted an Oreo and then smashed a living or dead spider into the cream. They posted a picture of what they “found in their cookie.” The cookie even appears to have some dirt attached. 

• It’s real. The Nabisco plant is in desperate need of spider control as it deals with a full-fledged spider infestation. Maybe they should call Bulwark Exterminating. 

• Introducing the newest flavor of Oreo: Spider Oreos! The Oreo R & D department took things too far this time after their success with the Candy Corn Oreos last fall. 

• The cookie was one of those generic Oreos, from Mexico, where the Mexican Council of Food regulations are a little lax. Spiders run rampant throughout their cookie factories. 

• The spider Oreo is a prototype of the upcoming Halloween Oreos that will be hitting supermarket shelves this fall. Watch for the Oreos with bats, mice, and centipedes inside too. 

• The Oreo is from another country, where eating spiders, scorpions, ants, roaches, and other insects is common practice. 

• Somebody was in need of an extra protein boost for their afternoon snack. Just imagine, an Oreo with nutritional value. The spider might be the healthiest part of that Oreo. Anybody could rationalize that!

Is The Spider Found In The Oreo Real Or Fake?

My professional opinion, as a bug guy, is that this Oreo spider is a hoax. Obviously there is a spider implanted in the Oreo’s cream, but it was likely put there on purpose.

We did the same thing here at the office with a scorpion. Here is a Scorpion Birthday Bash Oreo:

At first glance, the spider seems to be a simple garden spider. These spiders are rarely ever associated with indoor environments, and wouldn’t make its home in the very clean, and very FDA regulated, Nabisco factory.

Spider In Oreo Undetermined

The truth is that nobody is 100% sure if this is just an easily replicated hoax, or if a spider was really mashed between an Oreo during the manufacturing process. Oreo has yet to release a public statement. Investigative websites like Snopes are uncertain about the photographs authenticity; its hoax status is labeled undetermined as of March 1, 2013.

Us bug guys will keep you updated when we know more. Until then, maybe you should untwist your next Oreo before you eat it… Just to be on the safe side.

One thing we do know for sure at this point– The only thing worse than finding a spider inside an Oreo cookie you’re eating, is finding half a spider.

Happy dunking!

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Anthony Ball

Waiting for the lights. (Photo credit: kimubert)

Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans was full of twists and turns as the Baltimore Ravens edged the San Francisco 49ers by a score of 34-31. One of the most memorable twists to the game happened to be when the power to half of Mercedes-Benz Superdome, including the scoreboard, went dark with 13:22 left in the third quarter. The game was literally stopped as the players, announcers, and fans where all left scratching their heads.

After nearly 35 minutes of head scratching, wondering what had happened to the power, the game resumed. The San Francisco 49ers, who were down 28-6 just before the blackout, staged a monumental comeback, only to fall short in the very end.

The game will be one of the most memorable in years, primarily because of the power outage. What went wrong?

Could Superdome Pests Have Caused Power Outage?

While weather related reasons cause the majority of power complications, it is not uncommon for small animals and other pests to disrupt transformers and fuses; causing temporary loss of power. We also know that pests can infest sports arenas, like Cowboy’s Stadium. What pests could have caused the Super Bowl power outage?

“Nice rats, nasty rats” (Photo credit: ressaure)

Rodents

Rodents are notorious for wrecking havoc on power systems. Could a few squirrels have got tangled in the electrical equipment in a Superdome substation? Could a malevolent rat have chewed through a major power cord?

Rodent caused power outages happen more often than you might think. I was on Arizona State University’s campus a year or so back, when the power went out on half the campus. An apparent rat found its way into one of the substations and shorted out the equipment. It can happen!

Termites

Could termites be the culprit of the Super Bowl XLVII power outage? Termites may have weakened the structure of the power line poles that were carrying the electricity to the Superdome.

Bees & Wasps

Bees or wasps love to build their hives in well hidden, concealed areas; like that of a circuit breaker box or parts of a substation. If a hive was large enough and the infestation destructive enough, a bee or wasp infestation could have brought the power down at Super Bowl XLVII.

Bird Pests

Bird pests, like pigeons, wreak havoc on the structure of buildings. A well placed nest, or a build-up of droppings, can easily cause a circuit to trip; or spark a short in a power feed to the Superdome.

Snakes

Since hurricane Katrina, snakes have been an increasing pest problem in New Orleans. Tree snakes, which are non-indigenous to New Orleans, frequently cause power outages by crawling on electrical lines.

Raspberry Ants

Crazy Raspberry Ants, are usually only found in some 20 counties in Texas, but were recently discovered in Port Allen, Louisiana. These destructive and malevolent ants are so small; they can  easily get through the plastic casing around the electrical wiring. Raspberry ants have caused street lights in Houston, Texas to malfunction.

As a kudeta, these pesky ants may have been looking to take out one of the city’s biggest icons, the Superdome, and to announce their arrival to New Orleans.

Other Theories Behind The Power Outage

The 49ers Were Responsible- Previous to the blackout, the Ravens had just gone ahead of the 49ers by a score of 28-6 with a 108 yard kickoff return. Someone in the 49ers organization knew something had to be done and quick. That’s when they pulled the plug. With their malicious goal achieved, the 49ers rallied to cut the deficit, but eventually fell three points short. The same strategy is extremely effective when you pull the plug on the XBOX when you’re getting blown out in Madden.

Super Bowl Heist- Picture Ocean’s 13, but instead of robbing a Vegas casino, Danny Ocean and his team of professional thieves set their eyes on the Super Bowl box office where the average price of a ticket is about $3,000.

Another Harbaugh Brother- Jay Harbaugh, the often forgotten about Harbaugh brother, was tired of John and Jim getting all the attention. In an attempt to steal some of the limelight away from the two Super Bowl coaches, Jay cut the power to the Superdome.

More Commercials For CBS- Forbes reports that the price for a single advertisement during Super Bowl XLVII was over $4 Million. The extra 35 minutes caused by the delay would have generated hundreds of millions of extra dollars.

Beyonce Did It- Beyonce forgot to unplug her curling iron before she took the stage for her Super Bowl halftime performance. You know that thing had to have been sucking down a lot of juice; getting her hair to look the way it did.

New Orleans Voodoo- New Orleans is well known for the dark arts like voodoo, and the Superdome is built only a few hundred yards away from a cemetery. There are only so many voodoo commercials you can air before New Orleans will strike back.

Buffalo Wild Wings Got Carried Away- We’ve all seen the Buffalo Wild Wings commercial with the football fans wanting an overtime game. They send the signal into Buffalo Wild Wings, and all sorts of mischief happens. Sprinklers mysteriously turn on, preventing an obvious score. Could someone have sent the signal to BWW during the Super Bowl?

Marketing Campaign by Oreo- A few minutes into the blackout, Oreo sent out a tweet that read, “Power out? No problem. You can still dunk in the dark.” This tweet was retweeted over 15,000 times, giving the cookie company even more exposure.

Bane Did It- This has been one of the most frequent conspiracy theories floating around out there. Bane, of The Dark Knight Rises fame, looked to take over Gotham… I mean New Orleans… by interrupting the big game.  Bane has publicly denied any involvement in the Super Bowl blackout.

Statement Issued Regarding Power Outage:

The following statement was issued in regards to the Superdome power outage:

“A piece of equipment that is designed to monitor electrical load sensed an abnormality in the system,” the statement said. “Once the issue was detected, the sensing equipment operated as designed and opened a breaker, causing power to be partially cut to the Superdome in order to isolate the issue. … Entergy and SMG will continue to investigate the root cause of the abnormality.” 

Congrats to the Baltimore Ravens

By edging out the San Francisco 49ers, the Baltimore Ravens are your Super Bowl XLVII champions. Congrats on the great season!

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Anthony Ball

Newly Discovered Spider Named After Obama

Obama Spider (Photo by Jason Bond)

President Barack Obama has earned an itsy-bitsy honor.

Another cool quirk that comes with being the President of the United States… You get a spider named after you. After discovering 33 new species of spiders in the Southwestern United States, researches have named one after President Barack Obama.

This news coming just days after our 44th U.S. President was named Time Magazine’s Person of the Year.

The newly discovered species, which bears the commander in chief’s name, is called Aptostichus barackobamai. Good luck pronouncing that one, so we will just stick to calling the newly discovered spider the Barack Obama trapdoor spider. This spider is a type of trapdoor spider that is known for burrowing underground and protecting its layer via a trapdoor made of silk.

The 33 new species of spiders were discovered by Auburn University Museum of Natural History and department of Biological Sciences.

Why A Spider?

The Amazing Spider Man and Obama (Photo credit: iamdavidmoore)

There are few details as to why this spider is named after president Obama. Many believe it is because the President is a huge fan of Spiderman in which he once graced the cover.

Not The First Species Named After President Obama

This isn’t the first time a newly discovered species has been named after the President. In 2012, a spangled darter fish was given the official name Etheostoma obama, because of the President’s efforts in the areas of clean energy and environmental protection. Then there’s the recently named and identified “Obamadon,” which is a lizard from the Late Cretaceous era.

President Obama also has dozens of city streets and schools named after him as well. For the complete list, click here.

The Barack Obama Trapdoor Spider: Aptostichus barackobamai

Researchers describe the Barack Obama Trapdoor Spider as one of the most beautiful trapdoor spiders in which they have ever worked with. The spider has gorgeous tiger-striping on its abdomen and measures about 15 millimeters long. It also lacks the spines on its outermost leg segments found on most other trapdoor spiders.

Trapdoor Spiders

Trapdoor spiders are seldom seen because they spend most their lives in underground burrows. As their name suggests, they build protective trapdoors made from soil, sand and silk, in which they hide behind. They will wait at their burrow entrances at night, until some unperceptive insect comes moseying by. The spider then jumps out, biting the unfortunate insect, and then drags it back into the bottom of its burrow.

Other Celebrities With Spider Names

You have officially reached celebrity status when you get a cool spider named after you! Along with President Obama, other famous people have officially reached celebrity status by being having spiders named after them. A few include: Stephen Colbert, Angelina Jolie, and U2’s front man Bono.

For a full list, click here.

Spider Control

As a bug guy I think it’s pretty cool to have a spider named after you; but having spiders inside your home is completely un-cool, especially is they are the dangerous Black Widow or Brown Recluse spiders. If you are seeing spiders, get spider control from Bulwark Exterminating!

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Anthony Ball

Toilet Spider

Toilet Spiders Deemed Hoax 

Here we go again. Social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Tumbler have been inundated as of late with reports of poisonous spiders biting people, as they sit on the toilet of all places, resulting in your eventual death.

Here Is The Claim 

NEW POISONOUS SPIDER IN THE UNITED STATES

A spider bite…please read………… And you thought the brown recluse was bad!

Three women in North Florida, turned up at hospitals over a 5-day period, all with the same symptoms. Fever, chills, and vomiting, followed by muscular collapse, paralysis, and finally, death. There were no outward signs of trauma.

Autopsy results showed toxicity in the blood. These women did not know each other, and seemed to have nothing in common. It was discovered, however, that they had all visited the same Restaurant (Olive Garden) within days of their deaths. The health department descended on the restaurant, shutting it down. The food, water, and air conditioning were all inspected and tested, to no avail.

The big break came when a waitress at the restaurant was rushed to the hospital with similar symptoms. She told doctors that she had been on vacation, and had only went to the restaurant to pick up her check. She did not eat or drink while she was there, but had used the restroom.

That is when one toxicologist, remembering an article he had read, drove out to the restaurant, went into the restroom, and lifted the toilet seat. Under the seat, out of normal view, was a small spider.

The spider was captured and brought back to the lab, where it was determined to be the Two-Striped Telamonia (Telamonia dimidiata), so named because of its reddened flesh color. This spider’s venom is extremely toxic, but can take several days to take effect. They live in cold, dark, damp climates, and toilet rims provide just the right atmosphere.

It is now believed that these spiders can be anywhere in the country. So please, before you use a public toilet, lift the seat to check for spiders. It can save your life!

And please pass this on to everyone you care about.

Source: Facebook

Just A Hoax 

Wikipedia and other credible online sources have debunked the claim of toilet spiders biting restaurant patrons; stating the stories are fictitious. Although some spiders do prefer cool dark places, the harsh chemicals used to clean the toilet would likely deter any spider from making a toilet it’s home. No such story of a Two-Stripped Telamonia biting rear ends has ever occurred. The story is considered an urban legend.

The Real Two-Striped Telamonia Spider 

The two-striped jumper (Telamonia dimidiate), is a jumping spider found in various Asian tropical rain forests. They are common in wooded environments in India, Singapore, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Bhutan. They do not live in North Florida Olive Garden restaurants.

The Two-Striped Telamonia Spider ranges in size from 8-11 millimeters. Females are a light yellow, with a white stripe down her middle. She also has a red ring around her legs. The male is very dark, with white markings, and red hairs around the eyes. The venom of this species is not medically significant.

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Anthony Ball

Imagine an excruciating burning and itching inside your ear. After three days of constant pain and ear tugging, you are shocked to discover a maggot crawling out of your ear; and the worst part… Not being able to tell anybody about it! That’s exactly what happened to 92 year old Catherine McCann of Arlington Heights, Illinois.

57 Maggots Found Living Inside Woman’s Ear

CBS Chicago reports that 92 year old Catherine McCann was living in an Arlington Heights’ nursing home, and was unable to speak because her Alzheimer’s disease. While living in the $10,000 a month nursing home, the elderly woman had a fly crawl into her ear and lay eggs. The result was 57 maggots that hatched inside the woman’s ear canal.

After three days, a nursing home aid grew concerned over Mrs. McCann’s constant tugging of her ear and brought her to the nursing home’s medical director. It wasn’t until then, when the maggots were discovered. Mrs. McCann was sent directly to Northwest Community Hospital.

Removing The Ear Maggots

Doctors removed all 57 maggots from Mrs. McCann’s left ear. The woman’s daughter, Mary McCann Stassen, could barely look at pictures of her poor mother’s ear, and said the worst part was, “hearing her mother scream as they were taking the maggots out.”

“It’s a picture I will never, ever get out of my mind –ever.”

The infestation was documented by doctors at Northwest Community Hospital who made a videotape of the scene before beginning extraction. The tape was so graphic, however, CBS declined to air it.

After the gruesome incident, an exterminator examined the nursing home for flies, but couldn’t find any. Officials believe that the fly must have flown into Mrs. McCann’s ear canal when she was taken out for her daily walk.

Ear Maggot Lawsuit

After the horrific ear maggot incident, Mrs. McCann’s husband is suing the Lutheran Home for the Aged nursing home for negligence and emotional distress. Just nine days prior to the ear maggot infestation, Mrs. McCann had her ears treated for a wax build and was prescribed ear drops to prevent infection.

The family is questioning whether or not she received the medication in her ear after the treatment, because one would think you’d notice the 57 maggots while administering the medicine drops.
The Lutheran Home for the Aged nursing home admits to no wrong doing, stating that the maggots were not big enough for their staff to see them at the time. The nursing home had been very well respected up until the recent incident.

Maggots

A maggot is the tiny, white, worm-like larva of a fly. They look much like a grain of white rice and feed on rotten or dead organic tissue. Fly eggs are laid directly on a food source and when the eggs hatch, the maggots move towards their preferred conditions and begin to feed.

Flies quickly reproduce during the summer months, and maggots can appear in massive quantities. Often times this creates a maggot infestation, and increases the risk of myiasis. Humans are not immune to the feeding habits of maggots and can also contract myiasis.

Ear Spider

This news about ear maggots comes to us shortly after learning of a spider living in a woman’s ear.

A woman living in China had to have a spider removed from the inside of her ear after experiencing some major ear canal itching and burning. The spider made its way inside her ear canal while she was sleeping and had been living there for approximately five days.

The spider couldn’t be removed with surgical tools, because the attempt would only drive the spider deeper inside the women’s ear and force it to dig its barbs into the ear canal. Instead of manually retracing the embedded spider, a doctor opted to flush it out with saline solution. The procedure was a success, and the women reportedly wept with gratitude after the spider crawled out.

If that incident isn’t a big enough reason for spider control, I don’t know what is!

In Related News: Ear Plug Sales On The Rise

With all of this recent news about maggots, spiders, and other creepy crawlies climbing into our ears, maybe we’ll start to see a sharp increase in the sales of ear plugs.

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Anthony Ball

The two most dangerous words in business are “satisfaction” and “guaranteed”. If you put them together you have a potentially very destructive policy. Using them lightly can be about the same as digging your own grave. Your epitaph would read something along the lines of “They guaranteed it. They couldn’t deliver”.

As a business owner you are basically promising that your product or service is so good that if your customer is in any way dissatisfied they are entitled to complete retribution. It doesn’t even matter if the product or service actually worked. The dinner plate may have been cooked exactly to order, met every expectation, but the service may have spoiled the experience. Or, maybe the patron had to wait, in their mind, too long.

One Bad Experience Can Cost Even A Loyal Customer

My wife and I went to a Tex-Mex grill last weekend. We’ve been there dozens of times. We both get the same item every single time because we’ve tried everything else and we both order what we know we like the most. We arrived before the dinner rush and there was only one or two parties ahead of us in line. It seemed to take a few extra minutes before the customer ahead of us was serviced. When it was finally our turn to order we stood there for a while before a worker came over with a to-go order for the other employees to fill. The two employees that would’ve taken our orders then proceeded to make the entres on the order. No other workers were notified to help us while the to-go order was being processed. On top of that, there was quite a bit of confusion as they tried to interpret the individual orders on the paper – extra cheese, light on the beans, guacamole on the side, etc. It wasn’t until that order was almost completed when extra workers finally arrived to asked us what we wanted.

“Ok”, I thought. “I’ll let this one slide.” I ordered my usual sweet-pork salad. Yes, I want beans. Yes, I want rice. I took my eye off my order for 10 seconds to handle my restless 2-year-old behind me and next thing I know my salad has guacamole, salsa, chips, cilantro and cheese.

“Hey, is that my salad right there?”, I asked.

“Yes, sir!”

“Sorry, I don’t want any of that stuff on my salad. I didn’t ask for any of it. I only want chips.”

“Oh, wow. I’m sorry.”

My wife order her favorite soup. The worker started to put the individual ingredients into the bowl before pouring the broth. After realizing there was no broth, she asked another worker where the supply was (How did she not know herself?). She checked where she was instructed, but yielding no broth. She asked another co-worker, who said they had run out of chicken broth the night before.

It wasn’t like they just ran out an hour earlier. How were the workers not informed that a major food item is not available since the night before?

We eventually got our correct orders and the food was actually fantastic. Everything was spot on, except the service. That experience made me not want to come back to one of the very few Mexican restaurants I actually enjoy. Will I completely quit going there? No. Will I go on strike for while? Certainly. Next time I might even try the competitor’s location, who they have even filed lawsuits against on accusations of recipe stealing. I came to the conclusion a few years ago I like one restaurant better, but maybe it’s time I give the other a second chance.

I’m sure if I would’ve taken time to complain to the manager on duty (or even the owner who I personally know), I could’ve been given my meal comped or a gift card with the price of my meal to use next time. I didn’t make an issue of it, but my wife and I both agreed that was the absolute worst experience we’ve ever had in that restaurant.

The Guarantee

Making a satisfaction guarantee involves the customer’s entire purchasing process from start to finish. Not just the end result of your offering. Not just the customer service. Not one or two aspects alone. Satisfaction is the complete package, and it’s not a statement that should be treated lightly.

Business owners who really mean business add an additional phrase to the pot: “Money back”. Now those are fighting words. Nothing says you are more serious in every way than offering a money back guarantee. Basically, “If you’re not completely satisfied, we’re not going to hold you accountable. We’ll just give you your money back.”

Of course this all hinges on how confident you are in your business. If you want make sure you’re not having to honor a long line of guarantees, then make sure your product doesn’t…well…suck. Plain and simple.

Money Where Their Mouth Is

On Thursday, December 6, the Phoenix Suns will make an unprecedented guarantee to their fans that has never been made before in the NBA. As the Suns will square off against the Dallas Mavericks at US Airways Arena in Phoenix, the team’s upper management has guaranteed to every single fan in attendance that if they do not have any fun while at the game, they are guaranteed a full, 100% refund for the price of their tickets. No questions asked. No hassle.

Phoenix Suns’ “Satisfaction Guaranteed Night” on Dec 6, 2012.

It’s not a guarantee the team will win. There is no special price-based promo or giveaway at the door. Management is so convinced that its product, the players, has a high entertainment value, that they are willing to refund every single ticket on Thursday night if needs be.

For those that follow the NBA, you quickly realize that this is a very risky guarantee to make on the part of the organization. The Suns are not particularly a great team. They currently sit 13th in the Western Conference, almost last in their division, and will be a long shot to even make the playoffs at the end of the season. Steve Nash, the team’s most recognizable player over the past eight years is gone, along with all the other half-way recognizable names. The starting lineup looks more like the backup squad for many other teams. On top of all that, they enter Thursday nationally televised game on a 2-game losing streak.

To management, none of that matters. “Just because our players don’t have huge name recognition doesn’t mean we’re not fun to watch and can’t compete. Sure, people relate to star power, but we believe in the team aspect and we’re marketing this team as a team instead of a group of individuals”, Team President Jason Rowley told ESPN.

Now that’s business!

The Bulwark Way

Pest control can be an interesting industry. People pay us so they don’t see insects. If we’re doing our jobs correctly, then our customers go about their day like any other.

Pest control products have become so advanced in research and testing that virtually any pest problem can be contained within a matter of days. With proper attention, even the worst of problems can be completely exterminated. However, scorpions pose a particularly difficult problem because they are such great survivors in any environment. There are also a lot of misconceptions about how scorpions live and what products and methods are best to eliminate them.

Bulwark has endeavored to specialize in every bug our customers see, especially scorpions. We use the very finest products on the market to do this. For this reason, we are the only company in our service areas that offer a money-back satisfaction guarantee. We guarantee that are technicians will be able to completely eliminate your pest problem. Period.

We feel that with proper education and an adequate opportunity to service your home, we will be able to hold up our end of the bargain. There will be times our customers see an uprising in the pest population, such as right before their next scheduled service or immediately after because a new application of products re-flushes them from hiding. For that, Bulwark offers free call-backs in between scheduled services. We will continue to treat and retreat until the problem is fixed. If our customers still remain unsatisfied, we would  reimburse their most recent service.

Why are we so confident in our service?

First of all, as mentioned above, we know that we are using the very best products available on the market. We’re using premium gasoline. No regular unleaded around here. Additionally, not only do we strive to hire the best technicians in our industry, but find ways to motivate them to give our customers first class treatment.

How confident are we in our service?

Very. Very. Confident. Enough to make a money-back, 100% satisfaction guarantee.

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Tiny Dive-Bombing Parasitic Wasps

How cool is this?

A teeny, tiny wasp hunts it’s unsuspecting prey by hovering half an inch above the ground; and attacks by diving-bombing into it’s target.

This newly discovered species of parasitic wasp, Kollasmosoma sentum, is a natural born assassin in the insect world. The tiny wasp will cruise along looking for an ant to assault and deposit an egg into.

When a poor unsuspecting ant is located by the miniature wasp, it will quickly dive and inject an egg into the ant. The ant’s only defense when it realizes it’s being attacked, is to roll over and try to fight back with it’s mandibles and legs. The entire egg laying process only takes a mere 0.052 seconds, and is deadly to the ant. Once attacked by the parasitic wasp, an ant will house the wasp’s larvae and provide the unborn with food until they hatch.

The wasp’s impressive attacks have been filmed and can bee seen below.

Watch Them Attack!

Parasitic Wasp Makes The List of Top 10 New Species 2012

Every year, the International Institute for Species Exploration (IISE) puts together a list of the top 10 newly discovered species. This year, the parasitic dive-bombing wasp (Kollasmosoma sentum) makes the top 10 list according to Arizona State University.

The top 10 species are chosen from a committee of experts, entomologists, and scientific journal editors that evaluate hundreds of entries every year.

Oh, and if you are having problems with wasps of any kind, contact Bulwark Exterminating!

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Anthony Ball