Pest Control and Bug Exterminator Blog

“…But do you recall? The most famous reindeer of all…Shooter The Good Deed Reindeer!”

Err!

OK, so he may not be the most famous, but he certainly is the most thoughtful and service oriented toward rodent-kind.

Shooter the Good Deer Reindeer

Shooter, resident of the Pocatello Zoo in Idaho, was seen by zoo staff awkwardly handling his water trough. The large animal, which at times can be a bit overbearing for many of the staffers, eventually was able to dip his head and gently retrieve a rat from his barrel. Shooter then laid the distressed rodent on the floor and proceeded to nudge him with his hoof until he had the strength to scurry away into the bushes on his own power.

Shooter The Good Deed Reindeer helps his nameless friend from near death (Caters News Agency)

Shooter in the midst of his harrowing rescue (Caters News Agency)

The unknown rescuee scurried into the bushes before he could be reached for comment (Caters News Agency)

So while Dancer and Prancer and all those other reindeer are chauffeuring around the Man Up North, reindeer like Shooter are down here in more warmer climates doing the little deeds that make the difference all year round.

We salute you, Shooter The Good Deed Reindeer. We salute you.

Related articles

• Are reindeer real? I’ve never seen one in real life before… (cassiefairy.wordpress.com)
• Rudolph the social outcast and those judgmental reindeer (cindyh85.wordpress.com)
• Santa’s Reindeer Get “OK” To Enter California (todayinchildsafety.com)

Image via Wikipedia

While a number of venomous animals paralyze prey as live food for their young, the Emerald Cockroach wasp is slightly different, in that it initially leaves it’s cockroach victim mobile; and modifies it’s victim’s behavior in a very unique way.

As early as the 1940s, female Emerald Cockroach wasps have been used as natural exterminators, against cockroach pests. When it attacks, this natural pest control provider will sting the cockroach two times, delivering a powerful venom. In 2003, a study showed that the wasp is able to sting directly into specific ganglia of the cockroach, paralyzing the front legs. This strike allows for a second venomous sting, which is delivered to a carefully chosen area in the cockroach’s brain; specifically the region that controls the escape reflex. As a result of this second attack, the cockroach will become sluggish, and fail to show normal escape responses.

At this point, the Emerald Cockroach wasp will proceed to chew off half of each of the cockroach’s antennae. It is believed that this is done to replenish fluids, or to regulate the amount of venom released; by the natural pest control provider. The wasp, which is obviously too small to carry the paralyzed cockroach, then leads it’s hapless victim back to the wasp’s burrow, by pulling on one of the roach’s antennae. Much like walking a dog, on a leash. Once the two have reached the burrow, the Emerald Cockroach wasp will lay a single white egg (approx. 2 mm long), on the cockroach’s abdomen. It then leaves the burrow and fills in the entrance with pebbles, more to keep other predators out; than to keep it’s helpless victim in.

With the escape reflex disabled, the helpless cockroach lays in the burrow, while the Emerald Cockroach wasp’s egg hatches; in approximately three days. The hatched larva then lives and feeds for up to 5 days on the cockroach, chewing its way into it’s victim’s abdomen. Over the next eight days, the Emerald Cockroach wasp larva will consume the victim’s internal organs, in an systematic manner which will guarantee that the cockroach remains alive until the larva enters the pupal stage; and forms a cocoon inside the hollowed-out body. Eventually, the fully grown wasp will emerge from the cockroach’s carcass, and begins its adult life as an exterminator of cockroaches; and provider of natural insect control services.

The End.

Related articles

• Revenge of the Zombifying Wasp (blogs.scientificamerican.com)
• Can Cockroaches Jump? Meet the Leaproach. (blogpestcontrol.com)
• Roach Control Services (bulwarkpestcontrol.om)

One morning I was going out to start my pest control route in Austin Texas, and my 1st service had requested to be called 30 min prior to going. I called her at 7:30 and told her I was Randy with Bulwark Exterminating and this was her 30 min courtesy call before I come to her home at 8 o’clock to do her pest control. She apologized and told me she was running late to take her daughter to school but she really needed to have a inside treatment done for scorpions  but she wouldn’t be home till after 8:30 or so. I told her no problem, and that I could go there and treat her home on the outside and would wait for her to get back home.
When I arrived at the home I knocked on the door just to make sure no one was there, then started to spray the house. While spraying the home I was checking for wasp nests and spider webs to see if any needed to be taken down. After spraying the home I checked and baited the two rat boxes at the back of the home and then walked the yard and baited the fire ant mounds. She arrived home at 8:35 and then I went inside and did an inside scorpion treatment. I left home at 9am. Took me an hour but the customer was very happy with her service.

Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.

Or was it the scout motto?

DO a good turn daily.

Not quite what I am looking for…

Maybe it’s just good karma.

How do you say thanks to such a great blog post about you or your company?

A very satisfied customer Bulwark Exterminating posted this wonderful post about our Charlotte Pest Control Service. And I can’t quite recall what fortune cookie saying might best relay my gratitude, but what I do know is that a link for me is a link for you.  Its seems only fair.  Anytime someone opens up a conversation with us it’s only courteous to respond.  So thank you for your wonderful post.

One Good  deed …uh…   Link ….   Post Deserves Another.

What I can promise is that if you link to us then we will return the favor.  It may not be today, it may not be tomorrow, but I promise that someday I will return that favor.  We like connecting with real people.

While we are at it we like for you to meet Claudia. Check out her Decorating Blog.

A few years back when I was still teching I went to a customer home in Georgetown, Texas to do their regular service, as I was walking around the back of the home I noticed what looked like blood along the pavement I as moved further around I came to find out their dog was bleeding. I immediately did all I could to reach the customer finally getting a hold of them thanks to a neighbor of theirs. The Mrs. was able to get home in time to get the dog to the vet and save the dog.  When I came back for the next service she explained to me that the dog had been bitten by a rattle snake and thanked me for trying everything to get in touch with here and not just leaving, during that entire service I was scared that the snake was going to bite me, so it took me 40 minutes to do a 20 minute service because I was so cautious. Then when I went to get the ticket signed she commented that it took me longer than normal so I explained why that was.  Then she told me they had already killed the snake as they found it in the dog house. Doing what I did that day is a direct action taken by me due to the influence of my managers and the owners of the company.  To be honest, since I have been at bulwark exterminating I feel that I have grown in ways I never imagined due to the way the company treats its employees and its customers.

Robert Morales Jr

Austin TX

I was an Initial Service Technician, meaning I only was only servicing new customers and providing the Full House Clean Out, for one of the best salesman in the history of Bulwark.  I had a full day of services in one of the cities more influential neighborhoods.  As normal I begin to scan the customer’s property as soon as I exit the work vehicle.  I noticed that there was a paper on the driveway so I picked it up and carried the paper with me to the door.  This is one of the advance tactics that you learn as a seasoned technician.

I rang the door and after a few minutes a kind women who spoke broken English opened the door and greeted me.  I introduced myself and with a smile tried to hand her the paper I had kindly retrieved from the driveway.  She looked at me skeptically and opened the door widely allowing me to see that there was another woman in the home, possibly the homeowner.  After a short conversation (in a language I dare not guess at) the kind women told me in broken English no, they “don’t want.”  I again tried to hand her the paper so that she could see the signed service agreement in my hand.  Again the homeowner kindly refused.  I sat the paper down on the front porch and then presented the contract to the women in the doorway.  At this time she had given all the time she was willing to and slowly closed the door on me.  I was a little surprised but it wasn’t the first time a customer has refused service.  I then called the next customer of the day and told them I had an opening in my schedule and would they allow me to service their home.  The customer allowed me to and I was about an hour ahead in what I thought would be a demanding day.  Late that afternoon I received a phone call from the office asking my why I never showed the earlier stop of my day.  I explained to them that I did, and that the customer refused my service.  The person I was speaking with sounded confused and asked if I went to the correct address, I told him yes that I even recalled verifying the address on the corner of the home after the customer refused service.  The person then stated they would call the customer and speak with them again.  A short time later I received a second phone call from the office; the customer thought I was a newspaper salesman.

Wayne Bryant

Las Vegas, NV

Working at Bulwark Exterminating has been the most full filling job that I have had. Hello, my name is Tarria and I have been with Bulwark for about three and half years. Working for the pest control branch in San Antonio, TX. One experience that I had this past summer is a customer who called in to get scheduled for a callback for interior ants. Of course with our summers we are very busy and it can be very difficult to find a time and day to schedule an appointment for a customer. After, searching the routes I was not able to find an appointment for at least two days out. The lady was very understanding when she had to wait for two days for an appointment, to have the interior service done. However, later that afternoon, I noticed that someone had rescheduled a service and I got the customer scheduled the very next day. The “Mrs” was very pleased with the customer service that she received and how quick we could get someone out to her home. She told me she was very happy with our service and that she has been a customer for over four years. It makes my day to know that we continue to do such wonderful work and have great customer service.

A Friendly Visit

By: Oliver Gomez

It’s a beautiful day and the doorbell is ringing. The man at the door says its Bulwark calling.

He’s clean-cut, polite and I feel at rest, I know he is knowledgeable and will take care of the pests.

He says with all confidence there’s no bug he can’t treat. He’s well recommended by neighbors on our street.

He took off his shoes as he came inside, and sprayed in the corners where all the bugs hide.

He dusted under cabinets, then under the sink. He moved away the food and the water we drink.

He took off the panels where the wall sockets go, and dusted the voids where the larva all grow.

He went up the attic and all through the house, until in the basement he found a trapped mouse.

He moved all the mats and the slippers away, and treated the doors and the windows with spray.

His truck had a hose that went all the way around, and outside he treated the walls and the ground.

He put out some granules for the drips on the plants. He says it’ll fix those pesky roaches and ants.

Then it’s all over, he knocks when he’s done. If you give a few days, the bugs will be gone.

In July of 2004 I came to this company with an understanding that Bulwark was a customer service company first and pest control company second.  Little did I know they actually meant it; on my second day of on the job training here in Austin Texas I was paired up with Silvestre Loera.  He made the day great, but he stressed how it was important to start your day on time and get to your first house promptly.  He also showed me after that the first service you could go get breakfast tacos, which I thought funny due to he was stressing right before to be on time. As the day went on he proceeded to provide great customer service to every customer we serviced.  I was thinking wow, great company, I made a great choice coming to work here.  Then we came to a customers house where Silvestre gave new meaning to customer service.  I was standing at the door beside Silvestre when we rang the door bell.  What happened next seemed very strange to me, but not at all to Silvestre. A man answered the door wearing nothing but a hand towel around his waist, hairy chest and all showing to Silvestre and myself. I was ready to walk off but Silvestre talked to the man as if nothing were wrong and proceeded to listen to the mans every need.  He even offered to go inside and treat if needed, which the man did require. I was taken by surprise that the customer service mentality at this company was that deep, because to be honest that was my 7^th overall day at bulwark and I was ready to quit. Overall the experience is one I won’t forget and says a lot about what is instilled in the employees at Bulwark by the owners, managers, and technicians.

Robert Morales Jr
Austin Texas

As a technician in San Antonio, Texas you see a lot of different things, meet a lot of people & enter some interesting houses.  As usual, on one of our hot summer days, I stopped by a customer’s home that was on my route for a routine service.  I parked my truck, got out & walked to the front door to greet the customer.  A lady pleasantly answered the door. I proceeded with my routine script, “Hello Ms, my name is Ande. I’m from Bulwark Exterminating & I’m here to do your routine service. Are you having any pest problems or seeing anything inside your home?” She replied, “Yes. I’ve seen a couple of those pincher things inside my kitchen,” as she moved her fingers in a pinching motion. I smiled & informed her that I could do an interior & exterior treatment for her.

I went to my truck, grabbed my equipment & returned to the home. She told me to come on in. I asked her if she wanted me to treat just her kitchen or the whole interior. She opted for the whole interior. I tend to work clockwise in a home, so I informed her that I would start by the front door & just work my way around. She responded okay. The first room to my right was a bedroom as I entered I noticed there was a lady lying on the bed, under the covers watching TV. I asked her if she wanted me to treat her room. She said yes.

As I proceeded to the window, to do a window treatment, I could here a faint growling sound. I turned around to see where the sound was coming from, but I did not see anything or anyone besides the lady. I continued towards the window and as I’m treating the window the growling continues. I looked back towards the lady on the bed and she just smiled. As I move towards the back bedroom corner to finish checking the corners for pest, all I keep thinking about is why is this woman growling at me? I tell myself that I need to hurry up & finish this room because the lady no longer wants me in her room. The growling intensifies & as I turn to head out the room barking begins. Now I’m really thinking this woman is crazy & I need to get out of this house. Just then she grabs the covers & says, “Princess stop barking!”

To my relief she pulls a small tea cup Chihuahua from under the covers.  I’ve never been so on edge in a in my life. I’m glad my imagination didn’t run wild, the lady wasn’t acting crazy & a cute little “Princess” could entice more than just pests to leave a room.