Pest Of The Week: The Asian Cockroach

 

In most of the southeast United States, the Asian cockroach is commonly considered a considerable pest control problem. In highly infested areas of North Carolina, Florida, and Georgia; some 250,000 cockroaches per acre have been discovered. These cockroaches are not as common in urban areas, but can frequently be found in and around suburban and rural properties. They are excellent fliers, and are abundant outdoors.

Many homeowners confuse the Asian cockroach with the German cockroach. It is argued if these two species of cockroach are related, but there are a few many similarities. There are also a few differences between the Asian and German cockroaches. The wings of the Asian cockroach are usually longer and narrower, and they are also lighter in color than most German cockroaches.

No matter the type of cockroach that’s invading your South-Eastern property, you just don’t want any of these pests inside your home. They will eat your food and spread disease. Appropriate roach control measures must be taken to eliminate Asian cockroaches.

5 For Friday: Pest Control Link Round-Up

 

North Carolina Carpenter Ant Prevention

Black Carpenter ants are common ant pests in throughout much of the eastern United States; and in the Charlotte, NC area. These ants can be very destructive if left untreated, but there are a few things you can do to prevent these malevolent pests. More…

Deer Ticks And Lyme Disease In New England

Deer ticks, also referred to as blacklegged ticks, are largely responsible for the spread of Lyme disease. You New Englanders, watch out for this blood-sucking pest this spring. Here are a few preventive tips. More…

Bed Bugs Found in William Paterson University in New Jersey

Bedbugs are becoming more and more common in the dorms of Universities and Colleges across the United States. Looks like William Paterson University in New Jersey was the bedbugs’ most recent victim. More…

Freakish Football Sized Snails Invade Houston

You have to see these African land snails! They’re huge, they’re destructive, and they’re deadly! More…

Top 10 Tips for Landlords to Keep Bed Bugs Away

The bedbug battle rages on and tenants and landlords alike are looking for answers. If you are a landlord who doesn’t want their property infested with these tiny blood-suckers; read these 10 tips. More…

 

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Anthony Ball

Pest Control Links Round-Up: 5 For Friday

 

Atlanta Millipede Infestations Common

So what exactly are millipedes? Are they dangerous? Are they even considered pests? How do you get rid of them? Here’s what you need to know. More…

5 Fun Facts About Ants

Think you know all there is to know about ants? Think again! Here’s a comical view, with some amazing ant facts. Who knew ants are feminists? More…

How German Cockroaches Easily Infest Homes – And Effective Techniques To Stop Them

German cockroaches are considered one of the most challenging pest infestations to eliminate – even with professional treatment. Learn how to implement a successful prevention strategy, here.

CAUTION: Stinging and Venomous Caterpillars

The four major stinging caterpillars occurring in Florida are the puss caterpillar, saddleback caterpillar, Io moth caterpillar and hag caterpillar. These caterpillars have tiny hairs or spines that release a toxin. Contact may require hospitalization. More…

Carpenter Ants: Preventing Them Before They Become a Problem

Our pest of the week, the Carpenter ant can be quite the destructive pest. There are a few steps you can take before they become a serious problem. More…

 

Pest Of The Week: The Carpenter Ant

 

The Carpenter ant (Camponotus vicinus) makes it’s nest inside wood; dead trees or stumps, wood piles, rotten home structures, and old cracking furniture to be exact. It because of this, many home owners confuse the Carpenter ant for the termite.

Carpenter ants have black bodies, with a dark red thorax. Their abdomen is covered with a fine hair that forms a ring around the ant. They measure in length somewhere between ¼ of an inch to ½ of an inch. Note, Carpenter ants do not eat wood. They do eat food debris, like crumbs and sweets. It’s this food that foraging ants are looking for when they enter your home.

If you see sawdust piles around your home or property, you may have Carpenter ants. If this is the case, seek the services of a licensed ant control professional.

 

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Links Round-Up: 5 For Friday

 

Rasberry Ants Spreading Through Texas

The Rasberry ant (not raspberry) was first discovered in Houston, TX in 2002, but has now spread to 24 different counties in the state of Texas. They are now also found in North Carolina, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Florida. More…

NPMA Legislative Day in Washington – Clark Pest Control

Clark Pest Control participated in NPMA Legislative Day sending two executives, Here’s what they learned. More…

Bulwark Scorpion Control Makes The Evening News

With the scorpions making an earlier than usual appearance in Arizona this spring, residents were in need of some answers. CBS 5 News in Phoenix called Bulwark Exterminating for some those answers. Watch the video here.

Wolf Spiders: Pests or Diamonds

We’ve all had an experience with a wolf spider at least once in our lives. Here’s EnviroTech’s experience with the hairy looking spider. More…

Spring is Bee Season

Aww, spring is finally here… For some of the country anyway. Be on the lookout for hives popping up on your property. Here are a few tips on what to do, and what not to do, if you have a bee hive(s). More…

 

Pest Of The Week: Black Widow Spider

 

One of the most recognizable, and perhaps the most feared, spiders in the United States is the Black Widow spider. This distinction comes from the female’s notoriously venomous bite. While the female Black Widow spider is generally shy in nature, she can become aggressive and bite when she is provoked, or when she is protecting her young. Her venom is one of the most potent venoms found on the planet. Only female Black Widows will bite humans. The males, who are brown and white in color, cannot bite because of their size.

The female Black Widow spider measures about 1/2 inch in length, with a shiny black body, long thin legs and large oval abdomen with a red “hourglass” pattern on the underside. Black Widows make their webs wherever there is water or other insects. They are common among the garages, patios, sheds, and storage areas of a home. Professional spider control methods are successfully used to eliminate them from around the home.

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Anthony Ball

If a regular mosquito was a smart car, than the gallinipper would be a Mack truck.

It’s the goliath of all mosquitoes. A biting bug that is so terrifying that it has emptied entire schoolyards of screaming children.

They are called gallinippers because it is believed they can nip a gallon of your blood. The worst part is that they are expected to invade South Florida in big numbers this mosquito season.

What Is A Gallinipper? 

We are headed to rainy season, and we all know that that means mosquitoes; and the largest blood sucking mosquito in the U.S. is the ‘Shaggy-Legged’ Gallinipper. The gallinipper, properly known as Psorophora ciliata, is easy to identify by its large size and the zebra-like pattern it has on it’s hairy legs.

Gallinippers favor cool shady areas with lots of standing water. These mosquitoes will lay their eggs in the soil, where they can remain dormant for several years before a heavy rain finally releases them. Adult gallinippers can fly upwards of two miles in search of a blood meal. Only female gallinippers bite, feeding on human or animal blood. They are also known to go after pets, wild animals and even fish. The voracious pests feed day and night–unlike everyday mosquitoes, which generally feed only at dawn and dusk.

The Gallinipper’s Bite 

The most notorious characteristic of the gallinipper is it’s extremely painful bite. When it bites you, you know it! One bite victim likens a bite to that of a tiny drill; another victim referred to a gallinipper bite as a stabbing knife. The gallinipper’s bite is strong enough to bite through clothing. Since the mosquito is so big, you’ll likely feel the gallinipper land on you before it is able to pierce your skin with it’s massive proboscis.

The mosquito got it’s name because of the amount of blood it can drink at any one time–gallinipper because it can nip a gallon of blood. The truth is gallinippers drink nowhere near a gallon of blood at one time. A victim would have to be attacked multiple times, by a huge swarm of gallinippers, before you would lose a gallon of blood.

How Big Is The Gallinipper? 

The gallinipper is twenty times bigger then the average mosquito; about the size of a quarter.

Palm Beach County Mosquito Control expert Gary Goode says “it really lets you know when it lands on you… It practically breaks your arm. It’s almost impossible for the gallinipper to sneak up on you.

Gallinippers Invading Florida 

Every summer, depending on the rainfall, the Sunshine state braces for the swarms of mosquitoes that plague the state… including the gallinipper. The mosquito’s eggs that were laid last year could produce a bumper crop of the blood-sucking bugs this summer if Florida sees a soggy rainy season.

When the live gallinippers swarm, the phones start ringing off the hook at Palm Beach County Mosquito Control.

The gallinipper is found in the western most; flood prone, parts of Palm Beach County during the rainy season.

The Bad News About The Gallinipper 

• Are huge and intimidating—20x larger than regular mosquito

• Feed on human and animal blood

• Painful bites

• Frequently emerge after rain—which Florida gets a lot of

• Mosquito repellent does little to ward off the gallinipper, mostly because you’d have to use an entire can of DEET bases repellent before the massive mosquito would ever notice it.

The Good News About The Gallinipper 

• Don’t occur in great numbers in Central or South Florida

• Because of it’s size, it’s almost impossible for the gallinipper to sneak up on you

• Are not known to spread diseases like West Nile Virus

• Lifespan is only about a week

• Eat the larvae of their smaller mosquito cousins

• Continually sprayed by Florida mosquito control professionals to reduce numbers

The Truth About The Gallinipper 

The reports by the local media have made it sound like swarms of gallinippers are attacking Florida residents, drinking gallons of blood, slaughtering people by the thousands. These reports sound like something out of a made for TV movie on the Syfy Channel.

Gallinippers do exist. They have painful bites. Florida residents might see one or two this rainy season. Like all other mosquitoes, they do require a consistent pest control strategy to control their populations.

The real truth is that gallinippers will not break your arm when they land on you, and they won’t drink a gallon of your blood. The term “gallinipper” isn’t recognized by most entomologists, but over the past century, the word — and the insect — entered popular legend through Southern folktales, minstrel shows and blues songs, according to a report from the University of Florida.

 

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Anthony Ball

Weekly Pest Control Links Round-Up

 

Top 10 Ways To Kill A Spider

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Are Mosquitoes Becoming Immune To DEET?

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Nevada Bedbug Laws

Many tourists and residents alike worry about Las Vegas bedbugs. Here are Nevada’s bedbug laws, just in case you experience the misfortune of a bedbug infestation. More… 

Pest Control Tip: Beware of Mites!

There are several different kinds of mites… the most notorious is the House Dust Mite. Mites can cause mild to severe skin irritation on you and your pets. More…

Protect Yourself From Ticks This Spring

Like many other pests, ticks will be re-emerging this spring; sucking the blood of unsuspecting victims. Know how to protect yourself. More…

Cockroach Sensitivity

Does the cockroach have a sixth sense? The answer might surprise you. More…

 

Pest Of The Week: The Gallinipper

 

Believed to have gotten its name from its ability to drink a gallon of blood, the gallinipper (Psorophora ciliata) is the largest bloodsucking mosquito in the US. These mosquitoes are about the size of a quarter, and are almost twenty times larger than the average mosquito. The have hairy legs marked with a zebra-like pattern.

Gallinippers can inflict very painful bites that can even pierce the skin through clothing. The female gallinippers feed on human and animal blood; and are even known to eat fish. Unlike common mosquitoes, gallinippers will feed all day long—not just during the dawn and dusk hours. The good news is these gallinippers do not spread diseases like West Nile Virus.

During the very wet rainy seasons, Gallinippers can be found in areas of Central and South Florida. Gallinipper eggs lay dormant in the Florida soil, until heavy rains will cause the eggs to hatch. After hatching, gallinippers will survive about a week. Just like the common everyday mosquito, gallinippers require pest control strategies to control.

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Anthony Ball

Bedbug Laws By State

 

With the serious increase of bedbug infestations over the past decade, many victims of such infestations are wondering what the bedbug laws are in their state. Currently, twenty-two states have bedbug laws in the books. Several other states have bedbug legislation, or yet to be passed bedbug laws. Here is a compiled list:

*** Disclaimer*** The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only, and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. These are the bedbug laws as of March 11, 2013, and can change. If  you feel that you have been a bedbug victim; whether landlord, tenant, or otherwise, please contact a licensed attorney who specializes in bedbug cases.

Alabama

Law	Definition
Alabama Administrative Code 420-3-11-.12 Insect And Rodent Control: Section 2	Guest rooms and other areas of a hotel found to be infested with bed bugs shall be subject to immediate closure until effective treatment, eliminating pests, has been administered. A State health official shall declare the problem abated before the room or area is reopened to guests.

Read more: http://www.alabamaadministrativecode.state.al.us/

 

Arizona

Law	Definition
Arizona Revised Code 36-601 – Public Nuisances Dangerous to Public Health.	Any place that offers sleeping accommodations, and has bedbugs, is a public nuisance and dangerous to human health.
Arizona Revised Code 9-500.31 Prohibition on adopting landlord tenant bedbug control requirements.	Arizona cities/town cannot regulate landlord-tenant bedbug controls. They can regulate disposal of bedbug infested materials.
Arizona Revised Code 11-269.11 Prohibition on adopting landlord tenant bedbug control requirements.	Boards of Supervisors cannot regulate landlord-tenant bedbug controls. They can regulate disposal of bedbug infested materials.
Arizona Revised Code 33-1319 Bedbug control; landlord and tenant obligations; definitions.	A landlord cannot knowingly rent a bedbug infested property to a tenant, and must provide tenants with bedbug literature.

Read more: http://www.azleg.gov/ars/36/00601.htm

 

California

Law	Definition
California Code Of Regulations 40- Bedding	Hotels, apartments, and linen supply companies must ensure all materials are bedbug free.

Source: https://law.resource.org/pub/us/ccr/gov.ca.oal.title25.html

 

Connecticut

Law

Definition

Sec. 22a-46. Short title: Connecticut Pesticide Control Act

In Connecticut, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) classifies each registered pesticide as either acceptable for general use or restricted use. Restricted use pesticides are recognized in the industry to generally cause unreasonable adverse effects on the environment. Restricted use pesticides may be applied only by a certified applicator or under the direct supervision of a certified applicator.

Read more: http://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap441.htm

 

Florida

Law	Definition
Florida Revised Code/Title VI/Civil Practice and Procedure/Chapter 83- Landlord and Tenant	The extermination bedbugs. When vacation of the premises is required for such extermination, the landlord shall not be liable for damages but shall abate the rent. The tenant shall be required to temporarily vacate the premises for a period of time not to exceed 4 days, on 7 days’ written notice, if necessary, for extermination.

Read more: http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?mode=View%20Statutes&Sub

 

Illinois

The State of Illinois and the City of Chicago is in the process of drafting bedbug laws. The city of Chicago was recently labeled the #1 infested bedbug city in the U.S. The new laws are expected to be voted on March 13, 2013.

Illinois Proposed Bedbug Laws

The presence of bedbugs is a public nuisance.

Bedbugs require pest control management done by a pest control professional.

Bedbug infestations require records to be kept on infestations and actions taken.

City and State employees will be granted access to the above mentioned reports.

Requires each condo and co-op to develop a plan for detection, inspection and eradication of bed bugs.

Regulates disposal of contaminated materials and sale of used mattresses and beds.

A sample plan for detection, inspection, and eradication of bedbugs will be posted on the State’s Department of Public Health website.

Laws will spell out both landlord and tenant responsibilities when it comes to bedbugs.

The Commissioner of Public Health has the power to enforce these laws.

Iowa

Law	Definition
Iowa Administrative Rule 138.13 Conditions For Migrant Labor Camps Permits	A migrant labor camp must have bedbug controls in place; and take effective pest control measures against any bedbug infestations.

Read more: http://law.justia.com/codes/iowa/2013/titleiv/subtitle2/chapter138/138-13/

 

Kansas

Law	Definition
Kansas Administrative Regulations Article 36 /28-36-77.—Food Service Establishments, Vending machines, and Lodging	The presence of bed bugs, which is indicated by observation of a living or dead bed bug, bed bug carapace, eggs or egg casings, or the typical brownish or blood spotting on linens, mattresses, or furniture, shall be considered an infestation. The presence of bed bugs shall be reported to the regulatory authority within one business day upon discovery or upon receipt of a guest complaint. All infestations must be treated by licensed pest control operator.
Kansas Administrative Regulations Article 4-27-9 Bedbugs Imminent Health Hazard	Bedbugs are considered a health hazard, which must be reported to authorities within 12 hours of detection.

 

 

Maine

Law

Definition

Maine Revised Statutes-Title 14: 6021-A. Treatment of Bedbug Infestation

Landlord must: Inspect the unit for bed bugs within five days of being notified by tenant of infestation, contact pest control agent within 10 days of determining there is an infestation, take reasonable measures to effectively identify and treat bed bug infestation as determined by pest control agent. The pest control agent must carry current liability insurance. Before renting a dwelling unit, a landlord must disclose to a prospective tenant if an adjacent unit is currently infested with or being treated for bed bugs; including the last time the property was inspected and labeled bedbug free. Landlord may not offer for rent a dwelling unit the landlord knows or suspects is infested with bed bugs.Tenants must: Promptly notify a landlord when they know of or suspects an infestation of bedbugs in their unit, and then grant the landlord and pest control agent access to the unit. Tenant must comply with reasonable measures to eliminate and control a bed bug infestation as set forth by the landlord and pest control agent or risk being financially responsible for all pest control treatments of dwelling unit arising from the tenant’s failure to comply.Law also provides bedbug remedies.

Read more: http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/14/14/title14ch0sec0.html

 

Michigan

Law	Definition
Michigan Administrative Code 400.57 Care Of Residents	Requires county infirmaries to implement procedures to prevent bedbug infestations and to take proper steps to eradicate existing infestations.

Source: http://www.ncsl.org/issues-research/env-res/state-bedbug-laws.aspx

 

Minnesota

Law	Definition
Minnesota Administrative Code 4625.1700 INSECT AND RODENT CONTROL	Every hotel, motel, lodging house, and resort shall be so constructed and equipped as to prevent the entrance, harborage, or breeding of bedbugs, and specific means necessary, for the elimination of such pests such as cleaning, renovation, or fumigation shall be used. The commissioner may order the facility to hire an exterminator licensed by the state to exterminate pests when:A. The infestation is so extensive that it is unlikely that a nonprofessional can eradicate the pests effectively; orB. The extermination method of choice can only be carried out by a licensed exterminatorC. Upon re-inspection, it is found that an establishment has not been brought into compliance with a prior order to rid the establishment of pests.
Minnesota Administrative Code 4665.2300 INSECT AND RODENT CONTROL	Every supervised living facility shall be so constructed or equipped as to prevent the entrance, harborage, or breeding of bedbugs. Cleaning, renovation, or fumigation by licensed pest control operators for the elimination of such pests shall be used when necessary.

Read more: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/rules/?id=4625.1700&keyword_type=al

 

Nebraska

Law	Definition
Nebraska Administration of Rules & Regulations Title 175, Ch. 2, 004 SANITATION	Boarding homes must be built to prevent the infestation of bedbugs, and pest control operators can be used to treat infestations.
Nebraska Administration of Rules & Regulations Title 175, Ch. 3, 004 HEALTH AND SAFETY REQUIREMENTS – GENERAL	Health care facilities must be built to prevent the infestation of bedbugs, and pest control operators can be used to treat infestations.

Nevada

Law	Definition
Nevada Revised Code 447.030 Extermination	Any room in any hotel in Nevada that is infested with bedbugs shall be thoroughly fumigated, disinfected and renovated until such bedbugs are entirely exterminated.
Nevada Revised Code 444 Sanitation	In a camp, proper bedbug prevention measures must be taken.

Read more: http://www.leg.state.nv.us/Division/Legal/LawLibrary/NRS/NRS-447.html

 

New York

Law	Definition
Revised Statute New York City Administrative Code 27-2018.1 Notice of Bedbug Infestation History	A property’s bedbug infestation history for the previous year, regarding the premises rented by the tenant, and the building in which the premises are located, shall be furnished to each tenant.
New York Education Code/Article 19 MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICE 920. Public Schools	Public schools; infestation of bedbugs1. In a city school district having a population of one million or more inhabitants, the principal of each public school shall provide immediate notification to parents, persons in parental relation or guardians of potentially affected students attending the school, disclosing a findingrelating to the infestation of bedbugs in such school; provided, however, that if pursuant to regulations of the commissioner it is determined that any infestation is contained within a discrete area, the principal may limit such notification to parents, persons in parental relationship or guardians of all potentially affected students within such area, and shall advise the parents’ association of the scope of such notification.2. Along with the notification required pursuant to subdivision one of this section, the principal of such public school shall also include information regarding proper procedures to prevent further infestationsat the school and to prevent the transfer of bedbugs. Such information shall be developed by the board of education in consultation with other city agencies and shall be available in various languages as deemed necessary.3. The principal shall ensure that the bedbug infestation at the school is properly addressed in the most effective and safe manner.

 

Ohio

Law	Definition
Ohio Revised Code 3731.13 Bedding, floors, and carpets must be kept sanitary	Hotel bedding must be kept sanitary and bedbug free.

Read more: http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/3731.13

 

Pennsylvania

Law	Definition
Pennsylvania Code 82.15 Insect Control	Measures must be taken and in place to eliminate and prevent bedbug infestations at farm labor camps.

 

Rhode Island

Law	Definition
Rhode Island Administrative Code 25-3-24:7 Rules & Regulations Relating To Pesticides	Certain restricted bedbug pesticides must be certified for commercial use.

Read more: http://www.dem.ri.gov/pubs/regs/regs/agric/pestrg06.pdf

 

South Dakota

Law	Definition
South Dakota Administrative Code/44:02:08-Vacation Homes	A vacation home establishment must be constructed, equipped, and maintained to prevent the entrance, harborage, or breeding of bed bugs. Specific means necessary for the elimination of such pests, such as cleaning, renovation, or fumigation, must be used. The department may require the facility to hire a professional exterminator to exterminate pests.

Read more: http://legis.state.sd.us/rules/DisplayRule.aspx?Rule=44:02:08:05

 

Texas

Law	Definition
Texas Revised Code Sec. 341.011. NUISANCE	Bedbugs are a public health nuisance.
Texas Revised Code Sec. 341.012. ABATEMENT OF NUISANCE	(a) A person shall abate a public health nuisance existing in or on a place the person possesses as soon as the person knows that the nuisance exists.(b) A local health authority who receives information and proof that a public health nuisance exists in the local health authority’s jurisdiction shall issue a written notice ordering the abatement of the nuisance to any person responsible for the nuisance. The local health authority shall at the same time send a copy of the notice to the local municipal, county, or district attorney.(c) The notice must specify the nature of the public health nuisance and designate a reasonable time within which the nuisance must be abated.(d) If the public health nuisance is not abated within the time specified by the notice, the local health authority shall notify the prosecuting attorney who received the copy of the original notice. The prosecuting attorney: (1) shall immediately institute proceedings to abate the public health nuisance; or (2) request the attorney general to institute the proceedings or provide assistance in the prosecution of the proceedings, including participation as an assistant prosecutor when appointed by the prosecuting attorney.

Utah

Law	Definition
Utah Administrative Code Rule R392-200. Design, Construction, Operation, Sanitation, and Safety of Schools.	Effective measures intended to minimize the presence of bedbugs on the premises shall be utilized. The premises shall be maintained so that propagation, harborage, or feeding of is prevented.

Read more: http://www.rules.utah.gov/publicat/code/r392/r392-200.htm

 

West Virginia

Law	Definition
West Virginia Revised Code 16-6-16 Bedbugs	In every hotel, any room infected with vermin or bedbugs shall be fumigated, disinfected and renovated until said vermin or bedbugs are extirpated.

 

Wisconsin

Law

Definition

Wisconsin Administrative Code Department Health Services 190.08

(5) PEST CONTROL(a) Screens. All windows and doors used for ventilation purposes shall be provided with wire screening of not less than number 16 mesh or its equivalent and shall be properly maintained to prevent entry of insects. Screens for windows shall cover at least one third of the window area. Screen doors shall be self closing.(b) Eradication. All means necessary for the elimination of rodents, flies, roaches, bedbugs, fleas, lice and other householdpests shall be used. Extreme care shall be taken in the use of poison to prevent accidental poisoning of domestic animals and people.(c) Labeling and storage of poisonous compounds. Containers of all poisonous compounds used in the extermination of rodents or insects shall be prominently and distinctly labeled for easy identification of contents. Poisonous compounds shall be stored independently and separately from food and kitchenware.

Read more: https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/code/admin_code/dhs/190.pdf

 

*** Disclaimer*** The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only, and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. These are the bedbug laws as of March 11, 2013, and can change. If feel that you have been a bedbug victim; whether landlord, tenant, or otherwise, please contact a licensed attorney who specializes in bedbug cases.

Other Sources:

http://www.pestworld.org/media/3309/statebedbuglawsasofaug262011_2_.pdf

http://www.ncsl.org/issues-research/env-res/state-bedbug-laws.aspx

http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/ppdc/bedbug-summit/2011/2-gh-summittalk.pdf

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Anthony Ball

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

Haven’t you heard? According to popular belief we eat spiders at night while we sleep! Is this possible? Do we eat spiders while sleeping? Granted some spiders are very very small. It is believable that small spiders may be able to slip into your mouth and stomach unnoticed. But one Florida Exterminator argues otherwise:

You may well have heard this idea being thrown around all over the place: apparently we unwittingly swallow a steady diet of spiders in our sleep. As our mouths loll open, passing arachnids find themselves strangely compelled to crawl in, where we cheerfully gulp them down without knowing. Makes you shudder doesn’t it? Well before you start wearing a surgical mask to bed, you’ll be pleased to hear that this is just an urban legend.

Over the past few years, the idea has been trotted out all over the internet and beyond. Some sources say the average is seven in an entire lifetime, while others insist it’s eight in a single year. Even the lowest estimates are significantly higher than the true figure – zero.

http://www.mcdonaldpestcontrol.com/tampa-pest/pest-control-experts-set-it-straight-we-do-not-eat-spiders-in-our-sleep/

The writer proceeds to give a short history on the origins of this myth. Great read. The point that he underscored that most professional spider exterminators will appreciate is this, Why would a spider travel into your mouth? Most spiders don’t just wonder around aimlessly. Many spiders will rarely leave their webs. Those that do travel about at night are often hunting spiders. So perhaps you swallowed a fly, and you don’t know why. So you swallow a spider to catch the fly… Kidding. Really great article by our fellow exterminator. Bulwark Exterminating gives you two thumbs up.

Back to the question at hand, now that we have some opposing views. What do you think?

Do we eat spiders at night?

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So just having a little fun here, but I decided to test some popular lines and slogans adding a pest control twist…

Out of the Strong came forth pest control.

Bug Tested, Mother Approved.

Have pest control your way.

Good to the last bug.

Is it Live or is it pest control?

Taste Great, Less Bugs.

The lighter way to enjoy pest control.

Why have cotton when you can have pest control?

Obey your exterminator.

Let your bugs do the walking.

The pest control that smiles back.

The future’s bright. The future’s pest control.

I am a defensive wall.  – (Bulwark)

Don’t bumble with the B.

Licensed to kill. Literally.

I kill things for a living.

Buenas Noches Roaches.

Hey… It’s FRIDAY! Hope you have a rocking weekend.

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These tiny ant pests are called “crazy,” because they scramble randomly, at speeds much greater than the average house ant. They are called “hairy,” because of the tiny fuzz that covers their body, making their abdomen look less glossy; than other ant species. Regardless, neither of the two designations (crazy or hairy), paint a comforting picture for residents at risk; of a Crazy Hairy ant invasion.

 

Already well-established and constantly on the move, these ant pests have disable huge industrial plants and invaded homes, urban centers and rural areas in Florida, Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana; and now North Carolina. Although the cost of Charlotte ant control treatments can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars per year, damaged equipment and related costs associated with production loss; can quickly exceed those modest figures.

Making matters worse, if one Crazy Hairy ant gets electrocuted, its death releases a chemical, that summons other Crazy Hairy ants to attack the threat. In fact, one exterminator said “…  if a hundred-thousand are killed, millions more will follow.” Tom Rasberry, who found the first Texas specimens of the Crazy Hairy ant species (in the Houston area in 2002), conducted a remarkable test site with an experimental ant control product. In thirty days he observed and recorded two inches of dead ants, covering an entire half an acre. “It looked like the top of the dead ants was just total movement from all the live ants on top of the dead ants.”

As these ants travel from state to state in cargo containers, hay bales, potted plants, motorcycles and moving vans, officials are eager to discover new treatment solutions; to battle the “crazy” invaders. In Texas, state officials have temporarily approved two effective chemicals, to help control the ant invaders. Other states, like Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana and North Carolina, are also actively searching for new pest control methods, to prevent the spread of the Crazy Hairy ant invaders.

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