Pest Of The Week: Black Carpenter Ant

The Black Carpenter ant (a species of Carpenter ant), is the most common Carpenter ant pest in the United States. Although they do not eat or digest wood, Black Carpenter ants will tunnel through wood causing structural damage. They are distinguishable from other Carpenter ant species by the dull black color of the head and body; as well as white-yellow hairs on the abdomen. All castes of this species (including the major and minor workers, queens, and males) are black.

Black Carpenter ant workers are most active at night, foraging up to 100 yards in search of food; leaving a chemical (pheromone) trail. The Black Carpenter ant does not sting, however larger worker ants can administer a sharp bite, which may become further irritated by the injection of naturally produced formic acid. With regards to other ants, the Black Carpenter ant is fiercely territorial.

Friday Links Round-Up

I’m Even Thankful For These

Our friends at pestcontrolphoenixaz.net give us some insight on a few things they are thankful for this Thanksgiving.

Rodent Protection: Proofing And Control For The Fall

For a few great tips on keeping rodents out of your home this fall, including leaving food out, removing clutter, and managing excess vegetation, click here.

Bird Pest Control for Gregarious Grackles

Like most other birds, Common Grackles come together in huge flocks in late summer and fall. They wander in search for food. Grackles are black birds that look a little longer. They have a taller and longer tail than a typical blackbird. More… 

What’s Bugging You This Holiday Season?

Here are just a few tips to help you keep the sugar ants, little black ants and any other kind of ants away from your kitchen this Holiday season. More… 

San Francisco To Track Bedbugs’ Trails

The city of San Francisco aims to give the city a more accurate picture of where these blood-sucking bedbugs lurk. More…

Related articles

• 10 Things Pest Control Operators Are Thankful For This Thanksgiving
• Exterminating the Pests in Your Life.
• Pests Your Thanksgiving Turkey Might Eat
• The Least You Need to Know About Bedbugs

Anthony Ball

10 Things Pest Control Operators Are Thankful For This Thanksgiving

1. Customers. First and foremost, pest control operators are grateful for our customers. They are the reason we get up in the morning. Whether we’ve been servicing their homes for years, or just happened to help out during a one time pest emergency, we are thankful for each and every one of our customers.

2. Hardworking Employees and Technicians. Whether our pest control company is large or small, our employees and technicians are it’s backbone. The best employees have a positive attitude, are organized, and are self motivators. They can make or break our business.

For the 10 qualities of outstanding pest control employees, click here.

3. Gas Prices Dropping. Depending on where you are operating your pest control business, gas prices have dropped significantly; as much as 50 cents a gallon since the end of summer. Gasoline is now averaging $3.41 a gallon nationwide. While filling our service trucks isn’t cheap, even small drops in gas prices are significant.

4. Pest Control Research and Investments. As pest control operators, we understand that the pests we treat on a daily basis are constantly evolving. They are becoming more and more resistant to our treatment plans and immune to our pesticides. Continued research in the field is needed so the world’s pest control operators can stay one step ahead of the pests.

PCO’s are thankful for this $1 million commitment to pest control.

5. Power Sprayers. Gone are the inefficient days (and sore arms) of using the pump can to service a property; and are we ever grateful!

For the top 5 steps to avoid sprayer hose problems, click here.

6. Break From The Long Hot Summer. The summer of 2012 brought us record heat. Not only were we out in the heat servicing properties, this long hot summer also allowed the bugs we treat to have multiple breeding styles. According to this article, these conditions hurt American farmers and have increased food prices. 

7. Technology Advancements. The innovation of smartphones and other technologies is enabling pest control operators to work more efficiently; making our lives easier and helping our industry go green. Read about Bulwark’s efforts here. 

8. Equipment Repair Kits. There is nothing more frustrating than being on a service call and have a piece of equipment breakdown. Equipment emergency repair kits allow us to make timely repairs while on the job, this saving our bacon!

For the top 10 pest control equipment productivity tips, click here.

9. Pest Control Software. Finding the pest control software that is right for you makes all the difference. When you find the right fit, it enables PCO’s to email customers, route, schedule, invoice, and manage accounts. What a blessing!

For tips on navigating the pest control software maze, complete with reviews, click here.

10. Customer’s Expression of Gratitude. When a customer leaves you a positive review and congratulates you on a job well done, it makes you feel good. After all, that’s why we’re in business… to serve our customers.

Happy Thanksgiving!

All of us here at Bulwark Pest Control would like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. This Thanksgiving, make sure you take a moment and reflect on the many things you have been blessed with. Spend a lot of time with family and close friends, eat way too much food, and watch a lot of football.

Related articles

• A Thankful Thanksgiving
• Planning Thankfulness into Your Thanksgiving Celebration
• Happy Thanksgiving
• Apartment Pest Control – Rent.com | The Shared Wall
• Pests Your Thanksgiving Turkey Might Eat

Thanksgiving Turkey

The turkey has been a staple of Thanksgiving since the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Natives ate it for their first Thanksgiving in 1621. Thanksgiving is colloquially called “Turkey Day” since turkey is the most common main dish of the holiday.

This year alone, American turkey growers have raised 270 million turkeys; which will correspond to the five billion pounds of turkey Americans will eat this Thanksgiving. That’s a lot of turkey!

While Americans love eating their turkey for Thanksgiving, turkeys equally love eating all sorts of bugs. Turkey’s raised on farms traditionally eat corn and seeds, but wild turkeys love eating insects and other creepy crawlies in order to get much needed protein. Some may even consider enlisting a turkey for scorpion control. (Have it your way, bugs or bird poop. Or call a professional.)

But really, as a bug guy, the whole turkey dinner thing got me thinking:

What would a turkey’s dinner look like on Thanksgiving?

Appetizer

A rustic arrangement of escargot featuring the Leopard Snail

Salad Course

A lovely Flowering Dogwood salad tossed with North American Millipedes

Main Entrée

A large assortment of raw Grasshoppers, Field Crickets, and Black Carpenter Ants, served with a side of Wolf Spiders, and generously garnished with Dandelion.

Dessert

A delectable Earthworm Mud Pie sprinkled with Chiggers.

For Bulwark’s complete list of what turkeys eat, click here.

Happy Thanksgiving!

With Thanksgiving fast approaching, and the holiday season is in full swing, Bulwark Pest Control would like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! No matter what your plans are or where you’ll be, there are many things to be thankful for. Take some time this week and reflect on all of your many blessings. Watch a lot of football, enjoy the company of your loved ones, and eat way too much pie. Have a Happy Turkey Day!

Related articles

• we’re talking turkey…
• How We Celebrate Our Thanksgiving Dinner
• Turkey Time
• 5 Tips for Thanksgiving Break

Anthony Ball