A termite colony is divided between three castes; workers, soldiers, and reproductives. The role of the workers is to nourish the remainder of the colony, care for the young, groom, construct tunnels, colony repairs, and will help defend the nest. The workers are the caste that eat the wood or any other material that contains cellulose, such as cardboard and newspaper. They then digest the wood, and break it down into nutrients that the soldiers and reproductives feed on by way of secretions from either the mouth or anus.

The soldiers are a relatively small group within the colony, not nearly as numerous as the workers. They are called soldiers because their duty is to defend the colony. Visually, they are much different than the workers, having a large head and large mandibles. They depend on the workers for food.

The last caste are the reproductives. They continually reproduce and directly promote colony population. They also rely on the workers for food. A termite colony will have a King and Queen, both are called primary reproductives. However, if one or the other dies, secondary reproductives can take his/her place. Secondary reproductives are also responsible for the high rate of population growth in a colony. When environmental conditions are right, a colony will populate itself with alates. Alates are primary reproductives that leave the colony to establish a new one. These are what create termite swarms. Once they leave the existing colony, survival is not likely. I have read that maybe 1% of the tens of thousands in the air live to attempt a new colony.

Keep in mind that termites are very soft bodied. That means they are affected by temperature and exposure. If it’s too hot or too cold, it will destroy the insect. That is why in the summer here termite activity is relatively low. When it becomes cooler, termites come to the surface to feed more readily. Higher temperatures also mean less moisture, and moisture is absolutely essential to termites. Since the valley is so dry, termites have to stay further under the soil during the toasty months to retain adequate moisture.

So keep a keen eye on your homes from September through the end of the year and be sure to look for the mud shelter tubes that subterranean termites create. Often times you’ll find them on the stem wall of your home just beneath the lip of stucco. Other problem areas are any expansion joints in your garage. Also, look at your interior walls, behind paintings and any large furniture that you keep against the wall like an entertainment center or armoire.

I’ll touch more on termites and identification of activity in the next posting. And yes, I am well aware that I was late with this one…tsk, tsk. To make up for it, I’ll try to squeeze one in even before this month is over. Thanks for stopping by, I’ll speak with you soon.

Yours in Small Business

Nathan

Most of the pain associated with cockroaches comes from the assumption that if there are cockroaches, it is unsanitary. Many homeowners are concerned about diseases associated with the pests. Most commonly, cockroaches are associated with allergens that affect humans. Severe cockroach infestations can trigger asthma in people susceptible to cockroach created allergens. Here in the Mesa, AZ area we often encounter American cockroaches within our customers’ homes. And to be honest, seeing one American roach in the home does not warrant an infestation. In fact, it’s possible the homeowner doesn’t even have a problem. American roaches will find their way into the home through windows and doors quite often and at night. However, should a regular sighting of live roaches go untreated, the homeowner puts the home at risk of becoming infested.

Professionally treating cockroaches will ensure the safety of the customer by designing a specific treatment method utilizing very deliberate applications and safe products. Homeowners put themselves at risk by frequently setting off bug bombs that can expose them unnecessarily to heavy amounts of pesticides by simple inhalation or drifting of the insecticide to food prep surfaces. Using these products continuously will not control the problem and can be potentially harmful. Most of these bug bombs are only contact kill insecticides and will only kill what pests it comes in contact with at the time of release, there is no residual. Professional treatments implement safe procedures with the proper residual and a plan to address the problem at its core.

Homeowners can alleviate cockroach pressure by removing excessive moisture and food sources and, of course, maintaining a sanitary environment. Pet food and water, leaky pipes, infrequently used drains are all areas of potential activity. Addressing these issues with the proper application of baits and residual products will yield extremely positive results in cockroach control.

According to the Tenth Edition of the Handbook of Pest Control (2011), these factors contribute to ant populations:

1. Poor Sanitation

2. Excessive moisture and the resulting damage

3. Cracks in the foundation of the structure

4. Excessive mulch

5. Stacked tile, lumber, bricks and various debris

6. Ornamental plants infested with homopteran insects (honey dew secreting insects that ants tend to for food)

Homeowners should be aware of these factors and they should be addressed accordingly. Rectifying these issues will aid in the control when coupled with a professional treatment.

In Arizona, the most commonly feared scorpion is the bark scorpion. Bark scorpions are unique because they curl their post abdomen (tail) to the side and flat on the ground while at rest. The bark scorpion is relatively small, generally reaching around 2 inches in length from the head to the tip of the stinger and possessing a very thin tail. Bark scorpions are solitary creatures, but can live next to other bark scorpions, mistakenly suggesting a scorpion “nest.” Scorpion infestations are rare, but often in the summer months valley homes are susceptible to high scorpion pressure.

These scorpions will try to find their way into more moderate temperatures, thus actively seeking entry into the home. In the yard, scorpions will look for preferably moisture rich areas, but take refuge under rocks and other shelter bearing debris such as stacked tile or dead palm leaves. Further, scorpions are hunters and look for other insects to eat. If other pests are not managed, it is possible to attract hungry scorpions. Here are some tips for preventing scorpion issues:

1. Remove any debris or harborage sites from the yard that may attract scorpions

2. Make sure there are no leaks or excessive moisture issues

3. Remove any trash or organic matter that may attract scorpion food source

4. Implement professional pest control methods to manage scorpions and their food source

5. Seal any breaches in the home’s envelope that risk scorpion access or have the home professionally sealed

6. Regularly use a black light to find and remove scorpions

We provide general pest control, specific scorpion control methods, home sealing, and black lighting. Following the aforementioned steps will help to greatly reduce scorpion populations around your home. If you have questions, please give Cummings Pest Control a call at 480-994-9599 for service in Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa and surrounding areas.

Aside from the house mouse, pack rats and black rats (roof rats) are of great concern to homeowners in the valley. Rats are capable of causing damage to the home and creating amazingly unsanitary conditions. Both of these rats are adept at exploiting breaches in the home’s envelope merely the width of your thumb. Once inside, the insulation within the wall and attic provide perfect nesting material. Pack rats notably drag miscellaneous debris from the exterior into the home and hoard it around the nest generally for protective purposes. An example of this is a pack rat nest in the desert packed tight with cholla cactus. Beyond unwanted debris within the walls and ceilings of the home, allergens contained within rodent feces can incite asthma and other detrimental effects. Once a rodent establishes residence, the animal defecates right where it lives and when we provide Phoenix rodent control, the next is often where we discover in the highest concentrations.

Rodents spend much of their time gnawing. In fact, the term rodent is an evolution of the French verb meaning “to gnaw.” It is true that rodent incisors continually grow. In order to keep the teeth manageable, rodents use two methods. They grind the top and bottom incisors, and they find materials to gnaw. Rat teeth are incredibly strong and a stubborn rat will have no problem taking on anything from asphalt to lead. As a result, if the home harbors a rat, it is at risk of severe wire, conduit, and plumbing damage. Many of us are also familiar with the damage a rodent can do when it seeks shelter within the engine of our vehicles.

Outside of the home, two of the most popular areas for rodents to build nests are at the pool equipment and the HVAC unit. Both areas generally provide substantial shelter and protection. The HVAC unit is attacked on two fronts. The first, often we’ll find a burrow under the concrete pad the unit sits on. Second, the most damaging occurs when the rodent finds its way directly into the unit. Once inside the unit, the rodent fills it with debris and undoubtedly seeks wires to gnaw.

Naturally, residents experience heavy rodent pressure in the valley. There are some things the homeowner can do to properly control rodent activity:

 1. Make sure the yard is free from debris that can be used as nesting material (i.e. sticks, dog droppings, leaves, etc.)

2. Remove any fruit from the ground and actively remove fruit ripe to pick

3. Correct any potential harborage sites such as stored stone and tile

4. Correct any excessive moisture and standing water

5. Seal food and pet food appropriately

6. Properly store garbage

7. Implement a professional control method using rodent bait in secure bait stations

8. Inspect your home regularly for any signs of activity or access points in the home

9. Hire a Scottsdale rodent control professional to inspect (especially the areas that are difficult to get to, i.e. attic)

Safe Treatment

Treating a nest of bees appropriately is important to keep the home and the residents safe. By neutralizing the bees, we can eliminate the threat of being stung. If the problem is treated immediately, the homeowner can also prevent potential honey and wax issues at a later date. If the colony becomes established, there is sure to be a large wax structure potentially made up of thousands of cells. Large groups of cells are called combs. These cells serve two purposes, they house the young developing bees and they are also used to store honey. The thousands of bees continuously fan the combs with their wings preventing it from getting too hot and melting. If a colony of bees is killed there will be no airflow and the wax and honey will melt in the hot Arizona summer. This mess could cause damage to drywall and attract ants, beetles, and various other pests who wish to capitalize on this tasty treat. It is important that the homeowner is aware of the potential circumstances when the decision is made to have the colony treated. We can then remove the combs and honey if necessary.

Types of Bees

Keep in mind, bee stings are linked to commotion within the immediate vicinity of the nest, including vibrations and direct contact. If there is a lot of activity around a nest, the bees are likely to get agitated and interpret the activity as a threat. Both a standard European Honey Bee and an Africanized Honey Bee (AHB) will sting to defend the nest. The difference largely rests in the behavior of each species. AHBs are much more aggressive than their European counterparts, actively defending the nest within 100ft. and often times pursuing the threat over several hundred feet.

AHBs are a frequent topic of discussion amongst our customers because of the bees’ frightening dispostion. The entire state of Arizona is within the distribution range of

This is what can happen if you don't treat be invasions properly. These combs were found in an attic, causing major problems.

AHBs and as a result there is interbreeding with the European bees. When customers encounter bees, they want to know if the bees are Africanized. I tell them some degree of Africanized in many of the colonies we encounter is likely, but without the proper identification equipment and process we cannot be sure aside from gauging the level of aggression.

Being proactive can help prevent bees from finding their way into your home. Make sure the home is sealed appropriately, noting the eaves and any area where the stucco and stem wall of the home meet that may be open to the wall interior. Should bees become an issue, after we treat, we will also seal the area to prevent future infestations.

Ants are social insects that live in colonies which include one or more queen ants, worker ants, eggs, larvae, and pupae. The worker ants maintain their nests and forage for food. Nests protect the ants against enemies and protects them against the elements; often nests are close to water and food sources. When worker ants find a food source, they lay down a trail pheromone that tells other worker ants where to find the food. Ants have a wide food range, feeding on sweet foods, protein foods, greasy materials, starchy substances. They may feed on and all kinds of plant and animal materials.

There are two types of ant treatment available based on the ant problem. Ants may live outside and forage inside your home or ants that already have a nest built inside.

Ants that live outside will travel inside the home to search for food. You will want to find access points such as cracks and crevices, which should be caulked and sealed. Also clean around entry points with a detergent and spray a non-repellent insecticide. The types of ants that establish colonies inside homes may be argentine ants, crazy ants, odorous house ants, pavement ants, pharaoh ants, thief ants, and carpenter ants. Spraying a residual repellent insecticide for ant control may only provide a short-term pest control. However, the use of ant bates can be extremely effective. The ants will feed on the ant baits and take it back to the queen, killing the entire colony

If you suspect you may have a colony of honey bees in your house, try to observe and note the opening in your outside walls being used by the bees. Look near the foundation line of your home, under your deck, in your attic rafters, any other areas that may provide a way for honey bees to get into your home.

Removing honey bees from inside any of the above spaces is a time consuming process that is best to have done by professionals. You can do it yourself, but only if you know what you are doing and use extreme caution.

It is important that all honeycomb and its contents be removed. Bits of wax left behind give off highly attractive odors that will attract other bees looking for a new home. If the nest is not removed, the wax cells may melt and seep through interior walls and ceilings, leaving permanent stains.

Contact us or give us a call and we’ll promptly be at your property with the industry’s leading products and methodologies to neutralize any threat that the bees may pose.

We use an Infrared (IR) Camera to locate areas that are hot or cool, allowing us to diagnose a potential issue before it becomes a serious problem. Concerning pest control, we utilize thermal imaging to discover gaps in your home’s envelope that allow pests to access the interior.

Thermal Imaging is the latest tool to aid the detection of accessible areas for pests in walls, under floors, and ceiling cavities.

Thermal Imaging Can:

Conduct non invasive, non-destructive inspections

Reduce time in trying to locate openings and threats

Allow the technician to pinpoint areas of suspicion

Assists in determining a more accurate treatment procedure

Some things you can do to control pests:

• Keep a clean home, this is the best way to keep pests away
• Clean up food and drink spills right away
• Remove clutter to reduce the places for pests to hide
• Seal food containers properly and put your pet’s dishes away overnight
• Keep trash in a closed container
• Ensure there are no water leaks
• Seal cracks and holes around baseboards, shelves, sinks, and bathroom fixtures
• Use roach baits properly and only if necessary. Good spots for baits are next to walls, baseboards, under sinks, in cabinets and near plumbing fixtures.

A safe alternative to traditional pest control is integrated pest management (IPM), which Cummings Pest Control uses to remove pests, like cock-roaches, mice, and rats from a home. IPM aims to:

Deny pests food, water, shelter and a way to enter the home

Use baits and powders, such as gel baits and traps

IPM is safer and does not use as many harmful pesticides as traditional pest control. Pesticides can contain long lasting, toxic chemicals or lung irritants. IPM strategies apply pesticides only as needed and use the least hazardous pesticides to control pests.

Integrated pest management is better than traditional pest control at keeping the roaches and other pests away for long periods of time. IPM works by addressing the cause of the problem and taking along-term approach to reducing pests.