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BIRD & BAT PROBLEMS? PEST CONTROL CENTER CAN HELP |
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Crop Destroying Stink Bug Moves Closer to Valley
The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug, Halymorpha, halys, first arrived in the United States around 1997 in shipments arriving from Asia in Allentown Pennsylvania. First Collected and identified there it has since multiplied by the square and made its presence made known in a big way. With no significant natural enemies on the North American continent and being an excellent hitch-hiker and a strong flier it has now spread to both coasts and has been sighted in 38 states (up from 33 in 2011) and the District of Columbia. In states where it is well established its numbers are in the millions and growing. In autumn it invades homes and businesses by the dozens to thousands as it seeks shelter from the cold winter weather. If disturbed or crushed it emits a foul substance that smells like a cross between cilantro and dirty socks. But BMSB is more than a nuisance. The list of host species for the insect is long. It feeds on cultivated plants as well as weeds. It's feeding causes significant damage to field and orchard crops, making the products unmarketable as fresh produce. Losses to home gardeners, farmers and orchardists in the Mid-Atlantic have been from 25 to 100 percent with revenue losses in the millions.
Eggs and First Instar Nymphs, Image by: The Bugwood Network |
The species has become well established in Northwestern Oregon and Southwest Washington where it has become a serious concern to orchardists and vintners. Just last month specimens were collected in the southern Oregon towns of Rogue River and Hood River. It has also been sighted in Southern California.
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Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Adult - USDA Photo |
Currently the US Department of Agriculture is studying a tiny parasitic wasp from BMSB's native range that may be an effective means of control. The adult female wasp lays her eggs in the eggs of the stink bug. The wasp larvae feed on the bug's eggs killing them. The current USDA studies aimed at ensuring that the wasp doesn't present a danger to native organisms should take about two years.
The adults are shield shaped, approximately 1.5cm long and the underside is white or pale tan, sometimes with gray or black markings. The legs and antennae are brown with faint white banding. The stink glands are located on the underside of the thorax, between the first and second pair of legs. If you believe you have seen a Brown Marmorated Stink Bug capture the specimen and submit it to your local county extension as soon as possible for identification.
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SUMMER 2012 COMMERCIAL NEWS |
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Dear (Contact First Name),
During these challenging economic times lots of folks have elected to discontinue pest control services due to financial concerns. Unfortunately pests don't take a break and may even increase because of real estate that has been abandoned or neglected. Be sure to continue protecting your business from damage or contamination due to pest infestation by employing the services of a pest professional, even if it means a less frequent schedule. If monthly service isn't feasible for you, consider a bi-monthly or even a quarterly service. This way you maintain at least some control until business improves.
Because there is a lot of misinformation circulating about the Brown Recluse Spider we have included an article explaining the facts about this feared arachnid. You may find the information useful in the event that a tenant, customer or visitor complains that he or she has been bitten while on one of your properties.
Sincerely,
Your Pest Contol Center Team
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Diagnosed With a Brown Recluse Bite? Get a Second Opinion
 | | Photo by: Eddie McGriff, University of Georgia |
The Brown Recluse Spider, Loxoxceles reclusa; Just the name of it makes people shudder. The mere thought of being bitten by one can make your heart race, and for good reason. This spider's venom has the potential for a type of severe tissue damage that is progressive and slow to heal.
According to sources at the Centers for Disease Control there are roughly 10,000 spider bites reported each year and approximately 2,000 of those are from Brown Recluse spiders. There are some problems with these statistics.
- The Brown Recluse Spider only occurs in two regions of the United States, the Central (or Deep) South, the Midwest and a few other, small localized areas. The species simply does not exist in most of the country. For California residents, the diagnosis of a recluse bite in our state has a very high probability of being a misdiagnosis, since the spider does not naturally occur here. The only exception might be one where a recluse was contained in a shipment coming from its native range. This would be a rare occurrence. Note: There are some brown, fiddle-back spiders that are native to California which mimic its appearance. They are capable of producing symptoms similar to the Brown Recluse. These are the Desert Recluse, Loxosceles deserta and the South American (dot), Loxosceles laeta. Both of these occur in some of the counties located in southern third of our state.
- The species is called the Brown Recluse for a reason. It is very shy, preferring to hide in dark, undisturbed areas of homes and buildings or outdoors under rocks or other debris.
- They prefer to escape when threatened and only bite if handled, pinched or squished.
- Most bites from this spider heal quickly. A small percentage of bites results in massive tissue necrosis.
 | | Brown Recluse Damage, CDC Photo |
- There are bacteria that can cause similar necrotic damage if they enter even a slight wound. Spider bites cannot be diagnosed by simply looking at the damage. For a positive diagnosis of a brown recluse bite the spider must be captured and positively identified as a Brown Recluse, by an entomologist, arachnidologist or trained pest control professional.
If you've been diagnosed with a Brown Recluse bite, be sure to get a second opinion and have a pest professional inspect the location where you think you encountered the spider. Perhaps he or she can collect and identify it.
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Proper Lawn Watering
 In recent years California has experienced lower than normal rainfall, resulting in our governor declaring a drought. Although, always a concern, water use has, in recent years, become an issue that is front and center. One of the major uses of water is irrigation and of all the plant materials in our landscapes, turfgrasses use the most. In order to conserve water, limit fungal diseases and promote the over-all good health of your lawn, the following practices should be incorporated:
1. Deliver 2 to 1 1/2 inches of water to your lawn weekly.
2. Water in the hours just prior to dawn to reduce loss due to excess evaporation, yet allowing the moisture to evaporate from the leaf blades in the early part of the day. This aids in reducing the incidence of fungal disease. Alternating watering days is another way to allow proper drying to discourage disease.
3. Water on alternating days, three days per week: Divide the amount of time it takes to deliver the required amount of water by three. This tells you the amount of time to water each of those three days.
4. Rather than deliver the entire daily amount of water at once, divide your watering up into two or three cycles of your system. This will minimize runoff and maximize absorbtion.
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Pest Control
Center Has a Blog!
Stay informed on pests and related topics. go to:
http://www.pestcontrolcener.com/blog/
and feel free to offer your own feedback.
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Sacramento & Surrounding Areas: (916) 344-4400
