Paper Wasp Nest

Paper Wasp nest

One of our technicians recently brought this paper wasp nest back to the office.  These nests are commonly found under eaves of homes or buildings.  Paper wasps build their nests by gathering fibers from dead or decaying wood and plants.  They chew up the fibers and mix them with their saliva to make a paper-like material (the wasp version of paper-mache).  The nests of paper wasps have open combs with cells for their young and a constricted stalk that anchors the nest.  These wasps secrete a chemical that repels ants which is spread at the base of the anchor.
Although paper wasps are less aggressive than other bees, hornets, and yellow jackets, they will attack if their nest or the wasps themselves are threatened. 
Twenty-two species of paper wasps have been identified in North America and approximately 300 species have been identified worldwide.  However, if you include the species of subfamilies that also make paper nests, there would be closer to 1100 species!

Paper Wasp-photo from rivaitphoto.com

Mid-Georgia's Newest Employee

Exciting things are happening at Mid-Georgia Pest Control!  We are happy to share with you the newest addition to the Mid-Georgia family:

Brenden Aden Vick was born to proud parents Joey and Hannah on October 19, 2011.  Brenden weighed in at 8 lbs, 13 oz and was 22 in long.

Congratulations Joey and Hannah  on  your healthy, handsome little man!

Bat Cleanup

A customer in Milner, GA recently found droppings on the air conditioner outside his home and also heard screeching sounds from upstairs.  Our team found bats in the gable vents of the house.  A water-hot sauce mixture was used to run the bats out of the house and the gable vents were sealed from the outside.  We then gave the guano, or bat excrement, about three weeks to dry out.  At that time, all of the guano and contaminated insulation was removed and new insulation was placed.

New insulation and no more contamination.  Great job, Chris Jones!

Bat droppings can carry a fungus known to cause Histoplasmosis, which primarily affects the lungs.  It is important to take the right precautions when cleaning up guano, such as wearing a respirator, coveralls, gloves, and goggles.  Because of the health risks posed by guano, do not attempt to clean it yourself.  If you find you have bats, give the experts at Mid-Georgia Pest Control a call!

Halloween and Spiders

Mid-Georgia's pet tarantula

     With Halloween approaching, there's no doubt you've seen decorations with spiders and spider webs.  They have been the stars of many "scary" movies like "Arachnophobia" and "The Giant Spider Invasion."  It's no surprise that we group spiders in with the other symbols of fear like witches, ghosts, and monsters around Halloween.  After all, arachnophobia, or the abnormal fear of spiders, is one of the most common specific phobias.  For many of us, just thinking about a spider on us can make our skin crawl!  In reality, by Halloween, when there's a chill in the air and colorful leaves all over the ground, most spiders have laid their eggs and died.  During fall and winter, a few spiders may still be found hiding in a dark corner of the house or basement, but they are not running rampant like we portray in our "haunted houses."

Interesting facts about spiders:
-they are found on every continent worldwide except for Antarctia
-there are approximately 40,000 species of spiders
-they have 8 legs
-unlike insects, spiders do not have antennae
-they have the most centralized nervous system of all arthropods
-most detect their prey by sensing vibrations and they mostly prey on insects and other spiders
-most have 4 pairs of eyes
-females are usually larger than the males
-they have been around for over 200 million years

     Despite our fears, most spiders only bite humans in self defense.  The effects of a spider bite are usually no worse than a mosquito bite or bee sting.  A few spiders that can produce medically serious bites, such as recluse and widow spiders, are actually shy and bite only when they feel threatened.  Unfortunately, this can happen by accident.

brown recluse spider (photo from Wikipedia)

black widow spider (photo from Wikipedia)

     Spider venoms are being investigated for beneficial uses such as an alternative to conventional pesticides and medical treatment for cardiac arrhythmia, Alzheimer's disease, strokes, and erectile dysfunction.
Spiders are also part of people's diets in other parts of the world and cooked tarantulas are a delicacy in Cambodia.  I'm not so sure I want this to appear on McDonald's menu any time soon!
    Even though the average spider is not something to be fearful of, enjoy the spooky spiders this Halloween and maybe you'll even see a few cute ones.

   

Earwigs

photo from Wikipedia

Earwigs have been around since the late Triassic period, but they were introduced into North America in the early 1900s.  These insects get their name from an old myth that they crawled into people's ears while they slept and burrowed into the brain.  In reality, earwigs are not really harmful to humans.
Earwigs can be easily identified by the long forceps pincers extending from the back of their abdomen and their membraneous wings.  The pincers in the male are curved while the female's pincers are more straight.  They are mostly noctural and prefer dark, moist areas such as leaf piles, bark, or weeds.  They eat other insects, flowers, seedling plants, soft fruits, and corn silks, so they have been known to cause damage to crops.
The male and female will mate in the fall and live together in debris, crevices, or soil about 2.5 mm deep for the winter.  In early spring, the male will leave or be driven out by the female.  Shortly after, the female will lay 20-80 eggs in 2 days.  The eggs are white or cream colored and oval shaped.  They will turn more brown and kidney shaped right before hatching (about one week from being laid).

female with her eggs (photo from Wikipedia)

female with new hatchlings (photo from Wikipedia)

 
Unlike many insects, the female earwig is very maternal, watching over her eggs and offspring until after their second molt (it takes 5 molts to reach adulthood).  The mother will also continuously clean her eggs to protect them from fungi. 
Reducing possible hiding places such as debris, heavy ivy vines, or wood piles especially around your garden can help to control problems with earwigs.