Fun Fact Friday

Fun Fact Friday: courtesy of my 6 yr old

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Picture Wednesday

Latest picture blog post from the Mid-Georgia Pest Control website


http://www.midgapestcontrol.com/wordless-wednesday/

                                                                    Credit: Don Robida
                   

Grain Beetles

It's an unpleasant surprise to open your pantry and find bugs all in your stored food.  There are several species of pantry pests that can infest your food.  Visit our website to see information about grain beetles, one of these pests! http://www.midgapestcontrol.com/grainbeetles/

 

Christmas Beetle!

Photo courtesy of brisbaneinsects.com

I came across this beetle and thought I'd share.  It is the Anoplognathus species of beetle from the Scarabaeidae family.  These beetles are native to Australia and are common around Christmas time, giving them the common name, Christmas beetle.  There are about 35 species of Christmas beetles, ranging in size from 20-30mm.  They come in a variety of colors, including brown, green, yellow, and pink, and they are often metallic or iridescent.  The legs of Christmas beetles are clawed and covered in barbs.


Photo credit: Cyron Ray Macey from Brisbane, Australia; wikipedia.org

Larvae live underground and feed on plant roots and decaying vegetation.  In late winter or early spring, larvae move closer to the soil surface and pupate.  After several weeks, adults emerge.  They wait for rain to soften the soil, then burrow their way out.  Adults fly to a nearby plant source to feed and mate.  Eucalyptus leaves are one of their favorites, and swarms can defoliate whole trees in a few days.  Waves of emergence can occur from late November through February, Australia's summer season.

Holiday Hitchhikers in your Christmas Tree

Thanksgiving is behind us and the leftovers are finally gone.  The signs of the Christmas season are all around.  For many of us, that means time to put up the Christmas tree.  One of my all time favorite movies is "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation."  After getting the tree up, the Griswolds find an unwanted guest: a squirrel.  Chances are you would notice something like that before bringing your tree inside, but there are some less noticeable pests that might be hiding in your tree.

Although problems are rare, bringing in a real Christmas tree can also bring in extra guests for the holidays.  Most of the pests that are sometimes found are not a threat to you or your home.  If fact, they will most likely stay unseen on the tree or die because of lack of appropriate food, warm temperatures, and low humidity.  However, the warmth of the indoors can sometimes increase their activity.  Some common pests found are aphids, mites, scale insects, adelgids, bark beetles, spiders, and praying mantid eggs.



Cinara aphids; photo courtesy of ncsu.edu

To help prevent any holiday hitchhikers, thoroughly inspect your tree for signs of any of the pests mentioned above.  Small holes in the trunk with sawdust trails are a sign of bark beetles.  Vigorously shake the tree before bringing it inside.  This will help to remove many insects.  Check for bird nests as they may contain bird parasites such as mites and lice.  Egg masses of praying mantids are sometimes found.  Remove the twig with the mass on it and place it in an evergreen tree or shrub outdoors.  The warmth of your home may cause the eggs to hatch.  Vacuum up any pests that become active and leave the tree.  Do NOT use aerosol insect sprays.  They are flammable and should not be sprayed on the Christmas tree. 


Praying mantid egg case; photo courtesy of ncsu.edu

     

What Ate My Sweater?

As the cold weather approaches, we all start to get out our warm sweaters and coats.  To the dismay of some, they will find their winter wear has been the buffet for carpet beetles while they were packed away.  Actually, the beetles are not the problem.  It's the larvae that can cause irreparable damage to your belongings.  In the past, this pest was a problem in woolen carpeting, giving them their name "carpet beetles."  However, they do not feed on the synthetic fibers of most of today's carpets.  They do, however, feed on other items of animal origin, such as stuffed animals, woolen or cashmere fabrics, food products, and feathers.



Black Carpet Beetle and larva; photo courtesy of www.plantdiagnostics.umd.edu

The two most common types of carpet beetles are the black carpet beetle (shown above) and the varied carpet beetle (shown below).  Black beetles are oval shaped, while varied beetles are more rounded.  Black beetles are solid black or dark brown.  The larvae are covered in golden brown hairs and have a "tail" of long hairs.  The varied beetle has splotches of white, yellow, and gray creating a calico pattern.  The larvae are covered with rows of light brown hairs and are more teardrop shaped than the black beetle larvae.



Varied Carpet Beetle; photo courtesy of www.whatsthatbug.com



Varied Carpet Beetle larvae; photo credit: Jim Kalisch; www.entomology.unl.edu

To help prevent carpet beetles, thoroughly clean clothing before storing it for the off season.  If storing clothing in a box, seal all corners and openings or use airtight containers.  For clothing in closets, cover each individual item with a plastic cover.  You can also control carpet beetles by cleaning up spilled food and accumulated lint and hair or fur.  Common sites for eggs to be laid include areas where dead insects occur, accumulations of lint in air ducts, along edges of carpeting, and underneath baseboards.   

Although these pests do not bite, sting, or carry disease, they can cause a great amount of damage.  Also, some people are allergic to the hairs on the larvae.  Contact with them may cause a reaction that looks like bed bug bites.