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A Man Causes An Explosion Trying To Kill Cockroaches

December 18, 2018mktgAdmin Austin Cockroach Control Cockroach Control Dallas Cockroach Control Houston Cockroach Control San Antonio Cockroach Control Austin Cockroach Control Dallas Cockroach Control Houston Cockroach Control San Antonio Cockroach Control

A Man Causes An Explosion Trying To Kill Cockroaches

When it comes to exterminating insect pests, sometimes it is best to call a professional. You would think that operating a can of bug spray would be a straightforward matter, and certainly not dangerous. However, you may want to rethink that as a man from Australia nearly blew himself up recently after using a can of bug spray to kill a few cockroaches.

In fairness, the explosion was not caused solely by the can of bug spray; instead, it is believed that the man had lit a match in his home after spraying his entire house with bug spray. Unfortunately, the man did not see fit to read the directions on the can of bug spray. If he had read the directions, he would have surely noticed the warning concerning the highly flammable aerosol. Unfortunately, he did not, and as a result a significant amount of property damage occurred. The man sustained lacerations to his hand and head. Due to his injuries, the man was sent to the hospital for treatment. Luckily, the property damage did not go beyond the kitchen area, and the other inhabitants of the house are in good health. Hopefully this roaches were killed in the explosion.

In other less exciting cockroach-related news, two children from Milwaukee have been rescued from a home with an extensive cockroach, bed bed bug and rodent infestation. According to the sheriff the two kids were three and eight years old. When police arrived at the home they discovered the children with nothing on except for shirts, and the home smelled like feces. The children were only noticed because police were attempting to serve their parents with court papers. Child protective services were immediately contacted in order to relocate the children to a safe home. The house has now been handed over to the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s office as evidence of child neglect.

Do you use bug spray regularly? Do you think that a bed bug infestation could be harmful to children?

The Iconic Moth Species That Squeaks

December 17, 2018mktgAdmin Austin Pest Control Dallas Pest Control Houston Pest Control Pest Control San Antonio Pest Control Austin Pest Control Dallas Pest Control Houston Pest Control San Antonio Pest Control

Butterflies and moths both belong to the Lepidoptera order of insects. Butterflies are one of the most beloved insects due to their colorful and delicate wings, but moths are, well…not so beloved. It goes without saying that moths are not the most fascinating of insects, and they certainly are not what most people would consider to be beautiful. However, there exists one particular moth species that many people may already be familiar with, and most would agree that this species possesses objective beauty due to the unique skull-like design located above its wings. For those of you who have not already guessed, this moth species became iconic following its appearance in the acclaimed film entitled The Silence of the Lambs.

While this moth’s appearance is well known to most people above the age of 30, very few people know its species name. Surprisingly, even entomologists are largely in the dark concerning this species nature, as it was last described by researchers during the early 1900s. The moth species in question is officially known as Acherontia atropos, or the death’s head hawkmoth, as it is more commonly known. In addition to being unique for having a skull-like design on its back, this moth species also produces an audible squeaking sound in order to deter predators.

The skull-like design on this moth species’ back explains why several past cultures regarded this insect species as an omen of death. What may be even more interesting than this moth’s natural design, is the squeaking sound it makes in order to scare away predators. Despite the fierce look of these moths, their squeak is just about the only form of defense that they possess. The death’s head hawkmoth is one of several moth species that produce squeaks in order to repel predators. These moths produce their squeaking sounds by rubbing specialized body parts together, similar to how crickets and cicadas produce their sounds. The last time that this moth was studied was back in 1920, but the study was published in German, which is part of the reason why this species was forgotten in the english speaking world. Now, researchers are excited to study this moth in order to better understand how it produces its squeaking sounds.

Have you ever seen a picture of a death’s head hawk moth?

The Plant That Dissolves Insects Before Consuming Them

December 14, 2018mktgAdmin Austin Pest Control Dallas Pest Control Houston Pest Control Pest Control San Antonio Pest Control Pest Control Austin Pest Control Dallas Pest Control Houston Pest Control San Antonio

The Plant That Dissolves Insects Before Consuming Them

Some people are really into gardening, but there are many more people who find plants to be rather boring. Plants may be largely stationary, and they may not be as fun to have around the house as a dog or a cat, but plants are just as alive and just as hungry as any other pet. It is difficult to imagine plants as consuming living animals, even animals that are as small as insects. But such plants do exist, and they are known as carnivorous plants. One of the most well known types of carnivorous plants is the venus flytrap, but the plant known as the sundew is far more brutal in its treatment of insect prey. Sundew plants consume insect prey by first melting them with a corrosive enzyme. Some species of sundew require near constant feeding which can wipe out nearby insect habitats.

There are hundreds of sundew plant species in regions all around the world. Most sundew species are found in Australia, but the state of Florida is also home to sundew plants. Sundew plants vary dramatically in size depending on the species. Some sundew plants reach sixty centimeters in height. Sundew plants are covered with tentacles that appear to be water droplets or forms of dew. The appearance of these tentacles easily deceives curious insects. If an insect makes contact with the sticky tentacles that cover sundew leaves, they will likely not be able to escape. Once an insect is stuck in the tentacles, other tentacle-covered leaves come together in order to clasp the unfortunate insect, successfully trapping the it. The leaves slowly move together like hands squishing a bug. Sometimes one single leaf will roll up like a carpet in order to prevent an insect’s escape. The tentacles release an acid and an enzyme that liquifies the captured insect, which provides the plant with its required nutrients. Later on, the sundew leaf will unroll in order to discard the dead insects partially remaining outer shell.

Sundew plants can consume a variety of different insects provided that they are small enough in size. Some people cultivate sundew plants and feed them different types of insects. The most common insects fed to sundew plants include fungus gnats, fruit flies, ants, crickets and even small spiders. However, some ants and spiders may successfully escape a sundews plant’s dangerous tentacles. Sundew plants have even been used by farmers to control damaging fruit fly pests. Recent research has revealed that sundew plants compete with spiders for insect prey. In Florida pink sundew plants compete with wolf spiders for tasty arthropod meals. And the competition is reportedly quite intense.

Have you ever witnessed a carnivorous plant consume an insect in real life or on an educational program?

An Animal Uses Millipedes As A Form Of Medicine To Fight Parasites

December 12, 2018mktgAdmin Austin Pest Control Dallas Pest Control Houston Pest Control Pest Control San Antonio Pest Control Austin Pest Control Dallas Pest Control Houston Pest Control San Antonio Pest Control

While humans are clearly the most mentally advanced group of animals that exist, some animals can show a degree of ingenuity that no human could ever match. For example, entomologists have been studying a millipede species that produces its own insecticides in order to repel predators. What may be even more impressive than this millipede, is the lemur that makes use of this millipede’s toxins for its own defensive purposes.

It is never wise to put a millipede in your mouth, as they are notorious for the harmful toxins they produce, but for red-fronted lemurs, this may be a good idea. Back in November of 2016, animal behaviorist Louise Peckre stumbled upon a lemur that was chewing millipedes that it had found on the ground. However, the lemur did not swallow the millipedes; instead, it rubbed the chewed pieces of millipede carcasses all over its body, particularly around the genital area. As it happens, the lemur may be doing this in order to kill and repel intestinal parasites by means of the millipede toxins.

Peckre witnessed this lemur’s bizarre behavior at Madagascar’s Kirindy Forest. In all, the lemur consumed three giant millipedes after rubbing a good portion of their ground body parts on its bottom half. By the time the lemur ceased this act, its entire bottom half had become completely soaked with a frothy mix of saliva and ground millipede parts, including, and most importantly, the millipede’s toxins. Later that very same day, Peckre witnessed identical behavior in two more lemurs in another area of the park. Although this behavior has never been witnessed before, Peckre and several of her colleagues believe that the lemurs were using the Giant Millipede’s toxins to combat intestinal parasites. This theory is in line with knowledge already gathered concerning the Giant Millipede’s insecticide-like toxins. The giant millipede produces these toxins in order to repel enemies, and the lemurs are using the millipedes for largely the same purpose. It also makes sense that the lemurs would focus on their genital area, as parasites exiting the their backside are killed while laying their eggs over the lemur’s toxin-soaked skin. The toxin with insecticidal properties is known as benzoquinone, and researchers are using it to develop insecticides.

Do you know of any other insect species that has been documented as self-medicating?

You May Unknowingly Walk Over Termite Colonies Everyday

December 11, 2018mktgAdmin Austin Termite Control Dallas Termite Control Houston Termite Control San Antonio Termite Control Termite Control Termite Control Austin Termite Control Dallas Termite Control Houston Termite Control San Antonio

You May Unknowingly Walk Over Termite Colonies Everyday

Termite induced-destruction is devastating to people’s homes solely because infestations are hard to spot. Our homes can become infested with termites numbering in the thousands. Any other type of insect would certainly be noticed if they were to congregate in groups of this size. It could be said that termites are the most elusive of all insects on earth. But how often do you see termites? Probably never. In fact, most people may not even know what termites look like. However, termites are so numerous that you probably walk over subterranean termite colonies quite often without ever realizing it. In the United States there are around thirteen to fourteen termite colonies per acre. This is why a home may have one, or several termite colonies thriving below it. Now it does not seem surprising to learn that termites are the most economically devastating insects in America. If your home is situated above a termite colony then a home infestation is likely. But even if termites do infest your home, it could be years before you learn of the insect intrusion. This is why certain areas of your home should be regularly monitored for a termite presence, and inspections should be carried out at the recommended frequency.

Of all the rooms in a typical home it is the bathroom that termites find the most hospitable. Since subterranean termites require a significant amount of water in order to survive, a humid bathroom makes for an ideal habitat. Bathrooms have pipes that lead into the dirt below a home’s foundation. These pipes often leak, which easily attracts subterranean termites to a home. Once termites begin to infest a bathroom they have no problem receiving their much needed moisture since most people take humid showers daily. Termites have been known to feed on the wooden beams that support heavy porcelain bathtubs. Falling through your subfloor during a relaxing bubble bath could ruin your whole week. If you suspect termites in your bathroom then simply have an inspection done by a licensed professional.

Have you ever suspected a termite infestation in your bathroom?

An Opossum Infestation Within A Restaurant Kitchen Is Dismissed As No Big Deal By The Owner

December 10, 2018mktgAdmin Austin Wildlife Control Dallas Wildlife Control Houston Wildlife Control San Antonio Wildlife Control Wildlife Control Austin Wildlife Control Dallas Wildlife Control Houston Wildlife Control San Antonio Wildlife Control

Most people would like to believe that wild animals do not run loose within their favorite restaurants, and normally such a concern would be dismissed as ridiculous by any restaurant owner. However, one restaurant owner sees no problem in allowing his restaurant kitchen to become a haven for opossums, and as you can imagine, customers of this restaurant found this admission on the part of the owner to be disturbing to say the least. Not long ago, a former employee of My Noodle & Bar in Richmond, Virginia posted pictures online that show two opossums within the restaurant’s kitchen. According to the employee, one of the pictured opossums lived within a storage bucket in the kitchen “for quite some time.” Surprisingly, when the owner was confronted with this damning evidence, he admitted to knowing about the opossum presence and did not seem concerned about it.

The pictures showing opossums within the kitchen of My Noodle & Bar are posted on Imgur under the username of Zadddydaycare. Since the photos were posted two weeks ago, another former employee of the establishment confirmed that the photos are accurate. This former employee, Sammi Lanzetta, claimed that she and her coworkers at the restaurant removed an opossum on one occasion, but she also claimed that the restaurant violated health codes regularly.

The owner of the restaurant, Joe Kiatsuranon, claims that there was once an opossum within the eatery but it was never found in the kitchen. However, the photos clearly show two opossums in the restaurant’s kitchen. Kiatsuranon also claims that the opossum was found “like three months ago,” but the photos also challenge this claim. A few days after the owner made these claims, he sent a message to the news station that had been reporting on this story in an effort to clear up the confusion. In the message the owner claimed that a wild animal presence in his restaurant and nearby buildings are common due to the old age of the structures. While it is true that the restaurant exists in an old structure within a historically notable area of town, most Richmond residents have not found the owner’s excuse convincing. The owner also claimed that the restaurant was safe to eat at, as his own family and friends eat at the establishment regularly.

Have you ever discovered a wild animal within a restaurant that you worked at in the past?

Groundhogs in Texas

December 7, 2018mktgAdmin Austin Wildlife Control Dallas Wildlife Control Houston Wildlife Control San Antonio Wildlife Control Wildlife Control Austin Wildlife Control Dallas Wildlife Control Houston Wildlife Control San Antonio Wildlife Control

Groundhog Day is pretty well established in the United States at this point. Every year people gather round to see if the chosen groundhog pops out of his hole and predicts whether we will see Spring soon or have to endure more of the winter cold. Of course, Bill Murray related jokes and memes are also pretty standard accompaniment in today’s world. However, not everyone is as enthusiastic about Groundhog Day and the animal’s prediction as others. While people rejoice when the prediction runs in the favor of Spring arriving, a sign (even a superstitious one not actually based in science) that winter is still going to be around can ruin the celebration. Some people don’t like to hear any news that isn’t good news.

One lawmaker in Texas decided there was an easy way to fix this. In 1949 Texas lawmaker, Representative Lamar A. Zivley, put forth a proposal that would take care of the Groundhog Day question forever. His “simple resolution” involved murdering all of the groundhogs in an effort to be rid of the “much unhappiness and woe” connected to the holiday. Zivley brought forth proposal H.S.R. 37, a resolution designed to encourage and make it legal for all Texans to wage war on groundhogs, their “ground-dwelling oppressors.” Zivley speaks of the people of Texas needing to be ever alert to any groundhog that might be trying to peep its head out of its hole and possibly see its shadow, which will bring further stress after a cold winter. Texans are to “encourage” groundhogs to stay in their holes with any means necessary. He makes the impassioned plea, “[W]e urge our friends in Texas to arm themselves with proper and sufficient equipment, baseball bats and otherwise, to prevent this infamous creature from coming out of his hole and causing further distress and suffering to the people of our State, especially in Central Texas.”

The tongue-in-cheek resolution also included a section calling for Texas to support expansion throughout the state of the Temple-based “Ground Hog Beaters Association.” Not everyone took this bald-faced bit of satire well, with Rep. Phillip L. Willis calling the joke an affront to House procedure. However, when Willis replied that, “This sort of thing is just encouraging more costs,” Zivley simply retorted, “I appreciate your feelings on the economy,” Zivley retorted. “But I’d appreciate it if the House would pass this resolution and end this business.” In the end, the motion was tabled, although the vote was closely contested. Zivley later revealed that it was the editor of The Temple Telegram, Harry Blanding Jr. that enlisted his support in introducing the resolution.

Have you ever come across a law that passed or was considered that is this absurd relating to wildlife or pest control?

A Cockroach And Its Egg Were Found In A Man’s Ear, And A Doctor Left It There

December 5, 2018mktgAdmin Austin Cockroach Control Cockroach Control Dallas Cockroach Control Houston Cockroach Control San Antonio Cockroach Control Austin Roach Control Dallas Roach Control Houston Roach control San Antonio Roach Control

A Cockroach And Its Egg Were Found In A Man’s Ear, And A Doctor Left It There

At this point nobody should question whether or not bugs can crawl into a person’s orifices while sleeping, as there exists several credible news reports that describe this very occurrence. Recently a twenty five year old man from Florida reported to the hospital in order to have one of his ears examined. The man had been battling a roach infestation within his apartment unit for a long period of time before one of the little buggers found its way into his ear while he slept. The man, Blake Collins, claimed to have woken up one morning to an intense pain within his inner ear. Collins immediately, and correctly assumed that the pain was being caused by a cockroach. The pain was described as feeling like a Q-tip being forcefully shoved into his ear. Collins quickly realized that there was nothing that he could do to remove the roach from his ear. Normally Collins may not have known what was wrong, but given his own history with roaches in his apartment, he was sure that the culprit was a roach. As it turned out, Collins was right, but a roach was not the only thing that was found deep within his inner ear canal.

Once Collins reported to the emergency room, a doctor injected a lidocaine-containing solution into his ear with a syringe. Lidocaine is a numbing agent, so luckily removing the roach was not too painful. Collins claimed that the roach began to panic after the lidocaine solution was injected into his ear. Apparently, the roach began to frantically move its six legs in an attempt to dig itself out of his ear. After a few moments of struggling, Collins heard a faint squeal, and two minutes later, the roach died. At this point the doctor told Collins that he was safe from injury, but the doctor did not remove the roach; instead Collins was given instructions on how to remove the dead roach himself. However, before Collins was discharged, the doctor shared a piece of disturbing news with him–his inner ear also contained a roach egg. The doctor noticed the egg while examining Collins ear. The egg was located behind the roach. It is a good thing that Collins seeked medical assistance quickly, or else the egg may have developed into larvae while in his ear. Of course, the egg was no longer viable. Hopefully Collins managed to get both the roach as well as the egg out of his ear without much trouble.

Would you feel comfortable removing a dead roach and its egg from your ear on a doctor’s orders, but without medical assistance?

A Historically Significant Church Was Barely Saved From A Massive Termite Infestation That Took 14 Years To Eradicate

December 4, 2018mktgAdmin Termite Control Austin Termite Control Dallas Termite Control Houston Termite Control San Antonio Austin Termite Control Dallas Termite Control Houston Termite Control San Antonio Termite Control

St. Patrick’s Church was constructed back in 1838, and since then, the church has had its share of structural issues. During the Civil War the church caught fire, and a hurricane that struck New Orleans in 1915 shattered all of the structure’s stained glass windows. Unfortunately, in 1965, the windows had to be replaced again after Hurricane Betsy devastated the city. While these structural issues required significant amounts of money and work to correct, nothing can compare to the damage inflicted by the Formosan subterranean termite infestation that was discovered in the church back in 1983. Eventually, the termite infestation was eradicated, and the church was restored to its original glory, but only after the termites put up a 14 year fight that ended up costing hundreds of thousands of dollars in control and repair costs.

When the termite infestation was first discovered in the church, the destructive insects had already managed to infest every nook and cranny of the structure. In fact, termites were found infesting newly installed wood from a renovation that had just been completed on the roof of the church’s bell tower. The termites clearly had no problem scaling the 185 foot bell tower in order to access fresh wood. Later it was found that numerous termite colonies had been infesting several of the old mechanical clock faces located several floors above the streets of New Orleans. As a result of these infestations, one of the clocks had fallen from the structure only to crash on the street below. Luckily, nobody was hurt, but this incident led church officials to have the clocks replaced with fiberglass replicas.

Over the years, St. Patrick’s Church has undergone numerous renovations due to termite damage. In an effort to save the church, parishioners had Louisiana State University entomologist Gregg Henderson apply bait traps within the structure. During the eradication strategy, old wood was replaced with new wood at a cost of 200,000 dollars. St. Patrick’s Church remains standing today, but some experts believe that termite infestations still exist in the church’s roof due to the presence of termite mud tubes.

Have you ever set foot within a structure that had become compromised by a termite infestation?

How A Giant Spider Walks On Water

December 3, 2018mktgAdmin Austin Spider Control Dallas Spider Control Houston Spider Control San Antonio Spider Control Spider Control Austin Spider Control Dallas Spider Control Houston Spider Control San Antonio Spider Control

The ability to traverse along the surface of water is not shared by very many animals. There exists a few lizard species that can travel on water in order to catch insect prey, but it is the large-bodied arachnid known commonly as a fishing spider that demonstrates the most impressive talent for crawling on water. What makes fishing spiders unique compared to other water-walking animals is their ability to sink or remain buoyant at will. In fact, a fishing spider can survive for as long as a half an hour submerged beneath the water’s surface.

Numerous species of fishing spider exist, all of which have adapted to crawling on water, with the exception of one tree-dwelling species located in the southeast United States. These spiders are semi-aquatic and are the only arachnids that have adapted to walking on water. Another arthropod species commonly known as the water-strider is also able to traverse the surface of water, but these arthropods are technically insects, and they are considerably smaller in size than fishing spiders. Fishing spiders look similar to any other large and hairy land-dwelling spider species, but they possess hydrophobic hairs that allow them to remain buoyant at all times, no matter the speed at which they travel.

Fishing spiders dwell near streams and other small waterways in order to hunt and consume prey. These spiders catch prey by waiting to spot ripples in the water created by the movements of other flying insects as they make contact with the water’s surface. Once a fishing spider sees these ripples arrive at a stream’s bank, it lunges directly toward its prey without sinking. The water is a benefit in that it helps these spiders avoid predators, as a fishing spider can willingly descend beneath the water’s surface by encapsulating itself within an air-bubble. Most fishing spiders rely solely on insects for sustenance, but some species can grow large enough to consume tadpoles and even frogs.

Have you ever spotted a fishing spider or a water strider within a waterway?

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