Q: I service a school with a tick problem. There is a 30×30-foot area covered in mulch with playground equipment. It is surrounded with a chain-link fence. Three sides have brushy vegetation, and the fourth side is paved. I’ve treated the vegetation on the three sides with a residual, but the kids are still picking up American dog ticks. I won’t spray the mulch, so what can I do about this area? J.T., KS
A:You are right not to treat the mulch. It’s unlikely ticks will breed or even live in the mulch. They probably migrated from the vegetation before you treated it. I suggest heating the mulch. Either bag it in black plastic to heat in the sun or steam the mulch with a portable steamer. If you can get the temperature up to 115 degrees F for 15 minutes or so, you’re likely to kill all stages.
Q: Powderpost beetle exit holes have recently appeared in a 40-year-old hardwood floor. The frass is fresh so the condition is active. There is a full basement below, which contains a turtle pool that is about 10 feet in diameter. The frass feels gritty so I believe an Annobiid is the cause. Am I correct? Why has this infestation just appeared? How should I treat it? J.B., AR
A:I suspect the water from the turtle pool caused an increase in wood moisture. If the wood moisture content reaches 14 percent or more, you have perfect conditions for Annobiids. If the frass has no grittiness but is smooth
like talcum powder, you have a Lyctid infestation. A moisture meter can help determine if the moisture is excessive. Dry out the basement (which might mean eliminating the turtle pool) to get the wood moisture content to less than 14 percent. That should eliminate the infestation. No further treatment is necessary. You might treat the ceiling rafters and subfloor above with a borate. Don’t treat the finished surface of the hardwood because borates will not penetrate the finish. If the homeowner is anxious, fumigation can stop the infestation immediately, but you’ll run the risk of the infestation returning if the moisture condition remains high.
Q:We are debating getting a dog for bed bug detection but are unsure of how reliable they are. Just how good are dogs at bed bug detection? Will an old infestation “trick” them? J.O., CT
A:Recent studies show dogs to be very accurate if properly trained. In tests conducted at the University of Florida, dogs were found to have an accuracy rate between 95 and 98 percent. However, those tests were conducted under laboratory conditions. Field conditions present a greater challenge. A field study in New Jersey shows that dogs can be less than 50 percent accurate and detect what amount to “false positives” (alerting when no bed bugs are present).However, this study revealed that the key to successful detection is the handler — not the dog. The best handlers were ex-military dog handlers or police officers with extensive dog training experience. The study also shows that dogs rewarded with treats and/or play performed the best. Scents from live bed bugs are lost within an hour of bed bug removal. Dried, shed skins, when crushed will cause dogs to alert, but that wouldn’t be a problem
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