Conducive Conditions: Black Widow Spider Gathering Place
This electrical transformer unit is not an unusual sight just outside the back door of a commercial kitchen. Its location makes it a popular meeting place for employees to have a quick smoke and a cup of coffee. While this... Read more»
Did You Know: Africanized Honey Bees
African honey bees (Apis mellifera scutella) were first brought to Brazil in the 1950s to increase honey production. In 1957, 26 swarms escaped and headed north, mating with established colonies of European bees (A. m. ligustica and A. m. iberiensis). The... Read more»
Conducive Conditions: The Tiny Jungle
From the street or sidewalk, this newly refurbished office building appears well landscaped and free of pest problems. However, as plant growth accelerates during warmer months, the problems just barely visible now will be concealing the perfect pest harborage developing... Read more»
Conducive Conditions: The Treetop Superhighway
In North America, we usually soften the architectural lines of our homes and buildings with landscape plants and shrubs. Rarely is consideration given to the size the plants and shrubs will reach at maturity, however. Sometimes they end up growing... Read more»
Conducive Conditions: Shutting Down the Cockroach Condo
This is a common sight in homes and businesses — an area for snacks to enjoy while taking a moment of rest during a busy day. Even though it appears relatively clean, the clutter and access to structural cracks and... Read more»Did You Know: Meadow Mouse
The meadow mouse, Microtus pennsylvanicus, isn’t a mouse, it’s a vole. It’s also known as the field mouse and meadow vole. The common name is misleading because the morphology of the animal classifies it as a vole. Meadow voles don’t... Read more»
Ride Along: Big Box Store Bird Control
Today I join my husband, Jeff, aka “the Pest Coach,” in a ride along to revisit a bird control account he helped manage several years ago. A lot has happened since his last visit: The store has changed general managers... Read more»
Conducive Conditions: Back Off On the Foam
Expandable foam is a great household product for quick, inexpensive repairs for air and some water leaks. However, as a crossover product for pest exclusion, it’s not great. It doesn’t weather well, shrinks and crumbles as it dries out, and... Read more»