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Ant Problems
Widespread
Does it seem like your home is being overwhelmed by ants?
You're not alone. According to a Gallup poll, ants are the number
one pest complaint in the entire United States.
 The first ants that invade a home
are "scouts" looking for food or water. One they find
what they are looking for, they take some back to the colony,
leaving a scent trail as they go that other ants follow. Sweets
attract some kinds of ants, and protein foods attract others.
A few species actually switch back and forth--one day going for
sugar, and the next day ignoring all sweet things and heading
straight for greasy food items.
You don't have to give these pests what they're looking for,
so remember to keep your food in sealed containers, and clean
up crumbs, grease, and spills of liquids. Also keep your kitchen
garbage container sealed and cleaned.
Ants also come inside looking for a comfortable place to nest.
When it's too hot, cold, wet, or dry outdoors, they may prefer
your nice temperature-controlled dwelling.
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"Robo-Roach"
in Testing Phase
Believe it or not, Japanese researchers recently developed
a prototype "Robo-Roach"--a cockroach with a surgically
implanted microrobotic backpack that allows researchers to control
its movements.
With a remote control, the researchers send signals to the roach's
backpack, which stimulates electrodes that cause the roach to
turn left or right. Eventually, this roach could be fitted with
a camera and used to hunt through rubble for earthquake victims,
as well as for other missions.
The technique is far from perfected. One problem is that the
cockroach tends to become less sensitive to the electronic pulses
over time, so each roach is only good for a very short "Mission
Impossible."
"Smelly and Creepy" were the terms the researchers
used to describe these unusually small test subjects.
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Removing Fly Specs
Here's a great tip to make cleaning go faster and easier:
Clean fly specks from windows using a solution of two tablespoons
vinegar to a quart of water. Warm water works best. And yes,
newspaper is still the best material made to make glass shine,
streak free. |
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Pest Prevention
Tip of the Month
Check any cut flowers you bring in from the florist, or from
your yard. Flowers may harbor various insects, including carpet
beetles feeding on pollen, thrips, and aphids. Rinse off the
flowers outdoors, before you bring them in, if there are any
signs of pests.
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Pigeon Problems
 Although
many people consider pigeons attractive and like to have them
around, their nests and droppings can cause serious problems.
They are well adapted to living around humans, and quickly become
problems just because there are so many of them. Each pair has
six or more broods each year, totaling about ten young pigeons
per year.
Besides those embarrassing times when a pigeon drops a bomb right
on your head, pigeon droppings can clog drain pipes, foul areas
where people walk, and deface buildings, statues, and automobiles.
These acidic droppings actively corrode concrete and metal.
There are 60 transmittable diseases directly attributed to birds
and their droppings. Two of these, histoplasmosis and cryptococcosis,
are fungus organisms that breed in pigeon droppings. When humans
breath in the fungal spores from dusty pigeon droppings, a serious
respiratory disease develops with a fatality rate of up to 15
percent. People cleaning up accumulations of old pigeon droppings
need to take great care to wear protective equipment while they
are doing it.
Pigeon nests can also be a source of lice, fleas, mites, ticks
and bedbugs. These pest may move indoors and begin biting people
when the nests are abandoned.
Though treasured by many, pigeons can become a very significant
health and nuisance problem. In those cases, usually it's best
to alter their nesting sites to encourage them to go elsewhere.
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Here are some things everyone
should do to stop mosquitoes from breeding.