As I am traveling later today to California for two television appearances this week, I am adding this entry today instead of Tuesday for I don’t know how much writing time I will have tomorrow.

I will be discussing the recent western United States outbreak of scorpions due to the on-going fires in the area on Tuesday, November 18 between 9:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. Pacific on KMIR-NBC in Palm Desert, CA and on Wednesday, November 19 on the 5:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. newscasts on KFMB-CBS in San Diego. KMIR’s website address is www.kmir6.com and KFMB’s website address is www.cbs8.com.

One of the most frightening of all common household pests, the scorpion is also one of the most difficult to eliminate. Although scorpions ordinarily do not attack unless disturbed, their sting can be quite painful – and in the case of one species found in the U.S., it can be fatal.

The deadly species, Centruroides sculpturatus, is commonly referred to as the bark scorpion. It is one of the smaller species of scorpion, usually less than an inch long, yellow to yellow brown in color, with two black stripes on its back. It is found throughout the desert Southwest including Arizona (where it was first discovered in Tempe in 1927), western New Mexico, northern Mexico, and the west bank of the Colorado River in California. This species was first discovered in Tempe, Arizona, in 1927.

Altogether, more than 30 species of scorpions are found in the southern and western United States, including scorpions common to New Mexicans such as the striped scorpion (vaejovia spinigeris) and the Desert Hairy scorpion (hadrurus hirsutus). While these non-deadly species can inflict a painful sting, serums are available to relieve the more severe symptoms.

Regardless of their specific species, scorpions are among the most difficult of pests to control, because scorpions normally move about on the tips of their eight legs, with their bodies seldom touching the surface. As a result, many pesticides are not as effective, since most common pesticides depend on physical contact with the animal’s body. One effective way to eliminate them is to remove their food supply, but it can take quite some time for that approach to work.

Most of all, be advised that scorpions are sedentary and prefer the most humid available locations. Therefore, never store your clothes on the floor. If you happen to do so, shake them out before wearing them again.

Be safe, stay dry, and hope you all have a buzzing day! The Mousecar is riding around with his windows down, looking for more friends – interested? Visit www.facebook.com and friend the Truly Nolen Mousecar!

Barry The Bug Guy

We are happy to invite parents and children of all ages to a a special Halloween treat as the city of Fort Lauderdale hosts the first-ever Trick or Treat on Second Street. A ghost of a mousecar will be out in full force outside the Museum of Discovery and Science (401 SW 2nd Street), which will help give the event, which runs from 3 p.m. - 7 p.m., a truly creepy feel.

We enjoyed partnering with the Museum previously on our Spider Central event in May 2007 and the ROBOBugs Exhibit in September 2007. Our company is happy to provide something that children will find truly creepy without scaring them too much.”

Children will begin their Halloween adventure in the Museum’s Grand Atrium where they will encounter creepy crawly critters as they enter the Truly Creepy Crawl. The Crawl will feature a haunted house-type environment with ghoulish insects and special tricks-or-treats.

While in the Grand Atrium, children are invited to pick up a Trick or Treat on Second Street Passport. Passports will be given out at the following locations: Grand Atrium, Esplanade Park, The River House and Fort Lauderdale Historical Society. The challenge is to get a passport stamped at each of the four locations without getting tricked along the way.

Once they’ve received a spooky stamp from each site, they should simply drop it in a winners box (located at each site) to be entered to win the Trick or Treat on Second Street Grand Prize. One lucky winner will receive the following grand prize: one-year, family membership to the Museum of Discovery and Science; family membership and historic photograph from the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society; youth “Learn to swim” lesson package, one tennis lesson and one Yoga or Pilates class courtesy of the Fort Lauderdale Parks and Recreation Department; and a gift certificate from Tarpon Bend.

Trick or Treat on Second Street guests can park in the Arts and Entertainment garage, located on S.W. 5th Avenue. Parking is $5 before 6 p.m. Northwest Second Street will be closed to vehicular traffic.

We’ll see you there….BOO!

With college and pro football season already well underway, millions of football fans around the United States are once again taking part in the art of tailgating. As glorified picnics outside sports venues, tailgates are a perfect vehicle for unwanted insects to join the party; however, there are ways to keep insects from spoiling the fun.

For starters, it is important to know what type of insects will be on the offensive at a tailgate before you can prepare a proper defense. Crazy Ants, Mosquitoes and Brown Recluse Spiders all fit the profile of tailgate party crashers. Each of these insects has the ability to cause problems for food, guests and pets under the right conditions.

One proven method of keeping Crazy Ants away is to make use of properly sealed food containers, because food scent will otherwise attract these uninvited guests. Meanwhile, with football a traditional warm-weather sport, the range of impact mosquitoes can have during tailgating season is tremendous. It is important to drain any sources of standing water near your favorite tailgating spot. In addition, applying insect repellent repeatedly to exposed skin and clothing can help keep mosquitoes at bay while outdoors.

One of the sneakier pests at a tailgate is likely to be the Brown Recluse Spider. Because tailgaters often take their shoes off and relax in the hours prior to a football game, these spiders can crawl into shoes without warning. I cannot stress enough the importance of shaking out shoes prior to putting them back on in order to minimize the possibility of being bitten by a Brown Recluse Spider. If changing clothes prior to the game, avoid keeping clothing on the floor as well.

Be safe, stay dry, and hope you all have a buzzing day! The Mousecar is riding around with his windows down, looking for more friends – interested? Visit www.facebook.com and friend the Truly Nolen Mousecar!

Barry The Bug Guy

Due to travel issues through Houston during the aftermath of Hurricane Ike (and we hope that life is returning to normal for the people in those affected regions, my appearance in California scheduled for September 16 has been re-scheduled for this Tuesday, September 30.

As termite season is upon us and the increasing abundance of rain out west is causing more activity than ever, I thank our friends in California at KMIR NBC 6 for allowing me to tell Palm Springs and Palm Desert viewers during the 9 a.m. Pacific hour how to combat termites and steps you can take to get ahead of the curve in terms of protection. Their website is www.kmir6.com.

As our two presidential candidates continue to debate whether they should even have a debate with the financial crisis of our country taking center stage, a number of scientists are warning of yet another consequence that could affect the entire world: a potentially dramatic increase in insect populations, leading to widespread disease, crop shortages and famine.

The impact of global warming temperatures on insects and humans is far reaching – forest and food crops could be affected and diseases spread by insects could have a wider range.

Nature has a delicate balance and it doesn’t take much – a slight temperature variation, or even a movement in the course of a river – to cause changes that move throughout an ecosystem. When the weather gets warmer, the deck gets stacked in favor of insects.

Pests like the cockroach, scorpion, mosquito and other parasites are among the most adaptable and successful life forms on earth. For example, cockroaches are among the oldest living creatures. They survived the Ice Age, and are believed to have persisted for more than 350 million years. With that record of success, we can be sure they will adapt and thrive in changing climate patterns.

We know that there is a strong, direct relationship between insect populations and fluctuating temperatures. By having experts study populations carefully and tracking the trends, we may be able to contribute significantly to the broader research that must be done into the global warming issue.

I’m now 1-3 in my college football selections, as the Fighting Irish let me down against the Spartans. I’m going to go with what appears to be a sure thing and take the Oklahoma Sooners over the Texas Christian Horned Frogs.

Be safe, stay dry, and hope you all have a buzzing day! The Mousecar is riding around with his windows down, looking for more friends – interested? Visit www.facebook.com and friend the Truly Nolen Mousecar!

Barry The Bug Guy

With Florida’s first case of West Nile Virus for 2008 recently discovered in Pensacola, and increase in rain production causing a definite possibility of additional mosquitoes wreaking havoc, I thank our friends in Mobile, AL at WPMI-NBC 15 for allowing me to tell South Alabama and Florida Panhandle viewers Tuesday September 23 during the 12 noon (central) hour steps they can take to give them the best chance of not being bitten by mosquitoes. Their website is www.wpmi.com. As a reminder, our Navarre, Fla. franchise services the Florida Panhandle from Panama City to Pensacola and all points in between.

What’s the Mousecar up to today? This week he has posted videos of songs he likes – Cars, Racing in the Street and Fast Car. To become friends with the Mousecar, we invite you to visit www.facebook.com and then once you are logged in, type in Truly Nolen Mousecar in the Search field on the top right of the screen. When the Mousecar pops up, click on “Add as Friend”, and within 24 hours, you will be added to his list.

Our website just added a new portal next to my blog – You can now purchase your pest control service online in four easy steps – visit our main page and click on the shopping cart in the bottom left corner.

My blog has a new category this week – Blogrolls (and no, this is not a kind of sushi). I have added five similar blogs that I find useful as a pest resource. These blogs are:

• American Pest Management
• Insects in the City
• JP McHale’s Pest Management
• Landscape Management
• One More Thing

I’m now 1-2 in my college football selections, as the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets lost in the waning moments against Virginia Tech. Notre Dame had some serious buzzing following a win over Michigan last week – I can still sense some buzz, so I’ll take them over Michigan State.

Be safe, stay dry, and hope you all have a buzzing day! The Mousecar is riding around with his windows down, looking for more friends – interested?

Barry The Bug Guy

As termite season is upon us and the increasing abundance of rain out west is causing more activity than ever, I thank our friends in California at KMIR NBC 6 for allowing me to tell Palm Springs and Palm Desert viewers Tuesday September 16 during the 9 a.m. Pacific hour how to combat termites and steps you can take to get ahead of the curve in terms of protection. Their website is www.kmir6.com.

Truly Nolen has joined the Web 2.0 Social Media age. We are proud to announce that we recently launched a Facebook page for the company’s iconic figure, the Truly Nolen Mousecar.

The Mousecar presently has over 30 friends and more and we’re excited that more people are reaching out to him to view the things he does on a daily basis. Whether it’s uploading videos of old Tom & Jerry cartoons, or showcasing his family history in a photo gallery, or showing his best work in commercials, or even editing his complex profile information, the Mousecar is excited to be able to interact with his fans in this subtle way.

To become friends with the Mousecar, we invite you to visit www.facebook.com and then once you are logged in, type in Truly Nolen Mousecar in the Search field on the top right of the screen. When the Mousecar pops up, click on “Add as Friend”, and within 24 hours, you will be added to his list.

In addition to this creation, I recently stumbled upon some footage of a Truly Nolen Technician’s first day on the job and his Mouse-Cam captured something quite amazing on film. Did this really happen? Or is it an elaborate hoax? You be the judge – visit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CE2SGTh46Vk.

I’m now 1-1 in my college football selections, as the Alabama State Hornets were blown out by Bethune Cookman. I’ll pick the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in an upset over the Virginia Tech Hokies Saturday September 13.

Be safe, Stay Dry, and hope you all have a buzzing day. Look forward to any feedback you have on the Mousecar’s Facebook page or to what Mouse-Cam captured!

Barry The Bug Guy

With 3 active storms in the Atlantic Ocean, there probably has never been a better time to discuss my Hurricane Pest Prevention Plan, and I thank our friends at WFOR CBS 4 for allowing me to tell South Florida viewers Friday September 5 during the 7 a.m. hour how to be prepared and keep insects out following a storm. Their website is www.cbs4.com.

Most people probably don’t realize that there are 2,600 known termite species worldwide and 50 species within the United States. Anytime they arrive on the scene, termites are a homeowner’s worst nightmare. With active hurricanes and tropical storms bringing excessive rain throughout the country, termite activity is likely to be at an all-time high.

Because we understand the trepidation homeowners experience when it comes to any insects, let alone termites, our staff recently created a Total Termite Protection Program, which will provide peace of mind and guaranteed protection against all types of termites.

For consumers who shop around before making a decision, they will find that most companies require separate contracts and treatment plans for each type of termite, which can prove to be time-consuming and expensive for a homeowner.

I don’t usually use this space to talk about our company, but I can proudly say that our TTP Program is the ‘gold standard’ in termite protection, combining a variety of control techniques into a single, comprehensive and effective treatment program.

With a shrinking supply of forests and a wetter than normal autumn on the horizon, more and more termites can be expected to turn to homes as a food source. As a result, the termite’s negative impact on the urban environment is most often described in economic terms, such as expenditures for damage and repairs and preventative treatment costs.

Termites cause an estimated $6 billion dollars in property damage in the U.S. annually. By the time a homeowner discovers they have termites, they will most likely have about $7,900 in damage to their home.

For more information about the TTP Program, visit www.trulynolen.com and click on Total Termite Protection.

By the way, I’m off to a 1-0 start in my college football selections. This week, although they are coming off a tough loss, I am going to take the Alabama State Hornets over Bethune Cookman Saturday September 6.

Be safe, Stay Dry, and hope you all had a buzzing Labor Day.

Barry The Bug Guy

I touched upon the 2008 Hurricane Season in a previous entry, and at that time, all was quiet in the Atlantic Ocean. I did not address Tropical Storms specifically (the precursor to Hurricanes) and I believe most people (myself included) don’t ever expect Tropical Storms to cause that many problems.

Since that time, Tropical Storm Fay tested the patience of every resident of Florida by making landfall a record four times and dumping copious amount of rain throughout the state despite never becoming a hurricane!

In addition, with Tropical Storm Gustav just one week later threatening to become a hurricane by this weekend, I thought it was important to remind you of these helpful pest control tips when preparing a hurricane plan:

• Address low-lying areas on your property that need to be drained to properly prevent long term accumulation of standing water.

(Residents in Melbourne received 22 inches of rain in one recent 24 hour period – there are reports of standing water still wreaking havoc even one week later.)

• Seal any openings or repair damage in the roof, walls, or windows of your home to keep out insects.

(Without these seals, your home will soon become part of A Bug’s Life, Part Two.)

• Overturn plant pots, bird feeders and other containers that could create mosquito breeding grounds.

(The less likely you are to need a can of OFF! If you follow this easy step.)

• Secure any trash containers so discarded foodstuff are not scattered by the winds and become magnets for rats and other pests.

(No one wants to experience things that go scurrying in the night.

• Trim overgrown grass or shrub areas before a hurricane to prevent those areas from becoming pest refuges during and after a storm.

(In addition to protecting from pets, this can help keep tree limbs and shrubs from blowing away during a storm.)

Therefore, being aware that Tropical Storms can cause problems too is very important to any pest control prevention plan. Following the above easy steps will help assist that plan.

By the way, with college football season kicking off this weekend, I have one team I’m picking, hands-down – I love the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets over Jacksonville State Thursday August 28.

After all, I am “The Bug Guy” – who else would I root for?

Barry The Bug Guy

Another day, another dodged bullet! Tropical Storm Fay brought badly needed rain and some occasionally strong winds to South Florida today. I guess Fay knew that I am scheduled to discuss a Hurricane Pest Prevention Plan this Friday, August 22 between 8:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. Eastern on WFTX-Fox 4 Cape Coral/Fort Myers. Their website is www.fox4now.com.

Later this weekend, I will be discussing mosquitoes, West Nile Virus and prevention tips on Sunday, August 24 during the 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. morning news on WPBF-ABC 25 West Palm Beach. Their website is www.wpbf.com.

Doing some reading this week, I read an article about a common insect that most people are lucky enough to see but usually not quick enough to see up close.

The dragonfly is one of those rare insects that doesn’t bite or sting humans, nor do they cause problems for crops. Instead, they look for water where they can enjoy helping to control the mosquito population.

Did you know they’ve been around almost as long as Bobby Bowden and Joe Paterno? Older than dinosaurs, the dragonflies come in over 6,000 species – in all shapes and sizes.

Female dragonflies lay eggs in or near water, often on floating or emergent plants. When laying eggs, some species will submerge themselves completely in order to lay their eggs on a good surface. It’s a little known fact that most of a dragonfly’s life is spent in a different form, beneath the water’s surface, using internal gills to breathe, and using extendable jaws to catch other invertebrates or even vertebrates such as tadpoles, fish, etc.

As for their unusual name, there is an interesting theory about its origin according to researchers at Texas A&M University, which can be found in a book written by Eden Emanuel Sarot in 1958 entitled Folklore of the Dragonfly: A Linguistic Approach. He theorized that the name dragonfly actually came about because of an ancient Romanian Folktale. In the folktale, the Devil turned a beautiful horse ridden by St. George (of St. George and the dragon fame) into a giant, flying insect. The Romanian names the people supposedly refed to this giant insect (when translated into English) mean ‘St. George’s Horse’ or, more commonly, ‘Devil’s Horse.’ According to Sarot, the peasantry of that time actually viewed the Devil’s Horse as a giant fly and that they may have started referring to it as the ‘Devil’s Fly’ (instead of Devil’s Horse). He stated that the Romanian word for Devil was “drac,” but that drac was also the Romanian word for dragon. He thought that eventually the Romanian name for the Devil’s Fly was erroneously translated to the English Dragon Fly and this eventually evolved into the “dragonfly!”

So keep an eye out and try to capture one on camera – I assure you, it’s easier said and done to snap a shot of a dragonfly! Do you have any great dragonfly images? Are you a fan of Bruce Lee’s Enter The Dragon?

Barry The Bug Guy

Last week, I spoke about how insects have amazing abilities, much like our U.S. Olympians.  But I neglected to search for whether there was a “gold bug” in existence, which would have certainly been worth some attention.

One particular athlete has gotten the world’s attention this week - Michael Phelps.  As of this writing, Phelps is five for five in gold medals and has won 11 golds in his career, making him the most decorated Olympic athlete EVER.  In addition, he still has three events left, and should he win those, he would be the first person to ever win eight gold medals at one Olympics!

To celebrate this super-human achievement, I did some research this week to see if a gold bug in fact exists.  Sure enough, it does - but only in literature:

THE GOLD-BUG.

As it turns out, legendary poet and short story rider Edgar Allen Poe actually composed a story entitled ‘The Gold Bug’, which was originally published in 1843.

The story is about a man named William Legrand who apparently goes mad after he finds and is then bitten by an insect that was thought to be made of pure gold.  After being bitten, he encourages his close friend to go with him and search for a lost treasure buried by a legendary pirate named Captain Kidd.  Although his friend has doubts, they do in fact find the treasure, which was worth nearly 14 million dollars, and Legrand explains he had all of these visions after he first found the gold bug.

Michael Phelps! Michael Phelps!  This American is swimming mad! He has been bitten by the gold bug.  The riches he finds when he returns from the Olympics will be his own treasure.

Now if I can just uncover a Silver Bug and a Bronze Bug, we’ll be on to something.  With a nod to Mr. Poe, Quote the Bug Guy, Always more!

Barry The Bug Guy