The Super Bowl match-up between the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints poses an important question: Will the Colts feel the Saints’ sting like a horsefly they can’t shake? Or will they easily swipe them away and claim the championship?

I’m sorry fans. I have no crystal ball and can’t help you with that question. I can, however, tell you everything you ever wanted to know about the horsefly.

No groans of disappointment, please. These insects can quickly draw all your attention if they bite you – whether you’re a horse or human.

These babies hurt – and they’re among the loudest and noisiest of flies, so you can see and hear them heading your way as well. Unlike some bugs that have more of a stinger, horseflies have mandibles that rip or cut the flesh – sometimes actually taking out a chunk of skin. Once they do the damage, they lick up their victims’ blood. It won’t make you feel any better to know that the females need a blood meal to reproduce.

Here’s some more bad news: Horseflies are present around the world. And their virtue – I know, it’s hard to believe – is that they’re an important pollinator of flowers.

This’ll ring truer to you: Horseflies are also known as gadflies, a term the dictionary defines as somebody regarded as persistently annoying or irritating. We’ll find out a week from Sunday which team – the Colts or the Saints – better earns the distinction.

Always remember – The Mousecar is riding around with his windows down, looking for more friends on Facebook (Truly Nolen Mousecar) and tweeps on Twitter (@TrulyNolen) – interested?

Barry “The Bug Guy”

As many homeowners in Florida use ficus trees and hedges to insulate themselves from their neighbors, a new immigrant has migrated to the Sunshine State but is not being welcomed with open arms. In fact, the Fig Whitefly, much like the vampires made popular in True Blood and Twilight, is sucking juices from ficus, which in turn is causing nightmares for homeowners.

An exotic species, the Fig Whitefly is native to Burma, China and India but at some point migrated to Florida due to the abundance of ficus trees and pristine weather conditions and has the capability of inflicting millions of dollars of damage. These insects typically feed on the underside of ficus leaves with their “needle-like” mouthparts. When they suck the juice from the leaves, it causes the leaves to turn yellow and drop from the plant. Depending on the condition of the plant, you may also see branch dieback and sometimes plant death.

With the winter holidays around the corner, the last thing people want to do is worry about whether their prized ficus trees are being destroyed by Fig Whiteflies. Trimming hedges on a regular basis and bagging the clippings to reduce the chance of spreading the insects.

Other important steps include considering the landscape and the surrounding environment before taking steps to control this insect and monitoring for early signs of an infestation.

When a homeowner does find an infestation, they can call a pest control professional to help remove the problem. In terms of our services, our ornamental program is designed to treat insects such as whitefly, aphids, scales and caterpillars.

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! In addition, we are now on www.twitter.com – be sure to say hello @TrulyNolen!

Barry The Bug Guy

When you hear the term Horse Fly, many people picture a horse that has wings. That would actually be a unicorn. In actuality, Horse Flies exist and are a severe nuisance.

Female horse flies are painfully vicious biters. Found primarily in warmer months, they are known to feed on the blood of all warm-blooded animals (especially horses and dogs) and even humans.

Horse flies are from ¾ inch to over an inch long, have their antennae divided into three parts and have clear wings. They will attach to a person’s body for several minutes in an effort to suck the blood of whatever unfortunate animal or human they have attached themselves to via their mouth. Horse flies are also suspected of transmitting Lyme disease and typically breed near moisture.

When a Horse fly bites, you will know it because a red lump normally develops on your skin with in minutes and then turns into discomfort and itching. If it becomes increasingly painful or forms pus, your best bet is to seek medical attention immediately.

At this time, much like Crazy Ants which I previously discussed in a May 27th blog entry, there is no true established method of control that has satisfactorily curbed the advent of this insect. A slight drop in temperature seems to reduce biting attacks as much as any other remedy. However, for most bites, it is simply a matter of time until the bite shrinks. A person can speed this along by applying low-potency topical steroid cream such as 1 percent hydrocortisone to reduce inflammation and itching. In addition, any attempt to protect yourself from Horse flies should include the following elements (similar to mosquito precautions):

• From now until October, minimize your time spent outdoors, as Horse flies are generally most active from April to October.
• Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors.
• Apply insect repellent repeatedly to exposed skin and clothing.
• Make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens.

Do you expect to see Horse Flies at race tracks across the country? Do you think a Horse Fly would beat a House Fly in an arm wrestling match? Have you ever been bitten by a Horse Fly? Tell me about it…

Barry The Bug Guy