With Halloween just around the corner, its time for larger-than-life creepy, crawly creatures skittering across lawns, lurking in dark alleyways and dropping out of nowhere to frighten their hapless victims. Edging up close to 1,500,000 species, insects, large and small outnumber humans by about 1.5 billion to one. Truly Nolen wishes everyone a happy Halloween with a word of warning: Beware of mummies, monsters and MEGABUGS: the largest and scariest bugs in the world!
- Hercules Baboon Spiders
Although these furry arachnids, with their enormous 8-inch leg spans, could be frightening to meet anywhere, theyre as rare as Yeti sightings. In fact, these spiders are so rare, no one has spotted one in 116 years, a fact seemingly lost on pet storeowners who try to market other giant spiders and tarantulas as Hercules Baboon Spiders. In spite of their names, Hercules Baboon Spiders do not prey or live on baboons, but actually prefer to dine on insects. - Brazilian Wandering Spiders
With 5.9-inch leg spans, Brazilian wandering spiders cant take credit as the largest spiders in existence, but their deadly bite packs a walloping, painful punch. Unlike elusive Baboon spiders, these guys are known to wander onto banana boats bound for US markets. Just as an aside, Brazilian wandering spiders love to hide in your shoes! - Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches
Despite their squirm factor, these 2 to 3-inch-long hissing cockroaches are popular as pets, are favorites in the living jewelry industry and are featured in many Hollywood films, such as the 1997, Men in Black. In nature, found scurrying around on forest floors on the small island that bears their name, Madagascar hissing cockroaches, while wingless, excel at climbing and can even scale smooth glass.Although Madagascar hissing cockroaches appear large and intimidating, they dont pose the health threats that the more familiar and smaller, German, Oriental, American and brown-banded cockroaches do. As the most adaptable insect, cockroaches carry over 30 kinds of bacteria, a number of parasitic worms and other human pathogens that can cause respiratory infections, such as Hantavirus and asthma episodes and allergic reactions. Because cockroaches multiply at hair-raising rates, roach infestations cause more alarm than spooks and specters for homeowners.
- Titan Beetles
Like cockroaches, beetles are highly adaptable and some of the most persistent garden and industrial crop pests overall. One of the planets largest known beetles, the titan beetle, a member of the long-horned beetle family shares the Amazon rain forest with many other large beetles. Growing up to 6.5 inches in length, titan beetles maintain mandibles that can not only snap pencils in half, like they are twigs, allegedly these enormous insects have been rumored to rip human flesh, as well. Many types of long-horned, wood-boring and plant-infesting beetles threaten crops and gardens every year. - Giant Wetas
Related to crickets, New Zealands giant wetas are some of the heaviest insects in the world, weighing in at more than 2.5 ounces and measuring 4 inches long, not including their legs and antennae. Vying for the title of worlds heavy weight champion, giant wetas are also heralded as wetapunga, or God of the Ugly Things, in New Zealands indigenous Maori language.
While many of the worlds mega bugs are terrifying, many smaller insects can be more diabolical than giant species, due to the structural damage they can do and the threats to human health that these mini-menaces can cause.
- Crazy Ants
Ants, in an endless variety of species, can be challenging to control. Along with destructive carpenter ants and dangerous fire ants, crazy ants are attracted to electrical circuitry. Electrocuted crazy ants send out messages to other crazy ants that also get electrocuted, responding to attack signals. The accumulation of crazy ant carcasses can cause electrical components to short-circuit, resulting in electrical malfunctions and fire hazards. Contact a pest professional, such as Truly Nolen for all of your ant concerns. - Termites
Discreet and destructive, dry wood, damp wood and subterranean termites annually cause damage in the billions, worldwide. According to University of Florida researchers, invasive Formosan and Asian subterranean termites, that uniquely overlap only in Southern Florida are on track to cause damage to over half of Southern Floridas structures by the year 2040.Terrorizing neighborhoods, these aggressive termites are toppling utility poles and chewing through anything and everything in their search for wood to devour. Subterranean termites thrive under the soils surface, traveling through tunnels and tubes they build to and from vast, networked colonies. Early this summer, entomologists worst nightmare became realitya Formosan-Asian super-hybrid was spotted in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
- Mosquitoes
Carriers of malaria, dengue fever, Zika, West Nile, two types of encephalitis and over 20 other pathogens, mosquitoes continue to make humans and animals suffer with their harrowing, bloodsucking habits that transmit these dangerous viruses. Other dangerous bloodsucking insects, such as ticks are also on the rise, due to warmer winters and overall rising temperatures. - Ticks
According to recent studies, Lone Star ticks, not deer ticks, as previously thought, represent the primary carriers of Lyme disease. Because Lone Star ticks travel faster and tend to move in groups, the number of instances of Lyme disease are expected to rise substantially. - Bed bugs
Probably the most troubling infestations of bloodsucking demons, bed bugs come out of hiding at night to feed on their human hosts. Attracted to exhaled carbon dioxide and the warmth of human bodies resting, bed bugs generally go undetected until red, itchy welts show up on their victims upper extremities. While bed bugs dont carry dangerous pathogens, they can cause psychological distress, sleep deprivation and secondary infections caused by scratching.Eliminating bed bugs involves high temperature laundering of all washable items and bagging of all non-washable items for treatment. Living with bed bugs until your scheduled treatment with some pest control companies may seem like the stuff of horror movies.
Contact your Truly Nolen location to schedule a free pest inspection at a convenient time for your schedule. Truly Nolen wishes you a safe and fun-filled Halloween, in the midst of mega bugs and scary monsters. For your home and familys safety and peace of mind, contact your local Truly Nolen location to schedule a free pest inspection. Happy Halloween!
Like termites, in late winter and early spring, young adult carpenter ants, known as alates, swarm to mate and start new colonies. Male and female reproductives mate and form new colonies. These new colonies need places to nest and raise their broods. Unlike termites, these sometimes large black and brown to reddish bi-colored ants do not eat wood, but burrow through it, creating galleries and tunnels, causing structural damage to homes.
If you suspect carpenter ant activity in your home, contact a professional pest control company, such as Truly Nolen to schedule a free pest inspection. Although carpenter ants and termites look similar, carpenter ants have a defined waist, between their thorax and abdomen, while termites are more broadly connected. Carpenter ant alates sport a pair of upper wings that are much larger than their lower wings, whereas both pairs of termite alates wings are relatively the same size.
According to The American Mosquito Control Association, or AMCA, Mosquitoes cause more human suffering than any other organism – over one million people worldwide die from mosquito-borne diseases every year. Mosquitoes are responsible for outbreaks of malaria, throughout history, as far back as 2700 BC, according to the AMCA. Contained to tropical climates today, malaria obstructed the settlement of the US east coast colonies and wasnt effectively controlled until the 1940s.
To make matters worse, mosquitoes carry diseases and parasites that afflict our four-legged friends, as well, especially dogs and horses. While weve learned to protect ourselves from mosquitoes with bug repellants, proactive prevention measures and the help of a professional pest control company, such as Truly Nolen, mosquitoes are responsible for more human deaths than any other insect, rodent or animal. In addition to the ancient diseases, malaria and yellow fever outbreaks and the current Zika Virus scare, mosquitoes are responsible for transmitting many other diseases, including:
Unfortunately, urban environments, like your backyard can lend themselves well to making excellent conditions for mosquito havens. The incredible thing is that some homeowners unknowingly and unwittingly set up lovely breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Check your property for areas of stagnant or standing water. Extra gardening pots, old tires, even birdbaths can create excellent mosquito-growing areas, along with other uncirculated bodies of water including retention ponds, boggy areas, long-standing mud puddles, lakes, ponds, fountains and open rain retention barrels. Often overlooked, flowerbeds with residual water standing in flowering plants and in the catch plate at the bottom of planters, can also be inviting to mosquitoes. It is important to note that generally, water needs to be standing for 7 or more days and a cup is enough to create a breeding ground. Interestingly, of course, there are also mosquitoes in the west that dont need standing water at all to breed, the females can lay eggs in mud.
Shady, damp areas around your yard and home can create favorable conditions for mosquitoes, as well. Mosquitoes are also attracted to and can commonly be found under thick foliage or in a section of your yard, porch or patio that doesnt get much sun. Any place protected from the wind and sun can be an invitation to mosquitoes. Additionally, removing debris from around your home can help reduce mosquito populations. Keeping your yard, shrubbery and tree limbs trimmed and eliminating long, unkempt vegetation from around your home and yard can make your yard an unfavorable destination for mosquitoes.
When it comes to your home, repairing screens and replacing worn screens can go a long way to protecting your loved ones from mosquitoes. Also, many products on the market today can be helpful in reducing your risk for mosquito bites. Citronella plants and citronella oil in tiki torches and outdoor candles, plus organic bug repellants and mosquito-deterring bracelets and other devices can work to ward off those blood-sucking creatures of the summer night. At dusk, at night and early in the morning, wearing long-sleeves and long pants will leave less skin area exposed to mosquitoes, as well.
Truly Nolen technicians, outfitted with power sprayers or backpack misters treat protected vertical and inverted surfaces of dense vegetation up to a height of 6 feet. Creating a mosquito barrier, our trained and certified technicians treat up to 50 feet around the perimeter of your property.
Zeroing in on areas within 10 feet of established bite zones, Truly Nolen professionals treat areas around doors and windows up to 3 feet off the ground, as mosquitoes are known to rest in these areas after feasting on pets and people, in preparation for egg-laying.
To head off egg-laying, Truly Nolen technicians apply larvicide in small amounts to interrupt mosquito reproduction cycles in moisture-prone areas, in planters, sprinkler heads and other potential breeding sites including ponds, fountains and ditches that show tendencies to retain water. For extra protection for your yard and home against mosquitoes, Truly Nolen can install a programmable misting machine to control and eliminate all adult flying pests around your home.
Even though taking preventative measures to get rid of mosquitoes may keep their numbers down, contacting a reliable and reputable pest control company, such as Truly Nolen can really seal the deal between your home and loved ones and dangerous pests. Contact your local Truly Nolen location for a free inspection for pest identification and to devise a plan customized for your home and family.
Many rodents and pests are active in the winter. Mice, for example, seek shelter during the colder months and are carriers of various kinds of diseases; they can easily enter through cracks in the concrete. Similarly, bugs that find a way into your home will wait out the cold weather until the first warm day and then come out of winter hibernation. After all, several types of spiders, roaches, wasps, and the dreaded bed bugs may slow down, but they wont stop. In other words, just because you dont see insects in your home, doesnt mean that theyre not there. Chances are, webs, eggs, or nests are simply hiding safely inside, patiently waiting for spring to come so the new generations can infest your home.
Due to the year round activity of pests, having a yearly pest inspection and service plan for pests is critical to keeping your Charlotte home pest free all year. Truly Nolens Four Seasons approach to pest control is a proactive annual program that takes into account the changes in pest behavior from season to season, giving you peace of mind throughout the year.
Outside: Piles of wood objects on the exterior of your home, such as firewood, lumber, tiles, stones, bags of food and animal habitats, like chicken coops and goat corrals.
This season, before you gear up for Thanksgiving preparations, think about safeguarding your home from pantry pests that could potentially turn your Thanksgiving feast into a Thanksgiving fiasco. Certain types of moths, and beetles, along with other food insects, can often be found in grains, cereal, nuts, dried fruits and other holiday pantry items. So before you start on your favorite Thanksgiving dishes, take a few minutes to see where your pantry stands on your pest prevention program.
An adult Indian meal moth measures a mere 1/2, with distinctive beige and copper wings. Cereals, grains and dried dog food make excellent places for the adult female moth to lay her eggs.
The saw-toothed grain beetle, a flat 1/8 long insect, with a row of teeth just behind its head, is almost as common as the Indian meal moth. They can also be found in the same food sources as Indian meal moths, with the addition of birdseed, chocolate, dried fruits and nuts.
Bed bugs are small, oval shaped insects (they look a lot like an apple seed) that live off the blood of humans and animals. They have piercing sucking mouthparts and the adults and nymphs feed on blood. Adult bed bugs are flat but after feeding they are plump and appear red. Bed bugs cannot fly but they are able to move quickly over floors, walls, and even ceilings. A female bed bug may lay hundreds of eggs over a lifetime. In favorable conditions a bed bug can become fully developed within a few months and produce three or more generations each year. Even though bed bugs are a nuisance, they do not transmit any diseases. They are creepy because they feed on you while you are sleeping and most of the time they do not even wake you up or create a skin reaction.
Bed bugs can enter your home through luggage brought back from an infested hotel, clothing, used furniture, and many other items. Bed bugs typically hide in mattresses, box springs, headboards or overstuffed easy chairs or sofas, really any place people sleep. These hiding places are where they lay their eggs and they give bed bugs easy access to human beings on whom they feed while they sleep at night. Bed bugs can eventually move throughout the home or even through pipe chases and other accesses into other apartments or bedrooms.
Truly Nolen Lexington will provide an in-depth inspection and confirm the presence and extent of infestation of bed bugs within your home. While your first reaction might be to panic once you find out that you do in fact have bed bugs, take a deep breath and dont throw everything you own away – we can probably save it.
