Bug Blog

Spike In Cockroach Activity Predicted for San Antonio

Unseasonably warm and wet conditions across the country have prompted experts to offer warnings for the season ahead for many areas, including San Antonio.

The National Pest Management Association (NPMA) today released its bi-annual Vector Sectors™ list of the top 10 U.S. cities with the greatest risk for increased pest pressure. San Antonio was among those ten cities, and the report says in part:

San Antonio: After an unseasonably warm fall and start to winter, above-average precipitation for the remainder of the season could lead to a spike in peridomestic cockroach activity.

https://www.pestworld.org/news-hub/press-releases/erratic-weather-contributes-to-spike-in-unlikely-pest-populations/

Cockroach infestations can spread bacteria and lead to food contamination and respiratory issues. If you suspect a problem, contact us to properly identify and treat any infestations.

Wood Destroying Insects In Texas

I told you in earlier issues that the temperatures would be rising and along with that, termite and ant swarms would be starting. Like clockwork, the little devils have been on the radar for about a month now, with ever-increasing numbers of calls pertaining to either suspected termite or carpenter ant infestations occurring.

In the San Antonio, Bulverde, Spring Branch, Canyon Lake areas, we are “blessed” with multiple species of Wood Destroying Insects. The most common are; Carpenter Ants, Eastern Subterranean Termites, Formosan Subterranean Termites, Dry Wood Termites, Powder-post Beetles and on occasion, Carpenter Bees.

Many times customers will think they have termites when in fact the problem is an ant colony in the wall producing debris called “frass” which usually consist of wall material and insulation along with particles of dead ants and other trash. Carpenter ants are probably the most commonly occurring wood destroying insect that we deal with on a regular basis. In fact, I have said,”There are two types of homes out here in the Hill Country, one that has carpenter ants and one that is going to get them!” One good thing though is that the damage they produce is usually minimal and they are usually easy to control. The best way to prevent them is to not let trees or bushes touch your home and prevent water damage from either rain or plumbing leaks. Also keeping your gutters and roof clean from the leaf debris that builds up and holds moisture providing a suitable habitat.

When termites are involved, usually it is the native or Eastern Subterranean Termite that is the culprit. Unfortunately they are not usually discovered until they have been at work for some time, with substantial damages being done to the structure of the home. Subterranean means that the colony is in the ground and the termites in the house need to be in contact with the soil, that is why you will find dirt in the areas they are located. Eastern Subterranean is the most common species that we find here with a broad range of activity.

An invasive species, Formosan Subterranean Termite is a formidable foe, with staggering statistics. As of 2015, the distribution of Formosan subterranean termite in the United States includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. A single colony of Formosan subterranean termite may contain several million (versus several hundred thousand termites for native subterranean termite species) that forage up to 300 ft in soil. With increased colony sizes and larger foraging areas, one colony can threaten multiple structures. Along with structures being at risk, this species will attack healthy living trees resulting in hollowing out and weakening of major limbs resulting in possible property damage.

Dry Wood Termites are not that common in our area however they are around and are most commonly found in imported furniture or exotic woodwork They are usually found in the humid coastal subtropical regions. They usually infest attic spaces or exterior wood members exposed to them when they swarm in early spring or summer. With no need for contact with the soil, they are one of the most difficult to discover and eradicate.

Powder-post beetles are divided into four families: Lyctidae, Bostrichidae, Anobiidae, and Cerambycidae. The adults do little damage, it’s the larvae that does the major part of the damage. They have a complete metamorphosis life cycle: adults, eggs, larvae, pupa. They infest hardwoods and produce a fine powdery dust as they tunnel through the wood. They do digest cellulose and wood fibers.

Carpenter bees don’t eat wood but do feed on plant pollen and nectar; however they do excavate dry, unpainted and weathered wooden objects such as windowsills, doors, roof eaves, decks, railings, fences and wooden lawn furniture. They prefer pine, fir, cyprus, oak and redwood, especially if the wood is not covered with bark, is unpainted or unfinished. Large carpenter bees will sometimes bore into painted wood, especially if the paint covering is old and weathered. They are usually only noticed around April or May when the brood leaves the open cells.

With all of these and most other pests, the old saying rings true; “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Proper upkeep of your home looking for wood rot or water damage goes a long way. If building a new home, a pre-construction termite preventative treatment is wise and much less expensive than a post-construction termite curative treatment having to be done after the damage is done. Having a regular pest control service being performed with a trained professional going around your home also helps to catch things before they become big problems.

Hitman Pest Control is locally owned & operated in the Spring Branch / Canyon Lake & San Antonio areas.
Michael Holt operates the Comal County office. Tom Powers operates the Bexar County office.
We have over 32 years experience, and are licensed in: General Pest, Termite, and Lawn & Ornamental categories.
Free Recalls on all regular scheduled services, even scorpions!

Skeeters Suck, Take Back Your Yard!

Spring has sprung and the bugs have just begun! I know it’s pretty corny but it ‘s true. After the non-existent winter that we had this year in South Central Texas and the more than average rainfall (not complaining), 2016 is promising to be a busy year in the pest control business.

There’s a lot of talk about Zika virus being transmitted by mosquitoes, despite the fact that not one case in the U.S. at the time of this writing has been confirmed by mosquito transmission, but rather by human contact with infected individuals. The phones are starting to ring with inquiries about the solutions that pest control companies have to offer to alleviate fears and lessen the risk from these bothersome pests.

The first thing your can do to lower the problem in your backyard is to survey your property for standing water and over-watering of landscapes. Anything that can collect water is capable of providing a habitat for mosquito larvae to survive and mature into the adults that cause all the problems. Remember a single bottle cap holds enough rain water to support dozens of larvae to maturity.

Running water in ponds and fountains is usually not a problem, but the standing water in bird baths and other ‘yard art’ along with the catch pans under potted plants and clogged rain gutters serve as prime breeding sites. So be diligent and look for anything that can collect water around your home. Going out after a storm and looking for standing water is a great way to discover what you need to change.

Now that you have done all this, you still have to deal with the pesky little devils, because no matter what you do somewhere, somehow, they are a ever present problem for some areas. Some metropolitan entities are providing night-time fogging treatments to help with vector control and public health benefits. Also in known standing water areas, larvacides are being deployed to help eliminate the larvae before reaching maturity. Unfortunately, in rural areas this is usually not the case, with too much area to cover.

So now that the weather is getting nice and we are wanting to enjoy our backyards with all the amenities that make it enjoyable and as soon as the sun starts to set out come the blood suckers! What are you going to do? Pass out the repellents to all your guests with the toxicity they contain? How about light the tiki torches with citronella oil or light the mosquito coils to repel them and deal with the smell and smoke they produce? And I love this one, put 5 gallon buckets with dry ice in them at the back fence to draw them away from the gathering.

As you can see all of these do nothing to prevent the problem from occurring in the first place. They only act by repelling or diverting an already present nuisance and possible threat. It has been shown time after time that the only tried and true way of keeping mosquitoes at bay is to consistently apply a pesticide at pre determined times on a regular basis during the swarming season. Here in San Antonio, Bulverde, Spring Branch and the surrounding areas that usually means March though November with some years December.

I know you are thinking: regular spraying of pesticides on a consistent basis, that’s crazy! No I am saying, using safe, proven and regulated products in minute amounts applied in precise locations and times least likely to coincide with the presence of people, pets, or food. There are even totally botanical chemical options available. This is accomplished with the installation of a fully automatic mosquito misting system tailored to your needs and landscapes. All units come with a remote control for on demand use. With the ability to monitor and have full control over your system via your smart phone or computer with internet connection anywhere in the world.

Hitman Pest Control has been a authorized mosquito system installer and servicing these systems for over 11 years. These systems have been around for some time and have evolved into quite effective tools to combat mosquitoes and other pests that have plagued us for an eternity. They have come a long way from the re-purposed analog water sprinkler timers and cooling misting nozzles that were utilized in the early versions that had minimal success.

• Consistent mist concentrations every time: In the past, the diluted insecticide separates in the tank and consequently produces a varying concentration from mist cycle to mist cycle. And, in a hot stagnant drum, bacteria growth can compromise the insecticide and clog the filter. Every mosquito spray system and backyard insect control system installed by Hitman Pest Control has the ability to agitate the contents to ensure a consistent blend of active ingredients in every mosquito mist.
• Leak Detection: Early on, systems would continue to operate when lines were cut either by lawn maintenance personal or animal damage or other leaks and empty the drum before it was
  noticed. Now the systems detect the leak and shut down and if equipped, send you and us a notice via the iMistAway app that something is wrong saving the spilled chemical.
• Optional wind sensors: The controller is programmed to check the wind speed before each scheduled mosquito mist cycle. It will check the wind every minute for five minutes, and if the wind is above a predetermined speed, the unit will go into hibernation until the next regularly scheduled cycle.
• Multiple Zones: A single mosquito misting unit can power a practical maximum of around 60-70 nozzles. Placed every 12 feet, that translates into around 800 feet of protected perimeter. While that is sufficient for most homes, there are properties that demand many more mosquito misting nozzles. A zone kit effectively doubles the number of nozzles that a single unit can drive. Without it, a large installation would require multiple units.

These are just a few of the qualities and upgrades that the systems installed and maintained by Hitman Pest Control have to offer. Contact us to have one of our trained professionals give you a free estimate.

Preparing for a South Texas Winter

Don’t let cooler temperatures and shorter days fool you, winter in Spring Branch, Texas can be all four seasons in one day. Texas being so large and located in southern latitudes, experiences weather patterns spanning the full spectrum, with swimsuits in South Padre to snowsuits in Amarillo.

With this, comes a great number of unwanted and dangerous pests that seem to adapt very well to their surroundings. Black Widows, Brown Recluse and other spiders, cockroaches, ants, fleas, bedbugs, termites, and many other insect pests may seem to slow down, but they aren’t dead yet. In fact in the Spring Branch, Bulverde Area, the warm confines of our homes and businesses provide them the means to not only survive but thrive.

Along with colder temperatures, and out of sight-out of mind mentality, comes thoughts that pest control is not needed during the winter months, wrong! As a cost-saving measure,it may be tempting to cut your pest control service during this season, winter is no time to take a break from pest control. In fact, we have seen that customers that do so, have greater problems in the spring when temperatures rise.

Professionally applied pest control materials to building foundations and exteriors, is very important during this season, to help keep crawling insects from gaining access and setting up nests inside. Winter ants can be a problematic nightmare trying to eradicate them after they have set up shop inside your wall cavities. It’s so much simpler to prevent this from happening by keeping them out in the first place.

Pest control in the winter wet season can be one of the most challenging, frustrating jobs. Customer’s misconceptions about the effectiveness of pesticides during wet times are not warranted. In fact, products used by today’s PCO’s (Pest Control Operators), can be quite effective if applied properly with surprising results. Stickers, exponents and other additives are used to supplement the products and increase their efficiency. Many of the granular products are intended to be watered in, so application in wet times is an advantage.

Rodents (both rats and mice) along with larger animals, such as squirrels, opossums, raccoons, feral cats, ring tailed cats, even skunks have been known to make cozy little bungalows in attics and crawlspaces.

To prevent problems before they occur, it is a good idea to inspect outside your home or place of business for clutter and harborage areas, and be on the lookout for any openings larger than a nickel. If you find any, they should be stuffed with a stainless steel or brass wool product, making sure you don’t use ordinary steel wool, for it will quickly rust and leave stains on your home and need to be replaced.

Caulk any cracks, wire and pipe openings to prevent easy access for scorpions, centipedes, roaches, etc. For larger openings you can use ¼” galvanized hardware cloth fastened with either screws or staples. Screws are a more permanent fix and usually will last the life of the repair and are less likely to be pulled loose by a determined raccoon.

Next month, temperatures will be rising and termite and ant swarming seasons will be upon us. Pest Control operators are always looking for termites and damages they cause. Termites are an ever present threat to your home, depending on area and building techniques. The typical home should be inspected at least once a year! If you are on a regular service program, termites should not have enough time to cause significant damage before they are discovered. Also regular service customers usually enjoy significant discounts for extra services required.

Now is the best time for you to call and setup your regular service for pest control. Whether it’s for an existing problem or for prevention of future ones, usually pest control companies have valuable incentives at this time of year to begin your service. We offer one-time services along with regular re-occurring service interval plans. We at Hitman Pest Control are customers also, and know how uneasy and uncomfortable signing a service contract with a company can make you feel. We keep your patronage by providing you the quality of service and results that you require.

More Katydid Facts

This is a greater arid-land predaceous katydid, neobarrettia spinosa (female).

This is a tough bug; it eats Praying Mantises for breakfast! If you were to harass it with your finger, rather than hopping away, it will charge and CHOMP you, drawing blood!

It has an extra set of arms under it’s chin that it uses to feed it’s mouth with scraps and titbits while it’s dining.

Katydids should die off soon, but look out for the emerging cicadas!

Yard Fogging For Mosquitos (Video)

Yard-fogging is quick, easy, and low cost to both the customer and the application company. Quick drying, low volume fogging treatment is perfect for events and parties. ECO ExEmpt IC III (organic).

Katydids Invade South Texas Again

Katydids are more of a nuisance than a true pest for the general homeowner. Yes they can eat their fair share of leaves and other greens in our gardens, but for the most part, it is minimal and accepted. However on occasion for some growers or individuals who have had enough, control measures can be obtained. Fruit gardeners or other edible crops can control nymphs through the use of insecticides containing spinosad. This product used in accordance with label directions has been proven to be safe for humans, other mammals, and birds. For heavier infestations there are chemical alternatives available.

Katydids are relatively easy to control with the application of chemical pesticides, however the chemicals do not differentiate between beneficial insects and harmful ones. In the process of trying to control them with chemicals , you can create a unbalance in the natural order and have a increase in other pests. Yes you can kill them by the thousands, but millions more are still coming and the annoying noise and debris that they generate will still be there. So sit back on a warm summer evening and enjoy nature’s serenade and realize that not all in our world can be controlled by us.

If you are still determined to try and control them with pesticide application, Hitman Pest Control offers it’s landscape and tree spraying services at competitive rates.

Texas Scorpions

Scorpions are arachnids, close relatives of ticks, mites and spiders. Scorpions prefer dryland habitats but they do occur throughout Texas. They can be a nuisance when they interact with humans because they will sting when disturbed.

Mosquito Misting Systems in Canyon Lake, Spring Branch, and Bulverde.

Mosquito Kill Zone!

Fully automatic mosquito control has arrived to the Northern San Antonio, Bulverde, Spring Branch, Canyon Lake areas. Protection from these bothersome and dangerous pests has evolved to fully self contained units that are pre-programmed to automatically dispense pre-mixed pesticides at EPA approved concentrations at times when mosquitoes are most active and exposure to humans and pets is minimal.

If mosquitoes are keeping you from enjoying this beautiful Spring weather we are experiencing here in South Texas, fret not…there is a solution! Automatic Mosquito Misting Systems by MistAway might just be what you are looking for in that never ending search for relief from a never ending nuisance. If state of the art technology and proven chemical applications are what you are looking for than Hitman Pest Control  is the company for you in the San Antonio, Bulverde, Spring Branch, Canyon Lake, Blanco and New Braunfels communities.

GENERATION 1-3 CONTROL PANEL

Whether you have a small garden home with plenty of lush tropical plants in your private little back yard or a large country estate along with swimming pool and all the amenities, Hitman Pest Control can provide you control over mosquitoes and other pests that can endanger you and your home!

55 gallons for fewer re-fills.

NOZZLE MISTING IN TREE

Mystic Shores @ Canyon Lake POA & Hitman Pest Control hook up!

A  four year relationship that started back in April of 2006,  Hitman Pest Control provided it’s Pest Control Services  to Mystic Shores at Canyon Lake Information Center, free of charge, in exchange for the privilege of posting a small yard sign in front for hopefully future potential customers to see. Read the rest here »