Black Widow Spiders seem to be everywhere in the Georgiathis time of year, but it's not because there are more of them. It's the time when they're big and robust and noticeable, andalthough bites from the pitch-black spider with the telltale red hourglass arerarely lethal — just a few people die from such bites nationwide each year — treatmentshould be sought immediately. Consider a black widow bite a medical emergency.
Most people that are bitten experience severe pain, especially ifbitten in the armpits and/or groin area. Some women have described it as “morepainful than childbirth”. The best treatment is black widow antivenin at thehospital, which works “within minutes,”. We here at Future Services, INC. get morecalls about black widows at this time of year than any other. Some clients callshortly after their pest prevention service, saying they still have spiders. Butthe only way to kill black widows is to spray a toxic substance directly on them.Spiders usually will not pick up the active ingredient in pesticides the wayother insects do. The active ingredient in pesticides is absorbed through fat,but black widows don't have fat on their exoskeletons — they're covered with awaxy substance. Black widows for the most part live outside, behind the sidingmaking them also hazardous to Dogs and cats, which are susceptible to a black widow'svenom.
Black widows release a neurotoxin that generally causes severe,painful cramping of large muscles. The pet may appear to be having a seizure, andmay have shallow, irregular breathing. They can go into shock, their stomachscan be tender and they can even become partially paralyzed. Prolonged paralysiscould last as long as 10 days to three weeks, she said. There are no hometreatments for animals that have been bitten by a black widow, so if theyexhibit any of the symptoms, take the pet to a vet immediately. The bite couldprove fatal, depending on the severity of the bite and the size of the animal. Smallerdogs and cats would be more susceptible.
The best thing is always prevention. The places to look for these unwelcomed guests are around the foundation of your home, close to gutters down spouts, and under splash guards. Their web is real messy and has no real form like other spider webs. If you have found black widows in or around your home please be careful, and DON"T handle them, especially keep children and small pets away. Also remember that the typical black widow with the hour glass is a female, and most probably has laid her eggs. Call us and we will be happy to inspect your home. Click Here to schedule your inspection.
If you haven't heard by now Atlanta has gotten over 10" inches of rain over the last few days. Just in case you're wondering, an inch of rain in a 1000 Sq Ft. area = a little over 631 gal. of water. Needless to say we have had a lot of water rolling around us. We have seen devistation, and even live's have been claimed because of the recent natural disaster. But something we can overlook is Pests.
Pests are a common problem after a flood, because it displaces many rodents from their natural habitat. As a result, these
animals are seeking areas that can provide food and shelter, such as
homes, sheds, barns and other buildings.
Structures damaged by the floods are particularly attractive and
provide easy access torodents. The unwelcome pests can damage property
and, in extreme cases, pose a potential health problem.
Rats and mice
- As soon as possible, remove all debris that could provide protective cover for rodents from around homes and buildings.
- Keep lawn and field vegetation mowed low to eliminate protective cover.
- Remove potential food sources, such as household trash, waste grain or other foods.
- Close openings into buildings, such as around water pipes, electrical wires, vents and doors, with 1/8-inch mesh hardware cloth or sheet metal.
Squirrels
- Trim trees to prevent squirrels from jumping onto roofs.
- Prevent squirrels from traveling along wires to houses and buildings by installing 2-foot sections of lightweight plastic pipe 2 to 3 inches in diameter. Slit pipe lengthwise, spread open and place over wire. The pipe will rotate on the wire and cause traveling squirrels to fall.
- Close openings to attics and eaves with heavy 1/2-inch wire mesh or sheet metal.
- In closed attics, naphthalene (mothballs) may work as a temporary repellent. Use 1 to 2 pounds spread evenly throughout the attic; greater amounts may be needed for large spaces.
If you have a serious problem please contact a profesional.
It's the curse of pesticides: They kill more than just pests. Yesterday, I wrote a story about how beekeepers in the Worcester area are concerned over plans to use a common grub killer to beat back a tree beetle infestation because it is toxic to bees.
But at Northeastern University, a team of researchers are meeting success with a more natural form of critter control.
Rebeca Rosengaus, an associate professor of biology along with former Northeastern postdoctoral fellow Mark Bulmer and a team of Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers have figured out a way to potentially control termites with using nothing more than a type of sugar molecule.
Here's how: The researchers knew that a tropical termite species can survive despite living in bacteria and fungus ridden nests. It turns out, the scientists discovered, the termite saliva and fecal matter contain a protein that destroys those bacteria and fungi.
But if researchers fed termites a glucose derivative, known as GDL, it inhibited the fungus-fighting proteins. Termites fed GDL in a lab died five days after being exposed to a fungus while 70 percent of those not fed GDL and exposed were still alive 12 days later. Their work was reported recently in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
One day, such an approach could be used to combat the $30 billion in damages that termites cause to homes, businesses and crops each year. Today, termites are often fought with chemicals that can spread to waterways and into living organisms. Rosengaus will continue experimenting with the molecule, especially in urban areas where termites are a particular problem.
"We're far away from saying this is the future of pest control,'' she said. "But it seems a very appealing alternative strategy."
thanks to the Boston Globe.