Arrow Pest Control Baton Rouge Louisiana

Long Bodied Cellar Spider

rhonda — Wed, 16 May 2012 14:10:44 +0000

This information was compiled as a courtesy from Arrow Termite & Pest Control President Mike Cohn, Board Certified Entomologist.
Arrow Termite & Pest Control has over 50 years of industry experience. Our services include: Pest Control, Termite Control (Native, Formosan, Dry wood, & Powder Post Beetles), Fumigation (Marine, Structural, & Commodity), Lawn Care (Fertilization, Weed, & Landscaping), Wildlife Trapping (Bat, Bird, & Rodents), and Mosquito Abatement (MistAway) and Green Pest Management.

Color:	Pale yellow to light brown or gray
Legs:	8
Shape:	Long skinny legs with a small body
Size:	¼-3/8” (6-9mm)
Antennae:	False
Region:	Found throughout U.S.

Cellar spiders are commonly referred to as “daddy-long-legs” because of their very long, thin legs and as their name implies are found in dark and damp places. There are about 20 species of cellar spiders in the United States and Canada.

Habits

Cellar spiders build loose, irregular, tangled webs in corners. They hang upside down on the underside of the web. The webs are not cleaned but instead a new web is continually added. This habit can result in extensive webbing in a relatively short time.

Habitat

The spiders and their webs are usually found in dark and damp places, such as cellars, basements, and crawl spaces. They can also be found in the corners of garages, sheds, barns, and warehouses, on eaves, windows, and ceilings, and in closets, sink cabinets, and bath-traps. Cellar spiders seem to fare better in areas with higher relative humidity,

Threats

Cellar spiders do not pose a threat to humans. While they are commonly found in homes, they usually stay in one place. They are not known to bite. Urban legend has it that their venom is of the most deadly of spiders, but their weak mouthparts keep them from injecting venom into humans. While it is correct that they cannot successfully bite, their venom is not very potent.

Prevention:

Seal cracks on the outside of the home, especially around doors and windows, and use screens to prevent entry into homes. Using yellow light bulbs for exterior lighting may reduce the number of spiders and other insects as they are typically attracted to white-light sources. Additionally, lowering the humidity in basements, cellars and crawl spaces with the use of a dehumidifier or ventilation can discourage cellar spiders from living there.

Source: http://www.pestworld.org/

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Did You Know…………

rhonda — Wed, 09 May 2012 13:54:59 +0000

Flea eggs will hatch on the ground, in nests, carpet, bedding, upholstery or cracks in the floor.

Source: http://www.pestworld.org/

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Merchant Grain Beetles

rhonda — Tue, 08 May 2012 13:50:54 +0000

This information was compiled as a courtesy from Arrow Termite & Pest Control President Mike Cohn, Board Certified Entomologist.

Arrow Termite & Pest Control has over 50 years of industry experience. Our services include: Pest Control, Termite Control (Native, Formosan, Dry wood, & Powder Post Beetles), Fumigation (Marine, Structural, & Commodity), Lawn Care (Fertilization, Weed, & Landscaping), Wildlife Trapping (Bat, Bird, & Rodents), and Mosquito Abatement (MistAway) and Green Pest Management.

Description

Merchant grain beetles are typically not found in grain products, but instead like to attack cereals, cake mixes, macaroni, cookies and chocolate. Merchant grain beetles are dark brown and have six saw-like teeth on each side of their bodies. They can grow to be one-eighth of an inch long and have very flat bodies.

Color: Brown, Shape: Narrow Oval, Size:1/10, Legs: Six, Antenna: Yes & Flying: Can Fly and Drawn to light.

Habits

The merchant grain beetle’s body shape allows it to crawl into packaging to eat, live and place eggs.

Habitat

Merchant grain beetles are found in pantries or in food processing areas or warehouses.

Threats

Merchant grain beetles can infest stored food products and can contaminate food.

Prevention

Discard infested packages. Clean spilled grain and food sources.

Source: http://www.pestworld.org/

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House Spiders

rhonda — Thu, 03 May 2012 15:33:34 +0000

This information was compiled as a courtesy from Arrow Termite & Pest Control President Mike Cohn, Board Certified Entomologist.

Color:	Yellowish brown, abdomen dirty white with a few dark spots (sometimes with a black triangular spot in the center) to almost black, with several dark stripes meeting at angle above tip of abdomen; legs
Legs:	8
Shape:	Elongated abdomen
Size:	3/16 – 5/16“ (female) 1/8 – 3/16” (male)
Antennae:	False

This is usually the spider most often encountered indoors. It is a nuisance pest, probably more because of its webs than the spider itself. This spider is found worldwide and is common throughout the United States and Canada.

Habits

The house spider randomly selects its web sites and creates a tangled web. If a web does not yield prey it is abandoned, another site is selected, and a new web is built. Survival is low in modern homes with low humidity and few insects, higher in garages, sheds, barns, warehouses, etc. because of more prey and generally higher humidity, and highest outdoors in protected places.

Habitat

Inside structures, house spiders are most likely to be found in upper corners, under furniture, in closets, angles of window frames, basements, garages, and crawl spaces. Outside they are often around windows and under eaves especially near light sources which attract prey.

Threats

House spiders are nuisance pests but pose no threats to humans.

Prevention:

Seal cracks and use screens on windows

Source: http://www.pestworld.org/

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Did You Know………

rhonda — Tue, 01 May 2012 19:44:50 +0000

This information was compiled as a courtesy from Arrow Termite & Pest Control President Mike Cohn, Board Certified Entomologist.

There are 1,830 different kinds of fleas known throughout the world.

Source: http://www.pestworld.org/

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It’s Bed Bug Awareness Week-Brush Up On Information Before Vacation

rhonda — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 15:29:00 +0000

This information was compiled as a courtesy from Arrow Termite & Pest Control President Mike Cohn, Board Certified Entomologist.

As part of National Pest Management Month, which has been celebrated in April for more than 30 years, the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) is marking the week of April 22 – 28 as Bed Bug Awareness Week. As people begin to move about more frequently in the warmer months and embark on summer vacations, the NPMA is spreading awareness, promoting public vigilance and providing essential prevention advice about bed bugs.

“Bed bugs are still a problem in America. A survey of pest professionals conducted by the NPMA and the University of Kentucky in 2011, found that bed bug encounters have become more common in public places than in previous years; in some cases, the numbers of professionals who reported treating certain types of businesses and commercial facilities saw double digit growth from the prior year,” said Missy Henriksen, NPMA’s vice president of public affairs.

“With summer travel around the corner, NPMA reminds travelers to arm themselves with bed bug knowledge and prevention tips. A watchful eye can go a long way in preventing an infestation upon returning home,” advised Henriksen.

Bed Bug prevention tips when traveling:

At hotels, pull back sheets and inspect mattress seams, for telltale bed bug stains. Inspect the entire room before unpacking, including sofas and chairs and behind the headboard. Notify management of anything suspect and change rooms or establishments immediately.
If you need to change rooms, don’t move to a room adjacent or directly above or below the suspected infestation.
Keep suitcases in plastic trash bags or protective covers during your stay to prevent bed bugs from nesting there.
When home, inspect suitcases before bringing them into the house and vacuum them before storing.
Wash all clothes – even those not worn – in hot water to eliminate any bed bugs and their eggs.

http://www.pestworld.org/news-and-views/press-releases/press-releases/its-bed-bug-awareness-week-brush-up-on-information-before-vacation/

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House Centipedes

rhonda — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:25:12 +0000

This information was compiled as a courtesy from Arrow Termite & Pest Control President Mike Cohn, Board Certified Entomologist.

Color:	Yellowish to dark brown, sometimes with darker stripes or markings
Legs:
Shape:	Elongated, flattened, worm-like
Size:	1/8 – 6” (4-152 mm)
Antennae:	True
Region:	Found throughout U.S.

Centipedes are sometimes called “hundred-leggers” because of their many pairs of legs, but they can actually have anywhere from 15-177 pairs of legs, depending on the species. Interestingly, centipedes always have an odd number of pairs of legs.

Habits

Most centipedes are nocturnal, and prey primarily on flies, spiders, and sometimes plant tissue.

Habitat

Centipedes are found throughout the United States and the world. They are typically found in areas of high moisture, such as in rotting logs, under stones, in trash or piles of leaves/grass. When they invade homes, centipedes are most commonly found in damp basements, crawlspaces, bathrooms, or potted plants.

Threats

Centipedes are generally considered nuisance pests, as they do not pose significant health or property threats. However, all centipedes have poison jaws with which they inject venom into their prey. If handled roughly, some larger species can inflict a painful bite that can break human skin and causes pain and swelling, similar to a bee sting.

Prevention:

The most effective way to prevent centipede infestations is to reduce areas of moisture in and around your home. Remove leaf piles and grass clippings. Store firewood off of the ground. Provide adequate ventilation in crawl spaces, basements, etc.

Source: http://www.pestworld.org/

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Did You Know………..

rhonda — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 20:17:58 +0000

This information was compiled as a courtesy from Arrow Termite & Pest Control President Mike Cohn, Board Certified Entomologist.

Caterpillars may have over 4000 separate muscles. Humans have only 792.

Source: http://www.pestworld.org/

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Brown Widow Spider

rhonda — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:45:35 +0000

This information was compiled as a courtesy from Arrow Termite & Pest Control President Mike Cohn, Board Certified Entomologist.

ScienceDaily (May 10, 2007) – A dangerous spider is making itself known to Louisiana residents. The brown widow spider is becoming more common, according to entomologists with the LSU AgCenter.

Generally found in tropical areas, the brown widow spider is closely related to the black widow spider and is poisonous, according to LSU AgCenter entomologist Dr. Dennis Ring.

Experts say the spider ranges in color from gray or tan to dark brown and may reach 1 inch to 1½ inches long. Like its better-known black widow cousin, the brown widow spider has a yellow-to-orange hourglass marking on the underside of its abdomen. It also has black and white marks on the top of the abdomen and often has dark bands on its legs. “Its venom is more toxic than the black widow’s,” Ring said. “But it doesn’t put out as much venom in its bite.”

Ring said the brown widow spider is most often found in areas that haven’t been disturbed, such as brush piles, wood piles and areas where hurricane debris has accumulated. They also can show up in crawl spaces, under chairs, in garbage can handles and under flower pots, eaves and porch railings.

“These spiders are shy and are less likely than black widows to bite humans,” Ring said. “Nevertheless, they can bite when they come in contact with a person’s skin.”

Ring suggests wearing gloves, long-sleeved shirts and long pants when working outdoors, especially in areas that don’t get a lot of human activity.

In addition to recognizing the spiders themselves, Ring points out that the egg sac of the brown widow is different from that of the black widow. The white-to-tan-colored egg sac of the brown widow is lumpy. The black widow’s egg sac is smooth. The egg sac can be found attached to the web and is about one-half inch in diameter.

The best remedy for controlling brown widow spiders is to remove areas where they may nest, according to Ring. The LSU AgCenter entomologist recommends picking up clutter and sealing cracks and crevices around doors and windows, as well as in driveways and sidewalks.

Ring added that brown widow spiders also can be controlled by using spray or powdered insecticides labeled for spiders.

LSU Agricultural Center (2007, May 10). Venomous Brown Widow Spiders Making Themselves Known In Louisiana. ScienceDaily. Retrieved April 19, 2012, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2007/05/070510083028.htm#.T5AQlwKcyuc.email

A brown widow spider. (Credit: Dr. Chris Carlton, Louisiana State Arthropod Museum).

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Fleas

rhonda — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:20:08 +0000

This information was compiled as a courtesy from Arrow Termite & Pest Control President Mike Cohn, Board Certified Entomologist.

Description

Color-Dark, Reddish Brown, Size-1/2-1/6 inches, Shape-Flat, Legs-Six, Antennae-Yes, and Flying-No.

Habits

Fleas are attracted to animals by body heat, movement and the carbon dioxide that animals exhale.

Habitat

Fleas start in the spring time and increase in numbers during the summer. Fleas will start to decrease in the cooler to winter months, but pets usually harbor small population during these seasons.

Threats

Fleas have been reported to infect humans with plague, murine typhus, and certain tapeworms. They also transmit other important pathogens and parasites of humans and pets. Their saliva has recently been determined to cause serious Flea Allergy Dermatitis in pets and their debris has been reported to cause similar allergic reactions in humans. Large populations of fleas can contribute to serious discomfort, can contribute to secondary infection due to their hosts’ scratching bitten sites, and their feeding may contribute to, or even cause, serious anemia in young or small host animals.

Prevention

A regiment of cleaning animal areas, such as: washing bedding in hot water, thorough sanitation improvements, and to restrict the pets movement to mostly interior. Also floors should be vacuumed and the bag or canister content should be discarded outside. Other control measures include drops or pills administered to the animal. Flea collars are also commonly used with varying degrees of success. These steps require the participation of the owner and define an integrated approach to flea management.

Source: http://www.pestworld.org/

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