- Author: UC IPM
Tis the season for holiday travel. As you make reservations for rental accommodations to visit family and friends, we wanted to share a few suggestions to help you avoid bringing bed bugs home with you. Regardless of what type of lodging you choose-- hotel, motel, cabin, or other type of rental-- no place is immune to bed bug introductions or infestations.
We don't wish to alarm you, but we do want to point out that bed bug infestations are on the rise in the United States. Take precautions to save yourself from later issues and costs in case bed bugs do find their way into your home.
When settling into your room
- Before plopping your luggage down on the bed, couch, or floor, we recommend doing a quick bed bug check of the room. You can either leave the luggage in the hall or place it in the bath tub, where bed bugs are not likely to be. Traveling with the family? Let them and all the luggage sit comfortably in the lobby while you do the room inspection.
- Do a thorough inspection of the bed, night stand, upholstered furniture, and closets. You can use a flashlight or a phone light to help you look for bed bugs, shed skins, or fecal matter.
- Some establishments use bed bug mattresses and box spring encasements. These can make it easier to detect bed bugs or be used as a preventative measure.
- Not sure what you are looking for? We created this video to show you what bed bugs look like and how to search for them.
After You Return Home
- Before you bring luggage back into the house, inspect it for any signs of bed bugs that may have hitched a ride. Store luggage away from the bedroom to prevent potential introductions.
- To be cautious, launder all the clothes from your trip on the hottest settings to kill bed bugs that may have gone unnoticed. For items that cannot be washed, freezing them for several days will also kill bed bugs.
- If you do find bed bugs, these steps will help reduce the risk of infestation. See more about identification and management in our Pest Notes: Bed Bugs
Follow these tips to enjoy your holiday travel, reduce your risk of getting bitten by bed bugs, and not bringing bed bugs home with you.
Staying home for the holidays? Here are some tips to host a bed bug-free holiday!
- Author: Anne E Schellman
As weather cools, you may notice ants coming indoors. Large numbers of ants may invade your kitchen, bathroom, garage, bedrooms, or even your living room! Spraying the offending ants with a pesticide or household cleaner (not recommended) may kill the ants you see, but it won't stop more from invading.
Why do ants invade?
Ants are looking for food, water, and sometimes shelter. They live in colonies composed of worker ants and reproductive ants. The workers leave the nest to “scout” for resources. As they travel, they leave a scent trail for other ants to follow. Once food or water is found and that information is communicated to the colony, more ants arrive to help gather the resource.
Prevention
Your first step is to find out where the ants are coming from. Follow their trail until you find where they are entering. Then, use a caulking gun to seal up the cracks.
Sanitation
Is someone in your household inviting the ants? They may unknowingly do so by leaving sandwich crumbs or other foods on your kitchen counters. Pet food is also enticing to ants. Consider feeding your pets and then removing the food. Or, place your pet's food bowl in a larger bowl of water to create a “moat” that ants can't cross.
Management
Wipe up invading ants and their trails with soapy water. This destroys the scent trail left behind that helps attract more ants and kills the ants that are present.
If you've followed all the directions above but ants continue to invade, you may need to use bait to manage the infestation. Baits are a combination of insecticides mixed with a material to attract ants. When ants take the bait, they taste it and pass it along. The insecticide builds up in the system of the worker ants and the queen, eventually killing them. The bait is slow-acting, so it may take a while to see a reduction in ants. If you choose to use a bait, make sure to follow the directions on the label for best results.
For more information about ant management, visit the UC IPM website to read the Ants Quick Tips card from UC IPM. You can also call the Master Gardener helpline at 525-6802 or send us a message at ucmgstanislaus@ucanr.edu.
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The University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Stanislaus County Master Gardeners are available to answer questions on Wednesdays from 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Drop off a pest or gardening problem sample anytime during business hours to the Stanislaus Agricultural Center at 3800 Cornucopia Way Suite A in Modesto, 95358, and we will get back to you.
- Author: Anne E Schellman
In Part I, we discussed why mosquitoes bite, and which mosquito species can spread West Nile and Zika virus. Now, let's talk about what mosquitoes need to reproduce, how to prevent them from breeding around your home, and best methods to protect yourself and your family while outdoors.
What do Mosquitoes Need to Breed?
The mosquitoes that spread West Nile virus and Zika need water to lay their eggs. Female mosquitoes can lay their eggs in even the smallest amount of water. Places in your yard that appeal to them include standing water found in ponds, garden pots, children's toys, or even pet water bowls. Eliminating these possible breeding spaces is key to mosquito control.
Watch the video “Don't Let Mosquitoes Breed in your Yard” from UC IPM for helpful tips.
Protect Yourself from Mosquito Bites
There's a plethora of mosquito control and prevention items for sale, but many are ineffective.
When outdoors, protect your skin by wearing long-sleeved pants and shirts, long socks, and a hat. Be aware that mosquitoes can bite through a thin layer of clothing. Also, choose and apply an effective EPA-registered mosquito repellent that contains DEET, picardin, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus to exposed skin.
You may be tempted to use outdoor sprays to battle mosquitoes. However, this method is only temporary and doesn't help control the source of the problem. The best way to avoid bites are prevention and protection.
Resources: UC IPM Pests in the Urban Landscape. Zika, Mosquitoes, and Repellents. https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=21923
- Author: Anne E Schellman
You've probably read a lot lately in the news about West Nile virus and Zika virus. In mid-June, the first human case of West Nile virus in Stanislaus County was diagnosed. This past week, mosquitoes that can carry the Zika virus were found in our county.
Why do mosquitoes bite?
It may surprise you to learn that mosquitoes get most of their food from flower nectar. However, female mosquitoes need a blood meal to produce eggs. If she bites someone while carrying a virus, it can infect that person.
What is the difference between West Nile virus and Zika virus?
West Nile virus is carried by Culex tarsalis or the Western encephalitis mosquito. This species is most active just after sunset. It feeds on birds and other mammals, including humans.
Eighty percent of people infected with West Nile virus do not show symptoms. The other twenty percent may have mild symptoms including fever, headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes swollen lymph glands or a skin rash. One in 150 people infected will develop a neurological illness that may result in death.
Zika virus is transmitted by several species of Aedes mosquitoes. These mosquitoes bite people during the day. Women infected with Zika during pregnancy may have an infant born with microcephaly and other severe brain defects.
Although this mosquito has been found in Stanislaus County, the virus has not been found in California. Aedes mosquitoes can only transmit Zika if they carry the virus.
How can I protect myself and my family?
Stay tuned tomorrow for part II of this blog post, with helpful tips for prevention and protection from mosquitoes.
Resources:
University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources. UC IPM Pest Notes: Mosquitoes. Taken from http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7451.html on August 5, 2019.
Vector Disease Control International. Culex tarsalis-the Western Encephalitis mosquito. Taken from http://www.vdci.net/blog/mosquito-of-the-month-culex-tarsalis-western-encephalitis-mosquito on August 5, 2019.
California Department of Public Health. Zika: What Californians Need to Know. Taken from https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Zika.aspx on August 5, 2019.
- Author: Anne E Schellman
If you've been startled by insects crawling in a food package or moths flying around your kitchen, you might have a pantry pest infestation. These insects are brought into your home inside food packages such as nuts, grains, cereal products, and even chocolate!
Meal Moths
This distinctive looking moth flutters around your kitchen, distracting you from the real culprit, their larvae. These caterpillar-like insects do all the real damage when they feed inside packages of cereal, flour, rice, dried fruit, candy, and nuts. You might also see tiny webs inside packages, this is the silken cocoon of the insect before it changes into a moth. Killing off the moths won't solve your problem.
Beetles
There are several beetles that infest food, including warehouse beetles, grain beetles, cigarette beetles, and flour beetles. They feed on a variety of products including bird seed, pet food, tobacco products, animal hair (like wool), dried herbs and spices, dried meat and fruit, and even rodent bait.
What Should You Do?
Although it might feel satisfying, spraying a pesticide is not an effective way to get rid of these pests. First, find the source of the problem. Look through all grain products and packages in your kitchen, especially opened packages. When you find the pests, seal the packages and throw them away. Remove everything from your shelves and wipe with soapy water to kill pests. Vacuum any crevices where pests or pest eggs may be hiding.
Fun Video
Watch this short video below from UC IPM for more detailed information on dealing with pantry pests. You can also read in more detail in the UC IPM Pest Notes: Pantry Pests.