Cold Weather And Mosquitoes

Over the next few weeks, we’ll continue to discuss pests that can be controlled with home maintenance since this is the time of year when people are usually working on the exteriors of their homes. We wanted to take a break now, however, to answer a question that has been popping up the last few weeks. The people of East Tennessee want to know whether a cold snap in the spring will lower the summer bug population, particularly for mosquitoes. This week, we’ll take a look at that question and also cover some fun facts about mosquito life cycles (and by “fun,” I mean “upsetting”). Next time, we’ll provide more information about mosquito breeding habits and give you some practical advice to lower the mosquito population in your yard.

May of 2011 was a month of extremes. The Knoxville area had temperatures in the 90s by early May, which were unexpectedly followed by a cold snap that saw highs in the 50s and 60s. The mosquito population is definitely affected by the weather; we typically see their numbers start to rise around mid-May when the nights are consistently above 50 degrees. Unfortunately, however, an abrupt cold spell may lower the mosquito population at the time, but it won’t curb their numbers for the season.

Insects are masters of adaptation; they are hard-wired to make up lost ground when the weather deals them an unexpected bad turn. For instance, we have found that after exceptionally cold winters when you might expect the termite population to suffer, the following springs are often full of termite swarms. The reason is not because the cold weather was good for the termites. Rather, the colony recognizes that lives were lost during the bad season, so instinct tells them to begin a population explosion to protect the strength of their species. Mosquito populations can work the same way. If some died because they could not find shelter during that chilly week, the surviving pests will be geared to reproduce at a higher rate to protect their population. And, when you consider that the strongest mosquitoes are the ones who survived the cold, you must also consider that their young will carry all of those strong traits; there will be few sickly mosquitoes to weaken this year’s population.

Many people are not aware that mosquitoes aren’t primarily blood-feeders. In fact, their preferred meal is flower nectar; only the females drink blood when they’re preparing to lay eggs. This is the upsetting part. Female mosquitoes around here lay 200-300 eggs at a time. That means that for every mosquito bite you get, 300 new mosquitoes are hatched somewhere nearby!

In light of this bad news, here are a couple of tips to protect yourself; we’ll get into more practical details next time. First, consider the mosquito’s schedule when making your plans. Some species are only active during the day while others are only out at night. That’s why outdoor activities at dawn and dusk are so unpleasant; you’re getting attacked by every species at the same time. Avoid being outdoors then if you can. Also, bear in mind that mosquitoes are normally attracted to flowers. If you’re going to be outside in the evening, you may want to skip the sweet-smelling lotions or colognes that day so that you don’t draw them to you. The National Pest Management Association also indicates that using a pest repellant containing DEET on exposed skin can keep the mosquitoes off; read the label of your insect repellent to see if it contains DEET and to be sure you’re using it safely and correctly.

This gets us through the basics about mosquitoes and the cold weather. Next time, we’ll work on lowering the population in your yard to keep you safe and comfortable this summer. Call us with more questions or contact us through our website.

Carpenter Bee Identification

Knoxville, Maryville, Lenoir City, and many other parts of the greater Knoxville area took a beating from the recent storms. Our thoughts are with our neighbors, and we hope that the cleanup work is coming along. We thought that, since many people are doing work around their houses, our readers might appreciate information about a pest that can be treated with some simple home repair work. Today, let’s look at carpenter bees.

Carpenter bees are very large, and they have the unpleasant habit of hovering near their nest sites and chasing anyone who comes too close. You probably started to notice them zinging by your head in mid-March when the weather started to warm up. Still, they are rarely aggressive and will only sting if threatened. Unlike their bumble bee cousins, carpenter bees are not hive creatures. They build solitary nests by drilling through wood and creating a cavity in which eggs and larvae are protected. These bees do not eat the wood as termites do, so a common indicator of carpenter bees is small piles of sawdust on your back deck or on the porch below your wood siding.

If you want to treat for carpenter bees, here are some tips to consider. Using an over-the-counter product in the holes is a start, but it won’t eliminate your problem. If possible, use a flashlight and treat the holes at night when the bees are inactive. If that idea is not practical in your case, bring a spray can with a product that you can use to knock down and kill the adults so you don’t get stung while you work (I have a friend who uses a wiffle ball bat for this portion of the work, but I don’t recommend it). Then, use a product that leaves a residue in the holes so that your treatment lasts longer. Remember, most of the spray cans for bees and wasps are only for immediate contact use; they will kill a bee that you spray but will not leave lasting protection against the bees. Many over-the-counter products are labeled to last up to three months, and you’d be better off trying one of those in the holes. Always use products that are labeled for the pests you’re treating, and only use them in ways that the label allows. Also, remember to position yourself carefully if you’re treating high places; you don’t want the product that you use to fall back down on you while you work.

Treat the holes in early spring and again in summer to make sure you’ve contacted all the bees with the product. Then, in the fall, fill the holes with wood putty. The bees won’t want to chew through the putty and will not be able to re-use the same holes. Finally, if you are doing some home repairs in the coming weeks, we recommend that you put a coat of paint or varnish on the affected wood. Pressure-treated wood is still vulnerable to carpenter bee attack, but a coat of paint will frustrate a bee’s chewing efforts and may make it think twice about sharing living space with you.

We get many calls about carpenter bees because they can be tough to treat. Their nests are often hard to reach, so many homeowner’s don’t want to deal with the trouble. At Russell’s Pest Control, carpenter bee treatments are done with a large sprayer or blower that can more easily reach the affected areas to alleviate the problem. Sound like a service you could use? You know where to find us, and you can always call us for more information.