Dr. Austin Frishman Lasting Legacy

Magic would like to thank Dr. Frishman for his vision, guidance and assistance.

read the article at Pest Management Professional September 2010

Fungus Beetles by Ralph H. Maestre BCE

Common Name:
Foreign Grain Beetle
Hairy Fungus Beetle
Plaster or Minute Brown Scavenger Beetle
Sigmoid Fungus Beetle
Acute-angled Fungus Beetle
Scientific Name:
Ahasverus advena (Waltl)
Mycetophagus punctatus Say
Melanophthalma americana Mannerheim
Cryptophagus varus Woodroffe & Coombs
Cryptophagus acutangulus Gyllenhal

Fungus beetle is a general term covering several different beetles associated with damp, humid conditions where fungi, molds and mildew occur. When new homes are built, moist uncured lumber and/or freshly plastered or papered walls that become covered with molds, attract these beetles. Some occur in sawdust left in wall voids after construction. They often build heavy populations throughout late summer and early fall. These mold-feeding beetles sometimes are found in decaying plant material, woodpiles, mammal, ant or termite nests, damp cereals, grains, herbs, spices, cheese, jam, jellies, fibers and carpeting, especially in cellars. Attracted by lights, these small beetles, can crawl or fly through window or door screens, and then wander aimlessly. Heavy populations may first show up trapped in bathtubs, sinks or around lamps and TV sets. They are simply a nuisance by their presence and do not bite, sting, spread human diseases nor damage wood, food, fabric, etc.

Identification
The foreign grain beetle is camel-brown colored and about 1/16-inch long with a conspicuous rounded lobe or "knob" on the four corners of the thorax (area between the head and wing covers). The body is covered with dense pubescence (short, fine hairs) and dimple-like punctures with clubbed antennae. Other fungus beetles are less than 1/12-inch long with body color varying from yellowish to black. Also, most have punctures on the body and clubbed antennae. A good quality hand lens or microscope is necessary to see these characteristics.

Life Cycle and Habits
Most complaints of these nuisance beetles occur in late July, August, and September. Beetles often become quite abundant, especially after a period of rainy weather. However, development from egg to adult depends on temperature. Some beetles complete their life cycle in 25 to 36 days at 75 deg F., in 54 days at 65 deg F., or up to five months and longer at lower temperatures. Beetles are attracted to lights and feed entirely on the spores and hyphae of fungi. Later, eggs are laid on food material such as poorly-seasoned green lumber, wet plaster and wall board, moldy grains, etc. Larvae develop in the molds, maturing to adults later. Sometimes, stored foods may become contaminated from cast skins and excreta. Also, infestations are associated with poor ventilation, high humidity, plumbing leaks, etc.

Control Measures
Most infestations are temporary and self-limiting, but their presence is objectionable to many homeowners.

Prevention
Often it is difficult to locate the source of infestation since beetles may be feeding on fungi associated with neglected grains, yeast, moldy flowers, wall voids with rodent and insect nests, decaying plant materials, moldy wallpaper, freshly plastered walls, around moist window cases or poor plumbing. Any action taken to dry out damp conditions supporting fungal growth, essential to these beetles, will greatly reduce or eliminate populations. Most homes dry out naturally within a year or two, and the fungi disappears along with the beetles. Usually adequate artificial heating and ventilation will stop infestations. Periods of dry weather with relatively low humidity (below 60 percent) will reduce numbers. Be sure that dry foods are stored in insect-proof containers (glass, heavy plastic or metal) ideally with screw-type lids free of mold. A strong suction vacuum cleaner with proper attachments will collect many beetles.

Insecticides
If moisture problems cannot be corrected, commercial household labeled fungicides may be effective in eliminating fungal growth in selected areas. Household aerosol sprays of pyrethrins will kill many beetles when applied in crevices under baseboards, around windows, doors and lights. Repeat treatments will be needed to control newly emerging adults. Residual contact sprays will help give control.

Dust formulations are applied into wall voids and other hard to reach places can be effective. Before using any insecticide, always READ THE LABEL and follow directions and safety precautions.

Reference: Ohio State Pest fact Sheets

If you've noticed problems with Fungus Beetles in your New York City business or residence, contact Magic Exterminators today to resolve the issue.

Backswimmers & Water Striders by Ralph H. Maestre BCE

Water Strider

Adults are between 5/16 to 5/8 inch long, dull to grayish or reddish brown above and silvery gray on the underside of the body. Many have long slender bodies with long, slender legs and antennae. The front legs are short and modified for grasping while the middle and hind legs are long, like stilts with claws. These insects creep on the surface of running water or pools in a slow deliberate gait where they feed on live and dead insects, crustacea and other organisms. They overwinter as adults. Long, cylindrical eggs are laid during spring and summer in parallel rows glued to objects at the water's edge. Adults are called "skaters" or "Jesus Bugs," apparently for their ability to walk on water of ponds, lakes and streams.

These insects are found in residential pools and will bite. The customer would have to shock (use chlorine) the pool. We do not treat for them.

Backswimmers - Notonectidae

Scientific Classification
Notonectidae or backswimmers is a family of insects of the Hemiptera order. Back swimmers, or Greater Water Boatmen are hemipteran bugs. They are named backswimmers because they are aquatic predators that swim upside down. They are up to 15 mm in size. They are similar to corixidae, but can be separated by differences in their dorsal-ventral coloration, front legs, and behavior. Their dorsum convex is light colored without cross striations. Their front tarsi are not scoop-shaped and hind legs fringed for swimming.

The size of air bubble that provide buoyancy changes as the nitrogen dissolve into the blood and the oxygen is used in respiration. Notonectidae carry extra oxygen supply using haemoglobin in their abdomen. This helps them regulate the size of its air bubble and the concentration of oxygen inside it. [1]

Backswimmer swimming on its back

The main genus of backswimmers is Notonecta- streamlined, deep-bodied bugs up to 16 mm long, green, brown or yellowish in colour. As the common name indicates, these aquatic insects swim on their backs, vigorously paddling with their long, hair-fringed hind legs.

Backswimmers are predators and attack prey as large as tadpoles and small fish, and can inflict a painful bite on human finger. They inhabit still freshwater, e.g. lakes, pools, marshes, and are sometimes found in garden ponds. They can fly well and so migrate easily to new habitats.

The Common Backswimmer is Notonecta glauca, widespread in the United Kingdom and Europe. Another species is N. maculata, distinguished by mottled brick-coloured forewings.

This is another insect found in residential pool and may bite clients. Again the homeowners must shock (use Chlorine). We do not treat for them.

a half-submerged Common Backswimmer (Notonecta glauca)

References
Chinery, M. (1986) Collins Guide to the Insects of Britain & Western Europe. Collins. ISBN 0 00 219137-7.
Fitter, R. & Manuel, R. (1986) Collins Field Guide to Freshwater Life. Collins. ISBN 0 00 219143-1.
Hungerford, H. B. (1933) The genus Notonecta of the world. U. Kansas Sci. Bull. 21: 5-195.

External links
Close-up photo by J. Hlasek
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notonectidae"

Argentine ant — Linepithema humile Subfamily: Dolichodorinae

Identifying characteristics

Workers are all the same size, small, 1/8-inch long
· Uniformly dull brown

· Petiole with 1 erect node

· Thorax uneven in shape when viewed from side
· Musty odor emitted when crushed Behavior
· Feed on sweets, fresh fruit, and buds of some plants
· Tend honeydew-producing species

· Forage for sweets and oils in homes
· Travel rapidly in distinctive trails along sidewalks, up sides of buildings, along branches of trees and shrubs, along baseboards, and under edges of carpets
· Colonies may split in spring and summer when queen and workers move to new site; not antagonistic toward each other

Nest type and size
· Outdoors in soil, under wood, slabs, debris, mulch, or in branches and cavities of trees and shrubs
· Shallow, 1- to 2-inch deep mounds in open, often disturbed habitats, either moist or dry
· Millions of ants per colony with multiple queens and many sub-colonies
Statewide IPM Program, Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California The Argentine Ant is confirmed by to be established here in the New York City and Long Island area. I have several specimens brought in by you the techs. If you crush one and it does not have a smell, then there is a strong case that you have this ant at the location.

Treatment
Begin by using only the baits and gels. Use a lot since the nests or colonies are very large at times. The use of Phantom, Transport GHP or other non-repellents may be used along the outside perimeter according to label instructions. Make sure that all entry points found get treated. A follow-up visit may be needed. These ants live in very large colonies. They may also bypass ground treatment and enter home near the roof line. A good inspection with a binocular is required.

For more information on this ant and other insects, visit our New York City Pest Identification Guide for pictures, details, and descriptions. Magic Exterminating can handle all of your pest control needs in NYC.

Magic's Three Entomologist

Magic has a staff full of Entomologist led by Ralph H. Maestre BCE (center), Michael Morales ACE (left), and Anthony DeVito ACE (right).

With over 72 years of experience and education there is no problem to big or to small that they cannot solve.

They all agree on why pest control is such a great job: Every day is a new adventure and that they enjoy meeting all the different people.

Anthony says Termites are the most fascinating, Michael has a thing for all of the various Ants and Ralph is a fan of Tiger Beetles and Dragon Flies.

I finally asked about their hardest challenge:

When the Bed bug epidemic emerged I had to educate myself on how to control them in diverse situations like a welfare hotel. The industry did not have a standard protocol at that time so I experimented with all the tools at our disposal and developed a highly effective treatment plan that works in every situation- Michael

Termites living on the third floor of a house independent of the soil. The house had been treated for 15 years by 3 different companies. It took some time but I found them in the attic getting water from a leaking chimney in the middle of the house. - Anthony

The hardest challenge I have faced is trying to change people’s habits. Individuals always understand the importance of sanitation and exclusion, it is trying to make them take care of it and maintain it that is the problem. - Ralph

Thanks guys...

Questions a Tech should be Asking

The questions a tech should be asking themselves on each job.
By Ralph H. Maestre, BCE

Which pest am I dealing with?
Proper identification of a pest is important for obvious reasons. It helps you decide how to approach the job. The miss-identification of termites and ants will cause you headaches. With that said, many pest are approached using the same techniques, an example would be many of the store product pests. With stored product pests you need to know the species, this will help you narrow down to the infested product, but the treatment will be similar. You will use pheromone traps and direct treatment to infested area. Proper preparation is also important.

Why is the pest there?
All animals need four essential items to survive: water, food, harborage, and temperature. When each of these is removed, the animal either leaves or dies. Notice pesticides are not mentioned.

What do I need to do now?
Do I inspect? Do I vacuum? Do I treat? Do I monitor? Do I clean? Etc.
Inspection is a key, this will allow you to verify the infestation and where it may be coming from. Once you decide on a treatment plan, you may need to schedule a follow-up to verify that your plan worked. This is important when a carpenter ant nest has not been located. It is not necessary for all pests; an example would be for yellowjackets and other stinging insect, the customer will let you know if the job was successful after 3 days. Scheduling a call-back for a customer like this will waste time and money.

What do I do to prevent the problem from recurring?
Sometimes this is simple and other times it is very difficult to get a client to understand the importance of repairs or exclusion work that may be needed. Sometimes it is sanitation that needs to be improved. This must be documented for quality control, to prevent liability, or preventing losing the account. We may be able to help in performing the repairs or sanitation. Ask you field supervisor or service manager for help.

So to review, every pest needs four things to survive; water, food, harborage, and temperature. The adjustment of any of these will reduce the pest problem. All four and the pest will leave or die.Four questions should always be asked on each job. Which pest is it? Why is the pest present? What do I do now? What do I do to prevent the problem from recurring? Approach each job this way and answer each question correctly and you will solve the pest problem and have a very happy client.

For more tips on pest identification, visit Magic Exterminating, a NYC Pest Control company, and look at our pest identification guide.

Indianmeal Moth By Ralph H. Maestre BCE

Common Name: Indianmeal Moth Scientific Name: Plodia interpunctella (Hubner)

The Indian Meal Moth is considered the most troublesome of the grain-infesting moths in New York. Damage is caused by the larvae spinning silken threads as they feed and crawl, thus webbing food particles together. Besides infesting all cereal food products and whole grains, larvae also feed on a wide variety of foods and feeds such as dried fruits, powdered milk, cornmeal, flour, raisins, prunes, nuts, chocolate, candies, health food and seeds, bird seed, dog and cat food, fish food, graham crackers, dried red peppers, pastas, etc.

Sometimes mistaken as clothes moths, homeowners first notice small moths flying in a zigzag fashion around rooms (kitchens and pantries) in the home. These moths fly mostly at night and are attracted to lights and may appear in the living room near or in front of television sets. Occasionally, the larvae or "white worms with black heads" crawl up walls and suspend from the ceiling attached to a single silken thread. Other times, a few larvae may be found in a food package along with unsightly webbing, cast skins and frass (fecal pellets). It is repulsive to the homeowner and costly to the manufacturer. Packages of whole wheat, graham flour and corn meal are often infested. Most complaints in New York occur during the months of July and August, but often appear in the Spring as the weather warms above 55º. Some adult moths do fly into the home during summer months through open doors or windows, but most "hitchhike" inside in packaged goods and groceries. Not only homes, but restaurants, grocery stores, warehouses, pet stores, seed companies, mills etc., become infested.

Identification
Adult moths are about 3/8-inch (8 to 10mm) long when at rest and have a wing spread of about 1/2 to 3/4 inch (18 to 20mm). When viewed from above with the wings folded over the back, the outer 2/3 of the wing appears reddish-brown or bronze colored "at the wing tips" while the inner 2/3 of the wing "at the basal portion" is light gray to ochre-yellow. Also, the head and thorax are reddish-brown and the hind wings gray. The larvae or "caterpillars" are about 2/3 inch (12.5mm) when mature. Brown-headed larvae are dirty white, sometimes tinged pink or green. Larvae are quite active and molt four to seven times before pupating. Pupae are reddish-brown and about 3/8-inch long. Eggs are grayish to dirty white and from 0.3 to 0.5mm long.

Life Cycle and Habits
The female moth lays between 60 and 300 eggs, singly or in clusters, on or near the foodstuffs. Eggs hatch in 2 to 14 days with larvae or "tiny whitish caterpillars" dispersing within a few hours. Larvae move to foodstuffs, and feed in or near a tunnel-like case of frass and silk which they web together. Some food becomes matted with silken webbing. The larval stage is the feeding or "pest stage," and may range from 2 to 41 weeks, depending on the temperature. In stored grains, feeding is done at the surface. When ready to pupate, mature larvae leave their tubes and spin a silken cocoon. They often migrate or "wander" a considerable distance from their food source before finding the pupation site, often in cracks and crevices. Some crawl up walls to where the wall and ceiling meet or crawl to the top of the cupboard to spin the cocoon in which they pupate and from which new adult moths emerge. Mating occurs and the life cycle is repeated. The life cycle may range from the shortest period of four weeks to the longest of 300 days. Under good conditions, the entire life cycle requires six to eight weeks. However, in cold climates, larvae overwinter and pupate in March. Moths emerge in April. Generations overlap as the season progresses. There may be five generations per year in some locations. The life cycle depends on temperature, taking two to six months in temperate zones and three to four weeks in warm climates.

Control Measures
1-Before purchasing, examine foods such as milled cereal products, flour and dried fruit for infestations. Examine broken and damaged packages and boxes to avoid bringing stored pests accidentally into the home. Check the packaging date to ensure freshness.

2-Purchase seldom-used foods in small quantities to prevent long storage periods of a month or more. Susceptible material stored for six months or more, especially during the hot summer months, has the possibility of developing into serious infestations. Store susceptible foods in insect-proof containers of glass, metal or plastic ware with tight-fitting lids, ideally screw-type. Highly susceptible foods, such as spices, can be kept in the refrigerator and other foods in the freezer. Always use older packages first, and inspect frequently to avoid any spillage which might attract insects. Properly ventilate the storage area to discourage moisture-loving pests.

3-Foods of questionable infestations or even lightly infested can be supercooled or superheated. Place exposed or suspect foods in a freezer at 0°F. for four to seven days or in a microwave oven for five minutes or in a shallow pan or tray in the oven at 140°F for one hour or 120°F for two hours. Spread the material thinly to permit effective cold or heat penetration to kill all life stages of the pest. If in the oven, stir food periodically to prevent possible scorching. Dried fruits can be placed in cheese cloth bags and dipped into boiling water for six to ten seconds to kill external pests. However, seeds saved for planting may have the germination reduced after superheating or cooling. Sifting the food material will remove possible insect fragments and any remaining will not cause harm if consumed. After insects are killed, contaminated food might be used outdoors during winter months for bird feed.

4-Careful sanitation is the best method to avoid stored product pests. After removing all food, food packages, utensils, dishes, etc. from the cupboard, shelves or storage area, use a strong suction vacuum cleaner with proper attachments to clean up all spilled foods (toaster crumbs, cornmeal, bits of pet food, raisins, etc.) from cracks and crevices, behind and under appliances and furniture. Pull out heavy appliances from the wall and scrub with soap and hot water. The ability of these insects to find a small amount of food and survive is amazing. After shelves are thoroughly dry, cover with clean, fresh paper or foil before replacing with food or cooking utensils. Remove and destroy any cocoons found in cupboards and other sites.

5-Locate the source of infestation and quickly get rid of it. Dispose of heavily infested foods in wrapped, strong, plastic bags or in sealed containers for garbage disposal service or bury deep in the soil if permitted and practical. If detection is made early, it may be the only material infested and the problem is solved. Be sure to carefully examine seldom-used foods, especially in least disturbed storage areas. One can spread suspected foods on a tray to determine whether infestation is widespread. Inspect unopened cardboard boxes since pests can chew into these boxes and plastic inserts.

6-Pheromone traps are commercially available for inspection, monitoring, and pinpointing infestations of adult Indianmeal moths. Insects use pheromones to communicate with each other, and are natural compounds created in the insect body. Many have been isolated in the laboratory and now used to lure insects into sticky traps.

Adult moths live only five to seven days with their major function to reproduce. Male moths are attracted to pheromone scent (sex-attractant). Traps can be hung indoors next to the ceiling, behind shelves, etc. to capture moths on a sticky board. In food warehouses, some use five traps per 1,000 square feet. A few well-placed traps can detect moths. About one in eight Indianmeal moths that approach a pheromone trap enters it. The trap alone is a "monitoring tool" not a control method.

If you suspect you have an Indian Meal Moth problem, contact Magic Exterminating to see how our New York City Pest Control procedures can help stop the infestation, and prevent future problems..

Reference: HYG-2089-97 William F. Lyon Ohio State Fact Sheet