tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17776795749616172882024-03-27T14:37:47.760+08:00Ants in my pants!Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04210451785382597921noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1777679574961617288.post-31530778046514785212013-07-25T10:32:00.001+08:002013-07-25T10:32:41.420+08:00Plum Curculio on my Plums!This is the first year our plum tree was inclined to produce a decent amount of fruit. It is now four years old. About time!<div><br></div><div>Half the fruit have plum curculio damage ie the typical crescent shaped scar on the skin. Female adult curculios are responsible for these scars. They cut into the fruit just under the skin and insert an egg into each slit. The egg hatches into a larva that eats its way through the tasty plum flesh that was supposed to be feeding me. This larval feeding can cause the fruit to drop prematurely. On my tree, I'm seeing a lot of crescent shaped scarred fruit that seem to be growing with no intention of dropping. These could be the ones that grew so well they crush the larvae in them. Curculio-killing plums!</div><div><br></div><div>The plums are delicious and I don't mind sharing some with the curculios. But I'm still going to destroy all fallen fruit so the larvae can't finish their life cycle and infest next year's fruit or something. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqNPBE4QPhqxsa8XVZX-TQDvmqNZHZ9httSkY6VPGJOIK_cti_EkYJcQKkQmbWMSQMxeipcFJx0D1rEKrY7rk3-V_HXUUOfeMcubAg8dIiUJ_Q7DMxPfeIbo9z0RCyY551saUx99qL49I/s640/blogger-image-1176806933.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqNPBE4QPhqxsa8XVZX-TQDvmqNZHZ9httSkY6VPGJOIK_cti_EkYJcQKkQmbWMSQMxeipcFJx0D1rEKrY7rk3-V_HXUUOfeMcubAg8dIiUJ_Q7DMxPfeIbo9z0RCyY551saUx99qL49I/s640/blogger-image-1176806933.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiEcNn_X1PBbXT-xNrHj9jTlytDk-ZmDSDmB-FS36hf-igvM4QfKnOc32MM8ELMLQ4CVfkqX01zhAN6qUCsPGDT7mszizBTZk5pGtYWEOF-6ZLRk94uCE7dIn4bd-9Hk1ledMd2OFWzew/s640/blogger-image--1846849414.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiEcNn_X1PBbXT-xNrHj9jTlytDk-ZmDSDmB-FS36hf-igvM4QfKnOc32MM8ELMLQ4CVfkqX01zhAN6qUCsPGDT7mszizBTZk5pGtYWEOF-6ZLRk94uCE7dIn4bd-9Hk1ledMd2OFWzew/s640/blogger-image--1846849414.jpg"></a></div><br></div><br></div>Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04210451785382597921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1777679574961617288.post-15353776394749045332013-03-19T20:30:00.003+08:002013-03-19T20:30:41.282+08:00General House Pests<b>Introduction to Pests that are Problem 'Pets' </b><br />
This article explains why roaches, flieas, termites and other pests like living with us and gives the basics of pest control.<br />
<br />
If you have a pest problem in your home, chances are high that it will be one of these three: Roaches, Ants or Termites (R.A.T.s). R.A.T.s are responsible for about two-thirds of pest control headaches home owners face every year. Mosquitoes, flies, rats and so forth make up the R.A.T.s & Co, which are always eager to share your living space.<br />
<br />
<i>Why do I have a pest problem? </i><br />
Like humans, pests have basic needs: food, water and shelter. We may be tempting the critters with five star digs and bountiful banquets without even realizing it. There’s probably a pest for every nook and cranny in an average home, and some sort of food suited to the pickiest pest palate. Fabric moths snack on your clothes, pantry pests such as flour beetles love flour, and silverfish munch on books. Mosquitoes, fleas and bedbugs have a taste for warm human blood. Roaches, ants and flies are the least fussy eaters and contentedly polish off your scraps.<br />
<br />
Pests aren’t big eaters, individually, because they are small. A stale breadcrumb is a scrumptious supper for a cockroach and a grain of sugar is a delightful dessert for an ant. The problem arises when Mrs Roach makes 150 new baby mouths to feed, or when Missy Ant crawls back to her nest and recruits her 100,000 sisters to the dinner party.<br />
<br />
<i>What's bad about pests?</i><br />
Roaches hang out in warm, wet digs such as sewers and therefore tend to spread lots of nasty germs on your countertop when they scavenge at night. Flies aren’t any better: they would enjoy your hamburger, rotting vegetables and manure – in no particular order. Worse still, these toothless beasties puke and poop all over whatever they are eating (their puke is a digestive aid). Ants are a little more hygienic because they keep house better than roaches and flies. Termites are wood-digesting-machines that will literally eat you out of your home if their sneaky snackings go unchecked.<br />
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<i>How do I identify my pest?</i><br />
While you should have no problems identifying a cockroach or a rat, it can be difficult to recognize smaller pests. Termites look a lot like ants, but close scrutiny will reveal key differences. For example, ants have a very narrow waist, which makes them look very curvaceous compared with the thick-waisted termites. Then there are the ‘shy’ pests that only come out at night and leave no trace: blood-sucking bedbugs, which bite painlessly so you end up covered with welts, and clueless. With a little detective work, you can figure out the identity of these and other pests. I will be updating this site with identification tips, but if you have a pressing question in the meantime, please email me.<br />
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<i>How do I kill that pest? </i><br />
After you are 100% sure what your pest is, you can usually take matters into your own hands and avenge their transgressions (k-i-l-l--t-h-em). Common anti-pest offensives include sanitation to reduce feeding and breeding hotspots. Simply put, hygiene, hygiene, hygiene! Screens and taking other measures to block pests from entering the home are also effective. Some pesticide options are also available that you can use but if in doubt, your best bet would be to consult a reliable pest control operator.<br />
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Stay tuned for more tips on how to keep pests at bay!Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04210451785382597921noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1777679574961617288.post-51387692469798778672013-03-19T20:25:00.000+08:002013-03-19T20:25:11.085+08:00Insect Collecting 101This series of blog posts will contain all the information you need to know about how to properly collect insects, label and preserve them. You will be able to make an awesome bug collection that will not only wow friends and family, but be your very own contribution to science and nature preservation. I'll start with 'Insect collecting basics' :)<br />
<br />
<b>HOW TO MAKE AN INSECT COLLECTION </b><br />
<ol>
<li>Insect collecting basics (see below)</li>
<li>Advanced insect collecting (coming soon) </li>
<li>Insect pinning basics (coming soon) </li>
<li>Insect preservation basics (coming soon) </li>
<li>Insect identification basics (coming soon)</li>
</ol>
<b>INSECT COLLECTING BASICS </b><br />
<br />
You will need:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Insect net. Make your own easily and cheaply with pvc pipe, stiff aluminium wire and nylon netting. (full downloadable instructions to follow). </li>
<li>Containers of various sizes to keep individual insects. </li>
<li>Forceps to pick up insects. </li>
<li>Paper envelopes to keep butterflies and moths </li>
<li>Paper labels and a pencil. </li>
<li>Notebook </li>
</ul>
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<br />
What to do:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>A great place to start your bug hunt is in your back yard. Use the net to sweep and catch butterflies, dragonflies and flying insects. Hold your collection container under beetles - they play dead when startled and will fall right into your container. </li>
<li>Keep each insect in its own container. For butterflies, hold the wings folded together, and squeeze the thorax hard to immobilize it then store flat in paper envelopes. This will preserve their wings. </li>
<li>Write the following information down on your paper labels: date, location (e.g. Scout's Trail,Harrison Hills Park, Natrona Hts PA), your name, host plant or substrate (e.g. hickory leaf). Any other interesting observations can also be noted. Put the label in with the insect in its container. </li>
<li>Fill in your collector's notebook with the date, location and a summary of your bug hunt. You can be as detailed as you like! </li>
<li>When you get home, place the insects (in their containers) in the freezer for 1 hour or until you are ready to pin them. </li>
</ol>
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<br />
That's it for the basics of insect collecting! Check back soon for my insect pinning guide!
Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04210451785382597921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1777679574961617288.post-74386136823834537342013-03-19T20:18:00.003+08:002013-03-19T20:18:33.604+08:00Pet Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches<b>BARBARO </b><br />
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This male hisser is the most outgoing chap on my roach ranch.You can tell he is a male by the two big horns he has on his pronotum, which is a sort of shield that covers his thorax (upper body). His head (a pair of feelers or antennae are attached to it) is tucked under the pronotum. Barbaro probably exhibits normal male hisser traits such as head-butting, but I have yet to catch any of my male hissers head-butting each other. In the pic to the right, Barbaro is intently examining something very interesting on my finger. <br />
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<b>BIG MAMA ROACH </b><br />
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Formerly known as Missy Roach, Big Mama is now a proud mommy of about 20 baby hissers. Unlike Barbaro, Big Mama doesn't have two big bumps on her pronotum. Big Mama doesn't engage in head-butting and other such violent pastimes.<br />
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<b>ROACH RANCHING </b><br />
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Madagascar hissing roaches, back in their homeland, live on the forest floor in warm, humid hisser paradise - plenty of rotting logs to hide out it, and lots of fallen fruit to snack on. My hissers are managing okay in their 10 gallon tank although they probably miss paradise.
They hang out under the cardboard egg cartons placed in the warmest part of the tank. It's warm because the heating pad is situated beneath. I've snuck out at night and caught them roaming around the tank, eating and drinking.
I don't put any bedding, peat moss or soil or leaf litter in there though. It makes the weekly clean up much easier, and doesn't seem to get in the way of them breeding like mad (see pic to the right).
It doesn't take long for a colony to get big. A female hisser is ready to reproduce at 6 months, and gives birth to 20-60 live young every so often. Hissers live several years.<br />
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<b>ROACH SUSTENANCE </b><br />
I feed my hissers cat food and fish flakes, and throw in apple slices, banana peels, cucumbers and assorted salads every week. There's a bottle capful of fresh water that I stuck a piece of sponge in so the baby hissers have a personal flotation device if they accidentally take a swim. I change that out every two to three days. Also every time I clean out the bottom of the tank, wiping with paper towels, I leave a little bit of roach poop in there. Baby roaches (nymphs) need to nibble on the grown ups' droppings to get roach-friendly bacteria in their own digestive systems. Think of how we eat Lactobacillus-laden yogurt to boost our friendly gut bacteria population.<br />
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If you have any questions, or have suggestions on what you would like to see added here, I welcome you to email me! Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04210451785382597921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1777679574961617288.post-76835378507062845172013-03-19T20:14:00.000+08:002013-03-19T20:14:12.068+08:00Giant Millipedes as Bug PetsHere you will learn about giant millipedes, sexing male and females, and how to care for these gentle veggie-loving giants. To know them is to love them.<br />
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My pedes Archie and Millie are sweetly affectionate and a bit shy with strangers but will warm up given time.<br />
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<b>ARCHIE </b><br />
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Allow me to introduce you to Archie. The pic above shows a very inquisitive Archie the male millipede. If you look closely at his legs, counting to where the 7th pair of legs should be, there is instead a pair of short knobby gonopods (gonopods are what make male millipedes male millipedes). Archie is an extrovert as far as millipedes go. He loves munching on cucumber slices and the occasional banana peel. He gets quite a lot of exercise moseying around his 10 gallon apartment. He's a little smaller than Millie whom we are getting to next. <br />
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Miss Millie (pic right) is quite a bit larger than Archie. She is also more timid and spends a lot of her day curled up under the leafy litter in the 10 gallon apartment she shares with Archie. If you look closely at her legs, counting down to where the 7th pair of legs should be, there is in fact a 7th pair of legs and no gonopods. Except in Millie's case, her left 7th leg is a little stump from an old injury. Fortunately she has plenty of other legs she can use to get around with! Female millipedes have their reproductive parts tucked away neatly inside their bodies.<br />
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<b>Sexing Male and Female Millipedes </b><br />
As you would have guessed from reading about Archie and Millie above, it isn't all that complicated telling a male from a female millipede, especially if you're looking at a Giant Millipede! Males have a pair of knobby gonopods instead of legs on their 7th segment, while females have legs.
It takes a little patience to wait for your millipede to get into just the right position for you to take a peek at his/her underside. Perhaps you could put your millipede into a glass fish bowl and examine it while it is crawling about inside (this stretches out its underside a bit better).<br />
<br />
<b>Millipede Home Sweet Home </b><br />
Millipedes love dark, damp and warm digs in leaf litter. Their home needs to be twice as long as their body length so they have plenty of space to explore and exercise. Mine seem happy in their 10 gallon glass aquarium. I placed a heating pad under one half of the tank and also covered that half of the tank with black plastic to keep it dark. They love hiding out there! I mist the tank daily with a spray bottle filled with water, and I cover the top of the tank with a piece of saran/cling wrap to keep humidity high inside the tank. High humidity helps the leaf litter to rot, which is great for my 'pedes as you will see next.<br />
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<b>Feed Your 'Pedes </b><br />
Millipedes are detritivores, and munch on rotting leaves and well-rotted wood of most trees (except cedar). Get plenty of oak leaves and bark/wood the next time you take a walk in the park. Place these in a ziploc bag, freeze for a day to kill any other bugs, thaw out, then let your 'pedes have at it. The freeze step is important because the leaves and bark/wood may also harbor millipede enemies such as centipedes (which snack on millipedes). My 'pedes also love eating cucumber slices. They have surprisingly weak jaws and need soft food.<br />
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<b>Breed Your 'Pedes! </b><br />
Obviously you will need a male and female millipede for this. They also need to be the exact same species of 'pede. It helps if you order your pair from the same supplier. I got mine from Wards Natural Science. You will need to give your 'pedes some privacy, and comfy conditions (see Millipede Home Sweet Home above). I can't help but sneak peeks every so often. They are so affectionate! In the photo below, Archie is whispering sweet nothings to Millie as they cuddle.<br />
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If you have any questions, or have suggestions on what you would like to see added here, I welcome you to email me! Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04210451785382597921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1777679574961617288.post-59324790894538396122013-03-19T19:57:00.002+08:002013-03-19T19:57:12.767+08:00Bugs as PetsBugs make such fun pets! In my blog you will find information on some bugs that make great pets for kids (and grown ups too!). These are Madagascar Hissing Roaches, millipedes and crickets. They are harmless, extremely easy to care for, and will provide hours of interesting observations for the owner.<br />
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Pet bugs take up very little space, are cheap to feed, and can be pretty affectionate little buggers. Giant millipedes are gentle, slow-moving vegetarians. Hissing roaches are actually fastidious groomers and neat-freaks. Crickets make sweet pets that chirp you to sleep at night (for me at least!), and are a key ingredient in many edible Bug Recipes.<br />
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Get ready to embark on an exciting and rewarding adventure as a proud bug owner!Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04210451785382597921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1777679574961617288.post-20284111258268997382013-03-19T19:54:00.002+08:002013-03-19T19:54:52.740+08:00Choc Chirpie Chip Cookies Recipe: Cricket Flour CookiesA tasty twist to the beloved old-fashioned chocolate chip cookie, these tastebud-tickling treats will bring out your inner chirpie! The cricket flour adds lot of protein and minerals, and an extra dimension in flavor.<br />
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<br />
<b>Ingredients: </b><br />
1 1/2 cups flour<br />
1/2 cup cricket flour*<br />
1 tsp baking soda<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
1 cup butter, softened<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
1 egg<br />
1 tsp vanilla essence<br />
1 pkg 12 oz choc chips<br />
<br />
<i>*To make cricket flour, you will need about 50 adult crickets. Follow steps 1-3 & 5 as for the choc chirpie recipe above. Then whizz the dry-roasted crickets in the blender for cricket flour. </i><br />
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<br />
<b>Preparation: </b><br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Mix flour, cricket flour, baking soda and salt </li>
<li>Cream butter and sugar (10 minutes) then mix in egg and vanilla essence till just blended </li>
<li>Stir in dry ingredients to form stiff cookie dough. </li>
<li>Stir in choc chips </li>
<li>Drop rounded measuring teaspoonfuls onto baking sheet </li>
<li>Bake at 350 deg F for 15 minutes </li>
</ol>
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Enjoy!Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04210451785382597921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1777679574961617288.post-32097938887071629672013-03-19T19:50:00.002+08:002013-03-19T19:50:14.578+08:00Choco Chirpies Recipe: Chocolate Covered CricketsThese chocolate covered crickets are scrumptious! The sweet chocolate 'cocoon' encases a surprisingly crisp, nutty and flavorsome filling.You will need 20 live adult crickets, toothpicks and dipping chocolate.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2y8uQeutHqRxMwZaTVvPBvLQkDHq2GZiLnTxLMW3Qvp13vPFgZ-lpNI9PT8zImaIgYNR3VZ0J4hhJgQYyMiPEhYY8g8XKWtEpCuXnbuMqLsRbxj7i_9e11m441SAx0sWfBzEvt0pInAI/s1600/Chocolate+covered+crickets+choco+chirpies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2y8uQeutHqRxMwZaTVvPBvLQkDHq2GZiLnTxLMW3Qvp13vPFgZ-lpNI9PT8zImaIgYNR3VZ0J4hhJgQYyMiPEhYY8g8XKWtEpCuXnbuMqLsRbxj7i_9e11m441SAx0sWfBzEvt0pInAI/s400/Chocolate+covered+crickets+choco+chirpies.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<ol>
<li>Feed the crickets some fresh apple slices for a day or two. This helps clear out their gut and imparts an awesome apple flavor to your choco chirpies. </li>
<li>Put the crickets to 'sleep' in freezer for 10 minutes. </li>
<li>Rinse and drain. </li>
<li>Bake 200 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour. Skewer with toothpick through bottom towards head. Legs should break off easily at this point. </li>
<li>Bake a further 1 hr at 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Test for doneness by squishing one - it should be crisp and kinda crumble when crushed. </li>
<li>Dip crickets into melted chocolate. The pic to the right shows milk-choc, dark-choc and straight (hardcore!) crickets. </li>
<li>Lay on wax paper to harden. </li>
</ol>
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Enjoy!Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04210451785382597921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1777679574961617288.post-12650929595046837262013-03-19T19:45:00.003+08:002013-03-19T20:18:54.462+08:00Bug recipesInsects are a great source of protein and most of the ones I have enjoyed had a sweet, nutty flavor. I have stir-fried cicadas in the Borneo jungle, savored sago grubs at a bustling market in Sarawak, and sampled some truly tasty chestnut weevils in Virginia, USA.<br />
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Here you will find links to my favorite edible insect recipes, and links to my bug-eating adventures. For now I have listed two of the most popular with kids and grown-ups alike: 'Choco Chirpies' and 'Choc Chirpie Chip Cookies''. Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04210451785382597921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1777679574961617288.post-14764194722232402822012-10-03T21:00:00.000+08:002012-10-03T21:00:03.792+08:00What do Cockroaches Taste Like? : BLECHOne of the questions I ask myself is, would I ever dare to eat a cockroach? After all, I've dined on crickets and chowed down on sago grubs and chestnut weevils with relish. Perhaps a roach, stir fried with extra virgin olive oil and dressed with a sprinkling of sea salt and black peppercorns, would go down easy? Nuh-uh. I remember watching a movie - Papillon - where a starving prisoner eats a cockroach that wanders into his cell. I think about that particular scene quite a bit. If I were starving, would I eat a roach? ...<br />
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<iframe align="right" frameborder="0" iframe="iframe" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=antomology-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=1580080227" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>
Actually, wait... YES I <i>have</i> accidentally eaten a cockroach before. In fact, I have also eaten cockroach poop (droppings / frass) before too.<br />
<br />
How - you may wonder - the heck did I know it was roach and poop? Well, it's the taste. While the texture or 'bite' as you crunch down on a roach is not much different from that of a cricket (both have leathery tegmina or wings), a roach tastes AWFUL. Just AWFUL. Crickets taste like whatever they ate last. I know this because when making choc covered crickets, I would feed them organic apple a few days before 'processing', to clean out their guts. With their guts full of apple, they tasted sweet. Flavorful.<br />
<br />
Not so for roaches. A roach tastes AWFUL. (I know I just said that.)<br />
<br />
By the way, I absolutely must clarify here that those 'fried cockroaches' people brag about chomping down on in Thailand are NOT cockroaches. They are the Giant Water Bugs (Belostomatidae) and although they look similiar, do not taste half bad. Trust me, a taste of cockroach is one that is not ever forgotten. Why is this? It is because cockroaches have glands on their abdomen that ooze the super stinkiest pheromone ever known to mankind. These pheromones are powerful attractants to other cockroaches. Combine this with the fecal pellets, which are in themselves malodorous, and folks, you have a 'Winner'.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJQGnAMezU8ch4Xkjl3D1Jozc8DIaZZqeeMpEdJWoxnRygwozAmYlITCPU2KpomkfVAm_LJeRwX2slKETN7bd96D6mOW9w_ppTv2nk6vR7t7PIprdhyphenhyphenkYjzIIE_cLI_ZLMUE6jNVLHFNI/s1600/Not+fried+cockroach+giant+water+bug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJQGnAMezU8ch4Xkjl3D1Jozc8DIaZZqeeMpEdJWoxnRygwozAmYlITCPU2KpomkfVAm_LJeRwX2slKETN7bd96D6mOW9w_ppTv2nk6vR7t7PIprdhyphenhyphenkYjzIIE_cLI_ZLMUE6jNVLHFNI/s640/Not+fried+cockroach+giant+water+bug.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NOT a cockroach! These are Giant Water Bugs, a popular street-food snack in Thailand and neighboring countries</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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"Cockroaches taste the way they smell. That's the first time I ever came close to losing it" (Entomology professor <a href="http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/article/8620" target="_blank">Lynn Kimsey</a>, UCLA Davis). Lynn, my sentiments exactly.<br />
<br />
The American cockroach (Periplaneta americana) wins hands down for worst smelling cockroach species. The Madagascar hissing cockroaches smell musty, and I imagine that's how they would taste. According to <a href="http://youtu.be/4ogSU_lV4B8" target="_blank">Entomophagy on Youtube</a>, they taste musty. Cockroach species have varying degrees of stinkiness.<br />
<br />
Sigh! I think I have just about creeped out myself for the day. I will have to tell y'all about my accidental cockroach ingestion another time.<br />
<br />
Would <span style="font-size: large;">you</span> dare to eat a cockroach?Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04210451785382597921noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1777679574961617288.post-27479509664008346072012-09-12T21:00:00.001+08:002012-10-03T00:56:12.434+08:00Fear of Cockroaches: What Worsened MineOkay, I have recovered sufficiently from my previous post <a href="http://antomologist.blogspot.com/2012/08/worst-nightmare-cockroach-stories-oh.html" target="_blank">Worst Nightmare Cockroach Stories</a> and will today, for my dear readers, relive one more traumatizing cockroach encounter.<br />
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Again, if you have a roach phobia, do not read this. Instead, read <a href="http://antomologist.blogspot.com/2008/02/good-bugs-bad-bugs-entomophobia.html" target="_blank">How to Overcome Fear of Cockroaches</a>.<br />
<br />
Cockroaches like dank, dark and dirty places. The home I lived in growing up had plumbing that went from the sink or any drain hole, into the big drain behind the house. Typical of Malaysian homes. Somewhere in the deep dark depths of that plumbing, lived a huge colony of American Cockroaches, <i>Periplaneta americana</i>. How huge? I'll tell you how huge in a future post on this Nightmare series.<br />
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The toilet / bathroom on the ground floor had one such drain hole. Malaysian bathrooms are wet bathrooms - taking a shower gets the entire (tiled) floor wet, and the bath water goes down a drain hole. The drain hole leads to the cockroach colony. At night, which is when cockroaches are active, the critters would creep up the drain pipe, and through the drain hole, and into the toilet / bathroom.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9JOsBZrvzGdwECboXG58s-0nXsJa62E2c1lmqxLA4n0iT0BDwWRQYSGR0DxyDGVoE1M0xoEKWJo6pgaChEfGzBJfnVZuCOhh9OCY3RXH0rDbYMCntUzHH5yX-8KuFXgqdEi6Pjuwl8VA/s1600/drain+hole+bathroom+toilet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9JOsBZrvzGdwECboXG58s-0nXsJa62E2c1lmqxLA4n0iT0BDwWRQYSGR0DxyDGVoE1M0xoEKWJo6pgaChEfGzBJfnVZuCOhh9OCY3RXH0rDbYMCntUzHH5yX-8KuFXgqdEi6Pjuwl8VA/s320/drain+hole+bathroom+toilet.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cockroaches come out from these at night.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I was afraid to use the toilet at night. When I absolutely had to, I used these semi-effective avoidance strategies. First I would turn the light on, without even opening the bathroom door. I would let be a few minutes. Since cockroaches are light-averse, they usually scatter when the light comes on. I would open the door a crack, making sure to look behind the door first, quickly step in, do my business, and get out, hopefully not having encountered any roaches face-to-face. A quick in, do business, out, was all I would hope for. I was usually successful.<br />
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Except this one time. I did the usual. Then when I went to sit down on the loo, I felt scratchy legs scurrying up my bare hip. With a wordless scream, not even looking to confirm that it was indeed a cockroach, I pushed it off me with flailing arms. It was a cockroach. It landed smack on the floor, then it made a bee line for the drain hole where it promptly vanished using the <a href="http://californiawatch.org/dailyreport/researchers-shed-light-cockroaches-vanishing-act-16518" target="_blank">'pendulum maneuver' </a>(reported by the same roach researcher who uncovered the astonishing fact that at high speed, cockroaches run on two legs). Shudder.<br />
<br />
<iframe align="right" frameborder="0" iframe="iframe" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=antomology-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=B007Y7A9JO" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Why can I not pee in peace? Tell me Why? At my most vulnerable, with my pants down, this dastardly creature would prey on me. Darn you Cockroach!<br />
<br />
After that, I always, always, lifted the toilet seat to check under it, before sitting down. Did I find anymore roaches hiding out under there after that? Yes, occasionally. I am not sure why, but they also like hiding under the rim of the toilet seat. So I check there too. And also all around the bowl. And on the floor too. And the walls (roaches are good wall climbers).<br />
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I am so glad I live in PA now. It is cold. The roaches don't overwinter. I haven't seen one (the American cockroach) ever.<br />
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Ok, I need a break. I'll be back.<br />
<br />Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04210451785382597921noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1777679574961617288.post-73020689836663830062012-09-07T03:03:00.002+08:002012-09-07T08:37:18.085+08:00Cockcroach Phobia: Katsaridaphobia? How did I get it?Roach phobia also known as Katsaridaphobia / Blattodeaphobia.<br />
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<b>Phobias Really Cramp Da Style</b><br />
As in all phobias, roach phobia is irrational. It doesn't make sense. It is crippling.<br />
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People with this phobia do anything they can to avoid roaches. Unfortunately, avoidance is a tactic that would not really work when it comes to roaches, because these six-legged terrors are EVERYWHERE. And they are here to stay.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Ypwnw7TEmN-7ttrt9BW84ai8hK0b_k-OuUic_RCgyv2mWpCgf5RYjZ2hkhv_LSSWrW1ijNDwv3Ad6AiVJgi_la5cvp-RgLFjbB95UF1cTf5wzn1g6Z37fxv1VvigOr53hlsBWxlF7UE/s1600/Madagascar+hissing+cockroach+nymph+female+Big+mama+roach+babies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Ypwnw7TEmN-7ttrt9BW84ai8hK0b_k-OuUic_RCgyv2mWpCgf5RYjZ2hkhv_LSSWrW1ijNDwv3Ad6AiVJgi_la5cvp-RgLFjbB95UF1cTf5wzn1g6Z37fxv1VvigOr53hlsBWxlF7UE/s320/Madagascar+hissing+cockroach+nymph+female+Big+mama+roach+babies.jpg" width="292" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was once a very successful roach breeder. Meet Big<br />
Mama and some of her babies.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>Ease That Phobia</b><br />
I remember my earliest memory of roaches stalking me as a child (recounted <a href="http://antomologist.blogspot.com/2012/08/worst-nightmare-cockroach-stories-oh.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>). I continued to have horrifying experiences with cockroaches into adulthood. Thing is, I dissected cockroaches in high school and also as a Entomology graduate student at Virginia Tech. And 'The Ultimate' - had a stint as Cockroach Rancher boasting 500 hissing cockroaches.<br />
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All this roach-handling should have blown away my phobia.<br />
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Well all that <i>helped.</i> A lot. But I'm still afraid of them!<br />
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(Read <a href="http://antomologist.blogspot.com/2008/02/good-bugs-bad-bugs-entomophobia.html" target="_blank">Fear of Cockroaches</a> to help deal with the phobia).<br />
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<b>How Do Phobias Start?</b><br />
I delved into what creates a phobia, in the book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0967851599/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0967851599&linkCode=as2&tag=antomology-20" target="_blank">Hypnotism: A Hypnosis Training and Techniques Manual</a> and found that phobias can be learned, created by a traumatic event, or a way of coping with generalized fear i.e. by placing all that unformed fear into (for example) a fear of spiders. I don't think I have a 'second hand fear' - getting the fear from my parents - because neither my Ma or Pa are scared of cockroaches. My Pa, growing up, slept on the wood floor in the family grocery shop and had cockroaches running all over him <i>all night.</i> Roaches don't bother him at all.<br />
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My phobia most likely originated at childhood (which I talk about in my<a href="http://antomologist.blogspot.com/2012/08/worst-nightmare-cockroach-stories-oh.html" target="_blank"> previous post</a>).<br />
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<b>Masochistic Me</b><br />
Strangely, although I was terrified of roaches, I had a morbid curiosity about them. I remember picking up The Nest from the used book store, and tortured myself reading it from beginning to the end. It's about cockroaches that develop a taste for human flesh. I might actually even watch the movie <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005LC4V/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00005LC4V&linkCode=as2&tag=healmatt07-20">The Nest</a>.<br />
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By the way, while cockroaches won't bite a chunk out of your thigh, they do eat the skin and other particles that fall off humans.<br />
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Hmm, now that I'm thinking about this - could my hands-on approach to tackling my cockroach phobia have led to me study entomology? After all, I did take up scuba diving to face head on my fear of drowning. (I now love scuba diving, but am resigned to aquaphobia for life).<br />
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Do you have a fear of cockroaches? How do you cope? Or not? Would love to hear from you!<br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">xo Gracie</span></i></b><br />
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p.s. It would be great if you could click on any ad here - my sponsors give me a few cents per click. Thanks for supporting my blog!Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04210451785382597921noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1777679574961617288.post-14672887681388500152012-08-10T22:40:00.000+08:002012-09-15T04:28:13.638+08:00Worst Nightmare Cockroach Stories: Oh the HORROR<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am afraid of cockroaches. Cockroaches are the stuff of my worst nightmares and my run-ins with them have scarred me for life. It <i>kinda</i> helps that I am an entomologist - knowing the facts about these ugly bugs has helped me (somewhat) overcome my fear of cockroaches. And I can lay claim to having been <a href="http://www.funwithbugs.com/21629.html#roaches" target="_blank">a roach rancher </a>in the past. But I still get cockroach nightmares every once in a while, and I still scream if one takes me by surprise.<br />
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(Note: do NOT read any further if you have a roach phobia. Do read <a href="http://antomologist.blogspot.com/2008/02/good-bugs-bad-bugs-entomophobia.html" target="_blank">how to overcome your fear of cockroaches</a>)<br />
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<b>What caused Gracie's phobia?</b></div>
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Cockroaches seem to have a vendetta against me. They have terrorized me since I was a kid. Into my teens, these horrible creatures upped their game and their targeted attacks grew worse, culminating in a terrifying epic showdown in my early adulthood where I emerged (somewhat) victorious. </div>
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I'll start with my earliest memory of roach terrorization. I was a wee girl. The scene: in the kitchen, watching Ma make dinner while munching on an apple. The Terror: I glanced at my apple right before taking another bite, and saw a <i>huge</i> cockroach perched on the apple. Its antennae jerked back and forth. It was looking <i>right at me</i>. I was too horrified to scream. I don't remember what happened after that. I think I was too traumatized...<br />
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I had waist-length hair as a teenager. We lived with my Popo and Kung Kung - us three kids (more now) situated in a room next to the kitchen. So I was sleeping in a mattress on the floor, my hair spread out over the pillow. In my sleep (I am a light sleeper), I felt something rustle in my hair. Immediately guessing (to my horror) what it was, I started grabbing at my hair. I felt something leathery, a little squishy, and large, and I knew it was a cockroach. I grabbed it, ripping out some of my hair with it, and flung it blindly across the corner of the room, while simultaneously leaping up and flipping the light switch. I lost sight of the roach! I spent the rest of the night lying in terror on my mattress thinking of it crawling around the room awaiting its revenge...</div>
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I'll post my next two worse experiences next time. This is all I can handle for now hehe. Have you been terrorized by a cockroach? What's your worst cockroach nightmare? I'd love to hear your story!</div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">xo Gracie</span></i></b></div>
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p.s. It would be AWESOME if you could click on any ad here - my sponsors give me a few cents per click. Thanks for supporting my blog!</div>
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Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04210451785382597921noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1777679574961617288.post-17135637649179572512010-04-19T07:26:00.001+08:002011-08-05T22:43:53.617+08:00Keeping Archie Millipede and my Hissers alive at a chilly Frick Earth Day 2010A couple months ago, I was invited to partner with Frick Environmental Center and bring Fun with Bugs to the Frick Earth Day celebrations May 17, 2010. Since May weather can be unpredictable, I requested electric so that I could plug in the heating pad that warms the two glass tanks ('Millipede Manor' and 'Roach Ranch'). These tropic-loving bugs prefer temps of 80 degrees Fahrenheight, will stop getting romantic at below 65 F, start showing their underbellies at 50 F, and die shortly after if kept at those temps. <br />
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Well, three days before the event, it was 79 F, sunny and hisser-friendly weather. Archie and Millie my giant millipedes approved of it too (they were getting all cuddly). Then on D-Day... the temperature dropped to 40 F (35 with wind chill). That would be DEATH for my beloved pets. I considered pulling out of the event, but I didn't want to let down any of the brave souls who ventured out that day for the Earth Day festivities and Fun with Bugs activities. <br />
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So I brought a space heater in addition to the heating pad. And we put up a tarp around the entire corner where the Bug Petting Zoo was. This definitely helped block a bit of the wind. The heating pad beneath the two tanks cranked out enough heat to keep the bugs alive. We kept a thick blanket over the tanks throughout, and took the hissers out only for the races. The Bug Wrangler for the day, Spencer Clark (my DH), kept his hands warm so Millie the Giant Millipede was pretty comfy as long as the space heater was directed at her. She even<br />
<a name='more'></a> nibbled on some cucumber slices. <br />
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My hissers didn't do as well. I've never seen them so sluggish, and was shocked when I found one of them flipped over. He had gotten away from the heating pad, and his body was way cold. I took Barbaro, Big Mama, Lola and Enigma out for only about 10 minutes for each race. Once the cold hit them, they would slow down big time. The Hissing roach races were the slowest on record. Still, in turn, Big Mama, Lola and Enigma managed to get to the finish line. I think they just wanted to get out of the cold! Barbaro seemed to just give up. Poor Barbaro. I'm relieved none of my hissers died.<br />
<br />
Even the humans were cold. A surprising number of folks came out for the festivities and Fun with Bugs saw about 400 to 500 visitors from 11 am to 4 pm. The cold was definitely a deterrent to lingering, but many persevered to eat chocolate covered crickets, pet Millie, and take part in the races and contests. Thanks everyone and a huge thank you to volunteers Mallory, Mike, Terry and Kristen too!<br />
<br />
Peace<br />
<br />
For the Frick Earth Day Fun with Bugs report, <a href="http://www.funwithbugs.com/24629.html#frick">click here</a><br />
For some photos of adventurous bug eaters <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/gracetabithalim/FunWithBugsAtFrickEarthDay#">click here</a><br />
<br />
P.S. Hey it would be great if you could click on any ad here and I'll get 1 to 2 cents per click from the advertisers. Thanks!Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04210451785382597921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1777679574961617288.post-35841247350870127102010-04-17T20:58:00.000+08:002013-03-19T20:59:01.844+08:00Frick Earth Day Celebrations hosts Fun with Bugs!Date and Time: 17 April 2010 (11 am to 4 pm)<br />
Place : Frick Environmental Center and Park, 2005 Beechwood Blvd, Pittsburgh.<br />
Ages : All ages<br />
<br />
This full-day program sponsored by Pittsburgh Parks was well participated despite poor weather. Temperatures of 40 F and even hail at one point failed to put a damper on the throngs of visitors who turned out for the Earth Day festivities. At the Fun with Bugs tent, three stations gave visitors the chance to 'pet a bug', 'eat a bug' and 'race a bug'. Clare Chianerize won a $25 gift card in the drawing held for participants who completed all three checkpoints. About 160 chocolate covered crickets were enjoyed by adventurous tasters, and between 20 to 30 folks participated in each of the three roach races that were held throughout the day. Some very astute mathematicians were also seen counting segments on Millie the Giant Millipede, and performing complicated multiplications for the 'Leg's Guess Contest'! The winners of the Leg's Guess Contest were Alexander de san Martin, Torey Verts and Parker McKenna. Congratulations winners! My thanks go out to volunteers Mike, Terry, Mallory and Kristen. Couldn't have done it without you!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://plus.google.com/photos/102624367652490186449/albums/5461611061195764561" target="_blank">Click here for photos! </a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://antomologist.blogspot.com/2010/04/keeping-archie-millipede-and-my-hissers.html" target="_blank">Click here for my full blog report</a>Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04210451785382597921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1777679574961617288.post-9951459148935956682010-04-12T01:02:00.013+08:002011-08-05T22:46:38.675+08:00Common Spring Garden Soil Pests & Beneficials<strong>Summary of post</strong><br />
I've been digging up lots of different insects, slugs and etc in my yard this spring and often wonder which ones are good and which are bad. Here are some common critters you might encounter in your garden dirt: earthworms and cicadas (beneficials), white grubs, cutworms and wireworms (pests).<br />
<br />
<strong>Beneficials</strong><br />
<strong><em>Earthworms</em></strong><br />
I always feel bad when I scoop up a shovelful of dirt and discover that I've amputated or worse yet decapitated yet another of these beneficial creatures. (Though it can be difficult to tell the head or tail apart!) Some earthworm species can regenerated amputated body parts, i.e., the tail. But you're not going to get two worms if you cut one in half ;). <a href="http://www.wormdigest.org/content/view/200/2/">Here's some interesting worm reading.</a><br />
<br />
<em><strong>Cicadas</strong></em><br />
Depending on how you look at it, cicadas can be a pest or a beneficial. Pest because their feeding on plant roots might or might not hurt the plant. (Scientists are somewhat up in the air about this and more experiments are needed). Also, cicada mommies can get carried away when cutting slits in tree bark to lay eggs, and end up slicing the tree in two (just kidding...really!). Beneficial because cicadas feed other animals in your garden. By that I don't mean cicadas provide food to the birds and such, I mean that cicadas are the food. Deep fried cicadas are a real treat. "Flying Peanuts" I fondly call them. A golden crisp shell encloses a creamy nutty filling, perfect with your favorite dinner aperitif!<br />
<br />
<strong>Pests</strong><br />
<em><strong>White Grubs</strong></em> (Scarab beetle larvae)<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMrAhdVXJpRbkz8UalyES5iuE8BW6sWtEeFvtMA3xdb-7nWCuRGPuFiGB9-Hp1fvhnTPDr40gnQCyoBcl-7SiZCn0Ujavo0NJxmmwo1ChQxQbfNAPsab_Z6vSS9EgK3YXXLrWURRhZMyU/s1600/white+grub+japanese+beetle+larva.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458956233973423394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMrAhdVXJpRbkz8UalyES5iuE8BW6sWtEeFvtMA3xdb-7nWCuRGPuFiGB9-Hp1fvhnTPDr40gnQCyoBcl-7SiZCn0Ujavo0NJxmmwo1ChQxQbfNAPsab_Z6vSS9EgK3YXXLrWURRhZMyU/s400/white+grub+japanese+beetle+larva.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
Those 1/2 inch long creamy white grubs are quite possibly Japanese beetle larvae (the immature form). Asiatic garden beetle grubs look similiar. These scarab beetles have a 'C' shaped form as larvae, and many of them are pests. Adult Japanese beetles really do a number on my grape vines every year (they also defoliate almost everything else it seems). The grubs, sight unseen underground, silently decimate precious veggie plant roots and turf grass roots. I crush these, or drop them in a cup of soapy water. One less Japanese beetle adult to deal with come July! Gardens Alive sells milky spore for natural control of these grubs.<br />
<a href="http://www.anrdoezrs.net/ss67ox52x4KOTTPSRLKMLOLRLLU" onmouseout="window.status=' ';return true;" onmouseover="window.status='http://www.gardensalive.com';return true;" target="_blank"><br />
<img alt="$20 off $40" border="0" src="http://www.lduhtrp.net/7j115xjnbhf0499587102141711A" /></a><br />
<br />
<em><strong>Wireworms</strong></em><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbHcqjQpinOUkKbFjXvbd81CoLpqUyKaWuLFpGkj1X6jXOHc0vGXULgIQv2uffKJMal8le7sY9mFIFNZRw-KmDAS9_n9w8S4RczlY9PZXBrnjVeUkcUzgZcSJJx7uXvqenBxUMH-jVP7E/s1600/wireworm+pest.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458958126433921554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbHcqjQpinOUkKbFjXvbd81CoLpqUyKaWuLFpGkj1X6jXOHc0vGXULgIQv2uffKJMal8le7sY9mFIFNZRw-KmDAS9_n9w8S4RczlY9PZXBrnjVeUkcUzgZcSJJx7uXvqenBxUMH-jVP7E/s400/wireworm+pest.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
These are click beetle larvae and these pestiferous creatures will enjoy the juicy roots of your veggies if you let them. The ones I find I usually yellow, and all have a tough coat. The larval stage is 4 to 5 years, unless cut short by a gardener (that could be you!). The adults (elaterids) can 'click' and jump to escape predators. All except the supreme predator, yours truly, armed with a net :). <br />
<br />
<em><strong>Cutworms</strong></em><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu3I43RWARyn7S45jT9Pkqz0ThVY_ylnCbVmz5QGZ0mta5DR3dwrk1gdG6BoBFDnqXJjDzzMF9BcHzRKifJ5faGB9A1unVZtMWnhyphenhyphenUd4ZWcYx-WoxRSMa4S9wBqcy9NurF6ZX3Ccgr2Tg/s1600/cutworm+pest.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458957113241444066" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu3I43RWARyn7S45jT9Pkqz0ThVY_ylnCbVmz5QGZ0mta5DR3dwrk1gdG6BoBFDnqXJjDzzMF9BcHzRKifJ5faGB9A1unVZtMWnhyphenhyphenUd4ZWcYx-WoxRSMa4S9wBqcy9NurF6ZX3Ccgr2Tg/s400/cutworm+pest.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
These 1" to 2" long caterpillars are plump and juicy looking and they have gotten that way from helping themselves to your veggie garden! Some cutworm species have sophisticated tastebuds and favor particular plants whereas less fussy cutworm species happily and indiscriminately gnaw on everything. They'll sneak up on your newly sprouted corn and sever the stem below ground level. If you dig up the soil next to your wilted, dying young corn stalk, you might find the culprit curled up nearby. Crushing each one, and feeling their fat squirmy bodies explode and spatter green juices everywhere... is a pretty good feeling sometimes!<br />
<br />
Till next time!<br />
<br />
Peace<br />
<br />
P.S. Hey it would be great if you could click on any ad here and I'll get 1 to 2 cents per click from the advertisers. Thanks!Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04210451785382597921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1777679574961617288.post-40724002234826387142009-08-05T05:18:00.003+08:002012-09-07T08:24:09.648+08:00Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches for Sale!Hey folks!<br />
<br />
I've been a good roach mommy and overwhelmingly successful roach rancher! I now have a surplus of 4 month old hissers (1" to 1.5" long) that need a new home. Another 2 months and these young ones will be breeders, so you can start your own colony of these slow-moving easy-care pets. <br />
<br />
They are going for $2 each. I'll ship to anywhere in the US for $4.80 (USPS Priority 2-3 business days).<br />
<br />
(Update 6 Sep 2012 - I gave all my hissers away!)<br />
<br />
Here's a link to more <a href="http://www.funwithbugs.com/21629.html#roaches">Hissing Roach Care Information</a>. <br />
<br />
<b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">xo Grace</span></i></b><br />
<br />
p.s. It would be GREAT if you could click on any ad here - my sponsors give me a few cents per click. Thanks for supporting my blog!Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04210451785382597921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1777679574961617288.post-21686932255177029002009-07-25T20:55:00.000+08:002013-03-19T20:55:37.815+08:00Venture Outdoors Family Fest hosts Fun with Bugs!Date and Time: 25 July, 2009 (12 to 4 pm)<br />
Place : Mellon Park, Pittsburgh.<br />
Ages : All ages<br />
<br />
Oh boy did it pour! There was a decent turnout despite the poor weather and we received about 200 visitors. About 85 choco chirpies were consumed, with many kids coming back for more. The Roach Races were the highlights of the Fest. There were 46 roach 'adoptions' for the 3 races held to crowds of 30 people each time. Enigma the 'underdog racer' won all three races, and 13 prices were awarded to those who picked Enigma. The Bug Petting Zoo was one station where visitors learnt about Giant Millipedes. I feel it is important they know that these bugs are beneficial, harmless, and ‘good bugs’. I wanted visitors to overcome misperceived fear of bugs, know that there are ‘good bugs’, and touch a bug. Winner of the 'Leg's Guess Contest' was Ahmed Mansour who took home a grand prize of 1 VO family pass, 2 t-shirts and a cap. Prizes were also mailed to winners of the Bug Art Competition. Thanks to all the volunteers!Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04210451785382597921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1777679574961617288.post-9876583046535989352009-07-11T20:53:00.000+08:002013-03-19T20:54:16.145+08:00Children's Museum of Pittsburgh hosts Fun With Bugs!Date and Time: 11 July 2009 (12.30 - 3.30 pm)<br />
Place : Children's Museum of Pittsburgh, 10 Children's Way, Pittsburgh<br />
Ages : All ages<br />
<br />
This half-day program sponsored by the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh was an absolutely fantastic time for children and their parents. Children loved petting Archie the giant millipede and Madagascar Hissing Roaches. The "Leg's Guess Contest" winner was Gabbi M. who received a free adult & child pass to CMP and an insect collecting kit. Choco chirpie vendor for the day, Angela Seals (CMP program director) sold 150 crickets! Mmmm. The two roach races were held to a full capacity crowd of 100 each time and the atmosphere was electrifying as participants cheered on their roach choices. Barbaro and Big Mama won the 1st and 2nd race respectively and 60 prizes were given out to the 'adoptive' winners. Thanks so much to veteran bug wrangler volunteer Tristan Laux, and Angela Seals for giving Fun with Bugs the opportunity to visit the CMP.Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04210451785382597921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1777679574961617288.post-61998489860393397822009-06-13T20:50:00.000+08:002013-03-19T20:52:41.977+08:00Great Bug Hike ReportDate : June 13, 2009<br />
Time : 1 - 3 pm<br />
Place : Environmental Learning Center, Harrison Hills Park<br />
Ages : Children to teens (but all invited)<br />
Donation: $7 donation suggested (included pinning board, butterfly spreading board, butterfly paper envelope, 3 insect pins, and 'How to Make and Insect Collection' book)<br />
<br />
This was a fun educational nature-oriented activity where kids gained hands-on know-how on making an insect collection. We had 13 very enthusiastic budding young naturalists join us today, ages 5 - 14. We started off with a simple pictorial slideshow 'All about Insects' that talked about the scientific importance of collecting and studying insects, where to find and how to collect and preserve insects.
<br />
<br />
Then everyone picked up a net, a collecting jar and went bug hunting! The warm, sunny day had the area around the ELC a-buzz and a-flutter with many common butterflies, (true) bugs, beetles, flies and bees. Each kid collected one or two insects and these were gently put to 'sleep' in the freezer back at the ELC. After some light refreshments, which included the ever-popular chocolate-covered crickets, everyone had the opportunity to pet Millie the Giant Millipede, and the Madagascar Hissing Roaches. (Bryce, who had previously chomped down milk-choco chirpies wanted a plain one this time, but we were all out. So he improvised by licking all the choc off his chirpie and said "here now I have a plain one" and ate that!). Finally, we learnt how to correctly pin and label our insects.<br />
<br />
Insect collecting can be a fun and rewarding hobby for all ages, and also a valuable contribution to science!<br />
<br />
Thank you to Rich, Spencer, parents who helped out; Ariana, Tristan and Laurel who helped with the bug gift shop, choc chirpie station and bug petting zoo; and all the participants in today's program!
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<br />
<br />
Insect Quick Lesson:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>There are 200 million insects to every human on Earth. </li>
<li>Collecting one or two of each type of insect will not hurt its populations. </li>
<li>Insects do not feel pain but are living creatures that should be respected - killing an insect for your collection should be done quickly and humanely. (See my book "How to Make an Insect Collection" for details). </li>
</ol>
<br />
Note: Complete student insect collecting kits are available for purchase that include an insect net, insect pins, pinning block, riker mount, glycine envelopes, collector's notebook, insect labels, forceps and more ($20).Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04210451785382597921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1777679574961617288.post-15210344140590558572009-05-16T20:48:00.000+08:002013-03-19T20:49:14.088+08:00HARRISON HILLS OUTDOOR FAIR BUG ACTIVITIES REPORT Date: 16 May, 2009<br />
Time: 10 am - 4 pm<br />
Place: ELC, Harrison Hills Park<br />
<br />
What a fabulously fun day of creepy crawly activities this was in the Insect Room at the ELC!<br />
<br />
The Bug Petting Zoo featuring my Madagascar hissing cockroaches and Archie and Millie the Giant Millipedes, was a huge hit, especially with the children. Some were hesitant at first, but almost everyone ended up petting these harmless, slow-moving vegetarians. It felt great to see minds open up to the fact that not all bugs are nasty, and many bugs are beneficial. A big thank you to volunteer Bug Wranglers: Tristan, Justin, Cory and Ariana.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAV5QN22hGLyFbDOS3D6PlaGhOhI8aha9CSeoyj0pQfjOb9JsVWi7rfm2A-ltbGAxkXKXEbUzx_GBdN4sNflKed35a5SehucX23Zotk0Y96eu7j9PTepUNDaRmu9W0IGJP-LAiawoZWVA/s1600/Bug+Petting+Zoo+Harrison+Hills+Outdoor+Fair+Giant+Millipede.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAV5QN22hGLyFbDOS3D6PlaGhOhI8aha9CSeoyj0pQfjOb9JsVWi7rfm2A-ltbGAxkXKXEbUzx_GBdN4sNflKed35a5SehucX23Zotk0Y96eu7j9PTepUNDaRmu9W0IGJP-LAiawoZWVA/s400/Bug+Petting+Zoo+Harrison+Hills+Outdoor+Fair+Giant+Millipede.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Volunteer bug wrangler Justin, and Archie the Giant Millipede team up<br />
to show girls that bugs are cool pets!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The beautiful pinned insect specimens attracted hordes of admirers. Butterflies and moths, beetles, bees and other unusual insects were displayed. Thank you CMNH for the loan.<br />
<br />
'The Bug Doctor is IN' section received several requests to identify insect pests. I was very happy to help suggest safer ways to control these pests.<br />
<br />
Over 80 brave Bug Eaters ranging from 'trainee' to 'pro' and 'guru' levels chowed down on the Choco Chirpies (chocolate covered crickets). Among the 'Gurus' was a little girl who gobbled four plain crickets (legs and all), and Mike who filled up on eight and even ordered a dozen to go! It was awesome seeing so many folks walking around the fair proudly wearing their 'I ATE A BUG' button-of-courage.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL8s2uPKdUrabXqUhuJvgDUwh61uUuIYhOul3GUqPWBnnixmZ-wCSu3QzgdCgDc-RhPHQrlnWhwgKSQd3wIKSJBstK8v9Y5RoGrznSzV_QmVbJvqCraa-w-cEitY3g-TwDGQ7l6DA9iS8/s1600/Harrison+Hills+Outdoor+Fair+Chocolate+Covered+Crickets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL8s2uPKdUrabXqUhuJvgDUwh61uUuIYhOul3GUqPWBnnixmZ-wCSu3QzgdCgDc-RhPHQrlnWhwgKSQd3wIKSJBstK8v9Y5RoGrznSzV_QmVbJvqCraa-w-cEitY3g-TwDGQ7l6DA9iS8/s400/Harrison+Hills+Outdoor+Fair+Chocolate+Covered+Crickets.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'CHEERS!' Three adventurous ladies toast Choco Chirpies before<br />
munching on the tasty treats</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The highlight of the Insect Activities was the Roach Races. These were held at 10.30am, 12.30pm and 2.30pm. We had a fourth race at 3.30pm by popular demand! The atmosphere was electrifying: kids and grown ups cheering on the roaches they had adopted for the race. And the happy faces of winners as they stepped up to collect their prize. Big Mama, Barbaro and Lola each won one race, and Big Mama was the champion in the final showdown. Thank you to all Roach Racers for your donations that will go towards improving the Harrison Hills Park facilities!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicOraewxzPr9Y262Es-YwipYjUmyNt634x8oQa4Rh86bnpmpFlCfO-817CC3KjJy-KAaFsrKpyxPl1Wuv5ZI0yXILGaWFRvAsd87m8no_R_0k4I5eO8Y_xg5PPp5PuqJcvfpzry9d6Jr8/s1600/Harrison+Hills+Outdoor+Fair+Madagascar+Hissing+Roach+Races.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicOraewxzPr9Y262Es-YwipYjUmyNt634x8oQa4Rh86bnpmpFlCfO-817CC3KjJy-KAaFsrKpyxPl1Wuv5ZI0yXILGaWFRvAsd87m8no_R_0k4I5eO8Y_xg5PPp5PuqJcvfpzry9d6Jr8/s400/Harrison+Hills+Outdoor+Fair+Madagascar+Hissing+Roach+Races.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Volunteer Ariana posing with the Roach Race Track</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
To all who volunteered, especially Mom, Dad, Spencer, Ariana, Carver and Courtney, a huge Thank You.<br />
<br />
See you all again next year for a bigger and better Outdoor FairGracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04210451785382597921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1777679574961617288.post-12713622845431756422009-02-26T04:24:00.006+08:002011-08-05T22:49:03.588+08:00Flea-Fly-Foe-Fume: Uninvited House GuestsThis article deals with creeply crawly gate-crashers and exposes their hide-outs in your home sweet home.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Feed the need</span><br />
Like humans, pests have basic needs and these include food, water and shelter. We may be tempting the critters with five star digs and bountiful banquets without even realizing it. There’s probably a pest for every nook and cranny in an average home, and some sort of food suited to the pickiest pest palate. Fabric moths snack on your clothes, pantry pests such as flour beetles love flour, silverfish munch on books, and blood-sucking <a href="http://antomologist.blogspot.com/2009/02/mosquitoes-fatal-attraction.html">mosquitoes</a>, fleas and <a href="http://antomologist.blogspot.com/2009/02/bedbugs-bloodsucking-bedmates.html">bedbugs</a> have a taste for warm human blood. <a href="http://antomologist.blogspot.com/2008/02/good-bugs-bad-bugs-entomophobia.html">Roaches</a>, ants and <a href="http://antomologist.blogspot.com/2009/02/fly-files-domesticated-house-flies.html">flies</a> are the least fussy eaters and would be more than happy to polish off your scraps and garbage. <br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />
Pests, problem ‘pets’</span><br />
Pests aren’t big eaters, individually, because they are small. A stale breadcrumb is a scrumptious supper for a <a href="http://antomologist.blogspot.com/2008/02/good-bugs-bad-bugs-entomophobia.html">cockroach</a> and a grain of sugar is a delightful dessert for an ant. The problem arises when Mrs Roach makes 150 new baby mouths to feed, or when Missy Ant crawls <br />
<a name='more'></a>back to her nest and recruits her 100,000 sisters to the dinner party. <br />
Ants are at least a little more hygienic because they nest and keep house better than roaches and <a href="http://antomologist.blogspot.com/2009/02/fly-files-domesticated-house-flies.html">flies</a>. <a href="http://antomologist.blogspot.com/2008/02/good-bugs-bad-bugs-entomophobia.html">Roaches</a> hang out in filthy sewers and other warm, wet digs and therefore tend to spread lots of nasty germs on those crackers that were left out. <a href="http://antomologist.blogspot.com/2009/02/fly-files-domesticated-house-flies.html">Flies</a> aren’t any better: they would enjoy your hamburger, rotting vegetables and manure – in no particular order. Worse still, these toothless beasties puke and poop all over whatever they are eating (their puke is a digestive aid). In comparison, <a href="http://antomologist.blogspot.com/2009/02/good-and-bad-of-termites.html">termites</a> seem quite well-mannered. However, these wood-digesting-machines will literally eat you out of your home if their sneaky snackings go unchecked.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Guess which pest?</span><br />
If you have a pest problem in your home, chances are high that it will be one of these three critters: <a href="http://antomologist.blogspot.com/2008/02/good-bugs-bad-bugs-entomophobia.html">Roaches</a>, Ants or <a href="http://antomologist.blogspot.com/2009/02/good-and-bad-of-termites.html">Termites</a> (R.A.T.s). These six-legged crawlies are responsible for about two-thirds of pest control headaches home owners face every year. <a href="http://antomologist.blogspot.com/2009/02/mosquitoes-fatal-attraction.html">Mosquitoes</a>, <a href="http://antomologist.blogspot.com/2009/02/fly-files-domesticated-house-flies.html">flies</a>, rats and so forth make up the R.A.T.s & Co, which are always eager to share your living space. While the average home owner has no problems identifying a cockroach or a rat, it can be difficult to recognize smaller pests. <a href="http://antomologist.blogspot.com/2009/02/good-and-bad-of-termites.html">Termites</a> look a lot like ants, but close scrutiny will reveal key differences. For one, ants have a very narrow waist, which makes these little critters look bodaciously curvaceous compared with the thick-waisted termites. (For more termite-ant identification tips read on in my upcoming post!). Then there are the ‘shy’ pests that only come out at night, such as blood-sucking <a href="http://antomologist.blogspot.com/2009/02/bedbugs-bloodsucking-bedmates.html">bedbugs</a>, which bite painlessly so you are clueless as to your welt-covered skin the following morning. With a little detective work, you can figure out the identity of these and other pests. It is then even possible to take matters into your own hands and avenge whatever transgressions these various pests have committed against you. Common anti-pest offensives usually include sanitation to reduce feeding and breeding hotspots and using screens and taking other measures to block pests from entering the home. Some pesticide options are also available that you can use but if in doubt, your best bet would be to consult a reliable pest control operator. Stay tuned for more tips on how to keep pests at bay!<br />
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P.S. Hey it would be great if you could click on any ad here and I'll get 1 cent per click, from the advertisers. Thanks!Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04210451785382597921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1777679574961617288.post-15964837188534387502009-02-26T04:19:00.006+08:002011-08-05T22:51:14.869+08:00The Fly Files: Domesticated House FliesThis article advises against rearing house flies as pets and explores some interesting house fly facts relevant to its control.<br />
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Different folks different strokes</span><br />
Flies are a large and extremely diverse group of insects, including beneficial predators such as the robber flies and hover flies, nectar-feeding pollinating bee-flies and even bot flies that snack on human flesh. The fly group also includes mosquitoes, house flies (discussed here) and other common pest flies. <br />
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A filthy stalker </span><br />
The house fly (<span style="font-style: italic;">Musca domestica</span>) is a common cosmopolitan pest. This domesticated human-loving critter likes to hang out in and around our homes. It is quite the stalker, having followed humans to the farthest reaches of the planet. While it wants nothing more than to share our food and is even content to dine on our scraps, house flies don’t make very good pets for the average homeowner. For one, these two-winged beasties can transmit some nasty stomach bugs such as Salmonella, Shigella and Escherichia that could lay you out for days, or worse. This is also true for most common pest flies except the blood-feeding stable flies, which aren’t disease carriers. <br />
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<b> Flies have bad table manners</b><br />
Flies aren’t finicky feeders and love a varied diet of organic materials such as manure, garbage and your home-made meal, on occasion. Sharing food with a fly wouldn’t be so bad if it didn’t have such unrefined table manners. Flies have an offensive habit of <span style="font-style: italic;">vomiting </span>on their (or your) dinner, then <br />
<a name='more'></a>sponging up that puke with the additional pre-digested soupy goop. These critters also have abominable bowel control and poop <span style="font-style: italic;">everywhere</span>. It doesn’t help that they have taste buds on their feet either - they will toddle all over your food before deciding to eat it. Ironically, flies are meticulous groomers that primp and preen constantly. <br />
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First, Identi-fly </span><br />
So, you have determined that flies are the enemy that must be exterminated. Before you initiate an anti-fly rampage and come out guns blazing against a fly, first make sure it is a pest fly by confirming its identity. It’s worth keeping in mind that there are some beneficials such as robber flies and hover flies that eat pests and you really don’t want to take out these innocents. <br />
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Fry that Fly</span><br />
Sticky fly traps, sprays and baits get pesky adult flies, as with some neat fly zapper gadgets that vaporize the little beasties to a crisp. The old-fashioned time-tested fly swatter works well too. Flies have a near 360-degree field of view with a rear-ward blind spot, so sneak up on them from behind. Their huge eyes pick up quick movements, so you should slowly maneuver your swatter into place. Then, swat! Don’t swat or place fly-frying devices near where food is made or served. The explosive manner in which the critters are killed will assuredly result in various vile fly bits and guts deposited on your food. The entire arsenal of fly-killing weaponry discussed above won’t be very effective against fly babies, which hang out in the garbage and manure. These and any other potential fly incubators are where your efforts are best focused because a single female fly can produce a swarm of 500 progeny in little more than a week. For more tips on how to find and eliminate larval breeding sites in and around your home, stay tuned for my next post!<br />
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P.S. Hey it would be great if you could click on any ad here and I'll get 1 cent per click, from the sponsors. Thanks!Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04210451785382597921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1777679574961617288.post-59228982012577705342009-02-26T04:12:00.005+08:002019-10-23T10:43:14.071+08:00Mosquitoes: A Fatal AttractionThis article will give you the lowdown on the mosquito’s attraction to the human race, why this love is unrequited, and how to avoid donating blood to these leechers. <br />
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A one-sided love affair</span><br />
Mosquitoes have had a thing for humans for thousands of years. The human-loving tendencies of these winged whiners have not been reciprocated however. Despite repeated rejection and death threats, they keep coming back to plant unwanted kisses on us. There being about 3000 species of mosquitoes makes for an interesting range of body-part preferences. The conservative ones stick to a quick peck on the cheek while some exhibit foot fetishes. <span style="font-style: italic;">Anopheles</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Culex </span>mosquitoes sneak smoochies at dusk and after dark while <span style="font-style: italic;">Aedes</span> mosquitoes favor public daytime displays of affection. These mini molesters share a common modus operandi – they furtively insert their syringe-like mouths into your flesh and pump in itch-inducing anti-clotting saliva while taking their fill of you. <br />
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Mosquitoes aren’t very bright</span><br />
A mosquito’s itty bitty brain, housed in its teeny tiny head, weighs way less than its 2.5 mg body. It’s not much of a thinker since it has very limited neuronal processing abilities. However, these featherweights are hardwired to<br />
<a name='more'></a>live successful and productive mosquito lives. The sole life goal of male mosquitoes is to ‘get a gal’, which can be tricky because mosquitoes have bad eyesight. That aside, these peace-loving little guys don’t do much except relax and sip floral nectar. Mosquito mommies are the ones with the bloodlust, programmed to find and drink blood to produce egg batches. Not being very maternal, she pops out up to 300 eggs in some water and then flies off to drink more blood and make more eggs. Mosquito babies (‘wrigglers’) are filter-feeders. They hang out upside down near the surface of the water, breathing through a tube at their rear end. Those that don’t end up in the bellies of dragonfly larvae and fishes eventually turn into ‘tumblers’ (the non-feeding pupal stage) and emerge as adults. A bottle capful of water is enough to raise a whole swarm of marauding skeeters in as little as seven days.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Mosquito kisses can make you sick</span><br />
Never mind that these mannerless mozzies make us their main course without so much as a please and thank you. Never mind the maddeningly itchy bites they bestow as they drain our blood. These are trifling compared with the potential problems their unsolicited saliva transfusions could bring. Globally, mosquitoes are responsible for inflicting maladies and misery on around 500 million people a year. About one million of these people – mostly children - die. The Terrible Three are <span style="font-style: italic;">Anopheles, Culex</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Aedes</span> mosquitoes, which vector malaria, the West Nile Virus and dengue, respectively. The worst of these three harbingers of death is <span style="font-style: italic;">Anopheles</span>, which does occur in the United States. Fortunately the risk of contracting malaria from one of these whiners is very small because there isn’t a ‘reservoir’ of malaria-infected people from which to spread this nasty disease. (Learn more about the malaria cycle here). In fact the United States was declared malaria-free in 1949. More cause for concern is the West Nile Virus, which hides out in birds and other animals and can be transmitted to us by mosquitoes that have fed on infected animals. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reported 124 West Nile related deaths in 2007 and 8 so far in 2008. CDC’s reassuring advice: “the chance that any one person is going to become ill from a single mosquito bite remains low”. <br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />
Muzzle the mozzies</span><br />
The warmer months are peak breeding times for amorous mosquitoes, which means more bloodlusting mommy mozzies are out and about. Depriving them of watery egg-laying sites will help avert a population explosion of little kamikaze-biters around your home. A good pest control operator should be able to recommend environmentally-friendly larvicides that will take out skeeter babies in those tough-to-drain spots. Other weapons in the homeowner’s anti-mosquito arsenal include mosquito screens, protective clothing and insect repellents, all of which help ensure that these whining suckers don’t get away with unauthorized blood samples.<br />
<br />Gracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04210451785382597921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1777679574961617288.post-11317503630092537322009-02-26T03:53:00.004+08:002017-06-16T22:14:58.686+08:00Bedbugs: Bloodsucking BedmatesThis article will explain why bedbugs are so good at sucking human blood, how to recognize a bedbug infestation, and how to reclaim your sleep haven from these blood-sucking critters.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Bedbugs are covert operations specialists</span><br />
Few creatures can match the stealth of the bedbug in extracting a human bloodmeal. Under the cover of darkness, it silently crawls from a nearby hiding place to seek its next victim. A sleeping human, warm and exhaling carbon dioxide, is the preferred fare of this flat, apple-seed-like insect. It painlessly pierces the skin with a syringe-like mouth then proceeds to engorge itself with blood. The victim feels nothing during those few minutes he or she is feasted upon. An adult female can make lots of bedbug babies after a bloodmeal, totaling 400 eggs in a lifetime. Given the right conditions, these offspring become adults in two months.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Recognizing bedbug bites</span><br />
Bedbugs are fidgety feeders, and usually leave a tell-tale three welt track on the skin of the victim. Unlike flea bites, which have a characteristic spot in the center, bedbug bites look more like <br />
<a name='more'></a>mosquito bites that get larger if scratched. Unexplained bites that occur while you are asleep rule out fleas, which bite painfully. Bedbugs strike from beneath, hitting near where the person’s body contacts the bed. So bites in those areas rule out mosquitoes, which launch airborne attacks.<br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Other bed-bug giveaway signs</span><br />
Since bedbugs are so shy, chances are you won’t actually see one unless you initiate your own covert bedbug-finding operation. Starting with the bed, remove the sheet and check the mattress seams carefully. Bedbugs like hanging out next to mattress seams, wooden bedframe joins and any dark crevice. The critters aren’t exactly toilet-trained, and will poop right where the social is. Bedbug poo are dark stains - remains of the bloodmeal. If you do find these, a full-on bug-hunt will be needed to find the six-legged critters and confirm that the infestation is active. <br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">The good news about bedbugs…</span><br />
Bedbugs don’t carry any other bugs that can make you ill. You can’t get malaria, dengue, Lyme disease or any sort of insect vector-borne sickness from a bedbug bite. Some people have allergic reactions but these are very rare. It’s also a plus point that a bedbug bite doesn’t hurt while it is doing the deed. You may also be glad to know that bedbug infestations don’t imply a lack of hygiene, such as with cockroach and ant invasions. Even the best of us can fall prey to bedbugs. <br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Getting rid of bedbugs</span><br />
Bedbugs are notoriously difficult to get rid of. Starving them out isn’t really feasible because these fasting gurus can live a year without eating. The pesticidal baits that roaches and ants are suckers for don’t interest the bedbug at all. Sprays don’t quite reach into the nooks and crannies that bedbugs hole up in or affect the eggs. In fact, a slapdash pesticide application could backfire by causing a mass-dispersal of alarmed bedbugs fleeing for their lives. It is absolutely important to find all the places where the bedbugs are hiding and do a one-time treatment that will get them all, then follow up a few more times after that to make sure any remnant bugs or eggs that hatch out later are destroyed. There’s a lot of conjecture out there about how to kill bedbugs and some of these methods could make things worse. Hiring a reliable pest control operator experienced in eradicating bedbugs to do the job is probably your best bet.<br />
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<b>Bedbugs in hotels</b><br />
If you travel and sleep in hotels, always do the mattress and headboard check (described earlier). Better to inspect the room and mattress first, before bringing your possessions in, and when you do, place suitcases up off the floor/carpet. If you somehow missed catching the infestation until too late (i.e., woke up in the morning covered with bites), then after reporting to the hotel, take all your stuff and put into heavy duty black trash bags, tie them tight and work on killing any possible hitchhikers in your stuff. Anything that can fit in the washing machine gets laundered on the hottest cycle, then in the dryer on the hottest cycle also. Anything else, keep in the trash bags and put on your car roof top in the sun for the day. Bedbugs are certainly tough to kill, but heat is their cryptonite - 113 F for more than 90 minutes will do it (or 118 F for 20 minutes).<br />
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Do you have any bedbug experiences to share? I have plenty of my own that I probably should blog about some time. Would love to hear yours!<br />
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GraceGracehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04210451785382597921noreply@blogger.com0