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Winter Flies

It’s a beautiful winter day, and the sunlight is gleaming on the snow. Taking in the view and feeling the warmth of the sun on your face, your attention is drawn to an all-too-familiar sound buzzes by your ear. That’s right— buzzes. There is snow on the ground, but sure enough, there is a fly INSIDE of your house. Eager to get outside, it hurls its large sluggish body against the window. This is not your classic housefly, it’s important to note, but rather a more elusive species. The unwanted houseguest almost went unnoticed. They’re probably around even if you can’t see them!

How do flies survive during winter?

There are too many common fly species to count, and they handle winter in all kinds of ways. Flies associated with filth such as blowflies, fruit flies, and phorid flies tend to live in and around garbage all year. They nestle into the trash in sheltered areas and hunker down to preserve heat during the winter.

Other flies, like face and cluster flies, lay eggs in warm areas during the fall. The flies laying the eggs die off, but their offspring hatch throughout winter. Once they are inside, they continue reproducing— a cycle of laying eggs and hatching. To survive the cooler temperatures and decline in food sources, cluster flies enter the state of diapause to preserve energy and body heat.

What are the flies inside my home?

This winter, the flies most likely to bother you in your home are cluster flies. This species is ubiquitous in Michigan, even during winter. Cluster flies are easy to distinguish as they are big, stocky flies with dark coloration. 

Cluster flies are common around attics, basements, and doors/windows. They seek secluded places near a heat source where they can pack together and enter a state of rest called diapause. They occasionally emerge on warm days to regain heat and energy. They will often appear slow-flying and sluggish, “drunk” if you will.

How do these flies enter my home?

Cluster flies find their way inside of homes in the late summer and fall months. They quite literally cluster together in large groups on the sides of walls to soak up the warmth of the sun. As temperatures lower, the flies look for cracks and gaps they can use to stay out of the wind. These cracks may often lead them into your home, either behind the walls or in attics and basements. Common access points include cracks under the windows or door trim, baseboards, and around lights, fans, or other utility appliances.

What do flies want?

Without warmth and shelter, cluster flies can’t survive Michigan’s freezing temperatures. Most common flies can’t hibernate, either, which means they need shelter and food access. If you have a fly infestation, it means your home likely provides both of these. Cluster flies look for warm, secluded areas where they can remain in diapause for long stretches of time. They eat little and do not reproduce or cause any real damage during this time. The only times they may show themselves are on sunny days. 

How can I get rid of them?

Admittedly, cluster flies are rather difficult to control in winter. This is because they are already inside the walls. If you seal their access points now, you will trap them in your walls. That could potentially create a mess and attract other, even less desirable pests. Upon the arrival of spring’s consistently warm temperatures, cluster flies will leave your home to warm up outside. This does not always mean through their original access point, though, so don’t be surprised if you see/hear many live flies. Vacuuming up any deceased is the best method of disposing of. ‌

On the bright side, albeit a nuisance, flies aren’t really that big of a deal. At worst, consider them an annoyance. Even if cluster flies are just an annoyance, the bad news is that they’re still… annoying.

Make Halloween Safe Again

Halloween spending has skyrocketed in recent years. The National Retail Federation has stated that “Americans are expected to spend $2.7 billion on Halloween decorations this year”.

In turn, wildlife organizations say they have also seen an increase in animal visits to local rehabilitation centers for injuries related to outdoor holiday decorations.

Halloween any other holiday in which homeowners decorate the exteriors of their houses is particularly dangerous for wildlife populations. Anything that hangs, flutters, or loops can be potential hazards. Increased human activity and scattered candy wrappers during Halloween can also put animals at risk.

We want to share some easy ways you can help make sure this Halloween isn’t a scary one for wildlife!

Keeping Wildlife Safe on Halloween

  • Limit the use of fake spiderweb or other decorations made of entangling fibers. Wild animals can easily become unable to break the material to free themselves.
  • Avoid decorations with loops and circles. A foraging animal can unknowingly put its head through a loop or circle and choke.
  • Avoid decorations with edible-looking parts.
  • Don’t leave candy where wildlife may find it, always being sure to dispose of candy wrappers.
  • Carved pumpkins may also be attractive to wildlife as food, so properly dispose of them to avoid unwanted, post-holiday trick-or-treaters.
  • Be on the look for nocturnal wildlife while out trick-or-treating. Avoid cutting through lawns and brushy areas to avoid accidental encounters.
  • Drivers on Halloween night know to be alert for children; however, we encourage you to keep an eye out for wildlife that may be scared out by all the increased nighttime activity.
  • Strings of lights can become snare traps for adult male deer who get them caught in their antlers. As a result, avoid hanging lights or decorations in areas where deer pass.

 

Wildlife is not the only at-risk critters this Halloween. It is important to be mindful of household pets, too!

Tips for Keeping Household Pets Safe on Halloween

Stash your treats.

The candy bowl is for trick-or-treaters, not the household dog. Several popular Halloween treats are highly toxic to pets. Chocolate in any form—especially dark or baking chocolate—can be very dangerous for cats and dogs; candies labeled ‘sugar-free’ contain the sugar substitute xylitol which can cause serious problems in animals. 

Watch decorations and keep wires out of reach.

While a jack-o-lantern is certainly festive, pets can easily knock over a lit pumpkin and start a fire. That being said, curious kittens are especially at risk of getting hurt by candle flames. Popular Halloween plants such as pumpkins and corn are relatively nontoxic but have the ability to produce stomach discomfort in pets who snack on them.

Be mindful of costumes.

For some pets wearing a costume can become stressful. If you do decide to dress up your pet, be sure the costume does not limit his or her sight, ability to breathe, move, bark, or meow. Check the costume carefully for easily chewed-off pieces that could become a choking hazard. Poorly fitting outfits can become twisted on external objects and result in injury.

Be sure to try on the costume before the event; however, if they seem distressed or show abnormal behaviors, consider foregoing.

Keep pets easily identifiable.

Halloween brings exciting activity with visitors arriving at the door; overstimulation and strangers can often become scary and stressful for pets. Even the most social animals should be kept away from the door during trick-or-treating hours. While opening the door, be sure that your pet doesn’t dart out. Always make sure your pet is wearing proper identification!

 

The main goal of Halloween along with any other holiday you decorate for is to have fun. It is important, however, to always be mindful of how we affect those around us— animals too!

“Halloween Home Decor Can Hurt Wildlife, Officials Warn.” WDRB, 17 Oct. 2019, www.wdrb.com/news/national/halloween-home-decor-can-hurt-wildlife-officials-warn/article_fd700df2-f100-11e9-8162-47f987f12c4e.html.

Carpenter Ants

This year we have seen a significant uptick in calls regarding large, black ants spotted around properties. These are carpenter ants, and they can become quite the nuisance if not properly treated. Swarming and flying carpenter ants are often mistaken for termites. It. is important to note that termites are somewhat uncommon in Northern Michigan and it is almost always carpenter ants that clients are finding.

Identifying Carpenter Ants

Carpenter ants are one of the largest species of ant. They can be as small as 1/16 of an inch and quickly grow to 1/2 inch. Queens are significantly larger and can easily grow up to an inch in size.

These ants can be found in the home and swarm towards windows to get out. Swarmers, as we like to call them, are the reproductive ants. They attempt to access the outside to produce satellite nests. After approximately a week they can exhaust themselves trying to get outside and die. There is no treatment to get rid of the swarming and flying carpenter ants, however, this indicates that there is a working nest in your home or structure that does need to be treated by a pest control professional.

Can they bite?

Carpenter ants can bite on contact, however, they are not venomous. They prefer to eat things with protein and sugar, including honeydew, jelly, and meats they come across within the home. Carpenter ants can travel up to 1,000 ft. away from their colony to forage their food, and depending on the weather, can be seen both inside or outside the home. On nice sunny days, typically from late March to mid-June, nests can be “woken up” and the ants may suddenly start appearing in and around your home looking for food.

Homeowners can do their own inspection to identify a carpenter ant issue. Carps are typically the most active in the afternoons on warm, sunny days. It is easy to find the ants the outside corners of your homes. If you identify a carpenter ant infestation, it is very important to have Hogarth’s Pest Control treat the issue. Carpenter ants can cause an extensive amount of structural damage to your home by chewing and destroying wood, similar to termites. Clients sometimes go years without realizing they have a carpenter ant nest.

Treating for Carpenter Ants

If carpenter ants become overwhelming, you may wash the countertops or use over-the-counter gel baits. DO NOT SPRAY OR USE GRANULES under any circumstances. If you had previously had another company treat or if you used any type of over-the-counter spray or granule, it will affect the outcome and how long it can take for our treatment to work. Gel baits can help to kill off some of the ants for the time being, but sprays and granules may only make the situation worse. Carpenter ants are EXTREMELY smart and can tell when their fellow ants are dying off. Carpenter ants can detect when a product has been put down and may avoid the area altogether.

They may work to avoid being seen by moving outside or relocating their nest. Gel baits will not kill off the nest. Hogarth’s Pest Control uses an un-detectable product that works by using the ants to take the product from outside to the nest itself, killing off the nest and the colony within 14-21 days of treatment. Once the carpenter ants have been treated for and the nest has been killed off, Hogarth’s can do an exterior preventative spray for all crawling insects, bees, wasps, and hornets. It is important to know that these are two different treatments and must be done at separate times.

Discovering A Nest

Occasionally, clients are unaware that they have carpenter ants until after their yearly spring treatment has been done. A typical exterior preventative treatment works to keep all crawling insects, bees, wasps, and hornets from getting inside the structure. However, this can trap carpenter ants inside the walls if not identified before-hand. If this is the case, Hogarth’s will need to do an interior ant treatment to rid your home of the ants. The interior treatment is non-invasive; we treat the baseboards, cracks, and crevices.

Within the 21 days after treating for carpenter ants, it’s extremely important not to kill the ants as you see them. It is imperative for the ants to cross the product and transfer it back to the nest. Hogarth’s Pest Control guarantees your home to be ant-free until the snow flies in the fall, however, they can return to the structure in the following spring. It is very important to have Hogarth’s do a preventative spray every spring to avoid re-infestation.

Avoiding Carpenter Ant Infestations

Carpenter ants seek out moisture and food. The homeowner can prevent infestations by correcting moisture problems and trimming tree branches to avoid touching the roof. Be sure to clean gutters regularly to avoid water run-off onto decking and other parts of the structure.

If you suspect a carpenter ant issue, be sure to consult Hogarth’s Pest Control for professional treatment and to avoid re-infestation.

Citronella Ants

During the late summer and fall and also in late winter/early spring months, the invasion of flying yellow or reddish-brown to black ants is common.  Also known as citronella ants, the winged female swarmers are golden-yellow while the males are black. Their nickname is the citronella ant because when crushed or alarmed, it gives off a pronounced citronella or lemon verbena-like odor. Homeowners often fear that these 3.0 mm to 5.0 mm long-winged insects are termites. However, in most cases, they are usually reproductives of either the smaller or larger yellow ant.

Although there is one species of subterranean termite living in Michigan that will swarm in the fall months, most termite swarms are active March to late May. This necessitates knowing the difference between the flying ants and flying termite species.

  • Antennae: Termites have beaded antennae similar to keychains; flying ants have elbowed antennae with the bend at or near the middle.
  • Wings: Termites have four wings, all equally lengthed and almost twice the length of their thorax. Though ants also have four wings, their hind wings are shorter than the front wings and are not twice the body length. Also, ant wings have prominent wing venation. The wings of termites have no prominent veins and resemble milk glass.
  • Body shape: Ants have a three-segmented body, with their waists constricting like an hourglass between each segment. Flying termites have two body segments without the constricted waist.
  • In most instances, termites shed their wings shortly after swarming.

Habits

Citronella ants typically nest outside next to foundations or under concrete or wooden slabs. They survive almost exclusively on honeydew, which is a sweet material made by root-feeding mealybugs or aphids. Therefore, workers seldom invade homes or structures in search of food in contrast to many other ant species. However, they may cause problems by pushing dirt through cracks in foundations and slabs. The winged yellow ants can and do cause concern when flying into living quarters, creating a termite-like fright. Also, a very large number of yellow ant reproductives (with wings) and the smaller workers (without wings) may congregate on the side of a building on a mild fall to an early spring day, which can also cause a scare.

Tips for Control

Colonies do not require professional pest control unless the swarmers enter a home or structure. Even in these cases, treatment may not be possible because it is difficult to know precisely where the colony is located beneath the structure. Sealing all cracks in the floor where the swarmers enter can stop the swarm from entering a home or building, but the ants will likely find other cracks. Any treatment of extreme cases will involve drilling and treating beneath the slab, thus requiring the services of an experienced professional.

How to Avoid Fall Pests

Fall pests can be a real mood-wrecker. Cold weather brings everyone indoors, including some of the more undesirable houseguests. Snuggling up on the sofa with a pair of fuzzy slippers and a blanket wrapped around your shoulders can be a comforting feeling— until something scurries across the living room floor.

Unfortunately, your family may not be the only ones enjoying the warmth of your home. Pests such as mice, cockroaches, flies, and certain species of spiders have life cycles that last longer than a year; meaning they must find shelter during the winter months to survive. Apart from being creepy-crawly, these pests can pose serious risks to both people and homes.

When making their nests in walls, rodents often chew on drywall and electrical wires, and they are known to pass on diseases including Hantavirus and salmonella. Cockroaches will leave droppings around the home, contaminate stored food, and, especially in children, can even trigger asthma. On top of it all, some spiders commonly found in and around homes are poisonous.

Below are ten pest-proofing tips that every homeowner can follow to more effectively keep pests outside during the fall and winter:

  1. Installing screens on attic vents and openings to chimneys, as well as keeping an eye on any other areas where the home may be open to the elements, such as animal doors and mail slots.
  2. Keep attics, crawl spaces, and basements dry and well-ventilated. Pests are attracted to areas with an abundance of moisture, which is something they need to survive. Running dehumidifiers in garages and basements will help to keep these areas dry.
  3. Caulk and seal any noticeable cracks and crevices on the outside of the home. Be especially mindful of the areas where utility pipes enter the structure. Keep in mind that many rodents can fit through a dime-sized hole.
  4. Keep kitchen counters clean, dispose of garbage regularly in sealed receptacles, and store food in airtight containers. A buildup of trash and crumbs are an attractant to pests scavenging for a bite to eat. We recommend properly cleaning up and disposing of all waste after meals and to ensure garbage cans remain closed when they are stored inside of the home or outbuilding.
  5. Replacing weather-stripping and repairing loose mortar around the foundation and windows is another means. Both are simple ways to keep not only pests but also cold air from entering the home.
  6. Keep shrubbery well-trimmed and store firewood at least 20 feet away from the house. By merely removing areas where pests can hide near your home, you can significantly reduce the chance of them finding a way ins.
  7. Install door sweeps and always repair damaged screens. Cracks under doors and torn window screens are ideal entry points for most household pests. When you open a window with a damaged screen, you are likely allowing more than just fresh air to enter.
  8. Inspect items such as package deliveries, boxes of decorations, and grocery bags before bringing them inside. Pests often find creative ways to enter a home. Shake out and thoroughly inspect anything that has been left or stored outside or in the garage.
  9. Avoid leaving pet dishes outdoors for prolonged periods. Pests will not discriminate between cat food and human food. Dishes that have been left sitting outside are extremely attractive to all kinds of rodents and insects.
  10. Have and maintain a proper drainage system on the exterior of your home. Installing gutters or making repairs an existing system will help to draw water and moisture away from your home, which prevents any leaks or build-up that may attract unwanted houseguests (is not effective for in-laws, though!).

Following these pest-proofing tips in the fall when the temperature begins to drop is the most effective way to protect your home and prevent any pest infestation during the winter months. However, if you think you have a pre-existing pest infestation, be sure to contact a pest control or wildlife professional to assess the situation.

Tips on Spiders

SpiderAs spring in Northern Michigan draws closer and the days get longer, spiders get closer invading your home and covering your structure in webs. Spiders can do an extensive amount of damage to the surface of a home, no matter what type of siding, paint, or stain is used on the structure. As spiders begin to eat bugs caught in their webs, they urinate and defecate onto the structure, leaving an acidic substance that embeds into vinyl paints and stains. This results in more upkeep and maintenance on the homeowners part.

Hogarth’s Pest Control is your local expert in protecting your home from spider infestations before it gets too late. By routinely treating your home every spring, you not only protect your home for longer, but you also keep your home cleaner as a result. This eliminates the need to power wash and paint more frequently. Here are a few tips to keep spiders at bay, on top of your routine pest control:

1. Routinely knocking down any webs will put serious strain on the spider; by either humanely killing or forcing them to seek new harborage.

2. Keep a minimum distance of 6 inches between your structure and any sort of vegetation to maintain air flow.

3. Maintaining low humidity in your crawlspace or basement will make it difficult for spiders and their prey to live. Spiders are hunters, and without a proper source of food they will cease to exist in those areas.

Acrobat Ants

Acrobat Ants are small, shiny black ants with a heart-shaped abdomen. These ants got their name because when they are excited, they point their abdomen in the air like an acrobat. Acrobat ants are wood destroyers but do not eat the wood, just live in it. Acrobat ants tend to infest old carpenter ant nests and blue foam board. This leads to customers finding blue sawdust-like frass. Homeowners often confuse an acrobat ant issue with a termite infestation, as they often nest in the wood that has already been damaged by termites or carpenter ants. They then push out the wood and debris. These ants prefer to nest in moist areas such as under rocks, in stones, in woodpiles or rotting stumps.

Acrobat ants are typically found in the kitchen. Whenever ants are found in the kitchen they should be saved for identification by a professional. You can also crush them; if they smell like coconut, they are not Acrobat ants, but odorous house ants. Some ants are only active during certain times of the day, so it’s important to keep that in mind as well.

Prevention Tips

  • Customers should never try to spray or treat for ants themselves. This can only cause more issues and make it more difficult to eradicate the issue by a professional
  • Properly sanitize counters and keep food stored until we can get there
  • If you think you have an infestation, we advise keeping  a sample of any ants that are found to be identified and properly treated for

Signs of an infestation can include a trail of ants as they leave the nest to forage for food, or the debris they push out of the nest. If you are seeing bits of foam and wood by the foundation of your home, it may be that the ants are nesting behind the siding. It’s important to consult a professional pest control company to have an acrobat ant issue taken care of.

Stinging Insects

Many of us are aware that this is the time of year that we begin to see stinging insects (mainly bees, wasps, and hornets) swarming around our homes and gardens. Though these flying insects are out and about, they are not yet building nests. Instead, they are buzzing around looking for places to build their nests or to reinvest old nests. We deal with 3 main species of stinging insect including bees, wasps, and hornets.

Wasps

Commonly mistaken for a bee, Yellowjacket or Yellow Jacket is the common name in North America for predatory wasps. Yellow Jackets can pose a variety of issues to individuals across Northern Michigan. These wasps are extremely aggressive and should be left alone to be dealt with by a professional at all times.

Hornets

Bald Faced Hornets are black and white striped wasps. They’re larger in size than the Yellow Jacket or your average Honey Bee, however, they are more closely related to Yellow Jackets than they are to hornets. Bald-faced Hornets are an extremely aggressive stinging insect that should only be dealt with by a pest control professional.

Bees

Carpenter Bees are large, black and yellow stinging insects that  typically only live up to a year. Females rarely sting and males cannot sting. These bees typically bore into raw wood and and deck timbers, especially if it’s weathered or has starter holes

By enlisting the professional help of Hogarth’s Pest Control, you can ensure to keep your stinging insect problem under control. Hogarth’s Pest Control offers a preventative service to keep these insects from building nests on your homes. Though they will continue to fly around, we guarantee your home for the entire season against bees, wasps, and hornets building nests on your home. What’s even better about this service is that not only does it keep the stinging insects from building nests, it also keeps all crawling insects such as spiders and ants from getting inside your house. Hogarth’s wants to ensure that your summer is pest free, so give us a call if you are experiencing any flying or crawling insect issue!

Bed Bugs

Bed bugs are small, flat, reddish-brown insects that feed on the blood of warm-blooded animals while they are sleeping. They infest homes, apartments, hotels, cruise ships, dorms and shelters, and have become an epidemic throughout Michigan. Bed bugs live within 8 feet of where people sleep; in mattress seams, headboards, box springs, bed frames, or any cracks and crevices near the bed. They hide during the day but can travel up to 100 feet at night.

One of the easiest ways to tell if you have a bed bug infestation is the presence of bites. This are commonly found on the face, neck, arms,  after sleeping. The bite marks are similar to those of flea or mosquito bites – small, itchy, red areas on the skin. The intense itching sensation is a result of an allergic reaction to the insect’s saliva. Bed bugs move to non-infested homes on furniture, bedding, in luggage or packed clothing, and especially when individuals travel often or move homes frequently.

Identifying an Infestation

Bed bugs are hard to identify on your own since their bites look so similar to those of other insects. To identify a bed bug infestation, we recommend checking around the bed frame and mattress for physical signs of the pests. You may see live bed bugs, rusty or reddish stains on sheets or pillow cases, skins that nymphs shed as the grow larger, or dark spots that are actually bug excrement.

Bed bugs are not known to transmit or spread diseases, however they can cause other health problems. It’s extremely important to have these pests exterminated by a professional to prevent any further issues. Hogarth’s Pest Control specializes in Bed Bug removal and can take care of any pest issues you may be dealing with. If you think you may have bed bugs, or any other pest for that matter, give us a call at (231) 264-6060 or (800) 264-6161 and we can get it taken care of for you!