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Garden Planning & Pests

If you’ve stayed up-to-date with our blog, then you probably recall a post from a few months back discussing garden pests. While all of that information is relevant, it is essential to consider a few more factors that should be taken into account when gardening.

The home landscape is a complex habitat mainly consisting of vegetables, flowers, turf, and other foliage. For the majority, gardens are a relaxing place where we tailor the environment to our aesthetic and physical needs. Yet the garden is also home to nuisance pests. As a result, residential landscapes have become the depository of nearly 11% of the conventional pesticides used in the USA. Indeed, acre for acre, your cousin’s tomato patch has more pesticides than a farmer’s soybean field! Fortunately, the garden is also home to the natural enemies of these pests. Most gardeners come to know a great deal about their plants’ growth needs, but often know little of the resident insects within their garden.

We do not consider many of the insects in a garden to be harmful. The vast majority of North American insect species are either harmless to humans and garden plants or beneficial. To properly utilize the work that natural enemies do, we must first identify them and help them flourish. By using natural enemies to control pests, you reduce the need to use pesticides.

Garden placement

Garden placement is imperative for botanical survival. Be sure to keep gardens away from the home or structures, as they will cast shadows; keep planting areas at least 10ft from walls. Crops planted in the shade are less productive and may be more susceptible to disease and insect damage than planted in full sun.

Who are Friends of the Garden?

Most of us are familiar with ladybugs, spiders, and praying mantids; we know their diet consists of a lot of bad bugs. In addition, there are many other ‘natural enemies’ that are also taking care of pests. There are three major groups of natural enemies— predators, parasitoids, and pathogens.

Predators, such as ladybugs and spiders, eat much prey throughout a lifetime. They are often the most visible natural enemies in our garden and are larger and more robust than their prey. Some are agile hunters, while others sit and wait to pounce on a victim. You can promote beneficial predatory insects by including flowering plants in the garden.

Parasitoids are insects that develop as young in a host, leading to the eventual death of the said host. Unlike predators, most only kill only one object of prey during their juvenile stage. Many wasps and flies are parasitoids, but they are typically small and therefore go unnoticed.

Pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, nematodes, protozoans, and fungi— cause diseases. Many of these happen to naturally occur in our gardens, while others must be introduced. Commercial companies have begun to develop many of these pathogens as spray and bait formulations, making them more comfortable for us to use.

How To Avoid Common Garden Pests

To minimize beetles, clean up the garden and rotate crops every year. Hang birdhouses in the garden as birds enjoy eating worms. Water gardens in the morning only as slugs and snails prefer feeding on wet foliage. Encourage birds, snakes, frogs, and toads because all of these critters eat slugs and snails.

Carefully inspect all new plants for white flies before purchasing from a nursery. This is actually a constructive tip for preventing all of the vegetable garden pests.

Fall Fruit Fly Tips

There’s so much to love about the early fall months; fresh apples, donuts and cider, flowers, colorful hikes, camping, and so much more— however, one of the most significant negatives of the first warm fall months is fruit flies. We’ve written about these nuisances before, but the continued warm temperatures in Northern Michigan have seemingly allowed infestations to maintain. And if you’re like us, you love the goodness of having fresh fruit available and that glass of wine to enjoy without the hassle of these aggressive pests, so, we thought we would offer some DIY methods in curbing the seemingly endless issue.

Unfortunately for homeowners, the average natural life span of fruit fly adults (in optimal temperatures) is forty to fifty days. Females have the capability to mate and lay several batches of eggs in that time, which allows the fruit fly population inside of a home to multiply quickly.

Now, many commercial traps can aid in ridding your home of them, and we even offer them to customers. That being said, there are also some natural and effective remedies that you can do by using goodies found in your pantry that’s inexpensive and effective.

Keep in mind, however, that to curb an infestation, it is imperative to start at the source. Ensuring any houseplants you may have are potted in high-quality soil, maintaining clean drains, keeping all areas dry, washing dirty dishes, and keeping trash receptacles tightly closed are all effective methods. If these efforts remain unsuccessful, it may be time to seek out other options.

Below, we’ll share some at-home methods that are proven effective if you’re experiencing a visit with those pesky rascals.

Apple Cider Vinegar

ACV is genuinely a heaven send for attracting fruit flies. They absolutely cannot stay away from it. Mixing the vinegar with a few drops of dish soap is a timeless method in trapping and killing the flies.

Essential Oils & Herbs

Basil, peppermint, and eucalyptus are a few of the herbs that help to deter fruit flies. Placing these in tea bags or muslin sacks and hanging them around the house can help to prevent them.

Lavender, camphor, (be very cautious with this one), peppermint, clove, and lemongrass essential oils deter fruit flies as well. They simply can’t stand the smell. Dab some cotton balls and wipe the oils around the home, especially in the kitchen area, and deter them all while making your home smell naturally amazing. Another method is dipping tea bags into essential oil blends and hanging around the home.

Beer & Wine

It’s no wonder why these pests like a good glass now and then. Fruit flies are lushes of a sort and love the smell of red wine, and it will draw them in very rapidly! So, a small glass of leftover wine used to trap them, similar to the apple cider vinegar method, works exceptionally well with attracting, trapping, and killing the fruit flies. Beer is a close second, which is no wonder why you will find hoards of them buzzing around your recycling. The same method words for beer as well, so whichever beverage you have handy should do the trick.

Fruits

Place jam, jellies, or ripened fruit (especially bananas) into a jar covered with plastic wrap to attract the fruit flies.

Incense

Fruit flies hate all smoke but especially smoke from incense—their bodies can’t handle inhaling it. When they inhale, they die fairly quickly, which can help leave you fruit fly-free.

Closing Tips

Keeping fresh fruit refrigerated, reducing any standing water including in vases, as fruit flies are attracted to the sugar water in most flower arrangements, and getting rid of any rotting fruit (the yeast is where they lay their larvae).

If all else fails, there is hope on the horizon as fall progresses. Studies show that at 60°F, the lifespan of fruit flies significantly decreases. When the temperatures fall below 53°F, these flies stop developing entirely. While the first frost may not seem like something to look forward to for many of us, those experiencing a fruit fly infestation can rest assured that these unwanted houseguests will soon be gone— until next year, that is!

Mice in Michigan

In recent years, rodent populations have seemingly increased. Mice in particular are common household pests that can become an out-of-control problem if not nipped in the bud. They multiply quickly and in great numbers; two can turn into twenty within weeks. While unaggressive, these rodents can cause quite a scare for homeowners and an infestation can lead to health problems along with potential fire hazards from their tendency to gnaw on electrical wires. Mice control requires three methods of defense: trapping and removing, baiting from the exterior, and exclusion…but more on those later! In Michigan we have 4 species: white-footed, house, deer, and field. It is important to properly identify which type of mouse we are dealing with before eradication, as each species comes with their own set of preferences and tendencies.

“How do mice get in my home?”, you may ask. Mice are notorious gnawers, and will chew their way into virtually any structure; including homes, cabins, restaurants, hotels, factories, nursing homes, hospitals, food processing plants, commercial kitchens, RV’s, air conditioning units, heat pumps, outbuildings, and airplanes. Mice chew through window and door seals, and are known to damage weather stripping.They can squeeze through holes as small as a dime!  Really there is no structure a mouse won’t chew its way into if given the chance.

Remediating an Existing Issue

There are three methods of defense to remediate and/or prevent future infestations from occurring; trapping and removing, baiting from the exterior, and exclusion. If the inside of your home is deemed to be infested by a licensed pest control professional, the mice must be trapped and removed by using various traps.  Snap traps and glue boards work well to catch mice on the interior as we will not and do not recommend that poisons are used inside. Using bait inside will cause the mice to die inside, creating a whole new problem.

Bait stations are set around the exterior of the structure so that the mice outdoors will be lured in. Our bait stations are designed to be the strongest on the market so that problems aren’t created with non-target animals, and pet safety is one of our biggest concerns. The stations are tamper-proof, weighted, and locked to ensure the bait is protected. We also scan our stations for digital data tracking. Exclusion is the process of sealing any cracks or holes around the exterior of a structure to prevent mice from squeezing through.

Hazards

While the mice themselves will not cause harm as they do not generally bite unless held. The real threat comes from the health problems they can cause. Mice are known to carry parasites, and their waste can cause diseases such as salmonellosis and hantavirus. Hantavirus is particularly threatening because it lives in feces and when disturbed becomes airborne. The virus can be contracted by so much as breathing in contaminated dust from nests and/or droppings, so it is important to call a licensed pest control professional for proper remediation and clean-up. If you believe to have come across a mouse nest in your home, do not touch it! During the professional clean-up, every effort will be made to avoid stirring up any dust as well as a respirator to ensure there is no inhalation.

Tips to Prevent an Infestation

  1. Eliminate food sources
    1. Proper storage of food sources in pantries, cupboards, and especially in garages can help to prevent mice from chewing their way in to access. Airtight containers and storing food off of the floor will also be helpful.
  2. Safeguard your garbage
    1. By storing your outdoor garbage in a contained space such as a tin lidded bin, rodents will be unable to access.
  3. Carefully tend your vegetable garden
    1. Any leftover fruits or vegetables are an attractant to mice foraging for food. Mice are omnivorous, which means they eat both plants, meat, fruits, seeds, and grains.
  4. Block entry points
    1. If you come across cracks or holes around the exterior of a structure, you may block them. Keep in mind any mice trapped inside may perish and cause a disturbing odor.
  5. Reduce clutter
    1. Reducing clutter creates less spaces to hide, nest, and travel. Mice are extremely resourceful and will use just about anything as nesting material. In homes, clutter is often found in attics, basements, and garages, the same sites of most mouse infestations.
  6. Protect your pool
    1. Pools are essentially giant water bowls for mice, who can easily fall in and drown. It is not uncommon to find deceased rodents in pools and jacuzzis. Always cover these when not in use!

By taking these steps, homeowners are able to make their property less appealing to mice and other rodents. The more you know, the more effectively we can work together.  If you believe to have found evidence of mice in your home do not hesitate to give us a call. We have been keeping homes in Northern Michigan mouse-free for 25 years! We look forward to solving your problem. 

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!