The Importance of Sanitation

For control of many structural pests, and turf and ornamental pests and diseases, site sanitation is critical to success. Integrated pest management (IPM) depends on non chemical solutions to alleviate pest issues. One of the most important is site sanitation. For interior sanitation, this time of year can provide a great opportunity for homes and businesses to clear out the cobwebs and improve the level of sanitation. Sanitation usually means implementing proper disposal of waste, but should be expanded to include reduction of clutter, here is a list of ideas on sanitation from the EPA website. An unorganized area, that is inaccessible to you, probably would be a great harborage for insects and rodents. Stored items should be off the ground and away from walls (12 inches is ideal) if possible.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Pantry Pests

It's great to have the holidays here, and guests and parties on these cold winter nights. As you pull out long unused baking sheets or flower, pay attention to signs of pantry pests. These signs include webbing in the rice or flour container, evidence of small silky cocoons in the corners of cabinets, or adult moths. These insects have complete metamorphosis, meaning the eggs are laid on or near the infested product, hatch to become a larval stage (worm-like) that feeds on the flour, rice, cereal, or other product, then climbs to a high point to pupate into an adult reproductive moth. Freeze infested products like bird food or pet food if you don't want to discard them, otherwise discard infested products and clean out cabinets of pupal casings.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston

Recycling Cell Phones and Rechargeable Batteries

Through our new Call2Recycle relationship, we are now able to collect customer cell phones and rechargeable batteries for recycling. Simply hang on to old cell phones or rechargeable batteries and at your regular service, give them to your service technician for recycling.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Brush Weatherseals and Pest Exclusion

This is the time of year that we notice an increase in rodent calls. Sealing openings to the exterior is the first solution step in integrated pest management for rodent control. Homes and business usually have numerous small openings around plumbing and electrical penetrations, or where foundation and sill changes occur. The largest openings most homes have are around and under the exterior doors and garage doors. Many options exist to seal them, the most effective is brush weatherseal. We install brush weatherseal door sweeps to keep rodents from entering below a door. We also use brush weatherseals around doors and garage doors, and if necessary, replace the base compression seals below the garage doors. Installing a sweep is a simple operation, measure, select the appropriate brush weatherseal, cut and install. Brush weatherseal is superior to vinyl because it forms a seal up to 3 times tighter and lasts much longer. These photos show a door before and after having brush weatherseals and brush door sweeps installed. For do it yourself customers, consider the Sealeze brand brush weatherseal for superior performance.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Winter Moth's are out now.

You may have noticed either driving home at night, or outside your home or business in the lights, a number of brown moths. These adult winter moths you see will mate, then lay eggs in the bark of host trees such as maples, oak, apple, crabapple, ash, fringetree and blueberry. In the spring, these eggs will hatch and the larval stage will climb to the branches and feed on the leaves, dropping to the ground in late spring to continue the life cycle through the summer in the soil, where they will pupate to emerge as adult moths next November and December. Treatment strategies include early spring horticultural oil on the trunks of host plants to suffocate the eggs, and/or a systemic treatment, such as the Tree Injection Service we provide, to protect susceptible trees. The University of Massachusetts has a great information sheet on winter moth, click here to link to it.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Recycling Batteries

As we approach the holiday shopping season, plan ahead for your battery needs for camera and gifts. Reduce your battery waste by choosing batteries carefully that will last longer or are recyclable. If you have older batteries, such as those from cell phones or computers, use the Call2Recycle website to locate recycling centers for your batteries. According to Call2Recycle, the average consumer can generate up to 6 rechargeable batteries and 1 cell phone that needs to be recycled every 2 years. By recycling that waste, we protect our environment.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Spiders!

These spider webs were spotted this past week as signs of a spider infestation taking over greater Boston. It appears these webs are thick and can capture ghosts, skeletons, eyeballs and other strange objects. As with any spider infestation, management is achieved by removing the spider and its web with either a broom or a vacuum. A thorough vacuuming of the infested area to remove any other spiders and eggs will yield the best results.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Occasional Invaders: Western Conifer Seed Bug (Stinkbug)

The cool weather brings the occasional invaders to our homes and businesses looking for overwintering sites. Besides the Asian Ladybird beetle, another fall pest to arrive on the side of our structures is the Western Conifer Seed Bug. This bug only uses structures for overwintering sites. A complete exclusion service from an integrated pest management professional is the key to keeping this bug from becoming a nuisance. The next time they are spotted at a home or business is late February or early March when they come out from overwintering sites in walls or attics.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Yesterday's sunny warm fall weather led to large congregations of ladybugs, order Coleoptera, family Coccinellidae (and the official bug of Massachusetts), on businessess and homes in eastern Massachusetts. This activity is likely to continue over the next few weeks continuing to drive calls to pest control companies and news stories like this one on WCVB-TV yesterday. They will enter wall voids or attics to hibernate over the winter. They feed on plant feeding insects such as scale insects, aphids, and others. They are a beneficial insect that is only an annoyance inside with no damage to either a structure or contents. They will congregate together, so if control is needed, some specific sites in the attics where they are located can be treated. The appropriate integrated pest management (and green pest control) technique for lady bugs in office or living spaces is to remove them with a vacuum, there is no need to spray them with an insecticide.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

As leaves start to fall, consider composting them

In small urban lots, it can be difficult, but try to compost as many leaves as possible. Two primary ways to compost is either pile composting at a composter or for leaves on the lawn area, mow the leaves every few days to keep up with them and mulch the leaves into the lawn. This mowing, combined with fall fertilization will have the benefits of adding organic matter to your lawn. Michigan State has great information on mulching leaves, available online here.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Keeping your eye out for hemlock woolly adelgid

As you clean out your garden this fall, inspect your hemlocks for signs of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, an insect that causes severe damage to hemlocks. Signs of infestation include woolly masses around the base of the needles. These obvious indicators are combined with a loss of needle foliage in the hemlock.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Soil Test for Lawn Success

Use a soil test to determine what deficiencies may exist in the soil. Soil is made up of a combination of sand, silt, clay, air, water and organic matter. Organic matter is the universal soil improver, helping the soil hold moisture and nutrients. Key results we look at are the soil pH, the ratio of calcium to magnesium and level of calcium and the the important Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC). The CEC is a measure of the soil’s ability to hold and exchange cations such as potassium, calcium and magnesium. Also important, the Percent Base Saturation (next to the CEC on the UMASS Soil Test Report) shows values for potassium (target 2 to 5%), magnesium (target 10 to 15%) and calcium (target 65 to 75%).
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Fall Pests

Fall brings rodents coming back in during cooler weather and longer nights. Inspect the outside of garage and basement doors for worn seals and replace or repair. Exclusion is the single most effective tool in combating rodent infestations and the foundation of an integrated pest management plan for mice.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Powder Post Beetles

Powderpost beetles. These destructive pests show evidence of their presence by the small exit holes, compare to a push pin hole, and by the presence of frass, or a powdery like sawdust falling from a hole or void. These beetles can occur in new or old homes, but are most commonly found in older homes built with field dried timber and with high air moisture. Activity levels are driven by humidity level of wood and temperature. The good news is, exposed untreated, unvarnished or unpainted timbers can be treated with a boric acid material sprayed onto the wood, which acts as a stomach toxicant for the larva (or destructive) stage. The humidity can then be addressed with a high efficiency dehumidifier.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Soil Conditioner

Aerations are underway at many customer lawns. If you are considering aerating your lawn, make sure you also overseed at the same time. An additional step that can vastly improve your lawn is the addition of soil conditioner. A soil conditioner can be many different types, and is used to improve drainage while improving water retention. We use the Turface brand soil conditioner, specifically Emerald Field and Fairway to permanently improve soil conditions at customer sites.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Rainy Days and Rainwater Harvesting

On rainy days like today, my thoughts go to rainwater harvesting. A roof will collect around a gallon of water per square foot of area during a one inch rainstorm. The metro Boston area receives 40 to 55 inches of rain annually, with around 30 to 40 inches occurring during the catchment time of year (spring to fall). For a 1.97 inch rainfall event on a 900 square foot (30x30 residential home) roof, catchment could be calculated as follows. 900 x 0.5 gallons/in. rain/sq. ft. = 886 gallons/4 downspouts= around 221 gallons available to store per downspout. Over a season, each gutter might produce up to 4400 gallons to store. Pictured to the right is a traditional rain box set up in a 3 box combination with offset diverter and gravel bed with steel edging. Each rain box can hold 75 gallons, or 225 gallons per 3 box set up.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Spiders

In late summer spider populations can become noticeable and may aggravate some people with their presence in and around structures. Integrated pest management is critical to spider control. After identifying the type of spider causing the problem through an inspection, steps should be taken to prevent spiders from entering. That includes sealing entry holes, caulking around windows and doors and screening windows. In addition, switching the lighting to "bug" lights (yellow bulbs) or on commercial buildings using sodium vapor instead of mercury vapor lamps. Reducing and eliminating clutter, such as stored items, books, boxes, lumber, will reduce spiders. Outside, keep turf and lawn areas mowed, and keep vegetation off the structure. Inside, utilize a dehumidifier in humid areas, such as basements. Most important, remove spider webs and egg sacs with either a vacuum or a brush.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Green News

Recently Sean was interviewed by the Lowell Sun as part of the Green Column written by Hiroko Sato. You can link directly to the column in the Lowell Sun here. It discusses integrated pest management, the employment of cultural, mechanical, physical as well as chemical strategies to manage pest populations.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Aerate for Healthy Soil

We are approaching the time of year for core aeration and overseeding. Core aeration is a process using a machine to remove core plugs from a lawn area. Removing the plugs of soil relieves compaction and allows air to circulate into the root system. Usually the lawn is overseeded at the same time. Seeds will achieve soil contact in the holes opened up by the aerator. The plugs are left on the lawn and break down quickly. In very compact areas a double pass with the aerator at perpendicular angles will provide additional compaction relief. Core aeration on a residential lawn is critical to a healthy lawn care program (especially organic lawn care) and should be done each year or every other year, usually in the fall.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Calculating rain for the rain barrels...

When speaking to a customer today, I was reminded that a common question is, 'how much water can I collect in a rain barrel?' Here is a simple formula that will get you close to the amount. Generally each inch of rain yields a half a gallon per square foot. So a 20x30 Cape style home has 600 square feet of catchable area, or 300 gallons in a 1 inch storm. Divide that by the number of downspouts to get approximate yield at the downspout, or 75 gallons in this example per downspout. In the Boston market, we recieve around 40 to 55 inches of rain each year, with around 30 to 40 inches occuring during the catchment time of year (spring to fall). Remember, rain water is a great addition to an organic lawn care or plant health program.

Green pest control in the news...., look at this article from the Lowell Sun on Green Pest Control.


-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Green Bottle Fly

This time of year we will receive calls for masses of flies on windows in garages. If the fly is a metallic, usually green, it is most likely the green bottle fly, which feeds on dead animal tissue, animal excrement, or other garbage. The source can be as simple as an animal carcass (dead mouse) to some hamburgers thrown out inadvertently in the recycling containers and then forgotten until the flies emerge. Integrated pest management (IPM) is critical in fly infestations, since the source must be identified and dealt with to have any success.

-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Hemlock Wooly Adelgid

Hemlock (Tsuga) woolly adelgids are usually noticed when a hemlock starts to lose needles, or the cottony, white egg masses are noticed on the twigs and leaf bases. They can be treated in early spring with dormant oil to reduce overwintering adults, or spray with insecticidal soaps in June and October. We also use injection systems to inject affected trees with a small amount of systemic insecticide. That gives the tree ongoing protection and minimizes the amount of material used, since it is injected into the tree just behind the bark.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Keep vegetation off structures.

Pruning back vegetation from structures is usually done in midsummer to minimize access trails for insects, such as ants and carpenter ants. This practice of physically removing access for insects to the structure is an important component of integrated pest management. Foundation plants need to be kept off a home or business through regular pruning. Try to keep vegetatation 18 to 24 inches from the structure to allow air movement and prevent pest issues.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Look out for stinging insects.

This time of year, stinging insects from the order Hymenoptera, family Vespidae, such as wasps, hornets and yellow jackets, start to become a concern. Normally, toward the end of July, these stinging insects have developed large enough colonies or nests that they are noticable around structures and other areas used by people. Aerial wasp nests are beginning to reach large enough sizes to require mulitple treatments to kill the nest. Nests that are on structures or near entry ways or where individuals may be stung should be treated and removed.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Late Blight on Tomatoes

Late Blight or Phytophthra infestans is best known for the devasting disease associated with the Irish Potato famine of the 1840' and 50's. UMASS sent out a tomato transplant alert last week regarding the presence of this fungal disease in plants sold in the northeast this year. Our wet weather conditions are perfect for late blight, which creates brown or blackened areas on stems with rings of white mold. Image from Cornell linked here. An organic treatment is to spray the plant with compost tea prior to symptoms showing. If symptoms appear, remove and discard the plants, do not compost the plants.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Mosquitos

Biting flies and mosquitoes are coming out. Mosquitoes can breed in moisture as small as a soda or water bottle cap, so vigilantly inspect your yard for breeding sources, swings, kiddie pools, tires and toys that collect water. For mosquitoes an integrated pest management program is critical. Focus on reducing breeding habitat (water) by eliminating standing water, keeping gutters clean and using repellents if outside at dusk and screens on windows. Mosquito dunks, or larvacides, such as the small donut shaped bacillus thuringiensis dunks are available at hardware stores and are widely used around homes in standing water, like rain barrels. They have no effect on other organisms, except they kill all stages of pupating mosquitoes, not just the final pupation like growth regulators do.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston

Angie's List Super Service Award

I just realized I never covered our Super Service Award from Angie's List on the blog. Thanks to our customers, GreenHow was awarded a Super Service Award for 2008 for both lawn fertilization and pest and termite control from Angie's List. Less than 5% of the companies on Angie's List are awarded with the Super Service Award. It is exciting to recieve recognition for great lawn care, pest control and termite control service.

-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Organic TV LED's.

Great news, imagine organic Light Emitting Diodes for TV screens, a great innovation, that will be available soon.

-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

GreenHow, Mexico.

Occasionally we recieve a call for the unrelated business of GreenHow, Mexico, which offers high quality fertilizers and technical service for customers in Mexico from their facility in Guadalajara. Visit the link above for commercial and agricultural applications south of the Rio Grande. This business is not related to our Boston, Massachusetts based lawn care, pest control and termite control company.

-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Mud Daubers

The mud dauber is a solitary wasp that builds tubes or tunnels of mud in which to lay eggs. These mud tubes or tunnels may be located anywhere on a structure, but are usually either on the foundation or inside the attic, or at the soffit. Generally stone, cement and unpainted wood are preferred surfaces to build on, instead of painted wood. Mud daubers do not sting, and can be recognized by an all black or black with yellow or white legs. A key to differentiate from a flying ant, with whom they are often confused, is the long pedicel (piece between the thorax and abdomen) and curved antennae. Non chemical integrated pest control methods can be safely employed, including removing the mud tubes and screening attic openings.

-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Octopamine Blocker?

Octopamine is a neurotransmitter that is found in insects and crustaceans. The botanical oil products we use for pest control act by focusing on and interrupting the octopamine neurotransmitter receptors in insects. This leads to a breakdown in the insects central nervous system. These botanical oils are beneficial to our service because when used properly they provide control, and since mammals, birds and fish do not have receptors for octopamine, botanical oils do not effect them adversely.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Leave the clippings.

For quality lawn care, as summer begins, finally, it is time to raise mowing heights to 3" or higher, and try to leave the clippings on the lawn or turf. It is important to leave the clippings to reduce fertilizer use by returning nitrogen back to the soil. Leaving clippings can add as much as one lb of nitrogen per year. Contrary to popular belief, it does not increase thatch.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Moisture

We are in June, and starting to spend time maintaining our gardens. Moisture around a home is a sure way to attract insects. Integrated pest management and green pest management rely on making changes to the physical environment to reduce pest populations. Pruning vegetation off a structure is a great way to start. Try to keep at least 18 to 24 inches of clear space around your home. Walk around your home staying against the siding and see if you can do it without being engulfed in branches. If you cannot, it is time to prune the vegetation like trees and shrubs off the structure.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Clover Mites-Those very small red insects

If you have been in your Boston area yard over the past week, you may have seen very, very small red insects on your home and plants. These are red clover mites, and may leave a small red mark when crushed. Clover mites do not infest homes, but can use structures to overwinter or avoid drought.

-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Fungus

Many Boston Area lawns have brown or yellow splotches and circles on them, after a week of mostly wet weather including rain days and cool nights in the upper 40's and low 50's. The suspects? Many customers rightly say the grass looks stressed or burned but they know water is not the issue. Other customers have said they suspects insects, but grubs probably haven't caused that kind of damage yet, more toward July and August. In most cases we have inspected, the cause is fungus. There are many lawns with brown patch or yellow patch and red thread. Against intuition, these areas affected tend to be the sunnier parts of the lawn. The reason, according to Craig Heffron from John Deere Landscapes, the temperature in these areas is high enough to incubate the fungus. Cultural controls are critical for fungi, illustrating the importance of balanced lawn fertility, and proper maintenance practices.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Carpenter Ant Frass

To the left you will see conical piles of sawdust and carpenter ant body parts (carpenter ants are cannibals) that piled on folding tables below a pair of skylights. This sawdust and ant parts is called "frass" and when falling continuously from the same spot forms conical piles. This is a sure sign of a structural carpenter ant nest and should not be ignored. An integrated or green pest management program should be implemented to eradicate the nest and a plan put in place to protect the structure from further attack.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Poison Ivy

In Watertown, this maple tree is covered in poison ivy. If you look at the green foliage in the photo, it is the poison ivy facing the sidewalk growing up the tree bark. If you are allergic, keep your eyes open, poison ivy is out and doing well. Remember the old saying, "Leaves of three, let it be." Leave poison ivy alone in a wooded or secluded setting since it produces great berries for birds. But in an urban setting, like against a sidewalk or path, it should be treated, then removed.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Carpenter Ants!

You may have noticed Carpenter Ant foragers returning to the exterior of your home. Look out for foraging trails to see what lines the ants are using. This is useful for you or us to apply baits and other materials to the active areas. Carpenter Ants are most active after dusk, so inspecting at the end of the day, or early morning will yield the best results. And always think of wood that has gotten wet in the past, such as areas with former plumbing leaks or ice dams. When examining those areas look for frass, essentially sawdust with ant parts in it, falling out from wood members.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Gutters and Biting Flies (Mosquitoes)

Mosquitoes and biting flies such as the small, but painful biter called the no-see-um, will soon be here, usually arriving in late June as we begin to enjoy the warm dusk outside. Reduce wet vegetative matter is critical to mosquito and biting fly control, that means treating with dunks catch basins on your property and eliminating potential breeding sites. Look for water collecting in tires, planters, cans, trash cans, children's toys, even forgotten cups or pet bowls hiding under tables or play area equipment. A critical and often overlooked area is the gutter. We install the Leaf Defier to keep debris out of the gutter and to keep mosquitoes and biting flies from using the gutter as a site to lay eggs. Even if you don't want to install a solid product like the Leaf Defier, keep your gutters clean and catch basins clean and dunked (with Bacillus thuringiensis isrealensis) to reduce the biting fly population around your home.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Air Humidity

In New England, it is common that homes have a dehumidifier. Dehumidifiers are great appliances to remove moisture from air inside homes, usually in basements and crawl spaces. Controlling humidity is a great addition to a integrated pest management (or green pest control / green pest management) program. We sell, install and recommend high quality units. The brand we prefer is Thermastor, using the Santa Fe Classic or Compact to efficiently and effectively remove moisture from the air at typical basement and crawl temperatures. These units offer better energy efficiency and water removal performance over other units. In Metro Boston, these are usually installed with a condensate pump pulling the condensate from the unit to the exterior of the structure.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Think about composting, It's spring.

Use the return of warm weather as a chance to open your composter and begin to use it again. Remember to add paper towels or other "browns" to augment the green material you are putting in. And use a hose to wet it down, it should be as moist as a wrung out sponge.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Rats!

A continued menace in Metro Boston. Since the time the first ships with settlers arrived. No fun to deal with in your home, either alive, or dead.
Integrated or Green Pest Management Keys for rat control:
1) Sanitation: Remove and deal with trash effectively, metal cans or strong plastic, in a room with tight fitting doors and concrete floors. Rats love to burrow, concrete will slow them down.
2) Exclusion: Exclude the rats from the structure by employing concrete instead of dirt or wood basement and crawl floors. Fill holes in the foundation walls with cement or metal. Use gravel in dirt areas inside and outside the foundation walls.
3) Harborage Reduction: Remove clutter inside and out to reduce areas for rats to move about undetected. Keep grass mowed and shrubs trimmed 18" off the structure. Remove debris around the structure. Inside stored items should allow access to all perimeter walls, so keeps stored items 18 to 24 inches away from the walls.

-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Ants

Pavement or little black ants follow lines and forage randomly for food. Once a source is found, other ants follow a pheromone trail left to the food source by a returning ant wiping or dragging the abodomen on the surface. That is why regular cleaning, or wiping down surfaces (integrated or green pest management), can disrupt the pheromone trail and make it more difficult for these ants to locate and establish paths to food sources. Take the time to wipe off your counters after cleaning up the dishes, even if they look clean. Regular maintenance, cleaning, will reduce the amount of pheromone trails if ants are trailing in your home. And clean to the edges and backsplash, ants love to follow edges.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Termites Swarming!

It has been a busy few weeks around eastern Massachusetts, with two warmer days leading to some spotty termite swarming. Affected homes and homeowners usually discovered hundreds of wings on the floor and furniture, or hundreds of wings and what resemble ants, small, black, but with a thick waist (unlike the pinched waist of an ant). Continued cool temperatures will reduce termite swarming until it gets warm, over 75 or 80 degrees F. If you suspect a swarm has occured in your home, call a professional and have it inspected.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Trash control for rodents.

Keep rodents out of your life by controlling trash. A key pest control strategy to implement an integrated pest management or green pest management program is to control trash resources. This is true with all pests, especially rodents. Remove trash, especially material with odors like food waste, to a covered, preferably metal or thick plastic, covered trash can. Rinse recyclables off and out before putting into the recycling bin. Store all trash and recycling in a tight, rodent proof area and put out for collection the morning of (not the night before). These practices will reduce mice and rats inside, and tipped cans from raccoons outside.

-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Pesky ants & simple steps to reduce them.

As it warms up into spring, remember these simple tips about ants.
1) They are primarily nocturnal, but driven by food and other factors in the spring, so you will see them active throughout the day.
2) They leave a pheromone (scent is closest definition) to tell other ants that this path leads to food. This is left by the ant rubbing or dragging its' abdomen on the surface. Cleaning and wiping down a surface will remove any pheromone trails, forcing the ants to forage for new feeding site and find the food resource again.
3) Ants love edges. They will follow line and edges, which can also be "soft spots" on the cleaning list, so spend some time during spring cleaning focusing on edges of counters, backsplashes, trim boards, etc.
4) Prune off brush and limbs. As ants follow lines, such as branches and limbs, don't let a destination be the soffit or worse, the window box outside your kitchen window. Prune vegetation off the structure and up to 18" from the structure.
This will help reduce the ants you see this spring.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Crocuses.

Crocuses (and ants) are like the foot soldiers of Early Spring. It seems amazing that they are already out in full bloom after the harsh and long winter we had this year. What a nice surprise to see their bright jewel tones popping out of the drab landscape in our own yard.




-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

GreenShield Certified!

We are proud this week to become the 2oth company to earn GreenShield certification, and to be the third company since the inception in June 2007 to offer 100% Green Shield certified pest management services. Green Shield certification is a rigorous standard for Integrated Pest Management that includes an audit by a third party evaluator. GreenHow, Inc. offers Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and Green Pest Management (GPM) services to customers throughout eastern massachusetts. We solve ant, cockroach and rodent problem (in addition to other covered pests such as spiders, stinging insects, pantry pests, fabric pests, fleas, ticks, mosquitoes) and termites (soon to be swarming throughout New England).
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Family Fun at Harvard Museum of Natural History.

On Saturday, March 28, children's book author Melissa Stewart, reads from A Place for Birds at the Harvard Museum of Natural History, part of the Nature Storytime program at the museum. Readings at 11 am and 2 pm. The museum is located at 26 Oxford St. in Cambridge is open 9 to 5 on Saturday.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Flying Ants.

Often the first time a customer has an idea about a termite infestation is the spring swarm. Termite swarmers differ from ants because they have a thick waist where ants have a pinched waist. Termite swarmers are black, which differ from the white of the workers. Most companies will inspect the home for termites at the time of any pest issue, even ants and mice.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

What does green mean? Continued.

Termite Control: The most difficult area to be green. Our use of the Sentricon Termite Colony Elimination system, an EPA Presidential Green Chemistry Award Winner, relies on grams of material instead of gallons to control termites. We first used Sentricon in 1996, and as a system has evolved over time, becoming more effective. In the meantime, at least 4 other liquid termiticides have made the rounds from favored product to disappearing. The strategies are the same with non repellent liquid or bait, a few termites get involved with the active material and are used to eliminate the rest of the colony, the difference is the amount of pesticide (volume) used to control them. Since I am writing about green, here is our ecological commitment.
Our Ecological Commitment: At our offices, on the road, we commit to reducing the amount of resources it takes to bring solutions to you. That means eliminating paper use wherever possible, cutting electric and fuel consumption. That means designing service routes that are as efficient as possible and using the most fuel efficient service vehicles with alternative fuels if available. It also means making your green life simpler, by offering a simple fluorescent bulb disposal program and by setting up your family’s composting program. Whether we are in our office or your home or business, our commitment is to save resources and source supplies locally.
In our office, we reuse materials, avoid printing whenever possible. Our business has regulations that require we use paper to document material usage and provide certain information to customers and regulators. As much as we can, we minimize that use. Then, when it comes time to get rid of the old deposit slips or other records, we shred them and introduce them to the compost pile, where they serve as the brown ratio (remember 3 to 1, brown to green) when leaves are not available.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

What does "green" mean? Continued.

What does “green” mean? Continued...
The answer is (obviously) stated what “green” means to us, GreenHow, Inc, in terms of pest control, lawn care and termite control. “Green” is a vague or ambiguous term. The term “greenwashing” is a response by consumers to a perceived or real misuse of the term “green.” Generally speaking “green” means environmentally-friendly products and services. Usually it is self imposed by a business, but it can be part of a certification or accreditation process. In our business lines, which are lawn care, pest control and termite control, the term “green” refers to different aspects. This is a continuation of the brief descriptions, in alphabetical order by our service types, appearing here over the next few days.
Pest Control: Our primary service is Green Pest Management (GPM). GPM or green pest control is considered some an extension of IPM, since they both follow the same foundation, with GPM the use of natural materials including organic or plant based materials (such as rosemary oil), biochemical or microbial materials (such as abamectin) and inorganic, but naturally occurring materials (such as boric acid and diatomaceous earth). Others consider GPM part of IPM, with GPM materials used first, then traditional materials later, in case they don’t work. We consider GPM the use of a set of green materials. We look to outside resources, such as the IPM Institute’s GreenShield, for direction about whether a material is green or not. That helps us present information to customers that is built on a foundation from resources outside our company (to provide clarity to our opinions, which may need help to become focused). We also use NEPMA IPM Registry and others we are pursuing as outside verification (like the NOFA Organic LandCare accreditation mentioned in the last post) that our processes, products and services are “green.”
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

What does "green" mean?

What does “green” mean?
The answer is (obviously) stated what “green” means to us, GreenHow, Inc, in terms of pest control, lawn care and termite control. “Green” is a vague or ambiguous term. The term “greenwashing” is a response by consumers to a perceived or real misuse of the term “green.” Generally speaking “green” means environmentally-friendly products and services. Usually it is self imposed by a business, but it can be part of a certification or accreditation process. In our business lines, which are lawn care, pest control and termite control, the term “green” refers to different aspects. A brief description, in alphabetical order by our service types, will appear here over the next few days.
First, Lawn Care: The main terms we use to describe our lawn care services are organic, organic based and low impact. The organic service we describe uses materials listed on the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) list. This service includes no chemical herbicides or insecticides. This service is also accredited organic by the Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) Organic LandCare Program. The organic based service uses blended or bridge materials. These materials are mostly (as a percent of weight) organic, but contain synthetic forms of nitrogen. The purpose of the synthetic nitrogen is to 1) provide a more rapid nitrogen or fertility and 2) to allow greater coverage per 1,000 square feet which decreases material and labor costs (and consumer price). This service may be a better option for some customers who are transitioning to organic, and may opt for organic based for one intermediate year from traditional lawn care programs. The low impact lawn care service utilizes more traditional types of materials including synthetic nitrogen with options for herbicide and insecticides as needed depending on the site.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

BugFest!

This coming Saturday, March 14th, the Harvard Museum of Natural History is running BugFest from 11 am to 5 pm. This is a great family event, run by Harvard University scientists and students. Of interest to younger children will be the live insects and information on the Monarch butterfly and it's migration to Mexico each winter, as well as other information on insect movement. Longer attention spans will enjoy a screening of the BBC Documentary, Life in the Undergrowth, presented by Harvard biology graduate student Megan Frederickson, an advisor to the documentary. The museum is on Oxford Street, a short walk from MBTA bus or the Harvard Square stop, with parking available for free at the garage at 52 Oxford Street.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Spring Flowers!

Just this past week, while measuring lawns for lawn care quotes, in some areas it was possible to see the small green shoots of bulbs coming up in some garden beds. Even though it will be cold and snowy again this winter, it will do your garden and probably your mind a bit of good to think about spring. The Massachusetts Horticultural Society, known for their work at Elm Bank on the Wellesley, Natick and Dover line, is putting on a Spring Flower Show at International Place. This event, BLOOMS, will run the weekend of March 13th to March 15th at One International Place, the Intercontinental Hotel and 125 High Street. Companion exhibits will be on display at area malls including the Atrium, The Mall at Chestnut Hill (both on Boylston St, Route 9, Chestnut Hill), and Copley Place (also on Route 9, but on Huntington Ave in Boston). These companion flower exhibits will be on display from March 12 to 22nd. Just going and seeing the color of displays should inspire spring ideas on these grey days. Take heart in the approaching spring with the signs of life, from budding bulbs, to even the return of carpenter ants and termites.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Life Cycles-Fairly simply explained.

Understanding pest life cycles, or insect development, is critical to pest control. The process is called metamorphosis. There can be critical differences in where pests are located from each stage in an insects life cycle. An IPM or GPM professional must know the differences to be effective. The example is killing an adult fly, without addressing where the larvae are feeding will be ineffective. First, what is metamorphosis? Imagine the butterfly you want in your garden, it is important to understand that it starts as a egg, proceeds through a larval stage, pupates and then becomes the admired adult butterfly. The four types of metamorphosis are without, gradual, incomplete and complete. The first, without metamorphosis, or ametabolous insects, such as silverfish, grow from egg to adult increasing in size and gradually maturing with each molt. All stages are found together. The second type, gradual metamorphosis, includes a set number of molts with definite development of reproductive organs (and wings if applicable) over the stages. Insects that develop through gradual metamorphosis share the same habitat as nymphs and adults and include bed bugs, cockroaches, and termites. The third type, incomplete metamorphosis, includes dragonflies. This type has an aquatic nymph known as naiads. The adults have a different habitat then nymphal stages. Usually, these are not pests. The final type, complete metamorphosis, includes many pests such as ants, fleas, flies, mosquitoes and moths. The larval stage is usually complete different than the adult (think maggot larval stage of winged fly). The differences include not only body type and mouthparts, but also habitat. For an IPM or GPM strategy to be successful, the professional must understand the pests' life cycle.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Plan for Spring.

March is the perfect time to plan for spring. Start with a review, think about what worked last year and what you didn't like. If you notice sticks, piles of leaves or other material (trash sometimes) in your garden or lawn, take advantage of the harder ground now to trudge through your beds and do a clean up. This will help remind your of your plans last year and let you revisit them. Some typical spring garden planning work would include reviewing rain management. Often we recieve a great deal of rain here in New England in the spring. Were the gutters cleaned in the fall? If not consider making this a priority in the spring. Make sure your sump pump is plugged in if you unplug it in the winter.

-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Exempt Products. What are they?

What is meant when you hear the term "exempt products" when pesticides are discussed? They are products classified by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as exempt from the pesticide registration process. These are called minimum risk pesticide or "25b products," named after the section 25b that defines the requirements for pesticide exemption from registration. The key to exemption is both the pesticide products active and inert ingredients must come from an approved list of materials. Most of the active ingredients are naturally occurring, such as plant oils or salt. These products are critical for those implementing Green Pest Management (GPM) strategies for thier homes or businesses. A review is underway by the EPA (does that rhyme?) to address a common concern, which is making sure these products are effective. One important aspect to efficacy is to ask other users or look for products from major manufacturers. One example is the EcoSmart line of products. EcoSmart makes a variety of products from homeowner, commercial property manager products to agricultural and commercial products. Before buying and trying a product, try to read about the formulator, since as with any product, registered or not, a quality formulation by a reputable manufacturer should deliver consistent results for the user.

-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Getting close to time for termites

With active interior mud tubes being found and termite swarm's starting to peek out, we are getting close to time for termites. Weather over the next few days is expected to top 50 degrees Fahrenheit and if you add a period of rain, increasing humidity, we are reminded that spring is on its way. These winter weather breaks are usually followed by more cold, snow and ice, but serve as welcome reminders that spring is imminent. We have begun urgently preparing for spring with the feeling that (like every year) it seems to approach faster than we expect it. That means ordering materials, reviewing our Sentricon Installation and Maintenance Procedures, and honing our inspection skills. We are excited to continue to use the Sentricon Colony Elimination System, a winner of the Presidential Green Chemistry Award and registered under the EPA's Reduced Risk Pesticide Initiative, this system is both effective and low-impact. Those properties of the system dovetail nicely with our customers goals of having an effective and environmentally friendly solution to their termite problems.
Here's to looking forward to spring.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Signs of Spring.

Last Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, GreenHow team members spent time at NE Grows, the annual trade show and education source for landcare professionals. Whether taking courses for Pesticide Continuing Education Units, networking with other professionals or walking around the exhibition halls to see what vendors had to offer, NE Grows never fails to remind us that spring is just around the corner, even if it began with a 4 to 5 inch snow event the opening morning. This year, there will be no New England Flower Show at the Bayside Expo, another spring to mind event that used to occur annually. Instead, to get your mind on flowers, consider BLOOMS, March 12th to 15th as an alternate event or a trip to Providence for the Rhode Island Flower Show February 19th to 22nd.
From a pest control standpoint, this is the time of year that a little prevention can prevent a lot of issues. A thorough inspection and treatment with a material like Diatomaceous Earth in cracks and crevices near infested sites can prevent a lot of carpenter ant activity and excavation in around 6 to 8 weeks when ant activity starts to ramp up in the spring. Implementing a green pest management program or integrated pest management program this time of year is an effective way to plan and to be ready for spring pest issues.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

What are snow fleas?

With warm weather approaching this weekend (maybe 45 to 50 F), we may start to see snow fleas. The insect order Collembola, known by the common name springtails, appears on snow usually at the base of trees or other vegetation, where some areas have melted away to soil. Springtails need a high level of humidity and feed on algae, fungi and decomposing vegetable material. As we get toward march, children (or adults) playing in the snow on warmer days may see snow fleas in large numbers in those areas at the base of vegetation. The other common name for springtails, "snow fleas," is applied to them when they appear on snow. The flea reference comes from the ability of this small gray wingless insect to jump suddenly by means of a forked appendage on the underside of the abdomen. Do not worry, this insect usually occurs outside only (or with extremely high humidity inside). This insect also cannot and will not bite people.

Pest management is not needed, but if necessary for control indoors, lowering the humidity will control springtails.

For excellent information on snow fleas, look at this link from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, EEK! Website for kids.

-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

IPM and the NEPMA IPM Registry

The other day a colleague remarked that the structural pest control industry cannot agree on what Integrated Pest Management means. By that the individual meant, how it should be defined. IPM as an acronym has been used to mean things such as Innovative Pest Management, or Inventive Pest Management among other things, a rare case of using the acronym to form a new descriptive phrase. IPM itself is a management system conceived for and used by agriculture originally. The key foundation of IPM is the use of multiple strategies, including sanitation, physical modifications and cultural modifications, to control pests. It is very helpful for our industry to have resources to provide a framework for efforts in IPM, such as the New England Pest Management Associations (NEPMA) IPM Registry. We are happy to receive our IPM Registry certificate and continue to support the registry. The registry is a resource for consumers to help identify companies that practice IPM. Companies in the registry have individuals that have completed training (above and beyond the basics required by license renewal) and submitted records for review by the IPM Registry administration.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Do not vacuum.

Many of our customers handle some pest or pest droppings at some point prior to calling us. In this winter season, many people get colds or other respiratory issues. Often customers can't stand the sight of the pests or pest droppings. If you must handle pests, rodents or insects, or their droppings, avoid the urge to vacuum up the debris. Instead simply use a rag or cloth, moistened with water, to dab up the pests and droppings. Vacuuming can put pest parts or droppings into the air, making them airborne. Rodent droppings and many insect parts can aggravate respiratory issues and often contain allergens. To avoid getting a cold, keep you hands clean by washing them often (and moisturizing often to keep them from getting cracked). And use the wet rag method to dab up pests and droppings when cleaning to minimize any risk to your respiratory system.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Can I compost in the winter?

One customer asked me today, Can I compost in the winter? If you have the Earth Machine composter we have given out to Organic Lawn Care customers in the past, you can add material to the composter. Use your countertop container to collect your materials, such as egg shells and fruit and vegetable material and coffee grounds to limit your trips out in inclement weather. Add shredded newspaper or cardboard for your "brown" since your leaf resource is probably under cover of snow or ice. You are cold composting anyway with such a small pile, and in this weather no breakdown will occur, but keep up with adding matter to the pile. Make sure you return the cover tightly to keep out rodents. You do not want to start a rodent or wildlife issue requiring additional pest control service. For further tips, check out this Winter Composting Fact Sheet from Cornell.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Fruit Flies...

Often I hear about fruit fly issues. I can sympathize, in our house there is a lot of fruit. Often we have at least bananas, and usually apples and clementines on the counter and probably grapes, blueberries and sometimes strawberries in the refrigerator. The slow flying, small fruit or vinegar fly shows up occasionally, usually in the summer or fall in the home. The key to residential fruit fly control is sanitation. Children manage to get pieces of fruit under, into and around things you may not have anticipated. For best results in your sanitation efforts, routinely clean your garbage disposer, your compost storage area, and the areas where your children sit for meals or snacks. If you have seat covers, remember to remove and clean under the covers on a regular basis.

-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Hole in My Sweater.

There was a hole in one of my favorite gray sweaters when I took it out the closet this winter. It reminded me to talk about one of our favorite newsletter topics - the webbing clothes moth. In pest control, this is one pest that does not generate a lot of calls or interest, unless something has gone drastically wrong. In the 1997, we received a great deal of interest in webbing clothes moth service in southern New England after a mattress manufacturer used infested and untreated material in the mattresses they sold locally. About 12 months later, many customers homes had substantial populations of webbing clothes moths.

Webbing clothes moths may eat completely through infested material or may simply eat away the nap of the wool. The larval stage (worm like) is up to 1/2 an inch long and produces fecal matter that is granular and usually the same color as the infested material. Damage usually occurs in areas where clothing remains undisturbed for long periods of time, like closets and trunks. Integrated pest management approach: The key to prevent damage is to dry clean or otherwise clean items before storage, and store items in heavy duty plastic bags. We use monitoring glue boards in closets to inspect for clothes moths so action can be taken if they appear.

-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Mouse Sighting! Get a pencil?

If you see mouse droppings, or a mouse, it is time to take action. The first step is exclusion (to exclude the mice, the start of effective rodent pest control). To do this, take a pencil, and use the eraser end as your mouse entry gauge. Start under your kitchen sink by looking for any cracks or openings, start around pipes and electrical lines. If the eraser end fits into the opening, you have the potential for a mouse to fit it. After you locate an opening fill it with an appropriate material. Smaller openings around pipes can be filled with copper wool (or stainless steel wool) or rope and caulk. Repeat this process under the dishwasher, then under your stove, behind your refrigerator or anywhere you have seen a mouse or its droppings. If you are uncertain where your mice may be, focus on warm areas, like under the refrigerator where the compressor keeps the area warm. After inspecting the areas around your food, move outward, to areas like your pantry, then your basement or crawl space, and finally the exterior and garage. Filling mouse holes is like filling pot holes, it should be done regularly because rodents will make new openings and the expansion and contraction of buildings in the northeast climate can create openings, particularly where wood and cement or concrete meet (the foundation) or around door seals, such as garage door bases and trim seals.
Clean up, carefully, by spraying the droppings with water, or a light soapy water (to keep dust down) and then pad the droppings up with a disposable paper towel or napkin. Please don't vacuum rodent droppings since action may pull any harmful microorganisms into the air or onto other surfaces where they can cause an illness.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Associate Certified Entomologist

I am happy to announce the addition of a Associate Certified Entomologist Certification for our company. GreenHow, Inc. corporate team member Sean Greenhow completed the rigorous ACE exam and was awarded the Certification by the Entomological Society of America.

Fewer than two hundred individuals have earned the ACE designation. This highlights our interest in identifying the correct insect, essential to Integrated and Green Pest Management programs. I will continue to seek out opportunities to continue give our customers the greatest value in pest control by making sure we have the resources to handle the pest issues they face at their homes or businesses.

-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Organic Lawn Care

It seems like a funny time of year to consider lawn care, since we can't see any grass right now. It is a great time of year to update what we know about lawn care. To that end, we sent a representative to the NOFA accreditation training that started January 14th and goes January 14, 15, 16 then 20, 21, concluding with an exam on January 21. NOFA stands for Northeast Organic Farming Association. The program began in 1999 as the Organic Land Care Program to educate the industry about a vision of "organic" land care. This program developed into the a program based on the NOFA Standards for Organic Land Care written in 2000-2001. NOFA developed and offers a training course that is offered with or without an accreditation exam. We decided early in 2008 to make sure that we attended the accreditation training in 2009, and are happy the training is underway. We look forward to giving you an update on our progress toward accreditation.
Whether updating materials or training, in order to meet our customers' needs and fulfill our mission, we need to think about lawn care even when there is snow on the ground.

-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

New Year's Resolutions-Clean and organize the cabinets to prevent stored product pests.

As we start January looking outside at an ice covered and frozen landscape, it can be difficult to imagine the myriad of commensal rodents and insects living in and around our homes and businesses. Right now, the key pest problems in residential homes are rodents, like the house mouse and deer mouse, and the indoor moths, such as the Indian meal moth, and webbing clothes moth. This time of year, the new year, might be a great time to go through your cabinets and make sure that no forgotten boxes of corn bread mix lie hidden behind other items in the pantry. Making sure that you use products and refresh your stored items a great way to spot infested materials early, before you have the telltale signs of worm like moth larvae climbing on the ceiling.

If you open or look into a package and notice holes, webs, larvae, then you may have found a source of a stored product pest. If you have seen moths inside your kitchen or pantry and suspect an infestation, start with the oldest products and work out. Trust me, I’ve had them in my pantry and hate to get out the step stool and start searching through all the products, so you won’t be alone in feeling disgust at this project.

If you suspect you’ve found the source, discard the product, or freeze the product for more than 3 days (or heat to 150 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 hours) if you want to continue to use it. Freezing (or heating) and continuing to use product is usually done with pet food. After removing the source, clean the cabinet, pantry or storage area the product was located in, and use your vacuum's crack and crevice tip to vacuum the cabinet, and the top interior corners and edges of the cabinet. Finish by vacuuming or dusting the corners of the room and the edge where the ceiling and wall meet. If all else fails, call a professional to come inspect the situation.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc.
www.greenhow.com
Effective organic & low impact solutions for environmentally conscious people.
Green Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton, and Metro Boston, and Eastern Massachusetts.