Beetles

To the right you will see a section of bamboo floor with beetle exit holes marked with red circles. The large oblong circle also covers a difficult to see powderpost beetle frass. This was found by the owner of a Boston condo in a 6 unit 5 year old building. Traditionally, the treatment options were fumigation or removal of the infested wood in finished wood like this because surface treatments would not be effective due to the wood finish.

-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.

Valentine's Day Lovebug

  The Lovebug is a small black fly that is common in areas of South, Central and Gulf Coast North America.  The male and female Lovebugs are known for their large swarms twice a year.  Lovebugs will mate and remain attached for days, even in flight, leading to their name.  These bugs are unfortunately attracted to vehicle exhaust, especially diesel exhaust, and end up in large numbers near roads and highways.  They are so numerous near highways they cover windshields, body panels and even radiators leading to engine overheating in extreme cases.  In entomological terms, the name Lovebug lets you know it is not a true bug.  True bugs, order Hemiptera, have a space between the name and the word bug, like Bed bug.  Ladybugs and Lovebugs are not true bugs, so have no space in the name.  The Disney movie of the same name is based on the Volkswagen Beetle, but rules don't apply when describing a car.

-Sean Greenhow

Consumer Information Bulletins

Each year we mail and email the Massachusetts Consumer Information Bulletins for pest control, termite control, lawn care and plant health care to all our active customers.
If you did not receive one, or would like another copy, please follow this link to the Pesticide Consumer Information Bulletin web page.

Sean Greenhow
Greenhow, Inc

Santa Fe Warranty Increasing

The reason we sell Santa Fe dehumidifiers from Thermastor is the great customer service.  They just increased the warranty to 6 years on their dehumidifiers, the best in the industry.
A great machine that removes twice the water at 1/5 of the power of a appliance store machine
AND it operates at low temperatures typically found in basements
WITH a industry best 6 year warranty
AND it is backed up by the best customer service in the industry.
We sell, install and service Santa Fe dehumidifiers even offering free loaner machines if yours has to be brought in for service.  The combination of the Santa Fe machine with our quality installation and service makes it easy to deal with New England humidity issues.
Sean Greenhow
Greenhow, Inc.

Little Black Ants-In Winter

Its the middle of winter and you are seeing little black ants.  In Metro Boston, we see Pavement ants and White Footed ants showing up inside, especially in kitchens and finished basements and also around fireplaces and furnaces.  The solution is simple, clean the areas of food, and use an appropriate bait along the ant trails.  The ants should be gone in 24 hours.  A small number of ants may be seen around 7 to 10 days later as the ants pupate inside the colony and emerge, but the remaining bait at the ant trails will make sure this is a brief event.  If the bait has dried out or become compromised, rebait the trails.


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

Keeping Rodents Out

If you see mouse droppings, or a mouse, it is time to take action:  Trap, Block, & Clean Up.

Trap:  Set up traps inside. If you are uncertain where your mice may be, focus on warm areas, like under the refrigerator where the compressor keeps the area warm.

Block:  Try to block mice from getting in.  This may be a huge task in some New England homes, especially those with older foundations, stone foundations, or porches and decks you cannot get under.  Your foundation is your frontline.  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:  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. GreenHow.com. Effective Organic and Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control and Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

January is the month for catching up

January is the month for catching up with cleaning, organizing, blogging.  The space after the hectic end of year allows time for planning the new year and organizing to make sure those plans happen.
How many times do you think about taking advantage of the change in the calendar to make changes to your environment? Clean the attic or basement, the desk or the closet? Resolve to organize the paperwork in your life? I suggest you take advantage of your motivation and dig into any piles of stuff that are hanging around and clean them out. You should donate or discard any clutter that keeps you from seeing what is really important. An added benefit is reduced clutter will take away harborages for any pest and even dust.

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

National Houseplant January 10

Celebrate National Houseplant Day on January 10th by buying a houseplant from your local florist.   Remember to rotate your houseplants so they get light evenly on all sides.

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

Winter Moth is Active

Adult Winter Moth

Early this morning winter moth males were seen flying around lights in metro Boston in Belmont, Watertown and Newton.  This moth will mate and the female who cannot fly will lay her eggs in the cracks of bark on trees.  Those eggs will hatch in the spring and the larva will climb up into the buds and feed on the leaf tissue as spring progresses.  Look for winter moth males to be flying around lights at home, street lights, car and truck lights over the next few weeks.  Activity is highest after precipitation.  No control measures are needed now and these winter moths will not infest a structure or feed on grain or clothing.


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

Sentricon HD Bait now is patented.

Termites active in Sentricon AG (above ground) station.

Dow announced that Recruit HD bait was given a patent.  They credit the rapid adoption of the HD bait in helping get patent protection.  We switched all our existing bait stations to HD as soon as it was available and unlike other companies that offer ESP and HD we only utilize HD for its ability to control termites and the fact termites prefer HD bait over wood.  HD bait improves in the ground, it gets better with age from the perspective of termites.
Read more about the patent at the Dow blog.



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

2016 University of Massachusetts Garden Calendar

They are here and ready to go out!  Let us know if you are interested a free copy of the calendar from us while supplies last.  Follow this link to the UMASS Garden Calendar page for more information or to get a copy if we are out of the free ones.

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

Termites Made Nervous by Rock Music

A study done in Florida in 1968 found that termites exposed to rock music ate wood faster, but also abandoned social responsibilities like taking care of the queen.  The research indicated that the termites would consume more wood.  The behavior would endanger the colony because the termites neglected the other worker duties that included caring for and feeding other colony members that cannot feed themselves.  This nugget was mentioned in a book my daughter is reading on Crazy Facts, and it can be verified at The Miami Times article from September 18, 1968 linked here.

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

Bugs! are back!

The Harvard Museum of Natural History is bringing its great bugs exhibit back:  Exploring Science Together: Bugs! on Saturday, July 18, from 10:30 am - 12:00 pm.  Past bugs exhibits have been great hits with kids.  The program has hands-on activities including digging in the dirt, touching live invertebrates, and outside bug collection.There is also a program to create your own scientific equipment to continue the study of entomology at home! All activities are designed to be a fun and interactive experience for families with children in grades K-5.  
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, 
GreenHow, Inc. GreenHow.com. Effective Organic and Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control and Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Observing Honeybees in Cambridge

The Harvard Museum of Natural History, admission is free to Massachusetts residents every Sunday morning (year-round) from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and on Wednesdays from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm (September through May) has a observation honeybee hive.  The exhibit is called Honeybees in Action and is located in the Arthropods:  Creatures that rule exhibit area.  The observation hive provides a look at the activity of a colony, as the bees collect pollen, make honey, and care for their eggs and larvae.

Lauren Greenhow
-Greenhow, Inc

Please don't feed the birds.

Very few topics about urban pest control get people more upset than asking them not to feed the birds. A huge number of, in the neighborhood of 1 in 6, Americans feed the birds.  Generally the biggest challenge is trying to stop bird feeding when rodents are an issue. It may seem miserly not to feed birds when there is snow on the ground, but preventing negative unintended consequences is the reason for discouraging the practice of feeding any wildlife. Bird seed inside a home is a food source for rodents and meal moths.  Outside it is a food source for many animals and the feeding sites can contain many diseases that may impact visiting birds. For information from Mass Wildlife biologists on feeding wildlife click here.  An interesting book on urban wildlife worth reading is "Nature Wars," by Jim Sterba.

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

Support Massachusetts Business - Dean's Beans

A great local company with a compelling mission is Dean's Beans in Orange, Massachusetts.  If you have a K-Cup machine, check out their lower impact filter pack that will fit in your machine.  The coffee is very good and it will warm your spirit to support this business.
  -Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc. GreenHow.com. Effective Organic and Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control and Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Congratulations Molly on becoming a Board Certified Entomologist!

Molly Moran Achieves Board Certified Entomologist Status
Molly Moran was recently certified as a Board Certified Entomologist by the Entomological Society of America Certification Corporation. To achieve Board Certified Entomologist (BCE) status, the minimum requirements one must have are a degree in entomology (or a related field), 3 years of experience in the entomology field, two letters of reference, the willingness to abide by ethical standards set in the BCE Code of Ethics, and one must pass two rigorous exams.
A 2008 graduate of the University ofMassachusetts, Molly started in the industry working in the field doing termite and pest control. Her great background at UMASS and in the industry is a solid foundation to start her career as a Board Certified Entomologist. Since October 2010, she has worked at GreenHow, Inc., a family owned pest and termite control business in Newton Massachusetts. As in any small business, she serves many capacities including troubleshooting issues at customer sites. She routinely meets with clients, performs site inspections and documents feedback of actions to be taken by the client and by the company. She uses a hand lens, a desk microscope and a usb microscope to identify collected specimens in the office and in the field. All the company service technicians depend on Molly’s insect identification and problem solving skills to make their customers happy.  Molly is a second generation BCE, joining her father, Kevin Moran of Residex, as a BCE. Kevin has been a BCE for more than 30 years.  Molly worked very hard to prepare for the test, which she passed on the first try. She developed training posters and study guides over the past year as she studied for the exam.

Everyone is very proud of Molly's accomplishments and know she will be a great entomologist.

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

Starting plants indoors - How about an indoor herb garden.

A cold and snowy day is a great day to start growing plants indoors and planning your garden this spring.  All you need are some simple indoor pots, with trays to protect windowsills from moisture, plus (most important) seeds.  You can grow from seed many herbs pick the ones you like and use to get the most enjoyment.  Basil, chives, cilantro and oregano are things that work in our kitchen. Select some pots, they can be as simple as yogurt containers or herb pots.  Urban Farmer has a great selection of Herb Kits with good looking and creative pots.  Good drainage is essential.  Place rocks in the bottom of the pots, then add your soil mix.  If using garden soil, mix it with peat moss, sand or perlite (1:1).  Then add your seeds and water.  Be careful not to overwater, monitor the soil moisture and add as needed.  The amount of water will vary depending on soil type and how dry your home is. This pdf from UMASS on starting seeds is helpful for your herb garden or starting plants for the spring. Remember that even south facing windows get cold at night so moving the plants away from windows at night (to become a table centerpiece) is a good idea.
  -Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc. GreenHow.com. Effective Organic and Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control and Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Bullough's Pond, Newton, MA

A customer on Commonwealth Ave in Newton gave Sean a great book on Bullough's Pond in Newton.  For anyone interested in New England ecology and the connection to New England industry and settlement, Diane Muir's book Reflections in Bullough's Pond is riveting.  I had never heard of this book and now am grateful to have a hardcover copy.  The book is still available in paperback from University Press of New England or Amazon.com.  The book discusses many aspects of New England industry and ecology and returns to the Bullough's Pond throughout the book.  Bullough's Pond is located on the opposite corner of Commonwealth Ave from Newton City Hall and is bounded on the west by Walnut St, south by Commonwealth Ave, east by Bullough Park (home of some great groundhogs in the backyards of homes) and Dexter Rd to the North.

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

Rove Beetle

An Arlington, MA customer found a rove beetle inside.  The photos are below, note the serrated antennae.  Rove beetles feed on fungus, other insect larva, decomposing organic matter.  They normally are not a structural pest, but if an area is extremely wet and a food source exists, insects that are usually outside will be found inside.  The solution for this issue is site sanitation, vacuuming the areas inside the beetles are seen, making sure a dehumidifier is used in season and the roofing systems (gutters, flashing, downspouts) are all moving water away from the structure.  Around the foundation minimize decomposing organic matter like leaf piles.  For more information on this beetle family, follow this link to University of Florida Entomology page on the rove beetle.

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