Rodent Exclusion & Rodent Rub Marks

This is the time of year commensal rodent (mice) exclusion becomes a priority.  Here is a view of a crawl space vent, taken at a residential home around Boston today (11-7-2013). 

 

 When viewed from a normal standing position it looks like there are no rodent entry points. 

 

When viewed from below, best done using a mirror, such as a mechanics mirror with a handle, you can see the huge gap along the top of the vent.  Notice the brown rodent rub mark on the cement edge just to the left of the metal frame of the crawl vent.  Rub marks are left on surfaces when rodents run them repeatedly and the grease and dirt from the fur of the rodent leaves a stain on the surface they run over.



 Standard exlusion materials are a supply of copper or stainless steel wool and snips to cut it.  Don't use standard steel wool, since moisture will cause it to rust and stain.  Also black polyurethane is useful to go over the copper and seal out airflow points that rodents will sniff out.

This is the mirror view or view from below with the copper in place.

This is the mirror view with the black polyurethane over the copper.

-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.

Hemlock Woolly Adelgid - Preparing for a winter feast

This close up photo is to show the  presence of woolly adelgid on this hemlock.  The adelgid mass is the white cottony material at the base of the green hemlock leaf, visible at the top center of this picture.  Hemlock woolly adelgid is a winter feeder, so it is gearing up for activity from mid-October to feed on the hemlock by sucking plant sap from the tree.  On heavily infested plants it looks like snow or frost on the tree.  This insect has been in Massachusetts since 1988 and is fatal to hemlocks.  More information from UMASS is available here.  We treat them either with horticultural oil application or by injected the tree with the ArborJet Tree I.V. system.

-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.

Clothes Moths!

With cold weather, out comes our sweaters and jackets, and with them, the surprising finding of clothes moth or moth damage.  Clothes moths are not attracted to light like many other moths.  The best solution for moths is to vacuum all areas of the closet (or whatever is the clothing storage are).
In the spring, prior to putting your cool weather clothes away, clean them or have them cleaned, then store them in airtight storage.



WEBBING CLOTHES MOTH

For more information, this link to a great piece on clothes moths from Penn State is a good start.
-Lauren Greenhow Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc
.
GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Winter Newsletter

Check out the latest Winter Newsletter, e-news.
-Lauren Greenhow, General Manager, GreenHow, Inc. GreenHow.com. Effective Organic & Low Impact Solutions, Lawn Care, Pest Control & Termite Control in Newton and Metro Boston.

Family Festival in Cambridge this weekend (3/9/2013)

This weekend is a great familiy event at the Harvard Museum of Natural History, several years ago the museum held the Insect Planet event, has changed into the Family Festival (which it was last year).  This Saturday, from 9 to 4 at the Museum located on 24 Oxford Street in Cambridge is the Family Festival, "Stories through Time."  Filled with activities the event is a great way to expose children to the fabulous Museum of Natural History with activities and games that they'll love.

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

Early Termite Swarms

In our area, interior termite swarms have shown up each week over the past several weeks as warm weather pops up.  The ground has plenty of moisture, which combined with warm weather and an enlcosed space, like a boiler room or near a furnace or hot water heater, will lead to a termite swarm.  Swarmers that land inside in New England have no chance to set up a colony and survive.  Outside, a swarm will result in the insects pairing up, mating, and the new kings and queens digging a small nest in the ground.  The king will search for a food source and the queen will lay eggs to grow the colony.

This time of year, swarmers are indicators of a colony with access inside a structure, but the swarms will not lead to more termite colonies inside.  For more information, check out this link from UMASS on 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.

Clothes Moths

Clothes Moth Pupae Casing

Frass on floor

You can see the white pupa casing on the back of this oriental rug.  This site had clothes moths, and of 8 oriental rugs, 6 had readily visible evidence of activity.  These photos are all from the rear of the rugs or the floors beneath them.  The next photo is the hardwood floor and the grainy frass left by the larval stage feeding on the rug.

White line highlights the line the larval stage ate from the rug.