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House Centipedes wires. Any “hole” on the outside of a building Call us for an appointment today! here is one pest that elicits more screams and scares than any other. No, it’s not a cockroach, or TVLOYHU¿VKDQGLW¶VQRWHYHQDVSLGHU:KDWFRXOGLWEH"0RVWSHRSOHGRQ¶WNQRZZKDWLW¶VFDOOHGEXW KDYHQRGLI¿FXOW\LQGHVFULELQJLW:KDWµLW¶LVLVWKHKRXVHFHQWLSHGH DVXSHUIDVWOHJJHGFDU- 7VMDBO5FSNJUF nivorous invertebrate that terrorizes households across the country. Although these critters aren’t too large, Bats 101 checking in at an inch to inch and half in length, each leg is longer than the entire body. This, plus the pres- ence of a pair of long antennae, makes the house centipede appear much larger than it is. House centipedes 1FTU$POUSPM KHÀXWWHULQJRIZLQJVLQWKHGDUN$EULHI upon their environment, using a highly complex are tan with a black stripe running lengthwise down the top of their body and have striped legs. Centipedes JOLPSVHRIDGDUNHQHG¿JXUHGDUWLQJDERXW SUH\ORFDWLQJV\VWHPFDOOHGHFKRORFDWLRQWR¿QG *OD are invertebrates famous for having 100 legs, but that is rarely the case. The actual number ranges from T the sky. Bats! Before you run and hide under insects in the dark. WRRYHUGHSHQGLQJRQVSHFLHVEXWWKHGH¿QLQJFKDUDFWHULVWLFLVWKDWHDFKERG\VHJPHQWKDVSDLU PROTECT YOUR MOST VALUABLE ASSETS... the dining room table, let’s break down the facts. There are about 40 species of bats that live of legs. On a similar note, millipedes don’t actually have 1,000 legs, but each body segment has 2 pairs of Bats make up a diverse group of mammals that are in North America, and it is true that some of them legs. found in almost every conceivable environment may take up residence in your house or on your House centipedes (Scutigera coleoptrata) DUH¿HUFHORRNLQJFUHDWXUHVHVSHFLDOO\XSFORVH&HQWLSHGHV $BMM5PEBZ property. Bats can penetrate a structure using a Call Vulcan to help protect your in the world. It may seem hard to believe, but bats home, health & property! stun and kill prey with a venomous bite, but fortunately for us, their jaws usually can’t penetrate our skin are the second-largest group of mammals by the gap less than 1/2" in width, and use your attic as a Contact Us at 663-4200 or in the rare instances when they do bite people. Those that have been bitten have reported minor swelling online at www.vulcantermite.com number of species with over 1,200! Bats are highly roost. Bats have a seasonal behavior cycle, an attri- and pain, similar to a bee sting. The house centipede is found throughout the United States and can live PROTECT YOUR MOST VALUABLE ASSETS... bute that leaves opportunity for us to get control of TERMITE & varied in both appearance; the smallest bats on PEST CONTROL INC inside and out ... though probably only one of those environments concerns most people! These centipedes Serving the State of Alabama Since 1965 earth are just over one inch long, while the largest the situation. During the spring, summer, and fall, Pelham, AL 35124 prefer to be near water, so they are commonly found in basements, bathrooms, and areas with clutter. weigh 4 pounds and have wingspans of nearly 6 mature bats leave their roosts nightly to hunt for +RXVHFHQWLSHGHVKXQWIRULQVHFWVDQGVSLGHUVVR\RXPLJKWVHHRQHUXQQLQJIXULRXVO\DFURVVDÀRRURU food. However, as winter approaches, most species Call Vulcan to help protect your feet! Bats hold a special place in their ecosystem FHLOLQJWKURXJKRXW\RXUKRXVH,I\RXDUH¿QGLQJKRXVHFHQWLSHGHVLQ\RXUKRXVHWKDWFRXOGEHDQLQGLFD- home, health & property! $PNNFSDF and are incredibly important in limiting the popula- of bats leave their roosts in homes to either migrate tion that there are other insects present. Give us a call so we can track down their food source, prevent Contact Us at 663-4200 or %SJWF online at www.vulcantermite.com tions of mosquitoes and other annoying insects. At or hibernate in caves, mines, and even on cliff WKHPIURP¿QGLQJWKHLUZD\LQVLGHDQGHOLPLQDWHWKHVFDUHLQGXFLQJFHQWLSHGHVLQWKHSURFHVV faces. Once bats have left for the winter, we can TERMITE & night, bats emerge from their roosts and descend PEST CONTROL INC 1FMIBN "- Serving the State of Alabama Since 1965 Pelham, AL 35124 Plaster Beetles
ut of nowhere, tiny beetles may start er of dampness remaining can provide enough O appearing in your house. What are they, food for hundreds and hundreds of beetles. where are they coming from, and how can :KLOH\RXPD\EH¿QGLQJEHHWOHVLQ ,VWRSWKHP"7KHUHDUHOLWHUDOO\GR]HQVRINLQGVRI your living room, they may be com- tiny beetles that can surface inside a structure and ing from above, below, or in hidden VWDUWFDXVLQJSUREOHPV0RVWRIWKHVHSHVWVDUH structural voids! What they lack in IHHGLQJRQIRRGVWXIIVQDWXUDO¿EHUVSODQWSURGXFWV size (1/16 of an inch in length), they and even wood. A certain kind of beetle, called a make up for in reproductive capa- plaster or fungus beetle, has a very different type bility. If conditions are optimal, the of diet and it is a beetle that you can’t control by entire life cycle can be completed in throwing away a box of infested dog food. Plaster less than two weeks! Plaster beetles beetles only eat the threads and spores of certain can be tan to red to brown to black in types of fungi that grow when heat and moisture are color, and their head is narrower than found together. Usually, this happens outside, but the last body segment, the abdomen. some plaster beetles are well-adapted to thriving ,I\RXDUH¿QGLQJWLQ\EHHWOHVRIDQ\ indoors when the right mold and mildew are found. kind, let us know and we will identify them and Basements, unpainted wood, and relatively be able to proceed with a targeted control strategy new homes are most susceptible to plaster beetle for whatever it may be. For plaster beetles, we will LQIHVWDWLRQV:KDWFDXVHVGDPSQHVVLQVLGHKRPHV" pinpoint moisture issues, whether they be in attics, /HDNLQJURRIVSOXPELQJ¿[WXUHVDQGZHWSODVWHU wall voids, or any place else, and remedy the prob- top the list. Wet plaster that wasn’t allowed time to lem. Once we eliminate their food source, plaster properly dry, can support mold growth, especially beetles have no chance in your home! when wallpaper was hung on top of it. The thin lay-
Bats 101 (continued from page 1)
swoop in and seal up entry points, install special There are several potential problems caused by material to prevent re-infestation, and clean up the bat droppings (guano). The more serious issue is newly abandoned roosts. that guano can harbor a potentially fatal fungus that Bats can carry rabies, a very serious viral infec- can cause histoplasmosis. When fungus-containing tion that is life-threatening without proper treat- guano particles dry out, they can become airborne Daddylonglegs ment, but it is believed that less than 1% of bats are and inhaled. It is especially important to allow a AKA: Harvestman infected. Rabies-infected bats are more likely to be professional to clean up after bats, or you could put found during daylight, as they are often disoriented yourself in danger! In addition to being dangerous, FRPPRQ¿[WXUHLQDQGDURXQGKRXVHVGDGG\ORQJOHJVDUHYHU\PLVXQ- DQGXQDEOHWRÀ\7REHVDIHEDWVVKRXOGQHYHUEH guano and urine can leave a foul-smelling odor A derstood. For one thing, they aren’t even true spiders! To the untrained approached or handled. If you were bitten by a bat, and can even penetrate and stain some surfaces. eye, they look very much the part though, since they have a small body or suspect you may have been, seek out a public The other issue with guano is that there are several and 8 legs. Often called harvestman, these arachnids differ from their spider health professional. LQVHFWVPRVWQRWDEO\ÀLHVDQGFRFNURDFKHVWKDWXVH relatives in a few ways. Notably, harvestman do not have the capability of spin- Over the last ten years, bed bugs have been it as a food source and can thrive as long as the bats ning webs and can’t produce venom like spiders can. Harvestman have a varied BATS IN YOUR BELFRY? making their way all over the country. Well, it are present. diet; some are scavengers on dead organisms, fungi and plant matter, while Bats can carry rabies and, turns out that even bats aren’t immune! Bed bugs This is the time of year when bats will soon others hunt small insects. This kind of diet actually makes daddylonglegs a to be safe, bats should and their close relative bat bugs, are often found in ÀHHLQJ\RXUKRXVHDQGLW¶VDJUHDWWLPHWRFRQ- EHQH¿FLDOFULWWHUWRKDYHDURXQG,QQRZD\GRWKHVHDUDFKQLGVSRVHDQ\NQRZQ never be approached close association with bat roosts. If a group of bats tact us if you believe you may have bats roosting threat to humans! or handled. If you have is evicted from a structure, it is possible that bed in your home. We can determine if they are, and Frogs and birds are the primary predators to these gangly, 8-legged bats in your belfry, call us and bat bugs will be left behind and begin to ex- devise a targeted exclusion program to put into organisms. Daddylonglegs don’t have a great variety in defensive tactics, but immediately. plore the house in search of blood. These so-called place this winter. Not only can we keep your house they can release a foul-smelling odor in hopes of repelling would-be threats. HELPFUL, NOT HARMFUL µVHFRQGDU\LQIHVWDWLRQV¶DUHXQSOHDVDQWDWEHVWEXW bat-free, but we do it in a way that doesn’t harm $OWKRXJKWKH\DUHFRPPRQO\IRXQGLQ¿HOGVDQGIRUHVWVHVSHFLDOO\SHUFKHGRQ Daddylonglegs are beneficial critters to have we know what to look for and will be able to con- the bats and will leave them free to eat as many OHDYHVKDUYHVWPDQGR¿QGWKHLUZD\LQDQGDURXQGKRPHVHVSHFLDOO\LQEDVH- around. They eat dead organisms, plants, fungi trol whatever is left after bats have been evicted and mosquitoes as they can handle next summer! PHQWVJDUDJHVDQGEDUQV,I\RXDUH¿QGLQJWKHPLQVLGHFRQWDFWXVDQGZHFDQ small insects which are considered pests. excluded from your house. locate any potential entry points into your house and seal them up!