OUTDOOR BUG PROBLEMS
Wasps and hornets are stinging insects and are a nuisance around the home. People who are allergic to their venom can face a life-threatening reaction. Wasps build their papery nests of chewed up fiber, usually in a high sheltered area around the eaves or windows of buildings. The nest can be a home to dozens of wasps and serves as an incubation place for eggs and larvae. It is begun by the queen who is the only insect of the nest to survive the winter.
Because the nest is usually high above the ground, a powerful spray is required to reach it reliably. Also, to avoid being stung, the spray must hit the nest with a drenching blast that has an instant knockdown effect on the wasps. Because wasps are actively foraging for food during the day, the best time to spray the nest is at dusk when all of the insects have returned for the night. Bengal has two wasp sprays that offer superior performance.
Mosquitoes, flies, moths, and other flying insects are a major nuisance outside the home, on the deck or around the yard. Mosquitos like to inhabit the shrubbery around the patio. They come out mainly at dusk and dawn, but can be a problem throughout the day at certain times of the year.
Ants are beneficial in loosening and aerating soil, but are mostly pests to humans. They enter homes looking for food and water, and are often found around kitchen cabinets and appliances. Ants prefer sweet sugary materials or fatty foods, depending on the time of the year, needs in the colony and availability of food sources. Fire ants are a big problem in the southern US. They tend to make mounds indiscriminately on lawns. See FIRE ANTS under the VIEW PRODUCTS tab.
Spiders have 8 legs and belong to the arachnid family, which includes scorpions, mites and ticks. Each of the southern US states has 600 to 900 species of spiders living there, and there are probably 3,000 species worldwide. Most of these spiders will spend all of their lives outdoors and only a few chose to live in homes with humans. The brown recluse and southern black widow are two of the most common types found indoors.
These predators hide during the day and wander the house at night hunting for prey. Not all spiders build webs to trap their prey. Some catch their meals by merely hiding, and then pounce upon any prey that passes by close enough.
Termites can cause considerable damage to household property. As soon as termite damage, termite trails, or termites themselves are detected, a professional should be called to evaluate and treat the problem.