There are plenty of nasty pests that can wreak havoc on your property. These pests include bees, fire ants, wireworms, Stinkbugs, and lace bugs. Read on to learn how to get rid of these pests. Here are some of the best solutions for each. Listed below are some of the most common and harmful types of these pests. Weigh your options carefully, and don’t forget to keep in mind their behavior and sting patterns.
Fire ants
Despite their name, fire ants are not your typical ant. Unlike other ants, these insects are aggressive and can cause significant damage to your home. Fire ants have five different types, some of which are rare and are not aggressive. In North Carolina, red imported fire ants are a major nuisance. Listed below are some tips for controlling them. Listed below are some prevention strategies for fire ants.
Soil – Fresh dirt smells sweet to most humans, but to fire ant queens it smells like dirty water, freshly scrubbed floors, and nonironic toilet paper cozy. The scent is also appealing to many insects. Springtails and mosquitoes also like the smell of dirt, so they tend to nest in the same areas. But the odor of the ants’ nests is actually harmful to humans.
Wireworms
The twisted wireworm, Nematodirus helvetianus, is a dreaded pest of both domestic and agricultural crops. Adult wireworms grow to ten to twenty-five millimeters long, and their eggs are large football-shaped, containing eight cells. Once the L3 stage of development has been reached, these eggs hatch. Nematodirus is most prevalent in dry climates. This parasite is increasing in incidence and treatment in cattle. Fortunately, there are some effective pesticides available for dealing with abomasal wireworms, including milbemycins and avermectins.
If you have a high-density wireworm population in your field, consider planting a crop that is tolerant to wireworm damage. Some types of crops may not be affected by wireworms, depending on the previous cropping history and crop rotation. In the U.K., linseed, peas, and small seed are considered to be tolerant to wireworm damage, and shallow drilling is often the cause of this tolerance. In contrast, crops that are susceptible to infestation include sunflower, mung beans, and sorghum.
Stinkbugs
While brown marmorated stink bugs aren’t harmful, they can cause a stinky odor if you’re not careful. These insects are native to East Asia, but were first documented in the United States in the mid-1990s. Since then, they’ve spread to every state and several Canadian provinces. You can remove them from your home with a vacuum cleaner, or pick them up by hand and dispose of them properly. They’re native to Asia, but are comparatively resistant to insecticides.
While stinkbugs are unpleasant, they also serve as a food source for ants and wasps. When plants become wounded, they leak sap, which the bugs then feed on. This is a problem for those who enjoy eating fresh fruit, but is not as dangerous if they’re not allowed to eat it. However, invasive stinkbugs also help feed ants and wasps. Consequently, it’s best to remove them as soon as possible to protect your plants and prevent their spread.
Lace bugs
Fortunately, chemical control for lace bugs is possible. There are a variety of products on the market, including pyrethrin-based insecticides that must be applied to the underside of leaves, horticultural oils, and neem oil. Generally, chemical lace bug control can wipe out predatory and beneficial insects. However, this chemical control can be dangerous to plants and animals.
One of the first signs of a lace bug infestation is when leaves appear mottled or stippled. When heavily infested, leaves may fall from the trees, leaving behind a dark brown stain. Lace bugs are visible in their adult stage, as well as in spiny dark nymphs. While they are a very annoying pest, they can be easily controlled with proper plant vigor and watering during a dry period.
Harlequin bugs
Depending on their size and location, harlequin bugs can cause a variety of damage to your garden or crop. The early stages of the infestation look like small, pocked holes in leaves. Eventually, leaf tissue will become dry and die, and entire leaves and plants may be destroyed. Rather than destroying entire leaves, harlequin bugs prefer to feed on one or two leaves at a time, and then move on to a new leaf.
Getting rid of harlequin bugs is easy. Insecticides are available, and a specialized product has been designed to kill these bugs in a variety of locations. This product is approved for organic gardening, and is highly effective for controlling and removing these pesky pests. You can use the product twice a week after the bugs have emerged. Apply the product after dinner and before dusk. You should repeat the treatment after seven days to make sure it kills all of the harlequin bugs in one go.
False widow spiders
While black widow spiders can be a pain to live with, the venom from a false-widow spider is not fatal. Although a false-widow spider’s venom is weaker than a black widow’s, the bite can cause a serious allergic reaction or an infection. If you think you’ve been bitten by a false-widow spider, learn how to avoid getting bitten.
The most effective way to get rid of false widow spiders is to control their food source. In the UK, there are six varieties of false-widows. The Noble false widow was introduced to Britain in 1879 in a bunch of bananas. Though they were confined to the far southwest for almost a century, they are now making their way north as the climate warms. As the climate warms, they are becoming more widespread and prefer warm places. They can cause significant damage to people and pets, so control measures should focus on prevention rather than extermination.
