?…ask the Bugman
All Creatures Great and Small
Are pests really pests?
Is a pest always a pest just based on its identity? I would say no. Recently there was a wasp drowning in a water bowl outside. I went out, picked the wasp up and put it on a tree to dry off. My granddaughters asked me why it didn’t sting me. I told them I … Continue reading
Earth friendly bug club
I have an Earth friendly bug club that everyone is invited to join. I will help anyone do non-toxic pest management via email or phone consultations and I have relevant handbooks I can send you. The handbooks will cover pest management in your home or business, termite information, weed control and other pest issues. I … Continue reading
Insects are declining
Insects are declining at an alarming rate. More than 40% of insect species are declining and about a third are endangered. I know a lot of people will say, so what, they are just bugs. Insects are far more important than we realize and if they all disappeared, humans wouldn’t last much longer. The rate … Continue reading
The Coronavirus is getting worse
The coronavirus is getting worse throughout the country. It is recommended that we wear masks, socially distance, and avoid large gatherings. There is one other thing we should do and that is to try to keep our immune systems as strong as possible so they can fight the virus if we get it. There are … Continue reading
Free Handbook
Pests will be active most of the year because of climate change. I am offering my handbook so you can manage the pests without using toxic pesticides. The title of the handbook is “Earth Friendly Pest Management for your Home and Garden and for Commercial Establishments”. All the “pests” mentioned in the book includes their … Continue reading
COVID-19 and Pesticides
We currently have over 190,000 deaths in the US from coronavirus and some experts say it will be over 400,000 deaths by January, which is only a little over three months away. We have to be very careful to prevent us from getting the disease. We need to always wear masks and socially distance ourselves … Continue reading
Hazards of Pesticides
Why do I focus on the hazards of pesticides? There are several reasons. 1 – Pesticides are hazardous to people when they are misused and even in cases where they are properly used. The most common pesticide group used are synthetic pyrethroids and studies have found that they can cause children to develop leukemia and … Continue reading
Pest management consultations
It looks like it is going to be a dry and warm winter according to some forecasts. This isn’t good for several reasons and one of them is that pests will be more active, as they need moisture and will be attracted to homes, and then more pesticides will be used. The pesticides can seriously … Continue reading
Black widows
I just got a call from a lady in Albuquerque who had a question about a black widow. She said there was a black widow on the side of her house in a web. A neighbor came by and said she had to hire an exterminator and kill it or kill it herself. She asked … Continue reading
Mosquito control
I got a couple of questions about mosquito control. With the very hot weather and rain, insect activity will increase and you may have to deal with mosquitoes. Here is some information you can use to prevent mosquitoes from being a problem in your yard. First, reduce standing water where mosquitoes can breed. Some species … Continue reading
How to control bed bugs
Is it possible to control bed bugs with non-toxic materials? All you need to start is a EPA Exempt pesticide, which is safe or even just a mixture of alcohol and water with a little dish soap. Mix a gallon sprayer half and half with water and alcohol and a cup of dish soap. Then … Continue reading
Bed bugs, cockroaches, termits? Do it yourself
I just got a call from a woman in Grants who has bed bugs and she called an exterminator who said the price was $600 to get rid of them. This is beyond ridiculous. If you have bed bugs, you can control them yourself and it will probably cost only a few dollars. I won’t … Continue reading
Centipedes
There are several hundred species of centipedes in the U. S., but most of them are very small and belong to two groups. They are the stone centipedes (Lithobiomorpha) and the soil centipedes (Geophilomorpha). Stone centipedes are about an inch long and have 15 pair of legs. Soil centipedes aren’t much longer and have upwards … Continue reading
Hazards of pesticides
This may be long, but if you are interested in the hazards of pesticide use, you may want to read it. I am posting this because warm weather is here and pests will be around. We all know the pharmaceutical industry in this country has outrageous prices and most of the prescription drugs have side … Continue reading
Ant information
When you have ants in the house, you can use safe boric acid baits if you want, such as Terro Bait. What I did when I had a bunch of acrobat ants on the kitchen counter was put some Karo syrup on a piece of paper and all the ants hung around there all the … Continue reading
The pest control industry
I have said many times that I have over 45 years of experience in the pest control industry. Let me tell you a few things I have learned and why I almost never recommend pest control companies. I started in 1972 in Hollywood, Florida where I was hired by a local pest control company. I … Continue reading
Pest exclusion
This is what you need to do to keep pests and pesticides out of your home. The most effective part of pest control is exclusion. Here is how to pest proof your house. The purpose of pest-proofing your home is to help keep cockroaches, ants, scorpions, centipedes, spiders, rodents and other pests out. It will … Continue reading
Bites and Stings
How do you avoid getting bitten or stung by nature’s inhabitants? Here are some scenarios I went through and you will be able to see what not to do. About 37 years ago I was crawling under a house in Bloomfield, NM doing a termite inspection. I wasn’t wearing a shirt. As I was crawling … Continue reading
Earth Friendly Bug Club
We have to do a lot to change the world for our children and grandchildren to be safe. We need to make sure children don’t starve to death and that everyone has a roof over their heads. We need to make all of our food safe and not chemically polluted. We need to have a … Continue reading
Rodenticides
I get specimens in the mail for identification and occasionally from pest control companies. I got a flea in the mail from a pest control company for identification. It came from a ground squirrel area on a property near the Organ Mountains in southern New Mexico. The flea was Oropsylla montanus (no common name) and … Continue reading
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