Most Fearsome Summer Pests
It’s not just we humans that love summer. For many pests, there is no aphrodisiac like warm, humid weather. And while we go out frolicking in the woods, dousing ourselves in neighborhood pools, and any number of summer sports, pests find equitable comfort as they clamor indoors to eat away at our walls, our cupboards, and our very skin. Removing stagnant water, leftover kitchen morsels, and pest-attracting outdoor lights are good blanket measures, but some of the most fearsome summer pests are formidable enemies, not easily deterred, and can be lethal to both home and household.
Ticks in New York/East Coast
Difficult to spot and equally difficult to effectively remove, ticks can really tick you off. Carriers of Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, these stealthy pests can result in property loss as well. The brown dog tick, for example, almost never feeds on humans but can create severe property infestations that will present a challenge to even the best pest control pros. Meanwhile, Lyme disease has been getting progressively worse with many vets, doctors, and health officials saying 2009 has been the worst year yet. Although Lyme disease was first discovered in Connecticut, New York holds the title for worst state for ticks. Green Lakes State Park, near Fayetteville, NY has been called “Ground Zero” for the disease-carrying deer tick.
To learn more about the various tick species that inhabit New York, use this link: http://www.entomology.cornell.edu/MedEnt/TickBioFS/TickBioFS.html#N100C1
Termites in Hawaii/Gulf Coast
Termites are never a treat, but the Formosan termite is closer to an ancient plague than a simple household pest. Colonies of millions of termites can consume 13 oz. of wood a day. With a large number of entry points, homes built into hillsides can become financial boondoggles. In these cases, stopping the colony from destroying a home can cost $50,000 or $60,000, according to Tim Lyons, director of the Hawaii Pest Control Association. These walking wood-bombs have been “aloha-ing” since the 19th Century, but have infested the Gulf Coast and other warm U.S. climates since the 1960s. And while the dangers of the termite is common knowledge in Hawaii, less prepared homeowners in the continental United States are easily blindsided, as the swarms continue to thrive and expand. Not only do these termites thrive during the summer, especially after a warm, rainy day, but their eggs only hatch in temperatures of 68 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, meaning they can extend their range during the summer.
To learn more about this termite, use this link: http://www.termite.com/termites/formosan-subterranean-termite.html
Mosquitoes in Florida
Originally, the sunshine state was considered uninhabitable due to its large numbers of mosquitoes and, still today, remains the worst state for mosquitoes. The mosquito fight has two fronts: Slowing and stopping the spread of mosquitoes and the diseases they carry, especially the emergence of West Nile Virus that has touched 47 U.S. states. Yet, another important and under-reported aspect of mosquito control is ongoing study and research about a resurgence in the domestic mosquito population. It’s not just bacteria and viruses that adapt to Western medicine and health measures. Today, certain species of mosquitoes have developed a resistance to DDT and many other forms of mosquito control. And this fact is coupled with a disturbing trend of mosquitoes easily breeding in backyard swimming pools of abandoned/foreclosed homes.
To read more about domestic issues surrounding the mosquito, use this link: http://www.mosquito.org/
Around the Nation: Ubiquitous Summer Pests
Their favorite haunts are far from their only dwelling places. Literally, nowhere in the United States is immune from all three of these fearsome summer pests. (Ask a native Alaskan about mosquitoes sometime.) Plus, there is hardly a major news story that isn’t touched by these destructive pests. In terms of U.S. foreign policy, the international community reversed a U.S.-led policy to ban DDT use worldwide in response to reducing malaria outbreaks across the globe. In terms of the economic crisis, the Formosan termite is estimated to cost the country one billion dollars a year, according to 2003 research from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In terms of rising healthcare costs, the average treatment, diagnosis, and lost wages related to Lyme disease is approximately $61,688 per year per patient with more than 20,000 new cases reported each year. At the same time, difficulty in identifying cases of Lyme disease suggests actual cases may be 10 times higher than those reported, according to the Center for Disease Control.
