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In this issue…
1. Flies
2. Scorpions
3. Firewood Pests
4. Winter Inspections
5. Quick Facts
Flies in the winter? You bet! Sure you've seen them hanging out on the window sill where the sun is warming. The most common and annoying fly found in homes during the cool season are the cluster flies. They are larger than house flies and during their indoor period they are semi dormant and fly awkwardly. They are strongly attracted to light and will blunder about lights and windows, colliding with any object in their path. They often drop to the floor on their backs and spin noisily until exhausted. They are also known as "attic flies" since that is where they seek shelter in the winter.
Blow flies are another bothersome winter fly. These are easily identified by their metallic blue or green color. The adult flies may spend the winter in homes or other protected sites but will not reproduce during this time. The female blow fly typically lays her eggs on the body of a recently killed animal. The eggs hatch quickly and the maggots then feed on the decaying tissues. The blow fly maggots are important in forensic analyses in cases of homicide and other human deaths. Because the maggots grow at constant rates, their size and stage of development can provide clues to the time, and conditions of death.
Scorpions are nocturnal, predatory animals that feed on a variety of insects, spiders, centipedes, and other scorpions. Prey are located primarily by sensing vibrations, either air-borne or in the ground. Although they are equipped with venom to defend themselves, scorpions fall prey to many types of creatures, such as centipedes, tarantulas, lizards, birds (especially Owls), and mammals, (including bats). Scorpion venoms are complex mixtures of neurotoxins (toxins which affect the victim's nervous system) and other substances. Each species has a unique mixture. Despite their bad reputations, only one species in the U.S. (keep in mind, there are more than 1,500 different species worldwide) and about 20 others worldwide have venom potent enough to be considered dangerous to humans.
Scorpions have a long gestation period, depending on species, it could take several months to a year and a half, in which the young develop as embryos. During this time, nutrients are transferred from the mother's digestive gland to the embryo. The young are born live and ascend to their mother's back. She assists them by making a "birth basket' with her folded legs to catch them as they are born and to provide them with a means to climb on her back. On the average, a female gives birth to about 25-35 young. They remain on her back until they molt for the first time, usually with a week or two after birth. Once they climb down, they assume an independent existence and periodically molt to reach adulthood. Typically five or six molts over two to six years are required for the scorpion to reach maturity. The average scorpion lives three to eight years, but some species have been known to live twenty to twenty-five years.
Now that a chill is in the air, there is nothing more cozy than to snuggle up in front of a fire. There are a few precautions you should think about before you bring in any firewood to your home. First, you should not store firewood indoors. It is better if you store it away from the home and off the ground. Inspect all wood before you bring it in. It could be covered with many different types of bugs. Scorpions, spiders, or ants are just a few that like to hang out in that environment. Once the wood comes inside and sits for any period of time, gives them the opportunity to nest somewhere inside your house. It is recommended that once you bring in wood, it should be placed immediately on the fire. This way you don't give anything a chance to survive inside.
Unlike birds, insects and rodents don't go South for winter and bask in the warm sunshine. They have already found what they need in your homes-shelter, warmth and access to food and water. Just because you don't see them in such numbers as you do in the spring and summer, you should be aware that they are there. Winter is the perfect time to have your pest control technician come inside and do an inspection. He will be able to point out areas of suspected activity and how to remedy the problem. Winter may show down the insects' activity, but it doesn't slow down their life cycle. Prevention begins before an infestation problem, not during.
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