Problems and Solutions: Answers To Your Tough Pest Questions

WINTER ANTS?

Q. A customer called that we did ant work for this summer. She said that she had ants in her kitchen because her son had left out a pie. It is December! The ants were odorous house ants…the same species we eliminated this summer. Why are they active in December? (L.W., Va.)

A. First, this PCO did a good job if he eliminated the problem this summer. Odorous house ants have huge colonies and elimination is difficult. Since it is cold in his area of the country, foraging ant populations are not usual — but not unheard of — if the colony is inside the house. After discussing this problem, the PCO and I decided that there may be something that was overlooked. The PCO reported that the homeowner "followed" the ants back into the sunroom, which is over a crawlspace. The sunroom probably heats up during a fair, late-fall day and the crawlspace may heat up just enough to keep them foraging. Another idea is that the ants are nesting inside the walls in the sunroom. I would inspect the crawl-space for activity. Place baits, liquid or some blank sugar water in receptacles. If they forage for the "bait" then replace it with bait. The PCO should also check out that sunroom. Even in the winter with central heating ants could be active.

Q. I inspected a structure with a crawlspace. They had termites in the walls and pier. They also had what looked like powderpost beetles (PPB) evidence. I thought these beetles didn’t emerge in the fall. Could the frass be left from the spring? Also, they had the floors repaired a few months before I inspected. When inspecting I found evidence of PPB exit holes in the flooring. Is this normal three months after repairs? (D.D., Va.)

A. The question, "Is this an active infestation?" is always a dilemma. The best thing to do is to ask permission to spray paint some sections of the joists with dark paint. If there are new exist hole in the late spring then they are active. The frass can be old and if the crawl area remains fairly undisturbed, the frass can cling to the joist for some time. The damage you saw in the flooring was probably in the flooring when it was replaced. If the wood was infested, emergence could have happened during the time between installation and your inspection, due principally to the time of the year.

Q. We get a lot of calls about cluster flies this year. Everything I have read says we are too late in the season now to do anything to help. Is that true? How do we gear up for next year’s calls? (F.D., W.V.)

A. Cluster fly control programs can be lucrative. At this time of the year you can take some steps to reduce the fly populations. Remember they have moved inside and remain relatively inert over the cold days but can become active during warmer winter days. They can gather in large number in attics, low ceiling crawl areas or even drop ceilings. A fly light (the largest you can get into the space) is a good choice.

Remember there may be large numbers of flies and if you use a small traps with glue boards you will be replacing them frequently. An electrocuting trap would be better in my opinion because it allows for longer service intervals.

As for this spring, get you act together with information to potential customers. Your rural and small community territory with lots of old Victorian structures is an ideal market. The key is to reduce insect entry through a series of mechanical and possible chemical barriers.

Inspect and identify areas that flies and other insects can get in. Where possible, seal those openings with foam or caulk. Application of crack and crevice residuals, encapsulated or wettable powder formulations can be effective (now and in the summer). The flies will start moving towards structures in the late summer. The insecticides of choice for these applications are pyrethroids.

The author is president of George Rambo Consulting Services, Herndon, Va. PCOs can e-mail questions to him at grambo@pctonline.com or fax questions to him at 703/709-9637.