Pest Management Professional, April 2014

tips tricks STINGING INSECTS Continued from page 66 Paper wasp nests are typically umbrella shaped and are built out of a paperlike material In addition to the common locations already mentioned they can be found on light fixtures grills outdoor furniture and mailboxes Hornet nests might resemble a large gray football and are usually affixed to trees bushes or the side of the structure Yellowjacket nests can be harder to spot as they are typically built underground beneath rocks or inside attics and or crawlspaces indoors Nests might be easiest to spot in the early morning when colonies are most active but are best treated in evening hours when they are less active Bayer CropScience LP Environmental Science Division By Joe Barile BCE Technical Service Lead Seasonal activity from stinging insects offers pest management professionals PMPs an opportunity to add revenues outside of normal contracted services However for potential clients who have sensitivities to insect venom or anxiety because of the presence of these pests required services might go beyond nuisance abatement Most of the target pests grouped in this category of insects belongs to the order Hymenoptera PMPs are typically called to deal with the activity of social bees wasps and hornets when their colonies are located on inside or very close to structures Hymenoptera are usually considered beneficial insects as pollinators and or predators However their nest locations or seasonal behavior might create situations where people are threatened with alarm behaviors and the stinging of these insects trying to defend their colonies Children the elderly and pets are at higher risk thanks to age size and general ignorance of the presence of the nests Service sometime requires killing the colony and in many cases removing the nest including all stages of the insects and nesting materials Prior to peak season PMPs should review service protocols and procedures to ensure efficiencies and safety for all involved Additionally they should review ladder handling and personal protective equipment PPE safety and acquire treatment training Colonies are best treated before sunrise and after sunset to physically remove or kill all colony members when they are in the nest In some cases colonies may be eliminated without pesticides when the environment is safe and accessible enough to do so Physical removal of external nests such as for paper wasps or bald faced hornets by scraping or vacuuming with a properly designed high efficiency particulate air HEPA unit can be effective where nests are wholly accessible Typically a small application of a residual insecticide is made where the nest is removed to control any escaping or returning colony members Direct nest treatments are effective but follow these tips Try to schedule treatment when all insects are in the nest Have residents occupants leave the structure or area during treatment if possible Do not seal or close the nest opening especially with structural void nesting insects as they might escape inside the structure Leaving the nest opening intact kills the insects trying to escape the treatment and also exposes returning foragers to the insecticide residual Be aware of and avoid treatment hazards such as electrical sources plumbing fixtures and overhead hazards limbs wires building components etc Pyrethroids are fast and effective against these insects and formulation choice might be just as significant as an active ingredient Dusts are effective in void treatments and offer fast knockdown Pressurized sprays and aerosols will penetrate nest structures and might allow for treatments from a distance Always read and follow all label directions Note potential shock hazards staining risks and non target exposures when choosing products and formulations FMC Professional Solutions By Brian Mount Technical Service Manager Stinging insects are included in the order Hymenoptera which comprises wasps bees and ants Most are social in behavior with a breeding female the queen and single or multiple generations of non breeding females all of which have specific duties Nests can vary from a few dozen insects to thousands However for all stinging species the ultimate target is the queen Application methods intended to eradicate her highness will prove more effective than methods targeting workers When the queen dies the colony dies and when the queen moves so will the colony When pest management professionals PMPs get a call to treat a large nest builder such as yellowjackets it is sometimes necessary to treat the nest in the evening or at night with either dusts or liquids At night the insects are in the nest and less active try for 45 minutes after sunset or later If this is not practical PMPs can treat during the day if they are careful Dont stand directly under the nests as insects will drop out as you spray Sometimes liquid treatments do not reach the queen and the colony survives Applying dust at the entrance of the nest will facilitate movement of product into the colony eventually killing the queen This also will ensure any insects not at home will come in contact with insecticide when they return Nests that are located in foundations or voids are more complicated PMPs might need to drill holes through the foundation to reach the nest and fill the void with foam containing an active ingredient designed to transfer from one insect to the next When using aerosol treatments spray the nest fully to immobilize individual workers as much as possible Wait several minutes for a needed re treatment Invasive pest species with large populations such as red imported fire ants RIFA can be treated with liquids or granules both can be applied as a mound treatment or a broadcast treatment To increase the speed of control water in the granules which need moisture to release the active ingredient PMPs should keep in mind that complete eradication of such pests is not likely and should customize their treatment timing for continual population suppression Continued on page 70 68 April 2014 Pest Management Professional www mypmp net