RESIDENTS WAGING WAR ON CREEPY CRAWLIES

SIKESTON -- As we enter the lazy, hazy days of summer our thoughts turn to fun, sun -- and bugs.

"We've already been real busy with 40 to 50 calls per day," said Vance Eason, branch manager of the Terminix pest control center in Sikeston. Ants, wasps, fleas and spiders head the Most Un-Wanted List, he said.

Although the mild winter may have resulted in higher populations, ants are especially troublesome this year for homeowners due to the all the rain this spring, said Eason. Rain pushes ants to forage in more elevated areas, such as houses.

With the trend in pest control moving away from pesticides to more environmentally safe methods, a new weapon, which has been in use around five years now, is bait granules -- a food bait. Not only is it environmentally sound, but the bait granules are actually more effective, said Eason. The older, pesticide sprays would typically just kill the foragers off. With the bait granules, the foragers bring the "food" home to the nest, and can eradicate the hive as they store and feed off the granules.

Another bothersome insect for homeowners are wasps. Homeowners will often spray the wasps themselves without seeking out the nest. Even those that do find and spray the nest may find that they have not eradicated the stinging, winged insects. "The spray may not penetrate the nest, leaving larvae alive inside," he said.

He suggests not only spraying, but removing the nest and its larvae -- eliminating an eyesore as well as the potential for more wasps.

Warm and humid conditions have contributed to an early showing from fleas early this year, which are usually expected later in the year, around July, Eason said.

Eason said that many people want a "magic pill" for fleas, but to really eradicate fleas, they must protect the pets not only from fleas and ticks, but also from mosquitoes.

Although considered by many to be a pest in their own right, spiders are predators and actually eat other pests. "Spiders are actually a symptom of other pest problems," said Eason, indicating that there are others bugs around for them to feed on.

Sanitation is very important in controlling spider problems, he said. Eason recommended cleaning eaves and garages of webs because knocking down spiders' webs can be an important means of controlling spiders. Spinning a web consumes so much of a spider's energy and knocking a web down twice will cause the spider to starve to death before a third web can be constructed, he said.

Eason said there have been quite a few reports of brown recluses, which are a major concern as one of the two poisonous spiders indigenous to this area, along with the black widow, able to cause serious illness - or even death -- to people.

Unlike black widows, which spin webs in dark, secluded areas, brown recluses don't make webs, but are a hunting spider.

Eason said they are attracted to areas with vegetation, such as tall grass, and are particularly fond of the wood mulch used in landscaping around many homes.

Inside, they can be found in stored items as well as in the voids behind walls. A pesticide dust will "last longer than residual spray," Eason said. However, wet conditions will inhibit its effectiveness.

Eason noted that although reports of the brown recluse are up, they are receiving fewer false alarms on the recluse as people become more educated.

The number one identification is the light patch in the shape of a violin on their dark brown back. They are typically dime-sized, but have been seen with a two and a half-inch leg span -- as big as a 50 cent piece. A similar looking spider, the "violin spider," is not commonly seen in this area.