In many cultures worldwide, spiders are considered benevolent creatures that bring happiness, good luck and/or money.  Chinese have a high regard for spiders and call them “good luck” or “happiness spiders” because they descend from heaven above.  In India, it is said that spiders are spread like confetti at weddings!  In Ancient Egypt, the goddess Neith was associated with the spider as the “spinner” and “weaver” of destiny.

Egyptian Goddess Neith – Goddess of Weaving and War

As a deity, the goddess Neith wove the entire world into being with her loom.  It is said she reweaves the world daily much like a spider that consumes and reweaves its own web.  Arachnida, the spider class in taxonomy, originates from the Greek word Arachne, meaning “spider.”  Arachne, according to Greek myths, was a human very adept at weaving who thought she was a better weaver than the goddess Athena.

Illustration by Giovanni Caselli of Arachne

Arachne challenged Athena to a weaving contest; in the end, Athena turned her into half spider-half woman because the subject of Arachne’s tapestry was all about the gods – their love lives and their infidelities.  But then Athena felt sorry for Arachne, so she left her the ability to weave.  This is how spiders came to be.  (I would show you a drawing of Arachne from Dante’s Purgatorio but she isn’t wearing any clothes!)

Spiders in North American Cultures

The Ojibwe and Lakota as well as other tribes, associate spider webs with their dreams.  The popular “Dream Catcher,” a hand-woven craft featuring a spider’s web is meant to protect individuals, especially children, from nightmares.  The web in the Dream Catcher allows good dreams to filter through, while catching bad dreams that soon disappear into the early morning light.

Native American Dream Catcher

It is from the spider that many Native American tribes, including the Hopi, attribute their knowledge of weaving.   Navajo weavers, for example, are said to rub their hands in a spider’s web before they weave in order to absorb the wisdom and skill of the spider.

Navajo woman and children weaving beauty into the world.

Their legends speak of Spider Woman, a supernatural being, who taught the “First People” how to weave in order to create beauty in the world and in their lives.  Many of the Plains tribes, however, depict the spider as a trickster and use it in stories of inappropriate but entertaining behavior.

Spiders have also been represented in history through various art forms such as paintings, poetry, and children’s rhymes.

1940’s version of “Little Miss Muffet” to promote reading for children.

There are many myths and folklore throughout the world surrounding spiders.  Here are some beliefs:

• If you walk into a spider web, you will meet a friend that day.
• If you step on a spider, you will bring rain.
• If a spider crawls into your pocket, you’ll always have money.
• If a bride finds a spider on her wedding dress, it will bring happiness.
• If a spider builds a web across your door, you can expect company.
• When spiders build their webs ‘fore noon, sunny weather’s coming soon.

1955’s hit movie “Tarantula” struck fear in the hearts of America

In modern culture, the film industry has depicted spiders as creepy and something to be feared, like the 1955 movie “Tarantula” but then we have our favorite hero, the famous Spider-Man, swinging from skyscraper to skyscraper on a single strand of web – forever fighting the bad guys.  “Go Spidey!”

Drawing of a Great American Hero

Many spiders are beneficial and should be encouraged to live and build webs in the garden – as a natural form of pest management.  The best way to control these little creatures, in and around your home, is to remove hiding spots and regularly clean webs off the exterior of the house.   Treating the insects, a spider’s food source, also helps keeps them at bay.

The next time you squash a spider, remember this:   “Kill a spider, bad luck yours will be, until of flies you’ve swatted fifty-three!”

Article by Donna Walker

References

Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture – Spider Myths

Native-Languages.org/legends-spider

DiscoverNavajo.com/Spider Woman and the Holy Ones

Smithsonianeducation.org – Fantastic Folklore

Mallis, Handbook of Pest Control, Tenth Edition, Saunders College Publishing, 2011.

Hillyard, Paul, The Book of the Spider:  From Arachnophobia to the Love of Spiders, Random House, New York, 1994.

Spiders are predators and almost all carry venom but their purpose is to kill insects, not attack humans. Whether spiders create webs for catching prey or dig burrows with trap doors, or hunt by chasing insects over short distances, their goal throughout the day (like some of us humans) is to – eat.  Many spiders are beneficial outside of the home where they eat ants, crickets, flies, sow bugs (roly-polies), aphids, and other insects. Inside, spiders will help eliminate termites but most people prefer not to share the same living space with these arachnids!

Green Lynx Spider(Peucetia viridans) with egg sac on a Sycamore tree in Escondido, CA

Scary or Beneficial?

What happens when you do see a spider? Does the heart start racing? Feel the need to immediately eradicate it with one fell swoop of a shoe? You’re not alone; most people can’t stand spiders. Spiders are often a source of an irrational psychological fear commonly known as Arachnophobia (wonder what it was called in prehistoric times….?)

Face of a Green Lynx (check out the hairdo) Is this a face to be afraid of?

For those less affected by spiders, they still cause a slight to severe dislike when encountered. It could be that for most people, the surprise of seeing a spider, all of a sudden where you least expect it, is what’s so “scary.”

The Garden Spider is an “Orb-weaver,” a beneficial Arachnid in garden Landscapes.

As more people are “Going Green” and are concerned about nature, many are beginning to see the beneficial aspects of spiders. In the outdoors, they act as natural pest control agents, ridding gardens of pesky pests that destroy plants and shrubs. Did you know…..spiders eat about 2000 insects per year? The perfect “orb webs” seen outside are made by Garden spiders and are designed for catching those pesky garden insects.

A spider in amber; the bubbles indicate that the spider was alive when it became trapped.

Prehistoric Spiders

There are over 40,000 species of spiders throughout the world, with many more still unnamed. The oldest “true” spiders are about 300 million years. These early spiders had spinnerets (an organ for spinning silk) under the middle of their abdomens; modern spiders’ spinnerets are at the end of their abdomens.

Spinnerets on a modern day Barn spider.

Initially, spider webs were just to encase the eggs but by the Jurassic Period, the sophisticated webs of Orb-weaving spiders developed significantly into large, intricately woven webs. These larger webs enabled spiders to take advantage of the unending supply of insects.

Yellow Garden Spider – Orb Weaver

The Hunters are also Hunted

Some spiders are active hunters rather than web-builders; like the Wolf spider, it hunts down and even chases its prey. Then there is the Trapdoor spider that makes a burrow in the ground with a web-hinged door and when a cricket or bug passes, the spider pushes the door open and pulls the cricket inside with its strong mandibles.

Drawing of a Trapdoor Spider Catching a Cricket

However, spiders often become the hunted, by birds, lizards, and certain wasps like the Mud dauber or Spider wasp. These wasps paralyze the spider to keep it alive and fresh for feeding larvae after they’ve hatched.

Mud dauber wasps hunt spiders to feed to their young.

Keeping Spiders Outdoors (where they belong)

Repellents won’t necessarily keep spiders away because, unlike insects, spiders are not as affected by the residue pesticides leave behind. However, using pesticides, whether traditional or organic, gets rid of the insects – a spider’s food source.

The best prevention is knocking down webs, regular sweeping, vacuuming, keeping corners clear, checking under patio furniture for webs, sealing off any cracks or gaps where spiders can get in, and treating for insects – eliminating the food source.

The reality is, spiders have been around for a long, long, time and they will not be going away any time soon…..webs will continue to be built, and humans will continue to swat them down. Maybe, just maybe, the next time you come across a spider, especially outdoors, you’ll take a closer look and come to appreciate these amazing creatures. But if the spider is, in fact, a Black widow……..
I totally understand if you use that shoe!

Black widows spiders are toxic to humans; the red “hourglass.” defines the Black widow.

NOTE: The California Poison Control Center indicates that not all black widow bites require medical attention but provides the following reasons to go to the doctor if you do suffer from a bite:
• Discomfort which is increasingly severe.
• Spreading local redness accompanied by pain.
• Any drainage from a bite site.

Article and Illustration by Donna Walker

Coming Soon……..Spiders Portrayed in Various Cultures

Native American Dream Catcher

References

California Poison Control Center
National Pest Management Association – PestWorld.org
Wikipedia – Spiders; Garden Spiders
Mallis, Handbook of Pest Control, Tenth Edition, Saunders College Publishing, 2011.

Justin Quiroz – Hearts Pest Management

Truth be told, at the time I didn’t quite know what to expect. I had only ever worked for large companies, never a locally owned business. All kinds of little variables were popping up in my head…

What could this interview lead to? Is this the right move for me? What’s this “Gerry” character going to be like?

This, coupled with the fact that my first sit-down interview had been delayed for a couple of hours due to a terrible accident on the 15 freeway, had my stomach in knots. Unforeseeable occurrence or not, I didn’t want my first impression to be involved in any way with tardiness… Or traffic collisions for that matter!

Once I arrived however, I was greeted as cordially as possible by the owner of the company. We sat and talked for roughly about two hours. It was a busy conversation full of topics that varied from one extreme to the other.

Any of the aforementioned anxiousness disappeared rapidly and was replaced by a strong desire to end the night under the employ of this new company.

Thankfully, that was the case.

Then and Now – Transition of a Pest Control Technician

My tenureship here has been an extensive learning experience. It’s on occasion been outright challenging, but the reward has always been worth it.

Much has changed since I started here, (I touched on this briefly in my last blog entry, “Same Quality Pest Control”) however the most noteworthy development that I’ve noticed has been the evolution of my relationship with my customers.

I’m no longer the “new guy.” Now I’m “Justin the Hearts Guy” and trust me, that’s a good thing.
For example, if you’re one of my customers, chances are that we not only know each other on a first name basis, but that I also know exactly how to help you with any sort of pest/landscape issues you may be having at any given time of the year.

Also, if you’re one of my regulars who happens to own a dog, I’ve likely brought some treats for you to spoil your pup with at your leisure. What can I say? I’m an animal lover… And yes, I do realize that there may be a hidden irony to a pest control technician saying that, but our greenthumb preventative services make it possible to make that statement without the “tongue-in-cheek.”

Changes Experienced over Two Years at Hearts Pest Management

Ultimately, I’ve loved the past two and a half years. Getting to know my route and the people who fill it has been equally as enjoyable as getting to know my brothers in arms here at Hearts.
There have been a handful of changes here, as far as the company itself is concerned. We’ve picked up some hard working and talented new technicians and office people that have just completely added a whole other dimension to our business.

For example, if you do frequent our website you’ve probably noticed a giant explosion of entertainingly educational blogs written by Ms Donna Walker (and to my own credit I’ve posted a few of these, too.)

In the field alone, we now have an entire fleet of experienced professionals.

Pest Control Service with a Heart

It’s been a unique privilege to me to see this body of pest control technicians pull together to provide a better service. If one of us needs help, is (temporarily) stumped with the identification of a pest, or is having a hard time diagnosing a landscape disease… that’s when we call for backup. Strength in numbers!

The times are changing, and as always we change with it. We’ve got a full staff ready to handle whatever pests Mother Nature throws at you (and believe me – sometimes she can be quite generous with them) so there’s never any need to worry. If one of us isn’t enough, we call for backup.

As always, we’re ready to take care of your home for you. Call us.

- Justin Q.

Gerry Weitz, Pres. Of Hearts Pest Management sharks hands with Brian Leahy, Dir. Of CA EPA Dept of Pesticide Regulation, surrounded by environmentalist friends working at state level.

Hearts Pest Management goes to Sacramento to receive the prestigious California Environmental Protection Agency Integrated Pest Management Innovator Award.  This award has been handed out to outstanding organizations that have advanced integrated pest management in California over the past 15 years.  One quick review of the list of recipients shows that only two other pest control companies (both in the San Francisco bay area) have achieved this award.  As has become a mantra, “Hearts Pest Management is the first pest control company in Southern California” to achieve the coveted California EPA Integrated Pest Management Award.

Plaque identifying Hearts Pest Management as recipient of prestigious California EPA Dept. of Pesticide Regulation I.P.M. Innovator Award

Many steps were taken along the way toward this acheivement, to name a few:

• First Southern California company with a clearly articulated green pest control option of customized services
• First Southern California EcoWise Certified Company
• Acted as liaison between EcoWise Certified and the pest control industry
• Authored numerous articles advocating for a greener pest control industry
• Served on I.P.M. committee reviewing the creation of the Industry GreenPro certification establishment
• Established Hearts Consulting Group to further advocate for cooperation with environmentalists and a greener industry
• Have advanced knowledge based pest control marketing with a website containing over 600 pages of content
• Have promoted a unique expansion of the definition of I.P.M. with our special employee structure promoting healthly and educated, well rounded pest control technicians, motivated to do I.P.M.
• Became a Healthiest Company Finalist (consistent with need for healthy technicians to do I.P.M.
• Conducted a 1 year grant on a local Native-American reservation, educating and treating with I.P.M.
• Continuous equipment modifications to provide safer pest control work conditions and to reduce opportunity for environmental pollution

Certificate of Recognition from the California State Assembly to Hearts Pest Management.

We look forward to continuing our role in the pest control industry, advancing environmental stewardship within the pest control industry for the benefit of our workers and the public.

Mice and humans have lived together for eons in a “commensal” relationship, meaning they live on the same premises and eat at the same table (sometimes, literally!) People are often afraid of mice and given their propensity to carry disease, they probably should be but others have a love of mice and keep them as pets. For decades, mice in literature have captured the imagination of both children and adults. Mice figures in anthropomorphic drawings depict them with human characteristics in stories of these tiny-tailed creatures.

Three mice discussing how to get a very large
hunk of cheese back to their “living quarters.”

It may be that we find a certain confidence in a story tale that represents these timorous critters who act so brave and bold despite their small size. We think, “If a little mouse can do it, maybe I can too!”

A Fancy Mouse is a domesticated and selectively bred “House Mouse.”

The History of Mice

The word “mouse” has been traced to the Sanskrit verb “musha” which means “to steal.” The House mouse lived in Israel 12,000 years ago and was found in the first agricultural settlements in Mesopotamia and Egypt. This adaptable creature followed the earliest migrations of people around the world as a stowaway in grain supplies. Today, the mouse still prefers grains but will eat just about anything. And eat it does, 15 to 20 times per day!

Mice were present in the first agricultural settlements of Mesopotamia and Egypt.

Su Casa Mi Casa

Like humans, the most important needs of the mouse is food and shelter. What better place than a warm home with a variety of favored grains (within a private room – pantry) such as oats, cereals, beans, rice, and pasta? Mice are not picky eaters so any cheese crumbs dropped from the kitchen table is a welcome addition to their diet. They are also grateful for the soft batting used to line their nests from your favorite comforter and/or chair. The 50 babies per year are grateful too. A battle between cook and mouse (‘member The Three Blind Mice?) and homeowner vs. mouse is a never ending one.

A mouse caught in a trap – his fellow mice plotting an escape

Mousetraps

How to catch a mouse: “Build a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a path to your door.” A phrase attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson, philosopher and essayist (but misquoted from his original statement).  OK, here is the original so you don’t have to look it up, “If a man has good corn or wood, or boards, or pigs to sell, or can make better chairs or knives, crucibles or church organs than anybody else, you will find a broad hard-beaten road to his house, though it be in the woods.” Emerson’s statement has spurred entrepreneurs and inventors to create the ultimate mousetrap for the “oh so desperate” individuals determined to gain back control of their home.

Spring-loaded Mousetrap

Since the time of Emerson, Americans have been trying to improve upon the mousetrap for more than 100 years; 4,400 patents later, the spring-loaded “Little Nipper” invented by James Henry Atkinson in 1897, is the basis for spring-loaded traps made today. Of course, there are other forms of trapping, including live-traps fashioned after earlier versions; and then there is the “all natural,” – a cat.

Old-fashioned Mouse Trapping – 1883

Keeping Mice out of the House

In order to keep mice within the pages of a book, where they can be admired and not in your home, remember mice can squeeze through an opening a ¼ of an inch in diameter; blocking off potential entry points is important, oh, and keeping food in tightly sealed containers prevents mice from “borrowing” from your pantry.

References

Illustrations are copyright free and within the public domain; source: ReusableArt.com
Jackson, Nicholas. “Mousetraps: A Symbol of the American Entrepreneurial Spirit.” The Atlantic, 28 Mar. 2011.
Mallis, Arnold, Handbook of Pest Control, 10th Edition, The Mallis Handbook Company, 2011.

Sardinia, Italy, is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean after Sicily. The island terrain resembles a quilt of sandy beaches, forested mountain peaks, valleys of citrus groves, and pastures of happily grazing sheep.

Sheep near Lula, Sardinia, Italy. Casu marzu cheese is made with ewe’s milk.

Thousands of stone buildings called “Nuraghes” dot the landscape as testimony to an ancient past. Traditionally, Sardinian men worked as farmers and shepherds; some families today continue to raise sheep as a means of income. Sheep are milked twice a day to create Pecorino, a cheese used for Sardinia’s Casu marzu.

Sardinia, Italy is the 2nd largest island in the Mediterranean.

Sardinia’s Casu Marzu

Casu marzu is a specialty cheese that was outlawed for a period of time by the EU (European Union). During this period, die-hard fans had to purchase Casu marzu from the black market. Sardinian sheep farmers relying on Casu marzu as a family business, fought to have the ban lifted.


Nuraghes in Sardinia were built between *2200 – 1200 BCE; their exact function is unknown.

Today the cheese is considered a “traditional” food, which means since it has been made in the same manner for more than 25 years, Casu marzu is exempt from regular food hygiene regulations. You may or may not be glad to know, it is definitely is not available for sale in the United States.

Casu Marzu – A Traditional Italian Cheese (looks innocent enough, hmmm…)

An Age-old Tradition

The process of creating Casu marzu starts by making Pecorino, a hard Italian cheese which is easily purchased here in the U.S. but then the Sardinians do something else to the cheese – they add a “special” ingredient.

Sketch of Piophila casei larva– Casu marzu’s “special” ingredient.

After the Pecornio cheese has cured and is incased in wax, Sardinian cheese makers slice off the top, leaving it open for cheese flies (Piophila casei) to come and get their fill of cheese. Once the cheese flies lay their eggs, the larvae hatch and the magic begins. Hungry larvae devour the cheese, breaking down the fat through their digestive system and excreting the remains. This process changes the texture of the cheese, making it very soft and giving it a distinct flavor otherwise not found in regular Pecornio.

1840’s – Drawing of a Cheese Fly by John Curtis

Cheese Skippers

The name Casu marzu actually means “rotten cheese.” The cheese fly larvae are really maggots (larvae just sounds ‘nicer’), sometimes called “cheese skippers.” And skip is what they do….cheese larvae can propel themselves up to six inches, straight in the air! Diners are known to hold their hands over a slice of bread containing Casu marzu to keep the skippers from jumping. Check out the video with Chef Gordon Ramsey who was brave enough to try this “specialty” cheese.

Video with Chef Gordon Ramsey on Sardinia’s Casu Marzu

Author’s comment: I apologize if I mislead you with photos of the beautiful countryside of Sardinia, Italy, and then ended up having you look at cheese maggots. And I’m very sorry if I grossed you out…..the question is – would you too try Casu marzu?

Cheese Skippers / Cheese Maggots in Casu marzu

Article by Donna Walker

References:

Video with Chef Gorden Ramsey on Casu marzu
Wikipedia – Casu marzu; Cheese maggots; Cheese fly; and Sardinia, Italy

*2200 – 1200 BCE (Before Current Era) is during the middle to Late Bronze Ages.

The next time you’re eating out, you may think twice about ordering “extra cheese.”  Did you know that some cheeses have mites?  And there are other cheeses that have maggots?  What’s gross to some of us is but a delicacy to others….  personally, I love cheese and like trying different varieties but after researching cheese mites, I’ve decided a part-time job as a cheese connoisseur is not for me!

French Mimolette Cheese: The textured crust is caused
by cheese mites. Doesn’t look too unusual, right? Keep reading!

Boule de Lille

Mimolette (“Boule de Lille”) is a mite-ridden cheese produced in Lille, France.  Cheese mites living on the surface of the cheese contributes to its flavor and gives the cheese a distinctive appearance.  These are Acarus siro mites, also known as flour mites.  The mites are intentionally placed on the cheese and the action of the mites gives the cheese its greyish color and crusty appearance.

Mimolette Cheese Ball – the is crust created by mites.

French Mimolette (me-MOH-let) can be consumed at different stages of aging.  The price apparently increases with the age of the cheese.  Younger Mimolette (6 months or under) taste like a mild cheddar but most people who enjoy this cheese prefer it “extra-old” (over 18 months).  Old Mimolette is harder to chew but it has a hazelnut-like flavor that people evidently like better than the younger, milder cheese.

Close-up of Mimolette cheese with mites.

The History of Mimolette Cheese

Mimolette dates back to the reign of Louis XIV, who prohibited the import of Edam, a Dutch cheese, into France.  The residents in the northernmost region of France had strong cultural ties to Holland and loved the Dutch’s cheese.  They had to either smuggle in the contraband cheese or try making one of their own.  Louis XIV ordered a national cheese be made, similar to Edam, but he had it colored orange to differentiate it from the Dutch cheese.

France’s Louie XIV banned Dutch cheese and
created Mimolette to emulate Edam (Dutch cheese).

Mimolette is a semi-hard cheese that has the same texture and spherical shape as Dutch Edam, but with a natural rind.  It is produced in large balls about the size of a 7-pound bowling ball.  This cheese is very popular with the French and only produced in France.  However, if you are brave enough to try it, or you are a die-hard cheese connoisseur, Mimolette can be ordered from various online companies carrying specialty cheeses.

Dutch Edam cheese has a nutty flavor but created without mites!

From what I’ve read, at first it tastes like regular cheddar but then the aftertaste has a nutty quality to it, and sometimes hints of fruit or caramel. My curiosity is beginning to peak…….I just might have to try it myself.

Mitey Action

Of course, to look at Mimolette cheese, you don’t really see the cheese mites.  What you do see looks like dust on the cheese.  The mites are microscopic and burrow their way through the rind to help the cheese breathe; the crust is where the mites are so if you eat just the inside, you won’t actually eat mites. The use of mites to ripen cheese was an ancient tradition even before Louis XIV’s request to create a national French cheese.

The cheese mites used in Mimolette to enhance its
flavor are actually flour mites.

Scientists are not exactly sure how these mites cause the cheese to have a nutty, fruity, aroma and flavor (maybe it’s the mites themselves that taste nutty and fruity?)  The flour mite, we know, is used on purpose for Mimolette and other specialty cheeses, but just because it’s produced overseas doesn’t mean we are all safe from cheese mites……evidently, cheese mites are a pest in our North American cheese storage facilities.  They grow in conditions greater than 4°C and 60% humidity, which are common storage practices for cheese ripening.

Video of Cheese Mites in Action

Controlling Unwanted Cheese Mites

Cheese mites at certain stages of their growth are often distributed by attaching themselves to clothing or on a person’s body and carried into storage rooms. 

Clean curing facilities keeps mites away.
This one is for Parmesan Cheese.

They can also be carried on air currents and easily find their way into cheese rooms.  Many curing rooms, therefore, have a small number of mites even though they do not appear in numbers large enough to cause any visible damage to the cheese.  The cheese mites can also crawl from one cheese to another.  Workers in a cheese storage room are most likely the main source of transportation for these tiny insects.

Cheese with paraffin (wax) keeps mites out.

Good news! – Cheese rooms that make it a practice, several times a year, to scrub walls, ceilings, and floors as well as storage shelves can keep mites at bay.  Cheese mites are destroyed if they are exposed to scalding water at temperatures above 160°F.  Old cheese, if properly paraffined, is able to stay in the cheese curing room or storage facility without the threat of infestation.

Next time you go out to eat and want more cheese, ask “Extra cheese please –but hold the mites!”

Article by Donna Walker

Coming Soon:  Cheese maggots, yes real live maggots in Italian specialty cheeses!

References:

Price, Walter V. Cheese Mites Department of Dairy Industry, 1938

Ontario Department of Agriculture, Ontario Agricultural College, Guelph, Canada.

Mimolette – Wikipedia
 

The Red-shouldered Bug

An afternoon walk usually involves having my “nose to the ground” checking for any interesting insect activity. This particular bug was very lucky that I was looking down, or it may have been stepped on……it’s little life cut short by a size 8 sneaker! The first thing I noticed was its beautiful coloring of bluish-black wings with red markings and red eyes.

Red-shouldered Bug (Jadera haematoloma)

Red-shouldered Bug vs. the Box Elder Bug

I thought I had come upon a Box Elder bug but after a bit of research, I realized this fellow was a Red-shouldered bug. Box Elders have orange-red coloring along the edges of their wings whereas the Red-shouldered bug has red on its shoulders, its eyes, and under its wings. You can really see the beautiful red coloring on female Red-shouldered bugs because they have shorter wings than the males and red behinds. On average, females are larger than the males. Both bugs do not bite people. Unlike the Red-shouldered bug, the Box Elder produces an unpleasant odor when crushed.

Box Elder Bug (Boisea trivittata)

Red-shouldered Bug – Female

What is a True Bug?

Both Box Elder and Red-shouldered bugs are considered by Entomologist to be “true bugs.” So what is a “true” bug? And if there are “true” bugs, does that mean there are “false” bugs? Well,maybe……………… ….. “all bugs are insects but not all insects are bugs.” The main difference between an insect and a bug is in their mouth.

Red-shouldered bug eating a fallen berry from a privet hedge
(Notice the long proboscis – mouth part)

True Bugs are of the order Hemitera which share a common arrangement of sucking mouth parts. Hemiptera comes from the Greek words hemi, meaning half, and pteron, meaning wing. The wings of true bugs are hard near the base and membranous near the ends, giving the appearance of a half wing. Hemiptera also includes cicadas, aphids, hoppers, water bugs and yes, bed bugs! These are true bugs because they are able to suck using a mouth part called the proboscis. Most suck juices from seeds, fruits, and plants but *bed bugs feed on animals, which also includes humans!

Red-shouldered Bug – Male (Note the longer wings)

Red-shouldered Bug A.K.A. Golden Raintree Bug

Another name for the Red-shouldered bug is “Golden Raintree Bug,” since it favors the leaves, stems, and developing seeds of the Golden Rain Tree. Adults will overwinter inside the home by entering in through cracks and crevices. Come spring, when the weather gets warm, the female lays her eggs outside, near a tree or shrub (host). These bugs can be seen along hedges such as a privet hedge and on sidewalks nearby, eating fallen berries or mating.

Female Red-shoulder bug (top) and male (bottom) mating.

The Mating Ritual of the Red-Shouldered Bug

Watching Red Shouldered Bugs mate can be amusing; with seemingly no regard to privacy (or possible size 8 sneakers), these two bugs connect their rears and walk forward and backward, taking turns leading one another. Females then deposit their eggs by a shrub or tree. The nymphs are hatched completely red and grow into various stages over the summer until they obtain their blue-black wings.

Male Red-shouldered bug taking his turn to lead in the mating ritual.

Red-shouldered bugs are sometimes called “scentless plant bugs” because they don’t smell like stink bugs or other types of bugs. If trapped indoors, these bugs can leave fecal matter which may stain walls, draperies, and furniture.

Young Red-shouldered Bug Nymph

Feeding Young Red-Shouldered Bug Nymphs

Even Red-shouldered nymphs have the special mouth part that allows them to suck juices from plants, seeds, and fruits. Both adults and nymphs cause little damage to the host; the only real evidence seen from their feeding activities is in the scarring or dimpling of fruit.

Older Red-shouldered nymph has the beginning of its wings.

Red-shouldered bugs live throughout the United States and northern South America. They adapt readily to feed on different hosts (plants or trees) depending on what grows in that particular part of the country. Look for adults and nymphs this spring and summer meandering back and forth on the sidewalk – and watch your step!

Article and Photos by Donna Walker

References
Keith, D. and Wong, S. Woody Ornamentals – Golden Raintree Bug, Department of Entomology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583
Drees, B.M. and Jackman, J. Field Guide to Texas Insects, Gulf Publishing Company, Houston, TX, 1999.

* Bed bugs have become a real problem for travelers; many hotels are infested with them.

Sniff, sniff……ahhhh, ‘tis the season for the smell of pine needles…..and with the wonderful aroma of pine, you just might have a few pests hitching a ride on that Christmas tree — right into your home!

Christmas trees can bring in pesky guests during the holidays.

Christmas Tree Farms and Pesticides

There are very few Christmas Tree Farms in southern California where you can actually have a tree cut fresh for the holidays, but you can purchase a live one in a pot for later planting. Most trees are shipped in from other states and are treated with pesticides during the year; however, sometimes small critters may be shipped into the state along with the trees.

Christmas Tree Farm, North Carolina
(1 out of 5 Christmas trees in California come from N.C.)

Organic Christmas Trees

Pesticides used by commercial tree farms are usually removed from the trees prior to harvest and shipping, by rainfall and ultraviolet light. Still, if pesticides are a concern, there are some Christmas tree farms that tout organic methods. If the trees are raised without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, they can be certified as “organic” by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Washington State University plant pathologist, Gary Chastagner, uses a mechanical tree shaker at a commercial shipping yard in Oregon to check for yellow jackets.

Yellow Jackets Invade Hawaii by Way of Christmas Trees

Hawaiian residents count on having their Christmas trees shipped from the mainland in time for the holidays, however in 2010, Hawaii had to implement a new law that requires all Christmas trees destined for the Island States be “shaken.” An article by the ARS (United States Agricultural Research Center) indicated that due to shipments of Christmas trees across the Pacific, the Hawaiian Islands have been invaded by the Western Yellow Jacket.

Western Yellow Jacket (Vespula pensylvanica)

Yellow jackets usually nest in the ground but mated queens that haven’t built their nests yet, will sometimes make their home in coniferous trees during the long winter months. A Yellow jacket is a meat-eating predator known to compete for insect prey with Hawaii’s native birds. This competition has greatly reduced the native insect population on the islands. Christmas trees are now screened by agricultural inspectors and manually or mechanically shaken before shipment.

Hemlock Woolly Adelgids (Adeleges tsugae) look like snow.

Other Insects Living in Christmas Trees

Insects common to coniferous trees, once in your home, won’t take up permanent residence and may quickly die but you can still avoid these unnecessary guests by taking a few precautions. Some of the insects that may be hitching a ride on a Christmas tree are aphids, spider mites, scale insects, bark beetles, spiders, adelgids (invasive woolly insects that look like snow), and praying mantis. The adult mantis may be gone but the babies in a mantis egg case may hatch once inside the home.

Praying Mantis egg case on fir tree.

A single egg case from a praying mantis female can contain hundred or more babies. Normally they wouldn’t hatch until spring but with the warmth of your home, you could have a hundred babies roaming around under the tree. These tiny mantises don’t bite or carry diseases; they can actually be beneficial insects inside your garden.

Praying Mantis (Mantis religiosa)

The Praying Mantis strikes the “prayer” position before attacking its prey and will eat just about any insect a garden has to offer. If you find an egg case on the Christmas tree, you could gently dislodge it and place it in your garden as a natural form of pest control.

Cinara aphids on a pine tree.

Tips on Pest-Free Christmas Trees

Now that I have you thoroughly worried about pests traveling in Christmas trees, don’t despair, these insects that make their homes in coniferous forests lack the proper food and habitat to survive for long periods of time in your home. Just as a preventive measure, here are some tips to ensure your tree is “insect-free” before carrying it inside the house.

• Inspect the tree thoroughly for any aphids or egg sacs.
• Give the tree and branches a good shakedown.
• What looks like a dusting of snow may be woolly adelgids.
• Do not use aerosol pesticides! These products are flammable.
• Check the trunk for small holes with trails of sawdust; it may have bark beetles.

Mountain Pine Bark Beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae)
munching on a tree trunk.

You really don’t need to worry too much about pests in your Christmas tree – even if you miss some upon inspection. Coniferous forest type insects need food and humidity to survive. Most likely, the insects will die within a few days, and then you can vacuum them up!

Christmas Tree Trivia

∆ The first written record of a decorated Christmas Tree was recorded in the year 1510 from Riga, Latvia (The Baltic States). Men of the local merchants’ guild decorated a tree with artificial roses, danced around it in the marketplace and then set fire to it.

∆ In the early 1800’s the Christmas tree was introduced to America and by 1851, Christmas trees began to be sold commercially within the United States.

∆ Real Christmas trees are grown in all 50 states and Canada; 80% of all artificial trees worldwide are manufactured in China.

∆ Approximately 25-30 million real Christmas trees are sold in the U.S. every year.

∆ It can take as many as 15 years to grow a tree 6 – 7 feet high but the average growing time is 7 years.

∆ 350 million Christmas trees are currently growing on U.S. tree farms, all planted by farmers; Christmas tree farms provide state-wide employment for over 100,000 people.

∆ For every Christmas tree harvested, 1 to 3 seedlings are planted the following spring.

Happy Holidays!

Article by Donna Walker

Photos are credited within each image

Christmas Tree References

United States Department of Agriculture
NCSU College of Natural Resources Christmas Tree Specialist Jill Sidebottom and Jeff Owen
Raver, Anne, “How Green Can a Christmas Tree Be?” New York Times, December 8, 2008
U.S. National Park Service
National Christmas Tree Association