Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)

Beekeeping in Ancient Egypt

The earliest methods of beekeeping (apiculture) are recorded on the walls of ancient Egyptian tombs. Sugar was unknown in the region and Egyptians had to rely on honey to sweeten their breads, cakes, beer, and wine. Egyptians captured wild bees and created hives out of baskets made from reeds. The reliefs from Egyptian tombs show hives stacked on top of one another, similar to today’s beekeeping practices. Beekeeping was a migratory occupation; Egyptian Beekeepers loaded the basket hives onto small boats that sailed along the Nile in search of blooming flowers.

Drawing of Egyptian Beekeeper and Hives (Tomb of Pabasa at el-Asasif)

The bee was considered sacred by early Egyptians and often regarded as a symbol of resurrection. In Egyptian mythology the Sun God, Ra, created the honey bee from his tears. The bee, representing the word bit – meaning “bee” or “honey” in hieroglyphics, was used as a prefix to the throne name of Egyptian rulers. Bee stood for “He of the Bee” or “King of Lower Egypt.”

Drawing of an Egyptian Honey Bee

For centuries, other cultures besides the Egyptians practiced the art of beekeeping but the period documented in cave paintings was a time of honey hunting, rather than beekeeping. Honey hunting for wild bee hives is still practiced today in many countries, including the U.S.

Introduction of the European Honey Bee

You may have heard that if it were not for honey bees, flowers wouldn’t bloom, trees wouldn’t bear fruit and many other plants would disappear…… not necessarily; the honeybee wasn’t introduced to North America until the 17th Century with the arrival of Spanish and European settlers. These early settlers were able to grow their familiar crops for many years before the honey bee finally made its way to this continent. During that period, there were already an abundance of flowers, fruits, and vegetables — but no honey bees. This is because native insects and wild bees handled the task of pollination. Then in the early 1600’s, the honey bee was brought to North America for honey production and beekeeping became a profitable occupation.

Bee on Flowering Purple Statice

“White Man’s Fly” Native Americans and the European Honey Bee

Native Americans called the honey bee “White Man’s Fly.” Before the European honey bee, indigenous people collected honey from the nests of wild bees by using smoke to confuse the bees, then cracked open the hives to get to the honeycomb. When beekeeping was introduced to North America, the Cherokees, once they saw how bees could be induced to “work” for them, were one of the first tribes to begin practicing the art of beekeeping.

Bee Space – The New Beekeeping

In the mid-1800’s, Lorenzo Langstroth, a descendant of Yorkshire immigrants, created a rectangular bee box with removable wooden frames so beekeepers could inspect, and even remove, honey from the honeycomb. This type of box kept beekeepers from disturbing and destroying the hives when it came time to collect the honey. Langstroth’s discovery of “Bee Space” (leaving enough space between the wooden frames), mimics the natural space in the shallow chambers of a hive. In leaving just the right amount of space, the bees refrain from covering this area with wax. The wooden frames containing honeycomb could then easily be lifted out from above the hive. This new knowledge of bee space revolutionized the business of beekeeping and Langstroth’s method of removable frames continues to this day. North America gained not only an increase in honey production but a way for farmers to pollinate large crops.

Wooden frame from a Langstroth hive (see behind)

Wild Bees vs. the Domesticated Bee

As farming increased, North American farmers began to rely on the domesticated honey bee for pollination. Farmers today seem to forget that pollinated crops already existed before the European honey bee was introduced to America. Before the 1950’s, farmers grew a variety of crops in one area which complimented the wild bee’s natural habitat (most wild bees nest directly in the ground in thick grass, soil, and wood — rarely in hives) but then farmers began planting monoculture fields (single crops), devoid of natural vegetation needed for wild bees to build their nests.

Honey Bee Gathering Nectar

In an article by National Geographic, it indicates the recent decline in the population of domesticated honey bees is due to an infestation of mites (which doesn’t seem to affect wild bees). Steps are currently being taken by some farmers to allow for wild vegetation to grow between fields, thereby encouraging native and feral honey bees to thrive and help pollinate America’s food crops.

Beekeeping Today

Beekeeping was once for the very few (and brave) but in recent years beekeeping has become an art for many individuals. As we continue in the 21st Century, beekeepers are attending networking groups such as “Beekeeping Societies,” and “Beekeeping Meetups.” Although beekeeping today is much more efficient and productive than in Langstroth’s time, one thing these modern beekeepers have in common with beekeepers of the mid-1800′s is Langstroth’s discovery of bee space and the design of his hive, based on this space. Because the honeycomb is removed without disturbing the hive or its queen, more honey can be produced to line our shelves and sweeten our food and drinks.

Juicy Red Apple Ice Plant -- "Bee Bye"

Coming Soon…..

“Career Changes for bees and the role of the drone ‘woe to the drone’ ” “The benefits of honey” and “How to keep bees from choosing your casa for their casa.”

Article and Art by Donna Walker

Special permission was obtained for the Langstroth hive photo by Luc Viatour

Note: Hearts Pest Management understands the essential role of the honey bee and does its utmost to respect the bee while keeping in mind the safety of home and family.

Honey Bee References

Ransome, Hilda M., The Sacred Bee in Ancient Times and Folklore, George Allen & Unwin, London, 1937; Dover edition, 2004.
Dandant & Sons, Inc., The Hive and the Honey Bee, Revised Edition, Publishers of the American Bee Journal, Bookcrafters, Chelsea, Michigan, 2000
Roach, John, Can Wild Bees Take Sting From Honeybee Decline? National Geographic News October 20, 2004
Bowie, Sharon, Beekeeping, its Beginnings, and Early Uses, Knox County Beekeepers Association, Tennessee, 2002

Hearts Pest Management’s pest control technicians understand the essential role bees play in nature and do their utmost to respect honey bees while keeping in mind the safety of home and family.

Pink Lady Indian Hawthorne
“Excuse me…can’t you see I’m buzzy working?”

Honey Bees in the Spring

The Bee-ginning Part I

Springtime is a buzzzy time for bees with all the garden flowers and native plants in bloom, you’re sure to see many honey bees about their buzzziness of collecting nectar and pollen. OK, I’ll stop with the buzzing but first, let me say, that although many kinds of bees grace the springtime flowers, it’s the honey bee, this multi-task worker who is number one in the game of pollination.

The Round Dance

May I Have This Dance?

Do you prefer the “round” or the “tail-wagging” dance? The “round dance” is performed when the source of nectar is close by. This dance stimulates the other bees to search only in the surrounding area of the hive but it doesn’t actually tell them which direction to look. The moves of the round dance involve dropping some of the nectar the bee gorged itself on and then going around and around in a circle, both clockwise and counterclockwise. It does this until it has disgorged all the nectar and soon the other bees catch on to where the food source is and fly out to find the vase of flowers.

Tail-wagging Dance

The “tail-wagging dance” is to locate a distant food source. This dance tells the other bees where to find the food in relation to the sun. Check out these dance moves: First, after gorging on nectar from afar, the bee disgorges a drop of nectar back at the hive then proceeds to dance in a figure eight. When the bee stops and flies in a straight line, it’s telling the other bees the direction to fly in order to reach the new nectar. For example, a straight line at an angle to the left of the sun tells the bees the new food source is about 120° in relation to the sun.

Childhood Memories of Bees

In taking portraits of these industrious workers I recalled childhood days of hunting bees. At that time, instead of a camera, I used a glass jar with a metal lid that had holes poked into it so the bees could breathe once I got them home — not something I would recommend today. It seemed like a good idea and a way to view these creatures up close and personal; now I realize I had not only displaced the bees from their homes but from doing their appointed job of pollinating and collecting nectar for the hive, not to mention the risk of getting stung!

Honey with Homemade Bread – Yum!

I have a new respect for the honey bee (sometimes spelled honeybee) and the role bees play in pollination; the way they communicate with their tail-wagging and round dances; the intricate designs of the honeycomb; and how honey bees store pollen in little sacks which they carry back to the hive; and most of all, this wonderful, golden, sweet liquid, they make for themselves and we humans to enjoy.

Gathering Nectar on Red Apple Ice Plant

The Bee – End (of part I)

Coming soon —- “Careers changes in the life of the honey bee and the job of the drone.” “The benefits of honey.” “The History of Beekeeping.” “What types of flowers are bees attracted to?” Hint, hint…..notice the flowers in the photos. “How to keep bees from choosing your casa for their casa” and “What to do if you have a hive in your home.”

Article, Photos and Art by Donna Walker

Honey Bee and/or Honeybee References:
Farb, Peter and the Editors of Time-Life Books, The Insects, Life Nature Library (Second Edition), Time-Life Books Inc., Alexandria, Virginia, 1977.
Dandant & Sons, Inc., The Hive and the Honey Bee, Revised Edition, Publishers of the American Bee Journal, Bookcrafters, Chelsea, Michigan, 2000

Thistledown Velvet Ant (Dasymutilla gloriosa) Female

White Velvet Ants

This female White Velvet Ant isn’t an ant at all…..she’s a wasp! Velvet ants look like big hairy ants but they’re actually solitary living wasps. The female has no wings and so, sad to say, she cannot fly but she sure can move fast. Thistledown Velvet Ants blend in with the creosote bush because of their white hair which mimics the fuzzy “fruits” of the creosote.

Creosote Bush - Anza Borrego Desert State Park

White Velvet Ant Habitat and Other Species

A noticeable difference between 2 white velvet ants, the Dasymutilla sackenii and Dasymutilla gloriosa, is in the amount of hair they have; the sackenii has a fuller body of hair whereas the gloriosa’s hair looks a little scraggly and also the sackenii’s legs are a shiny black, but the gloriosa’s legs have white hairs on them.

Thistledown Velvet Ant (Dasymutilla gloriosa) Female - Big Bend Ranch State Park, TX

Female Velvet Ant (Wingless Wasp)

The velvet ant belongs to the Mutillidae, a family of more than 3000 species of wasp whose wingless females resemble ants. California has about a 100 species of Multillidae. In the desert, the white velvet ant spends it’s time on the creosote bush where it hides between the fuzzy seeds. Velvet Ants are 1/4 to one inch in length, depending on the species with very few predators because of their hard, armor-like exoskeleton, and their painful sting.

White Velvet Ant (Dasymutilla sackenii) Female

Wining, Dining, and Mating Among Velvet Ants

Velvet ants, like other wasps and bees feed on nectar. Unlike the female velvet ant, males have wings but no stingers. The male velvet ant will fly low to the ground looking for females. When mating, the female makes a squeaking sound by rubbing one abdominal segment against another. Both will squeak when frightened. It’s the female who is responsible for finding a home for her eggs to hatch but she is sneaky and resourceful and will lay her eggs in another ground wasp or bee’s nest where they will hatch and feed on the bee’s or wasp larvae.

Male White Velvet Ant (Dasymutilla sackenii)

Red Velvet Ant – A.K.A. Cow Killer

Another velvet ant is the red velvet ant and although both the white and the red velvet ant have powerful stings, it’s the red velvet ant (Dasymutilla occidentalis) that has been nicknamed “Cow Killer.” It may hurt, but it doesn’t kill. In humans, if stung, it is said to hurt “like you know what” for a good 20 minutes. The red velvet ant can be found in the eastern and southern states and west to Texas.

Red Velvet Ant (Dasymutilla occidentalis) Cow Killer

What’s age got to do with it? Velvet Ant vs. Creosote

The creosote is as old as the desert itself; Carbon-14 dates have established the germination of creosote seeds during the wet years following the last ice age, about 12,000 years ago. In the Dominican Republic, velvet ants were found incased in 25 to 40 million year old amber. That makes the velvet ant older of the two but one can imagine the white velvet ant thousands of years ago, scurrying across the desert floor and up on the creosote eating nectar from the creosote’s yellow flowers.

These ants, trapped in amber, have features of both ants and wasps.

Creosote Bush, Desert Hot Springs, CA - Spring Flowers

Creosote Bush “Little Smelly One”

The creosote is a native chaparral plant that grows in desert areas throughout the southwestern United States and Northern Mexico. The Mexican People refer to the creosote as “little smelly one” because of its stinky aroma. Creosote has a long history of medicinal properties utilized by the Desert Indians and the Mexican People. Indigenous people used the creosote to relieve cold and flu symptoms; diabetes and arthritis; a poultice for open wounds, and to treat infections, plus many more ailments.

Creosote (Larrea tridentata) Desert Hot Springs, CA - Winter

Creosote a Home for Wildlife

Besides the White Velvet Ant, the Creosote is an important desert plant for wildlife. Tortoises find shelter under the creosote bush where the roots stabilize the soil; reptiles find respite from the hot desert sun; desert woodrats enjoy the foliage, and many other small mammals use if for cover and as a food source.

Sky Valley, Desert Hot Springs, CA - Mt. San Jacinto

Sunday Drive

Next time you’re driving through the desert, take a look at the plant life and if you come upon a creosote bush and decide to pick the flowers, be careful where you reach because one of those fuzzy “fruits” might be a white, female velvet ant!

Mt. Whitney, Lone Pine, CA

White Velvet Ant Video

The video is of a white velvet ant (Dasymutilla sackenii) scurrying across the desert floor.

White Velvet Ant

Hearts Pest Management is committed to the conservation and preservation of our natural resources. As a leader in organic pest control methods for Southern California, Hearts Pest Management provides a conscious, cycle of life, pest management approach for our customers.

Article and Art by Donna Walker
Note: Special permission was obtained from each photographer to display photos.

Velvet Ant and Creosote References:

Schoenherr,Allan A. 1991. A Natural History of California. Berkeley: University of California Press.

Farnsworth, Kahanah, 2005. A Taste of Nature, Patterson Printing.

San Diego Natural History Museum Field Guide Dasymutilla

Exploring the Southwest DesertUSA – Velvet Ants

Wikipedia – Dasymutilla occidentalis

Learning a Work Ethic

My father always made it a point to teach a strong work ethic to me.     

He believes in the somewhat extinct philosophy of a character-driven society; as was ingrained in him by my grandfather (of which I happen to be a cosmetic genetic replica of, by the way.)

The once familiar concept of “All food tastes better, wine tastes sweeter, and sleep feels better when you’ve finished an honest day’s work” went (more or less) lost on me all of these years. I simply wasn’t able to wrap my brain around such an ideal. After all, I had been an avid subscriber to the “me first” ideology that had engulfed so many of my peers. But I digress…

Entering the Field of Pest Control

I had initially begun work in the field of pest control when I was 18 years old in my home town of San Antonio, Texas… And just so you know; I’m an avid Spurs fan, so if you want to talk NBA with me that’s usually who you’re going to hear me bragging about/making excuses for.

I was sharing a room with a friend of mine while working as a waiter at a national chain of sit-down burger restaurants when it suddenly dawned on me that I was barely able to afford the fuel to get to and from work, let alone to cover my share of the rent.

After hours of conversation and volumes of advice, I decided to take up an entry level position in the family business – pest control… But still… something didn’t feel right.

I wasn’t ready.

The responsibility was too much, the pressure was too great.

As admirable as the field was, I wasn’t prepared to accept the obligation that came with the pledge to take care of an individual’s home… and so again… after countless hours of conversation and volumes of advice, I decided to take the jump and relocate to San Diego to live with the source of all afore mentioned positive reinforcement and wisdom – my best friend – my Dad.

It wasn’t until another year and a half later (which is like dog-years to a young adult) that I felt I was ready to hop behind the wheel and start gaining experience in the highly scientific and specialized field of Pest Control.

Practice of Pest Control – Overkill

Not to say that it was easy, however. Different trainers in different companies all operate in differently.  The scientific aspect of our field is occasionally lost, depending on who you’re working with.

I learned pretty quickly that it’s VERY commonplace for some pest control technicians to be more of the “overkill is good!” mindset… These people are typically the ones that keep their jobs just long enough to lose them (and several customers along the way.)

I met a few people who indiscriminately treated every home with an identical, “all around” procedure, ignoring any excessive problem simply for the sake of finishing the job and moving onto the next one.

But we’re not cab drivers.  We’re technicians.  Speed isn’t necessarily our game.  Taking care of your home is.

Life and Teamwork at Hearts Pest Management

Today however, I find myself at a company that I wish I had found myself at sooner. I find myself at a company filled with like-minded individuals, a company filled with hard workers and people who take pride in what they do.  I couldn’t ask for a richer reward.

I had to learn that this is a field that requires an earnest effort.  This is a field that requires mastery to be successful in.

This has been my journey, and regardless of the fact that it’s nowhere near its completion… The food tastes better- the wine, sweeter- the sleep, sounder…  And it’s all thanks to the simple fact that I am part of a team that is thoroughly looking forward to taking care of your home.

Justin Q.
Pest Control Consultant with Heart’s Pest Management

Connecting Pest Control to Nature and The Cycle of Life

The leader in organic pest control for Southern California, Hearts Pest Management provides a conscious, cycle of life, pest management approach for our customers. 

Keeping Pantries Free of Pests – Then and Now

Society has undergone many changes and technical progress over the years but when it comes to food storage, the quest to keep pantries free from pests was as much a concern 2000 years ago as it is today.  During that time period, indigenous people gathered food and stored it in their “pantries” (granary baskets); today we store food in our cupboards and unlike the simple acorn granaries of yesterday, we have fancy packaging and preservatives to make our food last longer.  However, the idea is the same…. keeping food safe from pests for future use.

Felicita Park, Escondido, CA - Prehistoric Village Site

Kumeyaay "Kitchen" Grinding Rocks

“What’s For Dinner?” Food Consumption 2000 Years Ago

If you think about it, everything we do is related to the consumption of food.  Our method of obtaining and storing food has evolved over time but our lives are still focused on the one proverbial question, “What’s for dinner?”  Imagine a scene 2000 years ago when indigenous women in willow skirts gathered acorns from beneath the oak trees and tossed them into burden baskets. The young men climbed the great oaks with long poles to knock down the good acorns for their mothers and sisters to gather.  Acorns were spread out on bedrock to dry in the sun while the boys stood on watch and waved sticks to defend their family’s food from being raided by birds and squirrels.

Kumeyaay woman gathering acorns

Grinding rocks - making acorn meal

California Indian Tribes – Kumeyaay Acorn Food Preparation “Shawii”

After the acorns were dried in the sun, California Indian women cracked the shells with stone tools then placed the nuts in shallow baskets and tossed them into the air (winnowing), to let the wind carry away the skins.   The acorn nuts were ground into a meal for acorn mush.  (In Kumeyaay, the mush is called “shawii”).  Because acorns have bitter tannins (used to tan hides) the women put the meal in tightly woven baskets and placed the baskets in a nearby river or creek to leach out all the tannins.  The acorn meal was then cooked by using hot rocks to stir it.  If available, berries or small animals such as wood rat or rabbits were added to the acorn mush for flavor.  Dinner was finally served!  Yum!

Kumeyaay home (ewaa)

Boy with hunting stick

California Hunters and Gatherers

That was then……..now we get our cereal, meat, and bread from the corner grocery store.  Indigenous women spent their days in the grasslands collecting seeds and gathering acorns from under oak trees; men hunted mule deer and other game, both “worked” together to ensure their families could eat and also to store food in their granary baskets for the future.  Is life today really that different?  Don’t we do the same?  Both men and women working each day to “bring home the bacon,” storing it in our pantries and refrigerators for future use as well?

Mano & Metate for Grinding Acorns

Coast Live Oak

Felicita Park, Escondido, CA - Kumeyaay Prehistoric Village Site

Native American Pest Control

So how did Native Americans keep their “pantries” (acorn granary baskets) free of pests?  Besides insects, rodents, and birds, moisture was also a concern.  Since moisture comes from the ground, the people placed their granary baskets on raised platforms of wood (branches).  The granary baskets were made from the willow tree which contains salicin, a natural insect repellent.  The baskets were lined with sticks and aromatic plants to keep the acorns from falling through and to mask the smell of food from rodents and insects.

Arroyo Willow (used for granary baskets)

Arroyo Willow (Salix Lasiolepis)

Sketch of granary basket raised above ground

California Sagebrush “Cowboy Cologne”

One very fragrant native plant in Southern California is the highly aromatic California Sagebrush (Artemisia californica).  Although the fragrance is similar to sage, the sagebrush is in the sunflower family.  Native Americans rubbed sagebrush on their bodies to mask their human scent before a hunt.  Early miners in California learned of the benefits of the California Sagebrush and put in in their bedding to keep fleas away.   Settlers used it as a body fragrance which gave it the common name of “Cowboy Cologne.”

California Sagebrush (Artemisia californica) "Cowboy Cologne" Lake Hodges, San Diego, CA

Insects as a Food Source for Protein

Not all insects were considered pests.  It could be said that the indigenous people had their own pest management system using a combination of insect repellant plants for making baskets, like the willow, and by eating various insects collected from the plants.  Caterpillars, armyworms, grasshoppers, crickets, ants, and flies were collected in baskets and often roasted as a source of protein.  Insects were considered pests once they began to consume food stored in granaries and as farming progressed, they began to destroy crops.

Delectable Armyworm

Adult Acorn Weevil

The Acorn Weevil Pest

The number one pest of the acorn from past to the present is the acorn weevil (Curculio pardus). It has a long snout for chewing holes into the shells of the acorns.  The female acorn weevil sucks the fat out of a developing acorn, leaving most of it for the larvae that hatch from the eggs she lays inside the holes.  When the acorns are heavy with larvae they fall to the ground.  The larvae tunnel out of the acorn holes and bury themselves into the soil until they mature 2-3 years later into adult weevils.  Native Americans controlled the infestation of larvae in the soil by using fire to burn under the oaks and clear the area for acorn harvest in the fall.

Acorn Weevil Video

Video from National Geographic:

Acorn Weevil | National Geographic Education Video

www.natgeoeducationvideo.com/film/492/acorn-weevil

California Indian Tribes Today

Many of today’s Native American Tribes practice the tradition of preparing acorns for acorn mush and continue to pass on their skills in basket making and pottery to their children.  The Kumeyaay once used Felicita Park in Escondido, CA as a village site, however, many Kumeyaay now live in San Diego’s East County and down into Baja California.  Kumeyaay Martha Rodriguez teaches basket weaving at various locations through-out San Diego County and also teaches traditional foods at Kumeyaay Community College in El Cajon, CA.

Mini granary basket with acorn

Donna at a baskety weaving class taught by Martha Rodriguez, Mission Trails Regional Park, San Diego, CA

Try Grinding Some of Your Own Nuts

Next time you go grocery shopping, think about the convience of how we are able to obtain food so easily and all the varieties we have to choose from, not just what’s in season.  Try grinding some of your own nuts using a pestle and mortar and imagine the amount of nuts the indigenous people had to grind, in order to obtain enough acorn meal to feed their families.  So………“What’s for dinner?”

Article and Illustrations by Donna Walker         

Prehistoric Pests, Native American Tribes, California Indians References

National Geographic Educational Videos – Acorn Weevil

Native American Granaries

Organization for California Indian Education – Mission Baskets

Kumeyaay Information Center

Hearst Museum Berkeley Teaching Kit

Sudden Oak Death Syndrome

Kumeyaay College

Anyway, last week we went on such an inspection but backed off immediately when we saw damage that had been caused by a pest control company that is active in flea control and attempted to do something similar for mite control. The company used Bayer Drione dust. They used a heavy volume applicator to push the pesticide throughout the attic.

Attic Covered in Pesticide Dust - An Over-Application

The ceiling was very porous and no attempt was made by the company to seal the openings. I don’t think a good seal was ever really possible here. As a result, the pesticide came through openings from the attic and pushed down into the living space of this house.

The potential customer was complaining of heavy coughing. No wonder. Look at all the pesticide on this persons’ computer screen.

Computer Screen Covered in Pesticide Dust

The potenital customer was told that we could not do any kind of evaluation until the current pesticide exposure was measured and most likely goes through a total cleanup – attic and living space. The customer was referred to Pro-Active Environmental Services, which specializes in the inspection and evaluation of environmental hazards.

It is due to the difficulty in controlling the flow of dust, as the term implies, that Hearts Pest Management RARELY uses dust and never with a high volume emitter.

This fire was caused by a pest control company performing a heat treatment in food containers. The containers exploded and damaged the warehouse. The heat from the explosion ignited the fire supression system inside the warehouse and that caused subsequent flooding which damaged tons of boxed inventory of food. All of this because the processing company wanted a “non-fumigant/chemical” option.

So while non-chemical heat treatments may be a viable option for termites and bed bugs, consider that the results of a non-chemical treatment can in fact be very toxic. All options have their own set of risks. This risk perhaps needing a bit more safety precautions, project management, calculation. Need I say more.

by Donna Walker

MTRP Trail Guide and Hearts Pest Management Customer Service

Hearts Pest Management, the leader in organic pest control for Southern California, provides a conscious, cycle of life pest management approach while maintaining an interest in the preservation of our natural resources and wildlife.   The Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis), or “Blue-belly,” a constant companion to gardeners, manages the pest population in its own way by clearing a garden of beetles, flies, ants, caterpillars, spiders, and crickets.

western fence lizard showing off for the female

The Western Fence Lizard Basks in the Sun

The Western Fence Lizard is often seen scurrying through vegetation to higher elevations where it will bask in the sun on a rock, (or a fence), regulating its body temperature and keeping an eye out for unsuspecting insects.  Common inCalifornia, the Western Fence Lizard is considered a spiny lizard with overlapping scales, lighter or darker in color depending upon their environment, and about 6 inches in length, including the tail.  Because the Western Fence Lizard likes to sun itself out in the open, it is often more prey than predator. 

Blue Belly Lizard Females Say All’s fair in Love and War

The male Western Fence Lizard has yellow on its thighs and a blue belly, hence the name “Blue-belly.”  The female also has blue on her belly but not on the throat and the color isn’t as vibrant as the male’s iridescent aqua-marine coloring.  The males are territorial and will do “push-ups” when another male is near, or when a female is present, showing off their blue belly.  Another interesting trait of the blue-belly is their ability to “throw” their tail to get away from an enemy.  Eventually, the tail will grow back; however, the female Western Fence Lizard is very picky about courtship and won’t even look at a male who has lost its tail.  Mating is in the spring at which time the female lays a clutch of up to 10 eggs that hatch during mid-summer.

wertern fence lizard drawing

Western Fence Lizard’s Winter Rest

If you wonder why you don’t see too many of these natural pest control agents during the winter months, it’s because the Western Fence Lizard becomes dormant, a hibernation-like state when its metabolism slows down and it becomes inactive, burrowing under rocks, layers of leaves or tree trunks.  

Western Fence Lizard eating a Jerusalem Cricket

Beneficial Lizard Protects Us from Disease

The Western Fence Lizard isn’t just for entertainment and keeping garden pests at bay; studies within the last several years indicate in areas likeSouthern California, with a higher population of the Western Fence Lizard, there are less incidents of lyme disease.  Western black-legged ticks carry the bacteria for lyme disease which can be transferred to humans but when a tick feeds off the blood of the Western Fence Lizard, the protein in the blood of the lizard kills the bacteria and the tick is no longer a threat to humans.

Western Black Legged Tick on leaf

Western Fence Lizard - Human Benefactor

Lizards in the Home

The Western Fence Lizard is a welcome companion in the garden and in the yard but if you find one inside your home, there are a couple ways of rescuing the blue-belly and releasing it outdoors.  The first method is called “noosing” in which you make a small loop with a long piece of string or dental floss and slip it over the lizard’s head, then tighten gently before it has a chance to race through the noose (this takes a little skill).  Another method is to place a small box over the blue-belly and slowly slip a piece of cardboard underneath the box to close the opening, then lift both box and cardboard and take them outside.  To keep lizards and other small critters from coming into the home, especially under doors, close off any caps ¼ in or larger.

western fence lizard

Western Fence Lizard References:

University of California, Davis Integrated Pest Management                                       

California Academy of Sciences/

San Diego Natural History Museum 

Wikipedia on the Western Fence Lizard

California Herps – A Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles in California 

Barbara Bentler – Artist and Author

University of California, Davis – Entomology Department

Schoenherr, Allan A. 1991. A Natural History of California.Berkeley: University of CaliforniaPress.

By Donna Walker, MTRP Trail Guide and Hearts pest control customer service representative

Hearts Pest Management – An Environmentally Activist Company

Hearts Pest Management is committed to the conservation and preservation of our natural resources.  The leader in organic pest control methods for Southern California, we at Hearts Pest Management do our best to provide a conscious, cycle of life pest management approach for our customers. 

Mission Trails Guides Journey to Santa Margarita Reserve in Fallbrook

As a trail guide and naturalist, I was invited to hike the Santa Margarita Ecological Reserve in Fallbrook, CA where a group of us, led by one of the Reserve’s docents, explored the rich riparian ecosystem of native plants and wildlife.  The Santa Margarita Ecological Reserve is dedicated to keeping the land it in its natural state for educational and research purposes. 

Mission Trails Regional Park (MTRP) Trail Guides

Santa Margarita Creek and Oak Woodlands

Anxious to “get back to nature” our group started out along a path through the coast live oak woodlands where the docent spoke about the native oaks and the importance of preserving the land along the Santa Margarita River, one of the last “free-flowing” rivers in the coastal Southern California region.  Walking through the dappled sunshine, crunching fallen leaves, I felt like I was in the middle of a wilderness and could imagine the Native Americans, the Luisenos, trampling the same path in their agave sandals.

Santa Margarita Reserve Oak Woodlands - Coast Live Oak

Santa Margarita Creek

I spotted a small seedling in the middle of the trail with an acorn from the coast live oak still attached and thought to myself, “so that’s how acorns grow into big oak trees.”  I was too embarrassed to share my thoughts with my fellow trail guides because, of course, oak trees do come from acorns.  It’s just that I had never seen an acorn take root before and I was so in awe of this little life growing out of the ground. 

Acorn Sprouting in Santa Margarita Ecological Reserve

Acorn Sprouting

Further along the trail, I looked up into the branches of an oak and found what is called an oak gall, or oak apple.  These “apples” are not for eating since they contain frass (insect pooh).  Some galls are beautiful and different in color; the coast live oak gall tends to be a light reddish-brown or beige.  From my trail guide training at Mission Trails, I remembered that the oak gall is created by the larvae of a cynipid wasp.  The wasp lays its eggs in the bark or on a leaf, once the eggs are hatched, the larvae then begin to chew and the saliva triggers a chemical reaction in the oak tree, causing tissue to form into small balls.  These ancient coast live oaks host over 200 species of gall wasps, more than any other tree in the western states.

Coast Live Oak Gall - Oak Apple

Gall Wasps found in Santa Margarita Ecological Reserve

The White Lined Sphinx Moth and European Cabbage White Butterfly

Up ahead, several hikers were gathered around Bill Howell, MTRP Trail Guide Instructor and Naturalist, to look at the caterpillar he had in his hand.   It was green and yellow with a horn; a White-lined sphinx caterpillar.  This little guy likes to eat the flowers from the native evening primrose but in domestic gardens, it will settle for the flowers of a fuchsia.  The sole purpose of the sphinx caterpillar is to eat and get fat before transcending into its moth state.

White Lined Sphinx Moth

White Lined Sphinx Caterpillar

Cabbage White Butterfly

Santa Margarita Ecological Reserve

White Lined Sphinx Moth in Wikipedia

Article by Donna Jensen 

Hearts Pest Management Customer Service and MTRP Trail Guide

Spiders, trap doors, jumping acrobats, oh my!

General Spider Information

Spiders can be identified by their 8 legs (jointed) and 2 body parts.  They do not have wings or antennae.  Since they spend most of their lives capturing and eating other insects, they are a natural form of pest management, however, they too can become pests once they decide to make webs inside your home.  Most spiders are not dangerous to humans but many of us fear them because of the way they look.  Spiders will bite out of their own fear and try to defend themselves when disturbed.  

Venomous Spiders

In California, the only spider to really be careful of is the venomous black widow.  The black widow usually lives in dark places like woodpiles, attics, and garages.  In size, it is a half to one inch in length; its body is shiny with a large abdomen and a red/orange marking in the shape of an hourglass on the underside of its belly.  Spraying with pesticides is more effective when the actual spider and/or egg sac is sprayed.

A black widow spider hanging out in a corner

Another venomous spider commonly feared but is often misidentified is the brown recluse.  It is not native to California.  If the brown recluse has been found in California, it was most likely brought here from its native habitat, the south-central portion of the Midwest.  Like the black widow, the recluse likes to hide in dark spaces or corners.  It is about a half-inch long, and light brown in color.  It has 6 eyes rather than 8 like other spiders.  You can read more about venomous spiders and treatment for bites at California Poison Control

Brown Recluse Spider Resting in Wait for Prey

Scary But Fun Spiders

Jumping spiders are the largest family of spiders with more than 300 species in the United States.  Hunters by day they make no web but instead they stalk and pounce on their prey by jumping long distances.  Jumping spiders diets include earwigs, flies and such other pests.  They are easily identifiable by their large, middle eyes, giving them the keenest vision of all spiders and the ability to respond to any movement up to 18 inches away.  As true acrobats, jumping spiders attach a safety strand of silk just prior to leaping from one area to another.

A Jumping Spider in Plain View

Trapdoor spiders

A trapdoor spider in plain view

Trapdoor spiders are curious looking creatures ranging from Virginia, South to Florida and West to California.   The California Trapdoor Spider lives in chaparral coastal sage scrub and mid-level forest habitats.  It burrows into the hillside and low embankments along trails making a perfect hole complete with a trapdoor hinged with silk for sneaking out and catching unsuspecting prey.  It resembles a small tarantula with shiny, rather than hairy legs. This spider is non-aggressive but may rear up and show its fangs if harassed. 

A trapdoor spider peeking out of a hole

A trapdoor spider close up

A close relative to the tarantula, trapdoor spiders are smaller and have shiny rather than hairy legs.  Their chelicerae (jaws) are strong like rakes which helps loosen the earth when digging to create their homes.  The burrow is then lined with silk and looks like a hollow tube.  The female lays eggs in the fall at the bottom and covers them with a sac attached to the tunnel wall.  Once the spiderlings are hatched, she cares for and feeds them all through the winter. 

When a potential meal comes close such as cricket or even a small lizard, the spider uses its strong chelicerae to hold the trap door shut, waits until it can feel the vibration of the passing prey, then quickly throws the lid open, grabs the unsuspecting prey and returns with it down the tube. 

Since the trapdoor spiders in California make their burrows along slopes in the chaparral and forest habitats, their distribution tends to be localized and may be subject to extinction because of local habitat destruction.  These spiders would not be considered pests but a species to protect.  Below is a picture of a California Trapdoor Spider taken on the Oak Grove Loop at Mission Trails Regional Park.