Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, August 19, 1993 TAG: 9308180155
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-12 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: Joe Hunnings
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
\ Chiggers: Although they are not common throughout Virginia, chiggers still show up in many locations and cause their fair share of irritation to those walking in the woods or out "berry picking."
Chiggers are the parasitic stage (larvae) of soil-inhabiting mites. The later stages (called nymphs, then adults) are not parasitic. Chiggers attach themselves to clothing or directly on the skin.
Soon after, they move close to a hair and begin the process of crawling into the hair follicle. Contrary to commonly-held belief, chiggers do not burrow into the skin; they just insert their mouthparts during feeding. Close to the hair, they inject some fluid into the skin with their mouthparts, and this helps them crawl down the hair and imbed close to its base.
Chiggers usually end up in places where the clothing is tight - like belt lines or sock lines - where they can get a little "help" crawling down hair follicles. Once there, they can feed for several hours, perhaps longer, before moving out and dropping to the ground.
It is the saliva from their mouthparts that causes the itching reaction - just like the reaction from a mosquito, which also injects some saliva into the skin to keep the blood from coagulating while it's feeding (nice touch!).
Chiggers do not spread any known diseases to man or animals. The only real problem is that they can cause some intense and long-term itching. There are numerous "home cures" for chiggers, such as daubing nail polish on the red, itchy spots, and alcohol rubs; I'm not sure about any of them.
Keep in mind that, while the chigger attaches to its host for just a short time, the itching can last much longer. In fact, the chigger that caused the itch may have dropped to the ground by the time the itching has started.
Probably the best action to take against chiggers is prevention. If you know there are chiggers in an area, use a repellent. Applying a repellent around the ankles and pants cuffs can help keep chiggers off.
\ Fleas: June and July are the times when pet flea infestations begin to get serious. The typically hot and humid weather is excellent for the speedy development of this common household pest. Pets may begin to show in- HOEIN' & GROWIN' JOE HUNNINGS creased scratching, and homeowners may begin to experience bites. Infestations seem to hit their peak in late summer and fall.
A little knowledge of the flea life cycle is helpful in understanding how to control this pest. Adult fleas spend 90 percent of their time on the host animal and the remainder on household substrates such as carpeting and furniture. The eggs are laid on the host dog or cat, but they fall off to land in the carpet.
The immature stages remain in the carpet, feeding on organic matter and bits of dried blood that are produced by the feeding of the adult fleas. Thus, the problem with flea control - the adults are found in one area (the host) and the immature stages in another area (the carpet). This makes fleas a difficult pest to control!
Controlling indoor flea infestations on pets must include treatment of the pet - to eliminate as many adult fleas as possible - and it must include vacuuming and proper use of pesticides to carpet and furniture inside the house.
Here are some suggestions for a successful solution:
Total-release aerosols do not seem to work as well as a directed spray from a can. People like to say they have "bombed" the house - it makes 'em feel they did all they could! But, a spray can be directed more effectively.
Use sprays to treat areas in the house where the pet frequently sleeps or rests. Vacuum these areas first, then spray.
Vacuuming can be an effective control method for household flea infestations, but you'll have to do it correctly. Vacuum the pet sleeping/resting areas, but vacuum at the rate of just one square foot per minute! The best machine to use is one with a beater bar. Again, cover just one square foot per minute! That's pretty slow, but it's very effective in getting up some (only some!) flea larvae, most of the eggs, and a lot of the food that the larvae depend on to live and grow into healthy adults. Throw away the vacuum bag when you're done!
Steam cleaning carpeting also is an effective way to control flea larvae.
Fleas are resistant to some insecticides used in aerosols and even to some chemicals used by professionals. If a product doesn't work, try another. If you've called in professional pest control operators, ask them to use Precor along with the insecticide spray. Precor is a growth regulator, and it may help to limit the development of larvae into adult fleas.
\ Yellowjackets: The end of summer means the beginning of problems with yellowjackets. These yellow-and-black and white-and-black wasps (bald-faced hornets really are yellowjackets) are often pests in public playgrounds or where nests are near regular outdoor activities such as lawn mowing.
During the summer, these wasps are busy gathering caterpillars and other insects as food for the larvae in the nests (ground nests and aerial nests). Taking care of and expanding the nest and feeding hungry larvae take up most of their time, until late summer and fall. By then, the larvae are fully-grown and have become wasps, there are few new larvae in the nest, and the majority of the colony's residents are out looking to feed themselves.
Trash cans and soft drink containers are favorite places for yellowjackets, since the sugar content of soft drinks is attractive.
The best way to eliminate a ground nest is to mark it during the day but to actually treat it at night. When it's dark, the yellowjackets are all in the nest, relatively inactive, and cannot see well. If necessary, you can use a red light. Drench the nest with a gallon or two of insecticide mixed in water in a bucket, then seal it off with a shovel-full of soil.
To treat an aerial nest, use a special aerosol insecticide can that can shoot a straight, strong stream of liquid capable of penetrating the nest's paper covering. This is also best done at night; again, use a red light to see what you're doing.
by CNB