Flea and ant training classes

This year's ant ID class will be more physically distant than
last year's class; but will offer the same hands-on opportunities
to become an ant identification pro.

I am happy to announce two new training opportunities this summer.  The IPM Experience House is hosting a real, in-person (physically distanced) ant identification class on July 16.  Enrollment is limited to 15 and registration information can be found at https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu/productListingDetails/3150

This is the first post COVID-19 class we've offered at the Dallas Center.  We will be following university guidelines that require us to take all reasonable precautions to keep everyone safe.  Every student will have their own microscope and supplies, class size is limited and everyone will be kept at least 6 feet apart.  We ask that you bring your own mask. Disinfectant will be provided.

Now that we've covered all the essential safety information, this is a great class.  It is our goal to offer it once a year to anyone wanting to improve their ant identification skills.  The class is a mix of lecture, ant identification using microscopes, and outdoor demonstration. Our principal instructor is Dr. Robert Puckett, urban Extension entomologist from College Station. We hope to see you there.

The second opportunity I'm especially pleased to tell you about is a new online class called Flea and Tick Biology and Control.  This class can be taken on your own time, any day of the week.  Cost is only $25 for CEU credit with both Structural and Ag CEUs.  No face masks required! To learn more and to register, click here.

This course will help you identify fleas and important tick species.  It goes into the biology of these important parasites, and provides practical advice on control strategies and personal protection. Best of all, the class is designed to move quickly and keep you engaged as you learn.

These two course represent the future of pesticide applicator training as we move into a post-COVID world. We will continue to embrace the use of more training technology while continuing to make use of face-to-face classes. Expect to see more online courses like this in the future. 

As a reminder, currently the Texas Department of Agriculture allows license holders to get credit for online CEUs every other year.  If you used online CEUs last year, the Structural Pest Control Service (TDA) is allowing your to get your CEUs online again this year due to the COVID situation; however don't assume that will be allowed again. If you get even just some of your CEUs online this year, you will likely not be able to get CEUs remotely next year.  I assume that these rules will continue to evolve as technology and the world adjusts to working remotely.

For our part, I know my extension colleagues and I are all committed to making online training less painful and more interactive.   Other currently available online classes of interest to PMPs include:

• 20 Hour Structural Pest Control Apprentice Training Course

• 6 Hour School IPM Course for TDA

• Ants 101

• Texas Lawn and Ornamental Pest Management

• School IPM Refresher

Keep looking

Cigarette and drugstore beetles can be some of the most frustrating pests to deal with. Aside from putting out pheromone traps to try and pinpoint the origin of beetles in the house, and a good initial inspection, much of the work will have to be done by your customer.

A recent email from Devin Osborne of Osborne Pest and Turf in Austin, TX illustrates the problem. A new customer called with a persistent problem of small brown beetles he thought were emerging from an old headboard.  Rule number one: Don't assume the customer is right when it comes to diagnosing a pest. For insect identification nothing beats a good microscope or hand lens and ID guides. And keep an open mind about the likely source of an insect problem regardless of the customer thinks. 

Devin did trust his field guides and experience, and diagnosed the problem as drugstore beetle. The question remained, where are they coming from? A good PMP knows that no amount of insecticide spraying can solve a stored product pest problem.  Getting to the source is essential.

The customer took Devin's advice and went through "everything from grain to leather". The only real clue was that they only showed up in the adjoining master bedroom, master bathroom and closet.  Other rooms in the house appeared to be pest-free.  Rule number two: Don't assume it is not a stored product pest just because it's not in the kitchen.

A perfect protected feeding place for drugstore
beetles.  

Hot Booties contain linseed, one of many possible
foods for cigarette beetle.  

Eventually, after encouraging the customer to keep looking--success. An old pair of slippers called "Hot Booties" were suspicious. After googling the manufacturer, the customer learned that the booties (designed to be put in the microwave to heat for toasty tootsies) were full of linseed.  Rule number three: Exercise extreme caution when googling "hot booties".  Children should probably not be present in the room when you do.

Of course linseed is a type of grain, and any grain or seed or meal is fair food for stored product pests like drugstore beetle. In fact, any type of spice (paprika is a favorite), grains, nuts, seeds, breakfast cereal, bread, pet food, even some drugs can be food for cigarette and drugstore beetles.  These two species are some of the least discriminating stored product pest feeders.

Other situations to look for:

• taxidermy
• old rodent bait packets or stations
• old kid's art project
• accumulations of dead insects in lights
• chili pepper decorations
• cigars and cigarettes
• furniture stuffing
• potpourri 

And when the homeowner insists that there is no food source nearby, tell them to keep looking.  If you have any unusual places you have discovered stored product pests, I'd love to hear them. Just add a comment in the comment section below.

Tiny insects tell stories

A variety of beetles with similar feeding behaviors, sometimes collectively
called "plaster beetles". Drawing from Mallis Handbook of Pest Control.
These are tiny beetles ranging in size from 1-3 mm.

Who doesn't love a story?  Humans are suckers for narratives, so it's natural we should be interested when insects have their own stories to tell.  Especially when they are tiny insects that come from, seemingly, out of nowhere.

Among the insects I've been seeing lately are a group of beetles historically called "plaster beetles" or "mold beetles".  Though no longer a very accurate moniker (since joint compound has mostly replaced plaster in construction), plaster beetles feed on the fungi and mold spores found on building materials (including plaster and gypsum) after being exposed to rain and humidity during construction. The most common plaster and mold beetles come from the families Lathridiidae and Cryptophagidae (the Latin translation of which means "hidden feeders"). According to Smith and Whitman in the NPMA Field Guide to Structural Pests, these beetles can also become serious pests in otherwise squeaky-clean pharmaceutical, food manufacturing, canning and bottling facilities.

In Frank Meek's chapter on occasional invaders in the Mallis Handbook of Pest Control, he notes that the life cycle of plaster beetles can be completed in as little as 13 to 28 days.  That's pretty fast for an insect, and it explains how hundreds or thousands of tiny beetles can "suddenly" appear, coming from the walls and flooring of new homes. These beetles can also show up in older homes when moisture and high humidity occur.

Tiny (0.75 mm) beetle larvae swept up from a wood floor with
moisture "issues". The likely diagnosis is some kind of plaster or mold
beetle. Within weeks adult beetles will be infesting the home and
puzzling everyone as to their identity. 

I have always wanted to see (but never have seen) the immature stages of these beetles feeding in walls on building materials; and I've never heard of anyone else having seen them either.  Our deductions about what plaster and mold beetles are doing indoors are based on these beetles' biology, what they are known to feed on, and accounts of when and how the adult beetles appear. 

I recently received a sample from a PMP that comes close to providing "smoking gun" evidence for how these beetles come to infest buildings.  The sample consisted of thousands of the tiniest larvae swept up from a wooden floor (see picture).  As expected, the floor reportedly had moisture issues. Somewhere, hidden under the glued-down flooring of that home,  I imagined millions of "plaster beetles" breeding while feeding on mold spores and fungi associated with the slowly rotting wood.

Most plaster beetle problems can be solved by eliminating the source of moisture (and patience).  In new homes that were exposed to the elements during construction, properly designed and installed HVAC systems should eventually drive down humidity in the walls and floors. It may take multiple months, but eventually these beetles will disappear as molds desiccate and go dormant.

Wooden floors glued to concrete slab foundations pose a different challenge, as my wife and I learned the hard way.  We paid a contractor who assured us he had successfully installed many wood floors as glue downs on concrete slab foundations (the most common house foundation in our area). A few months after installation we noticed cupping and buckling of the new floor.  A moisture meter showed high (up to 20%) moisture in parts of the installed flooring. We had no water leaks under the house, but natural moisture exists under any concrete slab.  We got off relatively easily by pulling up all warped sections of flooring, putting down a chemical moisture barrier (usually epoxy or urethane based), reinstalling the wood and having the whole floor hand-scraped to hide further imperfections. Over ten years later we've not had any more problems, but I learned my lesson.  There are plenty of contractors out there who do not plan for moisture, and hardwood floors will fail because of it.

An unidentified cossonine weevil (2 mm) collected from a home with
moisture problems.  The presence of similar-looking beetles
should alert PMPs to likely moisture issues.  Note the elongated
face typical of weevils.

While we didn't have insects associated with our wood flooring, some do. Besides plaster beetles, another insect that can occur in wood floors is a group called the "wood weevils".  This is a name for beetles in the weevil subfamily Cossoninae.  I find little written about these weevils in the scientific or pest control literature, but have seen evidence from several homes where these beetles are associated with moist wood. In nature these beetles are found in damp and rotting wood--presumably the same resource that draws these beetles indoors. Unlike termites, these wood weevils don't seem capable of feeding on dry, sound wood; so treatment consists of solving the moisture issue and replacing the damaged wood. These beetles are most likely to be confused with powderpost beetles, so look carefully before diagnosing.

The next time you are faced with tiny beetles in a home that do not seem to fit the description of stored product pests, consider plaster beetles and wood weevils. They may be trying to tell you a story about your customer's home.

What PMPs need to know about the Asian giant hornet

The large yellow-orange head and dark eyes and dark thorax
distinguish the Asian giant hornet from similar large wasps.
Photo courtesy Washington State Department of Agriculture.

If ever there was an insect pest designed to generate fear and panic, it would be the Asian giant hornet, Vespula mandarinia. The largest wasp in the world, with a sting once described like a hot nail being punched through the skin, we should give this wasp credit. It is one scary dude (or more accurately dude-ess).

Adding to the hornet's fearsome reputation is it's impact on honey bees. One of the favored foods for the Asian giant hornet is the brood and workers of social wasps and bees, including honey bees. In the fall hornets start actively searching for bee and wasp nests.  Once a nest is discovered, the hornets overpower the inhabitants, bite off their heads and consume the brood and honey [in the case of honey bees].

Commercial honey bee apiaries are especially vulnerable to hornet attack because of the close spacing of hives.  An apiary can quickly turn into a scene of pillage and destruction as wasps move from hive to hive.

So that's the essence of the bad news that you can read in most media accounts of the hornet. Here are a few things every PMP should know about this hornet as you talk with your customers. 

Background

The largest wasp in the world, the Asian giant hornet is
1 to 1 ½ inches long with a ¼ inch-long stinger.  Photo
courtesy Washington State Department of Agriculture.

The Asian giant hornet was first detected in September, 2019 on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, about 200 miles northwest of Seattle, WA.  In December, three months later, a dead wasp was found in the small town of Blaine, Washington (100 miles north of Seattle) and reported to the Washington Department of Agriculture.  It was confirmed as the first detection of Vespa mandarinia in the U.S.  As of last February according to the USDA, so far a total of six sightings have been confirmed from British Columbia and Washington State (September through December).

You need to know. So far this wasp is only found in Washington State and British Columbia.  There is practically zero chance that anyone outside northwest Washington and southern BC will encounter this wasp this year.  Most of your experience with this wasp will be explaining to customers why they are not the first house in their state to get Asian giant hornets, aka "murder hornets" (more on identification tips below).

Spread

Asian giant wasps from Japan (A, B), India (C.) and Washington state
(D) show some color variability, but all have the distinctive yellow-orange
head with dark eyes. Photo credits: Yasunori Koide, Wikimedia Commons
(A); Alpsdake, Wikimedia Commons (B); Chief Red Earth,
https://indiabiodiversity.org (C); Sven-Erik Spichiger, Washington State
Department of Agriculture (D). Composite image from USDA
APHIS response guidelines 2020.

Researchers are still unsure how the Asian giant hornet made its way to North America, but suspect that mated, overwintering queens may have been transported in soil-containing plant pots shipped from Asia. A similar route of entry was responsible for introducing another Asian hornet to France a few years ago.  Recent genetic analyses suggest that the wasp was introduced on at least two occasions very recently.

You need to know. Human transport of the wasp has occurred but it is likely a rare event.  It is more difficult to transport a social insect, because it must be transported either as a mated queen or as an intact colony.  Individual hornet workers do not survive long if separated from their colony.  In my opinion, this means that, given reasonable precautions, we shouldn't expect rapid spread of this wasp throughout the states.  On the other hand, it is estimated that the wasps would be capable of surviving in plant hardiness zones 6 and above, which means that about 2/3 of the U.S. may ultimately be capable of supporting this hornet.

Activity

Like our smaller, ground-nesting yellowjacket wasps, Asian giant hornets build underground nests that survive for one growing season.  Queens leave the nest with the coming of cold weather and overwinter in protected hiding places until mid-spring when they emerge and hunt by themselves. Small colonies are formed and by early- to mid-summer worker wasps are produced and cooperative nest building proceeds. Not until fall do these wasps go on their campaigns of slaughter and occupation of bee hives.

You need to know.  Most people will face little risk of stings from Asian giant hornets.  These insects are aggressively territorial only when their nest is disturbed. Nests are usually found in wooded areas and only occupied by guard hornets from mid-summer through the fall. If their biology turns out to be similar to our native yellowjacket wasps, most nest encounters (and stings) will occur after the nest grows in size in late summer and fall (September and October). There is a more limited time frame in the fall (October and November) when honey bee hives are at risk from attack by wasps.  Fall will be the time to be most concerned about stings and beehive attacks from these wasps.

Identification

This may be the most useful information in this post, as most of a PMP's role will be reassuring the public that any big insects they see are NOT Asian giant hornets.

Since this is the world's largest wasp, the first thing is to measure its length.  Workers range from 20 to 40 mm-long (up to 1 ½ inches) and queens up to 45 mm (2 inches).  While coloration patterns can differ, the most distinctive and prominent feature is the yellow head that contrasts with dark eyes and thorax. See this useful chart published by the Washington State Department of Agriculture and this training slideset developed by USDA APHIS.

North American social wasps similar to Vespa mandarinia. (clockwise from left) A. European giant hornet (Vespa crabro); B. Bald-faced hornet (Dolichovespula maculata); C. Western cicada killer (Sphecius grandis); D. Eastern cicada killer (Sphecius speciosus); E. Pacific cicada killer (Sphecius convallis). From New Pest Response Guidelines for Vespa mandarinia, USDA APHIS, 2-2020.  

The closest relative of the Asian giant hornet is Vespa crabro, the European giant hornet. In the south and west, cicada killer wasps are the most common giant hornet look-alikes, reaching up to 1 ½ inches in length, but are generally more slender and lacking the large yellow-orange head and contrasting black eyes.

You need to know. There are lots of big insects that people will mistake for Asian giant hornets.  The chance of encountering one of these invasive hornets outside of Washington state is about zero right now. But be ready to put a name on the insects your customers will bring to you.

Hornet vs. Wasp

In this post I've used the terms hornet and wasp almost interchangeably. That is because hornets are a kind of wasp.  The term wasp refers generally to any member of the insect order Hymenoptera that is not a bee or an ant.  Most of the stinging wasps we think of as pests belong to the wasp family Vespidae.  The term hornet refers to vespid wasps in the genus Vespa.  In the U.S. we have only two species of hornet, the European giant hornet and (now) the Asian giant hornet. Despite its common name, the baldfaced hornet in the genus Dolichovespula is considered a type of yellowjacket wasp, so is not technically a hornet. 

You need to know. There are only two true hornets in the U.S., however, the smaller yellowjacket wasps and Polistes paper wasps are also social and will aggressively defend their nests like hornets and some bees.  Any of these species can be considered pests when their nests are built in areas where people travel or live.

Control

Japanese hornet-hunters wear special protective gear to excavate a nest.  These special suits are designed to be slippery so the hornet cannot hold on; and are made of tough fabric that keeps stingers from penetrating. Note the use of smoke to calm the hornets while removing brood for human consumption. Photo credit Nonaka, 2008. From USDA APHIS 2020.

A variety of approaches have been taken to control the Asian giant hornet, but none seem capable of eradicating the pest at this time.  The USDA APHIS recently published response guidelines for the Asian giant hornet which includes a summary of different control measures with pros and cons of their use. Pest management professionals who encounter this hornet should be aware that traditional bee protective suits are not adequate protection for the one-quarter inch stingers carried by this hornet. In Japan special suits are sold ($700-$900) to protect people exterminating or digging up hornet colonies for food.

You need to know. Killing individual wasps through baits or sprays will not control this species. Locating and exterminating the nest is what is being attempted in Washington state right now. Anyone who encounters a suspected Asian giant hornet should contact their state department of agriculture or a university entomologist.  Do not attempt to remove or kill a suspected Asian giant hornet nest without adequate personal protective equipment.

Kudzu bug: A new Texas pest... or not?

Kudzu bug has a unique ovoid shape. The wings
are hidden under a shield-like scutellum, making
it look more like a beetle than a true bug. Photo
by Dan Suiter, University of Georgia.  

In October 2009, millions of small, pill-like bugs startled homeowners across nine counties in northeast Georgia. The never-before-seen insects covered the sides of homes by the thousands, and concerned citizens began calling Extension offices daily. Though puzzled at first, entomologists eventually identified the insect as "kudzu bug", an exotic insect never before seen in the U.S.

The kudzu bug, Megacopta cribraria, is native to Asia, where it is widely distributed. As its name implies, its preferred host plant is the invasive weed, kudzu.  No one knows how it got here, but like many invasive pests it made itself at home quickly.  Highly mobile, within a year the kudzu bug had spread to 60 north and central Georgia counties.  Two years later every county in the state had them.

Last week Texas became the 14th state with verified populations of kudzu bug.  Sharp-eyed county Extension agent Kim Benton reported kudzu bugs from a home garden in Rusk, TX, south of Tyler. The bugs were clustered on eggplant and other vegetables before being transplanted into the garden.

Description and damage

It is hard to mistake kudzu bug for anything else.  The bug is beetle-like in appearance with a unique, four-sided, ovoid shape.  It is greenish-brown and shiny, up to 1/4 inch-long (3.5-6 mm).  It uses its piercing/sucking mouthparts to feeding on the sap of kudzu and other legumes.

For soybean farmers and vegetable growers kudzu bug is another pest to battle. The bugs overwinter close to kudzu, their favorite food in the spring.  But in summer they move into soybeans where they can cause significant yield reductions. To a lesser extent they feed and reproduce on sweet peas, snap beans, cowpeas, lima beans and wisteria.  It may be seen on other plants as well, where it gathers temporarily, usually to move on in a day or so.

Is it a good bug?

Anyone familiar with the weed kudzu will be excused for thinking that having kudzu bug might be a good thing.  After all, one of the reasons kudzu is such a horrible weed is that few things eat it.  Wouldn't it be good to have an insect to keep kudzu in its place?

That's what the good folks in Georgia hoped.  But according to Georgia extension entomologist Phillip Roberts, their optimism didn't last.  "The first years we saw what we thought was a lessening of the kudzu problem.  Other weeds seemed to be competing more effectively with the kudzu."  But after a year, he said, the kudzu seemed unfazed.  "There has not been any noticeable decline in kudzu growth since the beetle moved in."

A (minor) crossover pest

Kudzu bugs cover the eave of a home in Georgia. Photo by
Dan Suiter.

Kudzu bug is one of very few agricultural pests that are structural pests as well. Problems in Georgia with kudzu bug are mostly restricted to homes near kudzu patches and soybean fields (rare) in Texas.  According to Georgia extension entomologist Dan Suiter, unlike the multicolored Asian lady beetle, kudzu bugs are attracted to buildings in the fall but rarely come indoors. "We never really see them getting inside," he said.

Nevertheless, expect that some homeowners will be upset over thousands of bugs clustering on the outside of their homes, especially on white-painted gutters, siding and around windows. Also, the bugs have an odor and secrete a staining fluid when disturbed.

Kudzu bug activity around structures is most noticeable in the fall.  This is when bugs from nearby kudzu are seeking shelter and are attracted to homes. 

How bad?

It's yet to be seen whether kudzu bug will become a noticeable pest in Texas, but indications from Georgia suggest it will not be a serious long-term pest.  Because kudzu is less prevalent in Texas than Georgia and other southern states, the bug is likely to occur only in east Texas, and populations limited to start with. But at least two egg parasitiods (egg predators) and a fungus called Beauveria bassiana, have severely reduced the kudzu bug problem in Georgia and most southern states. After being overwhelmed with calls the first five year after the bug's discovery, today Suiter says he "doesn't see more than 20 bugs a year" brought into his office.

Vegetable gardeners in counties with kudzu may be more bothered. Edamame, peas or other beans are susceptible to these bugs and may require treatment.

Control

If you are called on to manage kudzu bugs around a home, here are a few tips:

• Focus on the outside of the building when controlling kudzu bugs--few bugs will be indoors, though caulking and sealing will also help in that regard.  
• Pyrethroid insecticides are generally effective against kudzu bugs.  Bifenthrin and lambda-cyhalothrin are especially good in crop situations, according to Roberts.  Suiter said his research shows Alpine WSG (dinotefuran) also works well and has the added advantage of quickly killing the bugs, in seconds, eliminating the chance for unsightly aggregations to occur. 
• Look for, and treat, any crack or crevice where bugs are aggregating. Examples include: gaps behind siding and around windows and doors; high places (such as around soffits, fascia boards and gutters); even loose bark on nearby trees.
• If kudzu is present outside the home, use a herbicide to remove it, preferably during the spring or summer.  This can help reduce the numbers of bugs coming to the outside of the home in the fall.

If you find what you believe are kudzu bugs we would love to see a clear photo.  Also save specimens to bring to your county Extension office for official confirmation.  This can help us track the spread of kudzu bug within the state.

Loving it with fleas

I love my job--especially when I get to identify tiny insects that no one else wants to look at. I recently received an insect from a gentleman whose daughter had been bitten at home. I could tell immediately we were dealing with a flea--usually a routine identification to confirm that the tiny insect was a cat flea.  But this specimen was different, and prompted a closer look. What fun!

Before I let the "cat flea" out of the bag, one of the fleas below was the flea I saw this week. Can you identify which is the one that was not a cat flea? (Hint: it doesn't have anything to do with the color, length of the body, or shape of the flea)

Click on image for a better view.  Photos by M. Merchant.

If you guessed the flea on the left was my mystery flea, you'd be correct.  But did you guess right for the right reason? 

First, it wasn't the legs.  Both fleas are "host fleas", which means they live most of their adult lives on a host.  Host fleas must have strong jumping legs to gain access to this host.  Nest fleas, on the other hand, live in the nests of their hosts (usually rodents or birds), only living on the host long enough to take a blood meal and returning to the nest after dinner.  Nest fleas rely less on jumping and and more on crawling within the nest to feed, so the third pair of legs is more like the second pair in size. 

The big difference between these two fleas is the presence or absence of dark, comb-like bristles on the face and behind the head.  The cat flea has combs both above the mouth (called a genal comb) and on the tail-edge of the first thoracic segment (pronotal comb) behind the head.  Fleas with both genal and pronotal combs are relatively rare, narrowing down their probable identity considerably.  Most fleas found indoors with two combs like this in homes are either cat fleas, Ctenocephalides felis, or dog fleas, Ctenocephalides canis. 

The flea on the left lacks both a genal and a pronotal comb, ruling out cat flea.  This flea is a human flea, Pulex irritans.  The human flea, like the cat flea, has many potential hosts including small mammals, canines, pigs, humans, and even burrowing owls. 

Entomologists have identified over 2,500 different kinds of fleas from around the world.  Most of these fleas are highly fussy about their food, feeding on the blood of only one or a few closely related kinds of hosts.  These two fleas are exceptions.  Besides cats, the cat flea gladly feeds on dogs, opossums, raccoons (two frequent wildlife hosts that can bring fleas into homes when pets are not present), foxes, skunks, cattle, rats and rabbits, to name a few. [Curiously, squirrels do not seem to be a listed host of cat fleas, so are not likely to be the source of fleas in homes with no cats or dogs.]

Why worry about flea identification?  Because flea ID may provide clues to a possible source of a flea problem. If fleas found in a home or on a pet are not cat fleas, it's possible that the fleas are coming from rodents or other wildlife.  For example, rat fleas may suggest a rat or mouse infestation.  Rat fleas may pose greater risk for the homeowner from flea-borne illness such as murine typhus, or even (more rarely) plague, though the cat flea is not without its own risks. Cat fleas on opossums have been associated with increased cases of murine typhus in California and Texas and other areas.  Cat scratch disease may also be carried by cat fleas.

The following key is provided by the Centers for Disease Control (reprinted in the Mallis Handbook of Pest Control) and can help you identify some of the more common fleas found in structures or on pets. Combs can usually be seen by the practiced eye with a good 10X handlens.  If you want to see other features in this key, however, you'll need a microscope.  A 12X magnification will show genal and pronotal combs; but 25X to 50X is needed to see smaller characters shown on the key. 

If you do not see pronotal and genal combs on a flea collected in a home, and do not have a good microscope, it's best to save some specimens in either 70% ethanol or rubbing alcohol.  Specimens can then be sent to an entomologist for positive identification. Five or more pointed teeth on both the genal and pronotal sites will narrow any flea found on a pet or in a building down to a cat or dog flea, both of which have similar host ranges and control measures. 

Click on key for a better view. 

 Next time you get your hands on some fleas, take a closer look. Check for combs and use the key. I predict you'll get that same thrill of satisfaction entomologists get when being able to put a name on something that most people can barely see. Your customers will be impressed too.

Spring IPM Conference registration opens

For anyone who needs structural or ag CEU credits in the area of turf and ornamental pest management, 2020 Spring IPM Conference registration is now open.

This year's program will focus on how pesticides accomplish the challenging task of controlling pests. It's not as easy or as simple as you might think!

Dr. Christopher Bibbs with Central Life Sciences will talk on how insecticides work. Our Dallas turfgrass extension specialist, Dr. Chrissie Segars, will cover modes of action of herbicides.  And Scott Smith, Bell Labs, will review rodents and how rodenticides work. In addition, Janet Hurley, our school IPM program specialist, will be providing the latest updates on what's going on with re-certification rules and pesticide regulations.  And I will review those common, and not-so-common insects associated with turfgrass.

Our challenge every year is to make sure when you attend an IPM Conference, you leave with at least one useful piece of knowledge. There will be lots to learn at this meeting, so register now by going to https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu/IPM.  As usual, a great lunch will be provided.

Pavement ant gets a new name

Tetramorium immigrans nest. Photo by Alex Wild.

A few years ago I was called to a home in the Dallas area to look at a stubborn "fire ant" problem.  Indeed the numerous mounds did look much like fire ant mounds, and the red ants like fire ants; but closer inspection showed the ants to be pavement ants. 

The name "pavement ant" comes from its preference for nesting in open, well-drained gravelly soil typical of sites under sidewalks and other pavement. By building roads and laying concrete throughout our cities it seems we have created the perfect habitat for these ants. 

Temperate climates, like those of the Northern and Midwestern states, are especially favorable to  pavement ants.  In some states, pavement ants are the most common household ant, foraging for crumbs and swarming indoors like termites or carpenter ants. Though less common in Texas, I suspect pavement ants are more common than we realize, often being mistaken for fire ants. 

According to BugGuide.net, there are seven native and introduced species of Tetramorium in the U.S. and 455 species worldwide. By far the most common and widespread species has, until recently, been referred to as Tetramorium caespitum or, more mysteriously, "Tetramorium species E".  This is the only Tetramorium that is a common urban nuisance pest.

It's not common to have an important pest insect whose identity remains a mystery for almost 100 years since it was first recorded. It turns out that the genus to which pavements ants belong is a real "brier patch" of related and difficult-to-tell-apart species. Taxonomists who have studied the group have realized as much and out of frustration have been calling our pest pavement ant "species E" within the T. caespitum "brier patch".  That has now changed. 

Two recent papers clarified the identity of these common ants, and they required some ingenious sleuthing to do it. A paper by Herbert Wagner and colleagues used a combination of two kinds of DNA, numerous body features and ecological observations to untangle the briers obscuring the Tetramorium species in Europe.  When they finished they (in a very scientific way) said "Phew!" and noted that it took six types of analysis to solve the "highly intricate" problem of identifying the European Tetramorium.  Without both molecular (DNA) studies and studying the morphological features of the ants, they never would have solved the puzzle. 

The new name of the American pest pavement ant is Tetramorium immigrans, an appropriate name since our pest turns out to be an immigrant from Europe.  Very similar in appearance to the Tetramorium caespitum first described and named by Carl Linnaeus in 1758, a group of researchers based in Florida and led by Yuanmeng Zhang recently studied the genetics of Tetramorium immigrans populations in the U.S. In Zhang's study, molecular evidence was taken from 90 samples collected across the country by mostly school children using Pecan Sandies® cookie crumbs to attract the ants.  The lack of genetic diversity among all the samples collected suggests strongly that all of today's ants came from a one-time introduction, perhaps as long as 200 years ago. 

What's in a Name?

Why is knowing the name of an insect important? Because IPM is important.  Integrated pest management is the definition of modern, effective pest control. One of the key principles of IPM is that control methods should be based on knowledge of the biology and behavior of the pest.  Without knowing what pest you are facing, its impossible to know with any certainty the lives and behaviors (and weaknesses) of any pest.  

Knowing the right species of ant will also help in selecting an appropriate bait. In the case of pavement ants, the Advion® Fire Ant Bait has a label that includes pavement ant. In the case of the Dallas home with fire ants, Advion® performed well against that infestation. 

Recognizing Pavement Ants

Pavement ant. Note the two node segments between thorax and gaster, two
small spines toward the end of the thorax, and parallel grooves on
the head and body.  Color ranges from light brown to black. From the
Ant Identification Guide by Bayer Environmental Science.   

So how do you recognize pavement ants? Determining Tetramorium ants to an exact species can be a challenge and requires a very fine microscope.  Fortunately, the genus is not hard to identify with a hand lens or modest microscope.  And most Tetramorium found in urban settings and as indoor pests in the U.S. will be T. immigrans.  

Pavement ants are in the ant subfamily Myrmycinae.  Like all myrmycines, pavement ants have stingers (rarely used) and two small nodes (bumps) between the thorax and gaster (tail segment). In addition, look for two small spines on the last segment of the thorax.  Color may range from light brown to black, and all the workers from a given nest will be the same size (monomorphic).  Pavement ants may superficially look like fire ants but they are generally slower, less aggressive when their mound is disturbed, and do not sting. 

Knowing what kind of ant, or any insect, you have in hand is essential to everything we do in pest control.  And having taxonomists working behind the scenes to figure out what pests we have is a real benefit to our industry.

Chance to learn more about emerald ash borer

Emerald ash borer is a small, metallic-
green bullet-shaped beetle.

The past week I've been speaking to PMPs at CEU conferences about the emerald ash borer.  Many folks have asked why they've never heard about this pest. I guess that's because it's a relative newcomer to the state and its impact is just beginning to be felt.

If you are one of the many in our industry who has heard little or nothing about this insect, let me enlighten you. The emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis (EAB), is a wood boring beetle that attacks trees in the genus Fraxinus, which we know as ash. Since it was first discovered in SE Michigan in 2002 it has spread with alarming speed throughout the midwest.  In 2017 the first beetle was found in east Texas.

The EAB is probably the most devastating forest pest since chestnut blight.  In areas where it has been in place for 10+ years it has virtually wiped out every ash tree. Some fear that certain ash species may be on the edge of extinction thanks to the borer. We have every reason to think the same thing will happen in Texas.

Ash is not as common in Texas compared to Michigan and other parts of the Midwest; but it is an important tree, especially in areas along streams and river bottoms. And it's a very important tree if you have one in your backyard.

Not every one of you provide lawn or tree care services, but if you do you should keep your eye on this beetle.  Even if you don't "do trees" you can still provide a service to your customer by alerting them to the risk of this beetle if they have ash trees on their property.

Emamectin benzoate is an effective
treatment applied by certified applicators.

Currently, EAB has been found in Marion, Cass, and Harrison counties in far east Texas.  Most recently a well-established infestation of the borers has been found in west Tarrant county, just a few miles to the northwest of Fort Worth. Anyone who cares for an ash tree who lives within 15 miles of a known infestation should consider their trees at risk (this includes most homes in Fort Worth), and should consider having it treated.

A handful of insecticides can provide protection of an ash tree at reasonable cost. If you are interested in being on the leading edge of how to treat ash trees for EAB in Texas, there are three workshops coming up, sponsored by the Rainbow Treecare company (Rainbow makes one of the leading insecticides for EAB management). Two of the workshops focus on community EAB management strategies, and one will provide a general introduction to EAB. 

These workshops are webinars.  If you've never attended a webinar, it's a pretty cool, and easy, way to learn. You sit at home or in your office, link up to a website, and watch and listen. You will also have the chance to submit questions and interact with the speakers.  To read about the webinars and register, go to https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/2236702821873051149

Other places to learn more about EAB include:

• The USDA Emerald Ash Borer website is a great source of authoritative information about EAB.   
• The EAB Information Network is a multinational effort to assemble information about the borer including blogs and general information. 
• EAB University is part of the EAB Information Network and has recorded webinar sessions on a wide variety of topics from top researchers and arborists in the country. All classes are free.
• Emerald ash borer found in Tarrant County. Citybugs blog. Story of EAB discovery near Fort Worth.

I hope to write more about this beetle in the future. In the meantime, get out your tree books and read up on ash. Once you learn to distinguish ash you will be able to tell whether a customer's tree is at risk.

Winter has its own pest problems

Paper wasps are common throughout Texas, frequently nesting
in windows and under house eaves. With the advent of cold
weather, many of these wasps will head indoors.

Years ago, a friend described a memorable pest control experience that still makes me chuckle. It was winter, and she had noticed a few wasps flying around her immaculate home. So naturally she called her pest control company. Her technician arrived and noticed a wasp on the fireplace. When he opened the chimney flue to investigate, to his (and her) horror a large ball of paper wasps fell from the flue into his lap. He turned to my friend, fear in his eyes, and yelled, “LADY, GRAB YOUR BABY AND GET OUT OF THE HOUSE!”

I don’t recall how long it took them both to recover their wits and clear out the wasps; but if the PMP had known a little more about paper wasp biology and behavior he could have displayed more finesse and saved his customer an unnecessary fright.

Paper wasps are one of many insects that enter homes and other buildings during the fall and winter. Like paper wasps, many insects protect themselves from cold by instinctively seeking shelter in trees, natural rock formations and (in towns) buildings. This leads to a number of insects that are seen indoors only during the winter months. It’s important to realize what’s going on and how to recognize these often-interesting invaders when they show up in your account.

Polistes wasps 

Take my friend’s wasps. Paper wasps are the most common form of wasp in most Texas towns. The come in different colors and go by different names (e.g., red wasps, hornets, umbrella wasps); but all belong to the same wasp genus, Polistes. During summer months they can be recognized by their umbrella-like, paper nests that hang under eaves of houses, in sheds, and in trees. Polistes wasps do not enclose their nests with a paper envelope like hornets or yellowjackets; but they will sting anyone who gets too close or disturbs their nest. Every fall they exchange their paper nests for locations where they will be protected from ice and winter storms. Preferred sites are high points like chimneys, multifloored office buildings and towers.

Box elder bugs may enter homes in late
summer by the hundreds. 

Unlike summer-active wasps, overwintering paper wasps show little or no aggression. Without a nest to defend, wasps simply lack the instinct to sting. A fly swatter or vacuum are all that is needed to dispatch wasps safely. If my friend’s PMP had calmly put down his lapful of wasps and asked for the vacuum cleaner, no babies need have been evacuated.

Box Elder and Red-Shouldered Bugs 

Box elder and red-shouldered bugs (Boisea trivittata and Jadera haematoloma) are true bugs that feed on seeds of certain trees. They often become pests in later summer and fall when they seek protection from cold weather. To them, buildings must resemble big hollow trees, similar to what they would use for shelter in the woods. Control these insects by sealing doors and making sure window screens are tight and in good repair. Neither insect is damaging to the trees they feed on and they are mainly nuisances when they come indoors. During the summer box elder bugs will be found on box elder and maple trees. Red-shouldered bugs are feeders on soapberry, Chinaberry, golden raintree and other trees in the soapberry family.

Nipplegall Makers 

The hackberry nipplegall maker (Pachypsylla
celtidismamma) is common in homes, especially
where there is a nearby hackberry tree. 

Hackberry nipplegall makers are common wherever hackberry trees grow throughout Texas. These tiny (2 mm-long) insects are small enough to get through most window screens and any small openings in buildings. In the summer these insects form nipple-shaped galls on the leaves of hackberry and sugarberry trees. When they emerge by the thousands from their leafy homes in late summer they are commonly found indoors and especially around windowsills. The good news is that hackberry nipple-gall insects are pretty harmless. They do not bite, do not eat clothes and are a pest only because we don’t like little bugs in our homes.

Multicolored Asian Lady Beetles 

The multicolored Asian lady beetle
(Harmonia axyridis) has become a common
fall indoor pest in Texas homes.

One of the most annoying of the fall invader insects are multicolored Asian lady beetles. These large lady beetles are natives to China and have been causing homeowners headaches since the early 1990s when they first appeared in Texas. In their native Asian home, these lady beetles move into crevices in limestone bluffs in the fall. In the U.S. they are more likely to move into light-colored homes and buildings in wooded areas where the beetles feast on aphids during the summer. Caulking and sealing along roof lines and vacuuming up the (sometimes large) aggregations of beetles where they cluster indoors or in attics is the best solution.

Cricket Hunter Wasps 

The Texas cricket hunter wasp may be
one of the least well-known household
pests in Texas. 

Maybe the least widely recognized fall invader is what I call the Texas cricket hunter wasp. These medium-sized (1/2 inch), black wasps with dark wings can be found year-round but are most common indoors during warm days in the winter and spring. They are commonly seen actively climbing up and down walls of bathrooms and other living areas. So, what are these wasps doing in homes? In nature, female cricket-hunter wasps establish nest sites in holes in the ground, such as rodent burrows, and provision those holes with fresh crickets for their offspring. In urban areas the wasps substitute weep holes and cracks in soil under building foundations for nest sites. Hundreds or possibly thousands of crickets may be stashed under homes or in walls. During periods of warm weather, the wasps’ offspring that have fed on these dead crickets can emerge indoors in large numbers. For more information on these wasps, and how to deal with infestations, check out my online factsheet.

Wintertime may be slower for the pest control business in Texas, but there are still plenty of pests out there. It’s a sign of a true pest control professional to be familiar with the less commonly encountered pests--don’t be caught off-guard when that next winter pest challenge drops in your lap.

Unnecessary trauma: Fire ants in nursing homes

Nursing home patient with with fire ant stings.
(Laquna Ross)

This week Vietnam veteran Joel Marrable died at a Georgia VA Hospital following a vicious attack by fire ants.

According to his daughter, Mr. Marrable was found by staff last week covered with ants. Even worse, family wasn't notified by the hospital after the attack. His daughter learned of the incident only after inquiring about the red bumps on her father's body. Although Mr. Marrable's death has not been directly blamed on fire ants, the incident was traumatizing to all involved.

This story would be more shocking to me, except I have been involved in at least two lawsuits where fire ants attacked patients unable to respond or call for help. And despite the fact that stinging cases are often hushed up, many other incidents occur every year.

It doesn't have to be this way. Fire ants are highly manageable given our scientific understanding of fire ants, and today's pesticide tools. But fire ant management always requires attention to detail. It also requires cooperation and communication between the health care facility and its pest control provider. 

If your company provides pest control for health care facilities, here are some essential elements needed to keep your customer (and you) out of the headlines.

• Ensure the facility has a policy regarding indoor ants. The plan should include clear staff instructions on how to immediately report signs of ants to your company. 
• Be sure your staff is always updated on what wings/rooms house high-risk patients.
• Require patients to be immediately removed from any room with ants to another ant-free location. In this Georgia incident, the patient was returned to his original room only to have fire ants return and attack again a second day. No patient should be returned to an infested room until the indoor and outdoor areas around the room have been inspected, treated and cleared by a pest control professional.  
• Clean infested rooms with a soap solution and disinfect before allowing any patient to return.  Holes and suspected ant entry points should be either sealed or treated. Cleaning with soap removes traces of trail pheromone that might lure other ants back into the room.
• Conduct periodic staff training classes to let nurses and other caregivers know how to identify fire ants. In this week's incident it is telling that none of the staff interviewed referred to the ants as fire ants, only "ants."  Fire ants pose perhaps the greatest immediate health threat to aphasic patients, and should not be difficult to recognize with training. 
• Inspect outdoor areas regularly for fire ants, and train maintenance staff to recognize and report evidence of fire ant nesting around the facility. 
• Fire ant infestations inside a building can almost always be traced back to a fire ant mound or colony outdoors. It's important to know who is responsible for grounds treatment ahead of time. When one contractor is assigned duty for indoor pest control and another for outdoor pest control, blame-shifting is inevitable. The losers in this game are the patients. Ideally, one contractor should be responsible for both indoor and outdoor fire ant control, so there is no confusion.  
• Don't rely solely on mound treatments for fire ant control. Broadcast applications of either baits or residual insecticides are always a better option. Fire ant baits are ideal for large turf areas and are typically applied once or twice a year. Residual granular insecticides containing fipronil or bifenthrin can be used annually in landscape areas immediately adjacent to buildings.  The idea is to keep fire ant mounds as far away from the building as possible. Fire ant control should start at the property line, not the final two feet to the building.  
• Don't allow unlicensed applicators to apply insecticides for fire ants. In Texas, pest control at health care facilities must be performed by a licensed pest control technician or certified applicator. This includes control of ants and other insects, pest birds, plant diseases, rodents, and weeds.
• Document everything you do in writing on your service report. Document both pesticide and non-pesticide-related actions taken during the visit. Be specific about what pests are found during inspections. Remember, there is no such thing as just an "ant."  Fire ants should be clearly identified. Assume that any of your service tickets could be examined by a lawyer some day. 

If doing pest control around nursing home facilities sounds risky, it is. But a conscientious company can succeed at this business. And a nursing home can be one of the most rewarding accounts you have.  As a friend and colleague points out, the biggest risks happen with "low-bid contractors who are not willing to address underlying problems."  

Mr. Marrable's daughter told the Washington Post that her father "deserved better" than the treatment he received in his last days. Let's make sure all our sensitive accounts, like nursing homes, get the good service they deserve.

For more information about fire ant control in nursing homes, see Extension factsheet ENTO-022.

Where is West Nile virus this year?

If it seems you're hearing less about West Nile virus (WNV) this summer, you may not be imagining it.  Although mosquitoes have been abundant in north Texas this year, for some reason the virus has remained relatively quiet.

Where has WNV gone?

A paper written by epidemiologist Dr. Wendy Chung and colleagues in 2013 may offer some insights on the absence of the virus this summer. Those of us who lived in Dallas in 2012 may remember that summer as the worst human outbreak of WNV ever.  Nearly 400 cases were reported in Dallas County alone, and 19 people died of the disease. The epidemic was so bad that Dallas county resorted to spraying the entire county for mosquitoes by plane--something not seen in north Texas since an encephalitis outbreak in 1966.

Chung and colleagues charted the course of the disease during 2012 and saw high infection rates of mosquitoes early in the summer, followed by a rapid increase in human cases. Looking back over previous years and case numbers, the researchers concluded that an unusually mild winter followed by rainfall patterns ideal for mosquito breeding in the spring (and a very hot summer--West Nile virus multiplies quickly in mosquitoes at higher temperatures) created ideal conditions for an outbreak.

So what's different about 2019? We had a relatively mild winter, with only three days at or below 28° F, and a wet spring--both conditions mosquitoes love. But the summer, at least by Dallas standards, has so far been cool.  Until this week, the DFW Airport weather station saw only two days over 100° F. By the end of July the area usually has experienced more than seven days over 100° F.

These graphs show 2019 mosquito abundance and Vector Index (V.I.) estimates compared to previous years. Although mosquito numbers are high this year, the V.I. has remained low for both Tarrant (=Fort Worth-top) and Dallas counties (bottom). In 2012 the V.I. exceeded the danger level of 0.5 for multiple weeks (blue dotted line). Source: Tarrant County Public Health and Dallas County Health and Human Services.

Predicting WNV

One of the tools used by health departments to predict disease risk for WNV is a statistic called the vector index (V.I.).  The V.I. is calculated weekly from mosquito trap data, and combines information on both average abundance of Culex quinquefasciatus (the main carrier of WNV) and disease incidence in the trapped mosquitoes.  A V.I. of 0.5 or higher for two or more weeks is considered a crisis indicator by some health officials.

The graphs shown here are provided by epidemiologists in Dallas and Fort Worth, and show both mosquito abundance and V.I. estimates for both counties. Despite higher mosquito numbers, the V.I. hasn't ventured above 0.1 for either Dallas or Tarrant counties this summer. Most of the season the V.I. has been closer to zero, hence less need for mosquito spraying and fewer people getting sick. In Dallas county this year there have been no human cases of WNV. Tarrant County (Fort Worth) reports only one case this year with a very low V.I., near zero most weeks (top graph).

According to statistics from the Texas Department of State Health Services, low WNV incidence seems to be true for the whole state this year with no reported human cases as of the end of July.  Harris County (Houston) also reports a light year for WNV, according to the acting director of Mosquito and Vector Control, Chris Fredregill.

Looking Ahead

With this week's string of 100° days in many areas will risk go up?  Certainly West Nile virus remains a threat to all of us through the end of the summer and into the fall; but this late in the season the chance of a major outbreak is probably low. On the other hand, hot weather favors the virus. It's no time to forget about mosquitoes. I expect Aedes mosquitoes (yellow fever mosquito and Asian tiger mosquito) to become more abundant after last weekend's rains.  This week is a good time to get out and dump standing water.  Although Aedes mosquitoes are not major disease risks, they cause most of the itchy mosquito bites we get during the day--and we don't want that.

Why Surveillance Reports?

Integrated pest management is just as relevant for mosquito control as it is for all other forms of pest control.  One of the principles of IPM is to base treatments on pest numbers.  Because mosquito monitoring is expensive and requires special expertise beyond what most PMPs possess, few companies monitor mosquito numbers or disease. However, high quality data may be available from your local health authorities, depending where you live. A pest management company can use this data to alert customers to times of higher disease risk and changes in mosquito abundance.

Every community's mosquito situation will be different.  If you are doing business in a larger metropolitan area, or a mosquito control district, you may have access to the kind of data shown here. To find out, contact your local or regional health department and ask if they provide reports of mosquito abundance and disease prevalence.

In Dallas, weekly reports may be obtained by emailing Epidemiology@dallascounty.org and requesting to subscribe to the weekly Arbovirus Surveillance Report. For Tarrant County, email RWHill2@tarrantcounty.com and request to receive the Arbovirus Surveillance Report Weekly.  Unfortunately, not all counties have equivalent reporting systems. Harris County provides mapping of areas with virus detection.  And the Texas Department of State Health Services provides weekly reports throughout the summer for the whole state.

An additional source of information for both PMPs and your customers is the Mosquito Safari website. At the Safari you can take a virtual tour of a field and a backyard and learn important facts about mosquitoes. 

If you need more intensive training, our Extension medical entomologist, Dr. Sonja Swiger, is offering classes this year for pesticide applicators wanting to prepare for their Public Health (Category 12) license.  In the fall she also offers several 3-day Master Vector Borne Disease Management Courses around the state.  To learn more, or to register, go to https://livestockvetento.tamu.edu/workshop-registration/ .

Getting to know the Turkestan cockroach

Cockroaches have historically been a top pest and reliable source of business for PMPs.  Indeed, from day one most new technicians are taught to recognize the four most commonly encountered species:

• the German cockroach--one of our smaller cockroaches, bane of restaurants and homes
• the American cockroach (a fast and intimidating insect that looks twice as big as it really is when running across a floor or flying)
• the black, rather nasty Oriental cockroach--pest of sewers and the grounds around buildings
• the smoky brown cockroach, an outdoor cockroach unafraid to venture into homes. 

Other common species, depending on your part of the country, include the Australian, brown, brown-banded, Asian and field cockroaches.

Figure 1. The adult female S. lateralis (A) and adult female Oriental
cockroach (B) are similar in size and color. Arrow points
to the distinguishing light marking on the forewing margin
of the Turkestan cockroach. Photo modified from Kim and
Rust (2013).

In many parts of the country pest management professionals need to add the invasive Turkestan cockroach (Shelfordella lateralis Walker) to their watch list. This Asian invader is quickly making a name for itself and moving through Texas and other states.

Because the Turkestan cockroach looks similar to other species, you may already have seen it and not realized it was something new. Female Turkestans look like Oriental cockroaches. Male Turkestans look like small American cockroaches or perhaps an innocuous field roach.

Spread

The Turkestan cockroach has becoming a significant new pest since it was first reported in Shelford, California in 1978 and El Paso, Texas in 1979.  It has since spread through Arizona and New Mexico, across Texas and even to Georgia.  This week I got my first north Texas specimen, and tentatively identified an emailed photo from Tennessee as a Turkestan cockroach.

Figure 2. To my knowledge, this is the first Turkestan cockroach
recorded from north Texas. Collected from a hotel in Frisco,
TX (VII-29-2019). Note the pale, almost transparent border
at the margin of the forewing, and the size (28 mm/one inch),
which is smaller than a typical American cockroach. Photo
M. Merchant.

If you think this pest won't reach your area soon, think again. Internet commerce is also at work. Turkestan cockroaches are commonly sold online where they are well known in the pet trade as "red runners." They provide food for reptile, amphibian and small mammals. Pet owners like the fact that Turkestan cockroaches breed quickly, do well in captivity and don't climb glass (so are easy to keep in aquaria).

My first North Texas specimen of a Turkestan cockroach came this week courtesy of Emory Matts, with Rentokil Steritech.  Guests at a local hotel recently started complaining of roaches on several floors. Whether this was an invasion from outdoors (males can fly and are attracted to lights at night), or represented an indoor infestation could not be determined.  Though it's often referred to as an "outdoor" insect, the Turkestan is capable of establishing itself indoors, similar to Oriental and American cockroaches.

Competition

Figure 3. Turkestan (A) and Oriental cockroach nymphs.
Notice the reddish-brown thorax and dark abdomen of
the Turkestan nymph compared to the uniform brown color
of the Oriental. Photo from Kim and Rust (2013).

According to Kim and Rust (2013), the Turkestan is replacing the Oriental cockroach throughout much of the Southwest as the most important cockroach pest around the outsides of structures.  Common breeding sites are similar to those of Oriental cockroaches, including water meter and irrigation boxes, electrical boxes, hollow block walls, cracks and crevices in concrete, compost piles and potted plants.  However, it appears that in the warm climates of the Southwest, Turkestan cockroaches rush through their 5 nymph stages faster than the Oriental with its 7-10 nymph stages.  A female Turkestan cockroach will produce about 25 oothecae (egg cases) in her lifetime compared to 5-10 oothecae for an Oriental cockroach.  The numbers tell the story as to why Turkestan cockroaches are taking over.

Distinguishing Turkestan cockroaches

The immature Turkestan roach resembles both Oriental and American nymphs in general appearance (Fig. 3).  The Oriental cockroach, however, is uniformly dark-brown and the American cockroach is uniformly reddish brown.  The Turkestan, in contrast, is reddish-brown on the head and  thorax (pro- and meso-thorax) and dark-brown only on the rear of the body.

Figure 4. American (top) and Australian cockroaches. 
Note the bold markings on pronotum and the
forewings of the Australian cockroach, in contrast
with the American, which lacks forewing markings.
Photos, M. Merchant.

Besides size (the male Turkestan cockroach is smaller), American and Australian cockroaches can be distinguished by both the wing borders and markings on the prothorax (shield behind the head)(Fig. 4).  Forewing margins of the Turkestan cockroach are pale and almost transparent compared to the uniform-colored wings of the American, and the bold yellow margins of the Australian. Click here for another image of male and female Turkestans.

Control

Research on control methods for the Turkestan cockroach is still limited; however control methods should be similar as for the Oriental cockroach. Granular cockroach baits can be effective; however, Kim and Rust suggest that higher reproductive and growth rates for the Turkestan cockroach could mean that technicians should need more bait when treating.  Special attention should be paid to pest proofing doors and other building entry points to keep cockroaches outdoors where they pose the least trouble.

Reference:

Kim, T. and M. Rust. 2013. Life history and biology of the invasive Turkestan cockroach (Dictyoptera: Blattidae). J. Econ. Entomol. 106(6): 2428-2432.