A warming world: range expansions of lone star ticks, Amblyomma americanum, and the alpha-gal they carry

 

 

After clearing some land last week in tick territory, I returned home to find two ticks embedded in my left shoulder. Fortunately, they were easily removed with forceps and having fed for only a few hours, my risk of being infected with a tick-borne illness was exceedingly small. So, with the return of temperatures in the 70s and 80s over the past couple of weeks here in the DMV, reports of ticks attached to humans and pets is on the rise and will continue to increase over the next several months. Let’s dive into the business of climate change and range expansions first. Ticks and insects are cold-blooded, ruthless maybe, but in the biological sense they are largely dependent on ambient temperatures found in their environment to support physiological processes like growth, development, and movement. During winter’s chill in the Washington DC – metropolitan region, with temperatures in the 30-degree Fahrenheit range, it is simply too cold for ticks to move about seeking blood meals from warm-blooded hosts. As temperatures rise in late winter and spring, ticks awakened from their chilly torpor to quest for the blood of animals. Blood provides the protein and other nutrients necessary for ticks to grow, develop, and reproduce. As our world warms, spring’s warmth arrives earlier and autumn’s glow often lasts past Thanksgiving here in the DMV. The lengthening of the warm season provides ticks with more days to be active and to acquire these vital blood meals. 

In addition to limiting mobility, cold temperatures can be lethal to ticks just as they are to other forms of life. A very cool laboratory study by Dr. C. S. Burks and colleagues found that 2 hours of direct exposure to temperatures below 7° Fahrenheit proved lethal to lone star tick immatures (nymphs) and adults. Part of this study, conducted in the winter of 1993-1994, also found that these low temperatures did not occur on the forest floors in Ohio, lucky for those ticks back in the day. Leaf litter on the forest floor and snow cover provide insulation for overwintering ticks, enhancing their survival even on very cold nights. The large mass of the earth itself provides a thermal refuge for creatures on the ground and just inches below the soil surface. Nonetheless, lone star ticks have expanded their range further northward over the last seven decades from their historical northern limit of Iowa, Illinois, Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey to historically cooler northern realms including Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. This pattern is predicted to continue, or perhaps accelerate as greenhouse gas emissions continue to trap solar energy and warm our planet. A recent study by Dr. R. K. Raghavan and colleagues suggests that future conditions associated with climate change may make maritime regions of Canada climatically suitable for survival of lone star ticks. 

 

 

Another tick-related story which surfaced last week dealt with folks who had developed an allergy to eating red meat after being bitten by a lone star tick. A friend and colleague developed the red meat allergy known as alpha-gal syndrome after a close encounter with this tick. Let’s dive in and see what this strange sounding syndrome is all about. Alpha-gal syndrome is a human’s immune response to galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose (alpha-gal). Alpha-gal is a carbohydrate molecule found on the surface of muscle cells of many types of wild mammals including mice and rabbits, but also on mammals whose flesh we regularly eat like cattle and pigs. When a lone star tick dines on blood of one of these feral or domesticated animals, it ingests the alpha-gal molecule. When the tick feeds again, maybe on you, it injects saliva laced with alpha-gal. Your body’s powerful immune system recognizes this foreign compound and mounts a potent immune response to it. The immune system produces a library of cells ready to produce antibodies to attack alpha-gal the next time it enters your body. Unfortunately, this may happen when you bite into a juicy burger or pulled-pork sandwich. This second exposure can trigger an allergic reaction that can cause hives, itching, swelling of the lips, face, tongue and throat, wheezing, shortness of breath, runny nose, sneezing, headache, abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting. In severe cases, a person may suffer anaphylaxis, a potentially fatal allergic reaction. Often the reaction does not occur until several hours after the meal. Alpha-gal syndrome is found in many parts of the world including Europe, Asia, and Australia, but it is particularly common in the southeastern United States and now is spreading to other parts of the country. Contracting alpha-gal does not relegate one to a meatless existence. Fish, shellfish, poultry, and other non-mammalian meat sources lack the alpha-gal molecule and may be consumed without fear. A recent study revealed one more piece of disturbing news regarding ticks and alpha-gal. The alpha-gal antigen has also been discovered in the saliva of notorious black-legged ticks implicating them not only as vectors of Lyme disease, but also as potential culprits in the red-meat allergy. Yikes! 

Content to chill out on my arm, a female lone star tick makes a mad dash under the probing lens of the camera. Unfed ticks are wafer thin, but after feeding for several days their body weight may increase 200 times. Female ticks convert protein from the blood meal into thousands of eggs.

Reports indicate that the red-meat allergy may decline in time in some individuals. Does the bite of lone star tick mean you are doomed to this allergy? Absolutely not. I have been bitten by lone stars on several occasions and still enjoy a burger now and again with no problem. As with other allergies, individual reactions are complex and may differ from one individual to another. In addition to alpha-gal, lone star ticks transmit several illnesses including Southern Tick Associated Rash Illness (STARI), which has been associated with the bacterium Borrelia lonestari. Symptoms of STARI include a rash, fever, fatigue, and pain in muscles and joints. A second disease spread by the lone star tick is ehrlichiosis. Ehrlichia bacteria produces nasty flu-like symptoms including headache, joint ache, fever, fatigue, muscle ache, confusion, and several other disheartening symptoms. 

To reduce the risks of becoming a meal for a tick and the unfortunate recipient of alpha-gal, STARI, ehrlichiosis, or other tick-borne illnesses including Lyme disease, remember the word “AIR”. This stands for avoid, inspect, and remove. 

“A” – Avoid ticks and their bites in the following ways. When taking Fido for a walk, stick to the path, trail, or pavement. You are unlikely to encounter ticks on non-grassy surfaces. If you enter habitats where wildlife and ticks are likely to be present, such as grassy meadows, boarders of fields and woodlands, and vegetation along the banks of streams, wear long pants and light-colored clothing. This will help you spot ticks on your clothes as they move up your body. Be a geek – tuck your pant legs into your socks. This forces ticks to move up and over your cloths rather than under them where tasty skin awaits. Apply repellents labeled for use in repelling ticks. Some are applied directly to skin, but others can be applied only to clothing. Don’t forget to treat your footwear, socks, and pant legs. Immature ticks called nymphs are a key vector of diseases and these precautions will help prevent nymphs and adults from attaching to your skin. If repellents are used, be sure to read the label, follow directions carefully, and heed precautions particularly those related to children. If your adventures take you into tick territory, consider placing your cloths directly into a clothes dryer rather than a hamper upon returning home. The heat of the dryer will kill hitchhiking ticks that might otherwise escape clothes in the hamper and cause trouble after your return home. 

“I” – Inspect yourself, your family, and your pets thoroughly if you have been in tick habitats. Remember to do this when you return from the outdoors and when taking a shower. A thorough inspection may involve enlisting a helper to view those “hard to see” areas around back. 

“R” – Remove ticks promptly if you find them. Removal within the first 24 hours can greatly decrease your risk of contracting a disease. If you find a tick attached, firmly grasp the tick as close to your skin as possible using a pair of fine forceps and slowly, steadily pull the tick out. Cleanse the area with antiseptic. The CDC and the Bug-Guy do not recommend methods of tick removal such as smearing the tick with petroleum jelly or scorching its rear end with a match. Cases of some tick-borne diseases such as Lyme disease are the most common in children and seniors, so take special care to keep kids of all ages safe when they play outdoors. 

If you discover a tick that has imbedded in your skin and you wish to determine its identity and discover what disease organisms it might harbor, there are several tick testing services that will identify the tick and perform molecular analysis to determine several important disease agents it may be carrying. On a recent encounter with a tick, after removing a lone star from my waist, I sent it off to a tick-testing laboratory. Within a week, I had results and this little rascal tested negative for the causal agents of Lyme disease, relapsing fever, anaplasmosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Pacific Coast tick fever, tularemia, and ehrlichiosis. Lucky me. If you find an embedded and engorged tick, consider sending it to a tick-testing lab. If it tests positive for one or more tick borne diseases, consult your physician and develop an action plan. Several tick testing services can be found on the internet by simply googling “Tick Testing Services”. They provide step by step directions to prepare your sample for analysis and where to send it. Tick identification is available through the University of Maryland, but this service does not test for disease agents.

Around the home, reduce habitat for small mammals that serve as the blood meal for ticks and the source of disease-causing bacteria. Remove piles of brush, unstacked wood, and rubbish that serve as a refuge for rodents and other small mammals. Mow and remove unkempt grasses, weeds, and other vegetation at the edge of the lawn. Mulch beds that border the transition zone between lawn and forest edge. By opening up these areas, raptors and other predators may more easily spot and remove small mammals. Design patios and play areas for children away from forest edges where ticks are more likely to be found. If you follow these precautions, you can greatly reduce the risk of encountering ticks and associated illnesses, while still enjoying the great outdoors. 

Acknowledgements 

Bug of the Week thanks Bill Gimpel, Kevin Ambrose, and Livia Albeck-Ripka for providing inspiration for this episode. The fascinating articles “Current and Future Distribution of the Lone Star Tick, Amblyomma americanum (L.) (Acari: Ixodidae) in North America” by Ram K. Raghavan,A. Townsend Peterson, Marlon E. Cobos, Roman Ganta, and Des Foley, “ Range Expansion of Tick Disease Vectors in North America: Implications for Spread of Tick-Borne Disease” by Daniel E. Sonenshine, “Population and Evolutionary Genomics of Amblyomma americanum, an Expanding Arthropod Disease Vector” by Javier D. Monzo´n,Elizabeth G. Atkinson, Brenna M. Henn, and Jorge L. Benach, and “The role of direct chilling injury and inoculative freezing in cold tolerance of Amblyomma americanum, Dermacentor variabilis and lxodes scapularis” by C. S. Burks, R. L. Stewart, G. N. Needham, and R. E. Lee, and “Discovery of Alpha-Gal-Containing Antigens in North American Tick Species Believed to Induce Red Meat Allergy” by Gary Crispell, Scott P. Commins, Stephanie A. Archer-Hartman, Shailesh Choudhary, Guha Dharmarajan, Parastoo Azadi and Shahid Karim were used to prepare this episode.

To read more on the Alpha-gal allergy, check out this recent Washington Post article: https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/tick-makes-people-allergic-red-171750634.html

For information on Tick Identification in Maryland, click on: https://health.maryland.gov/phpa/OIDEOR/CZVBD/Pages/Tick-Identification.aspx

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Learn More Information About How to Get Rid of Moles & Voles in Your Yard

Homeowners and business owners take pride in their gardens, landscaping, and lawn, but all it takes is a burrowing pest or two to ruin all your hard work.

Moles and voles may look cute, but there’s nothing cute about the damage the rodents can cause. Both these pests wreak havoc on lawns, gardens, and outdoor spaces.

However, mole versus vole damage is a bit different. Moles create more dynamic tunnels, but they do eat damaging insects like grubs. Voles tend to use mole tunnels for cover or to create their own runways and only deeply tunnel occasionally. However, voles eat plants, roots, and vegetation, making them quite destructive.

Mole vs. Vole Damage: How Is It Different?

Not sure how to spot the differences in damage caused by moles and voles? You’re not alone. Many residents and business owners are plagued by these critters, but they aren’t sure which one.

Moles and voles have distinct appearances, but they aren’t easy to spot. If you don’t see the rodent, then learning to recognize vole versus mole tunnels and damage can provide clues as to which has taken over your landscape.

Once you know which burrower is the problem, you can create an action plan to address how to get rid of moles and voles. This includes learning about exclusion systems and other strategies to evict them for good.

Moles 101

Moles have a distinctive appearance, with pointy noses and two large, clawed, flipper-like front feet. Their forepaws are tipped with long, sharp claws that are so powerful the critter can dig more than 200 yards in a single day.

A mole can move roughly 540 times its body weight in soil in the same day, giving you a clear picture of just how much destruction these small animals can cause in a short time.

Moles enjoy making a meal out of insects and they consume up to 100% of their body weight daily in grubs, beetle larvae, and earthworms. That’s a lot of insects!

Although they enjoy insects, moles don’t typically make a meal out of plants.

That means if you notice damage to the plants in your outdoor space, you can rule out moles as the culprit.

The diet of moles seems to make them beneficial to the garden, as they consume pests that typically harm seedlings and plants. However, the unsightly hills and tunnels can cause injuries to humans and damage plant life, which outweighs the benefits for most homeowners and businesses.

Voles 101

At a glance, voles look similar to mice, but these nocturnal, timid rodents have a stockier frame with shorter tails and smaller, rounder ears than mice. With their soft, dense fur and black eyes, the tiny rodents look deceptively harmless.

However, voles eat a variety of plant materials, including the bark from mature trees. If you notice that the bases of tree trunks are bare, you could have a vole problem. This practice, which is called girdling, can kill limbs or even entire trees.

Voles also enjoy making a meal from tree roots, flower bulbs, seedlings, plant stems, grass blades, and root vegetables. These rodents are small, but they are significant enemies of many gardeners and landscapers in the Northeast United States.

Vole vs. Mole Tunnels

The different types of damage aren’t the only way you can differentiate between the two critters. Although both wreak havoc with tunnels, their tunneling style is quite different.

Voles only occasionally tunnel underground. When they do, it’s usually part of an effort to access tree roots and other subterranean vegetation. More commonly, voles create shallow runways and unraised tunnels with open entryways.

Moles create extensive tunnel systems and hills of dirt. These rodents live almost exclusively underground in closed tunnel systems that have no visible entryways. In addition to mole hills, raised tunnel ridges may also be visible.

Not only does this destroy a landscape or garden area, but it can also create passive damage to structures and buildings. The underground tunnels create air pockets of dirt, and those pockets can affect the stability of foundations.

Additionally, if the tunnels flood, rainwater can seep into foundations and cause water damage. During cold New England winters, that flooding can freeze, creating a freeze-thaw cycle that causes extensive damage to foundations.

A true nightmare for any homeowner or business owner.

How to Get Rid of Moles & Voles

A variety of home remedies can help with controlling moles and voles, including cayenne pepper, ultrasonic repellents, and traps to catch or kill them. But, unless this process is facilitated by a trained professional, the property will more than likely encounter a similar — or worse, situation in the future.

Ultimately, the most effective and efficient way to get rid of moles and voles is to call a professional. Catseye Pest Control is comprised of expert pest and nuisance wildlife technicians equipped with the experience, knowledge, skills, and equipment to effectively control and remove moles and voles safely and efficiently.

Homes and businesses are unique, as is the pest or rodent infestation it faces. To eliminate the issue and prevent it from reoccurring, a customized plan is created after a thorough inspection is completed.

Removing the nuisance wildlife from the property is only one step in eliminating any infestation. To prevent tunnels from being dug under porches, decks, sheds, and other low-clearance areas, preventative measures must be taken.

Our Platinum Home Protection Plan has been designed to do just that — prevent rodents and nuisance wildlife from accessing or burrowing beneath structures.

The all-in-one preventative and maintenance program is customized to the structure and takes a proactive approach in pest and nuisance wildlife control.

Don’t wait until moles or voles have destroyed the landscape surrounding the structures on your property — or compromised the foundation of the structures. Contact us today to reclaim your outdoor space.

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Last week, I received two strangely linked inquiries, one from a concerned citizen and another from a friend. Both had stunning emerald green creatures that crossed their paths. The concerned citizen discovered a beautiful green beetle in a bowl of fruit being served at an outdoor gathering. Fruit in the bowl included grapes from Chile. Concern hinged on the possibility that this remarkable insect was the vanguard of some new and, perhaps, hostile horde of invaders ready to deliver more six-legged misery to our already beleaguered ecosystems. A few days later a friend asked about gorgeous emerald green insects she encountered “all over the place” on bike trails and hiking paths in the DMV. Well, after examining an image of the beetle in the fruit bowl and taking a stroll on the lovely Northeast Branch Trail, my conclusion was that the beetle in the fruit bowl and the trail-traveling green ghost were one and the same, six-spotted green tiger beetles. 

Lawns, gardens, sunny bike trails, and paths through the forest are great places to watch six-spotted tiger beetles. Unfortunately, fast wheels and speedy feet may spell danger for inattentive tiger beetles.

Six-spotted green tiger beetles range from southern Canada to Texas and are most commonly observed in the eastern half of the US. I saw my first one in early April on a paved trail meandering along the Little Patuxent River in Columbia, MD. Predators as both larvae and adults, the name “tiger” suits them well. They are awesome hunters. The exceptionally long legs of adults provide lots of ground clearance and enable bursts of speed as they dash across trails and forest floors. Large eyes enable them to peruse their surroundings for signs of movement and potential meals. Unlike praying mantids that are “sit and wait” predators, tiger beetles actively stalk, pursue, and capture their victims. One amusing trick to play with these hunters is to spot one at a distance and toss a pebble or a small twig near the beetle. This often triggers an inquisitive charge as the beetle scrambles to see if a potential meal has entered its ambit. 

Tommy, my resident tiger beetle, seems startled by a tent caterpillar when it ventures just a little too near. A few moments later, I discovered Tommy behaving more like his “tiger” namesake as he snacked on the rear-end of the caterpillar. Watch as sharp paired mandibles (jaws) and the second pair of mouthparts called maxillae move back and forth to ingest this tasty treat.

Like their feline namesake, the tiger beetle has powerful jaws used to capture, subdue, and consume its victim. Each jaw is armed with several stout teeth. The jaws grasp, pierce, slice, and crush. Just behind the jaws, a second pair of mouthparts called maxillae help shove pieces of flesh into the maw of the beetle’s digestive tract. Tiger beetles are carnivores as both adults and juveniles. The female tiger beetle lays eggs singly on the ground. Upon hatching, the immature stage, the larva, constructs an underground burrow. From this lair, the larva stealthily awaits dinner. As a hapless insect or spider strolls by, the larva springs from the hole like a jack-in-the-box and impales its victim with stiletto-like jaws. The prey is drawn into the burrow and eaten. Strange hook-like structures found on its abdomen help anchor the beetle larva in its burrow. 

As generalist predators and members of Mother Nature’s hit squad, tiger beetles consume pests in our gardens and landscapes and provide the important ecological service of biological control. Tiger beetles are tough to capture without a net, but if you catch one, be careful; they have powerful jaws and can give you a little nip. These diminutive tigers will be common along sunny bike trails and paths over the next month or so. If you have some free time, take a walk in the forest or ride along one of our many beautiful bike paths to catch a glimpse of these tiny awesome predators. 

Acknowledgements 

“An Introduction to the Study of Insects” by Borrer, De Long, and Tripplehorn, and iNaturalist were used as resources for this episode. Thanks to Amy, Bruce, and Laura for inquiring about tiger beetles and inspiring this episode. Gaye Williams provided great insights on the identity of the tiger beetle found in the fruit bowl.

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On a rare 70-degree day two weeks ago, good fortune found me on a pleasant promenade that connects New Jersey Ave. and 4th Street south of the US Department of Transportation in Washington DC, a section of the city known as Navy Yard and which serves as the home of the Nationals baseball team. A beautiful water feature graces the promenade and this urban refuge is shaded by golden rain trees, Koelreuteria paniculata, beautiful ornamental trees widely planted in landscapes throughout North America and worldwide. These sturdy trees are favored in urban landscapes by virtue of their ability to withstand a variety of growing conditions and soil types. Their ornamental value comes from large clusters of bright yellow flowers displayed from summer into fall. In autumn the flowers produce interesting clusters of showy, papery seedpods. The seedpods are reddish-purple when developing and turn brown as they mature. Several ebony seeds are produced within each pod. Legions of seeds rain down to earth beneath the golden rain tree. Sturdy shells inhibit degradation of the pods in winter and a nutritional bounty remains in spring. 

Our southern and gulf-coast states are home to several native plants belonging to the golden rain tree family of plants, the Sapindaceae, commonly called soapberries. A striking insect called the red-shouldered bug, or golden rain tree bug, has evolved to use the seeds of soapberries as food. Golden rain tree bug is a “true” bug identified by its sucking mouthparts, young that are called nymphs, and half-leathery, half-membranous front wings. Jadera belongs to the clan of true bugs known as scentless plant bugs or Rhopalidae. We met other rhopalids in previous episodes including boxelder bugs and curious Niesthrea lousianica, the eater of mallows. Historically, red-shouldered bugs occupied neotropical realms in Central and South America, and in North America were found primarily in southern states including Florida, Texas, Arizona, and California, where they dined on native soapberries. 

On a promenade in Navy Yard, red-shouldered bugs scramble across the pavement and scale rain trees while playing the mating game. The guys seem to have a hard time keeping pace as females lead the way. Potential interlopers access their options and quickly move along. When it comes to dining, red-shouldered bugs are a chummy lot as they share meals of rain tree seeds.

The introduction of golden rain tree to our country in the 1700s provided an excellent opportunity for the red-shouldered bug to try Asian cuisine. Golden rain tree is now one of the favored foods of this bug throughout our country. During the past century, red-shouldered bugs have made a steady march northward, discovered in North Carolina in 1938, Virginia in 1987, and Maryland in 2002. Scientists believe that milder winters associated with climate change facilitated the range expansion of red-shouldered bugs into regions where chilly winter temperatures previously excluded them. As I walked the golden rain tree promenade, dozens of red-shouldered black bugs milled about on the ground feasting on fallen seeds, scrambling up trees, and basking on sidewalks. While hordes of bugs were a source of delight for me, so many bugs in one place night unnerve other visitors to the Yard. 

As the weather turns warm, these red and black beauties will mate, lay eggs, and feed on the bounty of the rain tree. Using their beak, nymphs and adults pierce the tough seed coat and probe the nutritious meat of the seed. Digestive enzymes pumped through the beak into the seed break down proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Once liquefied, these nutrients are sucked back up the beak and into the gut of the bug where they are converted to proteins used for growth and reproduction or broken down to supply the energy for all the running about and mating that occupies the time of these bugs. These bugs have been known to enter buildings in autumn when the weather finally turns cold and bugs seek shelter. In the wild, shelter might be a fallen log, a pile of branches and leaves, or a rocky outcropping. In their new urban home, winter shelter for the red-shouldered bug might be one of the many dining establishments or agency buildings found in Navy Yard. Will they appear in other venues, maybe in center field at Nats Park with humans wearing red? Probably not, but only time will tell.

Sometimes the simplest tasks, like transporting a soapberry, get complicated when you’re a bug.

 Acknowledgements

 We thank members of the Pick lab, Jackie, and Others Coffee for providing the inspiration for this episode of Bug of the Week. “Jadera haematoloma, Another Insect on its Way North (Heteroptera: Rhopalidae)” by Richard L. Hoffman and Warren E. Steiner, and “Specialization of Jadera Species (Hemiptera: Rhopalidae) on the Seeds of Sapindaceae (Sapindales), and Coevolutionary Responses of Defense and Attack” by Scott P. Carroll and Jenella Loye, were consulted in creating this episode.

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Last week we visited industrious harvester ants in the Mojave Desert. While patrolling these arid lands, we met a plant guru and long-time resident of the Mojave who shared a tale of colorful caterpillars embedded in silken webs on a beautiful native shrub called desert almond, Prunus fasciculata. Desert almond was flora incognita to a Bug Guy from the East Coast, but our desert naturalist shared that fruits of desert almond are highly attractive to many resident birds and rodents and edible to humankind as well. Native Americans of the region, including those of the Cahuilla Nation, consider them a delicacy.

With a vague notion of what desert almond plants looked like and a strong desire to taste their curious fruits and see caterpillars, we set out across the boulder-strewn moonscape in search of caterpillars and almonds. In less than a mile, we stumbled across a sweet smelling, tightly branched shrub festooned with silken webs. As the late afternoon sun warmed their tents, dozens of beautiful western tent caterpillars snuggled together amidst the unseemly remains of pelletized former meals. Excrement of insects is politely known as frass. These leaf-munching tent-makers bore a striking resemblance to their cousins, eastern tent caterpillars, which we visited in previous episodes.  Western tent caterpillars, as their name suggests, occupy western regions of North America ranging from Alberta, Canada to the southern deserts of California and Arizona. Winter is spent as eggs deposited by the hundreds in a dark Styrofoam-like mass encircling a small branch. With the warmth of spring, eggs hatch and tiny caterpillars dine on tender leaves and build their characteristic webs. In addition to desert almond, western tent caterpillars dine on other members of the rose family, including cherries and apples, and also on alders, oaks, poplars, and willow. From their silken bivouac, larvae move along branches to the newly expanding leaves to feed. As larvae grow during spring, they enlarge their silken tents. Tents help caterpillars conserve heat as the writhing mass of caterpillars elevates the temperature inside the tent. Higher temperatures accelerate growth and development of caterpillars on chilly spring days. Their silken homes may also provide protection from predatory or parasitic insects.

The starkly beautiful Mojave Desert is home to a rich diversity of plants and animals. Desert almond shrubs, kin to our domestic almonds, cherries, plums, and peaches dot the landscape. Western tent caterpillars festoon branches of desert almonds with silken webs. A peek inside a tent reveals a messy scrum of wiggling larvae amidst strands of silk and pellets of excrement called frass. Outside the tent mature caterpillars cruise branches in search of fresh leaves.

Near the end of larval development, caterpillars go solo and forage on their own. With growth complete, caterpillars pupate within the confines of their tents or wander from plants seeking protected spots beneath logs, leaves, stones, or human-made structures to spin yellowish or white, silken cocoons. While the desert almonds we visited in the Mojave seemed not to be overwhelmed by western tent caterpillars, other species of tent caterpillars, including the forest tent caterpillar and eastern tent caterpillar, can be problematic when cyclic, outbreaking populations strip trees of foliage. In a previous episode, we provided some easy ways to deal with tent caterpillars when they get out of hand on trees and shrubs in residential landscapes.

Although our quest for western tent caterpillars was a success, the chance to dine on desert almonds was, well, a failure. We arrived in the desert just a bit too early in the season and desert almonds still in bloom had not yet produced fruit. Of course this provides a perfect excuse for a return visit to this remarkable realm.      

Acknowledgements

“Western Tent Caterpillar” by the USDA Forest Service and “Population fluctuations of the western tent caterpillar in southwestern British Columbia” by J. H. Myers were consulted in preparation of this episode. We thank Dr. Shrewsbury for spotting and wrangling western tent caterpillars and Robin and Max at the High Desert Eden for sharing their tent caterpillars with Bug of the Week.

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With weather still a bit dreary in the DMV, let’s travel to the Mojave Desert in southern California to warm up and meet some really cool desert denizens, harvester ants. In previous episodes we visited home-invading odorous house ants as they raided pantries in search of sweets and herded honeydew-squirting aphids on peony blossoms outdoors. Unlike many ants that carbo-load on nectar and honeydew, harvester ants thrive on long chain and complex carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins found in the seeds of plants. These ambitious foragers get their name by harvesting seeds that serve as the major source of food for their colony. Red harvester ants greet the day by sending patrollers from the hidden depths of the colony to inspect the area immediately around the colony and beyond to distances up to a 20-minute ant-walk away. The return of patrollers signals the colony to muster forager ants to begin the busy task of collecting seeds from nearby plants. These dauntless workers may spend up to an hour on their journeys and venture 20 meters from the colony to collect seeds and bring them back to subterranean granaries in their colony.

On a sandy road in the Mojave Desert, a colony of harvester ants works at a fevered pitch. Watch as they collect seeds for their granary and excavate sand to enlarge their subterranean home. Harvester ants play a key role in dispersing seeds of many plants in the high desert.

Seed harvesting is not entirely bad for desert plants as some seeds are lost along the way home during peregrinations of foragers. Some accounts tell of seeds sprouting in over-filled harvester ant galleries, giving rise to new desert plants. Either way, harvester ants are important seed dispersal agents for propagules of many different species of plants. In fact, some plants have taken this relationship to a higher level and produce seeds with elaiosomes, structures packed with lipids, proteins, vitamins, and other nutrients that are highly attractive to ants. This form of ant-assisted seed-dispersal is known as myrmecochory. Why would plants make an evolutionary investment to manufacture energy-rich dispersal structures for their seeds? Scientists provide evidence that seed-dispersal by ants may reduce competition between parental plants and their offspring or competition between their offspring and other species of plants. Dispersing seeds may also derail gluttonous seed-eaters like small mammals that might devour an entire crop of seeds concentrated beneath a parental plant. Also, ant colonies often occupy nutrient rich pockets of soil where plants can thrive. Convincing ants to carry their seeds to these favorable microhabitats is a clever move on the part of a plant.

Red harvester ants are known by many as the entertaining occupants of “ant farms” sold to children and schools. Ant farms are engaging and educational but, as some have learned firsthand, harvester ants can pack a memorable sting. On the famous and amusing Schmidt sting pain index, pain associated with the sting of red harvester ants is described as “Like using a drill to excavate your ingrown toenail.” Yikes! Having said this, I will share that as I photographed and recorded harvester ants for this episode, dozens of ants explored my hands, arms, and body without delivering a bite or sting. Lucky me, I guess.

Acknowledgements

We thank our hosts Robin and Max at the High Desert Eden for sharing their harvester ants, stars of this episode. Two remarkable references, “The Regulation of Foraging Activity in Red Harvester Ant Colonies” by Deborah M. Gordon, and “The Ants” by Bert Hölldobler and E. O. Wilson, were used to prepare this episode.

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Recently we met two very large orb-weaving spiders, the golden silk spider and the Jorō spider, one of which, the Jorō, seems poised to expand its range northward along the eastern seaboard. But guess what? We already have several other impressively large spiders that are native residents in the DMV. Recently I received a text message from a friend with an image of a beautiful large fishing spider snuggled in the folds of a bedroom drape. Whether the spider had been loafing indoors all winter or simply moved in during a brief warm spell remains a mystery. Nonetheless, this oversized arachnid certainly left a memorable impression on my friend.  

Fishing spiders, in the genus Dolomedes, are often found near or on water, but they also wander forests and suburban landscapes and make startling appearances in homes and outbuildings. On more than one occasion, fishing spiders have greeted me in the basement or when I opened the door of my tool shed. Fishing spiders do not build webs to capture prey. They actively hunt and consume a smorgasbord of aquatic and semiaquatic animals; vertebrates such as fish, tadpoles, and toads, and a wide variety of invertebrates, with damselflies, water striders, aquatic beetles, and midges commonly on the menu. As with many other species of spiders, they have the somewhat disturbing propensity to eat other members of their species including youngsters and, for the females, their suitors. Fishing spiders are patient, clever hunters. With hind legs anchored on shore and forelegs outstretched on the water, they capture prey on and just below the surface when hapless victims venture too near. Special non-wettable hairs on their legs allow fishing spiders to ride the surface tension of water, enabling them to run or sail across the surface of a pool or stream.  

High on the Massanutten Mountain of Virginia a bench sits near a gentle stream, home to remarkable numbers of large fishing spiders. While the Zen-like tranquility of this spidery sanctuary may appeal to arachnophiles, arachnophobes may choose to relax elsewhere.

Members of the pisaurid clan also go by the name of nursery web spiders, so called for their habit of building a small web to serve as a refuge for tiny spiderlings emerging from an egg sac. Accounts suggest that fishing spiders can deliver a bite of similar severity to the sting of a bee or wasp. My experience with fishing spiders is that they are quite docile and willing to pose politely for photographs. However, I am not recommending that you try handling one. What of my friend and her fishing spider? She grabbed her handy spider-catching-cup, scooped up the spider, and released it back to the wild, a happy ending for human and spider.     

Acknowledgements 

Bug of the Week thanks Diane for sharing her image of a home invading fishing spider and providing inspiration for this episode. The excellent article “Prey use of the fishing spider Dolomedes triton (Pisauridae, Araneae): an important predator of the neuston community” by Manfred Zimmermann and John R. Spence provided a detailed dietary account of a common, widely distributed fishing spider.  

To see a fishing spider capture a minnow, please click on the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEKRWEo1PSI

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Last week we celebrated the arrival of spring and the glorious return of mason bees, pollinators important to the success of many of our favorite early blooming fruit trees such as apples, peaches, plums, and cherries. This week we turn our attention to reports of a home invader, boxelder bugs, festooning a suburban home. Boxelder bugs are members of the order Hemiptera, a.k.a. the “true bug” clan. Hemiptera are characterized by their sucking mouthparts and gradual metamorphosis. Some bug-friendly neighbors inquired about vast numbers of boxelder bugs aggregating on their patio and the sunny side of their house. As our friends opened and closed doors, these rascals snuck inside for reasons known only to themselves and Mother Nature.

Hordes of boxelder bugs gather on the outside of a home to enjoy a day in the sun – the perfect Spring Break for a boxelder bug!

How did this horde arrive and why are they now active? Here’s the story. Depending on geographic location, boxelder bugs complete one to three generations each year. They survive winter’s ravages hiding in cracks and crevices beneath shutters, under siding, and by entering other access points in structures. In natural settings outdoors, winter refuges include loose bark or hollows of trees, tangles of brush, and voids under rocks. During the last few weeks as temperatures soared into the upper 60s and 70s here in the Washington metropolitan region, boxelder bugs emerged from these redoubts and made their presence known inside homes as they sought a way out. On the exterior of homes, they aggregated in large numbers to soak up thermal energy from the sun.

Seeds from this old maple tree support a population of boxelder bugs that sun themselves on the side of a home on warm spring days. Wanderers sometimes enter homes, creating a nuisance. Others battle as they feed on a maple seed on the ground. Males and females pair off, and after mating, females deposit eggs in many places, including sides of buildings. Wingless nymphs that hatch from eggs feed on a wide variety of plants.

Spring and summer are times for foraging on a wide variety of plants, including seeds of their namesake tree, boxelder, and other members of the maple clan. Both adults and nymphs feed on propagules on many different kinds of seed-bearing trees and on juicy tissues of many other landscape plants. After gaining sufficient nutrients, mated females deposit eggs on a wide variety of substrates on the ground and also on human-made structures. In autumn, large clusters of boxelder bugs gather on trees and buildings, where they become a nuisance. In the waning days of autumn, they seek winter shelter. They enter homes through cracks in the foundation, gaps in siding around windows or vents, and beneath doors and windows. On cold winter days they are inactive, but as winter retreats and temperatures warm, restless boxelder bugs move about and make their presence known inside and out.

Boxelder bugs are not harmful to humans or pets. They do not bite, sting, or reproduce indoors, however, if you squash them on your drapes or walls, they will stain. So, don’t do that. To limit the number of boxelder bugs taking up residence in your residence, eliminate overwintering places such as piles of lumber, fallen branches, or other refuges close to the house. Some folks go as far as removing boxelders, other maples, and ash trees from their landscapes to reduce food sources for nymphs and adults. Weatherproofing your home can also help keep these invaders out. Caulk and seal openings where utilities enter the home. Repair or replace door sweeps and seal any openings around windows, doors, or window air conditioners. If you find them inside your home, you might try this: simply get out the hand-held vacuum, suck them up, and release them back into the wild. It is wise to choose a liberation point some distance away from your home.   

Ever wondered what the boxelder bug’s beak looks like?

You can learn about another infamous home invader that’s also on the move, the brown marmorated stink bug, and see how to deal with it, by clicking on these links:

https://bugoftheweek.com/blog/2015/4/3/stinky-exodus-underway-brown-marmorated-stink-bug-ihalyomorpha-halysi?rq=stink%20bug%20

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kG-2fetbZA

Acknowledgements

We thank Anne Marie and Dennis for sharing their boxelder bugs, and providing inspiration for this episode of Bug of the Week. The wonderful reference “Urban Insects and Arachnids: A Handbook of Urban Entomology” by William Robinson was used as a reference.

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Learn How to Get Rid of Groundhogs That Dig Holes in Your Yard, Under Decks, Sheds & Other Structures

Spring has officially sprung, and the warm weather also means plenty of nuisance wildlife — especially groundhogs — will be making an appearance.

Depending on the region, this critter may be referred to as a groundhog, gopher, or woodchuck. Regardless of the name used for this critter, property owners can all agree on one thing — groundhogs can be incredibly troublesome and must be stopped before causing extensive property damage.

Stop Groundhogs from Digging Holes in Your Yard & Under Your Shed

A group of groundhogs — known as a coterie, can be harmful to the foundation and wiring found throughout a property. Their teeth never stop growing, and the critter’s appetite is insatiable.

However, the most problematic habit of groundhogs is how much they dig. Pest control specialists refer to the burrowers as underground architects, as groundhog tunnels can reach up to 25 feet long and 50 feet deep.

These dimensions can be a true nightmare for any property owner.

The layouts of their burrows are complex, featuring multiple chambers and entrances. Groundhog holes at the surface generally reach up to 12 inches in diameter. It is not uncommon to find as many as six separate holes leading to a single tunneling system.

When burrows are constructed near or under a structure — such as a house or shed, it can lead to devastating consequences. The amount of dirt excavated to create a series of burrows can undermine or erode the structure’s foundation.

This problem is made even worse when groundhog tunnels fill with water.

Groundhogs hibernate from October to March, so as the month of April approaches, the nuisance wildlife will become more active.

Property owners must prepare for the inevitable to ensure their shed, home, or office remains protected against the burrowing critters by referring to professionals in the pest and nuisance wildlife industry.

Safe & Responsible Methods to Discourage Groundhogs from Digging

Homeowners, property managers, and business owners are encouraged to shield their residences or buildings from groundhogs. But they should also exercise caution and understand when it is best to enlist the help of professionals.

Professional nuisance wildlife and pest control experts have the tools and training needed to handle any degree of infestation correctly and — most importantly — safely.

Those without the appropriate training or equipment needed to properly handle a coterie of groundhogs should not attempt to use dangerous chemicals or relocate the burrowers.

By doing so, it could put themselves and others at risk in addition to additional property damage.

Instead, untrained individuals are encouraged to use methods that can prevent or hinder the problem from growing — inhibiting progress of the infestation while waiting for pest experts to arrive.

Manmade Barriers to Prevent Groundhogs Under Sheds

Even if groundhogs have already started to burrow on your property, establishing sturdy barriers around the perimeter can help prevent the situation from worsening.

Consider installing an underground fence that is at least six inches to a foot deep and at least a foot long that is made of hardy, rust-resistant materials like galvanized wire or hardware cloth that groundhogs can’t easily gnaw through.

Groundhogs are skilled climbers, so a barrier that is two feet high, positioned at a 45-degree angle would make the fencing more difficult to scale.

Catseye Pest Control uses Cat-Guard Exclusion Systems — custom-made barriers, to exclude a variety of pests and nuisance wildlife, including groundhogs.

As a lasting solution to a number of pest and nuisance wildlife problems, Cat-Guard covers points of entry such as gable vents, foundations, basement doors, under corner posts, and more.

The placement and installation of Cat-Guard Exclusion Systems is based on the detailed inspection conducted by Catseye technicians during their initial visit. Each property is unique, which is why these exclusion services are tailored to fulfill the needs of the situation.

Focusing on reinforcing the foundation and underground aspects of the property, Trench-Guard is used to defend against groundhogs, skunks, opossums, rats, chipmunks, and other burrowing rodents.

Upper Cat-Guard is used to defend structures from the first-floor windows to the roof, while Lower Cat-Guard is used to defend the first-floor windows down to the ground.

Although these areas are not typically impacted by groundhogs, the systems can be used to defend against squirrels, skunks, birds, and other nuisance wildlife.

Non-Toxic & Organic Repellents

It is not advisable for property owners to use harsh chemicals or toxins to resolve a groundhog or other wildlife infestation. The improper use of such substances can result in dangerous repercussions.

Even the specialists at Catseye avoid the use of intense toxins or chemicals and only use repellents that have been approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

A non-toxic repellent against groundhogs is an ultrasonic groundhog repellent. This device emits pitches and vibrations that groundhogs find unnerving.

The animal interprets loud noises as a sign of danger, which often leads to them being scared away. The incessant noise transmitted by the repellent can help to ward off the burrowing pests.

Although rudimentary, a windchime or radio can be used as a temporary solution.

Organic deterrents concocted from spices and liquid soaps can also help encourage groundhogs to leave the property.

Groundhogs dislike the strong smells associated with some seasonings like hot peppers and garlic. Solutions containing these spices, water, and liquid soap are chemical-free and can be liberally sprayed throughout the affected area to discourage groundhogs from returning.

If homemade repellents don’t do the trick, products like coyote or fox urine granules could be a temporary solution.

The vermin mistake the smelly pellets and granules as territorial markings made by the predators. Groundhogs don’t want to become a meal for a coyote, bobcat, or fox, so they typically run away at the first whiff of these predators.

Consult Catseye Pest Control to Resolve Your Burrowing Pest Problem

Allow the licensed specialists at Catseye to defend your property against the damaging effects of a burrower, whether it is groundhogs, rats, or other avid diggers.

Our team of nuisance wildlife and pest control experts understand the ways nuisance wildlife can infiltrate a home or business and damage the surrounding property.

This knowledge can help us prevent the critters from returning by using fail-safe techniques that do not endanger pets or people.

During the first visit to your property, our technicians will inspect the affected areas and determine how the wildlife is able to burrow under the shed or other structures and what can be done to evict them from the premises — for good.

When you are ready to regain control of your property, contact us to learn how Catseye can help.

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After a somewhat dreary and rather chilly end of winter, the ides of March arrived with temperatures in the 60s and 70s here in the DMV. As in years past, this triggered the emergence of this season’s vanguard of mason bees, awakened from their winter slumber just in time for the first day of spring. Several years ago, I established a colony of mason bees by purchasing about 30 hollow cardboard tubes from a purveyor of bee paraphernalia. These tubes were rapidly colonized by grateful hordes of bees and now the colony occupying my car port numbers in the hundreds. Mason bees are solitary bees, meaning they lack the well-known social structure of honeybees where a queen mother rules the colony. In the world of my mason bees, every female is a queen tasked with providing food for her own daughters and sons. Although each female is solely responsible for raising her own young, they are gregarious and will happily live in close proximity to one another, sometimes establishing colonies of hundreds of bees each with her individual nest.

Watch as a male horned-face mason bee emerges from his bee-tube-nursery and takes his first steps into the sunlight. Next on the agenda, find a mate.

The food each female provides consists of pollen cakes, nutritious balls of pollen and nectar gathered from Mother Nature’s first blossoms of spring. Mason bees provide the valuable ecosystem service of pollination. High on their list of favored plants are some of my favorites as well, apples, cherries, and blueberries. In a fascinating study, Drs. MacIvor, Cabral, and Packer found that in addition to insect pollinated plants, some Canadian mason bees collected significant pollen from wind-pollinated trees including oaks and birches, and the ubiquitous lawn weed, white clover.

This is what my carport looks like on springtime mornings when mason bees are busy collecting pollen.

Mason bees are remarkably energetic during daylight hours but I was curious to see what they did at night. Who wouldn’t be? One way to find out, grab a flashlight and have a look. In the middle of the night, mason bees rest near the entrance to their brood chamber. Their abdomen faces outward and is flexed downward, creating a formidable barrier barring access to the pollen cakes and brood beyond these hard-working mothers. Like many other bees we have met in Bug of the Week, mason bees are gentle and not at all interested in stinging humans. Nesting materials for mason bees can be purchased commercially and I highly recommend creating habitats for these industrious and fascinating pollinators.   

At night mason bees rest, rear ends facing outward perhaps to block intruders from entering their galleries. With the morning sun, the colony springs to life with brown horn-faced bees and blue orchard bees shuttling pollen from blossoms to their brood chambers. Check out the mason bee almost dead center at about one minute and thirty seconds in the clip as it enters a brood chamber head first, then performs a 180-degree pirouette, before reentering the chamber rear end first. After unloading pollen, it’s off to collect another load.

References

The interesting article “Pollen specialization by solitary bees in an urban landscape” by J. S. MacIvor, J. M. Cabral, and L. Packer Singer was used as a reference for this episode.

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