Contrasting colors of dorsal wing bars make the banded peacock one of the most beautiful butterflies in the rainforest.
Following a week where Old Man Winter socked-it-to much of North America with bone chilling temperatures and mountains of snow, let’s return to the warm embrace of the rainforests of Belize where we last visited tasty conehead termites. Last week we met squirty termites in the dark rainforest. This week we move to a sunlit meadow to meet members of the brush-footed butterfly clan known as peacocks. Our first guest, the beautiful white peacock butterfly, Anartia jatrophae, is a resident not only of Central America, but also much of South America and as far north as Florida and Texas in the United States. The banded peacock, Anartia fatima, is also a resident of Central America and wanders into the United States, where it sometimes visits Texas and has been found occasionally as far north as Kansas.
Glorious banded peacock butterflies and pretty white peacock butterflies with spots on their wings use a rather small menu of tropical plants as food plants for their larvae. Males spar to defend patches of these host plants to court potential mates seeking food for their young. While I was unable to record these fast-moving battles, I hope that watching these tropical beauties might bring some cheer to you on these chilly and dreary winter days.
Throughout much of their range, peacocks can be found almost year-round in disturbed open meadows and swampy areas where food plants for the larvae are found. Food plants for caterpillars of the white and banded peacocks include water hyssop, blechum, frogfruit, and wild petunia. Tropical rainforests are among the most biologically diverse of all ecosystems on our planet, housing an astounding array of plant species. The Nature Conservancy estimates roughly 1500 species of flowering plants exist in a four-square mile area of tropical rainforest. The fidelity of female peacock butterflies to a relatively small number of plants on which she places her eggs has resulted in an interesting strategy employed by male peacock butterflies to secure a mate.
When not seeking mates or larval food plants, white peacocks tank up on carbohydrate-rich tropical flowers like lantana.
In a fascinating series of studies, Robert Lederhouse and his colleagues observed male white peacock butterflies patrolling roughly circular zones of vegetation in swampy areas in the Florida everglades. When other male peacocks, or any flying insects for that matter, entered the 15-meter diameter no-fly zone of a male, the interloper was summarily harassed and chased from the area. On closer examination, the scientists discovered water hyssop, the food plant needed for larval development, in each of the defended no-fly zones. A similar behavior of chasing away interloping males was also observed in the banded peacock butterfly. If you are a male peacock butterfly, it appears that one way to get a mate is to hang around the plant where the female must come to find requisite food for her babes. Sounds a little like an episode of Seinfeld, doesn’t it? Remember the one called “The Bookstore” where Jerry provides dating advice to George? “GEORGE: I read somewhere that this Brentano’s is the place to meet girls in New York. JERRY: First it was the health club, then the supermarket, now the bookstore.” Why does it often seem that insects figure these things out before we do?
On the steps of the high pyramid of Caracol students from the University of Maryland explore the wonders of tropical rainforests and Mayan civilizations. Image credit: Luis Godoy
Acknowledgements
We thank the hearty crew of BSCI 339M, Belize: Tropical Biology and Mayan Culture, for providing the inspiration for this episode. Thanks to Luis Godoy for sharing a picture of the adventurous students. Special thanks to the staff of the Toucan Ridge Ecology and Education Society for allowing us to learn about insects in their rainforest reserve. The interesting article “Host plant-based territoriality in the white peacock butterfly, Anartia jatrophae (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae)” by Robert C. Lederhouse and colleagues, and “Caterpillars of Eastern North America” by David L. Wagner were used as a references.
The holidays bring people together, fill homes with activity, and often disrupt normal routines. Once the celebrations end, many homeowners notice that their space feels cluttered, disorganized, or harder to keep clean than usual. A post-holiday cleaning checklist helps restore balance by addressing overlooked areas and the extra mess that naturally comes with hosting, decorating, and winter living.
Unlike routine weekly cleaning, post-holiday cleaning focuses on deeper resets and prevention. Increased food preparation, guests entering and exiting and moving through the home, stored decorations, and cold weather all create conditions that require more attention to detail. Taking the time to clean thoroughly after the holidays can improve indoor hygiene, reduce pest attraction, and make winter home maintenance far more manageable.
Why Post-Holiday Cleaning Matters
During the holiday season, messes tend to build up in ways that aren’t immediately visible. Extra meals and diners lead to more crumbs and spills. Hosting guests also means higher traffic through rooms that may not usually see daily use. Decorations, boxes, and gift wrap are often stored quickly, sometimes without much organization.
Winter makes these issues more significant. As temperatures drop, pests look for warmth and reliable food sources indoors. Even small amounts of debris or clutter can create inviting conditions. Kitchens, storage areas, guest rooms, and garages are especially vulnerable during this time.
A thorough post-holiday cleaning helps homeowners catch these problems early. Addressing hidden messes now reduces the likelihood of pest issues later in the winter and helps keep the home healthier overall.
Post-Holiday Cleaning Checklist: Room by Room
Approaching post-holiday cleaning room by room makes the process more effective and less overwhelming. The following checklist highlights the areas that require the most attention after the holidays.
Kitchen and Food Storage Areas
Clear out leftovers and expired items and wipe down refrigerator shelves, drawers, door seals, and pantry shelves.
Reseal dry goods, clean up crumbs and spills, and sweep and mop floors, including under appliances.
Empty, clean, and deodorize trash and recycling bins to remove food residue and odors.
Holiday cooking increases the chances of crumbs and spills collecting in hidden areas. Addressing the kitchen early helps eliminate one of the most common sources of winter pest attraction.
Living Room & Common Spaces
Vacuum carpets, rugs, and upholstered furniture and dust baseboards, shelves, and electronics.
Wash or shake out throw blankets, pillows, and other fabric décor before storing.
Pack holiday decorations into clean, sealed containers rather than loose boxes.
These shared spaces often see the most activity during the holidays. Fabric items and stored decorations can easily trap debris if not cleaned properly before being put away.
Guest Bedrooms & Luggage Storage
Wash guest bedding, blankets, and mattress covers and vacuum floors and mattresses.
Check closets, luggage storage areas, and under beds for forgotten items or debris.
Remove temporary clutter and return the room to regular use or proper winter storage conditions.
Guest rooms may not be used often during the rest of the year, which makes it especially important to clean them thoroughly before closing them off for winter.
Trash, Recycling, & Storage Areas
Break down and remove cardboard boxes, wrapping paper, and excess packaging.
Clean trash cans and recycling containers to eliminate residue and odors.
Organize garages, basements, and storage rooms using sealed bins instead of loose boxes.
Reducing these materials significantly lowers the risk of pests settling in during colder months.
Seasonal Considerations After the Holidays
Winter changes how homes function. People spend more time indoors, storage areas fill up quickly, and ventilation is often limited. All of these factors make cleanliness and organization more important than usual.
The period immediately following the holidays is a common time for homeowners to notice pest activity indoors. Prioritizing cleaning food-related areas, disposing of waste properly, and organizing storage spaces can make a noticeable difference.
Benefits of a Thorough After-Holiday Home Reset
Completing a post-holiday cleaning checklist does more than improve how your home looks. During winter, when homes are closed up and pests are more likely to move indoors, a thorough reset helps support a healthier and more manageable living environment.
By removing food residue, excess moisture, and clutter, homeowners reduce the conditions that attract insects and rodents. Clean, organized spaces also make it easier to spot early signs of pest activity, such as droppings, damaged packaging, and small gaps along walls and baseboards. Addressing these details early can help prevent minor issues from becoming larger problems later in the season.
A thoughtful after-holiday reset also simplifies winter home maintenance. When key areas are clean and organized, it’s easier to stay ahead of potential concerns and avoid the need for more extensive intervention down the line.
Supporting a Pest-Resistant Home After the Holidays
Post-holiday cleaning is an important first step in protecting your home during winter, but pest activity can still occur as insects and rodents look for warmth and shelter this time of year. Even well-maintained homes can experience pest pressure as insects and rodents seek warmth, food, and shelter after the holidays.
Professional pest inspections can help identify activity that may not be obvious during routine cleaning, particularly in kitchens, storage areas, basements, and common entry points. Addressing concerns early helps prevent small issues from turning into larger infestations.
Catseye Pest Control works with homeowners to support clean, pest-resistant homes by providing prevention-focused services and targeted solutions. If post-holiday cleaning reveals concerns or raises questions, having an experienced team to guide your next steps can make winter home care simpler and more effective.
Frequently Asked Questions
What areas of the home are most often overlooked during post-holiday cleaning?
During post-holiday cleaning, homeowners often overlook areas that don’t experience daily use. These zones commonly include guest bedrooms, closets used for coats or luggage, storage rooms, basements, garages, and spaces behind or under furniture and appliances. Trash and recycling bins, pantry shelves, and decoration storage containers are also frequently missed, even though they can hold food residue or moisture that attracts pests.
How does post-holiday clutter increase the risk of winter pests?
Post-holiday clutter provides shelter, warmth, and hiding places for pests during winter. Cardboard boxes, stored decorations, excess packaging, and disorganized storage areas can create ideal nesting conditions for rodents and insects. When combined with leftover food crumbs or moisture, clutter makes it easier for pests to remain undetected and establish activity indoors while homes are closed up for colder weather.
Is a post-holiday cleaning checklist different for homes with frequent guests?
Yes, homes with frequent holiday guests typically require a more thorough post-holiday cleaning. Guest bedrooms, bathrooms, entryways, and common areas experience higher traffic and are more likely to accumulate debris, moisture, and clutter. These homes benefit from extra attention to bedding, carpets, luggage storage areas, and closets to reduce sanitation issues and lower the risk of pest activity after guests leave.
What misconceptions do homeowners have about cleaning after the holidays?
A common misconception is that routine weekly cleaning is enough after the holidays. In reality, holiday activities create deeper messes in storage areas, kitchens, and less-used rooms that regular cleaning may not address. Another misconception is that cold weather eliminates pest concerns. In fact, winter often increases indoor pest activity as insects and rodents seek warmth and food.
How can post-holiday cleaning routines be adapted for busy households?
Busy households can adapt post-holiday cleaning by breaking tasks into manageable sections and focusing on high-risk areas first. Prioritizing kitchens, food storage, trash areas, and cluttered spaces helps reduce pest risks, even if the full cleaning is done gradually. Using simplified checklists, setting short time blocks, and maintaining organized storage throughout winter can make post-holiday cleaning more realistic and effective for families with limited time.
Soldiers of different termite species have unique adaptations for repelling enemies. Depending on the species of termite, soldiers are armed with jaws that stab, cut, snap or whack an enemy. Termite soldiers in this nest are chemical warriors known as nasutes. These highly evolved termites have dark brown heads with a long, tubular snout, called a nasus. From this nasus, they squirt sticky defensive secretions that can entangle, irritate, and repel invading enemies such as ants.
As the wicked winter tightens its grip on much of North America, let’s take another trip to somewhere warm. We recently visited pretty orchid bees, hungry leaf beetles, and squirty froghoppers in the cloud forest of Costa Rica. This week we travel some 800 miles north to the rainforest at Toucan Ridge, Belize. In this lush green paradise warm temperatures and abundant rainfall make this one of the most productive ecosystems on the planet. Rapidly growing trees and shrubs provide a bounty of food for legions of plant-eating insects, reptiles, birds, and mammals. However, these vegetarians alone cannot devour the enormous quantity of plant material produced. Plant debris would soon bury the jungle were it not for work of another group of plant eaters, the termites. Termites are remarkable creatures that consume both living and dead plant material in the tropics. To utilize the nutrients tied up in plants, termites rely on a hearty gut microbiome of symbiotic bacteria and, in some primitive species, protozoa, to help digest the refractory plant material called cellulose.
Dark trails of soil, wood particles, and feces mark the corridors used by sunlight-fearing termites to reach food sources in the canopies of trees.
Termites have an unusual and rather crude way of passing these vital microbes from one termite to the next through a process known as proctodeal trophallaxis. One termite excretes a droplet of microbe-packed fluid from its anus. This packet of goodies is consumed by another termite waiting at the rear end. Yum! The transfer of liquids from one termite to the next is also a way of disseminating chemical messages called pheromones that regulate the development and behavior of termites within the colony.
Strange, large, coffee-brown objects adorning trees in the rainforest are aerial nests of termites.
While adventuring along a slippery mountain trail with 18 adventurous students, we happened upon a large nest of conehead termites. Our local Belizean trail guide shared lore of the importance of termites to the ancient Mayan people. Mayans used termites as bait for fish in a way known only to them. Mayans crushed and smeared termites on their skin as a natural repellent for biting flies like mosquitoes. Mayans also consumed termites as a source of nutrients. Our Belizean guide invited us to sample termites to learn why so many insects, birds, and mammals seek a termite buffet.
Along a rainforest trail we encountered a large aerial termite nest. Our Belizean guide opened the nest and invited us to sample termites to learn why so many insects, birds, and mammals seek a termite buffet. By holding his hand against the hole in the nest, he collected several nozzle-headed soldiers that had issued forth to defend their colony. After our guide dined on a few, several bold students and one professor sampled the tiny defenders. After plucking a few workers from the colony and savoring each morsel, I found the delicate flavor reminiscent of carrots. Little wonder the Mayans enjoyed them. Others in our group did not share my assessment. Some quipped that termites tasted, well, like bugs.
To demonstrate this point, our guide made a platter-sized rent in the termite nest. By holding his hand against the hole in the nest, he collected several nozzle-headed soldiers that had issued forth to defend the nest. After our guide dined on a few, several bold students and one professor sampled the tiny defenders. After plucking a few workers from the colony and savoring each morsel, I found the delicate flavor reminiscent of carrots. Little wonder the Mayans enjoyed them. Others in our group did not share my assessment. Some quipped that termites tasted, well, like bugs.
Scores of termite solders scramble to protect the colony when the outer protective shell has been breached.
Termites are part of an elite group of social insects that include the ants and several wasps and bees. Social insects such as termites and ants have a distinct division of labor with a caste system that includes specialized workers, soldiers, and reproductives. Termite reproductives are called kings and queens. These long-lived queens produce thousands and thousands of eggs during the course of their lives, which can span several decades. Termite queens are the longest lived of all insect species. Termite kings live only long enough to mate and they die soon thereafter. While Tom Petty lyricized that it was good to be king, from the longevity standpoint it’s better to be queen in the termite realm.
Atop the high pyramid of Caracol, students from the University of Maryland explore the wonders of tropical rainforests and Mayan civilizations. Image: Tarique Domingo
Acknowledgements
Bug of the Week thanks the adventurous students and faculty of BSCI 339M, Belize: Tropical Biology and Mayan Culture, for providing the inspiration for this episode. We thank our guides Will and Tarique for teaching us the ways of the Mayans. Special thanks to the staff of the Toucan Ridge Ecology and Education Society for allowing us to learn about insects in their rainforest reserve. Two great books, “The Insect Societies” by E.O. Wilson and “For Love of Insects” by T. Eisner, were used as references for this Bug of the Week.
Orchid bees use their remarkably long proboscis, often called a tongue, to collect nectar from blossoms.
This week we return to the mystical cloud forest of Monteverde Costa Rica where, in the last two episodes, we met beautiful golden frog hoppers and rolled-leaf hispine beetles that make beautiful heliconia plants their meal and home. In a stylish landscape along a high mountain road, we saw some large busy bees visiting beautiful purple porterweed. At first glance these appeared to be busy bumblebees, but with a little help from iNaturalist, we learned that these were large orchid bees in the genus Eulaema. In addition to pollinating porterweed, large orchid bees, including Eulaema, are important pollinators of a wide variety of orchids including one of my favorites, the second most expensive flavoring in the world, vanilla. While female orchid bees collect massive loads of pollen to feed their young, male orchid bees have evolved remarkable morphological structures and equally clever behaviors to woo their mates. On a section of their hide leg called the tibia, males evolved a greatly expanded hollow pouch. This hollow pouch has an opening to the air to release fragrances called perfumes. Let’s see what this is all about.
Here’s a little backstory. In the dating game of humans, odors make a difference. Does anyone really want a stinky partner? Apparently not. For centuries humans have used fragrances to grab the attention of a potential mate. The global perfume industry is valued at more than 50 billion dollars annually. Guess what, male orchid bees have also figured out that the right odor can make you a winner in the mating game.
Even in flight Eulaema has its proboscis ready for action.
Male orchid bees visit sources of volatile scents in a wide variety of places including flowers, tree sap, resin, fungi, and other places to collect several different fragrances. How do they collect these perfumes? Male bees secrete droplets of lipid compounds from their mouthparts onto the surface of a flower or other source of odors. Various scented compounds are absorbed into the lipid droplets. These droplets are then collected and stored in the hollow chamber of the expanded tibial pouch of the hind leg. During courtship the male orchid bee fans its wings, causing the fragrances stored in the hind leg to become airborne. The unique blend of the male’s perfumes attracts potential mates, enabling female orchid bees to recognize males of her species and to choose that special someone to be the father of her offspring. I must wonder if orchid bees have a lesson here for us.
In the cloud forest of Monteverde, large bees visit purple porterweed. Although resembling bumble bees, these beauties are orchid bees in the genus Eulaema. In addition to pollinating porterweed, Eulaema pollinate a wide variety of orchids including one of my favorites, vanilla. They sip nectar through a remarkably long proboscis, also called a tongue. While female orchid bees collect massive loads of pollen to feed their young, male orchid bees collect fragrances from many sources and store them in perfume pouches on their hind legs. To attract a mate, the male bee fans its wings, releasing his perfume into the air. Female orchid bees use these odors to recognize males and choose just the right mate to father their offspring.
Acknowledgements
We thank Paula Shrewsbury for sharing her pretty images of Eulaema foraging on porterweed in the cloud forest. Two fantastic articles “Evolution of Acquired Perfumes and Endogenous Lipid Secretions in Orchid Bees” by Thomas Eltz, Tobias Mende, and Santiago Ramírez, and “Non-floral scent sources of orchid bees: observations and significance” by Jonas Henske, Bart P. E. De Dijn, and Thomas Eltz were sources of information for this article.
Unrolling an unexpanded Heliconia leaf reveals a lovely rolled-leaf hispine leaf beetle.
Last week we visited beautiful Heliconia plants where we met some very pretty Golden Froghoppers as they sipped sap from leaves of Heliconia. This week we return to the lovely Heliconia plant to explore strange patterns of herbivore feeding on their leaves. These marks were created by some unseen herbivores that scraped away leaf tissue from the surface of the tender green leaves. These interesting patterns included small linear rows of missing tissue and larger isolated jelly-bean shaped translucent scars on the leaves. These marks were the handiwork of a curious group of leaf beetles, Chrysomelidae, known as rolled-leaf hispine beetles.
What caused these unusual holes and marks on the Heliconia leaf?
In tropical regions of the Americas more than 180 species of rolled-leaf hispine beetles have been described. In addition to Heliconia plants, several other members of the ginger family serve as hosts for rolled-leaf hispines. While the star of this week’s episode feeds on the unfurled leaves of Heliconia, other members of the clan eat tissues of flower bracts and leaf petioles. For Cephaloleia spp. we visit this week, life begins in a tubular leaf-scroll where female beetles deposit eggs between the rolled layers of an unfurled Heliconia leaf. These eggs hatch into extraordinarily flattened larvae with a perfect body shape for life between the appressed layers of a rolled leaf. Their mandibles scrape soft, nutritious tissue from between the veins of Heliconia leaves. Their feeding behavior, termed “strip-mining”, is responsible for the linear feeding patterns seen on unfurled leaves.
For strange rolled-leaf hispine larvae it is difficult to tell the head from the tail.
Beetle larvae glide across the surface of the leaf on unseen legs beneath their body. Larval locomotion is strangely reminiscent of the movement of a slug or snail. Larvae of Cephaloleia pupate in a nook or cranny of the Heliconia plant before emerging as adults that return to the safety of a rolled leaf to feed. Adults create larger feeding marks on the leaf surface, as do fully developed larvae.
This week we return to the beautiful Heliconia plant to unravel the mystery of some strange feeding marks on its leaves. With no one home on the surface of an expanded leaf, unfurling a rolled-up leaf revealed a hungry rolled-leaf hispine leaf beetle and its feeding wounds on the leaf margin. On the inside of a more mature leaf-roll, a young beetle larvae glides over its older cousin on six tiny legs hidden beneath its body. Partially unrolling the scroll-like Heliconia leaf sent this leaf beetle scampering for the cover of a furled section of the leaf. Mystery of strange feeding marks on Heliconia solved.
In Costa Rica, some species of Heliconia are home and tucker to several species of rolled-leaf hispine beetles. In addition, the number of hispine beetle species increases with the geographic range of their ginger-family host plants, physical size of the plant species on which they feed, and abundance of plant hosts in an area. For Costa Rican Cephaloleia, life is on a roll in a roll.
Different species of rolled-leaf hispine beetles have unique feeding sites leaving distinct feeding marks on plants.
Acknowledgements
The wonderful articles “Rolled-Leaf Hispine Beetles (Chrysomelidae) and their Zingiberales Host Plants in Middle America” by Donald R. Strong, Jr. and “Notes on the ecology of rolled-leaf hispines (Chrysomelidae, Cassidinae) at La Gamba (Costa Rica)” by Michael Schmitt and Meike Frank served as references for this episode.
It’s easy to see why this pretty insect is called the Golden Froghopper.
As the holiday season draws to an end and the chilly grip of old man winter settles into the DMV, it’s time for Bug of the Week to head to warmer realms to visit insects and their kin in tropical places. Over the next several weeks, we will meet relatives of our native Maryland insects that enjoy warm weather somewhere else on planet earth. Our first stop will be the cloud forests of Costa Rica. Here we will meet some of the fascinating insects that make their home on the beautiful Heliconia plants found throughout tropical regions. Our first delight is the Golden Froghopper.
Beautiful Heliconia plants are home to many insects, including the Golden Froghopper.
Froghoppers are a large family of insects technically known as Cercopidae.
Beautiful Heliconia plants are home to many insects in the tropical rainforests of Costa Rica. Gorgeous Golden Froghoppers can frequently be seen strolling across Heliconia leaves and dining on their nutritious sap. Excess fluid discharged from their rear-end is called honeydew, and it rains down on plants and slow-moving people below. Maybe this is yet another reason it rains in the rainforest.
Immature stages of froghoppers produce a bubbly concoction called spittle. Unsurprisingly, they are called spittlebugs. Spittle is a fairly innocuous mix of excess plant fluid voided by froghopper nymphs. Proteinaceous glandular secretions and air bubbles introduced by clever contortions cover the body of the nymph. The spittle serves to keep the developing nymph moist and insulated from extreme temperatures. It also may serve as a deterrent from attack by stinging parasitoids and hungry predators. Would self-respecting birds really wade through a glob of spittle in search of a buggy meal? I think not.
What’s this? It looks like spittle.
After molting several times within their bubble home, nymphs turn into winged adults. Adults suck plant sap to obtain nutrients and excrete excess sap in the form of honeydew, as do other sap-suckers including aphids, scale insects, and lanternflies.
A cute spittlebug nymph wonders what happened to its bubbles.
Many adult froghoppers like those found in the DMV sport rather drab colors of gray or brown or cryptic shades of green and are not often seen during casual excursions to the garden. However, in the tropical rainforests of Costa Rica froghoppers can be stunning, like the gorgeous Golden Froghopper. Most spittlebugs and froghoppers cause no economic damage. While you may not have a chance to visit beautiful froghoppers in the tropics, next spring when you walk in the meadow, fear not the spittle and take a moment to brush back the bubbles and enjoy these curious sap-suckers.
Our native froghoppers like this one are often relatively drab.
Eco-friendly pest control balances the need to eliminate pests with the desire to do the least harm to the environment, all while protecting people and pets. Catseye Pest Control understands that balance and offers innovative chemical and non-chemical treatments that safeguard households while effectively eliminating pests.
Some of the key takeaways to consider include the following:
Integrated pest management offers robust solutions and long-term success.
Pest prevention is among the most effective strategies homeowners can undertake on their own, including the use of natural pest repellents.
Humane mouse traps may be effective for small infestations, but exclusion offers greater protection.
DIY eco-friendly options may not be sufficient, particularly for widespread infestations, hazardous or damaging pests, or commercial properties.
Consulting with a professional can ensure effective elimination while still using eco-friendly, low-toxicity strategies.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) as a Sustainable Framework
Integrated pest management (IPM) is the gold standard of eco-friendly pest control and one of Catseye’s core strategies. This prevention and maintenance-focused approach offers an effective way to get rid of pests without damaging people, pets, or the ecosystem at large.
Our four-pronged approach begins with a thorough inspection of the home. This allows technicians to identify pest activity, how pests enter, and the conditions that may contribute to the infestation. After identifying the pest and why and how they are entering, technicians customize their treatment plans, which may include structural repairs, monitoring, and low-toxicity treatments, depending on the situation at hand.
Most of all, IPM represents a solid framework and a partnership that allows homeowners and professionals to work together to achieve a pest-free home.
Some of the pest control measures incorporated in IPM include the following:
Biological control: Uses pests’ natural enemies to curtail their population
Cultural control: Makes the home less hospitable by removing what pests need to survive, including food, water, and shelter
Physical control: Removes pests and uses barriers to keep them from returning
Chemical control: Implements “last resort” chemical treatments when necessary, typically as part of a larger strategy to prevent infestations and achieve long-term control
Natural Pest Prevention Techniques for Residential Properties
Prevention can save money and help homeowners avoid the need for strong chemicals. One of the most effective techniques falls under the IPM umbrella: cultural control. This strategy removes the resources that pests need to survive. As a result, it’s possible to reduce the risk of attracting pests in the first place.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides detailed guidance on preventative measures, including removing all sources of food, water, and shelter. That means clearing clutter, which provides easy areas for pests to hide, nest, and breed. Additional steps include the following:
Storing food, including pet food, in rigid, tightly lidded containers, such as plastic, glass, or metal
Regularly removing garbage from the home and placing it in pest-proof receptacles located at least 50 feet from the exterior of the home
Fixing leaks promptly and remove any sources of standing water, such as clogged gutters
Closing any cracks, crevices, or gaps around pipes and utility intrusions
Covering holes and vents with wire mesh
Checking cardboard and grocery items before bringing them indoors to avoid inadvertently introducing pests into the home
Routinely vacuuming, cleaning up spills and crumbs, and washing dishes
Humane Mouse Traps and Non-Lethal Rodent Management
A 2023 study published by the National Library of Medicine shows that live traps often catch mice effectively. When studied in comparison to glue traps, live traps captured mice 75% to 91% of the time.
Catch and release traps are a non-lethal option. They have one opening with a door that the mouse will trigger to close once it enters the trap. The mouse can then be relocated out into the wild. They typically come in one of two types: single mouse and multi-mouse traps.
Although these traps can help catch mice, they won’t help eliminate a widespread infestation. They are best for early signs of rodent activity before mice have a chance to establish their nests. If you consistently catch mice but also continue to see signs of an ongoing infestation, such as fresh droppings, it may be time to consult professionals.
Rodent and Wildlife Exclusion
One very effective rodent control measure is exclusion, which is the practice of closing off potential entry points to prevent mice and rats from entering. Wildlife exclusion systems like Cat-Guard provide a permanent, chemical-free, humane barriers. They offer targeted protection homeowners can install in one or more vulnerable areas, such as:
Attics and rooflines
Foundations and windows
Low-clearance spots like decks and sheds
Natural Insect Repellent Options and Low-Toxicity Alternatives
One popular low-toxicity, natural solution for prevention is oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), not to be confused with lemon eucalyptus essential oil. OLE comes from the Australian lemon-scented gum tree and contains an active ingredient known as p-menthane-3,8-diol (PMD). It’s classified as a biopesticide and has the potential to provide five to seven hours of protection that is similar to DEET. It’s generally safe for pregnant women and children ages 3 and older and helps repel biting insects like ticks and mosquitoes.
A few additional natural insect repellent options include the following:
Essential Oils
Citronella and other citrus-based essential oils can help repel mosquitoes, flies, fleas, and mites. Garlic oil repels ticks, as does thyme, which also repels fleas and mosquitoes. Lavender and cinnamon may help keep areas mosquito-free. Peppermint essential oil may also be a good weapon against ants, flies, mosquitoes, and spiders.
Homeowners can make their own repellents by mixing 10 to 20 drops of essential oils with 2 ounces each of distilled water and distilled white vinegar. Alternatively, they can make a repellent spray using one part essential oils mixed with 10 parts witch hazel in a spray bottle.
Insect Repellent Plants
Inside or outdoors, some plants contain components that give off scents that ward off pests. Examples include:
Chrysanthemums: These pretty flowers contain the repellent pyrethrum and ward off cockroaches, bed bugs, ants, fleas, and ticks.
Rosemary: This aromatic foliage helps keep pests like snails, Japanese beetles, and carrot flies out of the garden.
Basil: This herb’s scent helps keep the garden free of aphids, mites, mosquitoes, and flies. It can also prevent insects from coming indoors if planted near entryways.
Lemon thyme: This fragrant herb can help keep cockroaches, termites, and mosquitoes away.
When Eco-Friendly Methods Are Not Enough and Professional Support Is Required
Not all eco-friendly methods are equally effective. Natural approaches can offer effective prevention and control, particularly for small pest issues. However, commercial properties should contact professionals immediately to avoid issues with noncompliance related to health and safety regulations.
Additionally, research suggests that 67% to 75% of homeowners who try solving pest problems on their own end up turning to pest control professionals anyway. Choosing the right treatment method, regularly repeating applications, and routine monitoring can be time-consuming, but these steps are critical for success.
So, what is the trigger point that lets homeowners know it’s time to consult with a pro?
Persistent infestations: Signs of new and ongoing pest activity that continue beyond one to two weeks suggest that current strategies are not working.
Widespread infestations: Professionals have the equipment and training to deal with large-scale pest infestations.
Presence of hazardous pests: Termites, rodents, fleas, bed bugs, and cockroaches can be some of the most difficult infestations to manage. They also pose potential risks to human health and safety and could create structural damage.
For eco-friendly pest control methods you can rely on, turn to the experts at Catseye. Our team has been using integrated pest management solutions as our go-to option for decades, and your family’s health and well-being are among our top priorities. Contact us today to learn more or to schedule an inspection.
Frequently Asked Questions
How effective is integrated pest management compared to traditional chemical treatments?
Research shows that integrated pest management is significantly more effective than traditional approaches. In one study, researchers compared traditional treatments for cockroaches to IPM. Traditional treatments had little impact, whereas IPM measures reduced cockroaches from 24.7 to 3.9 per unit, with lasting population suppression for eight months.
Another study, comparing the two strategies in apartment buildings in Brooklyn and Manhattan, New York, found that IPM did a better job of reducing cockroaches. It was also more successful in sustaining that reduction.
What indicators show that humane mouse traps are working without increasing rodent activity elsewhere in the home?
Humane mouse traps offer an effective solution for occasional sightings. Consistently catching mice in them suggests ongoing activity. One of the best indicators that the strategy is working is when you stop seeing any new droppings. Once you stop catching mice in the traps and there’s no evidence of bait disturbance, it’s a strong sign that the traps are working. If you catch no mice and see no fresh droppings, gnaw marks, or pantry intrusions for one week, you can consider it a success.
Still, humane traps rarely work for widespread infestations. If you see signs of activity extending beyond one week, contact Catseye for professional assistance.
Which natural insect repellents provide the longest-lasting protection for indoor spaces?
Some of the most effective repellents include biological controls, which use natural predators to control harmful pests. For example, having a cat in the house may not be a foolproof solution. However, the scent of a predator in the home may deter mice and other rodents from moving in.
Essential oils, such as clove, citronella, and peppermint, can also effectively repel pests, including spiders and fleas. For example, researchers found that a mix of 32% lemon eucalyptus essential oil can provide 95% protection from mosquitoes for a span of three hours.
How can homeowners confirm whether their current pest issues can be resolved using natural pest prevention alone?
As a general guideline, homeowners experiencing minor pest issues or small-scale seasonal pests can try natural remedies first. However, those who want to use natural methods for prevention must be willing to commit to the time required to apply the treatments regularly and monitor the progress regularly. Finally, homeowners sensitive to chemicals can try these solutions as their first strategy or consult with a professional about how to limit their exposure. Catseye uses low-toxicity solutions and offers guidance to homeowners to ensure safety for everyone in the home.
What environmental or health benefits make eco-friendly pest control methods preferable for families and pets?
Eco-friendly pest control provides more targeted pest control. While pesticides were once used as a blanket solution, today’s pest control landscape takes many factors into account. It matches the right treatment with the pests infesting the home, chooses the lowest-toxicity possible to effectively eliminate them, and relies on a prevention-first strategy. This approach eliminates negative impacts on the environment as well as on beneficial pests, wildlife, pets, and humans.
How do professionals determine when low-toxicity options are sufficient versus when advanced treatment is required?
Low-toxicity treatment options should be the go-to in most cases. The expert team at Catseye always begins with a thorough home inspection to assess how and why pests are getting in and to identify the pests causing problems. This allows them to develop targeted, precision treatments. However, widespread infestations, termites, and other destructive or hazardous pests may require advanced treatments. In those cases, treatments are carefully selected and applied to minimize any potential harm to people, pets, and the environment.
Some adult giant bark aphids have wings and others do not. These are the largest aphids in North America.
This week we dive into the Bug of the Week mailbag and turn back the clock a few years to learn about some fantastic aphids, called giant bark aphids and giant willow aphids. The giant bark aphids and attendant ants were discovered on limbs of a beautiful oak tree near the Chesapeake Bay.
On the branch of a beautiful oak tree, giant bark aphids are tended by ants. This classic mutualism, with ants protecting aphids from predators and parasites and in return receiving honeydew from aphids, is a partnership found in several countries around the world. Image credit: Catherine Carr
In addition to oaks, giant bark aphids are found on hickory, walnut, and beech, to name a few. Several years ago, on the campus of the University of Maryland, giant bark aphids and giant willow aphids were discovered on the bark of a magnificent beech tree and a weeping willow tree on campus. Here are their stories.
Giant Bark Aphids by the Bug Guy
‘Twas the week before Christmas and what did I see,
Giant bark aphids on a leafless beech tree.
Aphids are not known for their very large size,
But these babes on beech trees win the “big-aphid” prize.
These serious sap-suckers spent several past weeks,
Sipping plant sap from branches through very long beaks.
Aphid moms suck sweet phloem by night and by day,
And turn sap into nymphs – born alive, by the way.
In this colony of giant willow aphids, the large female on the upper left portion of the branch is giving birth to a daughter.
These strange spawning efforts are quite something to see,
Bug geeks call this birth-trick viviparity.
In the waning of fall, cold winds start to blow,
And these gals change their plan. They just seem to know.
No more birthing youngsters on twigs in the cold,
They lay eggs on branches, many thousand all told.
Braving icy winds and the season’s first snow, giant willow aphids try to squeeze out one more generation before Old Man Winter puts them to rest.
Tiny black eggs seem to be a perfect life stage,
To brave wicked winter when vicious storms rage.
And if aphids can hope, their fondest hope must be,
That no predators find their eggs on the leafless beech tree.
Fear not giant aphids, be glad and be happy,
In spring eggs will hatch when beech trees get sappy.
Eggs of the giant bark aphid are the overwintering stage. They line small branches by the thousands and change from amber to black as they age.
Happy Holidays from Bug of the Week!
Acknowledgements
Bug of the Week extends apologies to Clement Clark Moore. We also thank Dr. Catherine Carr for providing inspiration and an image for this episode. Like woolly alder aphids, woolly beech aphids (aka beech blight aphids), and others we met in previous episodes, these aphids reproduce parthenogenetically, that is, without males. To learn more about magnificent giant aphids on beech and willow trees, please visit the following websites:
Multi-family homes and rental properties have unique challenges regarding pest control. But who is responsible for pest control when renting? Explore the answers and gain insights into when the situation may require tenants to be held liable.
Overview of Landlord Responsibility for Pest Control
Landlords must maintain clean, safe, pest-free buildings and are often responsible for pest control.
Renters may be held responsible in some circumstances, especially if they cause an infestation.
State and local laws often specify who is responsible for pest control and elimination.
Lease agreements should clearly identify situations in which renters are liable.
How Landlords and Pest Control Requirements Are Determined in Rentals
More than 14 million housing units experience rodent or cockroach invasions every year, according to the United States Census Bureau. Additionally, they are only two of the most common pests that invade multi-family properties. Other pests that typically top the list include spiders, ants, bed bugs, and flies.
When one or more of these pests (or any others) begin causing problems, it’s important to determine who is responsible for eliminating them. In general, responsibility for pest control is typically defined by three main factors: state and local regulations, the source of the infestation, and specific stipulations in the lease agreement.
First, landlords must comply with all state and local laws. Most states, including Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, have stringent guidelines outlining landlords’ responsibilities. For example, rental properties and units should be pest-free upon the execution of the lease agreement. Additionally, landlords must maintain habitable conditions, which include providing pest control along with working plumbing, heat, and structural soundness.
However, it’s essential to note that tenants may bear some responsibility in certain situations. Stipulations in lease agreements related to the source of the infestation may shift responsibility and costs from the landlord to the tenants.
Factors That Decide Who Is Responsible for Pest Control When Renting
When it comes to mandatory compliance with laws and regulations, the root cause of the infestation often dictates who is responsible. Pre-existing pest infestations and those caused by structural issues fall under the responsibility of landlords. However, tenants become responsible when they engage in pest-attracting behaviors, fail to follow preventative guidance, or fail to report infestations when they notice them, which allows them to quickly spread.
Some of the notable conditions that require landlord actions may include:
Infestations that exist before tenants move in
Infestations caused by structural problems
Presence of pests that pose health hazards
Pest infestations that can cause structural damage
Landlord Responsibilities and Preventative Measures
Landlords bear significant responsibilities and must maintain safe, clean, pest-free rentals. Rental units, particularly those in multi-family properties, present unique challenges when it comes to pest management. High population density, an increased volume of garbage, shared spaces such as hallways and common areas, and shared boundaries like ceilings and walls all contribute to the spread of pests.
This makes facility management a critical issue. Consequently, landlords should engage in practices such as the following:
Monitoring: Inspections conducted by professional pest control technicians are only the beginning. Staff members, including electricians, plumbers, and maintenance personnel, should vigilantly watch for signs of pest activity.
Addressing Access Points: Landlords must address issues like broken screens, cracks in the foundation, doors and windows that don’t close securely, and gaps around utility intrusions.
Reducing Water Sources: Landlords should address moisture issues, including leaking pipes, plumbing problems, clogged gutters and downspouts, and water-damaged wood, all of which can attract pests.
Maintaining Recycling and Garbage Areas: Dumpsters should be stored at least three feet away from buildings. Recycling containers should be cleaned promptly and regularly emptied of all materials.
Tenant Obligations and Preventative Measures in Multi-Unit Housing
Tenants also have responsibilities to achieve comprehensive pest control, and these obligations should be clearly identified in the lease. Renters must practice the agreed upon preventative measures to reduce the likelihood of a pest infestation. Requirements typically include:
Performing Regular Cleaning: Maintaining living spaces that are free of clutter, crumbs, and spills can make units less appealing to pests.
Practicing Proper Waste Disposal: Routinely removing trash and waste from the premises helps reduce the likelihood of attracting pests.
Flea Control: For rentals that allow pets, tenants typically must treat pets with veterinarian-approved flea prevention treatments.
Promptly Reporting Activity: Early detection can help contain problems, and open communication with landlords can help ensure that issues are addressed before they turn into a larger problem.
When Professional Multi-Family Pest Removal Services Are Required
In some instances, tenants and landlords may be able to handle pest removal effectively without professional intervention. An occasional spider sighting, for example, or a stray ant or two could be easily remedied with consumer products. However, a professional pest inspection can ensure that a larger infestation is not missed.
Most state and local regulations stipulate when professional pest removal is mandated:
Massachusetts: Landlords who don’t live in properties with up to three units and those with properties of four or more units must take action.
Connecticut: Landlords who treat infestations on their own must hire a third-party inspector to confirm successful removal.
New Hampshire: Laws do not specify but do require landlords to maintain pest-free premises, conduct periodic inspections, and remediate pest problems.
Rhode Island: Landlords must consult with professionals and follow guidance accordingly.
Landlords and Pest Control: Reasons to Avoid DIY Measures
Prevention is one of the most effective strategies for maintaining control of pests, particularly with multi-family dwellings. Shared walls, common spaces, and frequent foot traffic can encourage infestations that spread quickly. DIY strategies can be great for prevention, but when pests infest, contacting local pest experts can help control the problem before it becomes widespread. Pest control professionals can provide regular inspections, and they know precisely what to look for as they evaluate potential risks.
Beyond that, pros can help shift the strategy from reactive to proactive. All too often, landlords follow the traditional approach and wait for a complaint and then respond. Alternatively, professional guidance can help landlords create customized prevention strategies based on key factors like local pest prevalence and pest biology.
Frequently Asked Questions
What conditions classify a pest problem as the landlord’s responsibility in a rental property?
Typically, infestations stemming from factors other than tenant behavior (i.e., failure to dispose of garbage and maintain a hygienic environment) are the landlord’s responsibility. Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Rhode Island require landlords to maintain clean, safe, pest-free properties and conduct regular inspections to aid in prevention.
How can renters verify whether a lease outlines shared pest control obligations?
Renters should review their lease agreements, which should provide a clear overview of who pays for what. Leases should outline the landlord’s stipulations regarding tenant responsibilities, the landlord’s duties, and other pest-related issues like seasonal treatments and routine inspections.
What signs indicate that a pest issue is caused by building conditions rather than tenant behavior?
Some of the most obvious signs include cracks in the foundation and improperly sealed windows, doors, and openings like vents and utility intrusions. Overgrown landscaping and a failure to address moisture issues, like plumbing leaks, clogged gutters, and moisture-damaged wood, also indicate building conditions are the problem, rather than tenants’ habits.
How quickly must landlords take action once a pest infestation is reported?
It depends on state laws. Generally, landlords must inspect the rental and adjacent units or have them inspected within one to two days of being notified. In some states, such as Connecticut, landlords may have up to five days. In short, swift action can help increase the effectiveness of treatment, while delaying action may worsen the problem. With that in mind, landlords should take action as soon as possible.
What steps should tenants document when requesting pest control from a landlord?
Tenants must report pest activity promptly and provide documentation as evidence whenever possible. This may include taking videos or photos of live pests and logging where and when pests were spotted. Again, tenants should refer to their lease agreements, which may outline the precise procedures for reporting pests.
What circumstances require third-party pest professionals to evaluate a rental property?
Any evidence of pest activity should trigger a call to professionals for assessment and intervention. Professional exterminators are required when landlords do not live in or on the property, the property has fewer than three units, and landlords fail to regain control using other methods. Additionally, if infestations impact health and habitability, landlords should always reach out for expert assistance.
The Catseye team will inspect the unit and the property to get to the heart of the problem and devise the most effective treatment strategy. Catseye Pest Control has worked with both landlords and tenants for more than 30 years. Contact us today to schedule a free inspection to begin preventative measures or to eliminate an infestation.
Drone flies in the genus Eristalis, like the common drone fly Eristalis tanex, are striking mimics of stinging bees and wasps.
Every day, radio and television deliver fresh and not-so-fresh reports of drone attacks on alleged drug runners or unfortunate inhabitants in war-torn lands. How about we visit friendlier, kinder drones this week, dashing flies called drone flies? Drone flies are members of a remarkable family known as syrphid flies, a clan of some 800 species in North America and more than 6,000 species worldwide. Other common names for syrphids are hover flies and flower flies like those we met in previous episodes.
Ok, so why are these flies called drone flies? You may be familiar with male honey bees which are commonly known as drones. As you can see in the image that accompanies this story, the common drone fly bears a striking resemblance to a drone honey bee, hence the name drone fly. This strong resemblance to a honey bee is thought to offer protection from predators, a type of mimicry known as Batesian mimicry. Who was Bates and what ilk of mimicry bears his name? Henry Walter Bates, a renowned British naturalist, traveled to the rainforests of the Amazon in 1848, where he noticed the uncanny similarity in color patterns of many different species of butterflies. As caterpillars, some of these butterflies consumed noxious plants, sequestered distasteful compounds, and were summarily rejected as food by potential predators. Bates observed other species of butterflies which had consumed nonpoisonous plants as larvae, that bore a striking resemblance to these noxious butterflies. By resembling distasteful species known as models, these mimics gained protection from visually hunting predators. The term Batesian mimicry describes the relationship between common distasteful or harmful models and rarer, tasty or harmless species that mimic the appearance of models to gain protection from predators. Birds attempting to eat bees learn that bees can pack a stinging wallop. By mimicking a bee, drone flies may avoid being attacked by enlightened birds or other predators.
Harmless drone flies like this one are superb mimics of stinging insects like honey bees. Predators learn not to mess with insects that might deliver a painful sting. Adult drone flies provide the important ecosystem service of pollination and frequently visit members of the aster family in flower beds and fields. They consume pollen as a protein source for egg development and nectar as an energy source. Larvae are bizarre creatures; denizens of water fouled with manure or decaying organic matter. They breathe through an elongated siphon on their rear-end that gives them the name rat-tailed maggots. Recently, while exploring a cave, I discovered small clusters of drone flies hunkered down for the winter in tiny pockets lining the roof of the cavern. With the return of spring, these pretty flies will emerge to pollinate flowers in our gardens and landscapes. Video credit: Michael Raupp and Donald Hobern for the image of the rat-tailed maggot recorded for this episode. This image was originally posted to Flickr by dhobern at https://flickr.com/photos/25401497@N02/25588804434. It was reviewed on 11 April 2016 by FlickreviewR and was confirmed to be licensed under the terms of the cc-by-2.0.
To survive the wicked winter, drone flies seek shelter and huddle in small nooks inside caves.
While spelunking in a cave last month in search of camel crickets, we happened across clusters of winged insects snuggled down for a long-winter’s nap in tiny rocky pockets on the roof of the cavern. At first glance they appeared to be bees, but on closer inspection a single pair of wings rather than two pairs proved them to be flies rather than bees. Bees have four wings and flies have two. A visit to iNaturalist confirmed these hibernal troglodytes to be drone flies. The drone fly featured this week, Eristalis tenax, is known as the common drone fly by virtue of its cosmopolitan distribution. This native of Europe is found not only in the US but in every continent except Antarctica. Unlike syrphid larvae we met in previous episodes, fierce predators providing the ecosystem service of biological control, larvae of Eristalis tenax perform a different service. They repurpose and recycle organic waste. In graduate school, my first encounter with drone fly larvae was at a large manure lagoon near the animal barns on our campus. Wriggling in these murky waters were strange larvae with exceedingly long tails on their rear end. Drone fly larvae are called rat-tailed maggots for obvious reasons. The super long appendage on their butt is a siphon used to obtain oxygen from and discharge carbon dioxide into the air above aquatic or semi-aquatic habitats such as fouled drainage ditches or manure lagoons in which rat-tailed maggots thrive.
Larval drone flies called rat-tailed maggots thrive in water fouled with manure. In these aquatic habitats they exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide with the atmosphere through an elongated siphon on their rear end. Donald Hobern. This image was originally posted to Flickr by dhobern at https://flickr.com/photos/25401497@N02/25588804434. It was reviewed on 11 April 2016 by FlickreviewR and was confirmed to be licensed under the terms of the cc-by-2.0.
Adult drone flies are important pollinators. They obtain pollen as a protein source for egg development and nectar as an energy source to fly and find suitable rank locations for egg deposition. Adults visit many types of flowering plants but show a particular affinity for many members of the aster family like daisies, zinnias, and of course, asters.
Pollination of many kinds of flowering plants is an important ecosystem service provided by several species of drone flies. Members of the aster family are some of their favorites.
While pollinating flowers and recycling animal waste are two positive attributes of drone flies, there are a few downsides to these fascinating flies. When droves of maggots leave their stinky manure lagoons to pupate, they sometimes contaminate food for livestock or wriggle into electrical boxes where they short-circuit electrical connections and cause power outages. The penchant for drone flies to lay eggs on decaying organic matter may cause improperly handled food or drink to become contaminated with eggs of tiny maggots. If ingested, they can survive in the digestive tract of animals, causing an illness called myiasis. Human myiasis associated with drone fly larvae occurs where sanitation is poor. Myiasis can cause stomach cramps, diarrhea, and an unsettling discovery of rat-tailed larvae in stool. Now that’s a nasty surprise. If you have a chance, visit a cave during this wintery season and perhaps you can spot some of these remarkable mimics as they chill-out for winter. Better yet, next spring plant some zinnias or asters and your chances of enjoying these remarkable mimics are almost guaranteed.
Acknowledgements
We thank Eliose and Abigail whose fondness for caverns provided the inspiration for this episode. Thanks also to Donald Hobern from Copenhagen, Denmark for the use of his image of a rat-tailed maggot larva: Eristalis sp., larva, Søborg, Denmark, 2 April 2016. The fact-packed article “ Drone Fly, Rat-Tailed Maggot Eristalis tenax (Linnaeus) (Insecta: Diptera: Syrphidae)” by Margaret Pfiester and Phillip E. Kaufman was a primary reference used for this article.
