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The Best Fly Traps of 2023

By | Insects | No Comments

Keeping mosquitoes, flies, and other flying insects out of the house can prevent irritation as well as bug bites.

For keeping flying pests out, rely on the window fly traps by Catchmaster. These handy and transparent glue traps can be attached to any window, windowsill, or garage door in your home to attract pests before they enter.

For ease of use, these sticky traps are waterproof, disposable, nontoxic, and last for up to a year. Plus, these traps are easy to install: Simply remove the small release liner, place the trap where desired, and then remove the large release liner.

Product Specs

  • Type: Glue
  • Reusability: No
  • Disposal: Throw out when done

Pros

  • Very easy to use: Simply stick on a window, windowsill, or garage door
  • Does not draw a lot of attention; transparent construction blends right in
  • Waterproof, nontoxic, and disposable for ease of use and durability

Cons

  • Creates more waste than some comparable options

Article by Bob Vila continues here: The Best Fly Traps of 2023

Purchase Window Fly Traps here: Window Fly Traps by Catchmaster

Time To Prepare For Spotted Lanternfly Season

By | spotted lanternfly | No Comments

The dreaded spotted lanternfly will soon return to menace anyone outdoors across most of the state, but there is still time to prepare for the rapidly spreading pests.

According to Ellen Roane, arborist with Harrisburg’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Facilities, the region will see young lanternflies start to be active in late April and early May – which gives us about a month to prepare traps.

“The insects have a tendency to drop out of the tree and then crawl back up the trunk,” Roane said as she put in place a heavy-duty flypaper roll around one tree at Italian Lake in Harrisburg. “As they crawl back up the trunk, they get stuck on this.”

The insects have spread across the central Pennsylvania region in recent years. While they are no threat to humans, Roane said that they can be a threat to certain plants they feed on, particularly grape vines and apple trees. This is in addition to the sticky honeydew residue they leave after feeding, which itself can attract sooty mold.

Article by Penn Live continues here: Time To Prepare For Spotted Lanternfly Season

How to Find a Mosquito Trap That Actually Works

By | Mosquitoes | No Comments

Avoid bug zappers, experts say. Instead, try these evidence-backed traps and other strategies to stay safe.

Mosquitoes can quickly make a pleasantly warm evening unbearable—so much so that you might decide to stay inside rather than deal with the annoying, biting pests.

You might think that a bug zapper is the solution to taking back your yard. But mosquito control experts don’t think highly of those devices, which rely on ultraviolet light to attract any sort of flying insect before giving them a deadly jolt.

Stopping mosquitoes is an important goal, these experts say. After all, they’re not only annoyances but also disease vectors that may carry viruses like West Nile, dengue, Zika, and chikungunya.

There are some mosquito lures and traps that work under the right circumstances, says Daniel Markowski, PhD, technical advisor to the American Mosquito Control Association. But bug-zapping devices aren’t on that list.

“When you’re hearing your bug zapper go all night, it’s killing moths and midges and beetles, beneficial good insects, and very few if any mosquitoes at all,” he says.

Article by Consumer Reports continues here: How to Find a Mosquito Trap That Actually Works

The 2021 Mosquito Season Review

By | Mosquitoes | No Comments

For most of the United States, ‘mosquito season’ is over, making it the perfect time for a 2021 mosquito season review.  The overwhelming majority of adult mosquitoes have been killed by the cold weather, while others are overwintering in protected areas such as animal burrows, inside buildings, cracks and crevices, etc.  Let’s take a look at a few of the headlines from 2021.

2020 Mosquito Season Review - Fun Facts

2021 Mosquito Season Review – CDC Statistics for 2021

West Nile virus (WNv) continues to be the most commonly reported mosquito-transmitted virus in the US.  Since WNv was first detected in New York City in 1999, 51,801 human cases and 2,390 deaths have been reported to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The averages per year are 2,467 cases and 114 deaths.

In 2021, as of December 14th, CDC has reported 2,445 cases and 165 deaths from WNv.  Sixty-nine percent of the cases were the more severe forms, known collectively as ‘neuroinvasive’, while the other 31% were ‘non-neuroinvasive’.  Interestingly, Arizona alone accounted for 1,426 (58.3%) of the cases and 96 (58.2%) of the deaths.

As of December 1st, CDC has reported 86 travel-related cases of dengue fever but no locally acquired cases.  There have been 470 locally acquired cases of dengue reported from Puerto Rico.  One other note of interest is that New Hampshire reported four human cases of Jamestown Canyon virus.

Are All Mosquitoes Vectors for Disease?

One of the most frequent questions I get is ‘do all mosquito species transmit pathogens to humans’?.  The answer is a resounding ‘no’!  In fact, most of the estimated 3,600 species of mosquitoes in the world don’t bite humans but instead prefer the blood of large mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and other creatures.  In 2020, CDC stated “Over 200 types of mosquitoes live in the continental United States and US territories; of these 200, about 12 types spread germs that can make people sick. Other mosquitoes bother people and are considered nuisance mosquitoes.”

What does 2022 hold for the world of mosquitoes and mosquito-transmitted diseases?  Whatever happens, CAPT Stan will be here to report on it.  Best wishes for the New Year ahead!

Captain Stan Cope (aka the Mosquito Man) is our Vice President of Technical Services and blogs frequently on mosquitoes. In addition to his social media content you can find his blog archives here: https://catchmasterpro.com/?s=captain+stan

2021 Mosquito Season Review – Additional Resources

Get our free mosquito management program guide when you sign up for our e-mail list here: https://catchmasterpro.com/mosquito-management-program/

Get more content like this daily when you follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catchmasterPRO/

Discover our full line of Catchmaster® mosquito management tools:  https://catchmasterpro.com/collection/mosquito-management-tools/

Finally, learn more about mosquitoes from the NPMA here: https://www.pestworld.org/pest-guide/mosquitoes/

Post-Flood Pest Prevention

Post-Flood Pest Prevention

By | Tips & Inspirations, Uncategorized | No Comments

Post-Flood Pest Prevention Importance

Post-flood pest prevention takes on increased urgency as weather patterns fluctuate.  For example, summer 2021 ended in historic flooding as Tropical Storm Ida traveled a path from New Orleans up through New York state. Those in the wake of the storm experienced staggering rainfall amounts exceeding 10 inches in many parts of New Jersey and over 3 inches of rain per hour in Manhattan. The aftereffects of this historic rain event were felt from mold growth to increased pest infestations.  Additionally, the rain displaced rodent populations. As the region works to clean-up the aftermath, new pest problems are arising. Here are the most common pest infestations following storm damaged areas and what you can do about them.

Top 3 Post-Flood Pests & Treatment Options

1. Flies

Flies often increase after flooding. High winds and driving rains knock down garbage cans and spread debris across. For instance, as crews work to clean-up, downed trees, garbage and vegetative debris along with increased moisture attracts pests to these affected areas. Clean up trash and debris as quickly as possible after a storm. For increased fly popuations check out our flying insect jars and traps for use around your home, business and property.

2. Mosquitoes

As a result of increased water, mosquito populations can rise after a storm. Female mosquitoes need stagnant water to lay their eggs and the opportunity presents itself when excess rains hit an area. Floodwater mosquitoes typically lay their eggs in the soil just above the natural waterline. Eggs can lay dormant for years without hatching. Unfortunately, as floodwaters wash through an area that water can help those eggs hatch in masses causing large populations of mosquitoes in the weeks that follow. Fortunately, Catchmaster has a full line of mosquito traps for use in residential areas to control mosquito populations. Significantly reduce mosquito populations with our easy-to-use traps that cover up to an acre of property at a time.

3. Rodents

Rodent carcasses are washing up on New York City beaches as countless rodents in New York drown due to flooding rains. Displaced rodents rose from their underground shelters while others climbed vertically into living areas. If you are discovering a new found rodent presence in or around your property consider Catchmaster traps and glueboards to monitor, trap and capture mice and rats on your property before they take residence.

Post-Flood Pest Prevention - Mosquito Breeding Sites

Remember to take extra precautions with pests after a flood moves through your area. Just as humans are affected by high rain levels so are pest and rodent populations.

Bobby Kossowicz is a content creator for the Catchmaster brand, learn more here: https://catchmasterpro.com/blog/bobby-kossowicz/

Post-Flood Pest Prevention – Additional Resources

First, get more great content like this in your inbox – sign up for our mailing list here: https://catchmasterpro.com/join-email/

Next, learn more about our rodent management tools here: https://catchmasterpro.com/collection/rodent-management-tools/

Finally, learn more about your pest management professional options from the National Pest Management Association here: https://npmapestworld.org/

Tips for Reducing Mosquito Callbacks

By | Mosquitoes, Tips & Inspirations | No Comments

Learn how to maximize your  time in the field with these tips for reducing mosquito callbacks.

Callbacks and retreatments for your mosquito service can be costly, time-consuming, and usually result in unhappy customers or the service being cancelled.  Here are a few tips to help you avoid them.

Tips for Reducing Mosquito Callbacks

Top 14 Tips for Reducing Mosquito Callbacks

  1. The number one reason for callbacks, in my experience, is improper or a lack of inspections on each visit.
  2. Do the proper math on the treatment area and apply the correct amount of product.
  3. Use the highest label rate allowed for the first treatment of the season.
  4. Use the proper application technique to get maximum penetration and product on underside of vegetation and other resting places (under decks, sheds, etc.).
  5. Vegetation grows quickly in summer. Be sure to target NEW vegetation on each service.
  6. Rotate chemicals with different modes of action to avoid resistance.
  7. Many times the breeding sites are on adjacent properties. If you suspect this:
    • Offer a free inspection to the neighbors.
    • Incorporate traps in your service to intercept egg-laying females coming onto your customers’ property.
    • Ask your customer to speak with the neighbors about your service.
  8. Keep vegetation trimmed to impact CAPT Stan’s Big Four where mosquitoes hang out: shade, moisture, cool, out of wind.
  9. Set/manage customer expectations.  We aren’t very good at this as an industry.  If you advertise ‘eradication’ or ‘no more mosquitoes’, you will have callbacks.    I prefer the phrase ‘nuisance reduction’.
  10. Recommend floor fans and use of repellents in between services (CDC has a great website on the latter – Insect Repellents Help Prevent Malaria and Other Diseases Spread by Mosquitoes (cdc.gov)
  11. Verify with customers where in the yard they are being bitten and what time of day. This will provide clues as to what species you are dealing with.
  12. Check for cryptic breeding sites such as plant drainage saucers, piles of leaves, corrugated attachments for downspouts, clogged gutters, etc.
  13. Change outdoor lighting scheme to sodium vapor. Many species of mosquitoes are highly attracted to ‘regular’ light.
  14. If a problem persists, try and get the mosquitoes identified. This can be done by your Chief Science Officer (if you have one), technical specialist, a local mosquito abatement district, or an entomologist at a local university.

Captain Stan Cope (aka the Mosquito Man) is our Vice President of Technical Services and blogs frequently on mosquitoes. In addition to his social media content you can find his blog archives here: https://catchmasterpro.com/?s=captain+stan

Additional Resources

Get our free mosquito management program guide when you sign up for our e-mail list here: https://catchmasterpro.com/mosquito-management-program/

Get more content like this daily when you follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catchmasterPRO/

Discover our full line of Catchmaster® mosquito management tools:  https://catchmasterpro.com/collection/mosquito-management-tools/

Finally, learn more about mosquitoes from the NPMA here: https://www.pestworld.org/pest-guide/mosquitoes/

Catchmaster Pestimonial – Savage Mole Trap & Rottler Pest Solutions

By | Rodents | No Comments

In this Catchmaster Pestimonial for the Savage Mole Trap learn how Jay Everitt, Technical Director at Rottler Pest & Lawn Solutions for the past 27 years, uses the Catchmaster Savage Mole Trap to keep his customers happy and his callbacks to a minimum.

Savage Mole Trap

Savage Mole Trap – Keeping Moles at Bay

Mole control is important to the customers of Rottler Pest Solutions based in St.Louis, MO. The Rottler team uses lots of tools to manage this damaging pest. “Moles are one of the more challenging pests. They can require a lot of return visits and cost us a lot of money in callbacks if they are not managed properly from the start,” Jay Everitt, Technical Director, commented.

Rottler includes mole control as part of their General Pest program in order to offer full service to their customers. They use a combination of tools including baits, traps and repellents for moles.

When Everitt noticed his team wasn’t having the same success with the mole trap they were currently using he was eager to try a new trap introduced to him by Liz Turner, AP&G South Central Regional Manager. Everitt commented, “I appreciate Liz providing new options to me and making me aware of new technology that Catchmaster brings to market. This particular product was very timely and has been very successful for us so far.”

High Capture Rates

Everitt shared that his team was getting a high capture rate right from the start. They placed four traps and captured four moles.  Next, they placed eight more traps and again captured eight moles. He sees the design of the trap as a game changer. The Rottler team needed something robust and the Savage Mole Trap delivered. The Rottler team liked the adjustable trigger plate and the metal construction.  And when you step on it to set it it clears the scissors of the trap.  The lack of this feature had been a challenge with other products.

If the high capture rate with the Catchmaster Savage Mole Trap continues, Everitt believes it will be worth it to change over completely to this product. “The very high capture rate we are seeing makes the Savage trap 3-4 times more effective than others we have tried on the market. It is proving to be effective and worth the cost and savings we are seeing on callbacks,” said Everitt.

Bobby Kossowicz is a content creator for the Catchmaster brand, learn more here: https://catchmasterpro.com/blog/bobby-kossowicz/

Additional Resources

Get more great content like this in your inbox – sign up for our mailing list here: https://catchmasterpro.com/join-email/

Next, learn more about our rodent management tools here: https://catchmasterpro.com/collection/rodent-management-tools/

Finally, learn more about your pest management professional options from the National Pest Management Association here: https://npmapestworld.org/

Pest-Free Lawn Maintenance Tips

By | Tips & Inspirations | No Comments

As we prepare for each season, pest-free lawn maintenance tips can not only keep your lawn looking the best they can also keep the pests away. Overwintering pests such as stink bugs, Asian lady beetles, rodents, boxelder bugs and more sense the change in seasons and begin looking for a place to spend the different seasons.  Buildings like homes, offices, sheds and garages offer the food, water and shelter needed.

Pest-Free Lawn Maintenance - Mosquito Facts

As the weather turns it is a perfect time to take basic fall maintenance steps around your home to avoid indoor pests during the fall and winter months.

4 Tips for Pest-Free Lawn Maintenance

  1. Perform a thorough law clean-up. Rake and remove leaves from your lawn and home perimeter, weed your gardens, remove dead plantings and pick up debris in the yard. Ensure the perimeter of the home is free from leaf debris that would attract pests.
  2. Trim trees. Branches that extend to the home from trees or even shrubs offer a super highway for pests to enter your home. Keep branches and shrubs trimmed and away from your home on the ground level as well as the roof level.
  3. Store firewood away from the house. Firewood attracts and offers shelter for rodents and pests like termites. It is recommended that you store firewood at least 30 feet away from your home.
  4. Inspect the home perimeter & perform simple exclusion and maintenance. Seal cracks and crevices around the home’s exterior. Replace weather strips on doors as they wear out. If window air conditioning units are in place be sure to promptly remove when the weather cools. Inspect the attic for openings and seal with copper mesh and/or caulking.

Keeping the exterior perimeter of the home clear from tree limbs, plantings and leaf litter will make it a less likely choice for pests and rodents to find their way indoors.

Bobby Kossowicz is a content creator for the Catchmaster brand, learn more here: https://catchmasterpro.com/blog/bobby-kossowicz/

Additional Resources

First, get more great content like this in your inbox – sign up for our mailing list here: https://catchmasterpro.com/join-email/

Next, learn more about our rodent management tools here: https://catchmasterpro.com/collection/rodent-management-tools/

Finally, learn more about your pest management professional options from the National Pest Management Association here: https://npmapestworld.org/

Reasons for Concern with Invasive Mosquitoes

By | Mosquitoes | No Comments

With spring here, there continue to be reasons for concern with invasive mosquitoes. An invasive species may be defined as a living organism, including but not limited to plants, parasites, pathogens, fungi, and animals (including insects) that is nonnative to an ecosystem and begins to spread out or expand its range from the original site of introduction.  Additionally, the species must have the potential to cause harm to the environment, the economy, or human health.

Reasons for Concern with Invasive Mosquitoes - Map

Invasive mosquito species have been in the news lately.  The Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus), first discovered in Texas in 1985, has now spread to over 1,300 counties in 40 states in the U.S.  More recently in Florida (2020), the mosquito Aedes scapularis was found to be well-established in two southern counties.

From a public health and quality of life perspective, there are significant reasons to be concerned about invasive mosquito species including:

4 Reasons for Concern with Invasive Mosquitoes

  • Increased Annoyance. Some of these species, especially the Asian tiger mosquito, are very aggressive biters during the daytime and they can quickly ruin outdoor activities.
  • Introduction Of New Pathogens. Although not highly likely, there is the possibility that a mosquito carrying a virus or other pathogen could make its way to the U.S. via airplane, ship, or other mode of transportation.  This has happened several times with malaria.
  • Endemic Disease Cycles. As invasive mosquito species establish and their population numbers increase, it is possible, and in some cases probable, that they will become involved in the endemic (regularly found) disease cycles in the U.S. such as West Nile virus.
  • Geographic Expansion. Many invasive species are easily transported during human activity, primarily due to the drought-resistant eggs they produce.  Accordingly, we will undoubtedly see these mosquitoes continue to expand their range.

Invasive Mosquitoes  – Additional Resources

Get our free mosquito management program guide when you sign up for our e-mail list here: https://catchmasterpro.com/mosquito-management-program/

Get more content like this daily when you follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catchmasterPRO/

Discover our full line of Catchmaster® mosquito management tools:  https://catchmasterpro.com/collection/mosquito-management-tools/

Finally, learn more about mosquitoes from the NPMA here: https://www.pestworld.org/pest-guide/mosquitoes/

Neglected Tropical Diseases

By | Mosquitoes | No Comments

Neglected tropical diseases, some of which are insect-borne, affect approximately 1.7 billion people and remain a threat, even with resources being reallocated to fight the current pandemic.  This group of diseases, known collectively by the World Health Organization (WHO) as ‘Neglected Tropical Diseases’, or NTDs, can cause terrible suffering around the globe. Fortunately, some of them can be prevented or cured.

Neglected Tropical Diseases - Graph

Neglected Tropical Diseases

The NTDs include Chagas disease, leprosy, African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), yaws, trachoma, filariasis/elephantiasis, intestinal worms, dengue, chikungunya, onchocerciasis, Guinea worm disease, schistosomiasis, scabies, schistosomiasis, snakebite envenoming, and a few others.  About half of the NTDs are transmitted by insect bites, especially mosquitoes.

5 Highlights of Dangerous Insect-Borne Diseases

  • The number of people impacted dropped from 2.0 billion in 2010 to 1.7 billion in 2017.
  • These diseases blind, disable, and disfigure people, keeping children out of school and adults out of work so the economic burden is stifling.
  • NTDs are found primarily in poorer populations in tropical and sub-tropical areas of Africa, Asia, and South America.
  • Since a WHO ‘roadmap to eradication’ was developed in 2012, 42 countries have eliminated at least one NTD.
  • It is the goal of WHO to have a 90% reduction in people requiring treatment for NTDs in the next 10 years. This is to be done by providing safe and available drugs, and through aggressive vector control.

It is easy to forget that billions of people in the world are still impacted by diseases, many of them vector-borne, and that somewhere between 750,000 and 1 million people still die from malaria every year.  And as world travel continues to increase at an astounding rate, the risk of infection and disease goes up!

Captain Stan Cope (aka the Mosquito Man) is our Vice President of Technical Services and blogs frequently on mosquitoes. In addition to his social media content you can find his blog archives here: https://catchmasterpro.com/?s=captain+stan

Neglected Tropical Diseases – Additional Resources

Get our free mosquito management program guide when you sign up for our e-mail list here: https://catchmasterpro.com/mosquito-management-program/

Get more content like this daily when you follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catchmasterPRO/

Discover our full line of Catchmaster® mosquito management tools:  https://catchmasterpro.com/collection/mosquito-management-tools/

Finally, learn more about mosquitoes from the NPMA here: https://www.pestworld.org/pest-guide/mosquitoes/