Perimeter Pest Control: Household Invaders Associated with Landscapes Dr. David Shetlar (the BugDoc) The Ohio State University/OARDC OSU Extension Columbus, OH © D.J. Shetlar, 2002, all rights reserved

2 Remember! In Ohio “Perimeter Pest Control” Comes under the category of: General Pest Control (ODA Category 10A) Lawn, category 8 doesn’t cover it! Ornamentals, category 5 doesn’t cover it! In short, lawn and landscape managers can do perimeter pest control, but you need the license!

3 Why are household invaders associated with landscapes? Landscapes provide the 3 essentials! Food Water Habitat (nesting, hiding, protection)

Pests "Associated" with Landscapes Earwigs Soldier Beetles Ground Beetles Millipedes Sowbugs-Pillbugs Slugs & Snails Spiders Clover Mites Artillary fungus Ground Nesting Wasps Ants, ground nesting Ants, carpenter & cavity Fleas Ticks Pine leaf-footed bugs Boxelder bugs Moles, voles and shrews MC Asian lady beetle

Earwigs, Soldier & Ground Beetles Generally, predators Aggravated by: mulch and irrigation aphids, mealybugs, scales

6 Striped earwig male. European earwig female and egg mass (under landscape timber).

7 Bifenthrin (=Talstar®) Cyfluthrin (=Tempo®) Cypermethrin (=Demon®, Cynoff®) Permethrin (=Astro®, Dragnet®, Flee®) Tralomethrin (=Saga®) Earwig Control Products

8 Ground beetle adult, a general predator. Ground beetle larvae are also predators.

9 Bifenthrin (=Talstar®) Cyfluthrin (=Tempo®) Deltamethrin (DeltaDust®) Lambda-cyhalothrin (=Demand®) Permethrin (=Astro®, Dragnet®, Flee®) Beetle Control Products

Ants, Carpenter General feeders Associated with tree rots Properly prune trees NO TOPPING!! Keep tree branches from house Reduce honeydew producers

11 Common Ohio Ants Carpenter Ant Characterized by having polymorphic workers Nest by excavating decaying wood or voids (they don’t eat the wood, they cast out wood shavings!) Major nests in trees (satellite nests in buildings where water is available) Most active at night (best time to find colony(ies) is at night!)

12 Black carpenter ants taking sugars from Peony nectaries. Irrigation cover in FL lawn. Carpenter ant colony under cover.

13 Carpenter Ant Management Locate nesting site(s) (outside and/or inside - look at night, repair water damaged structures) Prune back trees and shrubs touching infested building Seal external entry sites Exclude with parameter sprays Treat colonies (injection, dusts) (baiting is rarely successful)

14 Larger Yellow (Citronella) Ant Odorous House Ant Acrobat Ants Argentine Ant Little Black Ant Pavement Ant Pharaoh Ant Thief Ant Common Ohio Ants House & Building Invaders

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Ants, Ground Nesting General scavengers & honeydew Aggravated by aphids & scales open areas (thin turf)

17 Cornfield ants swarming on landscape timbers. Home owner thought they were termites! Pavement ant colonies commonly battle each other.

18 Ant Management Identify species! Locate nesting site (outside and/or inside) Prune back trees and shrubs touching infested building Seal external entry sites Exclude with parameter sprays Select appropriate bait Treat colonies (injection, dusts)

19 Bifenthrin (=Talstar®) Cyfluthrin (=Tempo®) Cypermethrin (=Demon®, Cynoff®) Deltamethrin (DeltaDust®, Suspend®) Lambda-cyhalothrin (=Demand®) Permethrin (=Astro®, Dragnet®, Flee®) Tralomethrin (=Saga®) Borates (=Niban®) BAITS – numerous specific products Ant Control Products

Millipedes, Centipedes, & Sowbugs-Pillbugs Feed on young plants, clippings & fungi, centipedes are predators Aggravated by: Too much mulch Irrigation Fresh clippings or compost

21 Millipede (Diplopoda) Centipede (Chilopoda) Sowbug, pillbug (Isopoda)

22 Bifenthrin (=Talstar®) Cyfluthrin (=Tempo®) Cypermethrin (=Demon®, Cynoff®) Deltamethrin (DeltaDust®, Suspend®) Lambda-cyhalothrin (=Demand®) Permethrin (=Astro®, Dragnet®, Flee®) Tralomethrin (=Saga®) Centipede/Millipede/Sowbug Control Products

23 Spiders Feed on insects and other arthropods Aggravated by: mulch & irrigation tall vegetation night lights landscape stones, timbers, etc.

24 Jumping spiders are common landscape “stalking” predators which may end up inside buildings. Wolf spiders also stalk their prey. Males commonly invade buildings in late summer while looking for mates.

25 Brown recluse spiders prefer undisturbed habitat, especially cavities under bark of fire wood. Widow spiders commonly build their tangle webs around night lights.

26 Bifenthrin (=Talstar®) Cyfluthrin (=Tempo®) Cypermethrin (=Demon®, Cynoff®) Deltamethrin (DeltaDust®, Suspend®) Lambda-cyhalothrin (=Demand®) Permethrin (=Astro®, Dragnet®, Flee®) Tralomethrin (=Saga®) Spider Control Products

Clover Mites Feed on grasses & some plants Aggravated by: mild winter temperatures cool spring or fall temperatures thick turf next to home

28 Adult mite on grass blade. Clover mites laying eggs under irrigation switch box case. Clover mites on masking tape from basement wall!

Slugs & Snails Feed on young/soft plants & clippings Aggravated by: mulch & irrigation thick lawns with thatch hosta

30 Common garden slug and egg mass under landscape timber. Snails in landscapes generally need soft plant tissues and moisture.

Ground Nesting Wasps General predators and scavangers Aggravated by: thick mulch ground covers low junipers bare ground (solitary wasps)

32 German yellowjacket nest entrance in blue rug juniper. Contents of German yellowjacket nest in above juniper.

33 European hornets feeding on old apples in a back yard. Polistes wasp chewing up a cutworm larva to take back to nest.

Fleas & Ticks Parasites associated with animals Aggravated by: Mulched pet sleeping areas Xeriscaped yards Weedy areas, low shrubs Ground covers with mice or voles

35 Our “vision” of our back yards – pasture, water, trees!?

36 American dog tick male Blacklegged (deer) tick female

37 Fleas often infest landscape areas where pets rest (mulch areas!) or other vermin are encouraged. Roof rat feeding in bird feeder!

38 Bifenthrin (=Talstar®) Cyfluthrin (=Tempo® ?) Cypermethrin (=Demon®, Cynoff®) Deltamethrin (DeltaDust®, Suspend®) Lambda-cyhalothrin (=Demand®) Permethrin (=Astro®, Dragnet®, Flee®) Tralomethrin (=Saga®) Methoprene (=Petcor®, Precor®) Fipronil (=Front Line® - topical) Imidacloprid (=Advantage® - topical) Lufenuron (=Program® - pill) Flea Control Products

Boxelder & Pine Leaf-footed Bugs Feed on seeds of host trees Remove boxelder, especially females Remove Scotch and pitch pines "Seal" homes

40 Boxelder bugs seem to prefer boxelder trees, but they can easily breed on maples and ashes! The pine leaffooted bugs feed on seed cones of pines.

41 Recommendations for Managing Household Invaders Remember the 3 essentials! Food Water Habitat (nesting, hiding, protection)

42 Reducing Food of Invaders Watch for honeydew producers on landscape plants (aphids, soft scales, mealybugs, leafhoppers, etc.) Recommend replacing landscape plants that are prone to infestation by honeydew producers. Recommend mulches that are not fungal food – hardwood mulches!

43 Reducing Water Audit irrigation systems! (reschedule, repair, etc.) Locate condenser drip tubes & redirect Inspect roof downspouts & redirect Reduce Mulch Thickness! Note hazards of backyard water ponds!

44 Reducing Habitat of Invaders Avoid cavity prone plants – palms, bird- of paradise tree, poorly pruned (topped) trees, etc. Avoid dense ground covers – especially prostrate junipers. Recommend “open pruning” of landscape plants. AVOID THICK LAYERS OF MULCH!

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