The Pest Advice

Thursday, December 3, 2015

Kiwicare’s New NO Wasps Eliminator

NO Wasps Insecticidal Dust was a powder containing the active carbaryl for application to wasp nests and nest entrances. It was picked up by wasps entering the nest and passed within the nest to control the entire colony.

New Product
NO Wasps Eliminator is a new formulation to replace NO Wasps Wasp Dust for control of wasps and wasp nests. It contains 2 active ingredients:

Permethrin – 24g/kg this is a higher level than other wasp control products.

Contact insecticide – long lasting

Diatomaceous Earth (DE) – very low density (light), high surface area powder.

DE is a contact physical action insecticide
DE also acts as carrier for permethrin and has insecticidal properties
DE is easily picked up on the feet and body of wasps. More insecticide is then carried into the nest giving better control
DE adheres well to vertical surfaces such as walls below nest entrances in eaves.

The new product is supplied in the same puffer pack as the NO Wasps Insecticidal Dust but it is 60 g rather than the 100 g of Insecticidal Dust. Because of the much lower density of the DE the 60 g fills the puffer pack to a higher level than the Insecticidal Dust did, giving the user more product.

The result of this combination of actives is rapid uptake of Eliminator into nest and full nest control.

Application
The rate of application of the new NO Wasps Eliminator is the approx. the same as was the case with NO Wasps Insecticidal Dust; 5-6 sharp puffs into nest entrance. Ensure powder is applied into nest or to where wasps land at the entrance.

Note: For nests in eaves it was sometimes difficult to puff the NO Wasps Insecticidal Dust upwards and for the dust to adhere to surfaces. The new NO Wasps Eliminator adheres better to surfaces. However, although it puffs upwards better, it can still be difficult. A temporary ad hoc solution for users is to use the dip tube from a trigger sprayer e.g. NO Bugs Super 1L RTU or similar spray bottle commonly found under kitchen sinks. Clean and dry it, and it will fit neatly into the aperture of the NO Wasps Eliminator puff bottle. Push the dip tube down to the level of the powder. The puffer will now puff the powder upwards easily and the nozzle can easily be inserted into the small holes and gaps that usually constitute the entrance to the nest.

Q: What do you do with a sick wasp? A: Take it to a waspital!

Friday, April 10, 2015

How to Get of Rats and Mice

I have recently completed a series of videos describing how to identify rodent infestations, what products to use to get rid of rats and mice, how to use those products, safe use of and disposal of rodenticides and how to prevent rodent infestations.

Q: Where do mice park their boats?
A: At the hickory dickory dock.

Monday, December 22, 2014

Why Are There So Many Flies in My Home?

OK. So why are there so many flies in my home/house? I hear you ‘scream’.

There can be many reasons you have a lot of flies in your home. Consider this one:

I came home today, the temperature and been up a bit up all day (mid 20 degrees C) and my home is a bit like a hothouse. It was mid 30s in the house when I got home and until I opened the doors and windows.

Then I started work on dinner. I found some fish I had taken out of the freezer a couple of days ago and forgotten about. Thinking it was maybe a bit passed ‘eat by’ even though it smelled Ok, I decided to put in my kitchen bin. 5 minutes later the house seemed to have an exceptional number of flies.

House Fly

I did four things and now there are no flies:

I took the fish and the contents of the kitchen bin to the exterior garbage bin. – Flies have a sense of smell thousands of times better than ours!
I opened windows to the sunny side of the house. – Flies are naturally attracted more to bright areas and are more likely to fly OUT open windows here.
I lit a an oriental incense stick inside, and a citronella candle on the terrace outside the main open door – flies are deterred by smoke, including citronella.
I turned on a pedestal fan – this helped circulate the smoke and create disturbed air currents which are also deterrent to some flies.

Other reasons I might have had flies in my home would be something had died in the house and blow flies had found it, multiplied and emerged from it, it is autumn and cluster flies have decided to over winter in my home, there is some rotting vegetable matter or animal matter close to my home, or there are blocked drains and fruit flies are breeding in the fermenting liquid in the drains. There are some other possibilities but the former are the most likely in New Zealand.

Your joke as reward(?) for reading my post:

A woman walked into the kitchen to find her husband stalking around with a fly swatter.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Hunting flies,” he responded.
“Oh! Are you swatting any?” she asked.
“Yes, three males and two females,” he replied.
Puzzled, she asked, “How can you tell which are male and which are female?”
“Three were on a beer can, two were on the phone.”

Monday, January 6, 2014

Weed Weapon Direct Hit – A new aerosol weed killer

Kiwicare recently launched a new member of its highly successful Weed Weapon herbicide range. Weed Weapon Direct Hit is convenient, safer, and as fast acting as the Weed Weapon ready to use spray; weeds will fall over with a few hours.

I have found it the handiest weed killer to have with me when I take a walk around the garden. It will fit in my jacket pocket. If I see a weed popping it’s leaves up through a crevice in the path I can give it a short burst of the highly directional foam and the weed will be dead the next time I pass by.

When spot spraying weeds it can be difficult to accurately hit the weed without accidentally hitting surrounding plants, or allowing spray drift to be blown onto nearby desirable plants. The foam of Direct Hit means there is no spray drift. It would have to be a very stormy day to cause the foam to blow onto other plants.

The foam is visible for about 5 minutes so that you won’t waste herbicide spraying weeds twice. And it requires only a small blob of the foam in the centre of weeds such as dandelions or thistles for them to die. It is not necessary to spray the whole weed. Even though it is convenient in the aerosol can, which usually means paying a higher price, because of the reduced waste of spray drift it is economical to use. I have found a single can of Direct hit is sufficient for over 300 weeds of the rosette type and I have used it for spot spraying such weeds in a lawn.

Applying Direct hit to weeds in a ‘lawn’

A few hours later the same day

It is recommended to wear impervious gloves when applying all herbicides and there is no exception with Direct Hit but as there is no spray drifting onto hands, or any other parts of the body, or if the foam did hit any part it is easily seen and washed off making it safer to use.

I did some testing on how accurate and effective Direct is and as you can see below I had some fun.

Direct Hit might not replace the Weed Weapon in a spray form but it has some big benefits in being easy to use, highly directional and safe for spot spraying, fast and surprisingly economical.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Understanit, Solveit, Googleit

Understandit, solveit, googleit or understand it, solve it, google it.

I am just playing with what can be achieved with targeted AdWords

Saturday, September 14, 2013

The Story of Borer – Biology and Behaviour, Implications for Control

Borer beetle

Identification

Borer are also known as woodworm and furniture beetle.
Species – Common Borer, Native Borer, Two-Tooth Borer, Citrus (Lemon Tree) Borer and others.
Eat dead wood – dead trees, construction timber, furniture.
Common Borer (and Native) adult beetles are small brown beetles (2-3mm) that can fly. Often found on windowsills.

Small holes in timber – like drawing pin holes.

Two-tooth – not so common – larger black beetle (6-7mm)

Holes 4-5mm oval

Dust falls out of holes.
Clean wood inside hole means the hole is probably recent, meaning ongoing infestation.
Holes tend to be in areas of low light – i.e. more under floor than on top.

Breeding

Female beetles lay eggs on bare timber i.e. not on paint, varnish, polish etc.
But they will lay eggs in old flight holes.
Eggs hatch as larvae that burrow into wood.
After 2-4 years larvae pupate near surface.
Adult beetle emerges and eats its way out – flight hole.
Borer flight season October to March in NZ.

Protection is best by treating bare timer with long lasting borer fluid (NO Borer Conc) – up to 10 year’s protection. Solvent (turpentine or kerosene) move product deep into the timber; the deeper it goes the longer it lasts.

Borer Injector can be used to inject flight holes – kills borer larvae close to labyrinth and protects for eggs layed in holes.

Borafume Fumigators kill borer beetles. Does not penetrate far into wood and leaves little or no residue. 2-4 year life cycle means need to use fumigators every year (twice a year between October and March) for 4+ years to greatly reduce borer in wood.

Feeding habits

Larvae eat wood – digest cellulose with micro-organisms in gut.
Only eat soft timbers – sap wood.
Hard heartwood usually un affected.
Prefer wood with a little moisture – sub-floor, roof timbers near leaks, or with moisture holding terracotta/concrete tiles.
Because of slow growth it takes many years to do significant damage to timbers.
But many houses in New Zealand are over 50 years old.

Spread

Borer live in wild as well as in houses.
Fly from house to house, forest to house, in furniture moved from house to house.

Untreated timber is always at risk of borer damage.

Treatment

Fluids
Borer fluid on accessible timber – sub-floor, roof timbers, when GIB off internal walls etc.
Fluid will not be effective on paint or other coatings.
Borer Injector – flight holes.
If many holes close together, possible to use NO Borer in sponge and sponge ito holes. (wipe off excess).
Smell from solvent (turps or kerosene) can last several days. Only use in good ventilation.
Spray or brush on. If spraying, use coarse spray to reduce mist in atmosphere.
Fumigators
Kiwicare NO Bugs Borafume or Bug Bomb
Fumigators for places where timbers cannot be treated – hard to reach, painted areas, etc. Need to be used on 4+ consecutive years.
Fumigate October to March (NZ).
Borer fluid any time.

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

The Story of Booklice – Biology and Behaviour, Implications for Control

Following on from the story of biscuit beetle and other larder pests, booklice are also often found in larders. They are not, however, feeding on the food directly, they are feeding on microscopic fungi that grow on starchy foods or packaging.

Identification

Tiny pale cream to brown insects
Often mistaken for mites
Crawling. Do not fly.
Often found on books, paper/cardboard packaging, in starchy foods (e.g. flour)
Seen on larder shelves
Known as psocids (pronounced sosids)
Are often only noticed when numbers have become high.

Check and dispose of any contaminated foods.

Clean shelves and treat with NO Bugs Super.

Books etc. can have light spray but ensure they are dried completely before placing back on shelves.

Fumigators can be useful but will not deal with them on their own.

Feeding

Feed on microscopic fungi that grow on paper/starchy materials
Fungi need humidity

Keeping books, food, packaging etc. dry prevents growth of moulds and booklice will die.

Ensure NO Bugs Super or any other wet spray has dried completely before re-filling shelves.

Use dehumidifier or improve ventilation in infested area for long term control.

Species

Many species.
Need to be expert to tell them apart.

Spread

Usually spread on books and packaging or in starchy foods.
Common pest of food warehouses.

Keep larder shelves treated to prevent spread if infested product brought in. Also works for pantry moth, weevils, biscuit beetle, etc.)

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