Ants, Bats, Bees

Carpenter Ants:
A common problem in the Hudson Valley There are 9 species of carpenter ants in the continental United States, 5 of which are of economic concern. Of these, the New York carpenter ant, the black carpenter ant and the red carpenter ant are those we need to concern ourselves with in the Hudson Valley.

Ants are among the most successful of insects and like termites, they are social insects which live in colonies or 'nests'. Many species prefer to nest in the ground; others will be found in wood such as dead logs, firewood stacks, or in wood structures.

* Very large, usually black, about 1/2" in size

* Distinct one segment pedicel ('knob') protruding from the link between the thorax and abdomen

* Abdomen encircled by yellow 'hairs'

* Thorax is evenly rounded

Unlike termites, carpenter ants nesting in wood only hollow out 'galleries' for reproduction and will often cause less damage to timber than termites. Yet in high population situations where several satillite nests have been made, damage to the wood structure can be severe.

Early signs of structural infestations are swarms of adult reproductive flyers in or around the home. These ants have moved from one colony in search of another suitable nesting site, usually a stump or log where the queen can begin egg laying.

Introduction to Bats:
Important members of the wildlife community Bats are important members of the wildlife community but they will enter buildings while seeking roosting sites. Bats typically enter structures by following air currents and odor cues.

These nuisance mammals will often need removal from the living space of a structure or from more secluded areas such as attics and basements. Occasionally, this involves the removal of an individual bat, but in most situations, a colony of bats must be removed from a structure. In either case, non-lethal control measures should be implemented.

The use of pesticides to kill bats increases the risks (particularly of rabies) associated with bats falling to the ground and being handled by children or eaten by pets. Moreover, if pesticides are utilized for bat control, the applicator may be in violation of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). (NPCA is not aware of any pesticides that are currently or, after the reregistration process, will be labeled for bat control without obtaining a special use permit from USDA-APHIS -Animal Damage Control or a public health agency for extreme circumstances.) One pesticide, naphthalene (mothballs), may be placed in confined areas to repel bats, but this practice is of limited value.

In the past, mechanical techniques using glue boards, snap traps on the ends of poles, filed-off nails driven into the ends of broom handles and tennis rackets have been used to kill bats. These techniques are not recommended. Their use may only incapacitate the bats, increasing the risk of human contact with injured bats. A bat management program is often needed to address a perennial bat problem. The four steps in a successful bat management program are:

1. Inspection

2. Physical exclusion and/or capture

3. Clean-up

4. Follow-up

Bees, Wasps, Yellow jackets... 'winging and stinging' their way into your home.
Bees in all of their varieties are most often quite benificial to nature and to man. The honey bee, bests known for producing sweet honey, and its distant cousin the bumble bee, are also incredibly valuable as pollinators of flowers and fruit trees.

Wasps, are scavengers and predators, not pollinators. They often prey on other less beneficial insects. the Wasp family, unlike the bees, do not have body hairs or specialized structures for gathering and carrying pollen.

Yet, as cautious as we can be around bees and wasps, their sting can be life threatening if one is allergic to the venom. The presence of a nest in or near the home should be a cause for immediate concern and professional assistance should be sought at once.

Wasp Wasps and hornets prosper.
If you see them in your flowers, garbage or picnic areas there is probably a nest close by. The two species most common in the Hudson Valley area are Bald Faced Hornets and Paper Wasps.

Bald Faced hornets are actually wasps. They are black with white or yellow stripes around their thorax and abdomen. They're about one inch long, can fly very fast and are aggressive. Bald faced hornets create a nest which is grey and round. It ranges from softball to beach ball size. These nests are made from cellulose and are quite strong. Likely nest sights include trees, shrubs and around overhangs of buildings.

The paper wasp builds clusters of hexagonal paper cells. Mixing masticated wood pulp with adhesive saliva, these paper nest cells act as larval nesting chambers for the young wasps. The Chinese inventor of paper was inspired by observing these wasps chewing bark.

Yellow Jackets
Nearly everyone has been stung by an insect at one time or another. It is an unpleasant experience that people hope not to repeat, but for most people the damage inflicted is only temporary pain. Only a very limited portion of the population (one or two people out of 1,000) is allergic or hypersensitive to bee or wasp stings.

Most bees and wasps live solitary lives, their behavior is more likely to be flight than fight. Yellowjackets, bumble bees and honey bees have individuals in the colony whose task it is to defend the nest. If the nest is disturbed, these individuals will defend it vigorously. In addition, foraging members of the colony will also sting if they are disturbed or injured as they go about their activities.

Some, such as the yellowjackets, are much more liable to attack than are others.

Carpenter Bees
Carpenter bees are large (18-20mm in length) and resemble the bumble bee, except that the dorsal surface of the abdomen only has yellow hairs on the first abdominal segment, while the rest is bare. Bumble bees have yellow hairs on the other abdominal segments as well.

In the late-spring and early summer, homeowners often notice large, black bees hovering around the outside of their homes. These are probably carpenter bees searching for mates and favorable sites to construct their nests. Male carpenter bees are quite aggressive, often hovering in front of people who are around the nests. The males are quite harmless, however, since they lack stingers. Female carpenter bees can inflict a painful sting but seldom will unless they are handled or molested.

Carpenter bee tunnels are about 4-6" long and 1/2" in diameter. They frequently re-use old tunnels for pollen storage and overwintering chambers. They prefer rotten or seasoned wood.

Although carpenter bees are less aggressive than wasps, female bees provisioning their nests will sting. Treatment is best performed at night when the bees are less active, or while wearing protective clothing.

Goshen:
845-294-2060

Hudson:
518-828-3454

Hyde Park:
845-229-6833

Hopewell:
845-223-9778

Kingston:
845-338-5847

New Paltz:
845-255-0161

Cornwall / Newburgh:
845-534-9292

Poughkeepsie:
845-471-9111

Warwick:
845-986-3600