If there is 8 inches of leaf surface it gives enough area to apply the material.  The material can then be translocated down into the roots.  When the roots metabolize the material it causes it to be toxic to the plant and kills the roots.  When the roots are dead the plant is dead.  The foliage can then be trimmed down with a line trimmer or mower when it is dead.

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Tent Caterpillars

Tent caterpillars start to come out as soon as the leaves start to develop out of the leaf buds.  They start out rather small.   We usually do not get calls for them until they are rather large.   If the trees have been dormant sprayed it is unlikely that any will develop.  The nests can often be seen as shiny little crusts that wrap around the twigs that are about 1/4 inch in diameter.  They can be popped off at this stage and then spraying would not be necessary.  We usually use Malathion to treat for tent caterpillars as it is very fast.  We can use B.t.i. (Bacillus thungeriensis) if it can be sprayed onto the leaves and the caterpillars are still eating.  If the caterpillars have stopped eating they will not get the B.t. and will proceed to pupation. They will drop down and crawl to some place where they can pupate or turn into a butterfly or moth.  The moth will hatch out near the end of July and lay eggs on your apple or pear trees.  They will also infest Alder trees.  There is no point in spraying the Alder trees as this provide a place for natural control organisms to develop.  July is much too lae to be trying to control tent caterpillars.

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Soil too close to siding.  The soil should be dug down at least six inches (6″) from the wood of the siding.  The soil should then slope away from there to drain water away from the structure.  Gravel should then cover the soil to prevent soil from being splashed up onto the siding.  This would form a gravel path.  The gravel path should be at least 4 feet wide and slope away from the structure.  Landscape plants can then be planted outside of this gravel path.   The gravel path should have some small sharp pieces of gravel that birds can use in their crops.  Birds use this sharp gravel for teeth.  If carpenter ants or other bugs are on the gravel the birds will snap them up as a food source.   This is very good integrated pest management.  Rats and mice will also tend to keep off of the gravel.  Help to keep pests out of your structure.  If you need help with this please call us at 457-4341 or 1-800-828-5508.

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We do other types of bird control such as excluding pidgeons.  Starlings can be bothersome as they will go through the bird blocks of your house.  Sometimes the HWC has rusted and fallen out.  Quarter inch (1/4″) galvanized steel wire hardware cloth (HWC) can be installed over the bird blocks holes.  We will do this exclusion.

 If you are having problems with birds, please give us a call at 457-4341 or 1-800-828-5508.

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Olympic Spray Service technicians use 1/4 inch mesh hardware cloth (HWC) for exclusion.  If you can put a pencil through a hole then a mouse can get through it.  A hole the size of your pinky finger is large enough for a small rat to get through.  A 3/4 inch hole will allow a rat to go through so fast that you would not be able to photograph it.   If you need exclusion or trapping please call us at 457-4341 or 1-800-828-5508.

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Installing Icynene Insulation

Andy is all suited up to spray Icynene Insulation onto the walls between the studs.  Icynene sticks to everything, even your lungs if you breathe in the fines from the spray.  That is why a filter or a breathing aparatus must be used.  The Icynene is an air barrier and keeps water vapor that is disolved in the air from getting into the wall void.  This fact makes Icynene a far better insulator than fiberglass or cellulose.  It is so good at insulation that it easily qualifies for GREEN insulation.  If you need more information on Icynene please call us at 457-4341 or 1-800-828-5508.

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Carpenter ants

In about 2 weeks it will be time for the carpenter ant reproductives to fly.   The males come out first to determine if it is time to fly.  When they determine that the time is right they release a pheromone that tells the female reproductives that it is time to fly out and mate.  This is called the nuptual flight.  The winged ants will climb as high as possible and then launch.  The male and female will come together in flight.  The female is large enough that she can still fly while the males is connected to her.  They look like Dragon flies when they are mating except they are much smaller.  The first flight takes place near Mother’s Day.   Then about every  month after that there is another nuptial flight from other nests.  The last flight is usually in August or early September.

After the flight the male carpenter ants die.  They are not capable of feeding themselves.  (My wife says they are sort of like humans in that respect.)  The workers can often be seen forcing the reproductives out of the nest.  After the reproductives have vacated the nest then the workers go out to the Queen’s nest and gather more larvae to bring into the galleries.  Each worker can take care of about 8 larvae.  If you see this activity coming from your structure please call us.  We like to know that it is happening.  Our phone numbers are 457-4341 or 1-800-828-5508.  When you see this happening it is a very good time to treat with the OPPT (Outside Perimeter Preventive Treatment).  The ants have to go across the OPPT that we have applied to the foundation of your home.  They then carry it to the Queen’s nest and back to the Satelite nest in your home.

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Mole Hills in the Lawn

While moles provide good areation of your soil for your lawn, many people consider them to be rather unsightly.   We have a bait that works fairly good to control them.   It does take time for the mole to find the bait so it is not going to be an instant fix.  The bait we like to use is called “Talpirid”.  It is an anticoagulant.  It causes the mole to bleed to death internally.  I would not use it if there are dogs in the area where the moles are.   If you are having problems with moles, give us a call at 457-4341 or 1-800-828-5508.  Our charge is $80. plus the cost of the bait.  At this cost and the fact that the bluff or forest can provide an endless supply of moles we cannot provide a guarantee.

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