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.
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Very large, usually black, about 1/2" in size
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Distinct one segment pedicel ('knob') protruding
from the link between the thorax and abdomen
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Abdomen encircled by yellow 'hairs'
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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.
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