I don't know about you, but in my household there are ants all over the kitchen sink. the cause of the ants is all the rain this area has been getting this Summer season. The colonies of these poor pests are being flooded out, so they have to find dryer areas and another food supply. Ants are related to bees and evolved around 168 million years ago. Remains of an ant was found trapped in amber dated back 92 million years ago. After studying the remains, this ant had different features than our modern day ant. There are at least 22 species of ants and only 12,500 have been classified. Their identification is by their 90' antennae and slender structure that forms their waists. The colonies are

This Summer season 2018 has brought in more rain than the few last seasons we had in our area. Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia has seen records amounts of rain. Even many locations had flooded which has been devastating itself. The rainy days have brought stormy clouds around and we have to stay inside more; however, when it comes to significant rain the ants come out as well. Why do ants start scavenging around when it does rain? That's an excellent question. The colonies (ant bed) that ants build are as far underground to reach small amounts of water. They do need water to drink which they get naturally from underground; however, the weather does determine if you see ants

Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia has seen more rain this 2018 season than the last few seasons. Our area is to expect more rain and storms consistently until the following week. That means we can not enjoy the sunny Summer days nor can our children go outside to play. Not only does the rain keep everyone inside, it also effects wildlife animals too. Wildlife animals such as raccoons and squirrels can be seen outside while it rains; however, there are seen very limited and mostly just to find food. Otherwise, they will locate areas to stay dry which could mean under your crawlspace or in your attic space. If one of these wildlife animals gets into your attic then they can tear

On news 12 in Richmond,VA aired Friday July 13th 2018, there was a newscast of a rapid bat in Henrico county which is it's first reported case this year. The family's dog was exposed by the bat and being quaranted in the family's home. The question in which needs to be answered is what to do if you ever come in contact with a wildlife animal that is acting strange. The first thing that comes to mind is the animal must have rabies. Rabies is a virus that attacks the nervous system of infected animals. There are five most common carriers: bat, skunk, raccoon, fox and canine. Each animal may act differently. Raccoons could fight like a little bear. Groundhogs chatter their teeth and stand their

Opossums, or possums, are unique wildlife animals. In the 1600's, opossums were recorded as an animal that "has a head like a swine, a tail like a rat and a bigness like a cat". They are part of the marsupial family which grows the size of a house cat. These small animals are particularly located in the Southern United States and in the Midwest. Some characteristics of opossums are well known. If they feel threatened, they will actually play dead by mimicking the appearance and smell of a sick or dead animal. They have strong tails which can help them hang from tree limbs and carry bundles of materials they need. A female opossum has the reproductive organs which includes a vagina, uterus an

Wildlife animals are becoming more in contact with the human population. Unfortunately, we are in need of their habitat so that we can provide homes to upcoming human population. As wildlife animals lose their home, they have to relocate and the majority of the time it is around your own property. Here are a few tips to assist you to solve wildlife problems and prevent reoccurring problems. 1. Do NOT feed wildlife animals. 2. Refrain from leaving any pet food outside and keep their outside feeding areas clean. 3. Place your outside trash cans inside until the morning of the trash pickup or utilize an animal proof container such as metal trashcans with latches on the lids. 4. Close up a

How many times do you visit your attic? I can honestly say that I go into mine at least twice a year: to get the Christmas tree down and to put it back. However, at that time, I'm guilty to say that I don't look around the attic to see if there has been any wildlife activity so there's no telling what would be found in my attic if it was inspected. Raccoons are a one of the nuisance animals that can invade the attic space. They move in around the winter time for shelter from the cold and give birth to several babies in the spring time if there is enough food and water nearby. You may ask: "How can we get rid of these pests?". That's an excellent question. Do NOT attempt to remove these anima

Wild animals have learned to live with with humans. The more population increases in certain areas, the more development will take place. This means we will be invading wildlife animal's homes to build homes and company buildings in its place. Since these animals have to find new homes, they will not hesitate to invade ours. Here are a few tips to eliminate or minimize things that attract these animals to your property. Raccoons and Squirrels Make sure the lids of outside trash cans are tight so they can not get into it even if they knock it down. You also want to keep these cans inside a garage or shed; however, if you don't have one, then move it away from the side of the home. Bird feeder

There's a fungus that is affecting bats that is called White-nose syndrome. This disease is associated with extensive mortality of the eastern North American bats. Bats are found sick and evening dying in large numbers. White-nose syndrome has killed more than 5.7 million bats in which 90-100% of bats have died; however, it does differ by site and species within caves. Pseudogymnoascus destructans has been known to cause White-nose syndrome. Scientists believe the fungus is transmitted bat to bat; however, there is a strong possibility it could be transmitted by humans by going into caves where the bats hibernate. Scientists are still learning about White-nose syndrome, but we do know there'

DC has recently been placed first for the worst mosquito infestation in the U.S. This season has been the most wet due to all the rain this area has recently gotten. With all the standing water and flooding that has taken place within the last few weeks, mosquitoes have breeding non stop. Over a several week time frame, a single breeding can create a population of thousands. The blood thirsty pests are the females. They can feed on mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and even some fish. The itchiness that comes after a bite is due to their saliva. However, they can carry much worse. Infestions such as malaria, yellow fever, West Nile virus, Zika virus, dengue fever, and filariasis can be ca