Excel Media Marketing LLC

11/07/2024

10/22/2024

The Fall Transformation – Paper Wasps and Yellowjackets

During the Spring and Summer months, social wasps such as Paper wasps and Yellowjackets are busy building their nest and gathering food to feed their brood. Although they will protect their nest and sting if they feel threatened, they are fairly passive. Some of you may be thinking right now, please define fairly passive! That’s understandable, but please read on.

As Fall approaches, many of these colonies reach their maximum size and begin to decrease in size because there are no more workers being reared. The only ones left to feed are the future developing queens and food is beginning to get harder to find.

Paper wasps feed their larvae liquefied insects such as caterpillars, but as adults they feed on nectar. On the other hand, Yellowjackets will feed on insects, carrion, fruit, sap and plant nectar. The photo below shows Eastern Yellowjackets gathering meat from the remains of a snake to take back to their larvae.

During the Fall, the workers are out looking for food and may become a nuisance during Autumn outdoor activities. They are often aggressive feeders at this time and may sting if agitated. During this time of the year, they have a very important job to do and that is gathering food for the future reproductive larvae back in the nest. They will take sips from your favorite beverage and help themselves to your sandwich, as well. So, be careful! Your favorite beverage may be too much of an invitation for them. They may readily fly into the can or glass to collect liquid. If you unsuspectingly take a drink while the insect is there, you may ingest it into your mouth, or worse, into your stomach. This is a very dangerous situation. You could be stung repeatedly. It’s hard to imagine how painful a sting would be in your esophagus or stomach!!

Once the reproductives mature, they leave the nest and mate, becoming less aggressive once again. The males (drones) soon die after mating, leaving the fertile queen to find a safe place to overwinter. With the exception of some Yellowjacket colonies in the south, the old queen and workers will die by the first hard frost. The old nest is seldom reused and will eventually fall apart.

Paper wasp queens will often gather in homes and other structures to overwinter. They seem to prefer tall buildings and homes with peaked attics and chimneys. During warm periods, they may enter the structure and cause all sorts of excitement. The good thing is…they are not normally defensive at this time. Now, that should make you feel much better about them!

Daniel D Dye II, A.C.E., Emeritus

10/22/2024

08/18/2024

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08/17/2024

With Summit City Pest Control – I just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉

08/17/2024

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08/09/2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Summit City Pest Control Welcomes Levi Hines as New Pest Control Technician

Fort Wayne, Indiana – August 9, 2024 – Summit City Pest Control, Fort Wayne’s premier pest management company since 2012, is excited to announce the addition of Levi Hines to its team as a Pest Control Technician, effective July 29, 2024.

Levi Hines, a 25-year-old from Willow Springs, Missouri, brings a unique background and a deep commitment to his work. Coming from a large family of 10, where he and three other siblings were adopted, Levi understands the importance of community and connection. He is married and has been enjoying a happy marriage for the past three years. Levi and his wife share their home with a beloved cat named Khajiit.

Levi’s values are deeply rooted in faith, family, and friendship. He also has a strong passion for technology, particularly Apple products, which aligns well with Summit City Pest Control’s commitment to staying updated with the latest technologies in pest management.

“I am thrilled to be joining Summit City Pest Control,” said Levi. “This company’s dedication to high standards and customer trust aligns perfectly with my own values. I look forward to contributing to the team and serving the Fort Wayne community.”

Summit City Pest Control has been a trusted name in pest management since 2012, providing customers with the highest standard of service at competitive pricing. The company prides itself on continuous learning, investing in regular training, and utilizing the latest technology to ensure exceptional service. The ultimate goal of Summit City Pest Control is to earn the trust of its customers and become the most preferred pest management company in Fort Wayne.

“We are delighted to welcome Levi to our team,” said Adam Mueller, President and CEO. “His commitment to excellence and strong personal values make him a great fit for our company. We are confident that Levi will help us continue to provide the outstanding service that our customers have come to expect.”

For more information about Summit City Pest Control, please visit www.Mybugslayer.com or contact our office at 260-451-0097.

Adam Mueller
President & CEO
Summit City Pest Control
O: 260-451-0097
C: 260-467-3394
[email protected]
www.mybugslayer.com

08/09/2024

Back to School and Head Lice


The beginning of a new school year presents certain problems we all have to deal with. One common problem is Head Lice.

Head Lice can be transferred from person to person through personal contact or by sharing certain items such as combs, brushes, caps, clothing, etc. At school, children often play in close contact with each other and share many of these items. Since Head Lice don't fly or have strong jumping legs like fleas, close contact is the primary avenue of spreading from host to host. It's best that children are taught not to share personal belongings such as hats, brushes and combs with other classmates.

August through November is normally the time when lice are transmitted. By December and January, Head Lice infestations are vast. Children should be inspected weekly for Head Lice during the early fall months of August through November.

On occasion, lice may fall off their host onto another surface; however, they cannot survive off a human for more than 24 hours. Therefore, they do not live for very long in furniture, carpet, beds, vehicles, etc. They want to remain on their host in order to survive.

Head Lice eggs are called nits. They are very tiny, white, oval and cylindrical in shape. Nits are glued by the female to the hairs near the scalp normally behind the ears and along the back of the neck. Nits must be removed by using a special fine-toothed louse comb. This is done by combing from the root to the tip of the hair and repeating until the entire scalp has been combed several times. A regular plastic comb will not remove nits.

One female louse will lay 6-7 eggs each day. A child could have several dozen lice living on his/her head in just a few weeks. You can see why weekly inspections during the school year are so important.

There are several over-the-counter products that can be applied to the scalp for the control of Head Lice. However, it's important to note that nit removal is the key. This is because up to 80% of nits survive control products applied to the scalp.

Head Lice are a medical problem. There's no application that can be performed by a pest control company for the control of Head Lice.

Remember, children that are taught not to share personal belongings such as hats, brushes and combs with other classmates and have weekly inspections performed are less likely to experience Head Lice during the school year.

Source: Daniel Dye II, Entomologist