Honey Bees are a critical part of food production but did you know just how cool they are?

Honey bees, buzzing around the new blossoms of spring bring delight and also fear to many.  Here are some amazing facts about honey bees.

Did you know?

Unlike other social wasp and bee varieties honey bees maintain its colony size all throughout the winter?

Honey bees must maintain a core hive temperature of 90 degrees even when its -10 degrees outside, and how they do this is nothing short of amazing.  The honey bees form a ball around the hive and then begin to vibrate and dance around in order to generate enough heat to keep there hive warm.  Even more interesting is that the bees in the warmer core of this ball will rotate to the outer area of the ball to allow other bees on the outer area to move to the center of the ball and warm up.

Pollen is not just for allergies

Honey bees utilize pollen as a food sources and is rich in protein.  Honey bees collect pollen as well as nectar to produce nutrient rich food sources to maintain a healthy colony.  honey bees collect pollen on the “hairy” portions of their rear legs and bring this back to consume.  The plant nectar That honey bees collect is deposited into the comb and dried to produce a super considerate we all call HONEY!

When bee keepers “smoke” honey bee nest honey bees become far less aggressive.

The process of “smoking” a nest is used by bee keepers to calm a honey bee hive and allow the bee keeper to harvest honey.  When smoking a nest the bee keeper uses a device that puffs smoke from a small fire into the nest.  This triggers a nearly instant response in the honey bees to gorge themselves on honey.  They do this because the smoke simulates a forest fire and bees begin to prepare for a long journey to find a new nesting site by consuming energy (honey).  Like thanksgiving dinner after eating a heavy dose of food we become lethargic, so do honey bees.

Honey bees are mathematicians

Scientists have believe that honey bees can calculate angles and comprehend the roundness of earth!  Their 6 sided honey comb provides maximum space efficiency to store their food and double as a home. In order to produce 1 oz of wax, bees must consume 8 oz of honey.  That takes a lot of work, and they can waist even an once.  Their 6 sided combs provide the solution.  This is truly and amazing behavior that maximizes efficiency and honey production!

Honey bees done usually die when they sting.

When it comes to protecting their territory from predators honey bees are well equipped for the job.  Honey bees use their stingers to defend their hive from predators and other insects.  They are able to sting soft skinned insects and predators as many times as needed.  Humans on the other hand have thick skin and unfortunately their stinger often gets stuck in this thick skin.  Once the bee flies off with out its stinger, it done for.

Young Honey bees have to earn their keep.

Honey bees are a social insect with orders and casts.  The youngest honey bees are required to act as the hive janitors and clean the hive and cells be fore they are allowed to leave the nest and forage for pollen and nectar.

9 Deadliest Insects (The Top 3 live in Iowa)

9. Bullet Ant
One of the largest species of ants in the world, the bullet ant can be up to 1″ long.  The Bullet ants sting has been called one of the most painful feelings in the world and it gets it name from the pain of the sting.  It is said that the bullet ants sting is feels like getting a struck by a bullet.  Once more the pain may take several days to subside and that is just one sting.  These ants will attack without warning and emit a frightening shriek as they attack there victims.  These ants can be found in the rain forests of South America.  

8. Human Bot Fly (Dermatobia hominis)
These flies lay there eggs on other insects like mosquito’s and horse flies.  They then get rubbed off onto humans and animals.  The egg is incubate and burrows into the flesh where they feed and grow under the victims skin.  These Bot Fly larva cause infections and and have been found inside tear ducts, and even human brains.  The human bot fly can be found in Central and South America.

7. Japanese/Asian Giant Hornet
This wasp boosts the ability to spit 8 flesh eating toxins while also having the ability to sting what ever it wants, as many times as it wants.  While it only accounts for up to 50 human deaths per year it is without a doubt one of the deadliest insects on earth.  Just a few dozen of these wasps can completely destroy a colony of honey bees 20,000+ bees strong.   The Japanese/Asian Giant Hornet is native to China and central Asia but has  spread to France as well as South Korea. 

6. Driver Ant
Driver ant colony sizes can be as large as 20-30 million strong.  These ants are not particularly poisonous nor do they have abnormally sharp or powerful mandibles.  What makes these ants deadly is the sheer size of their swarms.  The Driver ant will literally engulf it’s pray and carry it away.  Rather than building nests like other ants, these driver ants swarm.  Driver ants are native to Central and South Africa as well as tropical Asia.

5. Kissing Bug
While most species feed on sap, some of these bugs feed on blood.  They got their strange name because of there unusual moth parts and because they have a behavior to “bite” their victims on the lips while they sleep.  These bugs are known to be a primary vector for Chagas disease that kills 10-15 thousand people annually.  Kissing bugs are native to South, Central and North America.

4. Tsetse Fly
The Tsetse fly is the primary vector for “sleeping sickness” and has killed hundreds of thousands of people.  Modern day medicine has reduced that number to less then 10,000 reported cases.  No the less more then 70 million people remain at risk of contracting the disease annually.  Tsetse flies are native to central Africa.

3. Flea
Have you heard of the Bubonic plague?  This plague has killed millions of people.  The black plague still exists today and on average there are 7 causes annually in the United States.  Several of those causes will be fatal.  The plague is transmitted from fleas that bite humans or small animals.  It can also be transmitted by coming in contact with an infected animal or person.  Fleas are native to nearly all regions of the world.

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2. Locust/grasshopper
I bet you never thought a grasshopper would be deadly.  Locusts are a pest of biblical proportion.  They will eat everything in their path.  On average, a locust will consume their body weight in grain and plant matter daily.  Can you imaging eating your body weight in anything?  Locusts have been the cause for food shortages and famine for thousands of years killing millions of people.  While locust swarms can be better controlled then they have in the past, locust still pose a real threat to our food supply.

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1. Mosquito
Mosquitoes can carry over a dozen diseases including Malaria, Zika, and Encephalitis to name a few. Mosquitoes can be found on every continent except Antarctica. Malaria alone kills over 1 million people per year and infects up to 500,000 more people annually. Mosquitoes breed in standing or stagnate water and will often bite early in the morning or just before sun set in the evening.  Mosquito control tips include the use of bug repellents, long pants and longs sleeves to help protect yourself from the deadly effects of mosquitoes. Reduce standing water found around your home, keeps gutters clean and make sure to prevent water from pooling after a rain whenever possible.

Famous T.V. Characters in Pest Control

Bob Duncan (played by Eric Allan Kramer)
Bob’s Bugs Be Gone
Disney Channels  “Good Luck Charlie”

Eric Allan Kramer plays Bob Duncan of Bobs Bugs Be Gone on Disney Channels “Good Luck Charlie.  Bob owns a pest control company in Denver Colorado and is the T.V. Dad of 5 crazy children.  Good Luck Charlie originally aired from 2010 to 2014 on The Disney Channel.

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Jesse Katsopolis (played by John Stamos)
Worked for his father business
ABC’s “Full House”

John Stamos played Jesse Katsopolis an exterminator for his fathers business and Uncle Jesse to the world.   This was job until mid season two when he and Joey open their own advertising firm and become advertising executives.  Full house aired from 1987-1995 on ABC

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Dale Alvin Gribble (played by Johnny Hardwick)
Dale’s Dead Bug
Fox’s “King Of The Hill”

Dale Gribble is a fictional character in the animated series King of the Hill, voiced by Johnny Hardwick. Dale is a chain smoking exterminator and ridiculous friend of Hank Hill. King of the Hill Aired from 1997-2010 on Fox with more then 250 episodes!

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Walter White & Jesse Pinkman (Played by Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul)
Vamonos Pest
AMC’s “Breaking Bad”

Who can forget when the, always up to no good, Walter White played by Bryan Cranston and gets a brilliant Idea to cook meth in homes that were being treated for termites.  While no technically pest control professionals, the criminal duo made every home owner a little worried about what was really going on in their home when the bug guy arrived.  Breaking Bad aired on AMC from 2008-2013.

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Edgar the Bug (played by Vincent D’Onofrio)
Zap-Em
Sony Pictures “Men In Black”

Edgar the bug is the exact opposite of a pest control professional. Edgar was an abusive farmer who had his body stolen and his truck destroyed by an alien. Edgar the bug then stole a Zap-Em pest control truck since Edgar’s pick-up was destroyed during the alien landing. “Men in Black” was released in 1997.

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If you can think of anymore famous pest control characters put them in the comments and we might write about them!

Why are Des Moines Home Owners Seeing Boxelder Bugs & Multi-Colored Lady Beetles In The Winter Time?

Occasional Invaders like boxelder bugs and multi-colored lady beetles have been reported all over Des Moines and Central Iowa in recent days. These pests often find homes and businesses by the hundreds or thousands in the late fall. During late September and October boxelder bugs, multi-colored lady beetles, brown marmorated stink bugs and other pests are seeking shelter close to warm structures. They often attempt to hide behind siding, in window and door seals, and around plumbing penetrations on the south sides of buildings to stay warm during the cold Iowa winters.

Through the winter, homeowners may see and occasional boxelder bug strolling sluggishly along a wall or window sill. These sluggish bugs woke up early from their winter slumber and can easily be vacuumed up or let back outside. Most of the time boxelder bugs and multi-colored lady beetles who woke up early, will not last long in your home and are not cause for concern.

Due to the unusually warm winter we have experienced, these occasional invaders have become very active! As they wake from their slumber, the begin trying to find a place to go for food and shelter outdoors. It’s important to remember that these pests cause little of no harm to people and are attempting to escape their winter shelter (your home) to go and find a new place to reside for spring! If you have hundreds or thousands of these pests find their way into your home, contact us, your local pest control professional, so that we can handle the problem in a way that prevents causing more pest issues to develop!

Boxelder Bugs

Size and Description: 
1/2-inch long, black with orange or red markings, including three stripes on the prothorax, the area right behind the head.
Feeding Behavior:
Adults feed on low vegetation and seeds on the ground during spring and early summer, and begin mating a couple weeks after they started feeding.
Favorite Summer hangout: 
Female seed-bearing boxelder trees.

Multi-Colored Lady Beetle

Size and Description: 
9/32 inch (7 mm) long and 7/32 inch (5.5 mm) wide. They are oval or convex in shape, and yellow to red in color (with or without black spots on the wing covers)
Feeding Behavior: 
Feed primarily on aphids.
Favorite Summer Hangouts:
Te undersides of leafs and in the beautiful corn and soy bean fields that cover Iowa.

Here is a short video on D.I.Y. Rodent Control For your Des Moines Pest Control Home.

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Catching that mouse in your house can be done by most home owners. Using these tips for rodent control at your home can help control Des Moines homes from being invaded by these pests.  If you have more then 1 mouse in your house or you have seen many different sizes of mice roaming around your home, It might be time to contact Janssen Pest Solutions to help you take your home back from invading mice!