Tag Archives: pesticides

Please Don’t Poison Me or Take Away My Food

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Pileated Woodpecker
(Dryocopus pileatus) Pileated Woodpecker
(Dryocopus pileatus) Pileated Woodpecker

This post is for the folks living on San Juan Island and in San Juan County, but also for the wider PNW area.  After seeing multiple posts this morning about Carpenter Ants showing up, and I personally have seen three or four Carpenter Ants in our house this past week (Camponotus vicinus), I felt compelled to do a write-up that can be shared more easily into social media groups and read by those who aren’t on social media sites.

It is the time of year when you may see activity in your own home.  Don’t freak out.  Their appearance does not mean you have an infestation, but if you see one crawling around on the floor or wall, you should use this as a sign to check around your home carefully.  Annual inspections are an important part of caring for your home and investment.

Once upon a time, we found issues in our own home. There were carpenter ants in the wood trim around our skylight. Our roof had been leaking for some time and that rotted the wood. I told my husband one morning that I could HEAR them chewing. I could. They were up there munching away. He got a ladder, removed the wood trim, and then danced like he was at a rave. I’m surprised, and thankful, he didn’t fall off the ladder. The entire colony dumped out onto his head. They were biting him and spraying him with formic acid. Fortunately, I had the shop vac handy. Once we vacuumed them up and he replaced the wood and fixed the roof leak, we have been ant-free (almost 10 years now).

Camponotus vicinus carpenter ant
Camponotus vicinus carpenter ant
Camponotus vicinus carpenter ant
Camponotus vicinus carpenter ant

In your home, I recommend inspecting for water leaks, repairing them, and replacing any rotten or damp wood.  If you have trees or vegetation overhanging and touching your home, trim this back.  Avoid leaving stacks of firewood near or against your home.  Also, avoid mulching near your foundation.  Fix any areas near your yard where water is not draining properly and seeps back towards your foundation . Keep the humidity low in your home, especially in basement areas.  If you can’t do this yourself and you live in San Juan County, I do recommend calling Paul at San Juan Pest Control   (360) 378-2941- who can check all the things I just recommended. In my experience, Paul has been careful about minimizing use of pesticides or baits. Please, please, do not go to the home store and pick your poisons out and apply them yourself. If you won’t consider any alternatives I’ve suggested here, at least get a professional to help you with this.

You might ask, “Why are you so against toxic baits and chemicals?” Well, aside from the dangers of using pesticides in your home for yourself and your pets, they are highly toxic to wildlife. These toxic chemicals or baits go through the food chain, impacting non-target species.

For instance, the diet of our beautiful Pileated Woodpecker species is comprised of 54-60% carpenter ants.  They will be feeding nestlings soon, as will other bird species that utilize ants for food. Applying pesticides can impact these birds directly through the poisons going through the food chain or by removing their food source.  We want to protect our structures, but also need the reminder to protect our avian neighbors.  Just as you don’t want to go hungry and starve, neither do they.

Violet Green Tree Swallow with Camponotus modoc Carpenter Ant

I guess I should go a bit further here in my ecology connection. If we are feeding the birds, why do we need to worry about ants or other bugs in the first place? Bird seed and suet cakes, and even sugar water solution for hummingbirds, provides them with a supplementary food source when they need extra energy. Supplementing with feed can help birds before leaving, or after arriving from a long migration, after a winter season when food sources decline or are scarce or harder to access. Supplementing with feeders can also provide them with extra calories before they begin nesting, or if they are compromised in some other way.

Feeding birds, however, is primarily for our entertainment. We feed them because we appreciate nature and bird watching. Suet, seeds, and sugar water are not their main diet components though. Especially not for baby birds that need protein sources.

Birds need BUGS. Even hummingbirds feed their baby birds bugs. Spiders are a favorite because baby birds need taurine, an amino acid necessary for brain development. Spiders are a source of taurine.

All birds need essential minerals, amino acids, and vitamins that aren’t found in bird seed, suet, and sugars. They will visit sources of sap, nectar, and forage in tree stumps, standing dead snags, under rocks, in the soil, and all through the leaves and twigs of our trees. I’ve seen hummingbirds taking small insects and spiders from beneath the eaves of our home. The “environment,” or what little remains that has not been altered, degraded, or poisoned by humans, is literally the “grocery store” for wildlife. Wildlife, including birds and even other insects or spiders are nature’s best pest control. Let’s make sure we protect them and acknowledge their value in choosing how we live.

References and Further Reading ***noting here that Carpenter Ants also provide valuable pest control for species of insects that defoliate our fruit and forest trees! ***

Akre, R. D., L. D. Hansen, and E. A. Myhre. 1995. My house or yours? The biology of carpenter ants. Am. Entomol. Soc. 41:221–226.

Bull, E. L. 1987. Ecology of the pileated woodpecker in northeastern Oregon. Journal of Wildlife Management 51: 472–481.

Bull, E. L., R. C. Beckwith, and R. S. Holthausen. 1992a. Arthropod diet of pileated woodpeckers in northeastern Oregon. Northwestern Naturalist 73: 42–45.

Bull, E. L., C. G. Parks, and T. R. Torgersen. 1997.  Trees and logs important to wildlife in the Interior Columbia River Basin. U.S. Forest Service General Technical Report PNW-GTR-391, Portland, Oregon, USA.

Campbell, R.W., and T.R.Torgersen.1982. Some effects of predaceous ants on western spruce budworm pupae in north central Washington.
Environ. Entomol. 11:111-114.

Cruz, A., and D.W. Johnston. 1979.  Occurrence and feeding ecology of the common flicker on Grand Cayman Island. Condor 81:370-375. 

Furniss, R. L., and V. M. Carolin. 1977.  Western forest insects. U.S. Forest Service Miscellaneous Publication number 1339, Washington, D.C., USA.

Hansen, L. D., and R. D. Akre. 1985.  Biology of carpenter ants in Washington State (Hymenoptera:Formicidae:Camponotus). Melanderia.  Volume 43. Washington State Entomological Society, Pullman, Washington, USA.

Hansen, L. D., and A. L. Antonelli. 2005.  Carpenter ants: their biology and control. Washington State University Extension Bulletin 0818, Pullman, Washington, USA.

Hansen, L. D., and J. H. Klotz. 2005. Carpenter Ants of the United States and Canada. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press.

Mankowski, M. 2001.  Biology of the Carpenter Ants Camponotus vicinus (Mayr) and Camponotus modoc(Wheeler) in Western Oregon.  Ph.D. dissertation, Oregon State University, Corvallis.  

Mannan, R. W. 1984. Summer area requirements of pileated woodpeckers in western Oregon. Wildlife Society Bulletin 12: 265–268.

RALEY, C.M. and AUBRY, K.B. (2006), Foraging Ecology of Pileated Woodpeckers in Coastal Forests of Washington. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 70: 1266-1275. https://doi.org/10.2193/0022-541X(2006)70[1266:FEOPWI]2.0.CO;2

Ramsay, S.L. and Houston, D.C. (2003), Amino acid composition of some woodland arthropods and its implications for breeding tits and other passerines. Ibis, 145: 227-232. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1474-919X.2003.00133.x

Torgersen, T. R., and E. L. Bull. 1995. Down logs as habitat for forest-dwelling ants—the primary prey of pileated woodpeckers in northeastern Oregon. Northwest Science 69: 294–303.

Torgersen, T.R., R. R. Mason, and H.G. Paul. 1983. Predation on pupae of Douglas-fir tussock moth, Orgyia pseudotsugata (McDunnough) (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae). Environ. Entomol. 12:1678-1682.

University Of Glasgow. “Super Spiders Make Bolder Birds.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 29 August 2007. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070824220328.htm

Where ARE all the pollinators?

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Yellowish Cuckoo Bumble Bee (Bombus flavidus)

Lots of folks are asking, “Where are the pollinators?”  I’m getting comments and questions about the absence of bees.  Should we be concerned? Probably.

It’s been a weird spring/summer with lots of temperature fluctuations.  That impacts when things bloom and what food is available.  Bumble bees can fly when the temperatures are lower and I did see and hear them when our Golden Chain tree was in full bloom about two weeks ago.   They may be on other blooming florals right now – like blackberries.  If you have Catmint (Nepeta), Lavender, and Tomatoes or Nasturtiums about, the bumble bees should find these in another week or so.   Usually I see them on Foxglove (Digitalis) and also in our Rhododendrons, but Foxglove is biennial and we don’t have any blooming this year, and I believe the Rhododendrons are already done blooming for the season.

In general though, I am noticing an overall decline in abundance of many insect species.  We have two above ground, freshwater pools for water catchment and in years past, there have been lots and lots of insects needing rescue because they fell in and couldn’t get out.  I was skimming bugs twice a day and this year, I might have found 4 or 5 needing rescue.  That’s 4 or 5 total – when I used to find 20-30 floating in the morning.

That said, there are a few species where populations seem quite abundant.  I’ve found lots of the tiny and very cute Broom Seed Beetles (Genus Bruchidius) everywhere in the yard.   If you see these little black peppercorn-sized beetles, they are friends (a biocontrol for scotch broom).  

Broom seed beetles on Nasturtium

So, is the overall decline in invertebrate populations because of climate change or something else?  I think the decline of invertebrate species is due to a multitude of factors:  habitat loss due to land use changes, weather fluctuations/climate change, introduction of pathogens as species move into previously unoccupied territory (due to climate shifts), but especially from pollution and contamination by all the products we use. These are additive and include anything and everything that leaves trace residues behind.   It’s multifactorial and complex.  Humans and our practices are altering ecosystems.  

How to help?  I don’t have any great answers.  Can the few who actually care initiate changes and change the minds of the masses of people who don’t care and don’t want to change?  Our education system isn’t helping.  We continue to promote attitudes (even as adults who should know better) that evoke fear responses around insects, spiders, (and don’t even get me started on snakes) in our children.  Instead of teaching children about ecology, biology, and life sciences, we shriek when we see a spider or a roach or mosquito and grab the can of raid.   We want to garden and seek out gardening advice, but historically, even the extension communities have been pretty un-environmental in their approach to insects.  For that matter, most of our Land Grant Universities’ agricultural and entomology  departments have been funded by the large agrochemical industry.  They have promoted use of pesticides over cultural practices.  The agrochemical industry makes tons of pesticides that are applied all over the world every year.  It’s a huge part of our economy.  MONEY trumps nature.

My advice? Be curious about what you are using.  Learn about ecology and food webs.  OBSERVE nature.  Investigate where your food comes from.  When you buy garden or landscape plants, ask the company about what practices they are using to grow these plants.  Choose native plants for landscaping.  Look around your home and read the labels on what products you are using – especially for any products going down the drain.   If you have pets, look up the ingredients on the products you use for treating fleas and ticks.  Flea and tick treatments have neonicotinoids that are excreted in urine and poo.  Ask your vet about alternatives. We all need to think about the implications of this.  Neonicotinoids are killing our pollinators and other invertebrates.  

References and further reading

Bonmatin JM, Giorio C, Girolami V, Goulson D, Kreutzweiser DP, Krupke C, Liess M, Long E, Marzaro M, Mitchell EA, Noome DA, Simon-Delso N, Tapparo A. 2015. Environmental fate and exposure; neonicotinoids and fipronil. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. Jan;22(1):35-67. doi: 10.1007/s11356-014-3332-7. Epub 2014 Aug 7. PMID: 25096486; PMCID: PMC4284396. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25096486/

Webb DT, Zhi H, Kolpin DW, Klaper RD, Iwanowicz LR, LeFevre GH. 2021. Emerging investigator series: municipal wastewater as a year-round point source of neonicotinoid insecticides that persist in an effluent-dominated stream. Environ Sci Process Impacts. May 26;23(5):678-688. doi: 10.1039/d1em00065a. PMID: 33889902; PMCID: PMC8159912. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8159912/

University of Sussex. 2020. Pesticides commonly used as flea treatments for pets are contaminating English rivers. ScienceDaily. 17 November http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201117085940.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201117085940.htm#:~:text=Researchers%20at%20the%20University%20of,far%20exceeded%20accepted%20safe%20limits

Beyond Pesticides. 2018. Victory! State Finds Imidacloprid Insecticide Too Risky For Use in Willapa Bay. Daily News Blog. https://beyondpesticides.org/dailynewsblog/2018/04/victory-imidacloprid-risky-use-sensitive-bay-permit-request-denied/

Beyond Pesticides. 2017. Poisoned Waterways. https://www.beyondpesticides.org/assets/media/documents/bp-37.1-PoisonedWaterways-cited2.pdf

You Have to Be More Careful With an Island – Please reconsider using those pesticides. They aren’t necessary.

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Button Designed and Produced by Nancy May Knapp of Orcas Island, WA

If you live in San Juan County, WA, my blog topic today is for you. I’m seeing some posts on social media lately about pest control that I’m not too crazy about. We have so many people moving to our island now, many bringing with them the mainland suburbia mentality of spraying insecticides all over their yards and homes. Can we help folks understand the slogan, “You Have To Be More Careful With an Island?” 

If you know someone who is concerned about caterpillars, ants, termites, wasps, mosquitoes, or spiders, and they are willing to talk to someone (me), I am more than happy to take a phone call or email to answer questions on how to AVOID use of unnecessary chemicals that can pose health risks to humans, pets, wildlife, and contaminate soil and water.  Most , if not all, use of pest control services are completely unnecessary.   Instead, learning about these organisms can go a long way to reducing fear and being able to coexist and/or tolerate living with them around our homes and properties.  Some species of bugs are extremely critical to keeping our ecosystem healthy and balanced.  ALL of them are part of the greater food web.   With the intense development and land use changes happening in the islands, we need to remember to landscape with intentionality towards keeping our island healthy and oriented towards providing habitat for native species instead of displacing everything.  

How to spread the word? You can message me here. I will respond. You may also reach me on Facebook at Bugs of the San Juan Islands. It’s a great spot to learn about the amazing bugs we have living alongside us.

Thanks for reading!

Is our fear of murder hornets turning us into the real murderers?

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A neighbor sent me this video footage late last night.  She asks, “Why are all the black and yellow bumble bees on the ground dying?”  This occurred locally at an island lavender farm where the bumble bees are LOVED and no one is applying any pesticides.  In the video you can certainly see the bees she refers to.  Why only those?  

The dying bees are the lovely Yellow-Faced bumble bees, Bombus vosnesenskii.  I personally appreciate these because not only are they avid tomato pollinators, but they have such adorably chubby and fuzzy bodies with a yellow face and a yellow band around their little black bottom. 

Bombus vosnesenskii, Yellow-faced Bumble Bee

Bumble bees are cavity nesters.  Many will select an empty mouse burrow in the ground to create their nest. The fertilized queen overwinters and begins her colony in late March or early April, foraging for herself and the eggs she laid that would soon hatch into larvae needing to be fed.  

Bumble bee nest on San Juan Island, WA 2010

In order to obtain nutrients necessary for survival, bumble bee foragers can travel long distances (up to 11 miles), especially here as our growing season ends in summer.  Right now, they are visiting the lavender in bloom.

These poor bees are most likely victims of pesticide.  The fact that all of them are the same species, at the same location, indicates to me that someone applied pesticide at their nest site, likely a property owner within foraging distance of the worker bees visiting the lavender farm.  The workers dispersed from the nest to try to do what they are programmed to do (forage for food), but simply succumbed to the toxic residues that some fearful homeowner applied.  

“I can’t have bees in my yard!”  “I’m allergic.”  “I have pets.”  “I hate insects.” “It could be murder hornets.”  

Do you want to have food? 

If you, as a homeowner, continue spraying your yard every time you see a bee and can’t learn to live with them, you are going to be the end of all of us.  Bumble bees are some of our most important agricultural pollinators.  More important than honey bees!  

The dying bees in this video are native bees.  “Native” means they are adapted to this environment.  They have the ability to survive here better than European honey bees (Apis mellifera) which are not native.  Honey bees were transported to North America by Europeans who brought sheep, cattle, swine, and other domesticated species to this continent.  

Back to the over-sensationalized “murder hornets.”  This term makes me angry!  😡 The media hype is much like the hype over the mantids that are going to eat our hummingbirds !  Just because it is printed in the paper doesn’t mean it is the whole truth or entirely accurate.  The primary reason the Asian Giant Hornet (Vespa mandarinia) is of concern is their ability to kill European honey bees (Apis mellifera), an agricultural commodity.  To read some of the news stories, you’d think we were dealing with Africanized Bees…remember those? 

It is possible Vespa mandarinia will not survive here.  They aren’t native.  They will be susceptible to parasites, and viral, bacterial, and fungal diseases (not unlike the same problems our non-native European honey bees face) potentially making it difficult for populations to establish themselves.   We could also, as many Asians do, learn to eat them. Yes, do read the publication about them in my references section!

Please put that can of pesticide away.  Don’t spray.  If you are truly afraid of bees, then educate yourself about how to live alongside them.  First off, don’t wear shades of blue or black colors when you’re near an area that has bees.  Bumble bees and honey bees are attracted to these colors.  Avoid wearing fragrances.  Wash your clothing in unscented detergent and avoid using those noxious, heavily scented dryer sheets.  Finally, if you do see an insect that you believe is the Asian Giant Hornet, take a photo or collect the specimen if it is already dead and contact WSU following these guidelines. 

In Washington State only, people should report potential sightings of the AGH through the Washington State Department of Agriculture’s website. Outside of Washington, contact your state apiary inspector. If it is safe to do so, take a photo or collect a dead specimen of the pest to help experts identify the insect.

In the meantime, please don’t fall victim to media hype and do your best not to murder innocent bumble bees!   

References and further reading: 

Bombus vosnesenskii. Bugguide.net https://bugguide.net/node/view/19538

John M. Mola, Neal M. Williams. (2019) A review of methods for the study of bumble bee movement. Apidologie 56. 

Jha, Shalene, and Claire Kremen. (2019) Resource diversity and landscape-level homogeneity drive native bee foraging. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America vol. 110,2: 555-8. doi:10.1073/pnas.1208682110

Sujaya Rao, George Hoffman, Julie Kirby & Danielle Horne (2019) Remarkable long-distance returns to a forage patch by artificially displaced wild bumble bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae), Journal of Apicultural Research, 58:4, 522-530, DOI: 10.1080/00218839.2019.1584962

(Vespa mandarinia) Asian giant hornet. New Pest Response Guidelines. (2020) USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Plant Protection and Quarantine. https://cms.agr.wa.gov/WSDAKentico/Documents/PP/PestProgram/Vespa_mandarinia_NPRG_10Feb2020-(002).pdf