2000 Pest Wrap-Up

The year 2000 started off with one bug not causing its feared mischief and damage to businesses and residences around the country. The "Y2K" bug proved to be a phantom pest. However, the usual suspects made their annual appearances with few surprises.

The year began with unseasonably wet weather in many areas and drier-than- normal conditions in others. Later, rain failed to continue in some of these regions, increased in others and remained a fervent dream for much of the Southeast. Texas experienced hotter-than-normal days and drought for the third year in a row, the cumulative effect of which might be categorized as severe. The Midwest and East were cooler than normal, but also wetter. All of these weather conditions played a role in the types and numbers of pests seen.

The results discussed in this article were obtained through conversations with numerous Terminix personnel throughout the United States and a number of other pest management professionals. By no means was this effort a scientific process, however, these persons are heavily involved in the industry in their respective regions.

Not surprisingly, ants remain "queen" of the hill as the most important structural pest. Primary species listed were carpenter ants, Argentine ants, odorous house ants, fire ants and white-footed ants. Interestingly, almost none of those interviewed even mentioned cockroaches until asked specifically about that pest. This demonstrates the dominant position ants have achieved in the industry.

Fleas remain the forgotten pest, the once-important source of revenue that no longer presents itself each year. In some regions, flea calls were up slightly, but overall, flea calls were stagnant. Interestingly, bed bug incidents were reported in many areas of the country — not in overwhelming numbers — but enough calls were taken to be noted.

According to Terminix technical specialist Ron Keeler, carpenter ants were the top residential pest in the Northeast. In his opinion, this ant was a "little worse" than the previous year. Pavement ants continue to be a major pest in both homes and businesses. Termite swarms were about the same or normal as in 1999.

Last year’s surprise pest, boxelder bugs, were not nearly the same as last year. Cluster flies, however, were back and were probably not a problem in 1999 due to the drought seen in the area that year. Rat and mouse activity has been typical this fall.

Rats were big in the media in 2000 in New York City, even getting repeated mentions on the David Letterman Show. Bob Young, Terminix technical specialist for the area, notes calls for rats were also greater than normal for many parts of Long Island.

The No. 1 pest in New York homes continues to be carpenter ants but activity was down from 1999. Mosquitoes were again of significant concern this year due to the West Nile virus discovered in the state in 1999. Some professionals with whom Young has spoken wonder if the aerial spraying efforts for mosquitoes may be the cause of reduced carpenter ant activity this year, especially with the considerably wetter spring and summer weather.

Bed bug reports were greatly increased as were those for yellowjackets and spiders. Flea calls were minimal.

The drought conditions present the past two years along parts of the Atlantic Seaboard have ended with normal or higher than normal rainfall in 2000. According to Rick Cooper of Cooper Pest Control, ants were by far the most prominent pest. The cornfield ant is the key commercial pest as is the pavement ant. In homes, carpenter ants and pavement ants are seen most often and carpenter ant activity was normal.

Termite swarm calls were up over 1999 likely due to the increased rainfall. Cooper was one of the few to note more flea calls and he noted that the numbers of American dog ticks seen were unusual. Paper wasps also were in abundance. Early summer brought a spike in millipede activity and web-building spiders were noted in greater numbers.

This area experienced an exceedingly wet spring and the fall was seasonably warm. Carpenter ants and pavement ants are the major pests in these states and citronella ants were a bit more active in 2000. Terminix technical specialist Jerry Bukovsky notes two pests with greatly increased activity: yellowjackets and spiders. Yellowjackets were found nesting in building voids in larger numbers than in recent memory. The wet spring likely increased flying insects and mosquitoes and that has likely led to the abundance of web-building spiders on and inside buildings. He has also noted a few more mice this fall.

As seen throughout much of the East and Midwest, carpenter ants and pavement ants are the key pests. Terminix technical specialist Chris Anfinsen reports there were more yellowjackets than normal this year and that flea calls were up a bit. He also notes the number of residential Indian meal moth calls were unusually numerous.

Mike Corbitt, an entomologist with Van Waters & Rogers in Indianapolis, reports carpenter ants and pavement ants to be the primary pests found. He has received increased reports of Pharaoh ants in commercial buildings and apartments.

The wet summer had a positive effect on the numbers of spiders, but interestingly, fly problems appeared to be "down." He also notes an unusual number of bed bug reports as well as increased activity from European earwigs and lady beetles. Fleas were a bit up from last year but not enough to be truly noteworthy: however, springtime saw tick numbers unusually high around homes in some areas. The termite swarm was average.

Normal rainfall ended the drought of 1999 in Kentucky and surrounding states. According to Dr. Mike Potter of the University of Kentucky, the most difficult pest is the odorous house ant. This species continues to increase its presence in this state. Pavement ants and carpenter ants continue to be more prominent, but the odorous house ant often gives Kentucky professionals fits to control. The red imported fire ant has also been confirmed in two sites: Paducah and Murray in western Kentucky.

Last year, tick activity was increased and this trend continued this year. Dr. Potter notes that the lone star tick was a significant concern in many areas of the state. He also notes that flea calls were up and that failures of on-animal flea control products to control fleas were reported. Lady beetles again were becoming a huge issue this fall.

Brown recluse spiders have become more active in the Memphis/Midsouth area in the past several years. The potential health threat posed by this pest increases its importance despite the fact that infestations tend to be concentrated in certain neighborhoods within cities and towns. Older neighborhoods with established landscaping tend to have more problems.

The odorous house ant is still the primary ant pest in the Midsouth, but the imported fire ant has become an increasing problem in West Tennessee and central and northern Arkansas. This summer’s drought has forced more ants indoors thus increasing homeowner calls regarding ants.

The termite swarm was normal for the area.

Fred Strickland, training director for the Terminix franchise based out of Mobile, Ala., says Argentine, odorous house and imported fire ants are his area’s biggest structural invaders. The biggest surprise was the number of the Nicaraguan cockroaches seen in the Mobile and Pensacola, Fla., areas. This species is peridomestic, living outdoors and invading homes when the opportunity presents itself.

As would be expected in Florida, which likely has the greatest diversity of pest ants in the United States, ants are the top structural pest problem. Terminix technical specialist Chris Graham reports crazy ants and ghost ants give her service professionals the most problems in Central Florida. Bed bugs were noted, but flea calls were down even more than in previous years. A mouse plague inundated a small area near Lake Apopka earlier in the year prompting the local authorities to take some drastic control measures.

In southern Florida, the white-footed ant continues its increasing dominance as the difficult pest to control while ghost ants and the imported fire ant still plague much of the state. Ann Russell, another Florida Terminix technical specialist, notes an increase in carpenter ants and reported the year’s termite swarm was fairly normal, possibly a bit increased.

Mike Kilpatrick, Terminix technical specialist for the north Texas area reported that the normal summer cricket invasions failed to appear this year. The severe drought this summer in Texas apparently affected cricket populations as well as those for other pests. The termite year was "terrible" and paper wasp activity was down. Flea calls were nonexistent. Fire ants are still the No. 1 pest in north Texas but Pharaoh ants are a significant problem. Smoky brown cockroach activity was essentially the same as seen in other years. He notes that gardeners he knows noted a decrease in honeybees in 2000.

Around San Antonio, Terminix entomologist Tony Borski’s biggest problems are crazy ants and fire ants. This fall he noted crickets were a problem, appearing a bit later than normal. As it was in other parts of Texas, the termite swarm was well below par.

Dr. Ron Kirby, the Terminix entomologist for the southeast Texas region, lists fire ants and crazy ants as the primary structural invaders. Ghost ants have been found in the area and Jeff Tucker of Entomology Associates found this species nesting under the bark of trees in a park in Houston. Such a report indicates the ghost ant may become well established in the Houston area. Dr. Kirby also was encouraged by an early season increase in flea calls but these quickly died off entering summer.

As would be expected, carpenter ants serve as the bread and butter for companies in Washington and Oregon. The carpenter ant season in Washington was reported as "good" but was "about normal" in the Portland area. The odorous house ant is an increasing problem in these states. Lady beetles were a problem in late winter and spring in both states. Rat calls were higher in Seattle and Portland.

Anyone who has worked in this industry in Southern California can easily answer the question of the No. 1 pest — the Argentine ant. Gary Nelson, Terminix vice president for sales in Southern California, estimates 70 to 80 percent of the residential leads received in Terminix branches involve the Argentine ant. Late July and August annually see a huge number of extra service requests due to this ant. The imported fire ant is now well established in parts of the Los Angeles area.

Last year, Southern California saw increased levels of rodent activity but such activity this year appears to have returned to normal. The termite swarm was light in 2000 for subterranean and drywood species.

In Northern California, Lonnie Anderson of Terminix reports a typical year with Argentine ants providing the impetus for most homeowner calls.

Ants are the top pest for many of the Hawaiian Islands. The white-footed and ghost ants are the key species on Oahu. The Argentine ant is generally found at higher elevations. The termite season was reportedly "normal" for the year.

Conclusion. The author plans to try a more scientific survey of national pest activity. If a process can be developed that gives information that can be quantified and compared from year-to-year, a survey will be conducted annually. Such information would be of significant value and well worth the effort.