Ouch: Pests That Bite and Sting

At this time of the year I love sitting on my front porch (unscreened) where I can see about half of my lawn and a third of my long perennial border.

About 6 feet in front and above me, a simple hummingbird feeder hangs, and the hummers have become accustomed to my being a voyeur of nature. For the most part they ignore me though some are clearly curious. This year though, sitting and watching for more than a few minutes has proved to be risky business.

The threat isn’t from the hummers, though I do have to dodge them at times during their territorial fights, but from smaller creatures that seem to be in overabundance this year. While I sit I become the feeding grounds and target of mosquitoes and midges. The midges are also known as no-see-ums, and though just an 8th of an inch long, their numbers and bites can be far more than annoying. So this week, a brief look at the biting and stinging insects, some of which can be potentially deadly to those allergic to their venom. That’s right, venom.

With such a wet spring, the mosquito population is daunting. It’s not just their stings that are annoying, but they also carry several diseases, a few of which can be deadly. The females seek out places where they can deposit their eggs, and in far too many cases property owners unwittingly provide these habitats. It can be as small as a can or jar left outdoors that water accumulates in. Anything that’s left outdoors where water stands is their target. If the water stands for seven to 10 days the eggs the females lay morph into blood-hungry mosquitoes.

One of the most common places for this egg laying to take place is in bird baths that are not flushed and cleaned every couple of days. Any man-made water feature like a fountain or small pond would be a prime egg-laying spot, especially if they aren’t chlorinated. But there are also dangerous spots that Mother Nature will create, like a puddle or a constantly wet spot where water (fresh or salt) accumulates and sits long enough for the egg laying and maturation to take place.

In recent years, as we see the effects of climate change and the rising ocean, there are more days and days in a row where lowland gardens, driveways and roads can be inundated and only drain slowly. At times the main ponding areas will dry, but their periphery remains wet and hospitable. I see this quite a bit on Meadow Lane in Southampton, but I’m certain this is happening all along the island’s coast.

Many property owners have their properties sprayed, and I know some that have it done weekly from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Many pesticide applicators promote organic sprays, but ask if the spray will just kill the target mosquitoes or all insects it comes into contact with. These sprays do reduce mosquito populations in localized areas, but just one good breeze brings back the bloodsuckers from nearby areas that are untreated.

There are effective things you can do to minimize the threat of mosquitoes. Obviously (or not) don’t leave anything outside that will accumulate standing water. Remember that if you have an irrigation system that water will fill the slightest container or vessel every single time it goes on. It might even be a small depression atop a valve cover in the lawn.

Fountains and bird baths need to be addressed as well. I have a tiny bird bath (of sorts) that I drain and refill, but I also add a product called Mosquito Bits if I leave the water in the bath for several days. This contains Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) which is a naturally occurring bacteria applied in a dry form, usually pellets. Another method, but not quite as successful, is to add a bit of vegetable oil or light horticultural oil to the water surface. This suffocates the larvae that go to the water surface for air.

For those in areas with very serious and persistent mosquito issues near stagnant ponds, salt water marshland and low lying areas along public roadways, you may be able to get help from the Suffolk County Department of Public Works, which has a Vector Control, or mosquito control, program. You can get more information here tinyurl.com/5cutd54x or call them at 631-852-4270.

Next are the no-see-ums. These are so-called biting gnats or biting midges, sand flies and punks. They are tiny but mightily annoying. Found in areas frequented by mosquitoes, they are probably best addressed with repellents applied to your skin and or clothing.

Scented geraniums, insecticidal candles and similar gimmicks are essentially useless and a waste of money. On your body (not around your eyes though) a lemon eucalyptus spray such as Repel can be very effective. It only lasts for a few hours and while you can apply it to your skin you should keep it away from your eyes. Repellents that contain the chemical DEET can be very effective, and the higher the DEET content the longer the effect, and this can last four to six hours. This is applied only to clothing and not on your skin, face or head.

For more permanent repellency you can buy products with permethrin. I use a brand that contains 0.5 percent permethrin on my clothing and boots. It only needs to be applied every six weeks and can withstand washing several times. It comes in aerosol cans as well as pump sprays. I just spray my outdoor clothing the first of the month from March through November, so I don’t forget. It’s also the best tick repellent.

Now on to the stingers. These include bees and wasps, and there are important differences between and among them. Repellents are pretty useless with these insects as they are attracted to us for different reasons than the bloodsuckers. They are often attracted to bright colors (think yellow) and all things sweet.

Honeybees, as a rule, will only sting when you annoy them. And when you get on their bad side they sting you with a barbed stinger that separates from their abdomen. As a result, they die once you get stung. However, the barbed stinger contains a venom (apitoxin) that the stinger will continue to inject until it stops pulsing. Some people are highly allergic to this venom and need to keep special kits available or they can go into shock. For the rest of us, the sting is just very painful and can leave a red welt that will last for a few days. A simple solution and rule is not to annoy them. Don’t swat at them, and they will go away.

Wasps are different. Their stingers aren’t barbed, and when a wasp stings you it can do it repeatedly as the stinger does not detach from the body. Many wasps are also venomous. Again, the best guidance is not to annoy them or their nests. If you do find a nest it’s usually best to have a professional treat or remove it. If you try, you are likely to get a nasty surprise including many, many stings, but you’ll have your best luck at dusk when the nest calms down.

One of our most common wasps is the yellow jacket, and you should familiarize yourself with how this insect looks so you don’t confuse it with a honeybee. Yellow jackets will be attracted to sweet drinks left on an outdoor table, rotting vegetables that drop in the garden and fruit that has dropped from your fruit trees and berry bushes.

Horse flies are another painful annoyance. Those working on farms are familiar with them as are beachgoers.

They do give nasty bites but don’t have stingers and are not venomous. The good news is that they are effectively repelled with most of the insect repellents noted earlier. At the beach you may find it effective to spray the edges of beach blankets with a permethrin repellent. These flies are most common on the warmest and sunniest days of the summer at the beach. Keep growing.

Garden Notes

I see many poorly trained and unsupervised landscapers using weed whackers, aka string trimmers, against and too close to the trunks and bark of trees. The damage done is incalculable. The wounds to the trunks cause the tree to release a chemical that is an attractant to insects who lay their eggs in the wound. Those eggs develop into larvae (borers) that eat into the tree. The tree responds by going through a self-protection process that ultimately ends up in the tree dying. This is seen often in home orchards and on new shade tree plantings. Be observant of your landscapers and gardeners. If this is happening, speak with them and know that you can get collars that wrap around the trunks that will limit this damage.