Warren County Connection - November 2022

Warren County Connection

A Publication of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Warren County

KEEPING MICE OUT

By: Kelly Feehan, Extension Educator, Nebraska Extension in Knox County

When it’s cold outside, mice try to find warmth inside. In one year, all offspring and subsequent generations from a single pair of mice could add up to 10,000 mice. Hence they are a common problem.

Dennis Ferraro, Nebraska Extension wildlife specialist, recently shared some tips for keeping mice out of residences and for trapping them. The best control is to prevent their entry indoors and sanitation.

According to Ferraro, understanding the abilities of mice will help in keeping them out. For example, an adult mouse can squeeze through an opening as small as three eighths inch. Like cats, their whiskers tell them if the opening is large enough.

Mice are able to jump straight up two and a half feet and across three feet. They can climb brick and stucco, and walk on about one tenth inch diameter wire. Mice can run up to six miles per hour; and drop vertically eight feet and keep running.

The home range of a house mouse is usually a 20 foot radius, but their curiosity will have them exploring up to 200 feet from home base. Their preferred path is along walls, whiskers guiding the way.

Mice urinate and defecate on the go, as many as 80 droppings a day. For identification, their black, quarter inch droppings are pointed on both ends. Feces carry disease causing organisms so wear gloves if handling.

To prevent entry, pack three eighth inch and larger openings with copper wool or stainless steel wool (make sure it is without iron which will rust), then caulk over. Caulking prevents mice from chewing through or pulling out the material.

For sanitation, eliminate access to food, water or nesting material. Clean up food and crumbs and fix water leaks. Even simple things like storing a damp mop on the tip of its handle with its head in the air, can prevent mice from obtaining moisture or nesting material, according to Ferraro.

Avoid using mouse poisons and trap instead. “Using baits indoors should be avoided at all costs,” Ferraro said. One reason is children and pets are often unintentional victims. And mice

2022

In this issue:

Time Spent In The Garden Now Saves Work In the Spring

3

Burning Bush, You’re Fired! 4

Maintaining Lawn and Garden Tools 5

Four Really Stinky Flowers 6

House Dust Mites 8

Develop A Household Inventory 11

Specialpoints ofinterest:

• Calendarof Events

Cornell University Cooperative Extension of Warren County

377

Phone: (518)

(518)

Who We Are

Nation wide, thousands of people in each state tap into their state’s land grant university research and know how to make sound confident decisions concerning family, home, business, finances, and the future. In New York State, the land-grant university is Cornell University.

The Cornell Cooperative Extension network brings you the expertise of Cornell University, other land grant universities across the country and locally based Extension Educators, volunteers, and other experts through such programs as: horticulture, youth and families, leadership, environment, food, nutrition & health, home environment, and financial management.

Staff

Dr. James Seeley, Executive Director

John Bowe, Interim Executive Director & Associate Team Leader

Dan Carusone, 4 H Natural Resources Coordinator

Roxanne Westcott, 4 H Family Living Educator

Rebecca Devaney, Community Horticulture Coordinator

Sharon Bellamy, Finance Manager

Amy Sabattis, Public Relations/Publications Manager

Michele Baker, Administrative Assistant

Chris Dittus, Administrative Assistant

Joe Phillips, Facilities Coordinator

Board of Directors

David Strainer President

Jim Kneeshaw Vice President

Dan Bruno - Secretary

William Hamelin Treasurer

Aimee Azaert

CheriLyn Dempsey

Lisa Earl

Maureen Folk

Ed Griesmer

David Little

Cynthia Muratori

Extension Service Committee

Chair Ben Driscoll

Daniel Bruno

Andrea Hogan

Brad Magowan

Debra Runyon

Please visit our website for more eventswww.cce.cornell.edu/warren

NOVEMBER CALENDAR

Sunday, November 13th Basic Archery 1 4 pm, Dunham’s Bay Fish & Game Club. Must be at least 8 years old and an enrolled 4-H member. Fee $5. Contact John Bowe for more information at 518 668 4881.

Wednesday, November 30th - 1-on-1 Budget Coaching Program 12:45 2:00 pm, SUNY Adirondack Campus. Contact Roxanne Westcott for more information at 518 668 4881.

Sunday, December 4th – Intro to Air Rifle – 1-3 pm, Dunham’s Bay Fish & Game Club. Must be at least 9 years old and an enrolled 4-H member. Fee $5. Contact John Bowe for more information at 518-668-4881.

If you have special needs as addressed by the Americans with Disabilities Act and need assistance with attending these workshops, please make your needs known by the registration deadline. Reasonable efforts will be made for accommodations.

are likely to crawl into a wall to die where they can decompose for a month, shedding bacteria and attracting maggots.

When cleaning where mice have been or droppings are found, avoid sweeping and vacuuming. Disease causing organisms in the droppings will spread once airborne.

When cleaning, ventilate the area. Wear a respirator or quality dust mask, and spray the area with a disinfectant before cleanup. The moisture in diluted bleach or disinfectants prevents disease causing organisms from becoming airborne and inhaled.

When trapping, pre bait by putting out food such as peanut butter. After mice eat the pre bait, place the same food firmly on a trap. Wear gloves, then set traps along walls where mice travel. For a snap trap, set the snapping mechanism toward the wall so a mouse is less likely to drag it away.

If using glue traps, place any bait in a small container like a bottle cap. This prevents bait oils creating a ‘slick’ on top of the glue so mice get away. Wearing gloves, check traps twice a day. Bacteria in and around a dead mouse will multiply. Gloves help prevent contact with bacteria, lice and fleas.

When disposing of a dead mouse, wear latex gloves, spray the corpse with disinfectant, double bag it and dispose in the trash. Wash and disinfect traps to prevent bacteria from spreading; then wash gloved hands before removing the gloves. Fleas and bacteria can spread from mice, even when trapped or dead.

Family Budget Coaching Program Now Available for Families and Individuals in Warren County

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Warren County is now offering a free, confidential Family Budget Coaching Program to community residents. The one-on-one sessions are available to individuals and families who want to improve their financial literacy, set goals, create a savings plan, reduce debt and get a better handle on finances. The trained coaches will offer sessions either via Zoom or in person in Glens Falls, Warrensburg and Johnsburg.

Since 1914, Cornell Cooperative Extension has responded to the needs of New York residents enabling people to improve their lives and communities through partnerships that put experience and research based knowledge to work.

For more information on this program, please contact Roxanne Westcott at rmw38@cornell.edu or (518) 668 4881.

Time Spent In The Garden Now Saves Work In Spring

Don’t hang up your gardening tools just yet. There’s still plenty to do.

“It’s easy to forget gardening as we transition into fall, but work you do now will save you work next year,” said Weston Miller, a horticulturist with Oregon State University Extension Service. “For example, add compost and lime to the vegetable garden, cover with coffee sacks and the worms will go crazy and the soil will be great next year.”

While you’re thinking about the soil, turn your mind to mulch. Spreading carbon rich woody mulches in landscapes now will protect the soil from compaction and minimize weeds. And speaking of weeds, as the current mulch started to break down, you might have noticed some new, little weeds moving in. Those are winter annuals, Miller said, and include chickweed, dead nettle, cardimine and speedwell.

“They’ll be green and they’ll be small,” he noted. “Use a scuffle hoe and put mulch on top. Or put newspaper or cardboard and a woody mulch and you’ll smother them.”

If a new vegetable or flower bed is in your future, start now and the bed will be ready to plant in spring. Choose one of two ways. You can chip away the grass, dig in some compost and lime and cover it for winter. Or, scalp the grass with a weed whacker, add a little nitrogen fertilizer, cover with a thick layer of newspaper (no pages with color) or cardboard and enough compost to keep it from blowing away. Come spring, dig in the newspaper or cardboard and plant. Make sure to add fertilizer next spring.

While spring is the traditional season for planting, fall is a

good time, too, Miller said. It’s not super hot so you won’t have to water a lot. The soil is warm so plants have more time to get their roots established. In spring, the soil is cold and people can forget to water when the rains subside.

It’s also a good time to transplant plants that need to be moved. Choose an appropriate place for relocating by thinking about sun exposure and the size of the plant at maturity. It’s best to plant it in the right spot and not have to transplant it later.

Be careful about trying to move established plants. Soil is very heavy and it is difficult to dig and move large rootballs. Consider hiring a professional landscaper with the right equipment if you think you need to move an established tree or shrub.

For transplanting smaller plants, dig the hole twice as big as the estimated rootball of the plant to be moved. The rootball is approximately the same diameter of the plant above ground. Prune the plant if desired and then, using a sharp spade go around the outside and score the roots. Get as many roots as possible. Pop it out, put it on a tarp and drag it to the new location. Plant it at the same depth as the top of the soil. Don’t plant it too deep. Water in and apply mulch.

Whether to cut back perennials now or in the spring is up to you, but birds and other wildlife will thank you if you leave them up. Besides, Miller noted, the garden will be less interesting if everything is cut back.

Source: Oregon State University Extension

Burning Bush, You’re Fired!

By David Chinery, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Rensselaer County

Burning bush, a.k.a. Euonymus alatus, with red fall color and plenty of seeds. From: Pixabay.com

An individual burning bush (Euonymus alatus) in its fiery red fall color is impressive, and a long hedgerow is spectacular, which explains the popularity of this species. But Holy Moses, it’s a spreader! Seedlings from my neighbor’s shrubs are now sprouting in my backyard, and soon they’ll appear in my woods. At least twenty one states have pronounced it an exotic invasive, and several have banned it from commerce. In New York, it’s “regulated” status does nothing to stop its sale or spread. So, let me be a “garden influencer” and ask you to plant beautiful native shrubs instead, so we can extinguish the vagrant burning bush for good.

A top alternative choice is a native called ninebark. I grow the variety ‘Diablo,’ with foliage of deep purple in spring and summer, turning wine red in autumn. Large clusters of small white flowers appear in late spring, and the brown exfoliating bark is an added year round bonus. Some seasons I give Diablo just a little trim, other years a bit more, this being a shrub you can shape into a variety of forms without a fuss. It likes full sun and adequate drainage but can adapt to what Mother Nature (and a casual gardener) throws at it. The nursery

Diablo ninebark. From: https:// plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants

industry has finally figured out ninebark is a good thing and now offers other red leaved types, such as ‘Summer Wine,’ yellow foliage variants like ‘Amber Jubilee,’ and compact forms including ‘Little Joker.’ In comparing them to burning bush, these new ninebarks are just as easy to grow, provide showier foliage all season long, and don’t invade the neighborhood with unwanted offspring.

Summersweet clethra. From: https:// piedmontmastergardeners.org

Maintaining Lawn and Garden Tools

When it comes to digging in the garden or pruning trees and shrubs, having high quality tools that are cleaned, lubricated, sharpened and otherwise properly maintained, makes any outdoor job simpler and more efficient. Clean, well maintained tools take less effort to work the ground than those that are rusted and caked with soil. Sharp tools are especially important for properly cutting grass, pruning tree and shrub branches and even pruning herbaceous ornamentals and houseplants.

How do I clean my tools? Always try to clean your tools after each use. Rinse tools under running water or soak them in water. Then remove any remaining soil using a cloth, bristle brush or wire brush. Get rid of any sap that may have collected on cutting tools with soapy water or turpentine. If tools are rusted (whether it be shovels, hoes, saws or pruning shears), use coarse grade steel wool or lump pumice to remove the rust. Use abrasive materials like sandpaper, emery cloth or a putty knife cautiously as they can leave scratches where rust can redevelop. Disinfest tools by treating them for at least 30 seconds with 10% bleach or preferably 70% alcohol (because of its less corrosive properties). Rubbing alcohol and many spray disinfectants typically contain approximately 70% alcohol. Once tools are clean, rust free and dry, apply oil, WD 40, silicone spray or some other rust inhibitor to all metal surfaces.

Dwarf Fothergilla. From: https://hgic.clemson.edu/

If you can accept bright yellow fall color rather than red, summer sweet clethra (Clethra alnifolia) may rock your gardening world. Native from Maine to Florida, this mound shaped shrub will very slowly spread, but not in an aggressive way. One of mine grows under a sugar maple, a testament to its toughness, since little else wants to be there. High summer is clethra’s season, when hundreds of spikes of tiny white flowers appear, producing a powerfully sweet fragrance. A noted pollinator plant, honeybees, and butterflies will thank you for planting a clethra. If you want something zippier than white flowers, ‘Pink Spires’ features pink flower buds, while ‘Ruby Spice’ has flowers which remain rose colored.

Fancy a Fothergilla? Those who know them certainly do. With white bottlebrush flowers in spring and fall color ranging from yellow to orange to red all on one plant, it is a shrub without a bad season. The flowers of vernal witchhazel (Hamamelis vernalis) are admittedly small, but they bloom in February, the fall color is a good golden yellow, and the plant is bull terrier tough. And a native whose fall color rivals the burning bush is red chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia). Tough and adaptable, it may be a bit wild for a more refined yard.

How do I sharpen my tools? Start by always wearing safety glasses and leather gloves to protect your eyes, face and hands; also always use a vise to securely clamp tools being sharpened. Typically, garden tools should be sharpened so that their cutting edges are kept at their original angle. If you make an edge too blunt, a blade will not cut well. If you make a blade too sharp, the edge will wear prematurely. You can sharpen either into or away from the cutting edge. Sharpening into the edge produces a sharper edge, but increases the risk of cutting yourself as you sharpen. For increased safety, face the sharp edge or your tool away from you and stroke down the slope across the cutting edge. This will create a metal burr (i.e., a rough edge) on the back of the tool’s cutting edge. Remove the burr using a light flat stroke of a file, whetstone, or sandpaper along the back of the cutting edge.

Red chokeberry. From: http:// www.pnwplants.wsu.edu/

Specific sharpening techniques vary depending upon the particular tool.

Shovels and hoes: The most commonly used sharpening tool for shovels and hoes is a 10 inch mill file, which can be

Four Really Stinky Flowers

Sweet smelling these blooms are not! Learn about why some flowers just stink.

Many plants have odors that are unpleasant to humans. The spring bulb crown imperial (Fritillaria imperialis) has a beautiful tall, stately flower with a "skunky" scent. The white spring blooms of the Callery pear tree (Pyrus calleryana) contain the compound butyric acid that smells "fishy" or like "regurgitation." Even bright colored marigold flowers (Tagetes spp.) contain terpenes, which have an "acrid" scent. While those flowers may be unpleasant, the plants outlined below smell absolutely abhorrent, as their common names suggest.

Why Do Flowers Have a Scent?

The scent of a flower has a purpose. It provides a communication signal that attracts pollinators and can sometimes repel predators. Chemical compounds that produce scent are generally highest when the flower becomes ready for pollination and decline shortly thereafter. Sweet scents attract bees and butterflies and are most fragrant during the day when bees and butterflies are active. Night blooming flowers such as white evening primrose (Oenothera caespitosa), flowering tobacco (Nicotiana sylvestris), moonflower (Ipomoea alba), and four o'clock (Mirabilis jalapa) exude their fragrance at night and attract night active moths. Foul smelling plants, like those detailed in this article, attract beetles and flies, insects that feed and/or lay their eggs on rotten meat.

Corpse Flower

Corpse flower (Amorphophallus titanium) is also known as titan arum. The botanical name means large misshapen phallus. It is in the family Araceae, known as arums. It is

native to the tropical rainforests of Sumatra, Indonesia. While there are sources where it can be purchased, it is enormous and requires a hot, humid environment. It is usually found in conservatories, university collections, and botanic gardens. In the last few years, the public could view the flower and "appreciate" its odor at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh, and Temple University Ambler Campus Greenhouse and Ambler Arboretum, north of Philadelphia, among others.

Corpse flower. Photo: Ansel Oommen, Bugwood.org, Licensed CC BY NC

The titan arum flower has an interesting form, a spadix inside a spathe. The spathe is funnel shaped, from whose center emerges a tall narrow, erect spadix. The spathe can be 4 feet tall and 3 feet wide. The tan to brown spadix can exceed 10 feet and may contain thousands of flowers. Botanically this is called an inflorescence. The titan arum is the largest unbranched inflorescence in the world. Not only does this flower smell like decaying flesh, but the inside of the spathe is the deep red color of flesh. Both the color and odor draw in carrion beetles and flies. The flower lasts only 24 to 48 hours and blooms once every 7 to 10 years. Pennsylvania gardeners can find other species in the genus Amorphophallus, such as Amorphophallus kiusianus and Amorphophallus henryi. These species are smaller, bloom more frequently, and are hardy in the warmer areas of Pennsylvania.

Vampire Lily Vampire lily (Dracunculus vulgaris) is also known as voodoo lily, stink lily, dragon lily, dragonwort, and black dragon. The botanical name means common small dragon. It is a tuberous herbaceous perennial native to the eastern Mediterranean, including Greece and Turkey. As it is hardy to zone 7, it can be grown in the warmer areas of Pennsylvania. Where winters are colder, it can be lifted, stored in a cool indoor location,

Susan Marquesen, Master Gardener and Master Food Preserver, Allegheny County, PennState Extension

Marigold. Photo: Louisa Fordyce, Penn State Master Gardener

Dracunculous vulgaris.

Photo: Louisa Fordyce, Penn State Master Gardener

and planted again in the spring (as you would dahlias). Vampire lily grows in part shade to full sun in rich, moist soils. It is in the Araceae family and has the arum family's typical inflorescence. After leaves emerge in spring, deep maroon spathes appear in late spring. The spathes can be up to 8 inches wide and 20 inches tall. Inside the spathe is the nearly black upright spadix. The spadix is almost as long as or just longer than the spathe but is less than an inch wide. The flower is gorgeous but lasts only a day and smells like rotten meat. It is pollinated by flies and beetles.

to the withering flower. The ovate to cordate leaves grow upright and wrap around each other, looking somewhat like cabbage. It can grow 2 to 3 feet tall and 2 to 4 feet wide. The leaves will wither away at the end of the summer. The root structure is dense and massive, almost impossible to move once established. Be aware that all parts of the plants are poisonous if consumed by humans and their pets, as they contain the compound calcium oxalate.

Carrion Flower

Eastern Skunk Cabbage

Eastern skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) is also known as polecat weed, skunk weed, and swamp cabbage. The specific epithet "foetidus" means foul smelling. This plant, too, is in the Araceae family. It is a native perennial of eastern North America, including Pennsylvania. Skunk cabbage is hardy to zone 4 and prefers shady areas with acidic soil and moist to soggy conditions. The flowers of this plant emerge in late winter to early spring, often pushing through the snow. It, too, is an inflorescence with a spathe and spadix. The spathe is purple to reddish brown, mottled with greenish spots, somewhat twisted, and its tip (apex) comes to a point. The spadix is contained within the spathe and is thick and greenish yellow. The entire flower is about 4 to 6 inches tall. One interesting characteristic of this plant's flower is that it is thermogenetic: it chemically makes its own heat. For nearly two weeks, the spadix can create heat up to 20°F greater than the surrounding air, often melting the snow to become the first spring flower. The flowers and bruised leaves smell like roadkill skunk. The scent lures carrion flies and gnats. It also attracts birds and other insects, perhaps due to its warmth. As the weather warms in spring, bright green leaves appear next

Carrion flower (Smilax herbacea) is also known as common carrion vine and smooth carrion flower. It is a member of the Smilaceceae family of plants. Smilax plants are dioecious, meaning that the male flowers are on one plant and the female flowers are on another. It is a vining, herbaceous, semi evergreen perennial. A native of Pennsylvania, carrion flower is hardy to zone 4. It is not picky about sun exposure, soil texture, and acidity, as long as the plant has good drainage and adequate moisture. The simple, green leaves are alternate and grow 3 to 6 inches long and 1 to 3 inches wide. Carrion flower is an erect plant with green or purple round stems and tendrils, growing to 8 feet tall. It branches infrequently. This native produces flowers in the late spring to early summer. The greenish yellow flowers are an inflorescence of 20 to 120 individual flowers, and they take the form of a rounded umbel that is 1 ½ to 3 inches across. The flowers smell like putrid dead meat and are pollinated by carrion flies, which lay their eggs on the flowers, as well as other small flies and beetles. In late summer, dark blue ¼ inch berries are enjoyed by wildlife, including songbirds. Deer and rabbits browse the leaves, which are edible to humans. The leaves are also a food source for the caterpillar of the carrion flower moth (Acrolepiopsis incertella).

Skunk cabbage. Photo: Mandy L. Smith, Penn State

Smilax herbacea

Photo: NC State Extension, CC0

House Dust Mites

By Michael F. Potter, Extension Entomologist, University of Kentucky College of Agriculture

Introduction and Medical Importance

There are many substances in household dust which can cause allergies in humans, including animal dander, insect parts (especially from cockroaches), mold spores and pollen. The most common allergenic components of house dust, however, are from house dust mites. House dust mites are tiny creatures related to ticks, chiggers, and spiders, that live in close association with humans. Their primary food is dander (skin scales) shed from human and pet activity. Most homes in the United States probably have detectable levels of house dust mites and their allergy producing fragments.

House dust mites are not parasitic nor are they capable of biting or stinging humans. Their significance as pests is due to the powerful allergens contained in the mites, their cast skins, fecal material and secretions. Symptoms of a house dust mite allergy include stuffy or runny nose, sneezing, coughing or watery eyes. Inhalation of dust mite allergens by hypersensitive individuals can result in acute attacks of bronchial asthma, accompanied by wheezing, shortness of breath, and perhaps even death. Diagnostic tests and clinical studies by allergists have shown house dust mite to be the most common allergy in asthmatics, and an important "root cause" for the development of asthma in young children. Recent studies suggest that at least 45 percent of young people with asthma are allergic to house dust mites. Unlike "seasonal" allergies caused by molds and pollen, people who are allergic to dust mites often will have symptoms year round.

Mite Description and Detection

House dust mites are tiny adults are about 0.5 mm long and the immatures are even smaller. Consequently, they generally are visible only with the aid of a microscope. The mites are globular in shape, clear to creamy white in color, with hairs on their legs and body. There are two common species in the United States, the North American house dust mite, Dermatophagoides farinae, and the European house dust mite, D. pteronyssinus

The presence of house dust mites can be confirmed by collecting dust samples from inside the home and examining them under a microscope. Another diagnostic test more accessible to householders can be purchased from drug and allergy supply stores. The detection kits (e.g., Acarex) measure the presence and infestation level by combining dust samples, collected from various places inside the

home, with indicator reagents. Sensitivity to house dust mites and their allergenic proteins can be confirmed by an allergist immunologist, via a skin and/or blood test.

Biology and Habits

House dust mites have specific environmental requirements for their development. The mites tend to be most numerous in warm homes with high humidity. Optimum conditions for growth and development are around 75 80 degrees F and 70 80 percent relative humidity. House dust mites absorb and lose moisture through their skin, and are very vulnerable to dehydration. Consequently, humidity levels within the home have a significant effect on survival. Dust mites cannot survive well at relative humidities below 50 percent. Although mite populations tend to be low in dry climates, most homes throughout the United States are capable of supporting dust mites. House dust mites and their allergenic particles are present within homes year round, but people tend to have fewer symptoms during the summer, perhaps because they spend more time outdoors.

Food is seldom a problem for house dust mites. Their primary food is skin scales (dander) contained in house dust. People and pets regularly shed small flakes of skin from their bodies as the skin continually renews itself. Since the greatest fallout occurs in areas of human and pet activity, the mites tend to be most numerous in beds, overstuffed sofas and chairs, and adjacent carpeted areas. Relative humidity also tends to be higher in these areas, because people perspire and exhale water vapor where they sleep and lounge. Mattresses, sofas, carpet, and other soft furnishings trap and accumulate dust, dander, and moisture, making them ideal microhabitats for mite development.

House dust mites go through five major life stages: egg, larva, protonymph, tritonymph and adult. Between life stages the mites molt, shedding their outer skin. When temperature and humidity are optimum, development from egg to adult takes about one month. Adults live approximately 1 2 months, and the females lay about 50 eggs. It is not uncommon to find thousands of mites in a single gram of house dust (a gram is about the weight of a paperclip). An infested mattress can contain millions of dust mites.

The allergenic proteins responsible for causing symptoms are contained within the mites themselves (alive or dead), their shed skins, and especially in their feces. Routine human activity such as housecleaning, walking or playing on carpeting, or making the bed, causes the tiny fecal particles to become airborne and inhaled.

Managing Infestations and Alleviating Symptoms

There are two basic approaches to managing dust mite allergy: 1) treatment of the patient, and 2) modification of the patients' environment to minimize exposure to the mites. An allergist may prescribe quick relief medications and/or allergy vaccinations (immunotherapy). Immunotherapy involves injecting gradually increasing concentrations of mite extracts over time in order to desensitize the affected individual.

The second approach often done in conjunction with patient therapy is to minimize exposure to the mites and their allergenic materials inside the home. This is not a simple process and usually requires significant effort and expense. Dust mite abatement has become a huge industry, with companies offering many products and services to allergy sufferers seeking relief from their symptoms. While some abatement measures are helpful, others are relatively ineffective or as yet unproven. Of the treatment measures discussed below, numbers 1 3 are generally considered most essential and effective, whereas the others may provide some secondary benefit.

1. Remove or modify furnishings that accumulate dust and provide habitat for dust mites. Carpeting, upholstered furniture, drapes, curtains, stuffed toys, and other fabric covered furnishings should be replaced with easy to clean items. This is especially important in bedrooms and other areas where allergy sufferers spend most of their time. Carpet is a perfect breeding ground for dust mites. If carpeting must be used, select low pile varieties. Area rugs are easier to clean than wall to wall carpeting. Hardwood, tile or linoleum floors are much easier to keep clean and dust free. The same is true of wooden, leather or plastic covered sofas and chairs. Do not allow children with dust allergies to sleep or play with stuffed, furry toys.

2. Encase mattress, box springs, and pillows in allergen impermeable covers. Bedding is an extremely important source for dust mite development. Plastic or vinyl covers that zip around mattresses, box springs and pillows seal in allergenic materials so that they are not inhaled while sleeping. They are also easier to keep clean than cotton based materials. Various styles of dust proof bedding protectors are available through mattress and allergy supply stores. Many are equipped with an outer layer of material, such as nylon, to enhance comfort. Ideally, it's best to install dust proof protectors on new bedding items rather than those that are already laden with allergens. Using "non allergenic" pillows is not a substitute for covering them with allergy proof encasements; non allergenic simply means that the materials are synthetic. Moreover, the

evidence is contradictory as to whether foam pillows are any less prone to dust mite allergens than are feather pillows. Use only washable bed spreads, sheets and blankets, and launder bedding weekly in hot water.

3. Attempt to lower relative humidity inside the home. House dust mites have a difficult time surviving when the relative humidity is below 50 percent. Improving ventilation and installing a dehumidifier can often help to reduce populations indoors. Since fabric covered surfaces retain air and body moisture better than less porous materials (e.g., wood, vinyl, linoleum), removal or modification of carpets, bedding, overstuffed furniture, etc. will further help to reduce humidity and favorable habitat for dust mite development.

4. Maintain good levels of sanitation and housecleaning. Vacuuming and cleaning activities have not shown much benefit in reducing mite populations, or removing their allergenic materials (feces, cast skins, carcasses). Routine, thorough vacuuming can, however, help to remove dust, dander, and a small percentage of mites. When vacuuming is performed, it's important to use a vacuum cleaner equipped with a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Arrestor) filtration system, so that the microscopic allergens are retained within the vacuum bag. Vacuum cleaners lacking this level of filtration will simply re circulate the tiny allergenic particles back into the air, often causing even greater allergy symptoms. Emphasis should be on bedrooms, mattresses, and other locations where dust mites are likely to be living. Ideally, allergic individuals should not be the ones doing the vacuuming, nor should they be around when vacuuming is being performed. If this is not possible, they should wear a filtered breathing mask. Dusting of surfaces should be done with a damp or oiled cloth.

5. Consider the use of allergen trapping air filters. Microscopic dust mite particles (especially feces) can remain suspended in the air for hours and be inhaled. To help remove these allergens, HEPA grade filters can be installed in the central air conditioning and heating system of the home. HEPA filters can also be used within portable air cleaners, placed in bedrooms and other critical areas of the house. The value of such portable room air cleaners may be marginal, however, especially in rooms with good ventilation.

Companies that perform air duct cleaning often cite dust mite control as a major reason to purchase their services. As mentioned earlier, dust mites require high relative humidity for their survival. It's doubtful that the humidity levels found within air ducts are high enough to support ongoing mite development. Removing heavy accumulations of

dust and filth from air ducts may be of some benefit, but should be considered secondary to allergy abatement measures 1 3 listed above.

6. Consider treating carpets with an acaracide. Mite killing products containing benzyl benzoate (e.g., Acarosan) are available for treatment of carpeting, upholstery, and other surfaces. Although benzyl benzoate will kill dust mites, clinical trials are lacking that show much improvement in allergy symptoms. The same is true of products containing tannic acid (e.g., Allergy Control Solution), which are designed to denature dust mite allergens so that they no longer cause symptoms. Treatment of the premises with either of these chemicals should be considered only as a supplement to more important allergy reducing measures, such as encasement of bedding and removal of dust laden furnishings.

Conventional pesticides, such as those utilized by pest control firms or sold to homeowners in grocery and hardware stores, are not to be used for control of house dust mites.

can be removed with a small rat tail, three cornered or tapered file. Hedge shears should be sharpened to their original factory angle. Most hedge shears have a distinctive squared tip that is approximately 1/16 of an inch thick. If a hedge shear blade is bent, separate the blades, put the bent blade in a vise and tweak it until it is straight.

Saws: Pruning, camping and bow saws are typically not sharpened, because replacement blades are relatively inexpensive. Typically, chain saws are the only type of saws that are sharpened due to the cost of replacement blades. When sharpening any saw, both a cross cut file with a rounded edge and triangular file will be needed. Be sure the size of the file matches the size of the teeth being sharpened. Sharpen teeth so that they retain their original angles.

purchased at any hardware store. Mill files cut only on the forward stroke, so do not apply pressure on the back stroke. To sharpen the edge of the blade, hold the file securely with both hands and push away from your body with long steady strokes. Be sure to hold the file at the same angle as the tool’s original angle. As you push down with the file, also push it to the side and across the blade. Keep doing this until you have a smooth, even edge across the entire blade at the desired angle. After filing is complete, turn the tool over, clamp it back into the vice and remove the metal burr as described above. Note that many inexpensive shovels and hoes are manufactured using a stamping machine, which leaves their cutting edges blunt and square. For these tools, you must first create a new cutting edge. Typically, a 30° angle is recommended. To visualize this angle, remember that the edge of the freshly filed metal will be twice as wide as the metal is thick.

Loppers, pruning shears and hedge shears: Use a file or whetstone to sharpen these tools, and if possible, sharpen into the cutting edge. Some loppers and pruning shears have two cutting edges; both cutting edges of these tools need to be sharpened. Other loppers and pruning shears have a thin, sharp blade that slides past a blunt angled cutting bar, called an anvil; only the sharp blade of these tools needs to be sharpened. Sharpening must be uniform so the two cutting edges, or the cutting edge and the anvil, meet at every point. If an anvil has nicks or scratches, these

Axes: Not all axes have the same blade angle, so it’s important to follow the original angle. Also, many axes have a double tapered angle composed of a ½ to 1 inch long angle that extends roughly 1/16 of an inch from the edge of the blade toward the handle, and a sharper angle, roughly 1/16 of an inch wide at the cutting edge. Inspect the blade for chips or nicks, and remove them with a grinder, being careful not to burn (overheat) the edge. Keep a bucket of water handy to douse the head after each pass. If the blade has only small nicks or irregularities, a 10 inch mill file could be used instead of the grinder. Finish by using a sharpening stone. Slide the stone back and forth in a circular motion multiple times along the edge on one side then repeat on the other side.

Grass-cutting tools: When possible, sharpen grass cutting tools into the cutting edge; otherwise be prepared to remove the metal burr as previously described. Long handled swinging knives and curved scythes have thinner edges for easy cutting. The blades on these tools should be sharpened to a 20° to 22° angle. Normally these tools can be sharpened several times with a sharpening stone before eventually needing to be sharpened using a grinder or file. Grass shears are made of a very hard metal that requires sharpening with a sharpening stone, grinding wheel or diamond/tungsten carbide file.

What other tool maintenance do I need to worry about? Handles are an important component of all tools and need to be kept in good condition. Tighten loose screws or bolts as needed. Clean handles with a stiff bristle brush, and use medium grit sandpaper to smooth wood and remove splinters. Use boiled linseed oil to prevent wood handles from drying out, cracking, and splintering. Be sure to read and understand the linseed oil label; handled incorrectly, linseed oil soaked material can spontaneously ignite. As an alternative, use a rubber coating spray on wood handles to give them a better grip and to reduce wear and tear.

Develop a Household Inventory

A disaster can happen at any time. Whether you are a homeowner or a renter, it's important to be prepared before and after the disaster occurs. An up to date household and property inventory is a valuable resource that will help document losses.

Why make an inventory?

Before a disaster, the inventory will help you determine if you have enough or the right type of insurance to cover the contents of your home and property. After the disaster, the inventory will help prove the value of the possessions that are damaged or destroyed. This is helpful for insurance, assistance, or tax deduction purposes.

What to include

Include the following information in your inventory:

• Detailed description of each item (include model and serial numbers where appropriate).

• Date purchased.

• Original cost.

• Alterations or repairs done on an item, especially if the alteration or repair made the item appreciate in value.

To jumpstart the inventory process, photograph or videotape all walls in your home and garage that have furnishings, tools, etc. If using a video with an audio recorder, verbally describe the contents as you go room by room. Photograph open closets, cabinets, cupboards, and draw-

ers. Take close ups of unique or expensive items to document their existence and condition. Date photographs and use them to show:

• Furniture.

• Furnishings.

• Accessories.

• Office equipment.

• Small and large appliances.

• Jewelry.

• Clothing.

• Linens.

• Silverware.

• Tools.

• Recreation equipment.

Example of a household inventory form is below to help you begin a written inventory for the home and garage.

Product manuals can be used to list furnishing or equipment details on your written inventory or make a computer file of this information that can be easily updated. Photographs should be kept with the inventory in a location away from the premises.

Keep one copy of your inventory away from the dwelling, such as in a safe deposit box. Also keep a working copy in the home file. Remember to keep all copies up to date and compare them on a semi annual basis.

The initial investment of time to prepare the inventory may seem significant. But once completed and with regular updates the inventory will be useful for a long time.

Source: University of Minnesota Extension

Cornell Cooperative Extension

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