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Ask The Bugman Email questions to AskTheBugman.com or call (505)385-2820
M
oths are out in large numbers in many cities around New Mexico. This is largely due to lack of rain in the mountains and outlying desert regions. Many of the plants they live on are drying out, and they need moisture.
June 2020
mosquitoes. Mosquitoes, however, are a primary food source for bats. One bat can eat 1,000 mosquitoes in one night. Now, with the presence of moths, bats can feed on them instead. If we didn’t have the moth swarms, many bats would leave the area and would not be here when the rains come. Then, when the mosquitoes start breeding, we wouldn’t have the bats to help control them. Thanks to the moth populations, that’s not going to be a problem, as the bats will stick around. The bad news is that when the mosquitoes show up, pesticides are sprayed over large areas to kill a couple of mosquitoes. Many beneficial insects are killed, and many birds and in some cases, pets that may be outside can be
we made sure everyone knew what they could do to control mosquitoes in their own yard without using toxic pesticides. The system worked, and we had no issues with mosquito diseases. It is also vital that during this COVID-19 pandemic that you do not use any pesticides in your home or business or around their outsides. There is nothing essential about spraying pesticides along baseboards in a home or power spraying pesticides around the outside of a house. If you use an exterminator, I suggest that you insist they only use Environmental Protection Agency exempt pesticides. I know a lot of companies will say the pesticides they use are made from chrysanthemums and are safe. That is not true. There may be a fraction of chrysanthemums in the pesticides, but they are mostly made of inert
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ingredients, many of which can be toxic. Just tell your exterminator to only come out when you call them for an emergency pest issue, such as an infestation of yellowjackets or for termite control. There is no reason for regular treatments of pesticides. In most cases, you can control pests in your home yourself, without using any toxic pesticides. I will conduct free consultations with anyone who has a pest issue, and I have handbooks I can provide via email. If you have any pest questions, email me at askthebugman2013@ gmail.com or call me at 505-385-2820.
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The moths are attracted to urban areas because of the humidity emitted from homes. They are also attracted to lights, so they may swarm homes with exterior lighting. They are not going to do any damage to your home. When we start getting some rain, they will spread out over a larger area and many will go back to the desert and mountains. This moth swarm is beneficial in an environmental way. Because of the lack of rain, we have few
harmed. Also, the pesticides that are used aren’t safe for people, and they can compromise your immune system and make you more susceptible to getting a virus, including COVID-19. Mosquito control should be about public education and not pesticide pollution, but that isn’t the case in many areas. When I was integrated pest management manager in Santa Fe, we never allowed mosquito spraying. We used larvicides where the mosquitoes would breed, and
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