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To: Samwise
Here's what the exterminator told me:

The ones in the house are all pregnant females. They hibernate (or *go to sleep*) for the winter. They awaken as the light changes and it gets warmer. As they come out of the walls/baseboards/window frames, they are dehydrated and they are looking for water. They are foragers, always moving. They are looking to get outside so they can climb a tree and lay their eggs. As they move, they excrete. It is the excreta that causes the asthmatic reaction. The poison is just along the baseboards and windowsills. It is odorless and not harmful to my pets and I haven't experienced any reaction, nor has anyone else. But I cannot wet mop near the baseboards or window sills for 3 months, just vacuum/dry dust.

He also sprayed along the foundation, all around the house. Since it is cold on some days, the things are still trying to get inside and end up dead outside in front of the doors. He said they would continue draining out of their hiding places for 3 weeks. It will be 3 weeks next Thursday and I am finding fewer dead ones.

A year ago, the information on the Web was scant and suggested letting them go outdoors after vacuuming. Now, even the government information admits this is ridiculous and the insecticides and the applicators are all available on the web if you want to DIY.

I have a separate building that is a workshop and there, I just used an OTC clear liquid spray called Bug Stop from Walmart. It is quite cheap. I sprayed the window and door sills and it works, but more slowly.

The professional application needs to be repeated every 3 months. The OTC stuff needs to be repeated every 3 weeks.

The beetles have a 3-month life span. Hopefully, all the people getting rid of them before they lay eggs will make a dent in the populations. However, the organic bean farmers can still buy them and let them go, so those of us in the rural areas will probably be adding extermination to our expenses for some time.

Probably more information than anyone wants, but I am concerned as to the unexpected consequences of using insects for other purposes w/o having some way to get rid of them or control their numbers.
17 posted on 03/13/2004 6:15:58 AM PST by reformedliberal
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To: reformedliberal
Yipes! That's more information than I've ever gotten--and I researched the pests last year. Thanks for the info. I have asthma, so your comments were of special interest to me.
20 posted on 03/13/2004 6:57:39 AM PST by Samwise (I am going to need to be sedated before this election is over.)
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