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Bug Bytes
 
February
 2018

IN THIS ISSUE:
hearts
WEIRD & WACKY MATING RITUALS OF BUGS

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Forget flowers & chocolates this Valentine's Day. When it comes to wooing a mate, many insects have their own unique ways of attracting the opposite sex. In honor of Valentine's Day this month, let's explore some of these strange mating habits.

TERMITES
Female termites release "mating pheromones" (much like perfume) to entice male termites. Once males locate the alluring females, they break off their wings, symbolizing they are a couple.

KISSING BUGS
While the name "kissing bug" might lead you to believe we're talking about a disease you can pick up from smooching your valentine, these bugs are actual insects! Named for their tendencies to bite the faces and lips of humans while they sleep, these bugs are more commonly found in the southern United States as well as Mexico & Central America. Their blood meal is necessary for male kissing bugs to mate & for female kissing bugs to lay eggs.

FIRE ANTS
In fire ant colonies, the queen ant in not only in charge of laying the eggs but she even controls how many male & female eggs she lays. Worker ants have no use for the males which die after mating. The queen ant's goal is to produce another queen which needs males to mate & produce a colony. When the queen needs males, she can overwhelm the colony with male eggs. The female workers kill many of them but they can't kill them all.
WHAT'S THE BEST POLICY?
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No doubt you've heard it before: Honesty is the best policy. And while sometimes it can seem far easier to be dishonest, telling the truth is always the best course of action. When it comes to pest control, most people are so freaked out by the thought of insects or rodents in their house that they'll do whatever any pest control experts suggest to rid their home of these issues.

Many pest control companies simply send a sole salesperson out when a customer calls in with a concern or problem. One of our greatest assets is our well-trained, educated staff. Our office staff can answer most questions over the phone and recommend a plan (whether it's a service, a product or something you can even do on your own.) Our technicians constantly attend our extensive training programs where we bring in some of the top experts in our field to ensure we know (and can share with you) the best & most reliable sources of knowledge and information. We pride ourselves on a open & honest approach with every single one of customers -- like Edward (who sent us the above quote) but also like you. 
NEW BLUES ON THE BLOCK
Blue Chip has been serving the St. Louis area since 1959. That's almost 60 years! In these 60 years, we've grown from a one-man operation to a nationally-known and ranked company with 3 offices in the St. Louis area. 

As we grow, we continuously add new members to our incredible team. Please help us welcome our newest 2018 team members! 

new hires 2018


GOOD NIGHT, SLEEP TIGHT. DON'T LET THE BED BUGS BITE.
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Spring is just around the corner! Do you have a spring break vacay coming up? (Or maybe you're getting a jump start and planning a weekend getaway for your valentine this month!) While we always recommend you do a thorough inspection of your vacation bedroom, sometimes the excitement of checking in combined with your eagerness of wanting to check out your new location puts that room inspection on the backburner. One souvenir no one wants to bring home from any vacation is bug bugs...or their icky bites. 

But how do you know if you've been bitten by a bed bug? Great question! Without actually seeing the bugs, this can be very difficult to determine; however, there are some some general things to look for: 
  1. Bed bug bites will be small bite marks which look similar to a flea or mosquito bite.
  2. The bites can appear in a line or be totally random. 
  3. Bed bug bites often seem to appear in clusters of threes. 
  4. Bed bug bites are usually itchy. They can swell & take the form of large raised welts. 
Keep in mind that this is a general guideline of the "typical" bite from a bed bug. And, actually, 30% of people who get bitten by a bed bug will have no reaction whatsoever. If you have any specific questions or concerns, checking in with your doctor is always a good idea. 

Remember that bed bugs are not picky about where they live. They are just as likely to be spotted in glamorous 5-star hotels as they are in seedy 1-star motels. The cleanliness of a hotel (or condo or apartment or home) has absolutely no bearing on whether they will be affected by bed bugs or not. These bugs are equal-opportunity pests! 

Click here for more info on bed bugs. 
LETTERS OF LOVE
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Valentine's Day has come and gone this year; however, we can still continue to show love to each other. And you know who needs a little extra love right now? Some new moms and pregnant moms in the St. Louis area.

St. Louis is home to some of the best medical care in the country yet infant death rates in parts of our city & county rival those of 3rd world countries. Yep, less than 10 miles from Clayton are areas where our infant mortality rates are worse than Uzbekistan and Vietnam. The number of babies we lose each year to infant mortality in St. Louis could create15 new kindergarten classes. As a former kindergarten teacher and mom of two, this really hits home. 

The good news? You don't need to be a former teacher or even a mom to help support these moms. Thanks to Flourish St. Louis (an initiative designed to reduce infant mortality in our area), all you need really need is 1 minute of your time to write a quick note of to these moms. No need to offer advice -- encouragement is the key thing here. Just a few words or sentences from the heart letting them know that someone in St. Louis is rooting for them. No matter what age, income level or circumstances, every parent wants what's best for their child. 

Please click on this link if you'd like to leave a Letter of Love for a pregnant or new mom. 
DID YOU KNOW THAT?

St. Louis' trivia night season is in full swing! Fingers crossed there's an insect category. Maybe you can use some of these "fun" facts to help your team pull out that W! :) 


 

1. A cockroach can survive up to 9 days without its head. (Just don't tease it with a cookie -- that's just plain mean!)


 

2. Leftovers anyone? A housefly regurgitates its stomach contents just to eat them all over again!


 

3. Grasshoppers have special organs in their hind legs that store energy for jumping. (Hmmm...I wonder if toddlers possess this unique feature as well?) 


 

4. Blast off! Fruit flies were the first living creatures to be sent into outer space.  
Want more information on a specific service we offer? Looking for a quick Pest ID Guide for a bug you have found? Want to see video clips of our technicians in action? Interested in reading our latest blog entry? Want to chat with one of our service representatives online? YOU GOT IT!