Blogs to keep termites and insects away from plastics – Page 9 – Termites and insects blogs on word press

Armyworms – The crop destroyers!

The African crops are known to be damaged by these pesky pests known as armyworm.

Why do they attack the crops? How do they invade the farms?

These voracious armyworms are known to ravaging the crop fields.

Let’s have a look at how these pests can cause a nuisance.

Armyworms are nocturnal.

Armyworms feed on leaf tips and along leaf margins. When they eat whole leaves, they can remove them completely or leave only the midribs.

These pests give eggs which are creamy white and dome-shaped, with a flat base. The nuisance caused is by the caterpillar, the larval stage. When newly hatched, the larva is light green with a dark head capsule and measures approximately 1/16 inch long. As the larva feeds, it becomes darker and longer with light colored lines down the sides of its body. The head is unique in that it has a light yellow inverted “Y” on the top. As it matures, it also contains 4 black dots on the end of its abdomen. The fully grown larva is about 1½ inches long. This larva is an extreme nuisance that eats everything it possibly can.

The common armyworm is the more usual pest in spring and early summer. Adult armyworms survive better and produce more eggs when the temperature is at 15°C maximum, and when plants are naturally fertilized. Periods of drought followed by heavy rains and the presence of alternate hosts also sustain the development of armyworms.

The larvae usually feed in the upper portion of the rice canopy on cloudy days or at night; while the adult feeds, mates, and migrates at night and rest in the daytime at the base of the plant.

In dryland fields, armyworm pupa can be found in the soil or at the base of the rice plants. In wetlands, they pupate on the plants or on grassy areas along the field borders.

Since the fall armyworm moth is active very early in the morning and very late in the evening, it can be difficult to identify them. Fall armyworms develop shortly after an adult moth lays her eggs on or near a lawn, which also makes it difficult to prevent them. The moth will often choose areas near healthy, well-irrigated lawns on which to lay her eggs, making your grass the most desirable spot.

When the army worn attack, the pasture patches typically appear browned or burned out resembling drought damage. The damaged patch will increase in size over time, as fall armyworms chew more tender growth. Fall armyworms typically target newly established stands of bermudagrass, winter annuals, fescue, or orchardgrass.

Paddy across 4,000 hectares infested with armyworm

By Veerendra P.M. NOVEMBER 25, 2017 – The Hindu
77,000 hectares were used to grow the crop in Shivamogga

Mythimna Separata, popularly known as armyworm, has begun devouring the paddy crop in the district.

According to a preliminary estimate, paddy crop on more than 4,000 hectares in the district has been infested with armyworm. The worms hide under soil clods and in cracks along the bunds of paddy fields during the day. They are nocturnal and migrate from one field to another at night.

Shivamurthy, a farmer from Veerapura village in Bhadravathi taluk, told The Hindu that the pests were consuming the leaves and grains of the plant and leaving the stem behind. The intensity of the infestation in paddy fields in the command area of Bhadra reservoir is high. In many villages, the crop in the infected field was destroyed in one night.

Fall Armyworms Are Ravaging Crops in Many African Countries

Posted 29 June 2017 – Global Voices

As African economies begin to emerge from the global financial crisis of the last decade, a new threat to the agricultural sector in many countries may slow recovery: the invasion of the fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda).

Originally from the Americas, the fall armyworm was first detected in west and central Africa at the beginning of 2016 (Sao Tome and Principe, Nigeria, Benin, and Togo). About a year later, it was found in Angola, Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. And the invasion isn’t showing signs of stopping anytime soon.

The caterpillar invasion has caused terrible damage in the affected countries. As a result, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) convened an emergency meeting in Zimbabwe during which experts from 13 countries gathered to adopt a strategy for fighting this disaster.

To get rid of these pests we have an eco-friendly solution!

C Tech Corporation provides you with Termirepel™ which is an anti-insect aversive. Termirepel™ is manufactured on the basis of green technology. It is durable at extreme climatic conditions such as changes in temperature, rainfall, water pressure etc.

Our product is ROHS, ROHS2, ISO 9001:2000, ISO 14001:1996, APVMA, NEA complaint and FIFRA exempted. Our product will not kill the targeted as well as non-targeted species but only repel which helps in maintaining the ecological balance of the earth.

Termirepel™ is available in three basic forms: Masterbatch, liquid concentrate, and lacquer.

Termirepel™ Masterbatch is specially made for polymeric applications and used as additives in their processing time. It can be incorporated into the polymeric applications like the agricultural films and mulches, irrigation pipes, tree guards, greenhouse films etc. used for crop cultivation purpose. The product can be incorporated into the cables, polymeric parts from tractors and other applications used for agriculture.

Termirepel™ liquid concentrate is to be mixed in paints in proper proportion and can be applied on the concrete fences around farms. It can be used on the interior and exterior of storehouses used to store food grains and other agricultural produce.

Termirepel™ lacquer form can be directly applied to the applications such as wooden fences, already pipes, wires, cables, etc.

Also visit our websites:
http://www.ctechcorporation.com/
http://www.rodrepel.com/
http://www.termirepel.com/
http://www.combirepel.com/

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Cotton crop under threat

Cotton is a fantastic success story in India, catapulting it to the highest rank as cotton producer and second largest exporter. From about 17 million bales in the early 2000’s, production was more than doubled, generating a genuine export surplus for the world market till 2017. But after that, the world’s largest producer of cotton saw losses due to pest infestations and is expected to decrease its total cotton plantation sites for the 2018-19 season.

Pink bollworm infestation is pushing cotton production estimates down in India this year due to crop damage in the country’s major cotton-growing states. In a major disappointment for new entrant farmers, cotton crop has come under severe pest and bollworm attacks in major producing states, which is sparking fears of a sharp decline in India’s fibre productivity this Kharif season.

While a substantial cotton area came under whitefly attack in Punjab and Haryana, pink bollworm was reported to have attacked standing crop in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat. Consequently, analysts have started revising estimates of cotton output growth for the current season to 4-5 percent now from 10 percent earlier on a sharp increase in the menace caused by these bollworms.

Last year, many farmers in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana reported huge cotton output loss due to pink bollworm attack on the standing crop. The decline in output in major producing states prompted the government to reduce its cotton production forecast 5-7 percent for harvesting season 2016-17.

Bollworm management is based on scouting for eggs or small larvae. Treatment is recommended when 10 eggs or five small worms per 100 plants are present during early bloom in late July and early August. Preventative treatment that might be applied during the pre-bloom period is discouraged because this can destroy many beneficial forms that keep bollworms and other pests under control. Chemical control is seldom effective after worms exceed ½ inch in length (five days old, third instar). Once the cotton has blooms within four to five nodes of the top of the plant, the need for bollworm control is usually over for the season. However, the impact of late-season treatments will depend on the weather and in some cases these late blooms can add to final yields and thus treatments may be justified if populations are heavy and the weather remains favorable.

The news was reported that:

Pink bollworm infected 83 percent cotton cultivation, says Maharashtra minister
By: Express News Service | Mumbai | Published: March 8, 2018

About 83 per cent of the farm land under cotton cultivation in Maharashtra have been ravaged by the pink bollworm attack, Agriculture Minister Pandurang Fundkar said on Wednesday. The pink bollworm (PBW) are known to eat away the cotton fibre and the bolls, causing economic losses to farmers. Fundkar informed the legislative assembly that the total crop loss had been measured at Rs 3,414 crore.

Six farmers attempt suicide during protest in Maharashtra
Published by Pamela Raghunath, Corresponent│April 19, 2018

Indian farmers were protesting against government’s failure in not completing several development works when six farmers attempted suicide by drinking poison in front of the local administration’s office in Manvat, Parbhani district, Maharashtra, on Thursday.

On April 1, a 25-year-old distressed farmer, Bharat Survase, attempted suicide and is battling for life due to mounting debts and a failed cotton crop that was destroyed by the pink bollworm, a menace faced by cotton growers.

Earlier, a 75-year-old farmer from Yavatmal district had lighted his own pyre of fodder under a tree and immolated himself by jumping into the fire. The farmer, Madhav Shankar Rawate, had seen his cotton crop on his four-acre farm being destroyed by the pink bollworm attack. He owed Rs60,000 (Dh 3,346) to creditors.

One of the ways to combat the moth is to set pheromone traps across their fields and catch enough of the male of the species to prevent any further breeding. But this primitive method of catching the Pink Bollworm is simply beyond the comprehension of the farmers. Firstly, you need at least 40 such traps per acre for these to be effective. Pheromones, mixed with natural ingredients like glossyplure, confuse the male moths who mistake the traps for females but farmers who have used it reported poor results.

Along with the above-mentioned methods, fumigation of pesticides is used to keep these pests away from the crop. But these methods are proved to be of no use.

So, what to use to keep these bollworms away?

Termirepel™ a C Tech Corporation product is best to deal with the nuisance caused by these pests.

Termirepel™ is thermally stable and does not degrade on exposure to heat and sunlight. It does not kill or harm the insect but repels them. It does not volatilize and does not degrade the soil. It is RoHS, RoHS2, REACH, ISO, APVMA, NEA compliant and FIFRA exempted.

Our product works on the mechanism of repellency. It temporarily inhibits the mating cycle of the insects. The product impairs the ability of the insects to reproduce, that is the insects will not lay eggs or the laid eggs will be infertile. The product causes feeding disruption in an insect by triggering an unpleasant reaction within the insect which might try to feed on the application. The product temporarily blocks the reproduction system of the insects by hindering the release of the vital hormones for growth.

Our Termirepel™ masterbatch can be incorporated in the agricultural films, polymer materials, green house films, polymer sprinklers, irrigation pipes, plastic parts from pumps and tractors used in the fields.

The product in form of liquid concentrate can be mixed in paints and be painted on the concrete walls around the farms.

Our lacquer product can be applied on already installed applications. The lacquer is compatible with most of the surfaces like metals, wood, polymers, concrete etc. It can be applied on the wooden fences around the farms and already installed pipes.

Termirepel™ does not kill the target species but only repels them thus balancing the ecology and thus helping in maintaining the goal of sustainability.

This product work on the mechanism of green technology. The product does not have any adverse effect on humans. Therefore significant in today’s time and date as ecology salvation has become the prime focus.

Get in touch with us at technical.marketing@ctechcorporation.com to combat the menace caused by ballworm and other insects.

Also visit our websites:

http://www.ctechcorporation.com/
http://www.rodrepel.com/
http://www.termirepel.com/
http://www.combirepel.com/

Follow our Facebook pages at:

1] https://www.facebook.com/Combirepel-411710912249274/
2] https://www.facebook.com/Termirepel-104225413091251/
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Havoc caused by Stink bugs!

“Car importing ‘seriously disrupted’ by stink bugs onboard vessels” – Stuff

“Stink bug prevents thousands of vehicle deliveries in NZ” – Eyewitness News

The headlines from this news are horrifying!

Can you imagine the havoc caused by these tiny creatures?!

The pesky insect, stink bug, is causing a loss in business due to its invading activity.

As stated above, the car transporters are forced to take their ships back to the port so as to stop the spread of these insects from one country to another.

Why is so much of care taken to stop the invasion of this insect?

That’s because the stink bug can be nuisance causing and the nuisance cannot be tolerated!

The stink bug earned its name from its tendency to release an odor when disturbed or when crushed. Many other insects have these same characteristics, including some species of ants, beetles, and other bugs. Stink bugs emit this foul odor whenever they feel threatened or when crushed. This method of defense proves to be a very successful tactic against any potential predators.

The bug originates from China, Taiwan, and Japan. Stink bug can reach ¾ of an inch in length. Stink bug can be brown, grey or dark green colored. Dorsal side of the body is covered with black, white, reddish or gray markings.

Stink bug can be found in gardens, orchards, on the agricultural fields, and near the human settlements. It is classified as a pest in most countries outside its native range because it feeds on fruit and agricultural crops. Each year, stink bugs inflict damage worth millions of dollars. People cannot eradicate these bugs easily because they have few natural enemies and tolerate pesticides that normally kill other bugs.

Stink bugs have the potential to spread throughout any country, which could be harmful to the agricultural industry, as they destroy crops. Although stink bugs are not known to bite humans, their tendency to invade homes in high numbers can be a nuisance.

Below is the evidence for the nuisance caused by stink bugs

Stink bugs threaten New Zealand car imports

19 February 2018 BBC News

Thousands of jobs are at risk in New Zealand’s car sales industry because of a particularly problematic insect, it’s reported.

According to Radio New Zealand, the discovery of hundreds of brown marmorated stink bugs aboard cargo ships bringing some 12,000 cars from Japan to New Zealand mean that the car carriers are being turned away to be fumigated.

According to the NZ Herald there’s no facility in New Zealand which can deal with the pest, so at least three of the ships are “floating aimlessly in the Pacific”.

The stink bug, which is native to areas of East Asia but can also be found in Europe and the Americas, is a problem for fruit farmers around the world. The beetle voraciously sucks the liquid out of fruits and its toxins cause the plants to die. They have the potential to cause major damage to New Zealand’s entire fruit and vegetable industry, Stuff.co.nz says.

Stink bugs on ships disrupt Japan’s car exports
by Michelle Toh @michelletoh235 February 20, 2018

A pesky insect known as the “stink bug” is preventing thousands of Japanese cars from being delivered to New Zealand.

Three cargo ships carrying imported cars and machinery were refused entry at New Zealand ports this month after they were found to have hordes of the bugs aboard, according to New Zealand authorities.

Stink bugs are a major threat in New Zealand, a remote island nation that goes to great lengths to protect its natural ecosystem from foreign pests.

The critters could wreak havoc across the country’s farms. They tend to reproduce quickly, eat a broad variety of crops and resist most pesticides.

When these bugs have got immune to insecticides, what can be the solution to keep them away from the areas where they cause a nuisance?

C Tech Corporation has a solution to stop the nuisance caused by the stink bugs!

Termirepel^TM an anti-insect aversive is the best solution to combat the menace caused by stink bugs.
Termirepel^TM is available in the form of the masterbatch, which can be incorporated with the base polymers like PVC, LDPE, HDPE, etc. while manufacturing polymeric applications like wires and cables, pipes, polymeric harnesses, polymeric ship and automobile parts etc.

Termirepel™ is thermally stable and does not degrade on exposure to heat and sunlight. It does not kill or harm the insect but repels them. It does not volatilize and does not degrade the soil. It is RoHS, RoHS2, ISO, REACH, APVMA, NEA compliant and FIFRA exempted.

The liquid concentrate can be mixed in paints in a predetermined ratio and can be applied as a topical application on interior and exterior of ships. The bottoms of ships get attacked by fungus. These places can be covered using our product.

The lacquer can be applied topically on a variety of surfaces like the wood, concrete, polymeric surfaces, metals, etc. Our wood polish additive can be added to the polish used to cover the wooden parts. The ships can be coated using our lacquer and wood polish to keep the pests away.

These products temporarily inhibit the mating cycle of the insects. It temporarily impairs the ability of insects to reproduce, i.e. the female will not lay eggs. The product triggers an unpleasant reaction within any insect which might try to feed on the application, ensuring that it is kept away from feeding on the treated area. It temporarily blocks the reproduction system of the insects by hindering the release of the vital hormones for growth.

Below is the picture from one of a ship where our product was used in its kitchen, pantry areas and dining area, storage rooms, space between the bulkheads, ceiling panels, bedding areas, locker rooms, the outlet of the lavatory, gangways, and pontoons. Our bed bug repellent was sprayed on mattress and couches from the ships. The application of our products helped the ship to be free from pest attack.

Use Termirepel^TMto keep ships safe from pests!

If you are facing problems against the pests you may contact us on:
technical.marketing@ctechcorporation.com

Also, visit our websites:
http://www.ctechcorporation.com/
http://www.rodrepel.com/
http://www.termirepel.com/
http://www.combirepel.com/

Follow our Facebook pages at:
1] https://www.facebook.com/Combirepel-411710912249274/
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Boxelder bug: Nuisance to homeowners

Do you have invasive insects with red strips causing nuisance around your homes?!

You might find those as it is spring now.

They are the Boxelder bugs!

At about 1/2-inch long, boxelder bugs are black with three red stripes, vertical edge lines on their bodies, and red lines on the edges of its wings. These markings make it appear its wings form an upside-down V when they are resting with their wings lying flat.

Boxelder bugs are named for their primary host, the boxelder tree. They are one of the destructive agricultural pests. They cause damage to apples, peaches, grapes, strawberries, plums and non-fruiting trees including maple and ash. Boxelder bugs are sap suckers, penetrating plant tissue with their considerable proboscis and using secretions to make it consumable. They almost exclusively feed on the Acer family of maple trees and vines that includes the boxelder and its spinning “helicopter” seed pods but have also been known to feed on fruit during dry summers. Infestations on box elder trees may cause its leaves to yellow and curl or leave spots on stems and new growth. Most trees survive. Damage to grapes, peaches, and other soft fruits is mostly cosmetic, appearing as depressions, sometimes as bruises.

“They can be a real nuisance,” says Sharon Yiesla, plant information specialist at The Morton Arboretum.

They are the much bigger nuisance to homeowners. They seek and enter houses in colonies of hundreds, even thousands of insects as cold weather approaches, congregating in walls and warm basements, making themselves at home all through winter and occasionally emerging into kitchens, living rooms, bedrooms, and other human-inhabited spaces. Indoors, the bugs can be a major problem.

Warm weather or an increase in home heating may convince individual boxelder bugs that spring has arrived and they will enter a family’s living space in search of a way outside. In late summer and autumn, when they gather in groups much like swarms of bees on the sun-facing, preferably white side of homes and garages where their sheer numbers will discolor the building’s side is allowed to stay.

“They’re strictly a plant feeder. If they find a little place to get behind the wall, then they’ll eventually hunker down for months,” says Whitney Cranshaw, a professor of Entomology at CSU.

You can see how the home-owners from Mid-Michigan are troubled by these pests!

Boxelder bugs invading Mid-Michigan homes this fall

Posted: Thu 8:52 AM, Oct 19, 2017|

EAST LANSING, Mich. (WILX)- It’s not just stink bugs, but boxelder bugs are also invading homes as well this fall. Researchers at Michigan State University say the bugs are trying to find shelter for the winter.

According to the bug experts, the boxelder bugs invade homes during the fall looking to stay in attics for the winter. You might have noticed clusters of them on the south and west sides of homes where they congregate in the warm autumn sun. While the bugs can be annoying, they are considered harmless and a nuisance. They do not bite, lay eggs in homes, eat fabrics, or get into stored foods.

Researchers say one of the best ways to stop them from coming inside, is to remove any female boxelder trees on your property if possible. Sealing exterior cracks and holes with caulk can also greatly reduce the number of bugs inside your home.

Once the bugs get inside, experts say it is hard to get them out. They say even aggressive and costly insecticide applications may not be effective because it is nearly impossible to treat every hidden area that may be harboring the insects. A vacuum cleaner can help remove the sluggish bugs.

They have caused nuisance in more homes from North York as well.

Swarms of boxelder bugs cover homes in North York and Etobicoke

There is a notable boom of boxelder bugs in Toronto this year, but experts say they’re harmless

By Laura DaSilva, CBC News Posted: Oct 08, 2016

Nelia Teves can’t walk into her North York house without a handful of black and red cockroach-esque critters flying in behind her.

“Our entire neighbourhood is covered in them,” Teves said.

She reached out to CBC News to find out what they are and whether she should be worried.

It turns out, they’re more of an annoyance than a threat. They’re called boxelder bugs and they’re known as “nuisance pests.”

Pest control methods have been used to stop the menace the caused by Box-elder bugs. But those methods did not work to stop the nuisance caused by these pests. The homeowners have tried different sprays and electronic devices to stop the menace, but they could not get rid of these pests.

To stop the nuisance caused by these bugs there is a need for an effective solution and C Tech Corporation has one!

The unique product Termirepel^TM manufactured by C Tech Corporation is an anti-insect aversive which repels insects.

Termirepel^TM is available in the form of the masterbatch, which can be incorporated into the polymeric applications like wires and cables, pipes, agricultural films etc. to keep the boxelder bugs at bay.

The product available in the form of liquid concentrate can be mixed in paints in a predetermined ratio and lacquer which can be applied topically on the applications.

To keep the insects at the bay Termirepel^TM lacquer can be sprayed or coated on the tree trunks.

The product is also effective against a multitude of other insects and pests like beetles, mayflies, thrips, aphids, etc. The repelling mechanism of the product would ward off the boxelder bugs and other insects that could cause damage. Thus, by using Termirepel^TM would effectively ensure that the area around us remain safe and protected from the pests for a long period of time.

Termirepel™ is thermally stable and does not degrade on exposure to heat and sunlight. It does not kill or harm the insect but repels them. It does not volatilize and does not degrade the soil. It is RoHS, RoHS2, ISO, REACH, APVMA, NEA compliant and FIFRA exempted.

Why resort to killing when we can just repel them!?

In such a way the insects can be repelled and the damage caused by them can be prevented without killing them.

Also, visit our websites:

http://www.ctechcorporation.com/
http://www.rodrepel.com/
http://www.termirepel.com/
http://www.combirepel.com/

Follow our Facebook pages at:
1] https://www.facebook.com/Combirepel-411710912249274/
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Red ants menace in Train.

Ants have colonized almost every landmass on Earth. The only places lacking indigenous ants are Antarctica and a few remote or inhospitable islands. Ants thrive in most ecosystems and may form 15–25% of the terrestrial animal biomass. Their success in so many environments has been attributed to their social organization and their ability to modify habitats, tap resources, and defend themselves. Their long co-evolution with other species has led to mimetic, commensal, parasitic, and mutualistic relationships.

Over here we discuss the problem caused by Red ants also known as Fire ants. The fire ant is the common name for several species of ants in the genus Solenopsis. They are, however, only a minority in the genus, which includes over 200 species of Solenopsis worldwide. Solenopsis are stinging ants and most of their common names reflect this, for example, ginger ants and tropical fire ants. Many species also are called red ants because of their light brown color, though species of ants in many other genera are similarly named for similar reasons. Examples include Myrmica rubra and Pogonomyrmex barbatus.

The bodies of mature fire ants, like the bodies of all typical mature insects, are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen, with three pairs of legs and a pair of antennae. Fire ants of those species invasive in the United States can be distinguished from other ants locally present, by their copper brown head and body with a darker abdomen. The worker ants are blackish to reddish, and their size varies from 2 to 6 mm (0.079 to 0.236 in). In an established nest, these different sizes of ants are present at the same time.

A typical fire ant colony produces large mounds in open areas and feeds mostly on young plants and seeds. Fire ants often attack small animals and can kill them. Unlike many other ants, which bite and then spray acid on the wound, fire ants bite only to get a grip and then sting (from the abdomen) and inject a toxic alkaloid venom called Solenopsin, a compound from the class of piperidines. For humans, this is a painful sting, a sensation similar to what one feels when burned by fire and the after-effects of the sting can be deadly to sensitive people. Fire ants are more aggressive than most native species and so have pushed many species away from their local habitat These ants are renowned for their ability to survive extreme conditions. They do not hibernate, but can survive cold conditions, although this is costly to fire ant populations as observed during several winters, where 80 to 90% of colonies died due to several consecutive days of extremely low temperatures.

Fire ants nest in the soil, often near moist areas, such as river banks, pond shores, watered lawns, and highway shoulders. Usually, the nest will not be visible, as it will be built under objects such as timber, logs, rocks, pillars or bricks. If there is no cover for nesting, dome-shaped mounds will be constructed, but these are usually only found in open spaces, such as fields, parks, and lawns. These mounds can reach heights of 40 cm (16 in) but can be even higher on heavier soils, standing at 1.0m in height and 1.5m in diameter. Colonies are founded by small groups of queens or single queens. Even if only one queen survives, within a month or so, the colony can expand to thousands of individuals. Some colonies may be polygynous (having multiple queens per nest). These ants thrive on wood, fruits or any consumable product. Thermoplastics materials have always attracted ants and insects. The plasticizers usually have a bright color. They also have aromatic odors of polymers which attract ants and insects. Thus ants and insect confuse it for the food This makes them nibble on the plastic thus damaging it and causing huge economic loss.

Below Articles is related to the loss caused by ants.

Mumbai: Local train brakes failed due to red ants, probe reveals

Express News Service, Mumbai, November 19, 2015.

Review of a brake fail in a local train on November 17 at Matunga on the Central Line has shown that the equipment malfunction could be caused by corrosion of the brake panel due to red ants.

The local was sent to Kurla Car Shed for examination which showed that red ants inside the brake panel had damaged the cable wires, causing failure in application of brake.

The motorman had switched to emergency brakes after he failed to stop the train in the regular way.

“It was 11.47 am at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) and the local was from Kalyan. The problem occurred when the train reached Matunga station and the motorman failed to apply the brake,” said a source from the Central Railway (CR). At Kurla Shed, the entire panel inside the motorman’s cabin was opened which revealed crowding of red ants in all controls.

C Tech Corporation, an Indian company has come up with an impeccable solution to counteract problems caused by such insect. Termirepel ™ is a non-toxic, non-hazardous termite/insect repellent which has been designed for various polymeric applications as well as natural materials. It is a unique blend of green chemistry and smart technology which acts as an effective repellent and at the same time guarantees safety to the environment, plants, animals and fragile ecosystem.

The product available in the form of masterbatch can be incorporated into the base polymer of the polymeric applications like the wires and cables, pipes, household utilities, etc. to keep the pest away from the application.

The product available in the form of liquid concentrate can be mixed in paints and be applied on the interior and exterior of the houses, schools, hospitals, warehouses, offices etc. to keep these areas safe from these pests.

The product available in the form of lacquer form can be used as a direct application. The lacquer can be applied on the already installed applications like the wires and cable, pipes, metal decors, racks and pallets from stores rooms etc.

Termirepel™ is thermally stable and does not degrade on exposure to heat and sunlight. It does not kill or harm the insect but repels them. It does not volatilize and does not degrade the soil. It is RoHS, RoHS2, ISO, REACH, APVMA, NEA compliant and FIFRA exempted.

Also, visit our websites:
http://www.ctechcorporation.com/
http://www.rodrepel.com/
http://www.termirepel.com/
http://www.combirepel.com/

Follow our Facebook pages at:
1] https://www.facebook.com/Combirepel-411710912249274/
2] https://www.facebook.com/Termirepel-104225413091251/
3] https://www.facebook.com/Rodrepel-120734974768048/

Follow us on our Twitter pages at:
1] https://twitter.com/rodrepel
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3] https://twitter.com/combirepel

Fishy Silverfish

You might have noticed some shiny creatures moving around your place, specifically during the night.

If yes, then your house is invaded by the annoying silverfish!

This insect gets its name from its silvery, metallic appearance and fish-like shape and movements. Silverfish have no wings or fins but are able to run very fast. The adult silverfish is brown-gray or silvery and grayish blue in color while the newly hatched eggs are whiter in hue. This said appearance will change into grayish and metallic blue as the silverfish gets older. They tend to hide their presence from humans which means any damage they have caused could go unnoticed as well.

They are nocturnal creatures that normally roam homes late at night, in search of food and water. Their flat bodies make them ideal hiders capable of squeezing into even the smallest cracks and crevices during daylight hours. They are often associated with basements, closets, bookcases, and storage areas. These insects cannot climb on smooth vertical surfaces and may be found trapped in sinks, bathtubs, and similar places. Despite the circumstantial evidence, they do not come up out of drains.

Silverfish consume matter that contains polysaccharides, such as starches and dextrin in adhesives.
These include book bindings, carpet, clothing, coffee, dandruff, glue, hair, some paints, paper, photos, plaster, sugar, flour and rolled oats. They will damage wallpaper in order to consume the paste. Other substances they may eat include cotton, dead insects, linen, silk, or even their own exuvia. During the famine, a silverfish may even attack leather ware and synthetic fabrics.

Their damage is usually recognized from their irregular feeding marks and the presence of feces. Silverfish can live up to a year without food but require a high humidity environment. A silverfish is strongly attracted to moisture and mold especially in places that have 75% to 95% humidity. When they find a food supply, they try to make their nest as close to it as possible.

Silverfish leave small holes in materials they bite and may also cause yellow staining.
They tend to dwell in clothing and linen piles or plumbing. They can damage your favorites dresses!

Silverfish bugs are found in continents like the Americas, Australia, Africa, Asia and mostly in the Pacific region. Most of the time these insects are considered cosmopolitan pests as they are often found in most urban homes specifically in basements, showers, bathtubs, walls, and attics.

When these pests invade homes, they cause huge monetary losses and the tenants from Newcastle are complaining about the same.

Bug off: Newcastle housing association tenant in row with landlord over flat infestation

By Laura Hill – 11:00, 30 SEP 2017

A housing association tenant is locked in a row with his landlord after insects invaded his home.

Peter Harrison, who lives in flats on Waterloo Street in Newcastle, claims his home has been taken over by silverfish which he believes live in the block’s ventilation system.

The 48-year-old has said he has even spotted the tiny creatures in his bed but that landlord, Places for People, is refusing to take responsibility.

Mr. Harrison claims he paid £62 for the infestation to be dealt with after Places for People told him to deal with the issue himself.

But now that the bugs have returned, he says he doesn’t want to be constantly forking out cash for a problem he believes is down to the building.

Would you rent a home with mould and silverfish?
17 October 2016 – BBC News

Second-hand smoke, bad insulation, damp, mould, and silverfish. Would you move in somewhere if you knew this is what you’d have to deal with?

The housing charity Shelter has said 40% of people in the UK live in homes that do not reach acceptable standards in terms of cleanliness, safety and space.

This includes criteria such as having enough bedrooms, living somewhere affordable and living in a safe and secure area.

We’ve been speaking to some people who think it’s time they had better standards of living in their accommodation.

Apart from their nuisance value, silverfish invasion can cause major problems if they are not promptly eradicated and their future growth prevented.

Such a huge nuisance of this tiny species cannot be neglected. The pesticides and insecticides are proven to be ineffective against them. However, these methods are hazardous methods causing harm to targeted and non-targeted species.

C Tech Corporation can offer an eco-friendly solution to problems from silverfish. Our product Termirepel^TM is low-toxic, non-hazardous and insect aversive. Our products work on the mechanism of repellence and they do not harm or kill the target species but generate fear or trigger temporary discomfort within the pests that keep the pests away from the application.

Our Termirepel^TM masterbatch can be incorporated with various polymeric applications like pipes, wires and cables, agricultural and other protective films etc. while they are manufactured. This will prevent the silverfish from gnawing on the polymeric application.

Termirepel^TM is available in liquid concentrate can be mixed in paints and be applied to interior and exterior of houses, offices, kitchens, pantries, warehouses, bathrooms, attics etc. The application of our product will repel the silverfish and keep away from these areas.

Termirepel^TMis available in lacquer form. These products can be directly sprayed or applied to the application as a topical application. It can be used on bookshelves to protect the books. The lacquer is compatible with most of the surfaces like wood, metal, concrete, polymers, ceramics, etc.

Our product is compliant with RoHS, RoHS2, ISO, APVMA, NEA and REACH and is FIFRA exempted. The green technology-based product can protect our living spaces and prevent the loss caused by the silverfish and other insects as well.

Thus using our products you can get an effective solution to fight menace caused by silverfish and many such insects!

Also, visit our websites:

http://www.ctechcorporation.com/
http://www.rodrepel.com/
http://www.termirepel.com/
http://www.combirepel.com/

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Invasive mealybugs

You must have seen something on plants that you first thought was a tiny piece of cotton, but then you realized that it was a living thing. Those tiny white bugs you noticed while watering your plants might be the mealybugs. These tiny pests are typically white in color, which comes from a wax produced by special glands on the top and sides of their bodies. Mealybugs are so small that they can come in undetected from a variety of sources: potting soil, other plants, fresh produce from the grocery store or farmers market.

Mealybugs are related to aphids, which are also covered with waxy secretions, so these two insects are often confused.

Mealybugs are experts at hiding on roots, in crevices and under lips and pots and planters. There are many species of mealybugs, all of which are very tiny. Some have longer tiny needle-like rods which look like tails, while others have longer rods extending around their bodies. Some species are more pink, yellow or light green in color, but most are white.

Mealybugs are tiny creatures—sometimes only half a millimeter long—which often congregate on the part of the plant where the leaves attach to the plant’s stem.

Mealybugs can look like little pieces of cotton on your plant. However, they will infest any area of the plant. When you just have one or two females, they can be harder to spot. However, once they start laying their egg sac or the eggs hatch, then they are much easier to spot because they tend to cover more areas of your infected plant.

All plant species are at risk for damage from a mealybug infestation. In warmer areas, citrus and ornamental plants are more severely impacted by this lawn pest. Tropical plants, woody trees, shrubs, perennials, and annuals can also be attacked by this pest. Mealybugs feed by sucking sap from plant roots, crowns, stems, twigs, flowers, fruit and leaves.
If you are wondering what attracts mealybugs, understanding that these pests prefer plants with high levels of nitrogen.

Some mealybugs can spread viruses, but this is uncommon and primarily occurs with species which prefer grapevines. Mealybugs do not bite humans, although coming into contact with these creatures can sometimes cause skin irritation. The sticky residue mealybugs leave behind can be hard to remove from clothing.

The biggest threat mealybugs pose to humans is economic. Damage from these pests to agricultural crops can be significant and homeowners may be forced to discard impacted plants in cases of an infestation.

There is evidence pertaining to damages caused by mealybugs. Let us have a look at some evidence:

Mealy bugs attack Asia’s cassava farms

Sci Dev net, 11th April 2016

Pests and disease outbreaks are threatening to decrease cassava production by 30-40 per cent this year in South-East Asia, home of the world’s largest cassava producers. a. In Thailand, the mealybugs have infected 200,000 hectares of cassava plantations, resulting in 30-50 per cent yield loss. In Indonesia, the mealybugs have infected areas in Java and southern Sumatra and are now heading to the eastern part of Indonesia, where cassava is a primary food source, says Aunu Rauf, senior entomologist at the plant pest and diseases department of the Institute Pertanian Bogor in Indonesia,

According to Rauf, the mealybugs have decreased cassava production in West Java to 30-40 per cent, and if the same case happens to other places in Indonesia, the losses will reach 9.6 million tonnes per year. Indonesia’s annual cassava production is 24 million tonnes, grown in 1.1 million hectares of cassava plantations across the archipelago.

Mumbai loses 238 rain trees to mealy bugs

DNA, Sep 17, 2014

Mumbai has lost 238 rain trees to a pest attack in the last couple of months, stated a report compiled by the garden department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

As per the report, a pest called Mealybug infested more than 50 per cent of those trees which have died. It revealed that 500 rain trees across the city were infested by the pest, but after taking a host of measures, the civic body was able to save 262 of them.

“Initially, we thought that it was a temporary attack, which will be washed out in heavy rains, but the Mealybug population continued to increase rapidly, attacking more and more trees,” said a garden department official.

This problem needs to be fixed. This is the unstemmed devastation caused by these tiny bugs. Thus to combat this menace include the use of toxic pesticides which come with their own set of cons.

An effective and green solution needs to be devised to counter this destruction and C Tech Corporation has such a solution!

Termirepel^TM is a non-toxic, non-hazardous insect and pest repellant produced by C Tech Corporation. It can be best described as an insect aversive. It is effective against a multitude of other insects and pests like mealybug, thrips, beetles, bugs, etc. It works on the mechanism of repellence and therefore does not kill the target as well as non-target species.

Being non-toxic, it does not harm the soil and environment. Termirepel™ can be added to a thin agricultural film to protect cotton and other crops.

Our product available in the form of masterbatch can be incorporated into polymeric applications like the tree guards and fences, agricultural films and mulches, irrigation pipes etc. to keep these pests away from the trees and crops.

The liquid concentrate can be mixed in paints and be applied on the concrete fence around the gardens and farms. The liquid concentrate can be applied to the interior and exterior of storage rooms used to store grains and other agricultural produce.

The product available in the form of lacquer can be used as a direct application and can be applied on the tree trunks, wooden fences around trees, crops, and farms, already installed pipes and polymeric parts from agricultural equipment like motors, tractors etc.

We have a solution for you for more details about our product just head on to our website-
http://www.ctechcorporation.com/
http://www.rodrepel.com/
http://www.termirepel.com/
http://www.combirepel.com/

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Ladybugs: Nuisance to homeowners

Ladybugs seem to be the latest topic of conversation; a conversation which tends to include many expletives. In the summer that sweet little red bug with the black spots has a tendency to make us smile when we see it flying around.

The Ladybug is bright red with a few black spots. Their heads are small and they don’t have that larger middle section that Lady Beetles do. They typically do not swarm into homes as you usually only see one true ladybug at a time. Asian Lady Beetles, however, are light to dark orange and have as many as 22 spots.

It is not uncommon to see adult ladybugs grouped together on the sides of houses and other buildings in the early fall as they prepare for the winter months. Soffit and gable vents in home attics are common entry points for the beetles, but they will come in any way they can. Any crack in windows, walls or the sides of doors is a welcome mat. If you see a few, you can guarantee that more will join them as they give off a scent meant to attract others and let them know that they have found a spot. Then they will work their way around the doors and windows looking for the tiniest of entry. Once they find it, they will likely move into a crawl space or attic and spend the winter in comfort.

Occasionally, you might see them make their way out of hiding on a warm day and perch in the sun on a window. They can get a little confused and instead of finding their way outside, they wander into the main part of the house. They release a foul odor that is a deterrent to other animals who might want to eat them, they have also been known to leave behind stains on curtains and windows of feces and a yellowish secretion when disturbed.

The ladybugs have been causing havoc with their presence and homeowners have suffered due to the presence of ladybugs in their homes!

Swarms of biting ladybugs invade Montreal-area homes

Oct 15, 2014, CBC News

The unseasonably warm weather in Montreal this week has brought with it blue skies — as well as swarms of biting, invasive ladybugs.

“One weekend in the fall, the air is thick with ladybugs.

She said she’s encountered them each fall in the three years she’s lived in the area.

At this time of year, Miller said, she gets pelted by ladybugs when she steps out of the house.

And it’s not just an autumn nuisance, she said. They’ve been burrowing into the nooks and crannies of her home for the winter, coming out when her family lights a fire and warms up the house.

She said she’s been bitten a number of times, and while it doesn’t hurt quite as much as a bee sting, it still hurts.

“Over the course of the day and well into the night, I was catching them in my bedroom and disposing of them down the toilet. I thought they were gone, but I’ve caught three of them so far this morning and can hear more bouncing around somewhere in the room.”

LADYBUGS ATTACK!

By Tap Vann on April 24, 2013, Weekly world news

The ladybugs were released in the Minneapolis mall in an effort to protect the large amounts of the mall’s greenery, but they soon became aggressive and attacked patrons of the mall.

Mall of America (MOA) Senior Manager of Environmental Services Bucky Wimby told WWN that the bugs were supposed to be used as pesticides to control pests, but “they became belligerent and attacked humans. It scared the hell out of us.”

Three hundred people were taken to the hospital with serious wounds – including serious flesh wounds, broken bones and lung and respiratory disease. Five people have died.

“We are stunned. Ladybugs are docile creatures” said Wimby, who added that ladybugs have always been friendly to humans.

Insecticides and pesticides are used to kill these pests. Because of their mode of action is not specific to one species, they often kill or harm organisms other than pests, including humans. Also, the majority ladybugs are directly important to the environment. Ladybugs, or lady beetles, are considered a beneficial bug which helps rid an area of crop-damaging aphids, mealybugs, and other destructive insect pests.

The adult ladybugs feed on these insects. They also lay their eggs among the aphids or other prey so the emerging larvae can feed on the insects, too.

So an effective solution is required to combat these ladybugs without harming them.

So, how do we deal with this pest?

So for this particular problem, we, at C Tech Corporation have come up with a viable solution.

At C Tech Corporation, we offer a safe and effective solution to deal with these insects. Termirepel™ is a non-toxic, non-hazardous product that primarily repels insects from the application. It is a broad spectrum repellent which works against almost 500 species of pestering bugs thus efficaciously repulse them away from the application. The best feature of this product is that it is environmentally safe and causes no harm to the insect as well as humans and the environment.

Termirepel™ is thermally stable and does not degrade on exposure to heat and sunlight. It does not kill or harm the insect but repels them. It does not volatilize and does not degrade the soil. It is RoHS, RoHS2, ISO, REACH, APVMA, NEA compliant and FIFRA exempted.

The product available in the form of masterbatch can be incorporated into polymeric applications like wires and cables, pipes, agricultural films, etc. while they are manufactured. The product will prevent the ladybugs from coming near to these applications.

The liquid concentrate can be mixed with paints in a pre-determined ratio and be applied to the interior and exterior of homes, kitchens, offices, schools, hospitals etc.

The product available in the form of lacquer can be used as a topical application and can be applied to wooden furniture, fences, already installed cables, pipes etc.

Using our products will help to repel the ladybugs in an eco-friendly way!

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3] https://twitter.com/combirepel

Fruit fly Menace

If you have been seeing small flies or gnats in your kitchen, they’re probably fruit flies. These pesky pests can be found throughout the world, in homes, gardens, warehouse, grocery stores, wineries, restaurants etc. They are readily attached to any number of materials, especially that of moisture. Fruit flies can be a problem year-round but are especially common during late summer/fall because they are attracted to ripened or fermenting fruits and vegetables.

But they also will breed in drains, garbage disposals, empty bottles and cans, trash containers, mops and cleaning rags. Hence, they also cause various bacterial diseases.

Fruit flies damage the larger proportion of agricultural production and even to crops grown in the gardens which are susceptible to attack by fruit flies. Commercial producers spend hundreds of millions of dollars on control measures and also suffered production losses.

Tomatoes, melons, squash, grapes and other perishable items are often the cause of an infestation. Fruit flies are also attracted to rotting bananas, potatoes, onions and other products.

You see, when a fruit is overripe or starts to go bad it begins to ferment, producing alcohol, which attracts fruit flies. They continue to gobble up the fermenting fruit, and in the process, lay hundreds of eggs which hatch into larvae in mere hours.

Female fruit fly lays their eggs into healthy, ripening fruit on the tree. Fruit flies lay their eggs up to 500 at a time!

When the larvae hatch, they feed on the moist surface too. The entire life cycle from egg to adult takes only about eight to ten days so they proliferate with great rapidity.

Many people are allergic to the bacteria carried by fruit flies, resulting in tiny red bumps on the skin.

The age has seen the worst fruit fly infestation like one mentioned below,

Worst fruit fly outbreak in five years

FEBRUARY 2 2015, The Border mail

The Border region has been hit by its worse fruit fly outbreak in five years believed to be the result of unseasonal summer weather.

In the past few weeks, humidity has caused a proliferation of the fruit fly menace in Albury and Wodonga.

The increased number of Queensland fruit fly are also causing major problems for fruit growers at Cobram and Shepparton.

The fruit fly scourge is only a recent phenomenon in the Goulburn Valley.

Victorian Fruit Growers Association president Gary Godwil said it was a big issue last year, but it was worse this year.

Mr Godwil said there was a significant expense involved in controlling the fly with considerable time needed to apply control methods such as baiting.

“It is a big cost to the whole industry, a massive cost. I am baiting every 10 days,” he said.

Spoiled fruit is worth a lot of money and Mr Godwil said it could not even be used for juice.

Fruit flies make Ghana mangoes unattractive worldwide

8^th March 2013, Ghana Web

The dream of mango farmers in the country to go commercial particularly for export is marred by a huge challenge: this is because the prevalence of fruit-flies in many agro-ecological zones throughout the West African sub-region has resulted in infestation of the fruit, making them unsuitable for the international market.

Mango in Ghana is targeted as the next non-traditional export crop that is expected to fetch the highest foreign exchange for the country and replace cocoa, but infestation by the fruit-flies has mostly caused rejection of mango consignments from Ghana-to the extent of sometimes imposing a ban on imports from Ghana.

The current insecticides are being used to control this menace. However besides being toxic and harmful insecticides kill the species. Repeated exposure to insecticides builds up resistance in insects until finally, the insecticide has little or no effect. Frequent insecticide applications make the problem worse.

C Tech Corporation offers a range of non-toxic, non-hazardous anti-insect aversive, which can be successfully used to keep pesky creatures at bay.

Our product – Termirepel ^TM can be easily described as insect aversive, used against all types of insects and which works on the mechanism of repellency. It means that it does not kill the target insects but only repel them, thus balancing the ecology and helping in maintaining the goal of sustainability.

Termirepel ^TM masterbatch can be incorporated in agricultural films, mulches, irrigation pipes, agricultural devices, and equipment while they are manufactured. The applications, when used with our products, will keep the pests like fruit-flies at a bay and thus will protect the agricultural produce from these pests.

Termirepel ^TM liquid concentrate can be mixed in paints in a pre-determined ratio and can be applied to the fencing and garbage bins. The interior and exterior of the houses, schools, hospitals, offices, warehouses, restaurants, food courts and pantries can be painted using our liquid concentrate.

Termirepel ^TM lacquer which can be applied as a topical application. The lacquer is compatible with most of the surfaces like metal, wood, concrete, polymer, ceramic etc. It can be applied to the already installed applications like pipes,

Termirepel™ is thermally stable and does not degrade on exposure to heat and sunlight. It does not kill or harm the insect but repels them. It does not volatilize and does not degrade the soil. It is RoHS, RoHS2, ISO, REACH, APVMA, NEA compliant and FIFRA exempted.

Follow us on our Twitter pages at:
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Insects in food? We got a solution to keep them away!

Discovering “insects” in your breakfast cereal may be disgusting, but it isn’t unusual because many insects like to eat what we eat. Stored foods commonly infested include flour, cereals, cracked grains, baking mixes and processed foods, crackers, macaroni, cured meats, powdered milk, dried fruits, nuts, popcorn, and spices. Insects that feed on these products may also infest other grain-based items such as pet foods, birdseed, and ornamental corn.

Several stages (egg, larva, pupa, and adult) of these insects may be present at the same time in infested products. Because we keep our houses warm, these insects may continually reproduce and many stored product infestations can be found nearly any time of the year.

The first indication of an infestation is often the presence of small brown beetles, moths or worms in cupboards or on counters. Upon closer inspection, insects may also be found in opened packages or containers of food and in the cracks and crevices of cupboards. Unopened packages may also become infested because some of these insects can readily chew into cardboard and foil packaging. Insects can be brought into the home along with infested food products. They can multiply and spread to other stored foods.

The Indian meal moth is the most common food-infesting moth found in homes, grocery stores and any place where dried pet foods are produced or stored. Food infested with these insects will have silk webbing present, especially near the food surface.

These common insects scavenge and feed on an animal matter like dried meats, dead insects, hides, and woolens. The species that feed on wool and other natural fibers or blends are called carpet beetles. Closely related species, such as the warehouse beetle, varied carpet beetle, and larder beetle, have expanded their diet and also feed on grain and grain-based products. They are especially common in flour and cereals but also are found in candy, cocoa, cookies, cornmeal, nuts, pasta, dried spices and many other dry foods.

The Sawtoothed grain beetle is another very common pantry pest. It does not feed on intact whole grains but feeds on many processed food products such as breakfast food, bran, dried fruits, nuts, sugar, chocolate, and macaroni. It is especially fond of oatmeal and birdseed. These flat beetles can even get into sealed boxes and packages of food.

Stout beetles are common in homes where they attack pet food, cereals, spices, drugs, tobacco and other packaged foods. Because they closely resemble each other, they are often confused. The heads of both beetles are tucked under the prothorax and are not visible from above. Both are brown and about the same size.

The two beetles can be distinguished by their wing covers. The wing covers of the drugstore beetle have rows of longitudinal grooves, while those of the cigarette beetle are smooth.

Drugstore beetles: The drugstore beetle will feed on bread, but it will also feed on any dried, food-based material. It will damage book bindings. It has been found to perforate tinfoil and sheet lead and easily chews through the most food packaging material.

Cigarette beetles: The cigarette beetle derives its name from its serious infestations of stored tobacco. Adult beetles are about 1/8-inch long, light brown and oval. The most common food materials include pet food, cereal, peppers, spices, raisins, and seeds.

Flour Beetles

There are a number of species of tiny beetles that infest flour, but the two most common flour beetles are the confused and red flour beetles. These beetles are scavengers in that they cannot attack whole grains but rely on other insects to damage the kernels first. In homes, they can be found feeding on flour, cracked grains, cake mixes, beans, peas, dried fruits, nuts, chocolate, spices, and tobacco.

Granary and Rice Weevils

These insects damage whole grains or seeds. They generally do not feed on flour or cereals unless it has become caked.

Adult weevils are very similar. Both are dark reddish-brown and range in size from 1/8 to 3/16-inch long. They have a long snout projecting from the head and wing covers with distinct ridges.

They feed on whole grains, these insects are more likely to be a problem in grain bins and warehouses, but it is possible to have infestations in homes. Most common sources are popcorn, birdseed, decorative Indian corn, and nuts.

Now ‘bugged’ pakoda in IRCTC meal after dead lizard, cockroach

5 August 2017, News X

Mohammad Azad Ali, who was travelling in Sampark Kranti Express in Coach S-9 was shocked when he found a bug in the pakoda which was served to him by the train’s pantry service. The incident took place on August 2.

Incidents of dead insects, vermin being found in food served by Indian Railways are happening on the daily basis.

The quality just doesn’t seem to improve and such cases continue to happen even after the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) after their survey of food being served by Indian Railways mentioned that it was unfit for consumption.

But amidst all this when the passengers are creating hue and cry, it’s hard to say whether the concerned authorities are taking any action to curb all this.

Woman bites into insect from iced coffee in Yishun’s coffee shop

By Mandy How , June 18, 2017, Mothership

In another episode of food-invading insects, a woman has discovered a black critter in her iced coffee by sucking and biting into it, no less.

The incident occurred at 925 Chicken Rice, a coffee shop in Yishun Central 1.

In another episode of food-invading insects, a woman has discovered a black critter in her iced coffee by sucking and biting into it, no less.

The incident occurred at 925 Chicken Rice, a coffee shop in Yishun Central 1.

The above articles inform about the nuisance caused by the pests to food and the problem needs to be noticed seriously.

And for the same problem, we at C Tech Corporation have come up with a viable solution.

The conventional methods used to get rid of the pests include use insecticidal baits, glue boards, and traps. However, these solutions are temporary and do not provide an effective solution against the pest nuisance in the pantry. The use of conventional fumigants, insecticides is no longer considered to be an effective solution to get rid of the insect infestation as these insects are becoming increasingly resistant to them. Also, fumigation is a tedious, time consuming and an expensive method and is highly toxic. Exposure to such chemicals for a long time can cause damage to lungs, nervous system and even paralysis in severe cases. Therefore, we are in an urgent need of an infallible plan to combat the problem of increasing number of insects.

C Tech Corporation has come up with an impeccable solution named as Termirepel™ to counteract problems caused by such insects.

Termirepel™ is a blend of smart technology and green chemistry which is developed against these insects. It is the best solution which not only reduces insect infestation in food and pantries but also reduces the colonial expansion.

Termirepel™ an anti-insect additive at C Tech Corporation product is an ideal solution for the prevention and control of insect infestation in food and pantries.

Termirepel™ is an extremely low concern, low-toxic, non-hazardous and non-mutagenic INSECT aversive.

Termirepel™ is available in many forms i.e. masterbatch, liquid concentrate and lacquer.

Termirepel™ liquid concentrate can be mixed in paints in a pre-determined ratio and can be applied to the interior and exterior of food storage rooms, kitchens, and pantry, food warehouses etc. to keep pests out of these places.

Termirepel™ lacquer can be directly applied directly to the already installed applications like the wooden and polymeric racks and pallets, kitchen trolleys, etc. used around the areas of food.

The masterbatch can be incorporated in the polymeric applications used for storing foodstuff. The polymeric racks, pallets, food containers etc. can be manufactured using our masterbatch.

Termirepel™ is thermally stable and does not degrade on exposure to heat and sunlight. It does not kill or harm the insect but repels them. It does not volatilize and does not degrade the soil. It is RoHS, RoHS2, ISO, REACH, APVMA, NEA compliant and FIFRA exempted.

Follow us on our Twitter pages at:
1] https://twitter.com/rodrepel
2] https://twitter.com/termirepel
3] https://twitter.com/combirepel

Earwigs: A nuisance pest

The dreaded earwigs we have heard all the horror stories connected with them. As a kid, a lot of us remember being told that earwigs would burrow into our ears while we were sleeping with those menacing looking pincers, they have been making children everywhere terrified to leave their ears exposed when camping ever since. But the contrary to popular legend they do not climb into ears and lay eggs in the brains. That is just not true.

You can quickly recognize an earwig due to their pincers that protrude from their flexible abdomens. They look very menacing and can be intimidating to anyone that comes into contact with them. Now, these pincers aren’t made to hurt people, but rather to ward off predators, catch prey and play a role in mating rituals. They rarely bite, however, if they do they can cause a little pinch.

These scary little insects want a comfortable environment that is out of the weather. They will move inside when the weather gets cooler, find a wet basement or another moist area indoors and take up residence for the winter months. They are attracted to light and will crawl around looking for tiny crevices, holes or gaps that create an entryway into your humble abode, and they don’t’ need much room to crawl through since they are somewhat flat.

Whether they are indoors or outdoors, they are feeding on dead plants and insects and the females are laying eggs and tending to their young. In other words, they are growing their population, which means an annoying infestation in your home and yard. And, nobody wants a bunch of earwigs scurrying around day and night.

European earwigs can cause substantial damage to seedling plants and soft fruit as well as to sweet corn. Damaged seedlings may be missing all or parts of their leaves and stem. Leaves on older plants, including fruit trees, have numerous irregular holes or are chewed around the edges.

Earwigs may attack soft fruit such as apricots, strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries but don’t harm hard fruit such as apples.

On corn, earwigs feed on silks and prevent pollination, causing poor kernel development. Earwigs may also seriously damage flowers including zinnias, marigolds, and dahlias.

Let us look at some evidence about earwig infestation:

Weather drawing out earwigs in large numbers on Central Coast

Oct 22, 2016,KSBY

With the warm weather this week,coastal residents are seeing an increase in certain critters in and around their homes.

Mary Cottle of Morro Bay was out on her porch this week when she noticed her garden overrun by the intruders.

“They are all over the place. They were crawling on my windows,” said Cottle. She says not only were the earwigs crawling around her, the uninvited guests tried to follow her inside her home. “They were very, very much trying to get into my house. It was like a horror movie.”

But her home isn’t the only one to be invaded this week. Exterminators at Brezden Pest Control have been busy picking up phone calls.

Earwig invasion: Pincer bugs wriggle into S.F. Homes

July 1, 2016,Argus Leader

Kristy Seiler returned from a peaceful vacation to find her home overrun by six-legged intruders.

“They were everywhere,” said Seiler. “In the sinks, in the drain, in the gas burner, in my son’s keyboard, on the walls.

The sight of the tiny, roach-like pincer bugs was enough to make Seiler want to move, she said, but her home isn’t the only one to be invaded this summer.

“I have two young kids, and I would find (earwigs) by the dozens in their sock drawers,” Johannsen said.”I’d take out a folded shirt and three would fall out.”

Johannsen said she thought it was just her house, but after posting on social media, she learned several of her friends were having issues with earwigs, too.

Earwigs actually are beneficial insects, most of the time. They’re part of a large group of creatures that are sanitary engineers; they help clean up the environment by feeding on decaying plant material and live and dead insects.

The current insecticides are used to control this menace. However, earwig is a hardy insect and the chemicals used in most over-the-counter products are completely ineffective to an earwig infestation but can be very dangerous to the home.

C Tech Corporation offers a range of non-toxic, non-hazardous anti-insect aversive, which can be successfully used to keep this pesky creature at bay.

Termirepel ^TM offered by C Tech Corporation can be easily described as insect aversive, used against all types of insects and which works on the mechanism of repellency. It means that it does not kill the target insects but only repel them, thus balancing the ecology and helping in maintaining the goal of sustainability.

Termirepel™ is thermally stable and does not degrade on exposure to heat and sunlight. It does not kill or harm the insect but repels them. It does not volatilize and does not degrade the soil. It is RoHS, RoHS2, ISO, REACH, APVMA, NEA compliant and FIFRA exempted.

Termirepel ^TM masterbatch can be incorporated into wires, cables, pipes during the manufacturing process, also in agricultural films to protect crops.

Termirepel ^TM liquid concentrate can be mixed in paints in a predetermined ratio and can be applied to walls from houses, schools, hospitals, restaurants, warehouses etc. to keep these pesky pests away from these areas.

The product available in the form of lacquer can be applied as a topical application on fences, wooden objects, furniture, walls, ceilings etc. to keep earwig away from homes, buildings as well as from the crops.

The repelling mechanism of the product would ward off the earwigs and other insects.

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1] https://twitter.com/rodrepel
2] https://twitter.com/termirepel
3] https://twitter.com/combirepel

Scale Insects:A huge threat to trees and shrubs

During summer months there are many things in our yard that demand our attention. But while we are keeping everything looking nice there may be a problem that is forming on your trees and shrubs without you even noticing. Scale insects are so small that you may not notice their presence on a tree until they begin doing some real damage.

Scale insects are a class of insects named for the protective scales that cover their bodies. They are typically very small (up to 1/8 of an inch) and without any legs, they move quite slowly if at all. Scale insects usually survive by finding a good spot along the veins of a leaf and sucking the sap from the leaf. As long as the leaf continues to provide an adequate supply of sap, they will happily set up camp and stay.

While this sounds like a nice arrangement for the scale insect, it doesn’t really work out so well for the tree or shrub. A healthy tree produces a lot of sap and one scale insect probably wouldn’t do much damage. However, like many pests, these insects reproduce rapidly and each new generation will find a comfy spot, usually on the same tree, and start sucking away. The euonymus variety of scale insects can produce up to 3 generations each year! A constant drain of sap will eventually take its toll on the tree or shrub.

In addition to putting stress on your trees, scale insects also make a mess in and under your trees. As they are gorging themselves on sap, these little creatures are also excreting a sticky substance all over the leaves on which they live. This substance, romantically known as honeydew, covers tree leaves as well as dropping onto the ground or anything else parked under the tree. If left undisturbed, honeydew will often lead to the formation of a black sooty mold.

Let us look at some evidence caused due to these pesky little insects

Scale insect attacking coastal vegetation raises concerns

16/6/2017,LSU Ag Center

The insect, Phragmites scale, is attacking Roseau cane, a plant that grows profusely along the coast. It is considered vital to the fragile marsh’s longevity because the plant’s root system binds the delicate soil. Large stands of the cane have been decimated by the pest, starting in the Mississippi River delta in Plaquemines Parish, and it has been found in other areas.

“This is the next new threat to Louisiana’s coast,” said Randy Myers, assistant secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. “This is a significant problem.”

It’s unknown how the scale insect arrived in Louisiana, Diaz said. It has been intercepted in previous years at ports in Hawaii and California.

The scale could be spread by birds, floating pieces of Roseau cane or boats, he said.

UW-Extension: Scale causing sticky mess

August 24, 2015,WalworthCountry Today

Christine Wen began fielding calls earlier this month from Fontana and Williams Bay residents puzzled by the sticky sap covering not only plants but cars and patios.

The culprits, said Wen, a horticulture educator at the University of Wisconsin-Extension Walworth County office in Elkhorn, is an explosion of scale insects on many different species of mature trees in the area.

There are several different types of scale, but the insects all feed by sucking large amounts of sap from trees, Wen said.

The insects are more of a nuisance to people. Wen said when scale feed on the sap of leaves and twigs, they secrete a sticky liquid called honeydew. The liquid, which is often mistaken for sap, coats tree leaves and branches, and drips down to whatever is beneath. The honeydew is also a source of food for sooty mold fungus, which results in a black crust over surfaces.

The current insecticides are being used to control this menace. Due to the protective scale which covers these insects, they are often resistant to normally sprayed insecticides. So what can we do to eliminate these tiny pests?

At C Tech Corporation we offer a safe and effective solution to deal with these insects. Termirepel^TM is a non-toxic and non-hazardous product that primarily repels insects from the application. The best feature of this product that it is environmentally safe and causes no harm to insects as well as for humans.

Termirepel™ is thermally stable and does not degrade on exposure to heat and sunlight. It does not kill or harm the insect but repels them. It does not volatilize and does not degrade the soil. It is RoHS, RoHS2, ISO, REACH, APVMA, NEA compliant and FIFRA exempted.

Termirepel^TM is available in the form of the masterbatch, liquid concentrate, and lacquer which can be applied topically on the applications.

To keep the insects at the bay Termirepel^TM can be sprayed or coated on the tree trunks.

The masterbatch can be incorporated in plastic mulches, tree guards, agricultural films etc. used to cover trees.

The liquid concentrate can be mixed in paints in a pre-determined ratio and can be applied on the concrete fences around the trees and farms. This will prevent the pest entry into the areas of plantation.

Termirepel^TM is effective against a multitude of other insects and pests like beetles, mayflies, thrips, aphids, etc.

The repelling mechanism of the product would ward off the scale insects and other insects that could damage the trees. Thus by using Termirepel^TM would effectively ensure that trees remain safe and protected for a long period of time.

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1] https://twitter.com/rodrepel
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Cockroaches: The worlds most unwanted Guests!

Imagine the sky is barely bright as you slump your way to the kitchen table where your family is eating some cereal topped with berries. You start to grab some of the same but wait, what do you see in the container? A cockroach peering at you. Cockroaches can be a significant deterrent to customers and even employees and pose a formidable threat to a restaurant’s profits. Having a cockroach present in your restaurant and seen by patrons likely means they will tell their friends and family, and you could end up being temporarily shut down by health officials.

Cockroaches are attracted to restaurants as they require a relatively warm and moist environment. Besides a place to live these pests need to find food and water. Almost any food can attract and support these scavengers, and infestations can grow very quickly. While roaches do not cause structural damage their presence often indicates unsanitary conditions that may be unhealthy. There are also concerns about them directly causing allergic reactions and spreading disease by contaminating food. When cockroaches attack food, they can spread bacteria through cross-contamination. They pick up bacteria while eating and these bacteria then reside in their guts. When they attack your food, they often leave their waste products (and the bacteria!) on the food. They also may carry the bacteria on their bodies, and pass it on to the food when then touch it. Humans who eat the contaminated food can then be infected by the bacteria and suffer food poisoning. Indeed, cockroach cross-contamination can lead to the spread of, among other bacteria, salmonella, streptococcus and pseudomonas aeruginosa.

They prefer warm and damp areas in out-of-the-way protected places, such as inside walls, called harborages. Roach activity is usually highest at night.

Cockroaches are drawn to areas where access to food and a hiding space is regular and reliable, meaning a cockroach infestation is usually the symptom of poor sanitation, disposal, and cleanliness practices over the long term, and the problem will only get worse the longer these practices remain in place.

Let us have a look at some incidents where cockroach has caused a huge problem to restaurants:

Local fast food restaurant closed due to cockroach infestation

By Mario Montalvo, Kern golden empire.com

The fast food joint was closed by the health department after a customer complained about seeing cockroaches.

County environmental health director Donna Fenton said any vermin infestation requires immediate closure because it poses an immediate health risk.

“Often times those cockroaches have been roaming around the restroom,” said Fenton. “They could have been in the restroom. They can contaminate food contact surfaces, utensils, food packaging and even get into the food itself.”

Fenton says infestations like the one at this restaurant are not common.

The last time the restaurant was inspected was in July, and it passed with an “A,” but there were signs of a bigger problem at the time.

“It was noted that they did find cockroaches in the facility, but just not to the extent that they have right now,” Fenton said.

Diners flee restaurant half way through eating meals after cockroach infestation in kitchen

By Sam Fisher Stephen Jones, 16th Feb 2017, Mirror

Diners were forced to down their knives and forks and flee an Indian restaurant when a cockroach infestation broke out in a kitchen.

Their half-eaten meals were left abandoned on tables when health inspectors ordered the popular Sands of Glen field in Leicester closed down on the spot.

Acting on a tip-off by a member of the public, the inspectors visited the restaurant unannounced on Saturday, February 4.

They discovered cockroaches – both dead and alive – in the kitchen, including in the food store and in three of the freezers.

The Leicester Mercury also reports cockroach traps, put down by pest controllers, were also found.

The inspectors, from Blaby District Council, also noted that large quantities of open and uncovered food were left out on kitchen surfaces and that there was food debris, grease, and grime on many surfaces.

The above incidences present a grave picture of the growing pest problem in restaurants. Insecticides are currently the main method used for cockroach control in restaurants. Cockroaches have a legendary ability to develop resistance to a wide range of pesticides used for its control. Moreover, the use of these chemicals though conventional should be stopped as there is a chance of human contact and food contamination.

The time has come for doing all things unconventional and go for a better alternative.

C Tech Corporation provides a solution Termirepel™ which is very effective and long-lasting. The most important unique quality of the product is that it is non-toxic, non-hazardous and environmentally friendly.

Termirepel™ is available in the form of lacquer and can be applied to wooden articles such as door frames, food storage cupboards, etc. which can restrict the cockroaches from nesting in these areas.

Termirepel^TM liquid concentrate can also be incorporated in the paint to be applied to galvanized and such other surfaces. The liquid concentrate can be used to paint the interior and exterior of houses, schools, hospitals, restaurants, warehouses etc. to keep these areas safe from pest attack.

The masterbatch available can be incorporated in polymeric applications while they are being manufactured, thus keeping the pests like cockroach away from the applications.

Termirepel™ can thus help us effectively keep cockroaches away from our food as well as our lives!

Termirepel™ is thermally stable and does not degrade on exposure to heat and sunlight. It does not kill or harm the insect but repels them. It does not volatilize and does not degrade the soil. It is RoHS, RoHS2, ISO, REACH, APVMA, NEA compliant and FIFRA exempted.

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1] https://twitter.com/rodrepel
2] https://twitter.com/termirepel
3] https://twitter.com/combirepel

Chirping cricket menace!

In many cultures and even for some Americans having crickets in your house is a sign of good luck. Cricket outbreaks are one of the most predictable pest events of the year in most areas. Crickets belong to the insect order Orthoptera group. The largest cricket outbreaks seem to occur during years of dry springs and summers. Field cricket eggs are laid in the fall; approximately two weeks after females mature and develop wings.

Crickets may occasionally wander into the house, particularly in the fall, when it’s cooler at night and insects are looking for warm places to spend the winter. Field and house crickets are strongly attracted to bright lights, and they can enter the house through open doors or cracks in doors, window frames, foundation or siding. Crickets don’t usually lay eggs or live very long inside homes they usually die in the fall or early winter.

Crickets are a nuisance with their presence and noise. Colonies in rubbish dumps can migrate into houses, causing great distress. They are also prone to damage fabric and foodstuffs.

Field crickets are primarily outdoor insects, and as such are only accidental indoor invaders. Nevertheless, they can become a considerable household nuisance when abundant. Unlike house crickets (the species commonly sold in stores as pet food), field crickets do not breed indoors or establish permanent indoor infestations.

Indoors, crickets may damage clothing, drapes or wall coverings with staining from feces or vomitus, or by their feeding activities. Although crickets do not normally feed on fabrics, soiled clothing or clothes stained with perspiration may be damaged by crickets. They do not attack clean clothes. However, they find body soil, food and beverage stains and laundry starch very attractive. The cricket will eat the remains of the stain and during its feast will often cut the threads of the fabric.

During severe outbreaks, crickets can create an aesthetically unacceptable situation around places of business. Dead crickets quickly pile up, causing odors; and many people are repelled by the sight of large numbers of crickets on walls and sidewalks around offices and stores.

Cricket season takes hold in Central Texas

By Sophia Beausoleil, September 14, 2015, kxan

“The best indication of a cricket outbreak is past history and in the past, Texas has experienced big cricket outbreaks,” explained Alex Wild, Curator of Entomology at the University of Texas.

He said those outbreaks in past years happened when there was a lot of food for crickets to eat, followed by a dry summer and then rain at the end of summer.

“Only time can tell, it looks like it might be a good season, but until we see the washes of crickets piling up on our porches, it’s going to be hard to predict,” said Wild.

Exterminators like Joe Cantu, Vice President of Operations for Bug Master, said they tend to see more cricket activity between August and September.

“It’s one of those pests where nobody wants to have around. It’s a nuisance pest, they’re overwhelming, they really smell, so the phone starts ringing,” said Cantu.

Cricket take over Cape town

8th April 2017, News 24

The increasing cricket population in Cape Town has become a nuisance but they are harmless, the city said on Tuesday.

Scientists at Stellenbosch University and the University of Cape Town concurred that the increase in the cricket population was a phenomenon experienced in many parts of the world, said James.

“It is likely as a result of climatic conditions, in particular the mild winter experienced last year coupled with the slightly wet summer, which favours the hatching of cricket eggs and has resulted in a population boom”, said James.

In the interim residents are urged to block any gaps in their homes through which crickets might enter.

Oklahoma City Crickets: Insects Invade Downtown, Overrun Storefronts, Terrorize OKC Residents

By Philip Ross on September 5, 2013, International Science Times

It’s a plague of biblical proportions. Throngs of crickets have ascended on Oklahoma City, covering doors, sidewalks and walls — really, any surface crickets can reach. Residents shudder at the teeming masses of crickets at their doorsteps and storefronts.

It’s a natural process, but a nuisance for the 592,000 residents of Oklahoma City who have to tread lightly lest they slip on a pile of copulating crickets.

The current insecticides are being used to control this menace. However, besides being extremely toxic and harmful to the environment, most insecticides used for mayflies control will destroy beneficial insects.

Now, no longer we have to depend on these conventional, toxic pesticides to deal with these pests.

C Tech Corporation offers a range of non-toxic, non-hazardous anti-insect aversive, which can be successfully used to keep pesky creatures at bay.

Termirepel™ can be easily described as insect aversive, used also against all types of insects and which works on the mechanism of repellency. It means that it does not kill the target insects but only repel them, thus balancing the ecology and helping in maintaining the goal of sustainability.

This product can be easily used against a number of insects.

The product available in the form of masterbatch can be incorporated into the base polymer of applications like the wire and cables, pipes, agricultural films, and mulches, irrigation pipes etc.

The lacquer can be applied as a topical application on the fence, wooden objects, furniture, ceilings, frames etc.

Termirepel^TM liquid concentrate can be diluted in paints in a pre-determined ratio can be applied on walls and many other end applications to keep mayfly away from homes, buildings and other public places.

Termirepel™ is thermally stable and does not degrade on exposure to heat and sunlight. It does not kill or harm the insect but repels them. It does not volatilize and does not degrade the soil. It is RoHS, RoHS2, ISO, REACH, APVMA, NEA compliant and FIFRA exempted.

Follow us on our Twitter pages at:
1] https://twitter.com/rodrepel
2] https://twitter.com/termirepel
3] https://twitter.com/combirepel

Grain bag invader – Weevil

Often the grains are found with hollow holes in them. These tiny little holes emerge all of a sudden even when the grains are stored in the protective bags.

From where do the holes appear? Who make these holes in the grains?

Those are the weevils that are responsible for this menace!

What are weevils? Where do they come from? Why do they invade grain bags?

Let’s know the answer to these questions.

Weevil species occur in a wide range of colors and body shapes. Many are slender or oval-shaped insects. Depending on the species, weevils range in size from about 3 mm to over 10 mm in length. They are usually dark-colored—brownish to black. Some have scales or shiny hair covering part of their bodies. The most distinctive feature of weevils is the shape of their head. An adult weevil has an elongated head that forms a snout. The mouth is at the end of the snout. Some weevils have a snout that is as long as the body. Another family of beetles called Bruchidae, such as the cowpea weevil, have a different appearance from the typical weevil. They lack the elongated snout found in the Curculionidae.

Weevils feed on plants in the larval stage and as adults. Some weevils can be very destructive to crops. For many years, one of the most destructive weevils was the cotton boll weevil which feeds on cotton buds and flowers. The black vine weevil is found in many parts of the United States. It feeds on a variety of plants, including hemlocks and rhododendrons.

Often called flour bugs, because that is where they are frequently found, there are actually a number of types of weevil, including rice weevils, seed weevils, granary/grain weevils, maize weevils, and bean/pea/seed weevils, but the “true” weevils – with the snout nose, are the granary, rice, and maize weevils.

Most weevils are found in fields, gardens or orchards. A few weevils attack stored grains and seeds. They can be very destructive, and their damage is often very expensive. The most common stored product weevils are the rice weevil, the granary weevil, and the cowpea weevil.

However, a few weevils become structural pests. These are the weevils that upset homeowners because they invade homes—often in great numbers. Some of them invade in the fall. They hide during the winter and leave in the spring. Others invade in the summer when the weather starts turning hot.

But unlike beetles that live and feed on foods, these weevils actually live and feed inside the food.

The female chews a hole into a seed or grain kernel and deposits an egg inside. The female weevil then seals up the opening, leaving the egg inside. When the egg hatches (inside the grain/seed), the larva feeds on the meat inside until it is fully grown. Once fully grown, the adult weevil eats its way out of the grain/seed.
When they infest grain that is stored in bins and remains undisturbed, they can completely destroy the food.

In the home, weevils can be brought in packaged foods or they can come in from outside. Once inside, a population can grow and expand to food items stored nearby if they are not controlled.

Pests plague Negros Oriental coffee farm

Jude Torres, ABS-CBN News Posted on Sep 26 2017

DAUIN, Negros Oriental – A coffee farm in this town is fighting off an infestation of coffee bean borers and coffee weevils, which eat and destroy the coffee cherries, the local agriculture office said.

The Baslay Farmer’s Association last month noticed a defect in the coffee cherries in their 70-hectare coffee farm. In the evaluation of the Regional Crop Protection Center of the Department of Agriculture-Central Visayas, 3 hectares of the Baslay Coffee farm were found to be infested with pests.
Boll weevil bottled up in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley
Ron Smith 1 | Feb 22, 2013

The struggle against the boll weevil will continue until officials get a handle on boll weevils coming out of Mexico. The Lower Rio Grande Valley remains the last bastion of boll weevil infestation in the country, and the decades-old eradication program continues to deplete the pest’s numbers there, but as long as a viable population exists, cotton farmers cannot rest.

We can’t allow these pests to destroy our crops and grains now and then. The loss due to them is just unnecessary. Insecticides have proven inefficient in combating these pests and there’s an urgent call for stopping their menace in a non-hazardous way.

To get the solution, why not we opt for the non- hazardous, low-toxic and eco- friendly products provided by C Tech Corporation.

Termirepel™ an anti-insect additive, a C Tech Corporation product is an ideal solution for the prevention and control of weevils infestation. The masterbatch of Termirepel™ can be incorporated in wires and cables which are used in domestic wiring. Termirepel™ liquid concentrate which can be mixed in paints and can be applied to damaged applications. While Termirepel™ lacquer can be used as a topical application which can be applied to furniture, walls, ceilings etc. It follows 6 pronged strategies which are extremely effective on weevils as well as insects like ants, beetles, grasshopper, termites etc.

Termirepel™ is a non-toxic and non-hazardous anti-insect additive. It is thermally stable and does not degrade on exposure to heat and sunlight. It does not kill or harm the insect but repels them. It does not volatilize and does not degrade the soil.

Wasps the virulent insects!

One can easily get attracted to the membranous wings of these tiny wasps.

But these attractive insects possess a protective tool i.e. STING which is so lethal that no one should have imagined its consequences!

Yes the sting is lethal and for proving the statement let’s go through the following evidence:

Wasp Bite Gives Man a Heart Attack

By Cari Nierenberg, Live Science Contributor | September 22, 2017 03:18pm ET

A sting from a yellow jacket is typically a minor annoyance, but a wasp bite turned into a major medical problem for a 45-year-old British man:

In this man’s case, he was stung by a yellow jacket on his left arm as he got into his van. Minutes later, he began to feel dizzy and itchy all over, and a rash appeared on his body, according to the case report.

The man’s left hand began to feel heavy and achy, and hours later, this pain became more frequent and spread to his left arm, shoulder and back. He called for an ambulance, and on the ride to the hospital, he suffered a heart attack, the case report said.

Wasp stings responsible for three deaths in Manitoba

By: Alexandra Paul, Winniepeg Free Press, Posted: 09/7/2017 11:41 AM

The city’s former entomologist is urging Winnipeggers to take precautions after three Manitobans died this summer after being stung by wasps.

The three deaths, including at least one in Winnipeg, were rare, said Taz Stuart, now the entomologist and director of technical operations at Poulin’s Pest Control.

The Chief Medical Examiner’s Office released data Thursday detailing deaths from any kind of bee, hornet or wasp. There have only been a handful of similar reports in the last 15 years.

By knowing the consequences we can think how deadliest it can be if one gets attacked by these yellowjackets!!

Firstly before we see what are the preventive measures to be taken against the sting of these tiny insects let’s get introduced to them.

WASPS with zoological name Vespula germanica are also commonly known as yellowjackets and hornets. Wasps vary tremendously depending on species. Most have two pairs of wings and a pinched waist. They range in colors from black to metallic greens and blues and vary in size from almost microscopic to several centimeters long. Wasps are a successful and diverse group of insects with tens of thousands of described species; wasps have spread to all parts of the world except for the Polar Regions.

They are categorized as social or solitary. Social wasps live in colonies consisting of hundreds or thousands of more-or-less sterile female workers and their much larger mother, the egg-laying queen. The colonies are set up in a nest built by the wasp workers. The nests are constructed from wood fibers collected and then mixed with water. The nests are very strong and long-lasting structures.

Some wasps are predatory, while others are parasitic. Predatory wasps kill and consume other insects as well as other animals which they often feed to their larvae. Parasitic wasps typically lay their eggs in the bodies of living creatures like caterpillars or spiders. The larvae feed on the still-living host. Wasps can assist in the management of other pests, particularly in agriculture as biological control agents. Many wasps also feed on nectar from flowers and therefore function as pollinators. Wasps play a variety of roles in the environments such as pollinators, parasitoids, parasites, predators etc. Wasps are also just important in the environment. Social wasps being predators play a vital ecological role, controlling the numbers of potential pests like greenfly and many caterpillars.

Though wasps are important for the environment they are considered as pests and voracious species. People often get stung in summer when the wasp colonies stop breeding new workers. The workers then go in search of food and then come in contact with humans. If a human gets stung by a wasp, he can suffer pain and may also suffer from life-threatening anaphylactic shock.

Hence to prevent these deadliest stingy wasps get an eco-friendly solution provided by C Tech Corporation.

Termirepel^TM is an extremely low toxic, non-hazardous, non-mutagenic and non-carcinogenic anti-insect aversive.

Termirepel^TM is developed on green technology and chemistry. It is effective against a broad spectrum of insects such as wasps, whiteflies, termites, beetles etc.

Termirepel^TM is available in the form of the masterbatch, liquid concentrate, and lacquer.

Masterbatch can be incorporated into polymers while processing them. Cables, pipes, agricultural films, mulches, irrigation pipes etc. can be manufactured using masterbatch.

The liquid concentrate is to be mixed with paints in a proper ratio and can be applied on the interior and exterior of houses, schools, hospitals, warehouses, etc. to keep the wasps out of these places.

While lacquer is a direct topical application which can be applied directly to the already installed applications like cables, pipes, metal decors, furniture, wooden articles etc. Since the wasps build the nest in the areas like roof spaces, plywood built spaces, eaves, ceilings etc. places we need to repel them from such places.

Hence to repel them we C Tech Corporation suggest you apply our product Termirepel^TM. Our lacquer form product can be applied on wooden applications to which the wasps are attracted the most.

Termirepel^TM is the best protection against the aggressive and voracious wasps.

Follow us on our Twitter pages at:
1] https://twitter.com/rodrepel
2] https://twitter.com/termirepel
3] https://twitter.com/combirepel

Super pest – Diamondback Moth!

Diamondback moth originated in Europe has a global distribution and are found in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas, Australia, New Zealand, and the Hawaiian Islands. The species belonging to Plutella genus are small greyish-brown moth sometimes has a cream-colored band that forms a diamond along its back. Hence the name Diamondback Moth.

The moth having a short life cycle of nearly 14 days bears the capability of migrating over long distances. Diamondback moth usually feeds on the leaves of cruciferous crops and plants that produce glucosinolates. They deposit their eggs on host plants with a larval infestation. All the plants are not used for these moths as host plants as the larvae fail to survive. Hence the plants which produce glucosinolates are selected as host plants by this super pest diamondback moth.

Here are some of the evidence of the plants being considered as host plants leading to several damages to crop and crop yield.

UK brussels sprout harvest hit by ‘super-pest’ moths

Wednesday 7 December 2016, Published in The Guardian

Love them or loathe them, they are a staple part of the Christmas dinner. However, consumers shopping for sprouts this year could have less choice than usual after some British-grown crops were ravaged by “super-pest” moths during the summer.

The problem has arisen as a result of an explosion in the numbers of diamondback moths arriving in the UK from Europe, which can cause huge damage to crops such as sprouts, cabbages and cauliflowers as they are resistant to most insecticides.

Growers reported problems in the Channel Islands but this week some growers in Lincolnshire – which supplies almost two-thirds of all sprouts produced in the country – reported losses of up to 60%.

Bad news for farmers, good news for children: Brussels sprouts crop faces Christmas ruin

By Leon Watson, 30 NOVEMBER 2016, Published in the Telegraph news

For some, it threatens to ruin Christmas; for others, perhaps of younger generations, it is the promise of joyous relief.

Brussels sprouts could be off the menu this year as the crop could be ruined by a plague of immigrant moths invading the UK.

Supplies of the vegetable are already running low after several farmers’ festive crops were decimated by armies of the cabbage-loving diamondback insects.

The moth especially likes to munch on Brassica plants, which include cabbages, cauliflower, and broccoli. And it has become increasingly resistant to available insecticides.

The agriculture industry has been trying to find biological and natural ways to eliminate the diamondback moth especially since the moths have become resistant to pesticides. Common enemies of the moth include the parasitoids or lacewings. Lacewings feed on eggs and young larvae, while the parasitoids only feed on the eggs.

It has been stated that “the insect diamondback moths, notorious among farmers as pests that cause $4 to $5 billion of damage a year worldwide.”

And In the Horticulture Week it has beed stated as “non-native arrival to the US, the diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella) is the world’s most damaging agricultural pest of brassica crops, costing US farmers over $4 billion yearly in crop losses and control management.”

To stop the infestation originally, pesticides were used to kill the moths but Diamondbacks have developed resistance to many of the common chemicals. For this reason, different biological, cultural, and chemical controls are being developed to reduce the destruction caused by the moths but proven to be ineffective.

Hence need a solution which gives complete protection to crops from these pesky pests.

C Tech Corporation provides you with value-add product called as Termirepel™ which is an anti-insect aversive. Termirepel™ is manufactured on the basis of green technology. It is durable at extreme climatic conditions such as changes in temperature, rainfall, pressure etc.

Our product is ROHS, ROHS2, ISO 9001:2000, ISO 14001:1996, APVMA, NEA complaint and FIFRA exempted. Our product will not kill the targeted as well as non-targeted species but only repel the pests which help in maintaining the ecological balance of the earth.

Termirepel™ is available in three basic forms: Masterbatch, liquid concentrate, and lacquer.

Termirepel™ Masterbatch is specially made for polymeric applications and used as additives in their processing time. The polymeric applications like wires and cables, pipes, agricultural films and mulches, greenhouse films, tree guards, irrigation pipes etc can be manufactured using our masterbatch to keep pests from damaging these applications. The crops which are suitable to cover with plastic bags/covers can be applied to our product. The polymeric horticultural equipment can be incorporated into our product for getting best results.

Termirepel™ Liquid concentrate is to be mixed in paints in proper proportion and can be applied to the interior and exterior of the agricultural storage rooms, houses, offices, fences around the farms etc.

Termirepel™ lacquer can be directly applied to the applications such as wooden fences, already installed pipes, wires, cables, etc.

Using our product, you will get protection from the diamondback moth!

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1] https://twitter.com/rodrepel
2] https://twitter.com/termirepel
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Termirepel (TM) against pesky little fire ants

Fire ants are some of the extremely dangerous and damaging ant species. They not only destroy property and habitats but are equally dangerous to all animals including humans & pets.

The fire ant is the common name for several species of ants in the genus Solenopsis. They are, however, only a minority in the genus, which includes over 200 species of Solenopsis worldwide.

Red fire ants are generally omnivorous, feeding on proteins, honeydew, seeds and most foods found in homes. Fire ants range in color from red-brown to black and grow up to 1/4 inch in length. They build nests or mounds about 1 foot high, usually in grassy areas like lawns and pastures. Unlike most anthills, fire ant nests have no single entrance.

As the temperature rises and conditions become dry, fire ants enter homes in search of food and water. This can cause problems ranging from the nuisance of finding ants in stored foods and potted plants to the real danger of stings-particularly multiple stings when fire ants climb onto sleeping inhabitants.

Fire ants are very aggressive and are voracious feeders on small ground fauna, including insects, spiders, lizards, frogs, birds, and mammals.

Encounters with fire ants usually involve dozens of ants moving quickly and undetected. By the time they sting, there may be tens or hundreds of ants on your body, and they tend to all sting at once. Stings from fire ants can cause a painful, burning and itching sensation, which can last for an hour. Multiple stings give the sensation that the body is on fire.

In the United States, people in fire ant-infested areas have changed their habits to avoid exposure to the ant. Activities such as mowing and gardening could also result in ant stings.

The impact of fire ants is not restricted to people. Pets and domestic animals can also be stung and injured and may have allergic reactions or be blinded by exposure to the venom.

Fire ants could seriously affect the vegetation communities in natural areas. Their habit of eating or damaging seeds could alter the ratios of the various seeds available to develop, which could significantly change an ecosystem over time. Fire ants also predate or disturb the insects and animals that pollinate native plants, which may also cause long-term changes to the vegetation of our bushland areas.

Mounds formed by fire ant nests can be a serious problem in lawns, sporting fields and golf courses, which could have economic impacts. The ants’ activities and nesting materials can cause expensive damage to sensitive electrical equipment. They chew on insulation and can cause short circuits or interfere with switching mechanisms. Air conditioners, traffic signal boxes, and other devices can be damaged.

Fire ants can significantly affect the agriculture industry. Newborn or hatching animals are particularly prone to attacks that can lead to death. The ants can make it impossible for animals to reach food or water without being seriously stung, which can lead to starvation and dehydration.

Fire ants often feed on seeds, and can fatally damage some plants by tunneling through roots and stems.

Mound-building behavior can interrupt or destroy equipment, such as irrigation systems, and can also damage machinery during harvesting operations.

Let us have a look at some news articles:

Killer fire ants INVASION: Warning over global spread as deadly swarms invade

By Stuart Winter, Aug 7, 2017

Both Japan and Australia are today mounting operations to stop red imported fire ants getting a stranglehold in a worldwide invasion that has left 80 people dead.

The fire ants – abbreviated to RIFA and the with the scientific name of Solenopsis invicta – have already left their marks on thousands across North and South America as well as China and Taiwan.

So far, there has been only one sting victim in Japan but this has not stopped the authorities launching a full-scale hunt and eradication operation at ports around the country where the ants may have arrived from China.

It has already exterminated clusters discovered in seven major ports, including Tokyo and Osaka, and is setting traps and carrying out search and elimination missions at another 68 sites.

More than 500 ants were found at Yokohama last month as well larvae and pupae – a worrying sign that the ants are breeding on Japanese soil only two months after they were first discovered in the country.

Fire Ants Almost Kill 13-Year-Old Boy

June 15, 2009, Fox News

Patrick Dodson, 13, and his mother, Donna Dodson, learned that one Sunday afternoon in March while doing yard work at their Central home.

Patrick Dodson fetched a bag of mulch made from a tree blown down by Hurricane Gustav in September. It tore open as he headed to the flower beds, and his leg was covered in hundreds of ants.

Patrick’s mother washed the ants off his leg, applied an antihistamine cream.

But 20 minutes later, Patrick came to her with a flushed face and swollen lips and nose. Donna Dodson took him to an after-hours clinic, where he passed out while she was filling out paperwork.

He came to in the exam room, got a shot and passed out again. The clinic called an ambulance to take him to the emergency room.

“The venom from the ants just shut his body down,” Donna Dodson said. Doctors at Baton Rouge General Medical Center gave him intravenous fluids to flush out the venom. His blood pressure kept dropping. His heart stopped beating twice.

The most common tool used to manage fire ants are insecticides. However, besides being extremely toxic and harmful to the environment, and do not effectively solve the insect problem. Moreover, studies show that the more exposed the fire ants is to the insecticide, the more resistant the fire ant will be. Therefore the insects know that it is hazardous to them with their sensory cue and learns to avoid.

C Tech Corporation has come up with a solution to combat fire ants menace. Termirepel™ is a low-toxic, non-hazardous termite repellent which has been designed for various applications as well as natural materials like wood. It is a unique blend of green chemistry and smart technology which acts as an effective repellent and at the same time guarantees safety to the environment, plants, animals, and ecosystem.

It is durable at extreme climatic conditions such as changes in temperature, rainfall, etc. Our product is ROHS, ROHS2, ISO 9001:2000, ISO 14001:1996, APVMA, NEA complaint and FIFRA exempted.

Termirepel™ does not kill but only keep the ants away by making use of their sensory mechanisms. It temporarily inhibits the mating cycle of the insects. The product impairs the ability of the insects to reproduce, that is the insects will not lay eggs or the laid eggs will be infertile. The product causes feeding disruption in an insect by triggering an unpleasant reaction within the insect which might try to feed on the application. The product temporarily blocks the reproduction system of the insects by hindering the release of the vital hormones for growth.

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