If we're looking at the black, shiny things, then we'll need a close up pic of top and bottom against a lighter, more uniform background. Details of insect bodies are important for proper ID.
While carpet beetles do live outdoors as well as indoors, clustering in turf is not typical behavior.
If they can't get us better, detailed pics, can they take specimens to the local county agricultural office? These offices are usually staffed/supported by a state university and are a valuable source of objective knowledge and info. They would be aware of local insect species and behavior as well. Otherwise, I will be out of touch for a while but others here are quite helpful.
Hey all,
So we just had fumigation last week and started smelling something around the sink/dishwasher. Pulled the dishwasher out several days ago and found this:
[img]https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.doityourselft.com-vbulletin/800x400/1634150855_0d10bd499a78a4d1f9d47b8ce704317e059fdd08.jpeg[/img]
Sprayed down with bleach/water (1:9 or 1:10) with N95 masks and gloves and cleaned up.
Just pulled the toekick under the kitchen sink back and found this:
[img]https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.doityourselft.com-vbulletin/800x400/1634150971_f62e26d32e02073ca32e702d4dc71067bc903e9b.jpeg[/img]
[img]https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.doityourselft.com-vbulletin/800x400/1634150982_640b5ec4f38af0e5b97e4fd68c55f5ea598ff90a.jpeg[/img]
[img]https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.doityourselft.com-vbulletin/800x400/1634150997_0b43e3904ceadf750f0d9955ff45c17d2e392217.jpeg[/img]
[img]https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.doityourselft.com-vbulletin/800x400/1634151018_a96b90b3cc4f509c100d796c81a6b76f55de10ef.jpeg[/img]
Not sure what these are... deer mice? I hope to God not. I don't know how long those were there and if they died before fumigation or from fumigation but we sprayed down with the same bleach/water solution + N95 and gloves. Not sure if I sprayed enough or let it soak/saturate for long enough either. I was constantly spraying as we were pulling stuff out though.
At this point I'm suspecting more nesting under the rest of the lower base cabinetry. Right now, the plan is just to have a contractor demo and rebuild. But clean-up I will probably have a damage remediation company handle. We are planning to get a pest control company out to assess/inspect and recommend areas to seal off. I was trying to get a pest company out ASAP but it's tough to get them booked right now. Earliest availability is Friday.
I was considering having the contractor start doing the demo tomorrow - he's going to save the veneers/fronts/doors and reuse them to rebuild the cabinets. We're just getting that particleboard crap out. I was hoping the damage remediation could come in tomorrow or Friday after the demo is done and do the clean-up/sanitization. I would like to avoid dealing with it if at all possible, after cleaning up what was under the dishwasher and partially under the kitchen sink toe-kick. It's nasty stuff. Anyway, the pest control company will come out Fri afternoon to assess things. I wanted to get stuff cleaned up before they come though. I guess if there's anything still getting inside and leaving droppings, we'll just clean and sanitize on an as-needed basis before the pest company arrives.
Do we need to seal the kitchen off with a zipper door/tarp?
It has been a nightmare the past week :(Read More
This is mainly a curiosity question, but maybe it means something. This morning I opened my front door, and there's three large ants sitting on the storm door (outside), side by side. As you can see by the pic, they're high up. I can't say I've ever seen this before. Does it mean anything, other than they're posing for a pic? :D
[img]https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.doityourselft.com-vbulletin/640x853/ants_on_door_b3f6095b215119b46f980b45182ec9f09f7a26e0.jpg[/img]Read More
10-13-21, 04:29 PM
