Entomologists prevent pests from 'bugging' residents

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KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  Okinawa is home to hundreds of different insect species. Sadly, with spring and summer around the corner, there are a few that can't wait to move in with residents.

The 18th Civil Engineer Squadron at Kadena Air Base, Japan, has a dedicated team of certified professionals to keep these bugs at bay. The Kadena Pest Management Section (also known as "Entomology") is here to help housing residents and facility managers deal with pest infestations they can't take care of on their own.

The 27-member team is responsible for more than 8,000 military housing units, 19 dormitories and 7,000 operational facilities island wide, and they complete an average of 2,500 work orders a year.

Okinawan residents are almost guaranteed to have a cockroach or two wondering around inside of their home. They normally live outside in the warm and moist environment but can become a nuisance indoors.

The roach of primary concern is the German cockroach. These small brown roaches typically reside in the kitchen -- usually around the sink, stove and surrounding cabinets. They thrive in these areas because of food debris that slips into cracks and the grease that builds up.

The largest volume of housing calls, however, are in response to ants. There are several different species on island, but the one that many housing residents are already too familiar with is the White-footed Ant. These black ants are small with yellowish-white legs.

A common misconception is that these ants bite or sting, when in fact they do not. The average colony size can be well over a million ants with multiple independent satellite colonies.

One thing that makes this ant unique and hard to control is that food ingested by foraging workers does not get shared with others in the colony. This makes it extremely difficult to get rid of them because only workers are killed off by poison, requiring multiple treatments that can take months.

Both flying ants and termites may swarm when trying to reproduce. This can appear alarming since they may be seen in large numbers inside the home. Normally, they will die without the use of pesticides within a few hours, and can be vacuumed up.

Another pest that can be a problem throughout housing is mosquitoes. During the summer it is highly recommended that people wear insect repellant containing DEET when outside for long periods of time.

Entomologists also suggest residents remove items such as toys and empty water pots from their yards that can contain stagnant water. This can aid in reducing mosquito breeding areas. However, fogging operations to control the mosquito populations are conducted with the coordination of the base Public Health office.

Last but not least, not a bug but everyone's favorite -- snakes. There are about 11 species, including the venomous Habu, on the island. Residents should be cautious and treat every snake as if it's poisonous and keep their distance.

If a snake is seen, call the Pest Management office immediately. At a safe distance, residents should be sure to keep an eye on the snake to keep track of it so it can be easily located. All snake calls are regarded as emergencies.

Ninety percent of all pest problems can be prevented with good housekeeping and proper sanitation. Spraying pesticide is not always the most effective treatment for many pests. Sometimes spraying drives bugs to other locations throughout the home, making the problem worse.

Residents should do everything they can to stop bugs from becoming established in the first place. Although almost impossible to avoid with small children, food and crumbs can be the root cause of many pest infestations. It takes just a tiny amount of food and water for pests to survive.

Lawns should be cut and debris around the house should be removed. Many items that sit out for long periods of time can create nesting areas. Rats and mice love living in dusty, cluttered sheds. A good way of keeping spiders away can be as simply as sweeping the cob webs from around the doors and outside walls of the house.

Housing residents should try to locate and seal up any holes or gaps they notice. If unable to handle the jobs themselves residents should report any structural damage to Housing Maintenance.

During the peak summer months, there can be up to a two-week wait time for service. Customers can get a variety of self-help products from the Pest Management office, with information to help the fight against pests. If you are curious as to what that strange-looking bug you found is, you can always stop by the shop and drop off a sample for identification. If you don't have time for that, snap a picture and e-mail it to pestmanagement@kadena.af.mil. As long as the bug isn't completely smashed, entomologists may be able to tell you what it is.

Pest Management may not be able to eliminate them all, but they will certainly do their best to get any pests present down to a tolerable level.