Spring 2007

Termite Talk

With Mike Ledesma

Even though spring is just around the corner, we are still in our rainy season, and with that comes Subterranean termites.  A nice warm day following some rain, will bring them up from the soil.  You may notice them fluttering around your yard.  They may end up in your pool, the patio, or just about anywhere.  They may have dropped their wings and you are seeing them crawling around.  In some cases you may just find their wings.  If you discover them on the exterior of your home, or in various places around your yard, there is no reason to panic.  If on the other hand you notice them inside your home, you may have a problem.

Subterranean termites appear sometimes to look like  black ants.  Upon closer inspection you may notice that they do not have the distinctive “narrow” waistline that an ant has (see photos).  They may be entering your home from the soil beneath the raised foundation of the structure, or from the soil beneath the slab, depending on your specific construction type.  Their entry points can also include garages porches, and walkways.  They can enter through a small hairline crack!

If you happen to notice them fluttering around, or just have some questions, I, or any of our qualified inspectors would be happy to discuss any of your concerns.  If you so desire, we will be happy to schedule a complete inspection to be on the safe side.

Give us a call, we will be happy to help.

 Technician In the Spotlight

Cliff  Paige

One of Killroy’s warmest and most creative technicians is Cliff Paige. Cliff has been with Killroy since 1994.    He currently serves Sunnyvale, and portions of Los Altos, and the Peninsula. Cliff has been a professional pest control specialist for more than 20 years, and has gained a great deal of expertise over his career.

Cliff wants all of his customers to know how much he appreciates their business, and that he is always available to help you find solutions to your pest questions, and/or problems.
Cliff lives with his wonderful wife Karen in South San Jose, and they have two adult children, daughter Serena, and Chris.

Cliff spends much of his spare time working with his church, and ministering to the homeless, and troubled youth.

One of Cliff’s greatest passions is music.  Cliff has been a member of numerous musical groups and bands over the years.  Most recently creating several CD’s with the all vocal group Men of Abundance.  Cliff is also a talented songwriter, and is often found “laying down” new tracks in his home studio.

Another often unknown talent of Cliff’s is his wonderful artistic abilities.  He works in acrylics, pen and ink and also paper mache‘ mediums, as well as lending a creative hand to home decorating.  Cliff also has lent his cartooning talents to the Killroy Kourier over the years.

Next time you see Cliff, ask him to sing a few bars.  You won’t be disappointed!

President’s Message

Welcome to another addition of Killroy Pest Control’s Quarterly Newsletter.  In the past, we’ve talked technical on several issues regarding pest biology and proper safe and sane use of pesticides as a part of their control and management.  We have mentioned the evolution of our services, as well as changing public sentiment and growing fears over not just pesticides, but regional water quality, food safety, air quality, ozone, and even the potential human influences on “Global Climate Change”. 

Today I wanted to focus on my philosophy toward all this chaos, and ask you to ponder with me the many things good about our world and how we can be in control of at least our little habitats.

When I studied Ecology in the 1960’s, it was a science in the pure sense of the word.  Based on careful observation, a student was asked to propose a theory, set up experiments to test that theory, make sure all variables and outside influences were factored in or controlled, and report on the results of the experiment for review by the scientific community.  From this fundamental search for repeatable, verifiable knowledge, a base of information had been built by naturalists for several century’s, and much was known and understood about habitats, ecosystems, biotypes, speciation, adaptation, and the interrelationships of plants and animals.

Sometime in the 60’s a creeping corruption of the science of ecology gradually began to “evolve”.   A few vocal and somewhat cultish figures began to wield popular influence over a liberal minded student population, and began to press for bans on pesticides, population control, a more “Earth friendly” philosophy.

Efforts to regulate, mandate, and dictate to our Government, industry, and Agriculture required “causes” and the mobilization of the enlightened few to convince us unwashed masses that the world would end without universal acceptance of their particular eco-politics.  While the formation of the EPA was a tough pill for industry to swallow, I think that any captain of industry today would grant that our EPA is one of the crowning success stories among all the often dysfunctional bureaucracies.  Requiring tougher and more consistent standards for the registration and use of all pesticides used in the US has made their proper use safer and their efficacy higher. 

The key principals applied to whether a pesticide could be registered for a specific pest and site was the risk vs. benefits analysis.  For example, does the use provide a health benefit by controlling, say, cockroaches in restaurants without posing undue risk of human exposure or food contamination.  Obviously, proper application will usually prevent human exposure, but the potential risks multiplied by a 10, 100, or even 1000 safety factor set very high standards for public and environmental safety.

So overall today, despite Senator Barbara Boxer’s opinions to the contrary "Regardless of rhetoric, our environmental record is clear, America's air, water and land are cleaner today than it was a generation ago, and under the Bush administration this progress continues."  - EPA administrator Stephen L. Johnson before a resent Senate Committee hearing.

Dennis Merrill,
President, Killroy Pest Control, Inc.