Q: Are shrimp and lobster related to the cockroach? I get this question a lot.

Yes they are related, but only distantly so. I think it's kind of like how humans and pigs are related - we are both Vertebrates, but for most people the resemblance ends there. Shrimp, lobster, crabs, and crayfish are all Arthropods, as are insects and spiders, but they are in a taxonomic Class called the Crustacea. This large grouping also includes a couple of familiar bugs, the sowbug and pillbug, so these two critters are very closely related to the other members of that group, most of which live aquatic lives. However, pillbugs and sowbugs do retain rudimentary gills for their breathing, as testimony to their ancestry and relatives that still live in the water. If we scan down that taxonomic tree we see that all animals are in the major Kingdom called Animalia - we are animals. But, that tree branches more and more to place animals into smaller and smaller related groups. Insects and crawdads slip off into the Phylum Arthropoda ("jointed appendages"), then into the Classes Crustacea (crabs, lobsters, etc.) and Insecta (insects), or Arachnida (spiders, ticks, scorpions, mites). Within the Insecta the next division is Orders, and here we have Blattodea (roaches), Lepidoptera (moths, butterflies), etc. This ordering of living things helps us neatnik humans organize nature and make better sense of it.

The Crustaceans can, at times, be a bit of a bother to homeowners, beyond just the pillbugs and sowbugs. In northern California we have a network of rivers throughout the central valley, all of which eventually feed into the major Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers that ultimately roll out through San Francisco Bay and under the Golden Gate Bridge. A lot of cities and communities line the various rivers, and crayfish are extremely common. One little town called Rio Vista enjoys the occasional mass movement of crayfish, which for one reason or another wander out of the water and crawl around the town by the hundreds of thousands. Many of them get served up as supper. On several occasions I have been handed mud tubes about 1.5 inches wide and 5 or 6 inches long, with a dead end cavity at the back. Obviously the tube was made by something, and they were found in crawl spaces of homes, and by process of elimination I have decided the only possible architect for these tubes must be crayfish, which do create these "chimneys".

Turf can be damaged by the burrowing of crayfish too, as they may seek this watered habitat when their normal home dries up. Another little crustacean that sometimes enters homes in large numbers is a kind of freshwater shrimp that we call Amphipods. These small, shrimplike animals may also live in very damp locations on land, and if things get too wet for them they may be forced to move, entering homes and frightening the occupants as they leap around on the floor. When the amphipods die they turn from their normal brown to a bright pinkish orange color. A home's interior is just far too dry to support their existence.

Q: When should I worry about termites?

Termites are a problem in 49 of the 50 states and work 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Termites are most active during "swarm season," which can occur between March and October depending on location. Termites should also be a priority if you are remodeling, buying or building a home. Smart homeowners can protect their largest single investment through awareness and action.

Q: This has been such a cold winter. Shouldn't all the termites be dead?

Unfortunately, the cold weather only makes termites burrow deeper into the warmth of your home. "Termites do not fair well in dry, cold weather; that's why they forage inside homes," says Byron Reid, PhD, a Bayer Environmental Science termite development manager. "While future weather conditions in top termite markets will be ideal for colonies to experience a population boom, it does not mean that homeowners will necessarily see the increase. Termites are silent destroyers and will be at work within the house. That's why it's so important to have a trained pest management professional (PMP) inspect your home."

Q: How will I know my home is infested with termites?

Termites are silent destroyers. Because you may never see these behind-the-scenes workers until it is too late, it is important to get an annual termite inspection much like an annual doctor's appointment. Termites are sometimes visible during swarm season, when clouds of flying termites ("alates" or "swarmers") can occur both indoors and outdoors. You may also find small piles of papery wings that these alates have left behind on windowsills or floors. Other warning signs include sagging floors, crumbling drywood, tiny holes in walls or other wood surfaces, and piles of sawdust-like wood residue. Bubbled paint or visible mud tubes over concrete and soil may also be signs that termites are present. Homeowners must be proactive, rather than waiting for these signs to occur.

Q: Will termites attack a new home?

Termites will eat anything made of wood, including a brand new home. Termite damage can begin immediately following construction. Wood treated with an insecticide like Premise protects the home from termites. Builders can also prevent termites by treating the soil beneath the concrete slab or foundation with Premise, creating a "Treated Zone®" around the home.

Q: What can I do to prevent termites?

Termites thrive in moist conditions with plenty of wood. The following tips can help to minimize your risk for a termite infestation.

• Keep gutters free of leaves and other debris. Downspouts must drain freely and away from the house, at a distance of at least three feet.
  
• Do not keep wooden items close to the house. For example, firewood should be stored away from the home. Wood mulch can also attract termites to the home.
  
• Because termites need only the width of a piece of paper to access the house, make sure that all entry points, like cracks in the foundation or utility openings, are sealed. You should also caulk windows and doors, favorite stomping grounds for termites.
  
• As a rule of thumb, monitor those areas of the home that are chronically damp or where wood comes in contact with the structure.
  
• If you are constructing a new home, ask the builder about pretreatment options.

Q: Where can I find more information on termites, inspection, and treatment?

For more information, call 1-877-922-2336. There, homeowners can receive information about preventing and treating termites and finding a local PMP.

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