Billings Farm January Sleigh Ride Weekend

WOODSTOCK, VERMONT… Horse-drawn sleigh rides, sledding with jack jumper sleds, and programs and activities for all ages will be featured at the Billings Farm & Museum’s Sleigh Ride Weekend on January 14, 15, and 16 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Climb aboard the horse-drawn sleigh and enjoy a scenic ride through the frosty farm fields. Warm up with a visit to the operating dairy farm and learn more about the Jersey herd and calves, Percheron draft horses, oxen and Southdown sheep.

In the Visitor Center, enjoy a cup of hot cider and learn how sheared wool from our Southdown flock is used. Visitors can try their hand carding wool, weaving with the floor loom, and using peg-looms to create their own make-it-and take-it bookmark.

Sleigh ride admission includes sleigh rides, the operating farm, restored 1890 Farm House, plus activities and programs.

http://www.billingsfarm.org/programs-events/special_events/jansleighride.html

Untamed Forest and Shores: A History of Cape Cod Wildlife

January 10, 2012, 6:30pm

Sturgis Library, 3090 Main Street (Route 6A), Barnstable, MA 02630

Who are our wild neighbors that inhabit Cape Cod’s woodlands, shores, marshes and fields? How did society treat, use and eventually attempt to conserve generations of wild birds and animals over the centuries?

This event is free to the public.

http://www.sturgislibrary.org/calendar-list/2012/01/#untamed-forests-and-shores-a-history-of-cape-cod-wildlife

Lets Go Eco-Green with Pest Control in 2012

A-1 Exterminators, protecting you from Pests while protecting the environment.

Whether your concern is the environment, public health issues, have family members or co-workers who are chemically sensitive or are just fearful of the host of health threats posed by pests and rodents, A-1 is committed to providing the best and most up-to-date eco-friendly pest management methods currently available.

A-1 Exterminators Heatwave Treatment is entirely green!

Our powerful computer monitored 450,000 BTU Heatwave System is designed to rid your home of bed bugs. Because the treatment is heat it is environmentally friendly and provides excellent results. Recently our system was called into duty by a Massachusetts municipality that needed to eradicate bed bug infestations in two public multi-unit residences.

Sentricon® Termite Colony Elimination System

The bottom line is this. We want to eliminate termites as much as you do. But we want to protect the environment as much as you do, too. The Sentricon System has proven its ability to do both.

Visit our website to find out more information or call us at 1-800-525-4825 (1-800-499-5866 for Cape Cod) to solve your pest management problems!

On-Going Protection; We Protect Your Home & Family

Our Licensed Technicians use ODORLESS products that are applied with modern effective equipment. All of the materials used in the living area of your home meet or exceed state and local regulatory requirements.

Did you know ANY home can have pests???

Pests can be a problem even in the finest of homes, NO matter how clean or new your home is. Uninvited pests are always ready to move in and become a major problem if not controlled.

If you think you have a pest problem, you can contact A-1 Exterminators at #1-800-525-4825 or visit us online.

Residential Pest Control Services

Initial Pest Prevention Survey

We inspect your home, identifying existing and potential problems.

We Treat All Unfinished Attic Areas

This treatment penetrates deep into eaves and inaccessible areas to control ants, silverfish, spiders, and free flying insects such as wasps and cluster flies.

We Only Apply the Most Effective Specifically Selected Products

Treatments are applied in the cracks and crevices where pests live and breed, keeping your family and home protected from unwanted invaders.

We Apply A Protective Barrier

Around the entire outside perimeter of your home to deter and control crawling insects from entering your home.

We Install Specially Designed Traps

And tamper resistant rodent stations in the basement to control invading rodents.

Termite Early Warning System

Termite monitoring devices will be installed around the perimeter of your home to aid in the early detection of termites.

On-Going Protection

Our pest prevention plan provides you with on-going protection and includes (3) visits per year.

Should you encounter any problems, just give us a call and we will retreat any problem areas without additional charge.

Call A-1 at 1-800-525-4825 (1-800-499-5866 for Cape Cod) to solve your pest management problems!

http://www.a1exterminators.com/index.html

A1 Exterminator’s Services

We Meet The Needs of:

Small Business and Offices

Warehouses

Major Industry

Food Handling Companies and Facilities

Health care organizations

Shopping centers and malls

Hotels, commercial property and residences

Government buildings

Apartment houses and residential communities

Residential

We have been successfully exterminating uninvited guests from homes for over 50 years. All of the materials used in the living area of your home meet or exceed state and local regulatory requirements. Our Licensed Technicians use ODORLESS products that are applied with modern effective equipment. We offer our Pest Prevention Plan to keep your home pest free.

Condos & Apartments

A-1 specializes in pest control for condominiums and apartment communities. We’ve been providing service throughout New England to the top property management companies for decades. Working directly with tenants to help eliminate additional work for property managers that need that extra attention. We provide bed bug services, integrated pest management programs, and rodent control services for both small and large properties.

Commercial

Our A-1 pest control technicians are licensed and certified by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Pesticide Bureau, the New Hampshire Division of Pesticide Control and the Maine Department of Agriculture, and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, guaranteeing the highest level of professional competence. Ongoing training ensures that A-1 professionals always provide the latest and most effective techniques and methods.

http://www.a1exterminators.com/

Welcome 2012 (pests not included)

As we all welcome 2012 lets be sure to not welcome the insects and pests as well!

If anyone is having a problem with insects or pests of any nature contact

A1 Exterminators today at 1-800-525-4825 http://www.a1exterminators.com/

Dwarf Spider

This Dwarf Spider is REALLY tiny. I’m talking miniscule. Taking photos of it was nearly impossible. These are in the subfamily Erigoninae. This is part of the Linyphiidae family – the sheet weavers. In England they are called “money spiders”.
http://www.suttonmass.org/animals/spiders/

Dimorphic Jumping Spider

The Dimorphic Jumping Spider is less than half an inch in diameter. It is technically known as Maevia inclemens. It can jump up to 50 times its length! These spiders are very jump-happy. They will leap on just about anything they see.

I called the gray male form of this spider a “speckled spider” until we figured out exactly what it was. They have amazing camouflage and can blend right in with their surroundings. All of these photos were from dimorphics that were found on our back porch in Sutton.

The reason these spiders are called “dimorphic” is that the males can come in two different color styles. There is this gray color scheme, called the “gray morph”, and another style that is all black body which is called the “tufted morph”. They look wildly different from each other.  This is one of the only cases in nature where there are two radically different types of males, with very different courtship patterns and looks, but they both mate with single female style.

Even more interesting, whichever type of male the female spider mates with, she ends up having offspring of both colors. However, all the male babies look like the gray style when they are little. It’s only when they molt to their adult form that the tufted ones take on their unique form. I imagine that’s because when they are black, suddenly they are far less camouflaged
http://www.suttonmass.org/animals/spiders/

Daring Jumping Spider

The Daring Jumping Spider is not dangerous at all. It is shy and likes to hang out on fences to track down bugs. It has beautiful green “chelicerae” – the dangling parts in front of their mouth. It is less than an inch wide.

Technically known as Phidippus audax this is also known as the “bold jumping spider”. Baby audax have orange spots, while adult audax have white spots. These are part of the phidippus genus. They are found all over the United States.

Bob likes the name “audacious jumping spider” better! We call the spider “Audax” or “Audie” for short.

We always look forward to spotting an audax on our porch. Usually we have one each year that hangs out by our peony bush. These guys despite their name are fairly shy and often hide under the porch railing. One time we found a small green inchworm and plunked it down near the Audax. It took the Audax literally fifteen minutes to build up the courage to go near it – and then a quick pounce and it had its meal! It quickly brought it back into its little dark crevice.
http://www.suttonmass.org/animals/spiders/