|
|
Article: WEB SITE; PESTS POPULATE SOUTHLAND FOLLOWING EL NINO'S RAINS.(News)
- Article from:
- Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)
- Article date:
- October 6, 1999
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1999 Daily News. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
Byline: Jesse Hiestand Staff Writer
La Nina's legacy of parched soil and wilted vegetation has sent armies of thirsty ants marching for the closest source of moisture - and into people's homes.
And right behind them is a bumper crop of spiders, spawned by El Nino's bountiful rain last year, pest experts said Tuesday.
``What you see spider-wise now are the hatchlings from the El Nino year,'' said Russ Smith of the Los Angeles Zoo, who as curator of reptiles has expertise in their chief food source - bugs. ``Here on the zoo grounds there's orb-weavers almost anyplace where there's space between bushes and branches. It's a very good population ...