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HD 360X Zoom Lenses

Product Review: HD 360X Zoom and Macro and Fish Eye Lenses. HD 360x 2105 Foothill Blvd. Suite B123. La Verne, CA 91750.

HD 360X Zoom and Macro and Fish Eye Lenses. Photo: Stephen M. Vantassel.
HD 360X Zoom and Macro and Fish Eye Lenses. Photo: Stephen M. Vantassel.

In my work with the wildlife control industry, I take a fair number of photos related to wildlife damage, sign, and wildlife control techniques. It seems I never have enough photos as I am missing the needed angle or subject. But carrying around my bulky camera bag is a tedious. So, I have really appreciated the convenience of taking pictures with my iPhone (6s). I grant you that other cell phones have better capabilities (such as Droids and the iPhone 7), but for many shots, it has fit the bill quite nicely.

But is there is a way to get more capabilities without adding a lot of bulk? I recently saw a Facebook ad for add-on telephoto lenses. The ad had a comment by a photographer who said the lens let him leave his digital camera behind. I wanted to see for myself. I purchased the HD360x Zoom (8x magnification), the fish eye lens and the macro lens. Keep in mind that the lenses are only designed for single lens cell phones. They won’t work with phones that use two lenses, such as the iPhone 7 and comparable non-Apple phones.

All the lenses screw onto a clip that pressure fastens to your phone with a clothespin-like clip. Affixing the lenses is easy. The problem was lining up the lenses to the lens of the phone. The telephoto lens was particularly difficult for me. I should also point out that if you protect your phone with a cover such as an Otter Box, you have to remove it for these devices to work.

Readers should keep in mind that my review is based on initial use of these products. My opinion could change with more practice and experience with the lenses. Nevertheless, I think initial impressions are important. So here they are.

Zoom Lens. It did bring the target significantly closer to me. But I was not impressed with the clarity of the photo. I need photos that are crisp and my initial experience didn’t provide that.

Macro Lens. This lens is designed to let you take close up shots of small objects. I tried it on a box of colored pencils and my desk. When I compared the photos to just using the camera lens by itself, I didn’t see any difference significant enough in either clarity of magnification to justify using the macro lens.

Fish Eye Lens. This lens lets you expand the field of vision taken by the photo. This lens did fulfill its promise as it definitely added a few more degrees to the camera’s field of vision. Now whether the fish eye beats using the panoramic setting on the camera is a separate question.

Cost. I paid $56.00 for the all three lenses including shipping.

Should you buy a set? I would say not this brand. At least not until I can figure out how to make it work better. Is there another brand that would work better? Maybe. If you have ideas. I am all ears.

Stephen M. Vantassel, CWCP, ACE, is the owner of Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. He helps people restore their balance with nature through publishing, training, consulting, and the internet. He has published numerous articles in trade and academic publications along with several books (http://kingsdivinity.academia.edu/StephenMVantassel). He is a sought after speaker and trainer. Copyright All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text (not images) may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included. If images wish to be used, explicit and written permission must be obtained from Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.

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10 Facts about Raccoon Roundworm

Raccoon roundworm, Baylisascaris procyonis, is a nematode that lives in the intestines of many raccoons. There the worms shed eggs that exit the raccoons through the feces. Since raccoons tend to defecate in the same locations, known as toilettes, these sites pose risks to those who encounter the contaminated soils. What follows is 10 facts about raccoon roundworm.

Baylisascaris larvae emerging from an egg: U.S. Govt. Wikimedia.
Baylisascaris larvae emerging from an egg: U.S. Govt. Wikimedia.
  1. A raccoon can have 20,000 to 26,000 of roundworm eggs in a gram of feces.
  2. Raccoons can become infected by ingesting infective eggs or by eating animals already infected with the worms.
  3. Children are the most likely to be infected because they are more likely to play in contaminated areas and put their dirty hands in their mouth.
  4. The roundworm has been found to infect more than 100 species of animals, including dogs.
  5. Raccoon roundworm can damage organs, eyes, and cause encephalitis (i.e. inflammation of the brain).
  6. Roundworm eggs can survive for years in moist conditions, such as shaded soils.
  7. Roundworm eggs can be killed by exposure to prolonged sunlight, dry conditions, or temperatures above 144 degrees F.
  8. There are no products registered for the disinfecting roundworm eggs on surfaces.
  9. When surveys have been done, raccoon roundworm has been found throughout the United States, with only one exception.
  10. Signs of infection in animals include, lethargy, ataxia, circling, loss of fear of humans, slow arching of head and neck, slow movements, leaning, etc.

Sources:

Kazacos, Kevin R. 2001. Baylisascaris procyonis and related species. Parasitic Diseases of Wild Animals: Endoparasites Part II. Chapter 11. pp.301-341.

Murray, William J. and Kevin R. Kazacos. 2004. Raccoon Roundworm Encephalitis. Clinical Infectious Diseases. Nov. 15. Pp. 1484-1492.

Shafir, Shira C.; Wei Wang, Frank J. Sorvillo, Matthew E. Wise, Laurel Moore, Teresa Sorvillo, and Mark L. Eberhard. 2007. Thermal Depth Point of Baylisascaris procyonis Eggs. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 13:1(Jan): 172-173.

Stephen M. Vantassel, CWCP, ACE, is the owner of Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. He helps people restore their balance with nature through publishing, training, consulting, and the internet. He has published numerous articles in trade and academic publications along with several books (http://kingsdivinity.academia.edu/StephenMVantassel). He is a sought after speaker and trainer. Copyright All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text (not images) may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included. If images wish to be used, explicit and written permission must be obtained from Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.

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Flying Squirrels and Ultraviolet Light

A recent article in the prestigious Journal of Mammalogy discusses the discovery that all species of flying squirrels in North and Central America namely, Humboldt’s flying squirrel, (Glaucomys oregonensis), northern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus), and southern flying squirrel (Glaucomys volans) all emit a pink coloration when exposed to ultraviolet light. Interestingly, the flying squirrels are not the only mammal that have materials that fluoresce under UV light. In fact the opossum (Didelphis  virginiana) also have skin and fur that fluoresce under UV light.

Southern Flying Squirrel. Photo by Ken Thomas.
Southern Flying Squirrel. Photo by Ken Thomas.

After a researcher saw a southern flying squirrel fluoresce when illuminated with a UV light, researchers looked at museum specimens and a few live animals to see if they too fluoresced. They did.  The researchers used the LED UV flashlight (ilumens8 100 LED) which used a 395nm wave length.  The squirrels fluoresced on both the stomach (ventral) and back (dorsal) sides.

Researchers are uncertain as to what purpose this coloration plays on behalf of flying squirrels. But they suggested 4 hypotheses which are not mutually exclusive. Those hypotheses are 1) the trait
is adaptive in the squirrels’ unique nocturnal–crepuscular light
environment; 2) fluorescence is especially important on landscapes
with snow cover; 3) fluorescence is used in intraspecific
communication; and 4) fluorescence plays a role in antipredator
behavior.

I suspect that the characteristic helps squirrels see each other and thereby avoid collisions. But who knows. If the characteristic involves inter-personal communication, can WCOs use it to help capture or repel flying squirrels? Time will tell.

If you are interested in learning more read the article, A.M. Kohler et al., “Ultraviolet fluorescence discovered in New World flying squirrels (Glaucomys),” Journal of Mammology, doi:10.1093/jmammal/gyy177, 2019.

Stephen M. Vantassel, CWCP, ACE, is the owner of Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. He helps people restore their balance with nature through publishing, training, consulting, and the internet. He has published numerous articles in trade and academic publications along with several books (http://kingsdivinity.academia.edu/StephenMVantassel). He is a sought after speaker and trainer. Copyright All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text (not images) may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included. If images wish to be used, explicit and written permission must be obtained from Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.

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Cleaning Cage Traps

Do you clean your cage traps? Have you ever considered cleaning your cage traps? It may sound like a silly idea. After all, isn’t cleaning your cage traps like cleaning the tires of your vehicle or the bottom of your shoes? A useless endeavor that will simply add more time to your already busy schedule? Those are certainly some important points, but I want you to give you a few reasons to support the idea that cleaning cage traps is a good idea at least in some situations.

Let’s begin by considering the problem. Animals are dirty. Raccoons, for example, regularly defecate inside cage traps they are captured in. It’s almost like they are doing this as an act of defiance. They aren’t the only animals that can poo inside the cage. Animals also urinate as well. Both urine and scat carry infectious organisms that can adhere to the cage wire, potentially waiting for you to touch. You may counter, but I always wear protective gloves! Great. I am glad to hear that because many wildlife control operators (WCOs) don’t.

  • Using a weed burner to clean a cage trap. Photo: Charles Parker of Parker's Wildlife Control, New Orleans.
    Using a weed burner to clean a cage trap. Photo: Charles Parker of Parker’s Wildlife Control, New Orleans.

I’m not talking about cleaning cage traps for your safety, though that is a reasonable reason. I am referring to cleaning cage traps for two other reasons, namely customer safety and trapping efficiency.

I suggest that cage traps should be cleaned if you rent out traps. The last thing you want to have happen is a renter using a trap that gets an infection from mishandling your equipment. So you clean your traps between renters.

The second reason you should clean your trap is when you are having trouble catching an animal. Sometimes animals avoid smells of other animals, such as a squirrel avoiding the odor of a raccoon, or a female raccoon avoiding the odor of a male raccoon. If your trap isn’t catching the way it used to, perhaps it’s because the odors on the trap are scaring the new animals away.

How do you clean your cage traps? I suggest using a weed burner. Find a safe area like concrete slabs, particularly those in well-ventilated areas. Just wave the flame over the mesh several times. Don’t need to make the mesh glow. Just enough heat/flame to kill the little nasties. Those of you in drought areas, need to be careful that grass and leaves in the trap don’t cause a fire elsewhere when carried by the wind.

If you haven’t cleaned your cage traps before, perhaps give it a try. You may find that you like the results. Keep in mind, that flaming will reduce the lifespan of your cage traps. But if you are careful, the life reduction won’t be noticeable.

Stephen M. Vantassel, CWCP, ACE, is the owner of Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. He helps people restore their balance with nature through publishing, training, consulting, and the internet. He has published numerous articles in trade and academic publications along with several books (http://kingsdivinity.academia.edu/StephenMVantassel). He is a sought after speaker and trainer. Copyright All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text (not images) may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included. If images wish to be used, explicit and written permission must be obtained from Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.

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ACE Exam

Screen shot of my ACE Exam results "tentative".

My experience with the ACE Exam

The Entomological Society of America (ESA) has two certifications for individuals looking to show their expertise in insects and/or their control. The BCE or Board Certified Entomologist is for those with a degree in entomology. The ACE, Associate Certified Entomologist, is for those involved with pest control but lack the degree. Both certifications require certain professional qualifications as well as passing a proctored exam. The ACE Exam has a reputation for difficulty. If memory serves, the pass rate is a staggeringly low, 38%.

I took the ACE Exam on Friday afternoon on February 15, 2019. Before I tell you how well I did, let me explain how the journey began. I am not an entomologist and my experience in the bug side of pest control is extremely limited. So I began my quest to be certified with several strikes against me. I am not a field practitioner in insect control and my desire to study for objective (i.e. true/false and multiple choice) exams is low. Nevertheless, I wanted to expand my horizons and possibly job opportunities so I figured getting an ACE certification wouldn’t hurt.

Preparation for the ACE Exam

I purchased the ACE Study Book, The IPM Guide to Urban Pest Control. The ESA recommends reading other books to prepare for the exam, such as the NPMA’s Field Guide to Structural Pests and Truman’s Scientific Guide to Pest Control. Fortunately, I already owned the latest editions of both. I read the Truman’s book, last year but didn’t get serious till about late November of 2018.

I asked for some help from colleagues and did some online searching. I received some materials. I also read the ACE Study Book. As important as those things were, I needed some help chunking volume of data. Fortunately, Sylvia Kenmuir, formerly of Target-Specialty, allowed me into her 10 week prep course. That was a godsend. It helped me get a foothold on the volume of material as well as learn strategies to study and take the test. I recommend her training to anyone serious about passing the ACE Exam. She recommends purchasing the NPMA’s Field Guide Phone App. It is cheaper than the book and provides enough information for what you need for the course. I had that too.

I also took the preparation tests offered by Practical Entomology, LLC. This site offers two tests, one study test that provides explanations for the answers and show your weak areas and another longer test to see if you improved.

Overall, I estimate that I studied about 60 hours or more for the test. The ESA recommends 40 hours of study. I made flash cards (stack was about 5 inches high) and reviewed, reviewed, and reviewed. Let’s say that Christmas break wasn’t as festive as I would have liked.

The ACE Exam

The test is as hard as they say. You have three hours to answer 150 questions. The questions are divided up into 5 sections. Once you submit a section, there is no going back to review even if you have time left over. That alone cost me at least one correct answer because one question in a later section answered the question I didn’t know in an earlier and now irretrievable earlier section.

Despite all the studying I did, I was amazed at how many questions I couldn’t answer. Many had me asking myself, “Where was this information? I never saw this before.” As can be expected with any objective test, there were questions that I thought were too tricky to be fair. As one who has written several objective exams, I know how hard it is to write good ones. So I can’t complain too much as there were also a lot of questions that I thought were too easy, even for a pest control novice like me.

I finished the test in about an hour. I say that not to boast. I am a fast reader (two masters degrees). I answered fast because either I saw the answer or I didn’t. Staring at it any longer really wouldn’t have helped me. Maybe that would be different for other people who had a deeper set of knowledge in the field. Before I hit the final submit button, I actually thought I had failed. There were so many questions I didn’t know the answer to, some that I don’t know where the information for the answer could be found, that I was coming to grips with failure. Then the answer came back, I passed. I was stunned. Did I really get 113 questions out of 150 correct for a 75% pass? Well the screen said I did better than that. Still a little shocked. I’m awaiting official notification, so my passing is still “tentative”.

Bottom Line

What should you do? Hard to say. I felt like much of my study time was misplaced, if by misplaced we mean getting ready for the test. So much of what I learned wasn’t tested by the test. So I am a little conflicted by how to advise others to prepare. It makes me feel like the old marketing claim, “I waste 80% of my advertising dollars. Unfortunately, I don’t know which 80% is being wasted.” So my studying felt wasted but clearly it wasn’t. I passed. So my advise is to immerse yourself into the material. Memorize, memorize, review, to the point where you can describe the insects and concepts without being prompted. Master the material. Know the ACE Study Book inside and out. Read beyond it. Take the Prep Course. If for nothing else, the Practical Entomology tests help you deal with the type of questions if not the actual content. That is part of the battle. The questions make you think differently about what you know and what you think you know. Note I received “deals” on both the prep course and the preparation exams. But neither knew I was going to include them on a blog. I didn’t know myself until I received a request about my experience with the test.

Stephen M. Vantassel, CWCP, ACE, is the owner of Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. He helps people restore their balance with nature through publishing, training, consulting, and the internet. He has published numerous articles in trade and academic publications along with several books (http://kingsdivinity.academia.edu/StephenMVantassel). He is a sought after speaker and trainer. Copyright All postings are the property of Stephen M. Vantassel and Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC. Text (not images) may be reprinted in non-profit publications provided that the author and website URL is included. If images wish to be used, explicit and written permission must be obtained from Wildlife Control Consultant, LLC.