THE PEST DEFENSE SECURE YOUR HOME AGAINST THIS YEAR'S THRIVING POPULATIONS OF BUGS, BEES AND RODENTS.

Byline: Vicki Smith Paluch Correspondent

The hand-written sign on my dad's front door read, ``Do Not Enter, Infested With Bees.''

Fortunately, Dad was not home when an alarmed neighbor hastily posted the sign after a black cloud of bees flew down my father's chimney and swarmed into his North Hollywood house.

Summoned by the neighbor, I called second-generation beekeeper David Saraf, who removed the hive in the chimney, sprayed the exterior with pesticide and covered the opening with a fine mesh screen. He used a leather glove to kill the remaining bees inside the house.

Bees and other critters are on the rise, thanks to this season's record rainfall and warm spring weather. Mosquitoes, which may carry the West Nile virus, are breeding unusually early, say vector control officials, who worry about stagnant water on private property.

``It only takes a half-inch of standing water to breed mosquitoes,'' said Stephanie Heinz, public information officer for the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District. ``That's about the size of a sewing thimble.''

Besides a boom in mosquitoes, expect to see more termites, bees, spiders, cockroaches and ants. The rodent population could explode, too, because of rain-swelled vegetation, which provides wonderful feeding and hiding places.

``What we anticipate seeing after an El Nino is increased activity,'' said Jim Troutman, Los Angeles regional manager for Terminix, a national pest control company.

Many of these pests can pose health risks or cause structural damage to our homes. Here's how you can defend your home from these critters:

Termites

Subterranean-termite swarming season may hit the Los Angeles area as early as mid-April, when the wood-munching insects start searching for places to establish new colonies - such as your home.

``Spring is the season for subterranean termites, which create their colonies in the soil,'' Troutman said. ``Late summer to early fall starts the season for dry-wood termites.''

The two different types of termites require different treatments. To eliminate subterranean termites, a professional exterminator must bait the insects. Worker termites carry the poison back to the colony, where the rest are killed. You can also lay down a ``liquid barrier'' termite poison around the perimeter of your home and garage.

``When they hit the material, it keeps them from entering, and they take the poison back to the colony,'' Troutman explained.

Knowing what kind of termites you have is crucial to eradicating the infestation.

Tenting and fumigating a house will not help you if you have subterranean termites. Fumigation works only on dry-wood termites, Troutman emphasized. ``Conversely, baiting does not work on dry-wood termites,'' he said.

Signs of termite infestation include:

--Mud-tubes, the size of a drinking straw, found along a wall or a 2-by-4, inside or outside of the house.

--Termite wings - either subterranean or dry-wood types - found on a window sill or on a kitchen counter.

``They are attracted to natural light,'' Troutman said. ``If you see all these wings lined up on a window sill it's indicative of a termite swarm.''

Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes can carry the West Nile virus, which spreads when mosquitoes bite infected birds and then transmit the virus to humans and animals, such as horses. Most cases are considered mild, but people can suffer from fevers, headaches and skin rashes.

State health officials reported last week that dead birds have tested positive for the disease in 19 counties statewide, including Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Orange. Last year, 28 people died from the disease and 830 Californians were infected with the virus.

The public is asked to report the sighting of dead birds - particularly crows, ravens, magpies and jays. The state has a free hotline, (877) WNV- BIRDS, and a Web site, www.westnile.ca.gov, to report dead birds.

To stop the mosquito life cycle, residents are urged to do the following:

--Eliminate standing water on your property by dumping or draining water in neglected swimming pools, spas, ponds, clogged rain gutters, rain barrels, discarded tires, buckets, holes in trees and watering troughs. Also check for leaking garden equipment or any container holding water for more than a week.

--Change the water in pet dishes and replace the water in bird baths weekly.

--Keep children's wading pools empty and on their sides when not in use.

To protect yourself and your family from mosquito bites, take the following precautions:

--Wear long-sleeve shirts and pants outdoors, especially at dusk and dawn - when mosquitoes are most active.

--Use mosquito repellent containing DEET.

--Keep tight-fitting screens on doors and windows to prevent mosquitoes from entering homes.

Bees

Call a professional beekeeper or a pest control company if bees have invaded your home or garage. Make sure the company is bonded and insured.

Bee-proof your home with the following steps:

--Stack empty flower pots.

--Push dirt into animal burrows.

--Screen vents and wall cavities with 1/8-inch wire mesh.

--Caulk cracks in walls.

--Remove unused sheds and rubbish.

--Fill in tree holes.

Ants

The tiny, black Argentine ant is expected to be a big problem this year, said Troutman.

There are numerous pesticides you can use for ants in the yard, from sprays to granules for the lawn and perimeter of the house.

But pest-control experts deride these remedies as ``Band-Aids'' because they don't attack the colony. Instead, exterminators recommend a thorough home inspection to seal off access points, such as damaged stucco, as well as openings in window ledges, under doors, etc.

Rodents

Prevent the entry of rats, mice and other critters such as raccoons and opossum by checking vents, including attic and roof vents and those for the foundation.

``A mouse can enter through a hole in a screen that is the size of a dime. A rat can squeeze through a hole that the size of a quarter,'' Troutman noted.

That 1/8-inch-gauge mesh that works to protect you from bees would work here as well, he said.

In addition to closing off vents, cut off the food source for rodents, including pet food. ``Keep the dry dog food in plastic containers that rodents and pests can't enter,'' he said.

Most important, use common sense.

``It's important to do preventive work to block the access. Make sure tree branches are cut back and do not touch the roof of your house,'' Troutman said. ``We caution people to use common sense and to take a systematic approach to eliminating their pest problems.''

Where to get help

--Los Angeles County West Vector Control District

Phone: [phone] for bees and yellow jackets; [phone] for mosquitoes.

Online: www.lawestvector.org

Address: 6750 Centinela Ave., Culver City, 90230

Areas served: Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Hidden Hills, Westlake Village, Malibu, Beverly Hills, Culver City and unincorporated territory of Los Angeles County and many coastal communities.

--Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control - Sylmar Branch

Phone: [phone] for mosquitoes, black flies and midges. No Africanized honey bee swarm or hive removal.

Online: www.glacvcd.org

Address: 16320 Foothill Blvd., Sylmar, 91342

Areas served: 34 cities and communities, including Burbank, Glendale, and the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys.

--California Department of Health Services:

To report dead birds: (877) WNV-BIRD or www.westnile.ca.gov

CAPTION(S):

14 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- cover -- color) bug OUT!

How to protect your home against unwanted intruders

(2 -- 3 -- color) COCKROACH 

(4 -- color) ODOROUS HOUSE ANT

(5 -- color) SILVERFISH 

(6 -- color) AMERICAN COCKROACH

(7 -- color) AFRICANIZED HONEY BEE

(8 -- color) ORIENTAL COCKROACH

(9 -- color) HOUSE SPIDER

(10 -- color) HOUSE MOUSE

(11 -- color) ASIAN TIGER MOSQUITO 

(12 -- color) SWARMER TERMITE

Photos courtesy of Terminix

(13 -- 14 -- color) Michael Davis, an inspector for Terminix, searches for signs of infestation under the kitchedn sink of a Woodland Hills home, where a wooden post, at left, already has been attacked by subterranean termites and fungus.

Box:

Where to get help (see text)