Thursday May 24, 2012
CNN. MSN. New York Magazine. Even state health departments. It's on video. Audio. In print.
Everywhere you turn. Everyone you hear is saying that this could be the worst mosquito season in years -- decades -- "ever."
Right now, in many areas, the eggs are just beginning to awaken from their overwintering. A few mosquitoes are beginning to emerge and interrupt our evening activities, but from everything that's being said -- we haven't seen anything yet.
The early spring and the lack of winter in many areas are the greatest causes of the high populations that are expected. Not only are these flying insects annoying, irritating, and itchy when they bite, they can be vectors of very serious diseases, including West Nile virus and encephalitis.
While there is no magic wand of protection, there are ways you can prepare to make it through the upcoming buggiest, itchiest season in years:
Monday May 7, 2012
Some are seeking moisture, others seeking dry. Some are looking for a cooler environment, others want warmth. A few are hoping to find food, and others just end up in your home by complete accident.
Occasional invaders, such as centipedes, millipedes, crickets, pillbugs, and a bevy of others, are those that will enter homes and buildings but prefer to be outdoors. Because these pests don't usually breed or survive well in homes, they are generally more of an annoyance than of any danger. In addition, many tend to be seasonal in nature, with spring and early summer pests currently annoying many homeowners across the U.S.
Centipedes and millipedes are two of the pests that tend to temporarily move into homes in the spring. Although one or two of these arthropods are unlikely to be a problem, they can be very disturbing to some people. Read more about these many-legged creatures and their control.
Friday May 4, 2012
You may have heard that you can tell the temperature by a cricket's chirp - and wondered if it was true.
According to MSNBC/Science, new research by a British and Indian is proving that the pitch of a tree cricket's song does indeed change with temperature.
The "song" is actually created by the vibrating of the cricket's wings, and tree crickets vibrate their entire wing to make their call. To discover why and how the song changes with temperature, the team used computer modeling to closely examine the cricket's wings.
The resulting findings proved how the pitch changes:
"The body temperature of crickets, as with all insects, depends on the temperature of their environment. In warmer weather they are more active, and bring their wings together more quickly. As a result, the frequency of the vibration increases and the pitch -- the perceptual quality associated with frequency -- becomes higher. The opposite happens in cooler weather."
However, the team never did figure out why.
Photo by Fir0002/Wikipedia
Friday April 27, 2012
According to a study by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), carpenter ants were found to be one of the most prevalent pests today.
The study, which surveyed U.S. pest professionals, found that 100 percent of respondents treated ant infestations in 2011, and that the most prevalent species found were carpenter ants, odorous house ants and pavement ants. Sixty-six percent of professionals had treated for carpenter ants, 62 percent for odorous house ants, and 59% for pavement ants.
According to the study, most professionals treated several hundred ant infestations, while some treated many more. Infestations were most common in:
- office buildings (88%)
- restaurants (83%)
- apartments and condos (82%)
- single-family homes (80%).
It is common to find carpenter ants in homes and see winged ants in the spring, but before attempting control efforts, it is important to identify the particular species, and to ensure whether the flying "ants" are carpenter ants or termites.
Graphic courtesy of Owl Pest Prevention
