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Continuing with Mosquito Madness (day 2)! When we talk about mosquito control, it’s common for people to think of the spray or the fog. We picture the adult mosquito—the one currently buzzing or biting and ruining the outdoor patio seating. But we also need to look at the source. We talk about larvicides but do folks really understand them and how they work?   Starting with the basics - every mosquito starts its life as a "wriggler" in a stagnant pool of water. Manage the lar

If you’ve recently opened a newly constructed building or moved into a brand-new home, you might have noticed some tiny, dark specks crawling near the baseboards. Before you call the movers or file a massive insurance claim, let's talk about the beetles in the family Latridiidae, commonly known as plaster beetles or minute brown scavenger beetles.   These beetles are the ultimate "I’m here because it’s damp" indicators. In fact, they have a history that goes back to the days

It’s October and that means it’s my favorite season of the year: spider season! Living in Georgia (USA), we are still under siege from the invasive Joro spider . It is actually a very pretty spider that builds big orb-shaped webs. While these are beneficial (I am pretty sure we had next to no mosquito issues this summer because of all these webspinners), they are very abundant. People don’t like them near their structures, and there is the “ick” factor of walking through one

I’ve had kissing bugs hitting my newsfeed like crazy, so now’s a great time for a primer on bugs.   To start with, there are just shy of...

I heard a new term yesterday, and I figured it was an internet hoax. You know what happens next: I had to investigate and look it up....

It is apparently Tick Awareness week (May 4-10, 2025) , so be aware of ticks. Thanks for coming to my TED Talk. Ticks suck, literally...

I grew up in New England (I’m a Yankee), and one thing I really miss from there is heading to a lobster shack for dinner, which starts in...

My friend and I were having a conversation the other day about the disconnect that can happen between science and people in the field. It...

It’s Mosquito Awareness Week. Feel free to send your mosquito related gifts to me. Until they get here, here’s your gift from me: new...

I’ve talked about weather, its effect on pests, and the randomness of some insect “explosions” that happen. This is not like the cicada...

I saw my first dragon yesterday. It was not in a dungeon though. I think it looks like a dragon, and many folks have no idea what this...

It’s halfway through May and that means the grass is getting longer and the weeds are coming in. Literally in many cases because May is...