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It just hit the news – Hantavirus is typically spread through the feces and urine of rodents. There has been mention of human-to-human transmission, but according to a 2022 paper reviewing that claim, “The balance of the evidence does not support the claim of human-to-human transmission.” It’s important to remember that Hantavirus is not a “flu-like symptoms” sickness. It can be, and in this case is, a lethal disease. Sure, it starts with flu-like symptoms but progresses qu

I’m currently on a semi-holiday, and let me tell you: work is a whole lot better when you’re watching the Atlantic Ocean, sipping tea, and enjoying a pastry from the local bakery. (Shout out to the amazing Bagel Stop here in Florida!) But even with the salt air, I can’t help but think about the unique challenges of pest control in vacation rentals. Whether it’s a tiny one-room cottage or a massive condo complex, one thing is certain: there will be guests... and there will be

I have a lot of Google alerts for words relating to pest control. I typically skim through, look for any scientific articles and quickly delete. Then this one caught my eye. Ugh, here we go again, I think to myself. And yes, here we go again. Now, I get it. Pesticides are scary, especially when you call them “poisons”. Yes, they are intended to knock down the pest. Yes, some are poisonous (ingested). Yes, we want to make sure only the target animal is impacted by the pesti

It’s officially winter, and while many of us are dreaming of cozy fires and hot cocoa, our six-legged (and occasionally eight-legged or four-legged) friends have the exact same idea. In the pest world, there’s a common misconception that once it gets cold, all the bugs just… disappear. I wish it were that simple! While some go into diapause (essentially insect hibernation), others decide that your heated facility or home is the perfect place to ride out the chill. Here’s the

I have a lot of google alerts for words relating to pest control. I typically skim through, look for any scientific articles and quickly delete. Then this one caught my eye. Ugh, here we go again, I think to myself. And yes, here we go again. Now, I get it. Pesticides are scary, especially when you call them “poisons”. Yes, they are intended to knock down the pest. Yes, some are poisonous (ingested). Yes, we want to make sure only the target animal is impacted by the pest

The Black Plague ravaged Europe starting in the 1300s, with some estimates of 60% of the population being killed. It’s a great history...

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....

I slept like crap last night. I overslept this morning (aka hit snooze too much). I’m going to be in the field most of tomorrow so I’m...

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 was giving a webinar on rodents last week and someone asked a brilliant question: what can you do when the pest problem is coming from...

I’m probably going to get some pushback from this, but I don’t like birds. I admit that birds of prey, like raptors and owls, are very...

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...