BLOG

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

When someone finds a hole in a wool coat or a silk rug, the first thing they say is, "A moth ate my clothes!" I hate to be the bearer of bad news (well, maybe I don't, I am  an entomologist), but that’s not entirely true. The adult moths you see fluttering around? They don't even have functional mouthparts. They don’t eat anything at all. The real villains are their "teenagers"—the larvae. Whether you are managing a high-end retail boutique, a museum, or just your own walk-in

Since we recently talked about springtails , let’s talk about another common pest that is often confused with springtails. They are found in many of the same places and under the same conditions as springtails. If you guessed psocids, you’re right. If you’ve ever been inspecting a food warehouse or a client’s pantry and seen tiny, pale specks scurrying across a pallet of flour or a dusty shelf, you might have encountered these.   They often get called booklice, which is one

So if you follow me, and you obviously do since you are reading this, there was some good stuff last year. Along with everything else I do, I enjoy writing the blog and doing the wine-ing videos. You folks had some definite winners, so let’s take a look back and see what happened last year!   Blogs: You folks really like the “ Not My Fault! ” blog talking about when pests are coming from neighbors.   I’m with all of you who enjoyed “ We Don’t Talk about Bruno ” where I talked

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’m inspecting a food facility this week and there’s always something interesting that you find. So this week, let’s talk about...

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....

A pheromone is defined as a chemical that an animal produces that changes the behavior of another animal of the same species. Simply...

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...

Apparently, March is National Flour Month. It’s also National Invasive Species Week this week. It only makes sense to feature flour...

I had some pictures sent to me by a pest control bestie so now my brain has been stuck on the Dermestid beetles. All names have been...

I received a picture the other day of a pest to identify. This, by itself, is nothing out of the ordinary: I get many texts and emailed...