Category: pest control

Orange County Uses Drone to Battle Mosquitos

After the heavy rains this winter, officials in Orange County, California have added a new tool to their arsenal to fight off summer mosquitos. Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control are now using drones to attack mosquito development in marshes, large ponds, and parks. Because the insects promulgate by laying their eggs in water, the…


Found a Rat in Your House? Here’s How to Get Rid of It

By Hunter Boyce From Atlanta Journal-Constitution It’s the middle of the night, and you’re sound asleep. A noise jolts you awake, and you hear the pitter-patter of tiny, scurrying feet. A quick, anxious inspection of your space reveals a pile of droppings under your bed. You have rats living just feet away from where you…


Australian States Push to Scrap ‘Red Tape’ for Deer Culling

Wild deer are running rampant in Victoria and Tasmania, destroying crops and natural habitats, prompting calls to change local laws and allow the animals to be classified as pests. The Invasive Species Council is pushing for deer to be classified as pests in the states—which are the only Australian jurisdictions where deer are legally protected…


Spotted Lanternflies Are Hatching Again. but How Far Do They Spread Each Year?

By Frank Kummer From The Philadelphia Inquirer Philadelphia — Black-and-white spotted lanternfly nymphs about a quarter-inch long are starting to hatch in the region, hopping across decks, patios, and trees before they morph over the summer into flying Technicolor adults. If you haven’t seen them in your yard yet, it could only be a matter…


Show the Ants Who’s Boss and Other Household Tips

I don’t know about you, but when I learn some new and amazing household tip that promises to save me time and/or money, well, it just makes my day. I love it! Not all of the tips I get from you, my faithful readers, are brand-new. But since I am not good at keeping 20,000…


New Species of Dung Beetle to Roll Into Australia

A new dung beetle has been introduced into Australia as part of the Dung Beetle Ecosystem Engineer (DBEE) project to control cattle dung for grazing areas in South Australia (SA). The Gymnopleurus sturmi dung beetle, native to Morrocco, lives in a habitat and climate similar to that of SA’s during its late winter to spring…


10 Ways to Get Rid of Ants Using Ordinary Stuff in Your Pantry

Knowing how to get rid of ants around the house is important. But it’s also fun to learn just how fascinating these creatures are. They’re industrious and super smart, as far as insects go. Some ants can support up to 50 times their own weight while upside-down on glass. Ants are found almost everywhere on…


Lord Howe Island Biodiversity Recovery Following Rodent Eradication

The New South Wales government has announced that Lord Howe Island (LHI), home to over 33 threatened species and many critically endangered species have made a great recovery in biodiversity since the eradication of rodents in 2019. James Griffin, New South Wales Minister for the Environment said the population of the endangered LHI woodhens has…


CSIRO to Release Foreign Fungi to Control Coastal Invasive Weed for Penguin Nests

The CSIRO announced that it will be releasing the Venturia paralias fungi to attack the invasive coastal weed called sea spurge that is threatening nesting sites of native Australian little penguins as well as coastal vegetation. “Our research found that the fungus is highly specific towards sea spurge. Based on our results, the fungus was…


A Remarkably Effective and Safe Do-It-Yourself Option for Pest Control

There is an old adage out there that promises, “Teaching teaches the teacher.” I believe that with all my heart. Never does a day go by that I don’t learn something from my readers. Most days those lessons are small, perhaps even insignificant. And then there are days like today when it’s just one big…