News

Nit-Picking Notes

Head lice lay their eggs, called nits, directly on strands of hair, using a glue that is extremely strong. In fact, the glue is so strong that it is commonly said that the lice "cement" their eggs in place.   Removing the eggs, or…

Insect Causes Jet Crash

When a Boeing 757 crashed in the ocean less than five minutes after takeoff in 1996, it tragically killed all 189 people on board Birgenair Flight 301. The black box revealed that the instrument panel had told the very experienced captain they…

Homeowners Set Houses Ablaze

In two separate incidents recently, homeowners trying to kill a spider that crawled indoors inadvertently set their homes on fire. In the first incident, a man used a can of spray paint and a lighter to try to kill a spider in his laundry…

Fire Ants Build Rafts

Red fire ants have an amazing ability to survive floods. As waters rise, the ants stream from their nests, start gripping onto ants beside them, and form living ant "rafts" that float and carry them to safety. This is an extraordinary engineering…

New Mosquito-Borne Virus

Chikungunya is a mosquito-transmitted virus that has the potential to become a nasty disease in the U.S. It is already near us—it has been spreading recently in the Caribbean and Central and South America. Since 2006 there have been an…

Unwanted Holiday Visitors

For a variety of reasons, many homes will experience increased pest problems during the holidays and the months ahead. Regular pest control is important during this time of the year because of the numerous pests that people encounter. Here are…

Move in Time for Mice Rats

In the fall and winter mice and rats invade homes in record numbers, looking for food and a more comfortable place to spend the cooler months. The question many people ask us is, "How do mice and rats get in?" The short answer is, "Very easily!"  Mice…

New Viruses found in New York Subway Rats

A team of scientists captured 133 rats at various places in New York City's subways, and used DNA sequencing to catalog the pathogens they were carrying. They found an alarming number of disease causing bacteria, viruses, and protozoa, but…

The Future of 'Jurassic Parks'

Ever since Michael Crichton published Jurassic Park in 1990, followed by the classic Spielberg film three years later, there has been a popular urban legend that blood-engorged mosquito fossils are common and that a real Jurassic Park is possible…

Trap Jaw Ants are Spreading

The trap jaw ant (Odontomachus haematodus), originally from South America, was first recorded in Alabama 50 years ago. Although this ant is known to be aggressive and invasive, it was thought that the species hadn't spread much. However, new…