Category Archives: Household pests
Are ladybugs harmful? Annual swarms, home invasion raise questions about native, Asian beetles
The annual ladybug invasion appears to be in motion. Reports of ladybird beetles, commonly known as ladybugs, invading homes and structures across the southern U.S. have raised questions and concerns. According to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert, ladybugs are definitely a friend, but sometimes even friends can wear out their welcome. Wizzie Brown, AgriLife Extension integrated pest management specialist, Austin, said the increased sightings of ladybugs inside homes and structures are related to colder temperatures. They are crawling through cracks and crevices around the home to find warm, dry… Read More →
Mosquito populations booming after rains: Three varieties to worry about, control and repel
That familiar buzz and bite are signs that mosquito season in Texas is here, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife entomologist. Sonja Swiger, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service entomologist and associate professor in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Entomology, Stephenville, said biting mosquitoes are a seasons-long problem that often changes based on the environment. Which species are present and whether mosquitoes are an annoyance or vectors for diseases likely depends on those conditions, she said. Similarly, the temperature, availability of water and type of water available, such… Read More →
Kudzu bug in Texas
Last week Texas became the fourteenth state with verified populations of kudzu bug. An alert county Extension agent, Kim Benton, reported kudzu bugs from a home garden in Rusk, TX, south of Tyler. The bugs were clustered on eggplant and other vegetables before being transplanted into the garden. The kudzu bug saga in the U.S. began in October 2009 when millions of small, pill-like bugs startled homeowners across nine counties in northeast Georgia. The never-before-seen insects covered the sides of homes by the thousands, and concerned citizens began… Read More →
Multiplying millipedes
At first glance, millipedes are most remarkable for their ability to walk without tripping over their own feet. The name millipede literally means “thousand feet” and though most don’t have that many legs, that’s still a lot of feet to keep track of. What’s even more remarkable about millipedes, once you get to know them, is their ability to reach astronomical numbers when weather conditions are prime. That’s what’s happening right now, at least in parts of north and east Texas. For the past month Extension offices have… Read More →
Avoid bringing bed bugs home
The fear of picking up bed bugs in a hotel room shouldn’t keep you from that next great adventure you’ve been planning. Yes, frequent travelers do have a good chance of eventually encountering bed bugs; but a few simple steps can dramatically reduce your risk of bringing these pesky insects home. To learn more, check out this new video, produced by my colleague Dr. Pat Porter, that explains what you can do to avoid the curse of the bed bug. And enjoy that next vacation to New York… Read More →
Bug bombs bomb
For many years the go-to solution for DIY pest control was the bug bomb. Got fleas? Get yourself a bug bomb. Cockroaches in the kitchen? Bug bomb! Most recently, it’s bed bugs. See a bed bug? Reach for the bug bomb. But do bug bombs (also known as total release aerosols) really work? Not very well according to a recent paper was published last month in the Open Access journal BMC Public Health. Researchers at North Carolina State University found that not only did bug bombs under-perform (not even… Read More →
When ants invade
It’s ant season, and garden centers around Texas are swarming with folks looking for a quick solution to ant invasions. Ants have been the bane of humankind since before the first picnic. But who could imagine how much misery and anger a tiny little insect like an ant could produce? But of course it’s never just one ant that’s the problem. As I was recently reminded, one ant can quickly turn into dozens on the floor, on counter-tops and in the bathroom. My wife and I experienced that… Read More →
Bed bugs happen: Even in school
A message to all parents with kids in school: Bed bugs happen. Bed bugs happen even in your children’s school, and like it or not we’re all going to have to deal with it. That will mean fighting the inclination to go into hyper-protective parent mode. Instead we all need to relax. Deep breaths. Eyes closed. Find your center. Breeeathe… it will be all right. It doesn’t matter what kind of school our kids attend, there’s a good chance that sooner or later you’ll hear rumors of bed bugs on campus. I… Read More →
Lady beetle invasion
This year Extension offices are receiving an unusually high number of calls about lady beetles inside homes. The culprit is an exotic lady beetle called the multicolored Asian lady beetle (MALB). While not new, high aphid populations in some trees last year are thought to have contributed to this year’s higher than normal number of these “naughty lady beetles”. The multicolored Asian lady beetle is normally a helpful insect that eats aphids. Studies of the beetle in its native Asian habitats showed that it was such an… Read More →
Benefits of cockroach baits
You may not have cockroaches in your home. But cockroaches remain one of the most important indoor pests of homes, especially in multifamily housing. If you do have occasional problems with the small kitchen cockroaches, known as German cockroaches, there is good news, and it’s as close as the insecticide shelf in your grocery store. A story Before starting graduate school in entomology I worked as a pest control technician out of college. One of my accounts was a sprawling, multi-story public housing complex. These visits were frustrating… Read More →
