Pestology Blog

Don't believe everything you see on social media. A viral Reddit post claimed that a Sephora moisturizer attracted wolf spiders. Users speculated on its ingredients, but entomology experts debunked the idea, stating that the lotion does not contain spider pheromones. The increase in spider sightings is likely due to cold weather driving spiders indoors, not the body butter itself.

Research highlights the invasive red imported fire ant's (RIFA) significant ecological and economic impact, costing around $17 billion. New surveillance technology using AI and advanced robotics from Lanzhou University shows promise in locating RIFA nests more effectively than humans, potentially revolutionizing pest management in the future.

One of the most important reasons for pest management is the protection of public health. A number of the pests that we are charged with managing can transmit serious diseases. But do we fully understand how those diseases are transmitted from insect to human? 

This study investigates the impact of pyrethroid-based Thermacell mosquito repellents on honey bee foraging behavior. The results indicate no significant difference in foraging metrics between treated and control feeders, suggesting these devices do not negatively affect honey bees.

This study investigates resistance to imidacloprid, revealing that behavioral resistance persists across generations despite physiological resistance declining. Behavioral avoidance doesn’t reduce overall fitness, complicating pest management strategies as resistant flies may not consume bait even when susceptible.

A study found that nuisance arthropods like flies, beetles, spiders, and ants thrive in homes, often going undetected. Researchers used sticky traps in 1,581 low-income apartments and discovered that 42% had pests. Only 13% of residents reported sightings, highlighting the effectiveness of sticky traps for early pest detection.