Lab Study Shows Asian Longhorned Tick Can Spread Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have found that the invasive Asian longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis) can, at least under lab conditions, acquire and transmit the bacteria that cause Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
To Control Lekking Fruit Flies, Male Size Matters (Except When it Doesn’t)
A study of two significant pest fruit fly species finds that the size of males influences female mating choice in one of the species, but not in the other—important knowledge for fine-tuning management efforts for both species via the sterile insect technique.
Research Confirms First Bed Bug Infestation in Costa Rica in Over 20 Years
A bed bug infestation hadn't been seen in Costa Rica since the late 1990s—until now. Researchers at the University of Costa Rica have confirmed that specimens collected from a home near San Jose in 2017 are indeed bed bugs and, surprisingly, of the temperate-zone species Cimex lectularius and not the tropical bed bug, Cimex hemipterus.
Rising Temperatures Could Stunt Growth, Threaten Survival of Common Damselfly
In the wetlands of the southern plains of the United States, the damselfly Enallagma civile thrives, but a new study shows rising temperatures could affect the growth, development, and survival of the species in the region.