Commonly Used Fungicides Linked to Increased Mortality in Honey Bees
Fungicides commonly used in almond orchards can be harmful to almond growers’ primary pollinator: honey bees. According to new lab research published this week in the Journal of Economic Entomology, […]
Study Finds Sweeteners Lead Fire Ants to a Bitter End
By Josh Lancette Researchers from China have discovered that some sweeteners can be lethal to the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta), a devastating pest found South America, the United […]
Some Bed Bugs Are Better Climbers Than Others
Not all bed bugs are created equal, and some of the leading bed bug traps used by pest management professionals are ineffective against species with better climbing abilities than others. […]
Et Tu, Fruite? Attracticidal Sphere Lures Fruit Flies to Their Demise
It looks like a fruit, but it’s definitely not as healthy. It’s the attracticidal sphere, and a new study shows it to be a promising tool for managing the invasive […]
Water-Resistant Bait Could Deliver Much-Needed Improvement in Pest Ant Control
The red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) and the little fire ant (Wasmannia auropunctata) are just two species of invasive ants that have thrived since their introduction to the U.S. […]
Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle or Oriental Flower Beetle? New Genetic Test Gives Faster Answer
Just more than three years ago, the coconut rhinoceros beetle (Oryctes rhinoceros) arrived in Hawaii, on the island of Oahu. The invasive species is native to Southeast Asia and has […]
Wild Plants Might Not Work as Refuges for Stem Borers in African Bt Crops
By Josh Lancette When using Bt crops, a constant concern is preventing insect pests from becoming resistant. According to a paper published in the Journal of Economic Entomology that contains […]
Area-Wide Management a Must for Asian Citrus Psyllid
The Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri) carries a bacterial pathogen that causes citrus greening disease (huanglongbing), which is destroying trees in many countries and states, including Florida. It’s been estimated […]
The First Journal Article on Insecticide Resistance was Published 100 Years Ago this Month
By Richard Levine One hundred years ago this month, an entomologist at the Washington Agricultural Experiment Station named A. L. Melander published an article in the Journal of Economic Entomology […]
Ozone Can Reduce Pesticide Residue Levels in Honey Bee Hives
In 2011, a USDA-ARS entomologist named Rosalind James published research on using ozone to control pests in honey bee hives in the Journal of Economic Entomology. Besides killing insect pests […]
Wasps Used to Combat Citrus Greening Disease are Unlikely to Threaten Non-target Insects
In August 2008 the Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri), an invasive insect known to spread citrus greening disease (huanglongbing), which can be lethal to citrus trees, was detected in southern […]
Beneficial Insects and Nematodes are not Harmed by Genetically-modified, Insect-resistant Plants
A large body of literature has shown that genetically-modified plants that produce proteins from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) to protect themselves from insect pests have little to no effect […]
The Invasive Turkestan Cockroach is Displacing the Oriental Cockroach in the Southwestern U.S.
The Turkestan cockroach, Blatta lateralis (Walker), has become an important invasive species throughout the southwestern United States and has been reported in the southern United States. It is rapidly replacing […]
Cold-tolerant Cockroach from Asia has been Found in New York
With winter’s arrival comes the kind of news that may give New Yorkers the creeps. A species of cockroach never found in the United States before has been positively identified […]
Bed Bugs can Survive Freezing Temperatures, but Cold can Still Kill Them
Exposing bed bug-infested clothing or other small items to freezing temperatures may be a viable control option for people at risk of bed bug infestations. However, a new study has […]